Due to Fang Zheng’s wild driving, their group was basically the first to arrive at Twilight Manor. In fact, when Kogoro Mouri carefully parked Fang Zheng’s car at the manor’s front entrance, there wasn’t any other vehicle around.
"I just can’t understand if these wealthy people are out of their minds."
Getting out of the car and looking at Twilight Manor in front, Fang Zheng shook his head.
"Why do they like to build their houses in such deserted places? It’s inconvenient to go out to buy things, if someone gets sick and needs to go to the hospital, they might miss the timing. If they provoke some bandits who seal off their retreat... they could kill off the whole family without a single alarm."
"Who knows, wealthy people’s thoughts are always different."
Hearing Fang Zheng’s comment, Kogoro Mouri also grumbled. After all, he had experienced quite a few similar cases before. It was undeniable that Fang Zheng had a point; every time a murder or some incident occurred in such a remote place, calling the police doesn’t work, and doctors are hard to find. He didn’t understand these rich people’s mindset at all.
Of course, in terms of peace and quiet, it’s certainly peaceful enough. If someone dies here, it might take ten days to half a month for anyone to notice.
While chatting idly, the group ascended the steps, as Kogoro Mouri went forward to knock on the door, and soon a maid opened it.
"Welcome, you must be Mr. Mouri’s group, right? I didn’t expect you all to arrive so early... please come in."
"Are we the first to arrive here?"
Hearing the maid’s words, Kogoro Mouri perked up, while Conan looked on helplessly, sighing softly; they aren’t kids anymore, why argue over coming first...
"Yes, you all are the first guests I’ve seen since arriving here, other guests haven’t arrived yet."
"Hahaha, I see."
Hearing this, Kogoro Mouri laughed heartily, then entered the manor, while Conan widened his eyes and employed his Oscar-winning skills learned in Hawaii, gazing at the maid.
"Big sister, I’d like to meet the host here. It’s rare for him to invite us to such a luxurious place to dine, I want to thank him."
"That’s right too. May I ask where the host of the manor is currently?"
Ran quickly stepped forward to assist—indeed, it seems this couple has developed some tacit understanding.
"Well..."
Faced with their questions, the maid showed a troubled expression.
"Actually, I’ve never met the host myself."
"Huh?"
Upon hearing this, Kogoro Mouri curiously asked.
"Aren’t you working here? How have you not seen him?"
"It’s like this, actually, I was only recently hired... so..."
"But there must be an interview process, right."
"Come to think of it, it is quite unusual."
At this point, faced with Kogoro Mouri’s inquiry, the maid spoke with confusion.
"I saw the recruitment advertisement in the newspaper and applied because the conditions were generous, attracting numerous applicants. When I entered the room, I didn’t see any interviewer, only an open computer and a guest list. While I was looking at the list, words appeared on the computer saying I was hired..."
"Just like that?"
Kogoro Mouri furrowed his brows, while Conan and Ran listened intently, because although Kogoro Mouri wasn’t aware, they knew the master behind this invitation was Belmod, from the Black Organization that transformed Conan into a child, possibly providing clues.
Moreover, this stealthy approach indeed resembles the Black Organization.
Unfortunately, this maid is only a temporary worker, unable to clarify what this place is, or why the owner summoned them here, only stating that the owner invited several detectives to the dinner as well, and everyone could freely roam until then...
Consequently, everyone began to wander around the manor.
While others were yet to arrive, Fang Zheng planned to give Ran a heads-up.
After all, no matter how skilled a detective, one can still fear ghosts.
"By the way, since we’re idly free, why don’t I tell you the story of this place first?"
"Huh?"
Hearing Fang Zheng’s words, Kogoro Mouri, Conan, and Ran were taken aback.
"Do you know what this place is?"
"Of course, I wouldn’t come without doing some preliminary research... although the resources are quite limited."
Saying this, Fang Zheng sighed, as during Conan’s era, the internet isn’t advanced and many materials can’t be found online, unlike in the Game World where Fang Zheng could hack into a personal terminal and trace someone’s ancestry, hence... the necessity of digitization!
Thus Fang Zheng had Umbrella’s Intelligence Division dispatch personnel to investigate, mingling with government agencies, visiting nearby residents, researching newspapers and magazines, gathering some rumors...
This efficiency certainly falls short compared to searching online. Fang Zheng is accustomed to sweeping through personal terminals that detail someone’s genealogy, encountering such a situation suddenly felt frustrating, like a daddy used to Mercedes and pampering high school girls, suddenly time traveling to the primitive era with no dinosaurs to ride and no shoes to wear, having to fight saber-toothed tigers, truly exasperating.
While speaking, he took out a piece of paper.
"According to the clues I’ve gathered, this manor belonged to a wealthy tycoon named Uramaru Renya, who died half a century ago..."
"Wait, Uramaru Renya?!"
Hearing this name, Ran hadn’t reacted yet, but Kogoro Mouri exclaimed, and Conan also furrowed his brow.
"Yes, at least it did belong to him..."
Holding the report, Fang Zheng continued.
"Everything in this manor was custom-made by specialists at Uramaru Renya’s expense... as I said, rich people use their wealth capriciously, their thoughts differ from others—but the following events are somewhat horrifying... Ran, you should brace yourself."
"Huh? Is it really scary?"
Spotting this, Ran involuntarily tightened her body, and Fang Zheng nodded.
"According to rumors and hearsay, an extremely gruesome incident occurred here 40 years ago. The manor convened financial and social elites, ostensibly to commemorate the ninety-nine-year-old tycoon’s passing, but the true purpose was to auction off Uramaru Renya’s art collection."
Saying this, Fang Zheng swept a glance around.
"The auction was supposed to last three days and nights. On the second evening, during a violent storm, two uninvited guests arrived at the manor’s door, claiming to be travelers lost and hoping to stay here overnight. Initially, the manor’s guardian declined, but after receiving a cigarette from them, he suddenly changed his mind and let them enter."
"........."
Upon hearing this, Kogoro Mouri, Ran, and Conan inhaled sharply, while Fang Zheng continued.
"After that, the other guests fell under the pair’s influence, initially causing disputes, then an eerie scene occurred—a guest terrified, tossed aside a lot item and fled. A woman seemed to plead for someone’s forgiveness, sobbing bitterly, while someone excitedly stabbed themselves repeatedly, turning the venue into hell. Everyone began grabbing auction items, even killing each other. Eventually, after that night, eight corpses and several unconscious guests remained here, while the two mysterious figures vanished with the auction items."
".........This, this is just a story, right?"
"Well, it’s not entirely fabricated."
Ran hesitantly asked, and Fang Zheng shook his head.
"In fact, from the moment I entered this manor, I could smell a strong stench of blood."
"Really?!"
"My nose is sharp, ordinary people likely won’t perceive it."
Fang Zheng waved his hand and continued again.
"At least from what we’ve seen before, the doorway, the corridor, the living room, the game room, all these places we passed through have bloodstains, far exceeding the amount from eight people. It’s likely that more than eight people died back then..."
"I’m going out to smoke a cigarette and calm down."
Kogoro Mouri also felt a chill running through him, and looking at the empty game room made him uneasy. He hurriedly found an excuse to slip out for some relaxation, while Ran initially wanted to leave too, but Fang Zheng signaled her, then sat down on the sofa with Conan.
"What do you think?"
Fang Zheng pretended to play chess with Conan while lowering his voice to ask.
"From the looks of it, I don’t think the person who invited us has anything to do with the Black Organization."
Conan thought quickly and offered his conjecture.
"The invitation was signed with a wordplay, it translates to Phantom Thief Kid, but..."
"If Kid dared to show up in front of me, I’d already have shot him dead."
Indeed, as Fang Zheng said, Kid wouldn’t dare send a letter to him and Conan. If Fang Zheng were provoked, Kid wouldn’t even know how he died.
"So it’s likely the inviter disguised themselves as Phantom Thief Kid to attract the attention of us detectives."
"Belmod’s tampering with this letter might be because she discovered it would end up with Kogoro Mouri. Assuming her identity, directly contacting you would be too casual."
Fang Zheng didn’t believe Belmod would be that foolish.
"So this letter probably isn’t related to the Black Organization, but the clues within it should be, which is why Belmod intentionally wrote her name."
Conan understood, and Ran posed her own question.
"Could this host have ties to the Black Organization?"
"Impossible. If the person inviting us has connections with the Black Organization, then Belmod leaving her name would be suicidal. Anyone could ask the host why Belmod’s signature is there, and she’d be doomed."
Fang Zheng shook his head.
"I’m more concerned about Uramaru Renya."
"You mean the billionaire?"
"Exactly."
Fang Zheng nodded.
"After you told me about Belmod’s signature on the letter, I sent someone to conduct a series of investigations on Twilight Manor. This guy, Uramaru Renya, is indeed suspicious, and remember the story I mentioned earlier... I have a theory."
Fang Zheng squinted his eyes as he spoke.
"Perhaps Uramaru Renya faked his death."
"So you’re suggesting that the billionaire didn’t die but faked his death, then sent people to retrieve his belongings from the manor?"
Conan furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment.
"But didn’t Uramaru Renya live to ninety-nine? You can’t fake age..."
"Are you sure? Think about Mermaid Island."
"... Perhaps?"
Recalling Old Lady Changming played by Kimie Shima, Conan’s certainty wavered.
"Even if it’s true, that’s half a century ago. That guy named Uramaru Renya should’ve died long ago."
"Hehe."
Fang Zheng chuckled at Conan’s deduction, pointing at him.
"Did you forget how you became like this?"
"Of course, because I took poison."
"Who developed the poison?"
"The Black Organization... wait, are you thinking the Black Organization developed this drug to rejuvenate Uramaru Renya!?!"
Conan was shocked, while Ran was speechless, feeling like she was listening to a science fiction novel.
"Why not? You’ve always assumed the Black Organization developed this poison to kill, and its side effect was shrinking. But haven’t you considered that the drug’s actual purpose might be to restore youth, with death being the side effect—and due to the severe side effect, it cannot be marketed for sale? Such things are quite normal in drug development."
"But that presupposes Uramaru Renya is still alive, and it’s been half a century since he supposedly died!"
"In 1967, a wealthy man named James Bedford faced terminal lung cancer without hope of a cure. He decided to freeze himself, hoping future medical advancements would cure him so he could awaken and continue life. He was the world’s first to undergo cryogenic treatment."
Fang Zheng calmly added.
"Additionally, the concept of cryogenic preservation of life began discussions in academia a century ago. Considering Uramaru Renya’s wealth, it would be natural for him to seek eternal life and youth. Money allows him such whims—who can challenge him?"
"..."
Faced with Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Conan was speechless.
He truly couldn’t contest it!
"So you mean Uramaru Renya wanted to restore his youth, thus secretly forming the Black Organization to develop the drug while faking his death? Meanwhile, the Black Organization infiltrates various fields, preparing for Uramaru Renya’s ’return’ to power afterward?"
"It’s very likely."
Fang Zheng nodded silently, though he withheld some information from Conan. According to Little Ai and Akemi, their parents also researched this drug but ultimately destroyed all research data, betraying the organization. Fang Zheng suspected they discovered the truth—that the drug was intended for Uramaru Renya—prompting them to destroy everything.
Moreover, as the drug, it must undergo trials before use. Belmod could be a test subject, and APTX4869’s true purpose might be restoring youth and eternal youth. This can be seen from Belmod, who appears only around her thirties, yet according to Fang Zheng’s investigation, she might be in her sixties or seventies.
In other words, if Conan, Little Ai, and Belmod took the same drug, despite each demonstrating two characteristics.
One being youth restoration, the other eternal youth.
However, the drug clearly isn’t stable, considering Belmod’s age when taking the drug was before Little Ai and Akemi were born, hence it’s likely she took their parents’ researched drug. While this drug demonstrated the "maintenance" characteristic, it didn’t show the "youth restoration" trait.
Afterward, Akemi and Little Ai’s parents likely developed a true elixir of immortality, but upon realizing the drug was intended for the Black Organization’s evil leader, they destroyed it naturally.
Little Ai mentioned she developed the drug based on her parents’ residual research, leading Fang Zheng to a theory.
The Miyano Couple once created two drugs: an incomplete A drug, and the complete B drug.
Later, Belmod took the A drug—not surprising, one wouldn’t offer the drug to their enemies like in comics, testing it on a random passerby who becomes a superhero and retaliates. Any normal-minded individual would reject such stupidity.
Belmod was probably highly trusted by Uramaru Renya, so being a close confidant, testing the drug was only natural.
Unfortunately, the A drug wasn’t completed, so the Miyano Couple made the complete B drug, but later discovered its intended use by Uramaru Renya, destroying it and their data. Little Ai’s obtained remnants likely included the complete "B" drug part, explaining APTX4869’s "rejuvenation" effect.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t explain why Belmod merely didn’t age, while Little Ai and Conan shrank instead.
"What should we do now?"
"I couldn’t care less about the host’s intentions, but this manor might conceal some clues. If we find these clues, we might discover Uramaru Renya’s hiding place."
Fang Zheng extended his hand to pat Conan’s shoulder.
"The task falls to you, Detective!"

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