Chapter 352: The Shadow Approaching Haibara's Secret 3
Still, there was always the possibility that Diluc had simply misspoken. He wasn't a native of Japan, after all; a minor slip of the tongue would be perfectly ordinary.
Conan crouched behind a display of canned goods, adjusting his glasses as he listened. Once he noticed Diluc and Klee tossing the last of their chosen ingredients into their shopping basket, he nudged Dr. Agasa. Lingering in the shadows any longer would only draw unwanted attention. The two of them stepped out into the main aisle, feigning a casual stroll.
As they approached the checkout registers, a familiar figure caught their eye.
"S-Sera!" Conan blinked, his voice catching in a rare moment of genuine surprise. "What are you doing here?"
Masumi flashed a wide grin, her signature snaggletooth peeking out. She leaned against the counter, looking entirely too pleased with herself. "Just a happy coincidence! I'm actually on my way up to Gunma Prefecture to check out the hydrangeas. I was cruising by on my motorcycle and my stomach started growling. Walked in for a snack, and boom, here you guys are."
Before anyone could properly process her excuse, Masumi smoothly pivoted the conversation, inviting herself along on their camping trip. Conan stared at her, a heavy silence falling over him as invisible dark lines of exasperation formed on his forehead.
Unbothered by the boy's deadpan stare, Masumi shifted her attention to the tall, red-haired man standing nearby. "You must be the friend Natsume mentioned," she said, her tone bright and conversational. "The one who runs a winery over in Country H. And this little cutie must be your younger sister, Klee?"
She dropped into a crouch, bringing herself eye-level with the girl. "Natsume was totally right. Klee really is adorable!" Masumi beamed, playfully rubbing her cheek against Klee's soft face.
Beneath her cheerful exterior, Masumi's mind raced. Her original goal had been to stick close to Conan, to observe him and confirm if he truly was the person she suspected him to be. Running into Diluc, however, was an unexpected bonus. She knew he supposedly lived with Albedo.
During the hostage incident at the Mouri Detective Agency, Albedo had left a striking impression on her. Her instincts screamed that the blonde alchemist was far from ordinary. By extension, Diluc, the man sharing a roof with him, had to be hiding his own depths, especially given their proximity to Conan. This chance encounter was the perfect excuse to dig deeper.
The afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy of the Gunma woods, casting dappled shadows across the campsite. Baizhu adjusted his glasses, carefully securing the final peg of the large canvas tent. With the shelter established, the green-haired doctor turned his attention to sorting the fresh ingredients they had hauled from the city.
The younger children, buzzing with restless energy, were already gathering near the edge of the trees, eager to hunt for firewood. Baizhu offered them a gentle, reassuring smile. He reminded them to stay on the marked paths and avoid wandering too deep into the forest.
We will be careful! they chorused, immediately scattering into the brush.
Dry leaves crunched beneath their sneakers as they ventured further. Mitsuhiko paused beside a weathered wooden signpost, adjusting his grip on a bundle of twigs. He glanced ahead at Genta, who was enthusiastically marching deeper into the thicket.
"Hey, Genta, wait up!" Mitsuhiko called out. "We've already collected plenty of firewood. We should head back to the campsite. Look, there's even a 'Beware of Snakes' warning sign right here."
Genta froze. His broad shoulders stiffened. "S-Snakes?" He quickly spun around, scurrying back to Mitsuhiko's side, his eyes darting nervously toward the undergrowth.
"Snakes?" Qiqi tilted her head. She stood quietly holding a modest stack of branches against her chest. Her large, blank eyes shifted toward the warning sign. "Are snakes scary?" she asked, her voice flat and completely devoid of inflection. "But Changsheng is very cute."
"Changsheng?" Ayumi blinked, tilting her head.
"Mhm." Qiqi gave a slow, measured nod. "Changsheng is the little white snake raised by Dr. Baizhu. She is white and tender. A very smart snake."
Ayumi fell silent. Could a reptile really be described as smart? More than that, she struggled to picture what a white and tender snake could possibly look like. The very idea sent a mild chill down her arms.
"Ah." Qiqi blinked slowly, as if a thought had just drifted into her mind. She carefully set her gathered firewood on the dirt path. Reaching around, she pulled her small crossbody bag to the front. "I almost forgot. I brought Changsheng along for the camping trip. Do you want to see?"
Before anyone could object, Qiqi pulled the zipper back, opening the pouch for Ayumi and the boys to peek inside.
Ayumi swallowed hard. She harbored a natural fear of slithering things, but seeing the earnest, quiet expectation in Qiqi's eyes, she didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings. Taking a deep breath, Ayumi shuffled forward, leaning over the open bag.
"Wow..." Ayumi breathed out, her eyes widening in genuine awe. "Qiqi, Changsheng is so beautiful!"
Curiosity overcoming their fear, Mitsuhiko and Genta crowded around. Coiled neatly at the bottom of the bag rested a small, exquisite white snake. Its scales lacked the dull, rough texture of wild reptiles; instead, the creature gleamed like polished mutton-fat jade. The pale, translucent body was entirely devoid of impurities, smooth and pristine. As it shifted slightly, a pair of brilliant crimson eyes caught the light, glittering like flawless rubies.
One glance was enough to banish any lingering dread. Changsheng possessed none of the slimy, cold menace associated with common vipers. Instead, the serpent radiated a quiet, elegant majesty. It looked less like a wild animal and more like an ancient spiritual guardian descended from a misty mountain peak, inspiring a strange mixture of affection and reverence.
Standing a few paces back, even the usually stoic Haibara found her gaze drawn to the pouch. She crossed her arms, studying the pristine creature with quiet fascination.
The group huddled around the bag for another minute, entirely captivated by the sleeping serpent. Just as their curiosity began to settle, a rhythmic, scraping noise echoed through the trees.
Thwack. Scrape. Thwack.
Genta perked up, his ears twitching. The distinct sound of a shovel biting into the earth drifted from a nearby thicket. A wide grin split his face.
"Someone is digging!" Genta gasped, his imagination instantly running wild. "Maybe it's buried treasure!"
Without waiting for a response, he bolted toward the noise. Mitsuhiko and Ayumi exchanged a thrilled look and immediately sprinted after him.
"Wait, you idiots!" Haibara hissed, reaching out to grab them. She was a second too late. Letting out a heavy sigh, she grabbed Qiqi's hand and hurried after the reckless trio, determined to drag them back to the campsite.
They pushed through a dense cluster of bushes, bursting into a small, shadowed clearing. The thrill of a treasure hunt evaporated in an instant.
There was no chest of gold. Instead, a man stood knee-deep in a freshly dug trench, a dirt-stained shovel tight in his grip. Beside the pit lay a lifeless, bloodied figure.
The rustling leaves betrayed their arrival. The man froze. He slowly turned his head, his dark, frantic eyes locking directly onto the pale, terrified faces of the children.
The air turned to ice.
"Run!" Haibara screamed, her voice cracking with pure panic. "Everyone, run!"
Realizing his gruesome secret had been exposed, the killer dropped his shovel. His face twisted into a snarl of desperation. He scrambled out of the shallow grave, lunging into the brush to hunt down the scattering children.
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