Chapter 225: **Chapter 221: Time to Wake Up**
Before he knew it, evening had arrived.
Fujino and Hiratsuka Shizuka finished two large bowls of ramen, paid the bill, and prepared to drive back home.
However, on the way back, a familiar system notification sounded in his ears:
**[A new detective profession mission has been detected. Please check immediately!]**
"Another mission?"
Fujino muttered in surprise as he quickly opened the system interface.
A light screen appeared before him, displaying the details of the mission:
**[Detective Profession Mission: Protect the Target
Mission Objective: Ensure the protection target, Miyano Shiho, does not die.
Mission Rewards: ¥2,000,000 and 300 Detective Reputation Points
Mission Location: Beika Hotel]**
"Miyano Shiho?"
Fujino read through the newly assigned system mission, his brow furrowing slightly.
Normally, such protection assignments are the kind of tasks handled by bodyguards.
Still, Fujino wasn't entirely surprised by this detective-oriented protection mission.
A long time ago, Miyano Akemi had once entrusted him with the care of her younger sister, Miyano Shiho.
It was a complicated request, one for which Fujino had taken her soul as compensation.
From that moment on, he had been committed to fulfilling this promise.
Even without a mission prompt, he would have acted. Now that the system had issued this task, it only made sense to accept it.
After taking on the system mission, Fujino began combing through his memories for relevant details.
The Beika Grand Hotel, the Black Organization, and Haibara Ai…
Soon, he retrieved the necessary information from his mind.
After pondering for a moment, Fujino closed the system interface and turned to face the direction of the Beika Hotel, guided by the system.
"This mission could be troublesome. It seems I'll need to make thorough preparations," he said quietly.
---
**Meanwhile…**
After spotting Gin's car, Conan immediately contacted Dr. Agasa. Together, they broke into the car and planted a tracking device and a listening bug.
Haibara Ai initially tried to intervene, but by the time she raised her head, it was too late—Gin and Vodka had already returned.
Fortunately, the two acted quickly and managed to avoid being caught red-handed.
However, their careful plan had one oversight: Gin discovered a strand of Haibara Ai's hair in the car, leading him to deduce, "That woman has definitely been in my car."
---
**Near a highway close to the Beika Hotel…**
Amid the falling snow, the towering figure of Vodka carefully inspected the car for additional tracking devices or bugs.
Gin, meanwhile, leaned against his beloved vehicle, speaking on the phone with Pisco, one of the organization's senior members.
"The plan has changed. In addition to eliminating our primary target, you'll also need to capture a traitor within the organization," Gin said coldly.
On the other end of the line, an aged voice replied, "A traitor in the organization?"
Gin's voice turned icy: "Sherry."
After a pause, he continued, "If you're unsure of Sherry's appearance, you can check the organization's database. Once we confirm there are no other tracking devices or bugs on the car, we'll head over immediately."
The voice on the other end asked gravely, "Are you certain she'll show up?"
"She will," Gin sneered. "I've already used that drug to lure her in."
With a cold laugh, Gin added, "When you find her, bring her to me. I want to deal with her personally…"
---
**At the entrance of the Beika Hotel…**
Dressed in an assassin's cloak, Fujino stood calmly, observing the growing crowd of reporters gathered at the hotel entrance.
"More people are starting to show up," he noted.
Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind and transferred his consciousness to his spirit-linked vessel.
--- Shortly after, a shadowy figure on the rooftop nearby began to move.
At this moment, Hun Ou was dressed in a black cloak and wore a fox mask. Even under the mask, his face had been slightly altered by Fujino to ensure his identity wouldn't be exposed, even if the mask fell off.
Fujino controlled Hun Ou, using the **[Soul Wings]** skill to maneuver across the rooftops. He quickly climbed along the protrusions of the hotel, heading straight for the rooftop.
While deploying Hun Ou, Fujino left a strand of his consciousness inside it. His spirit returned to his body, and after a slight sway, he activated **Hawk Vision** and rushed toward the crowd gathered at the hotel entrance.
Weaving swiftly through the crowd, he reached the base of the hotel. There, he pulled a grappling hook gun from his portable space, hooked it to the edge of the hotel wall, and climbed into the building through a second-floor window.
...
After entering through the second-floor window, he stepped out of the room.
Using his stealth abilities, Fujino made his way to the main hall. Thanks to the overpowered **[Night Ranger]** skill, even walking boldly through the hotel's interior, he went completely unnoticed.
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The hall was filled with attendees dressed in black, gathered to participate in a memorial service.
A massive chandelier fell from above, killing an unlucky soul instantly.
But Fujino didn't concern himself with such matters.
His mission this time was to rescue Gray Soldier Haibara Ai.
There was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble.
Along the way, he saw many familiar faces—people he had only seen before in newspapers.
CEOs, university professors, writers, actors—they were all present.
One particularly noteworthy individual was a blonde woman named Chris Vineyard.
Fujino found her strangely familiar.
If he wasn't mistaken, she should be Vermouth...
Fujino, cloaked in his assassin's robe, used **Hawk Vision** and quickly located Haibara Ai's position.
—A storage room on the hotel rooftop.
Fujino acted swiftly, soon arriving at the door of the storage room where Pisco had imprisoned Haibara Ai.
Just as he was about to push the door open, he heard Haibara Ai's voice from inside:
"Listen, Shinichi Kudo, the drug that shrank us, APTX, stands for Apotoxin, meaning programmed cell death. Cells have the ability to kill themselves. Normally, they survive by suppressing this ability. But this drug not only induces cell death but also regulates activity to enhance cellular functions..."
"What on earth are you talking about?!" Conan interrupted her. "Can't you just explain this after you escape?"
"Shut up!"
Haibara Ai cut him off sharply. "Even though I've shrunk, they've still found me. Even if I manage to escape, they'll catch me again. By then, not only Fujino, who took me in, but everyone connected to me will be silenced!"
At this point, she paused, then continued softly, "Also, if they kill me, don't tell Fujino I'm dead. Just say I was taken away by a distant relative."
"He's a kind person with his own life. He shouldn't get entangled in the organization's affairs."
"My best choice is to die here."
With that, she ended the communication, closed her eyes, and exhaled deeply. Her mood seemed to return to calm serenity.
This was enough.
Perhaps she was always meant to die in the dark room where the organization first imprisoned her.
Everything else had been nothing more than an illusory dream.
Now, it was time to wake up.
---
*If you're interested, check out a book written by a friend!*
*(End of Chapter)*