Conan: Ran, I really am Shinichi, you have to believe me!

Page 181

Even if Amuro Tooru doesn't know you're impersonating him and acting as the boss here, aren't you afraid that I, a public security officer, will arrest you, this terrorist?

While Jiang Chengbei was still wondering why Sister Bei was so arrogant, and didn't know why she was doing this or what she was doing here, Conan was the first to discover his purpose. He got very angry about it and smashed all the watermelons under his command.

By being courteous and humble in seeking help, Jiang Chengbei and his companions finally learned from the furious Conan the reason why "Amuro Tooru" bought the Poirot Cafe next door and came there every day.

After careful observation, the King of Jealousy in Asia finally discovered Amuro Tooru's sinister intentions in coming here: he came to pursue Ran!

"Jiangcheng, do you police officers not have to go to work, do any jobs, or investigate cases? Instead, you can just wander around aimlessly and still get a generous salary?"

You're like this, and so is Amuro Tooru next door. You take taxpayers' money, don't work 996 at the Metropolitan Police Department, and instead leisurely run shops or do part-time jobs to make money all day long. Do you think you're worthy of the taxes paid by taxpayers?

You two are both pay thieves! I'm going to report you!

Especially that Amuro Tooru, he actually skipped work to open a coffee shop and chase after high school girls! Damn it, he's such a bastard, I'm going to fight him!

Conan was furious after discovering that Amuro Tooru had sublet the Poirot Cafe next door to get closer to Ran, to pursue Ran, and to spend more time with her.

So, after Ran came home from school, Conan stayed by her side as her protector, trying to thwart Amuro Tooru's sinister plan.

During the day, Conan tries his best to be a vandal. After Amuro Tooru goes back and Ran separates from him, Conan curses Amuro Tooru at home, the pay thief who forgets to work because he uses his work hours to pursue a high school girl.

Conan hates Amuro Tooru to the core, but he can't find a way to separate him from Ran, preferably so that they never see each other again. He can only vent his anger at home. After all, Ran knows that Amuro Tooru is a policeman and a good person. Conan's attempts to speak ill of him and sow discord with Ran over the past few days have had no effect.

Conan was already frustrated enough that he couldn't stop Amuro Tooru from getting close to and pursuing Ran, but when the infatuated Sonoko Suzuki saw the handsome Amuro Tooru, it made Conan even more frustrated.

In order to spend more time with the handsome guy, Sonoko would drag Ran along to find "Amuro Tooru" whenever she had free time or after school.

Amuro Tooru also wanted to spend more time with Ran, so with the efforts of Amuro Tooru and Sonoko, the three of them quickly became good friends who often played together.

Seeing this scene, Conan was furious. The happier they were, the angrier he became. Several times he almost couldn't help but want to blow up "Amuro Tooru" with a chakra firework soccer ball.

Conan's attempts to sabotage Ran's friendship with Amuro Tooru failed. When the three of them were playing together, Conan's attempts to disrupt their relationship also failed. Seeing that he couldn't directly stop Ran from spending time with Amuro Tooru or break their friendship, Conan could only secretly write letters to the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Police Agency calling Amuro Tooru and Jiang Chengbei "salary thieves" who never went to work.

Whether Conan's whistleblower letter attracted the attention of his superiors, Conan didn't know, but he worked very hard, going to the coffee shop next door every day to keep a close eye on the new owner, "Amuro Tooru."

So when Sonoko came to see the handsome Amuro Tooru on the weekend, she even called her best friend Ran down from upstairs with her. Conan caught them in the act.

While the three of them were chatting and drinking coffee at the coffee shop, Conan was already feeling quite annoyed. Unfortunately, he was now operating on foreign soil, and the coffee shop owner was now "Amuro Tooru." Conan was the customer, and if he caused any more trouble, he would be lucky not to be kicked out.

When Sonoko invited Amuro Tooru to the movies, he initially declined. Only after Sonoko mentioned Ran would join them did Amuro readily agree. Seeing the three of them together at the movies, Conan felt a pang of heartache and glared angrily at Amuro Tooru.

That bastard finally gave himself away! He only agreed to go with Ran after hearing she was going. Bastard! He really did have his eye on Ran! Amuro Tooru, that slacker who skips work to chase girls, that paycheck thief! A parasite on the nation!

"I want to go too! Sister Xiaolan, I want to go to the movies with you all..."

Although Sonoko was there as a third wheel and a lovesick third party, Conan, who was worried about them, immediately threw a tantrum when he heard they were going to see a movie, insisting that he had to go too.

"Hey you little brat with glasses, what are you yelling about? We're here to see a romantic movie, what are you doing here, a primary school student?"

"Are you so young to want to watch romance movies?"

When Conan heard Sonoko refuse to take him, saying it was to see a romance movie, he immediately panicked. He could tolerate the three of them going to see an anime, but how could he feel at ease if they went to see a romance movie?

So, no matter how much Sonoko and the others disliked it, Conan still insisted on going along.

Besides, going to the movies is something anyone can do. Even if Sonoko and the others refuse, can they really stop Conan from going with them?

And once you go to the movie theater with them, how could Conan not be able to afford a movie ticket?

So no matter how much Sonoko and Amuro Tooru dislike him, Conan, whose legs are his own, eventually became an inseparable leech, stubbornly insisting on going to the movies with them.

Not only did Conan follow Ran and the others, but after they left the coffee shop, Conan also took it upon himself to call out to the fruit shop next door, wanting Jiang Chengbei and the Miyano sisters to go to the movies together.

Conan had a well-thought-out plan: the more third wheels there were, the more it would disrupt Amuro Tooru's plan to pursue Ran.

Unfortunately, Ai is afraid of Amuro Tooru and tries to avoid him. Amuro Tooru has become the owner of the Poirot Cafe next door and appears every day, which is enough to annoy her. How could she possibly go through the trouble of watching a movie with him now?

Amuro Tooru is now able to go out to the movies and doesn't feel uncomfortable staying in the store all day, so she's very grateful and happy.

In the end, Jiang Chengbei and the Miyano sisters declined Conan's unauthorized invitation and did not go to the movie theater with Ran and Conan.

After Conan, Ran, and the other three left, Jiang Chengbei, who hadn't ostensibly gone to the movies with them, made up an excuse and went out. Then, a small white bird appeared in the sky above Conan, Ran, and the others, flying alongside them.

Jiang Chengbei followed Conan and his friends to a movie theater. To Jiang Chengbei's surprise, the young lady of the prestigious Suzuki Group had found a dilapidated movie theater with outdated decor, old facilities, few customers, and on the verge of closing down.

Of course, the reason they chose such a bad movie theater was not because Sonoko Suzuki and her friends were nostalgic, but simply because it was nearby; they just picked it randomly.

When Conan and his three friends arrived at the ticket counter that also sold popcorn at the movie theater, Jiang Chengbei, who had turned into a chubby little bird, also stopped on a high place and looked down at these jinxes.

Sure enough, just after Conan, Ran, and the others bought movie tickets, popcorn, and drinks, the special characters who were about to appear in the plot made their appearances in front of Conan.

Through their sudden conversation, Conan, Ran, and the others learned the identities of the people present.

The person selling tickets, popcorn, drinks, and snacks at the counter outside this old movie theater is Yuri Yuriko. She works at the theater and sells tickets and other items before the movie starts.

Following them were the cinema owner, an old man in his sixties named Akio Muramatsu, and the projectionist, Minoru Furuhashi, a burly man in his forties, whose screening time was just about to begin.

After the people from the three cinemas came in one after another, an unexpected college student named Toshiyuki Ide came to this old cinema with a camera to take pictures and reminisce.

As for why he brought a camera to take pictures to remember the past, it's because the movie theater is going to be demolished tomorrow and converted into other venues.

The reason this movie theater, which had been in operation for 30 years, was demolished is thanks to Zhang Tianzheng, who made his final appearance, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, his clothes open, and an air of roguishness that screamed "I'm a thug, don't mess with me."

From their conversation and complaints, Jiang Chengbei and Conan understood what had happened.

Because Zhang Tianzhengci, a thug, had his eye on the movie theater property, he brought a few thugs over every day to cause trouble, turning the old movie theater, which used to have some business and was barely making ends meet, into a chaotic mess, affecting the quiet environment for other customers to watch movies.

Because Zhang Tianzhengji came every day, fewer and fewer people came to watch movies here. Now there is basically no business and it is impossible to continue operating. So we had to sell it to Zhang Tianzhengji at a low price.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the cinema's opening, so at the request of the owner, Akio Muramatsu, the contract will be signed tomorrow after this memorable day, and the cinema will be sold to Masashi Zhang Tian at a low price.

Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, and other special occasions are peak times for crimes. Whenever these days come around, and Conan is around, someone will always kill someone to celebrate.

Now, after introducing himself and explaining the conflicts between them, as well as clarifying the motive for the murder, Jiang Chengbei could guess what was going to happen next in such an obvious case, even if he hadn't seen this episode of Conan.

Five people have now entered the arena. Although the murderer cannot be found among them, the deceased Jiang Chengbei can be identified at a glance.

Zhang Tianzheng, this arrogant and scoundrel who forces purchases and sells, extorts and steals, has a face that screams "I'm the villain." What else could such a person be but a dead man in Detective Conan?

So, after Zhang Tianzhengzi swaggered into the screening room alone without buying a ticket, and no one followed him in, Jiang Chengbei immediately followed him in, then stuck a needle in his neck and hid him in the nearby toilet stall.

After finishing all this, Jiang Chengbei returned to the screening room and saw a hanging rope and a ladder on the floor behind the last row of seats, as well as hooks on the ceiling for hanging the rope. Jiang Chengbei, now Zhang Tianzhengzi, immediately inherited the throne that Zhang Tianzhengzi had just chosen.

This was the seat Zhang Tianzhengci chose as soon as he entered. He was sitting in the last row like Ge You, and when he arrogantly put his feet on the back of the chair in front of him, Jiang Chengbei injected him with anesthesia from behind.

Seeing that the movie projection booth was on the wall behind this spot, and that there were ropes and other tools that could be used to strangle people in the middle of the space, Jiang Chengbei took a liking to this prime location at first sight. So he immediately inherited Zhang Tianzhengci's throne and followed his example, raising his feet and placing them in the front row, sitting there arrogantly.

After Jiang Chengbei, the imposter, had finished all this, Conan and the other three, who had bought movie tickets, drinks, and popcorn, also entered the screening room.

Unlike Jiang Chengbei, who chose the middle seat in the last row, the four of them didn't choose the best middle seat in the empty screening room. Instead, they chose the middle seat in the first row, which required them to look up slightly to see.

After Conan and the other two jinxes took their seats, the movie theater owner and the college students also entered the screening room one after another, choosing to sit in the middle rows on the side.

Only 5 tickets were sold for this movie, and with the old man who owned the theater, there were only 7 people watching. Because it was an old movie theater from 30 years ago, the screening room was very large with many seats, but now there were only 7 people sitting there, making it seem empty and lifeless.

Although there weren't many people, once everyone had arrived, the lights in the screening room were turned off, and the movie started playing quickly.

When the movie was halfway through, Jiang Chengbei, who was disguised as Zhang Tianzheng, received a reward of 2 kill coins while sitting down, and the new skill "holographic projection" was added to the Ke Xue Mall.

Upon seeing that the holographic projection skill could project images from videotapes or CDs to a designated location without needing a screen or projector, Jiang Chengbei immediately spent 1 kill coin to buy the skill.

Chapter 250 Vermouth: Conan, you're asking for it! How dare you shoot me with a tranquilizer dart!

The four Conan friends watching the movie in the front row were watching a sweet and romantic movie full of saccharine flavor, but why did they suddenly feel cold all over as they watched it, with a chill creeping into their clothes from the back of their necks?

I never imagined that watching a romance movie in an empty movie theater would be more terrifying than watching a horror movie. The air around me was filled with an eerie atmosphere, more terrifying than digging up graves.

Just as Conan and his friends were feeling a bit chilly, and it lasted for quite a while, the urban romance movie that was playing was suddenly interrupted by a shadow. Next to the beautiful female lead, there was a black, hanging figure that was swaying back and forth.

As I got up from my seat and looked back, I saw a swaying corpse hanging in front of the projection screen at the very back, directly in front of the movie beams.

Someone died, time to get to work!

Finally, there was another murder case to investigate, and no one was competing with him for business today. Conan excitedly jumped up from his seat, stepped on the top of the chair back, and hopped and skipped, taking an unconventional route, directly rushing from his seat in the screening room towards the corpse behind him.

After a preliminary examination, Conan confirmed that the deceased in the back was Zhang Tianzhengji, who had previously come here to cause trouble and maliciously tried to buy the movie theater at a low price.

The body was still warm, having just been hanged or committed suicide. The only shocking thing was why the moment after his death appeared on the screen.

You know, when a movie beam of light hits the screen, the path it travels is constant. For a corpse to suddenly appear and block the beam, there must be a process of the corpse moving from the outside in. Now it suddenly appears in the middle without any movement. Does this mean the corpse can teleport?

Moreover, as soon as the body appeared, Conan turned around and looked back. Although the light in the movie theater was dim and it was not easy to see the situation clearly, Conan's body had been modified by chakra, so he was more sensitive than the average person. Standing on the back of the chair, he did not notice that there was anyone around the body. So how did the murderer escape in an instant after hanging the body here, without Conan being able to find him?

This case is a bit difficult, so Conan, who hasn't solved a case or done any deductions in a long time, is very excited as his deduction addiction kicks in again. This time, he's determined to find out the truth of the matter.

So, after Xiaolan and the others reported the incident, the police arrived quickly.

Because of the minor injury Megure sustained at Beika City Hall a few days ago—being shot by Gin during a gunfight—he is currently recuperating at home, so he didn't come. This time, it was Shiratori Ninzaburo, the deputy leader of the Third Investigation Division, who led the team.

Based on the accounts of Conan and his friends, the college student who came to see the movie and took pictures, and the movie theater owner—the first eyewitnesses to discover the body—after a thorough examination, no useful clues or suspicious points were found. Therefore, after careful consideration, the police, who had rich experience in handling cases, finally decided to classify the case as a suicide.

The case was closed as a suicide, either because no clues about the murderer were found, or because the police discovered that Zhang Tianzhengci owed high-interest loans. Given his current financial situation, he simply couldn't repay these loans. Moreover, he was penniless. Even though he had used illegal means to drive down the purchase price of the movie theater to a rock-bottom price, he still wouldn't be able to come up with the money to buy the movie theater tomorrow.

Because Zhang Tianzhengci was unable to repay the high-interest loans, the police believed that this was the reason he committed suicide here.

Conan disagrees with the police's account; he has other differing opinions:

“I don’t think this is suicide. Since he’s a scoundrel who forced the cinema owner to transfer the cinema at a low price through illegal means, maybe he can also buy the cinema on credit tomorrow without paying, and then sell it at a high price. He can make a fortune by getting something for nothing and then pay off the high-interest loan.”

I heard that a boss has his eye on this place; he thinks he can make money off loan sharks by getting something for nothing..."

"Conan, you have fabricated evidence, committed multiple crimes, and obstructed official duties. You are already a prime suspect. You should refrain from commenting on this case."

Considering your past criminal record, no matter what you say, it's all just empty talk and can't be used as evidence. You should stop talking.

Conan: "..."

After the police did not believe his story, Conan glanced at Amuro Tooru, who was also a police officer but was now standing aside without expressing any opinion.

After testing the waters and learning that he also believed it was suicide, Conan sighed helplessly and realized that he could only solve the case himself, not through the police.

Fortunately, the case is relatively simple. There are two projectors in the screening room, but there are three projection windows. Two of the projection windows are directly facing the two projectors, and there is an observation window in the middle for the screening room to observe the situation in the movie theater. This observation window is exactly the same size as the two projection windows next to it.

After seeing all this and thinking it over, Conan figured out that as long as he covered the projection window that was originally facing the projector and placed mirrors between them and in front of the middle observation window, he could change the projection path. He could first use the middle observation window to project the movie, then go to the outside theater to kill the person and hang them in front of the covered projection window.

After that, all you need to do is turn on the air conditioner that's blowing directly at the corpse, and the increased airflow will cause the corpse to sway from side to side, just like when it was first hung up.

Finally, the murderer who committed the crime in the theater can return to the projection room at the back, remove the wooden board blocking the projection window, and take away the mirror used for reflection. The victim who was blocking the projection window will then instantly appear on the screen during normal projection.

After figuring out everything, Conan raised his wrist, scanned the area with his chakra tranquilizer watch, and then aimed the crosshair at Amuro Tooru's neck.

As soon as Conan pressed the send button, the tranquilizer dart, which didn't seem to be flying very fast, was blocked by Sonoko, who was talking to the handsome Amuro Tooru.

With a whoosh, the tranquilizer dart hit Sonoko's head, and Conan saw Sonoko jump around wildly, doing a spider dance before backing away and finding a place to sit down.

Looking at her dancing back and forth just now, and the way she's sitting now, Conan immediately recalled his own unbearable past.