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Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Cointreau? Hayashi Yoshiki!

It was almost four in the morning, and Kembashi Station was silent.

Before reaching the station, Vodka had asked Gin and Hayashi Yoshiki to get off first, then drove to the station entrance alone.

As he opened the car door, he couldn't help but fear that a bullet might suddenly whizz toward him in the next second.

He walked into the station basement with extreme caution.

The dark, underground environment was so quiet, it was unnerving.

Vodka slowly descended to the basement locker room. He first scanned the area with his flashlight, confirming it was safe, before tentatively calling out,

"Hey, Itakura? Are you there?"

Vodka stood at the door, shouting a few times, but he was too wary to move further in.

This guy... actually became so alert?

Hidden in the dark, Conan's heart was pounding violently. He carefully shrank his body to avoid the sweeping beam of Vodka's flashlight.

After a while, Vodka, finally feeling there was no danger, began to step inside.

"...So this time, Big Brother and Cointreau were overthinking it."

Cointreau?

Conan immediately caught the name.

If Cointreau can be named alongside Vodka and Gin… then this person must not be simple!

As Vodka walked toward locker No. 32, where the exchange was to happen, Conan stealthily followed behind. Vodka found a check clipped to the locker door. He picked it up—it was the check the Organization had paid Itakura Taku.

Vodka subconsciously opened the locker door and found a wrapped CD inside.

"Hey... the item's here, but the person's gone. Seems he was too afraid to hand it over in person and even returned the check."

Vodka grinned, spitting out the cigarette butt from his mouth.

Since the CD was stuck to the locker with tape, Vodka had to remove his gloves to peel it off.

Secretly observing nearby, Conan couldn't help but give a sharp grin.

Even I didn't expect it to go so smoothly!

"Really? Big Brother is too suspicious."

"It's quite embarrassing to be caught badmouthing someone, Mr. Vodka."

A cold, familiar voice suddenly cut in.

Vodka's neck shrank instinctively. He turned around in shock to see Gin standing beside him, his face dark and dangerous, with Hayashi Yoshiki following closely behind.

And Conan—the moment his eyes landed on Hayashi Yoshiki's figure—his brain exploded.

How… is this possible?

That's… Yoshiki… onii-san?

He almost thought he was hallucinating. He stared wide-eyed at the scene, completely disbelieving.

The unprecedented shock and emotional disbelief made Conan's teeth begin to chatter. Before his limbs could freeze completely, Gin's icy voice rang out:

"Idiot."

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to talk behind your back!"

"…"

As Vodka quickly apologized, the coldness in Gin's eyes only intensified.

Vodka hurriedly grabbed the CD from the locker, nervously saying,

"I've got it, Brother."

"And now Mr. Vodka's fingerprints are all over it."

"Uh…"

"So you couldn't wait for the real owner to show up and got so impatient you even smoked, leaving the cigarette butt carelessly behind."

Gin bent down, picked up the still-smoking cigarette butt Vodka had discarded, and pressed it directly against Vodka's lips.

"…"

Cold sweat poured down Vodka's face as he bit the dirty cigarette butt. He couldn't smoke it, nor could he spit it out.

Hayashi Yoshiki watched this scene with a faint, almost playful smile.

At that moment, Gin unwrapped the CD packaging. His eyes instantly narrowed dangerously when he saw the transmitter hidden inside.

"So that guy really wanted to find our base…"

All of it—seen through.

Conan listened in horror.

Gin… Hayashi Yoshiki…

If these two join forces… I'm afraid—

"That guy Itakura really had a death wish!" Vodka barked, more humiliated than angry.

"I don't think it was Mr. Itakura who did this. I suspect things have gotten… complicated."

Gin shot him a look. "Did you find anything?"

"Unfortunately, no." Hayashi Yoshiki replied calmly.

What are they talking about?

Conan, hiding nearby, was filled with questions. But honestly… I can't even hope to make it out alive.

But if others find out Hayashi Yoshiki is in the Organization—

Doctor Agasa… Haibara… Hattori…

Everyone who knows about the Black Organization has been close to Hayashi Yoshiki. If I die here and he continues to infiltrate us… then…

The more Conan thought, the more panicked he became.

But with Gin and Hayashi Yoshiki nearby, he didn't dare make a sound or even touch his phone.

"Just saw a drunk and a kid running in?"

"Got it."

Gin made a quick call to confirm no one else was around. He swiftly took off his gloves and placed his palm on the CD case.

After sensing the faint warmth still lingering on the CD—

"Although the fingerprints were wiped, the disc is still warm."

"So you mean—"

"Yes. It means the person who placed this is still hiding somewhere nearby."

Gin's lips curled into a dangerous grin.

The next sound was Vodka cocking his pistol.

"!!!"

At that moment, Conan's scalp tingled.

From the scattered footsteps, he quickly realized they were splitting up, locking down the aisles on both sides of the lockers and beginning their search.

Even Hayashi Yoshiki was participating.

Gin and Vodka were meticulously searched row by row, their footsteps deliberately slow and heavy, creating a suffocating psychological pressure on Conan hiding in the dark.

They remained highly cautious. Whenever they passed between the lockers, they would immediately aim their guns at the aisles at the slightest sound, ready to open fire without hesitation.

"There's only one row left… Heh. With Big Brother and Cointreau here, not even a mouse could escape."

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Gin remained cold and indifferent but was laser-focused on the final row.

Conan, hiding in that very row, was on the brink of terror.

Cointreau…

That's Hayashi Yoshiki's code name!

His heart was racing, his lungs screaming for air, but he had to suppress his breathing at all costs.

Finally, Gin and Vodka reached the last row… but saw only an empty aisle.

Conan had barely slipped into a vacant locker at the last second.

…Thank goodness, these lockers don't need keys when not in use…

Just then, Hayashi Yoshiki's voice echoed:

"Didn't the people tracking us say a drunk and a child ran in here? Considering the size of the kid…"

His gaze swept toward the lockers.

Hayashi Yoshiki's words made Conan feel as if he had fallen into an ice-cold abyss.

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