Chapter 61: The Poisonous Scorpion

"Miss Poussin Urán!" Ryu Hachikawa greeted her first. He stepped forward, trying to place a hand on her shoulder, but she gracefully sidestepped him.

Poussin Urán turned around and greeted the group. Immediately afterward, she smiled and asked Moray, "You must be Mr. Moriarty, right?"

"Yes. I heard you come from China?" Moray nodded in acknowledgment.

"Yes. Do you know much about China?" Poussin Urán offered a gentle smile.

"Apologies, my knowledge is limited to the opera *Turandot*."

In other words, absolute zero. Poussin Urán felt slightly relieved. She excused herself to the group and returned to her room.

The others also retired to their respective rooms to continue plotting their next moves.

......

As for the true identity of Kaitou Kid, Moray had known it for a long time.

The "Kaito" whom Koizumi Akako was tracking—there happened to be a boy by that exact name in her own class. Upon Moray's inquiry, she had readily shared her deductions.

As for why it remained a mere deduction... it was simply because Kuroba Kaito was stubbornly tight-lipped, never once admitting to his alternate identity.

If Moray so wished, he could easily lock Kuroba Kaito away for a single night, making him miss his self-imposed deadline entirely. For instance, he could use some sort of "torture device" like an "aquarium hell," trapping the thief among a massive school of fish—yet Moray possessed his own pride.

"The scorpion thrusts its leaden-gray stinger..." The English word for scorpion is Scorpion, and internationally, there happened to be an infamous figure fixated entirely on the treasures of the Romanov dynasty—a master thief and assassin known as the Scorpion.

What a coincidence.

If Moray chose to avoid the conflict simply to safeguard Kaitou Kid, it would feel to him like backing down before the Scorpion.

A lone treasure hunter, a skulking coward, a dog-like creature—did they honestly expect him to back down?

Moray decided to eliminate this individual. If the person proved useful, taking them in as a subordinate was not entirely out of the question.

After all, he had experienced the frustration of a manpower shortage more than once. Although Beika Town was never short of desperate criminals—the sheer concentration of crime here left even Moray astounded, surpassing even the chaotic underworld of London under his control—these people varied wildly in quality, harbored boundless ambitions, hatched foolproof-looking plans full of fatal flaws, and were cursed with terrible luck that constantly crossed paths with walking disasters (Conan). In short, they were utterly useless.

He urgently needed to recruit a competent cohort of operatives. If the Scorpion's abilities met his standards, Moray would grant them a single chance.

"Speaking of which, knowing Sonoko's personality, that brat Conan and his little gang might just end up meddling in this as well..."

Moray adjusted his attire in front of the mirror: "Too bad your 'Brother Moray' has already 'gone to Hakone for the hot springs.'"

"A child shouldn't get too close to the dark wisdom of 'Moriarty'."

Moray already had a basic strategy for tracking down the Scorpion.

The rest depended entirely on whether the police officers were willing to cooperate.

......

Evening.

"In my view, the current protection surrounding the Memory Egg is far too fragile," Moray remarked eloquently as he sat on the sofa, facing Shiro Suzuki.

"Let me guess: your plan is to exhibit a replica in the museum while the police secure the genuine article in some undisclosed location, am I right?"

Seeing the subtle shift in Shiro Suzuki's expression, Moray knew his guess was spot on.

"Too cliché. It's essentially the same method used during the Black Star incident. Forgive my bluntness, but you've only considered how to prevent Kaitou Kid from finding it, and failed to consider how to retaliate once he does." With that, Moray produced a gas mask.

"Take a look at this, Mr. Shiro Suzuki. A gas mask capable of effectively filtering out the sleeping gas or tear gas deployed by the Kid, paired with goggles featuring interchangeable tinted lenses to neutralize his specialized flashbangs. While it may not pack the deafening high-decibel sonic blast of military or police-issue models designed to induce deafness, it matches their brightness quite adequately. I strongly advise the police officers to be equipped with such gear—though, of course, it's merely a suggestion."

Shiro Suzuki nodded slightly. It sounded like a risk-free measure; after all, simply bolstering defensive precautions seemed unlikely to cause any negative repercussions.

Still, he needed to consult someone with more professional expertise.

"Nishino, go and discuss this with Inspector Nakamori." Shiro Suzuki summoned his secretary, Masato Nishino. Nishino bowed slightly and backed out of the room.

In Moray's estimation, Ginzo Nakamori would hardly refuse this proposal. After all, judging by the "Blue Birthday" incident, he was hardly a man averse to utilizing modern equipment.

"Mr. Moriarty, you seem remarkably invested in the capture of the Kid?" Shiro Suzuki asked, curiosity tinged in his voice regarding Moray's proactive attitude.

"How should I put it..." Moray offered a wry smile. "You have a beloved daughter in your household, and my employer is likewise a young lady. She harbors a rather... obsessive fixation on Kaitou Kid that she prefers to keep to herself."

Shiro Suzuki understood and let out a sigh. Sonoko was a hopeless romantic, while Ayako possessed a gentle, yielding temperament. Though he and Jirokichi were only in their fifties, the state of the next generation...

It was truly difficult.

Moments later, Masato Nishino returned to report: "Inspector Nakamori has decided to adopt the plan after consideration. However, he remains somewhat uneasy about our procurement channels and has chosen to utilize the police department's internal equipment instead."

Moray nodded. "That couldn't be better."

Seeing that Moray had no intention of interfering further, the last lingering doubt in Shiro Suzuki's mind vanished. Moray stood up to take his leave, and Shiro Suzuki instructed Masato Nishino to escort him out.

"Secretary Nishino, has the Memory Egg already been handed over to the police?" Moray offered Masato Nishino a cigarette, but the secretary smiled and waved his hand in polite refusal.

"Not yet. It's still currently inside the Suzuki family's vault. However, tomorrow I will personally hand it over to the escort team and stand guard alongside them to protect the Memory Egg."

I see.

Moray smiled and nodded, bidding farewell to Masato Nishino. Once Nishino walked out of earshot, Moray closed his eyes and focused his senses.

The magical beacon provided a clear, precise feedback.

Splendid, the location was unmistakable.

"This elderly gentleman?" a crisp voice rang out.

Moray opened his eyes.

Sonoko Suzuki, Ran Mouri, Conan, and Kogoro Mouri were walking toward him.

In the presence of a stranger, particularly an unfamiliar "elder," Sonoko appeared somewhat reserved. "May I ask who you are?"

"Ah, the younger daughter of the Suzuki family, I presume. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am one of the personnel hired to protect the Memory Egg."

"A security guard dressed so flashily..." Kogoro Mouri muttered under his breath.

"You must be the renowned detective of Japan, Kogoro Mouri, am I right? I've read quite a few reports about you." Moray smiled and shook hands with Kogoro Mouri, prompting a hearty laugh from the detective.

"This is Ran Mouri, my daughter. As for this brat, he's Conan, a child staying at our home." Kogoro ruffled Conan's hair.

Conan mentally complained: Why does this old uncle insist on emphasizing that I'm just boarding with them every single time...

Moray nodded. "My name is Albert."

"Albert Moriarty."