Luo Shu didn't have to wait long before Utaha Kasumigaoka and Chisato Nishikigi, led by Police Inspector Sato and carrying a white case, arrived at the scene.
The moment she entered, Utaha Kasumigaoka glanced at Eriri leaning against the wall and scoffed:
"Hiding in a corner at a time like this—how very typical of you, Sawamura-san."
At this remark, both Sawamuras present turned to look at her.
While Sayuri Sawamura appeared curious, Eriri was practically hopping mad:
"You..."
"Never mind, I'm not in the mood to argue with you today."
"As if you've ever won any of our arguments."
Seeing Eriri still capable of retorts, Utaha felt somewhat relieved—it seemed her father's death hadn't crushed the girl's spirit.
Having reassured herself, Utaha first extended a hand to Sayuri Sawamura, offering condolences:
"My deepest sympathies, Mrs. Sawamura."
"You must be little Utaha? Eriri talks about you all the time."
Sayuri forced a smile as she shook Utaha's hand.
"Probably cursing my name every time," Utaha replied, as if she could read Eriri's mind. "Something along the lines of 'I'll settle the score with her someday,' no doubt."
Sayuri couldn't help but chuckle at this:
"You really know this kid well, Utaha-chan."
"She does not!!"
Utaha Kasumigaoka completely ignored Eriri's retort, turning instead to Luo Shu with a nod before handing him the silver metal case in her hands. She then addressed Juzo Megure:
"Please prepare a room. I need to conduct preliminary interviews with everyone present at the scene."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
Seemingly intimidated by Utaha's overwhelming aura of expertise, Juzo Megure hastily nodded in agreement, pulling Sato along to make arrangements.
Once Megure and the others had left, Chisato Nishikigi spoke up:
"Luo Shu, shall we begin installing the Barrier-Type Demon God immediately?"
Seeing this, Luo Shu didn't engage in small talk with Chisato despite their days apart, merely sighing:
"Proceed with the installation. Though we're not certain if this was the work of someone from the mystic side, it's better to be cautious."
Utaha seemed thoughtful upon hearing this: "From your tone, you're certain this was done by a regular individual?"
At these words, Sayuri Sawamura, Eriri, Chisato, and even Kogoro Mouri, who hadn't left yet, all turned their curious gazes towards Luo Shu.
Faced with this, Luo Shu considered for a moment before explaining in simpler terms:
"Mouri, you're not actually familiar with that child called Conan whom you brought along, are you?"
This immediately put Kogoro Mouri on the spot.
Under the collective gaze of the women present - particularly Sayuri's intensely pressuring stare - he lowered his head with a bitter smile and explained:
"That kid's a relative of an acquaintance, entrusted to my daughter's care for a few days."
"For some reason, I always find that brat irritating. I get the feeling nothing good happens when he's around, but the brat's mischievous and my daughter spoils him rotten, so I can never handle him properly."
"So honestly, I can't guarantee whether that child might be some special sorcerer or not..."
Kogoro Mouri sighed deeply, his heart full of remorse.
Seeing Luo Shu repeatedly mention Conan, he began to suspect whether Conan was some kind of mystic side assassin in the form of a child, with this murder's target being Robert, the English diplomat.
Mouri Kogoro was filled with self-reproach for having brought a murderer close to Robert.
Meanwhile, Eriri, standing nearby, also wore a grim, even gloomy expression:
"My dad... was killed by that child just now..."
"Not by him, but it's somewhat related." Luo Shu shook his head before explaining, "How should I put it?"
"In short, that kid called Conan carries an extraordinary aura of misfortune. You could practically consider him a walking calamity."
"Wherever he goes, murder cases follow."
"Of course, it's also possible that misfortune actively attracts him."
"Pfft, with that explanation, I almost feel like that brat is more suited to be the Calamity Bringer than I am."
Hearing Luo Shu's explanation, not only were people like Mouri Kogoro and Sayuri Sawamura—who had little exposure to the mystic side—stunned, but even seasoned individuals like Chisato Nishikigi were left dumbfounded:
"There are actually people like this in the world?"
"A walking calamity? That's quite an apt description."
Utaha Kasumigaoka nodded in realisation, then glanced hesitantly at Eriri.
"So... my dad was jinxed to death by that kid?" Eriri was bewildered, even wondering if she had misheard Luo Shu.
How could something so absurd happen... just because a child visited, someone died?
How did things turn out like this?
"I... he..." Mouri Kogoro was now at a loss for words.
If Conan were the murderer, he would undoubtedly have no qualms about arresting the brat.
But instead, the kid turned out to be some kind of mystical jinx—not actively trying to harm people, but inadvertently causing deaths due to his own nature?
This revelation left Mouri Kogoro utterly speechless.
His worldview, his legal understanding—none of it knew how to judge Conan.
You couldn't convict Conan as a murderer just because a homicide happened by chance wherever he passed by, could you?
Japan doesn't have laws like that!! The police don't operate that way either!
In the end, after struggling for a long time, Mouri Kogoro could only mutter to himself:
"No wonder I always found that brat irritating... so that's why..."
Mouri Kogoro now desperately wanted to kick Conan out, even urging Professor Agasa to send him back to his real parents.
That brat really couldn't stay in his house any longer—he was afraid Conan might jinx Ran Mouri to death.
Standing nearby, Sayuri Sawamura also wore a complicated expression.
So... this was how she became a widow?
Because of a jinx's visit?
The thought made Sayuri's heart ache. A perfectly good family, torn apart by an accident, a freak disaster—what kind of nonsense was this?
Just then, Utaha glanced at Eriri, then at Sayuri, before sighing and saying:
"Director, children with special abilities like this... aren't they supposed to be detained and monitored by our department?"
The moment these words were spoken, the room fell silent.
However, Utaha Kasumigaoka seemed oblivious to this silence as she calmly stated:
"Allowing such a walking calamity to roam freely doesn't seem to align with the Hidden Management Department's principles, does it?"
Though she felt somewhat sorry for the child called Conan, Utaha couldn't let Eriri continue suffering with no target for her hatred.
In that case, she had no choice but to be ruthless and propose containing Conan.
As long as Conan was confined within the management zone, even if Eriri felt uncomfortable, at least Mr Robert wouldn't have died in vain - he'd helped remove a walking disaster from the world.
Hearing Utaha's words, Luo Shu quickly grasped her meaning after brief consideration.
He sighed softly before saying:
"Chisato, prepare the Skil Demon God."
As for what kind of preparation... everyone understood perfectly well.
"I'll cooperate fully." Kogoro Mouri declared his stance at this point.
No matter how much he doted on Ran, he wouldn't indulge Conan this time. In fact, Kogoro was already prepared to face Professor Agasa, even Conan's parents.
"Orders received." Chisato Nishikigi responded cheerfully with a salute upon receiving the command.
Perhaps among those present, she was the one with the hardest heart.
Having worked in the Operations Department for so long, she'd seen too many deaths - this time it just happened to be Eriri's family member.
In her view, no one's death was special, including her own.
Seeing that Luo Shu had already ordered Conan's capture and detention, Utaha saw no reason to remain and be gawked at, so she said directly:
"Then I'll begin the investigation immediately."
"I hope we can get results as soon as possible."