A soccer ball flew rapidly, shattering the window glass of the Mouri Detective Agency, sending shards flying everywhere.
"Oh, my!"
Mouri Kogoro, startled, leaped from the sofa, ripped off his headphones, and rushed to the window in a rage, yelling downstairs.
"Which brat did that?! My window!"
Downstairs, Conan, looking flustered, shouted, "I'm sorry, Uncle! I kicked it by accident!"
Mouri Kogoro was so angry he stomped his feet. "You little brat! Do you have any idea I was listening to the most important horse race live broadcast?! Now you've interrupted everything! I didn't even hear which horse won in the end!"
Conan looked up from downstairs, asking innocently, "Huh? Uncle, were you listening to a horse race? So who won that race just now?"
"Won my foot!" Mouri Kogoro cursed irritably, "They were just about to announce the results when you shattered the window! How would I know who won?! It's infuriating!"
On the opposite rooftop, Vermouth took in the entire scene. She chuckled softly and said to Gin.
"It seems we've misjudged this Detective Mouri. He was just listening to a horse race broadcast. There's no need to cause extra trouble, Gin, let's retreat."
However, Vodka was somewhat unwilling.
"Aniki, since we're already here, are we just going to let it go? In my opinion, whether it's him or not, let's just give that old man a shot.
And that spectacled kid, making such a fuss, buy one get one free, let's just take them both out."
Gin narrowed his eyes, his killing intent undiminished.
He felt Vodka had a point, better to kill the wrong person than let the right one go.
So, he once again aimed his scope at Mouri Kogoro's forehead, who was still shouting from the window.
Just as his finger was about to press the trigger again.
Whoosh—!
A bullet shot from a distance, grazing Gin's cheek and hitting the concrete parapet on the rooftop, sending a shower of sparks.
"Sniper!" Vodka screamed in terror.
Gin immediately ducked low, his face ashen, and looked into the distance through his sniper rifle's scope. "Akai Shuichi!"
Akai Shuichi's face appeared in his scope.
Before he could return fire, Akai Shuichi fired another shot.
Gin quickly took cover behind the concrete wall.
"Tsk, what a persistent pest." Vermouth also quickly took cover.
Knowing their whereabouts had been exposed, and with an expert like Akai Shuichi lurking in the shadows, staying any longer would be suicide.
Gin ordered without hesitation. "Retreat!"
The three quickly put away their weapons and successfully evacuated before the FBI could surround them.
Later that night, after Gin, Vodka, and Vermouth returned to the safe house.
Vodka, wiping sweat from his forehead, asked reluctantly.
"Aniki, if that wiretap wasn't planted by Mouri Kogoro, then who was it?"
Gin lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, his expression shifting uncertainly.
"I haven't fully believed that detective is innocent. Moreover, he seems too foolish, completely inconsistent with his reputation as a great detective, it's very possible he's disguised."
After speaking, he looked at Vermouth.
"Vermouth, you're acting very strangely today. Does that Mouri Kogoro have some connection to you?"
Vermouth smiled at his words. "What if he does? What if he doesn't?"
She didn't answer directly, her tone provocative.
Gin stared at her for a few seconds, then snorted coldly, not pressing further.
He then said. "It doesn't matter. The chewing gum with the wiretap on it has the installer's fingerprints. As long as we investigate based on that, we'll eventually find that person."
As he spoke, he subconsciously reached into his trench coat pocket, intending to retrieve the wiretap and chewing gum.
However, his movement suddenly froze.
The pocket that had contained the wiretap and chewing gum was now empty!
Gin's face instantly turned ashen, and he quickly searched his other pockets, still finding nothing.
Why was it gone?! When did it... Gin looked up again, his gaze suspicious, at Vermouth.
Vermouth, in turn, looked back at him with an innocent expression, even shrugging slightly.
"Hmph..."
Gin squeezed a cold sneer through his teeth, suppressing the urge to draw his gun,
"This is as far as we go for now. Vodka, let's leave."
He no longer spared Vermouth a glance, and with anger, he and Vodka quickly left the safe house.
Vermouth watched their disappearing backs, her smile gradually fading.
After changing her attire, she also left quickly.
As she passed Jane Doe, who was leaning against the doorframe eating an apple, she softly said, "Thanks, Muscat."
...Meanwhile, Conan, knowing the wiretap had fallen into Gin's hands, was deeply worried.
He sat on the steps below the Mouri Detective Agency, propping his chin with his hands, lost in thought.
Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the shadows of the alley and stood before him.
It was Akai Shuichi, still wearing his knit cap, his expression stern.
"Mizunashi Rena was in a car accident."
Akai Shuichi's voice was low,
"She was in a severe car accident while fleeing from FBI pursuit and is now unconscious. Doctors have diagnosed her as possibly being in a vegetative state, and she won't wake up anytime soon."
After delivering this brief report, he didn't wait for Conan's reaction, but quickly turned and disappeared into the darkness as swiftly as he had appeared, leaving Conan standing alone.
Why did he specifically tell me this? And that look in his eyes, it was like he wasn't looking at a child at all.
Has he already noticed something? Does he know my true identity?
Or... is this just a test?
Conan's heart raced, and a chill Ran down his spine.
Akai Shuichi's words were too abrupt, leaving him in a jumble of thoughts.
Just then, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.
It was the phone he used under his Kudo Shinichi identity.
To avoid any slip-ups in front of Ran, he carried two phones.
He pulled it out and saw it was a text message from an unknown number. The content was very brief.
"The item you left on Mizunashi Rena's shoe sole has been properly dealt with. You are temporarily safe. Kudo Shinichi."
The message was unsigned, but the name Kudo Shinichi truly terrified him.
Conan was so shocked he could barely hold his phone, his pupils contracting violently.
Who is it?! Who knows my identity?! And knows about the wiretap?!
Conan's mind was a mess.
The wiretap had clearly fallen into Gin's hands.
The person who could dispose of the wiretap was very likely also a member of the Organization.
But if the other party was a member of the Organization, why would they help him?
Unless... he's an undercover agent! Or, he's also someone like Miyano Shiho, who wants to leave the Organization!