Chapter 18: It must have been Zheng Yi!

“Miss Reika?”

“Miss Reika?”

Instead of finding Miss Reika, the group found Nikaido, who had died by drowning.

Kogoro Mouri immediately called the police.

After reporting the incident, it was clear that this group of people were not the type to sit still, especially Yotsui.

She was his only daughter, after all.

The group began searching for Reika again.

Ran suddenly spoke up, "Inside the villa, Mr. Shoichi and his secretary seem to still be sleeping. They might be victims as well."

"I'll go wake them up first," Conan said.

With that, Conan ran to Shoichi's door and knocked loudly.

*Click—*

The bedroom door opened, and a dark gun barrel was pressed against Conan's forehead.

Conan took a step back, his legs trembling slightly.

This feeling was as if he had been transported back to that afternoon at the amusement park.

"I told you, let me rest, or I'll burn the villa down," Shoichi said quietly.

"I... I..." Conan stammered.

Shoichi flashed an inscrutable smile.

*Bang!*

"Ah!"

Conan landed hard on his bottom, only then realizing that the gunshot had come from Shoichi's mouth.

*Sssshhh—*

A stream of water sprayed from the gun in Shoichi's hand, hitting Conan square in the crotch.

"Kid, you're too cowardly. You peed your pants already?" Shoichi teased.

"I did not!" Conan said, flushed with embarrassment and anger.

*That was the water you just sprayed!*

Conan said emotionally, "Someone died in the villa. Be careful. It's best to stay with the others, otherwise, you might run into danger."

Shoichi twirled his handgun and said nonchalantly, "I have a gun. What am I afraid of?"

"Pew~"

Shoichi aimed at Conan and made a shooting gesture.

Conan's lip twitched.

*A gun like that, which only makes people pee themselves, isn't a threat to anyone.*

"This is dangerous. I advise you to..."

"Advise me to what? Advise me not to pee my pants?" Shoichi laughed.

*Damn it!*

Conan gritted his teeth. *What a jerk.*

Shoichi sent Conan away.

He hoped the killer wouldn't come looking for him; otherwise, Shoichi would have no choice but to act in self-defense.

The bullets in his handgun were always loaded and ready.

Shoichi went back to lying in bed to sleep, but after waiting a long time, he neither encountered the killer nor the little girl coming to offer him "warmth."

He only waited for Inspector Megure to arrive.

"Mr. Shoichi, two very heinous murders have occurred in the villa. Please come downstairs to cooperate with our investigation," Inspector Megure said solemnly.

"Understood."

Shoichi put on his clothes and headed downstairs somewhat impatiently.

Upon descending, he found that everyone seemed to be waiting for him.

"Another death? It's impossible to get a good night's sleep," Shoichi yawned, sitting on the sofa and treating everyone else as if they weren't there.

"I suspect the killer is Shoichi Sumitomo!"

Kogoro Mouri was the first to fire, aiming his accusation directly at Shoichi.

Shoichi took a sip of tea, not even bothering to defend himself.

"The tea is quite good this time."

After setting down the teacup, he crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa to watch the show.

Kogoro Mouri began his "super deduction."

"Mr. Yotsui owes Shoichi a large sum of money, so Shoichi has ample reason to kill Miss Reika! Furthermore, he has been staying in his room without coming out, giving him plenty of time to commit the murder.

I even sent Conan to wake him once. Even knowing there is a killer in the villa, he still won't come out. He must be destroying the evidence of his crime."

Shoichi said to Mouri, "Mr. Mouri, one should speak with evidence. If you have none, I will hire Attorney Eri Kisaki to sue you for defamation."

"You bastard!" Kogoro Mouri was incensed.

*Hiring my wife to sue me? How arrogant!*

Yotsui was even more furious than Mouri.

He rushed over, grabbed Shoichi by the collar, and shouted, "It was you, wasn't it? It had to be you!"

"While it is painful to lose your only daughter, you still have your debts to keep you company. You aren't alone, so there's no need to be so sad," Shoichi offered his condolences.

Ignoring his rudeness, he even offered "heartfelt" comfort.

Shoichi felt he was being incredibly dignified.

"You said it yourself—those who don't pay their debts will face retribution! You must have killed Reika! It was definitely you!" Yotsui gripped Shoichi tightly.

"Mr. Yotsui, please calm down."

Mouri and Inspector Megure stepped in to pull Yotsui away.

Inspector Megure said, "It hasn't been determined who the real killer is yet. Even if the killer is found, the police will enforce the law strictly.

Mr. Shoichi had no connection to the deceased, Nikaido, so the probability of him being the killer is very low."

"That's right, Mr. Yotsui, please calm down," Mouri added.

Yotsui regained some composure, but seeing Shoichi's fearless expression, his emotions flared up again.

"You police officers don't dare offend the Sumitomo Zaibatsu! Even if Shoichi is the killer, you'll cover for him!" Yotsui yelled.

"Preliminary findings indicate the deceased died by suicide."

It was the same forensic pathologist as last time, who quickly delivered the verdict immediately following Yotsui's outburst.

Inspector Megure's face darkened, Kogoro Mouri's mind nearly exploded, and Yotsui turned pale.

Shoichi took a sip of tea.

*It clearly wasn't murder, so why are these people forcing me into the role of the mastermind?*

*It makes no sense.*

"Since the forensic doctor has determined it was suicide, can we leave now?" Shoichi asked.

But it didn't matter to him.

He never cared about the misunderstandings of irrelevant people.

"No!"

Kogoro Mouri glared at Shoichi in fury.

It was too much.

He had been a policeman and a detective, but he had never seen such a dark moment.

A police forensic doctor calling a 100% murder a suicide—it was devoid of morality, responsibility, and principles.

"How can a forensic doctor who talks such nonsense still be in the police system?" Mouri roared at the pathologist.

The pathologist pushed up his glasses, his silence speaking volumes.

*As a forensic doctor lacking professional competence, the reason I can hold such a position is, of course, because I know how to talk.*

Akemi Miyano's deep eyes gazed intensely at Shoichi.

*Could this man really be the killer who murdered Yotsui's daughter?*

*Just because Yotsui owed money and wanted to teach him a lesson?*

*That would be too cruel.*

Akemi Miyano bit her lip.

The thought that her sister might be in the hands of such a cruel person made it impossible to imagine what her sister had endured.

"I will definitely catch you in your lies!" Kogoro Mouri glared fiercely at Shoichi.

Then, in a sudden movement, Mouri performed a flamboyant dance step and sat down directly next to Shoichi.

(End of Chapter)