Chapter Thirty-Four: Gunshots in the Night

Others might have dismissed the blood-written message on the wall as a mere diversion created by the killer to mislead the police, but Tatsuji Kuroiwa and his associates were certain: a terrifying killer was truly targeting them.

While everyone’s attention was fixed on the gruesome scene in the restroom, Haruaki Suzuki quietly reached out and tapped the trembling Ken Nishimoto.

"Ding! Congratulations on successfully signing in with Ken Nishimoto. Reward: 1 point of Mental Power. You may claim it at any time."

Nice!

Compared to physical strength, Haruaki preferred Mental Power, as many of his skills and items required it to function, and he was constantly running low.

After Kogoro Mouri finished inspecting every corner of the restroom and confirmed there were no overlooked clues, he had the area temporarily sealed off. He strictly forbade anyone from entering until the police arrived, fearing the crime scene might be inadvertently disturbed.

Although Tsukikage Island had its own police force, it consisted of only one elderly officer who was clearly incapable of handling a murder case of this magnitude. Consequently, Kogoro had to call Inspector Megure, requesting that he bring a team to the island to take charge of the investigation. However, given the distance from Tokyo, the late hour, and the rough seas, the Inspector and his team were not expected to arrive until the following morning.

Upon learning that the police would not arrive until morning, Kuroiwa and his cohorts put on a show of concern while inwardly feeling a sense of relief. Unlike the killer lurking in the shadows, they were just as wary of the Tokyo police; they needed to hide their narcotics before the authorities reached the island. After all, the blood-stained message was far too conspicuous, and even as a precaution, the police would undoubtedly conduct a thorough search of Hideo Kawashima’s home. If the drugs were discovered, it would easily lead back to them, and that would be a true disaster.

Time slipped away, and before long, it was midnight. The ordinary villagers had already locked their doors and gone to sleep, but the drug traffickers hiding on the island, summoned by Kuroiwa, gathered secretly in a warehouse. The local drug ring was small; excluding the ringleaders like Kuroiwa, there were only a dozen or so members in total. Hideo Kawashima had been one of their key figures, and his brutal murder that night, coupled with the ominous message on the wall, had deeply unnerved those with guilty consciences. Even if Kuroiwa hadn't summoned them, these traffickers would likely have banded together for safety to avoid being picked off one by one.

Just as the traffickers were arguing over how to deal with the killer in the shadows, Haruaki had already maneuvered his Aizen stand to infiltrate the area around the warehouse. Judging by the petty rivalry between Kuroiwa and Kawashima over the position of village head, it was clear they were not particularly clever individuals. Although Kuroiwa had arranged for two henchmen to guard the warehouse, the pair were busy slacking off and chatting.

"Yoshida, give me a light."

One of the young men in black, sporting a buzz cut, patted his pockets and found no lighter. He naturally leaned toward his companion, who was already smoking.

*Click!*

The slightly stout companion subconsciously raised his lighter toward the cigarette.

*Bang! Bang!*

Just as the two guards leaned in, a dark shadow burst from the darkness. Two iron-fisted punches, fueled by a powerful gust of wind, slammed heavily into their heads. The two felt an overwhelming force collide with them, sending their bodies flying uncontrollably through the warehouse doors and crashing down before the rest of the traffickers.

The group’s expressions changed drastically. The leaders, headed by Kuroiwa, immediately drew their pistols, aiming them at the warehouse entrance with intense vigilance.

*Bang, bang, bang...*

Two dazzling flashes erupted in the darkness. The four traffickers closest to the door didn't even have time to react before bullets pierced their skulls.

"Open fire!"

*Bang, bang, bang...*

Seeing the madman outside open fire first, Kuroiwa and the others disregarded the consequences and frantically pulled their triggers, firing at the silhouette in the doorway. Though their marksmanship was poor, with five guns firing wildly, there was a high probability of hitting the target.

However, to their shock, even when they did manage to land a few shots on Aizen, the bullets seemed to strike an invisible barrier and ricocheted away. To prevent his stand from sustaining serious damage, Haruaki had used his "Money Power" ability, converting a gold maple leaf coin into financial energy to temporarily reinforce it. Although each bullet weakened the financial barrier upon impact, it would take at least twenty shots to shatter it completely.

*Bang, bang, bang...*

After testing the barrier's effectiveness against handgun fire, Haruaki stopped holding back. He directed Aizen to raise two M9 pistols and sweep the room with a hail of gunfire. The five traffickers armed with pistols were prioritized and quickly dispatched with headshots, and the remaining members were soon picked off one by one.

While the gunfire startled the villagers of Tsukikage Island, no one dared to come out to investigate. Even Conan, bursting with curiosity, was forcibly suppressed by Kogoro Mouri.

"Dad, what happened?" Ran Mouri, also awakened by the gunfire, asked, clutching Haruaki tightly in fear.

Kogoro said with utmost gravity, "It’s gunfire! And more than one weapon. It’s extremely dangerous out there. No one is to go outside; we must wait until Inspector Megure and his team arrive tomorrow."

Before becoming a private investigator, Kogoro had been an accomplished detective, so he was no stranger to the sound of gunfire. Based on the chaotic noise outside, it was clear that someone was engaged in a shootout. Even if he were still a police detective, he wouldn't dream of rushing out into such a situation, lest he be accidentally killed for no reason.

"Uncle Mouri, the gunfire outside seems to have stopped."

Hearing the shots die down, Conan felt emboldened again and began to stir.

"Shut up! Go to sleep! No one is leaving tonight. Everything can wait until morning."

Kogoro grabbed Conan by the collar and shoved him firmly back under the covers.