Chapter 135 The Secret in the Lyrics
Chapter 136 The Secret in the Lyrics
"Xun, let me say this first, you can accept this mission, but you must not kill anyone!" After calling the police, we all went to the backstage of the Budokan performance. On the way, Conan deliberately walked behind me and spoke to me in a low voice.

"Hi~hi." I spread my hands and chuckled. "It's a protection mission anyway. I promise to only deliver the kidnapper to the police and I won't draw my gun during the process." I didn't care about Conan's warning. After Takayama Minami was pushed into the car, I haven't found anyone on the task list on my phone who has accepted the kidnapping mission. The first concert is in a few hours, so basically no one will take this mission. And just now, Takayama Minami was kidnapped again, which can only prove that the kidnapper is the one who issued the mission. Because no one came to accept the kidnapping mission, they had no choice but to do it themselves and kidnap TWO-MIX on the street.

Unfortunately, Conan saw the whole process of their kidnapping. So, the detective's anger suddenly burned. In order to ensure the perfection of this rescue plan, Conan would naturally ask me for help. Well... If you want my help, you have to follow my code of conduct. Anyway, our goal is to protect TWO-MIX. So I'll be a good person to the end. If I protect three performances successfully within two weeks, I can receive 30 million yen. How can I miss such a good thing?

"Then, you and the kids go report this to the staff first, and then wait for the police to come. I'll call the boss of this mission to see if I can get any useful information." I said to Conan in a low voice when I walked to the front of the martial arts hall. "Ah, then we'll meet in front of the martial arts hall later. I'll call you if there's anything." Conan nodded to me solemnly, and then led the children to the backstage of the martial arts hall. I turned around and left here, walking towards the woods not far away.

"Hey? Conan, where did Mingya go?" Seeing me leave, Ayumi asked Conan in confusion.

"Kaoru has something else to do. Let's go report this first and then come back to find him." Conan replied, and then ran into the martial arts hall with the three children.

On the other side, I came to the woods and found a not-so-tall tree. I jumped up with one step, then took out my phone, found the contact's number and dialed it.

"...Mo, Moshi Moshi." A trembling male voice sounded on the other end of the phone. "Excuse me, is this Mr. Bing?"

Bing is the name I used in the mercenary mission list. Anyway, this name has no origin and no one knows it. I am too lazy to use a new name because I have too many identities. However, I didn't say much to him. I just lowered my throat and restored my adult voice and said coldly. "Mission requirements."

"Ah! Yes...Yes!" The man's voice was full of fear. He probably learned about this website from some source. This might be his first time posting a task. "Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm Sawai, the manager of TWO-MIX. To be honest, I have no choice but to ask for your help this time."

"I don't have that much time to listen to your nonsense. The target has been kidnapped." I frowned and said coldly. This agent probably doesn't know that Takayama Minami and Nagano Shiina have been kidnapped, otherwise he still has time to talk nonsense?

"What?!" The agent was also panicked.

"It won't be long before the police go to the Budokan, so you better order."

"Yes...Yes!" The manager was so scared that he almost cried. "Well, well, it's like this. Since last Sunday, there have been signs of prying on the doors of our company and Miss Minami's house, and we have been receiving threatening calls. Although Miss Minami thinks she is fine, as a star who has just debuted and has become popular, I, as her manager, can't afford the risk and have to use this method to protect them. So please help me so that these three concerts of TWO-MIX can be completed smoothly. I'm sorry, Mr. Bing, 30 million yen is really the highest reward I can offer. Please agree!"

"Do you have any clues about the kidnappers? For example, does TWO-MIX have any enemies?" I continued to ask in a cold voice.

"No, Miss Minami and Mr. Shiina are very nice people, and they have a very good reputation in the company." The agent said fearfully.

“Have there been any new developments with TWO-MIX since last Sunday?”

"Yes, there was talk about the new song on the radio. A preview was played. Then there were threatening phone calls."

"Besides that, do you have anything else to say?" After getting a general understanding, I said coldly to the agent.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Mr. Bing, this is all I know, so I can't provide you with more clues. I'm really sorry!" The agent said fearfully, fearing that I would give up this mission.

"I know. I'll tell you when I have news." I didn't say anything more because the police car with sirens blaring was already heading towards the Budokan. I believe this agent will meet the police soon. "Remember, don't reveal my information, otherwise TWO-MIX and you will never see the sun tomorrow again!" After saying that, I hung up the phone. I jumped down from the treetop and walked towards the Budokan.

I didn't go into the martial arts hall, but waited for Conan and the others to appear at the door of the martial arts hall. Sure enough, Conan and the others quickly ran into my sight.

"How?" Conan asked.

"No clue at all." I shook my head, "But the problem should come from that practice tape." All the information the client gave me pointed to that broadcast, and the only new development of TWO-MIX recently was the new song. But after we listened to it, there was no problem with the tape, so I think the problem lies in the lyrics. Let's listen to it again later. So, what about you?"

"Ah, I got some information about the criminal." Conan said seriously. "First, the criminal knew Officer Megure. This means that the criminal had dealt with the police. Secondly, the criminal took the initiative to ask the police to come, but in the end he just wanted to get the bag in my hand." Conan raised the bag in his hand and said to me.

"That is to say, the criminals just want the things in the bag. Besides cosmetics and necessities in a woman's backpack, the only thing they are interested in is the tape, right?" I analyzed with a frown.

"Indeed, I think that's the problem too." Conan nodded. "And the criminal specifically asked us to deliver it to him." "Us?"

"Yes, the criminal said that he would send five little devils here. In ten minutes, he will call the Kudanzaka exit of Kudanshita Station. If one person is missing, they will kill TWO-MIX without hesitation."

"Five? Are you sure it's not four?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Yes, five." Conan smiled. "That means the criminal didn't monitor this place. There are five little ghosts, which is what he saw in the fast food restaurant just now."

"Oh, that's much easier. But to be on the safe side, let's cheat them on the way. Maybe we can get some useful information." I chuckled.

"Ah, let's go." As we were talking, several policemen changed into plain clothes and appeared beside us. Then they ran with us towards the place mentioned by the target.

Ten minutes, no more, no less, we ran to the place where the criminal was making a phone call, picked up the phone, and Conan began to talk to the criminal. After about two minutes, Conan hung up the phone.

"Hey, Conan, what should we do?" Ayumi asked worriedly.

"It's okay. We have confirmed many things, but we still don't know the criminal's motive." Conan frowned. Then he shouted to the far end of the platform. "Kaoru! You can come out now!"

Hearing Conan's shout, I also walked out from the corner of the platform. "Any questions?"

"No, the criminal didn't ask about our number at all. And I also tricked them into thinking that they really wanted the tape." Conan smiled confidently. "Then he asked us to take the subway to the next place. Time is short, so we have to hurry."

"Well, it's okay. The criminal should have calculated the distance. The time should be just enough." I said easily. "While in the car, just write down the lyrics."

"Ah, let's go." Without further ado, we boarded the Yamanote Line again and began our journey to arrest the criminals.

————The scent of orchids, the scent of lavender, the scent of home & the wings of angels, the wings of demons, the wings of guardians————

[The countdown bell rang, and I ran out after changing my mood. One, two, like fireworks at an inappropriate time. Someone, somewhere, announced the melody of a brand new beginning...] I looked at the lyrics of TWO-MIX's new song and squinted my eyes in thought.

"Kaoru, can you see any problem?" Conan asked. "No. I can't see any problem just by looking at the lyrics." I frowned and shook my head. "If I could know the circumstances under which these lyrics were thought of, it might be helpful."

"If that's the case, it was mentioned in that broadcast." Mitsuhiko recalled. "It was said that the lyrics came to mind near a temple. The temple seemed to be called... Shoenji."

"Shoenji?" Conan seemed to have thought of something. Then he explained to us. "On New Year's Eve last year, a murder occurred near Shoenji. A mentally ill person had an argument with a man with a gun, and was killed because the gun went off accidentally. The man was released because of self-defense."

"Bang~" As soon as I finished speaking, Conan looked up and saw me extending my index finger and thumb and making a shooting gesture towards him.

"Eh? Could it be!?" Conan suddenly realized.

"Ah, the fireworks should be the sound of gunfire, the countdown bells refer to the bells on New Year's Eve, and the date at the beginning indicates the time. This is the criminal's motive for kidnapping TWO-MIX."

"Is that so?" Conan smiled confidently. "Okay, now we have everything about the criminal under our control. All we have to do now is..."

Ring, ring, ring… Ring, ring, ring…

As soon as we got off the train at the station, the phone nearby rang. Conan sneered and ran over. Soon, Conan hung up the phone again and ran with us to the train that was about to start. Shinagawa, Shibuya, Kanda, Meguro, Otsuka, one station after another, we went back and forth on the Yamanote Line.

"Really? What on earth do the criminals want us to do?" After running through countless stations, Yuantai, who had a short rest, finally sat in the car breathlessly and started complaining.

"Mingya, why don't you look tired at all?" Beside me, Mitsuhiko asked with a tired look on his face, holding his knees.

"Hmm? Oh, if you also started jogging in the morning when you were four years old, you would also be able to run until now without feeling tired." I said casually.

"Wow. I feel so tired just thinking about it." Yuantai looked at me with fear.

"Hu... Never mind, you can't compare to Xun." Conan also wiped the sweat off his face. "Xun is different from you. He has been a monster since he was a child."

"Monster?" Ayumi asked confusedly.

"Well... he has had excellent physical fitness since he was young. I remember playing football with him when I was young. Every time I fell down exhausted, he acted as if nothing had happened." Seeing my slightly cold eyes, Conan quickly changed his words.

"Hurry to the next station. The phone might come right away." I ignored Conan's words and got off the train first. To be honest, getting on and off the train at every station made me, a killer, feel a little annoyed. Apart from Shiho, when have I ever been led by others? I would be sorry for myself if I didn't let this out.

"As soon as we got off the train, the phone started ringing. But this time, the criminal didn't ask us to go to the next stop. Instead...

"What?! You want me to give her the tape? Can't I?" Conan said in surprise. In response, I just stared at him. I instantly knew the criminal's purpose. Soon, we ran to the toilet together, away from the police's sight.

"Conan, what did the criminal say? Who did he want us to give the recording to?" Mitsuhiko asked anxiously in a single room.

"The criminal wants us to give the tape to Ayumi and let her take it alone." Conan frowned.

"Hey? Why is this happening?" Ayumi suddenly became nervous.

"It's okay, Yoshida-san, we will never let you do anything so dangerous." Seeing Ayumi was so nervous that she was about to cry, I hurriedly spoke to comfort her. "Hey, Conan, come over here and talk." I pulled Conan out and went to another private room.

"Since we have analyzed the criminal's motive from the lyrics, the sound of fireworks represents gunfire. It is very likely that the criminal now has a gun. Since they dare to shoot and kill people, TWO-MIX definitely does not intend to let them go this time. We can't let the children take this risk." I frowned.

"Ah, I know that, so I'm thinking about how I can get away with this." Conan crossed his arms and thought solemnly. "I have a badge here, a transmitter, which can be tracked using my glasses. My idea is to let you hold the glasses, and after Ayumi and I change clothes, I will face the criminal, and then you hold the glasses and hand them over to the police, so that the police can come quickly."

"The criminal may have a gun. What can you use to deal with him?" I shook my head helplessly.

"I have a gun too." Conan smiled and shook his wrist.

"There is only one tranquilizer gun at a time, and there is more than one prisoner." I frowned. "If the prisoner had two guns, you would have died anyway. Don't forget, your opponent is a murderer."

"This..." Conan was speechless.

"Well... this is my job anyway, so just let me put on some makeup. It's also a good opportunity to give TWO-MIX an explanation." I shrugged.

"Makeup? But your hair color is pale blonde, and Ayumi is..."

"Don't worry, I've done infiltration missions before, and putting on makeup and disguising yourself is a piece of cake for me." I said to Conan unscrupulously. "Okay, give me the badge, and you go tell the kids about the plan and call Ayumi. Time is running out, I have to get ready quickly."

"...Okay, but don't forget our agreement. You must not kill anyone!" Conan instructed me while stuffing a transmitter into my hand.

Soon, Ayumi came to my room with a worried look on her face.

"Yoshida-san, did you hear what Conan said?" I smiled softly at Ayumi's worried look. Facing such a thing, the children would still be more or less afraid.

"Hmm..." Ayumi responded in a voice as tiny as a mosquito.

"Okay, don't be afraid. I have to put on your makeup quickly. Time is running out. Change your clothes first." I took off the windbreaker I had been wearing and handed it to Ayumi. At the same time, I took out the same pants and shoes as mine from the necklace while she wasn't paying attention. Then I walked out of here and went to another private room. "When you're done, throw it to me from above, Yoshida-san."

"Oh, yes." Ayumi's face suddenly turned red on the other side. Then she started to change her clothes. Soon. A red hoodie suit was in my hand. I put it on quickly, and then I suddenly felt that Conan should be the one to do this plan, because I just sold Conan before the incident. It's right to let him do it at this time. It's a pity that I only remembered it now. Oh, this dress... is a little small.

(End of this chapter)