Chapter 249
Although Botanist tormented Gin to the point of wanting to die, most people in the organization actually weren't very clear about Botanist's specific situation. After all, he only caused trouble in a small scope—there weren't even many who knew what Botanist looked like.
But Tequila knew.
Because he had once been ordered by Vodka to tail Botanist.
The explanation at the time was suspicion that Botanist was an undercover agent. As a result, this guy pulled a disappearing act on the spot. When he reported to Vodka, Vodka just threw out a "got it" and there was no follow-up.
After a long time, when he finally heard about Botanist's exploits of identifying undercover agents everywhere, Tequila realized—
He, the one responsible for tailing, seemed to have been part of some play between Botanist and Vodka.
...What trendy stuff were these people playing? He really couldn't understand.
Apart from having problems with missions on Botanist's side, Tequila did quite well with other work, so these past two years he'd been working with Gin more often. Although he never saw Botanist again, he'd heard plenty of complaints about Botanist from Vodka.
Honestly, Botanist's image had gradually become distorted, especially seeing Gin's treatment, plus Vodka's seemingly mentally collapsed state every time he mentioned Botanist. When Tequila discovered that the person he'd bumped into was actually Botanist, his heart was like housing a hundred screaming chickens.
Botanist raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, said nothing, turned around and left.
Tequila: "...!!!"
What did this mean?! Was he holding a grudge?! Or was he letting it go?!
For a moment, Tequila's heart was turbulent, and his suspicion values instantly reached the top of today's contribution list.
Thinking of Vodka's demonized descriptions of Botanist, Tequila felt somewhat uneasy, worried he'd be set up at some unknown time.
Better finish the mission quickly and leave this venue.
Tequila steadied himself and began searching for his transaction partner.
His mission this time was to buy with money a list of the world's top computer programmers. He and his transaction partner had agreed to put the money and list in locked briefcases, then store them at the front desk. Later, they'd find an opportunity to exchange claim tickets and collect each other's stored cases.
Soon he found his transaction partner and exchanged a glance.
Good, it looked like the other party had already stored the list at the front desk... With such a simple mission, it would be hard for him to fail even if he wanted to!
Thinking this, Tequila walked directly toward his transaction partner, unceremoniously knocked him down, and took the opportunity to exchange claim tickets.
After getting the claim ticket, Tequila didn't dare delay and hurriedly went to the front desk to get his transaction partner's case.
Then he found a quiet corner and made a phone call: "Yeah, it's me, Tequila."
Edogawa Conan, who was buying drinks behind him: "...?"
Actually, Edogawa Conan had just been knocked down together with Tequila's transaction partner, but earlier he only thought this guy was a bit fierce. Now hearing "Tequila," he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Would normal people be called Tequila? This was clearly a type of alcohol...
Edogawa Conan immediately paid more attention to the person making the call behind him.
He heard Tequila say: "The transaction is complete. Don't worry, Vodka. I'll meet up with you before evening—tell Gin too."
Good grief, one sentence revealed two codenames. Adding his own codename, three codenames were thrown out like they cost nothing, nearly stunning Edogawa Conan.
Wait?! This guy... was he from that organization?!
Edogawa Conan was shocked. Although the other party was wearing black clothes, he never expected to see people from such an illegal organization at a game announcement event!
Clatter—the coins in his hand scattered all over the ground.
Tequila glanced over, saw it was a kid picking up money, and ignored him.
"There's just one thing I think I should report." Tequila continued. "I just ran into Botanist... That should be fine, right?"
Vodka on the other end of the phone had been taking a break to drink some oolong tea, and hearing this nearly spit it out.
"Bo-Botanist?" Vodka exclaimed. "How did you run into him?!"
"I want to ask that too. Does he have some mission that requires him to appear here?"
Vodka answered hesitantly: "I haven't heard of him having any mission. Hasn't he just been playing around these past few years? As long as you didn't offend him, it should be fine. Don't worry too much—he won't recognize you."
Tequila: "............"
Vodka: "............"
This eerie silence made Vodka think of some ominous developments: "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything." Tequila said painfully. "I just bumped into him."
A "bump" that Tequila would mention in this tone obviously couldn't be simply understood as encountering him at the venue.
Vodka was very sympathetic: "And then you exposed your identity?"
"I was afraid that if I didn't apologize now, when we meet in the organization later and he remembers this, then I'd be done for..."
"You... sigh." Vodka was sympathetic but also a bit gleeful—finally there was a new victim. "What was his reaction?"
Tequila sighed: "It's precisely because he had no reaction that I'm uneasy. He just ignored me and went to buy drinks."
According to Vodka's usual descriptions of Botanist, this reaction from Botanist was very abnormal! It was downright terrifying!
He wouldn't become the next Gin, would he?!
Gin was a backbone member and look what he'd been tormented into. If the same treatment fell on him, he'd probably be finished!
Vodka comforted him: "You're at a game announcement event, right? Look on the bright side—maybe he was just eager to play games and too lazy to deal with you."
Tequila hopefully said: "I hope so. Alright, I'll hang up for now. See you later."
After being comforted by Vodka, Tequila felt much better and prepared to go to the restroom to check the document case.
Edogawa Conan picked up coins while eavesdropping on the conversation, his heart surging.
Botanist... this was a new codename! Now he knew Gin, Vodka, Botanist, Tequila...
And now, a living organization member was right in front of him! As long as he investigated following this person, he could trace the vine to find that Gin and Vodka, even find their headquarters!
Edogawa Conan took the opportunity of picking up money to secretly stick a listening device on Tequila's shoe, then quietly followed behind Tequila, trying to continue listening for new intelligence.
Soon, he heard Tequila talking to himself.
"Strange... why won't it open? Huh? It's open... Ah!"
Edogawa Conan was puzzledly guessing what this was about when, following this scream, the restroom exploded with a bang. The explosion even affected the street outside.
Edogawa Conan was completely stunned. When the explosion subsided, he immediately rushed into the restroom through the smoke, trying to see if there were any remaining clues.
After all, many clues would disappear if not discovered immediately. At times like this, he felt he couldn't waste time waiting!
After discovering the lone shoe with his listening device stuck to it, Edogawa Conan painfully accepted reality—this organization member who had finally appeared had probably died in the explosion just now.
His lead was cut off again... Damn it!
No, wait, he couldn't be certain yet!
Edogawa Conan suddenly remembered the phone conversation he'd heard. It seemed that besides Tequila, who was on a mission at this game announcement event, there was also someone called Botanist.
In other words, as long as he found that Botanist, he could still continue investigating the organization!
Although due to distance limitations, he couldn't hear what the person on the other end of the phone was saying at the time, judging from Tequila's attitude, that Botanist should be a very terrifying person.
But with just this information, it would still be very difficult to find the person, and moreover...
"You little brat, why are you everywhere?"
Suddenly, Edogawa Conan's collar was grabbed, and the person holding him coughed as he brought him out: "Alright, Miss Mouri, please watch him and don't let him run around anymore."
Mouri Ran gripped Edogawa Conan's shoulders tightly: "Thank you, Officer Matsuda."
"Of-Officer Matsuda?" Edogawa Conan looked at Matsuda Jinpei, who had appeared at such an occasion, in surprise. "Why are you here? Was the police response this fast?"
Matsuda Jinpei frowned: "I came to attend the game announcement event, but it looks like I'll be working overtime. Who knows if there are other bombs nearby... Speaking of which, have you seen Samukawa?"
"Samukawa-san? He came too?"
Edogawa Conan's pupils shook.
Officer Matsuda attending a game announcement event was one thing, but Samukawa-san actually liked playing games too?! It didn't seem like him at all!
Although he did see Samukawa-san playing a matching game last time, wasn't that something you'd only play when extremely bored?
But it did show that these two had a really good relationship. Even as adults, they still made plans to go out and play games together during holidays...
"Yeah, we came together, but we split up after entering. I don't know where he is either... Tch, such a big incident happened and he doesn't even come to take a look. That guy really doesn't consider himself a police officer at all."
Matsuda Jinpei habitually complained about his troublesome friend: "Everyone step back. I've already called the police—more officers will come later... Ah, Samukawa! Where did you go?"
Edogawa Conan instinctively turned around following Matsuda Jinpei's gaze and saw the young man walking leisurely through the smoke.
The other party wore a black suit with a black long coat over it. His dark red eyes coldly swept around as he answered nonchalantly: "Went to buy drinks."
Edogawa Conan: "...!!!"
Tequila seemed to have said that Botanist ignored him and went to buy drinks... What a coincidence?!
Edogawa Conan couldn't help but scrutinize Samukawa Shinryu with suspicious eyes again.
Always liked wearing black clothes—maybe because of organizational regulations. His aura was very dangerous and he looked difficult to deal with, which was why Tequila was so uneasy, worried about offending him. And he had indeed gone to buy drinks, which perfectly matched what Tequila said...
A former detective who was now also a police consultant... Could such a person be a nail the organization had driven into the Metropolitan Police?
—Was Samukawa Shinryu Botanist?!