Chapter 351: The Shadow Approaching Ai Haibara's Secret 2
"In other words, it accelerates cell division, aging, and apoptosis," Baizhu explained through the private channel, his voice smooth and analytical. "It effectively increases a person's biological age by a few years, though the exact margin varies from subject to subject. More, its efficacy isn't strictly limited to victims of APTX4869. Unlike Ai Haibara's temporary prototype, the effects won't simply wear off after a few hours. However, Lisa's staged antidote comes with a severe limitation. It only works once. The body immediately develops a permanent resistance, rendering any subsequent doses completely useless."
Baizhu concluded his brief summary of Lisa's latest research findings. Behind the wheel, Diluc kept his gaze fixed on the winding road ahead. He rarely interfered in the biochemical division's affairs. Having absorbed the necessary intelligence, the red-haired man offered no further questions, dedicating his full attention to handling the vehicle smoothly.
Severing the private connection, Baizhu shifted his posture in the passenger seat. His golden eyes drifted toward the rearview mirror, catching a metallic glint from the back seat. A distinctive ring rested on Conan's finger. Turning slightly to look over his shoulder, Baizhu offered a polite, curious smile. He gestured toward the matching bands worn by both Conan and Ai Haibara.
"Are those the pass rings for the Mystery Train? Qiqi mentioned them to me earlier."
Conan blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the doctor's keen observation. He looked down at his hand, then nodded. "Yeah, exactly. These act as our boarding passes for the Suzuki Express we're taking next week. Sonoko dropped them off for everyone this morning."
The topic seemed to draw Ai Haibara out of her usual quiet reserve. A faint spark of genuine interest lit her ice-blue eyes. "Rumor has it the Mystery Train is a fully functioning steam locomotive. The Suzuki family went to great lengths to design the entire exterior as a perfect replica of the classic Orient Express." A dry, teasing smirk touched the corners of her mouth as she cast a sidelong glance at the boy detective beside her. "I just hope we avoid a locked-room murder case straight out of an Agatha Christie novel."
Baizhu maintained his mild smile, though his thoughts took a darker turn. 'Then your hopes are entirely misplaced, little lady,' he mused silently. Given the chaotic nature of their current reality, a murder on the Suzuki Express was practically a guaranteed event. Worse still, the very shadows Haibara spent her days dreading—the operatives of the Black Organization—were destined to board those same carriages.
"It's a real shame Qiqi isn't coming with us," Klee murmured from the adjacent seat. The energetic little girl slumped against the upholstery, her usual bright demeanor dimming as she stared down at her own silver pass ring.
The sheer disappointment in Klee's voice tugged at Haibara. Leaning forward to peer past Conan, she watched the little blonde girl trace the edges of the ring with a gloomy expression. Haibara hesitated, her fingers curling into her palms, before she addressed the front seat.
"Doctor... Baizhu," she called out, the title feeling slightly awkward on her tongue. "Qiqi could easily join us. The entire train was designed and funded by the Suzuki conglomerate. Sonoko could secure another pass ring for her without any trouble."
Conan's eyes widened a fraction. It was incredibly rare for Haibara to actively invite outsiders into their enclosed circle, let alone advocate for them. Recovering quickly from his surprise, he nodded in firm agreement, offering a supportive smile.
A flicker of genuine surprise crossed Baizhu's face. He quickly masked it with a gentle, apologetic smile. "I appreciate the thought, Haibara, but I am afraid I must decline. Qiqi's constitution is quite delicate. She cannot endure long-distance travel. To prevent any unforeseen medical emergencies, it is best she remains at the pharmacy rather than boarding the Suzuki Express."
It was a polite lie masking a grim truth. Qiqi was, by all biological definitions, a resurrected corpse. Her physical state defied every law of modern science. The passenger list for the upcoming train ride promised to be a tangled web of detectives, criminals, and undercover operatives. Baizhu absolutely refused to risk a chance encounter between the little zombie and the Black Organization. If those ruthless scientists discovered the true nature of Qiqi's immortal body, the resulting fallout would be catastrophic.
Faced with a medical professional's direct refusal, Haibara swallowed her remaining arguments. She settled back into her seat, though her sharp eyes lingered on the doctor's reflection in the mirror. A nagging intuition warned her that Baizhu's smooth excuse regarding Qiqi's health was merely a convenient shield hiding a much deeper secret.
The two vehicles soon pulled into the designated campsite, the tires crunching over the gravel parking lot. However, before the outdoor festivities could officially commence, a rather predictable crisis halted their momentum. Dr. Agasa, true to his scatterbrained nature, had completely forgotten to pack the prepared lunch boxes for the Detective Boys.
A brief huddle yielded a simple solution. The party split into two distinct groups. Dr. Agasa and Diluc corralled Conan and Klee back into the car, heading toward a nearby convenience store to purchase replacement meals, rice, and extra cooking supplies. Baizhu remained at the campsite, tasked with supervising the remaining children as they pitched the tents, gathered dry firewood, and organized their gear.
The automatic doors of the local market slid open with a cheerful chime. After quickly securing a stack of bento boxes and a heavy bag of rice, Dr. Agasa and Conan handled the narrow aisles to locate their companions. They spotted Diluc and Klee near the fresh produce section. As they approached, the distinct name 'Kaeya' drifted through the air.
Conan froze. His detective instincts flared instantly. Grabbing the back of the professor's jacket, he yanked the older man behind a tall display rack of canned goods. Pressing his back against the metal shelving, Conan strained his ears to eavesdrop on the quiet exchange.
"Sigh..." Klee's exaggerated pout was audible even from a distance. "Klee hasn't seen Big Brother Kaeya in forever. Big Brother Diluc, what exactly is he doing these days? Why is he so busy?"
Diluc held up two different brands of cooking oil, his expression completely flat as he weighed his options. "He is busy crossing the sea, I suppose," the red-haired man replied, his tone dripping with dry detachment.
"Crossing the sea?" Klee tilted her head, thoroughly confused.
"Mm," Diluc confirmed, tossing one of the bottles into their shopping basket. "He spends his days shuttling various personnel back and forth between the deep water and the shoreline. In our circles, it is simply referred to as crossing the sea."
"Ahhh," Klee nodded slowly, though she still looked entirely lost. "That sounds like a lot of hard work. When is Big Brother Kaeya going to be finished with all that?"
Diluc set down the remaining groceries and turned to the little girl. A rare, faint softness entered his eyes as he gently patted the top of her beret. "It will be quite a while longer. Klee, if you truly want to see Kaeya sooner, you should go back and make a wish to Venti. Ask him to drink a little less wine and actually do some proper work for a change."
Behind the canned goods, Conan's mind raced, piecing together the fragmented intelligence. 'Crossing the sea...' It sounded as though the operatives of the Teyvat Organization frequently operated over open water. Did they possess a hidden maritime base? A mobile fortress stationed somewhere in the Pacific?
But the second half of Diluc's statement bothered him even more. Why specifically use the phrase 'make a wish'when instructing Klee to seek this'Venti' person's assistance? In any normal context, making a wish referred to the religious act of praying to gods or Buddhas. It implied offering a vow, seeking divine intervention to alter reality. Was this Venti figure some sort of cult leader within their ranks? The mystery surrounding the Teyvat Organization only seemed to deepen with every passing second.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]