After the Undercover System Went Haywire, I Switched to Grinding Suspicion Points Chapter 289

The blood-stained playing cards were just a minor incident. After all, this castle had experienced massive bloodshed, and supposedly almost everything from that ti was preserved here, so such problems were quite normal.

After everyone discussed the bloody history of this "Twilight Mansion," the maid ca to say dinner was ready, so the group followed her toward the dining room.

On the way, they encountered Matsuda Jinpei returning from investigating the castle, and he joined the group without any sense of incongruity.

"Did you discover anything? Mr. Non-Detective?" the curly-haired woman probed for information.

Since everyone present was either a detective or very interested in this castle, the others also listened with one ear, ready to hear if there were any clues.

"Hmm..." Matsuda Jinpei pondered. "Limited ti, didn't find anything."

Due to Usuha Izuki's attitude, Matsuda Jinpei now viewed everyone with suspicion and tended toward conservatism, keeping any intelligence to himself first... Of course, he would share it with Usuha Izuki, though he felt Usuha Izuki probably already knew.

The others didn't say whether they believed him or not, and the group entered the dining room like this.

Since the entire castle was European-style, the dining room also had a long table, but strangely, at the head position of the long table sat soone wearing a mask over their head, their face completely invisible.

"Welco to my 'Twilight Mansion.' Please take your designated seats."

As everyone cautiously sat down, that very chanical voice continued: "I invited everyone here today mainly to ask for your help in finding the massive treasure accumulated over many years that sleeps here... I'm willing to stake my life on it!"

Phantom Thief Kid, using Mouri Kogorou's face, perford a shocked expression: "L-life?"

Just as he finished speaking, a "boom" suddenly ca from outside the window, like sothing had exploded.

Everyone's expressions imdiately changed, so stood up to question, but that chanical voice continued unhurriedly.

"Don't worry, I just restricted your movents a bit."

"Did he blow up our cars?!"

In that instant, as if thinking of sothing, everyone instinctively looked toward Usuha Izuki—including Matsuda Jinpei.

Matsuda Jinpei was greatly shocked. Even with the warning, he hadn't expected soone would actually blow up cars!

This was too much of a snowbound mountain lodge trope!

What a joke! Wasn't he afraid of being sued?! Restricting others' movents was also illegal! A sure win in court!

As long as any of them survived, they'd definitely sue this host, unless the host planned to kill them all here...

But that wasn't all—the chanical voice continued: "I also blew up the bridge. Even if you had cars, you couldn't cross. There's no telephone here, and no cell phone signal either..."

Matsuda Jinpei: "............"

The bridge was blown up too! This was for real! If he had driven over then...

"Samukawa." Matsuda Jinpei patted the shoulder of Usuha Izuki sitting beside him, saying with rare sincerity, "Both my car and I thank you."

"Is that all you want to say?!"

That butt-chinned hard-boiled detective couldn't take it anymore and complained frantically.

"So why were only your cars not blown up?! What was his reason for insisting on walking up here?! Could it be he already knew the cars would be blown up? Or maybe he's actually the one who invited us and decided to blow up the cars?!"

Mouri Ran sat uneasily: "That can't be. Samukawa-san wouldn't do such things. He must have had a reason... right, Samukawa-san?"

Edogawa Conan was also very curious why Samukawa Shinryu had Matsuda Jinpei park the car on the road.

The curly-haired woman also said: "Then please explain, Samukawa-san!"

Under everyone's gaze, the dark-haired, red-eyed young man leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked around complacently, his index finger lightly tapping his arm: "I have no obligation to explain to you."

"You bastard!" The hard-boiled detective, worthy of soone who'd been chased by the mafia in Chicago, dared to slam the table even facing such a Samukawa Shinryu. "It's you, isn't it!"

Even Matsuda Jinpei was speechless, feeling sitting down lacked presence, so he also stood up and slamd the table: "Is this how you detective?! No evidence at all, and you're condemning soone right off the bat?!"

The hard-boiled detective argued righteously: "Then make him explain! He won't explain—who knows if it's because he can't? And we're already restricted in movent, we can't get out, so it makes sense he doesn't want to pretend anymore, right?"

There were no fools here. Everyone could see that while the hard-boiled detective was suspicious, his words were just a provocation thod, trying to get Samukawa Shinryu to clearly explain his suspicious behavior to eliminate interference.

But Usuha Izuki was here to farm suspicion values—he wasn't going to explain. He continued sitting there nonchalantly, watching everything before him with eyes like he was viewing a farce.

Matsuda Jinpei had long gotten used to his mischievous performance, so very naturally explained for him: "He doesn't an that. He probably just thinks even if he explained, you wouldn't believe him."

"Oh? So you seem to know?" Old Lady Chikama also joined the conversation.

As the mastermind, she really wanted to know Samukawa Shinryu's reason for doing this! After all, this related to whether she had been exposed!

Matsuda Jinpei took a deep breath, his face dark as he said: "The reason he gave at the ti was that he felt this scenario was very much like a snowbound mountain lodge mode, worried that cars, bridges, and phone lines would be blown up later..."

Everyone: "............"

It all ca true!!!

Even Edogawa Conan's mouth twitched: "Um, Matsuda-san, just because of that reason, you listened to him and walked half the way in the rain?"

Matsuda Jinpei's face beca even darker: "...Yes, is that not allowed? You don't understand, so you find it strange, but his suggestions in this area have always been very reasonable. This is my experience, and now isn't it proven?"

The curly-haired woman was exasperated: "How should I put it? That reason feels too perfunctory, and the fact that it actually ca true doesn't prove his foresight, but rather makes it more... Matsuda-san, if you're willing to believe him, we can't control that, but this can't prove he's not directing and acting himself!"

The Gourt Detective also agreed: "When I saw this castle, I also thought of these things, but even thinking of them, I wouldn't actually walk in the rain just for that speculation..."

Matsuda Jinpei sounded impatient: "But doing this gives him no benefit at all, right? It only brings suspicion. A real mastermind wouldn't be so conspicuous, would they?"

"How is there no benefit? Didn't he save the car?" Phantom Thief Kid complained.

Matsuda Jinpei glanced at him: "That's my car. I'm the one who benefits."

Everyone: "............"

The curly-haired woman wouldn't let any suspicious point go: "What if you're working together... After all, Phantom Thief Kid also has assistants..."

Phantom Thief Kid pondered and felt that with Mouri Kogorou's brain, he probably couldn't figure out his cipher, so he perford a completely confused expression: "Huh?"

The curly-haired woman began analyzing that cipher with others.

anwhile, the chanical voice ignored by everyone continued dutifully speaking: "...Please enjoy dinner..."

The hard-boiled detective couldn't stand it anymore, rushing over to remove that weird hood: "So annoying with all that chatter! The speaking rhythm doesn't match what's happening at the scene at all! It's just a recording, isn't it!"

Indeed, after removing the hood, what was revealed was a mannequin with a microphone on its head, still playing pre-recorded audio.

At this point, the curly-haired woman finally finished explaining the situation.

Matsuda Jinpei rolled his eyes: "It's not , and it's not him either. Rather than suspecting us, everyone should think about how to find the host and leave here."

Just then, the maid began serving food.

She explained: "Because the serving ti, location, and order were all predetermined..."

Everyone let her serve while continuing their discussion.

Edogawa Conan said: "I don't think Samukawa-san is the host, because it would be really obvious. Even if he had so purpose, being constantly suspected and watched by everyone, he couldn't do anything, so it would be useless. Besides, Matsuda-san is a police officer..."

The uninford people imdiately looked at Matsuda Jinpei: "A police officer? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"No need. I'm on vacation." Matsuda Jinpei crossed his arms. "Besides, I'm not so detective who solves cases—I'm a bomb disposal expert from the explosive ordnance disposal unit. I can help check bombs and such later."

Under the persuasion of Mouri Ran and Edogawa Conan, everyone reluctantly dropped their accusations against Samukawa Shinryu and changed the topic.

"So, should we eat now? Might he have poisoned it?"

Everyone's conclusion was that although it seed unnecessary—after all, he wanted them to search for treasure—it was still better to wipe the knives, forks, plates, and such.

As for the food, the Gourt Detective who did the cooking swore he'd been watching the whole ti and there were absolutely no problems, so everyone tentatively believed him.

Since they were very hungry and had work ahead, everyone finally began eating.

But while eating, that idiotic recording started again.

"How was the dinner I prepared for you? Now I'll tell you why I went to such lengths to obtain this mansion... Please pick up the knives, forks, plates, and other tableware beside you..."

Since this might relate to the treasure and clues for leaving, everyone followed the instructions.

Mouri Ran picked up a spoon and looked at it: "Huh, there seems to be a bird marking."

Even Matsuda Jinpei frowned: "Indeed, what kind of bird is this?"

Edogawa Conan realized sothing and murmured: "Crow..."

He suddenly turned to look at Samukawa Shinryu.

When everyone else was observing seriously, thinking deeply, seemingly full of curiosity, the young man's attitude of finding everything boring stood out starkly.

The dangerously aura'd young man looked utterly bored, one hand supporting his face, the other playing with the dinner knife in his hand, seemingly disdainful of everyone's discoveries.

As if sensing Edogawa Conan's gaze, he suddenly looked up, his eyes the color of dried blood looking over.

After Edogawa Conan nervously broke out in a cold sweat, he seed to lose interest in Edogawa Conan and indifferently looked away.

Watching this young man, Edogawa Conan couldn't help but wonder.

Old crow... he probably understood what that ant, but what about the golden nest? Did it an what he thought?

If it was what he was thinking, why had Samukawa-san co here?

What exactly was it about this place that attracted Samukawa-san?