NCCnovel Chapter 1135 The Ending Time
Chapter 1135 The Ending Time
"Is this what Rum is looking for?"
Taking the black solid from Tang Ze's hand, Amuro Toru picked it up and examined it under the light.
After all, this is a modern theme park whose selling point lies in its light and shadow design. After nightfall, even in corners where not many tourists stay, there is still sufficient lighting.
The sphere feels very smooth to the touch, and its texture is indeed very similar to that of a pearl, but when light passes through it, it reveals a semi-transparent black texture that is not completely transparent, like a polished crystal, or a jelly-like substance with a solidified shell.
"Took it from Curacao?" Toru Amuro, who didn't understand what it was, couldn't help but confirm it again.
"To be more precise, it fell from her eye," Tang Ze corrected. "Before it shrank into this small ball, it was a thin piece slightly larger than a thumb, similar to a cosmetic contact lens. That's how Curacao got that black eye."
Toru Amuro studied the ball for a while, and after confirming again that there was no gap, he fell into deep thought.
This is obviously not something that can be restored to its original state by simply re-moistening it. If it were that simple, Rum would not let them take it.
But if this thing is so important that someone needs to be sent to get it, then it would be a bit unwilling to just return it to Rum intact...
"Have you ever considered giving it to your sister to study?" Thinking of its origin, Amuro Toru asked Tang Ze half-jokingly, half-seriously, "Besides her, no one else may be able to figure it out."
"Yes, I was planning to do that." Tang Ze admitted directly, "I've already taken samples."
To say that it was a sampling is an understatement. What Tang Ze gave to Amuro Toru was a replica made by him using his ability.
It was also during the process of making the replica that Tang Ze once again confirmed that this seemingly inconspicuous little ball was no ordinary item.
This tiny thing, not even as big as a little finger, cost Tang Ze more than 300 million yen - and this is just the cost of materials.
So Tang Ze decisively changed his idea of keeping the replica for research and instead chose to keep the original.
Amuro Toru, who was already accustomed to Tang Ze's style of doing things, nodded, stared at the inconspicuous black ball for a moment, and spoke again to confirm: "Curaçao has been wearing it for so long, I guess not everyone can use it casually. Is this also part of your plan?"
"...About the same." Tang Ze looked away a little and answered in an ambiguous tone.
Just as Toru Amuro was already familiar with his style, Karasawa was also accustomed to Toru Amuro's tendency to detect his plans.
Anyway, this plan does not require Toru Amuro to do anything, and there are still many uncertainties. Before the entire plan is formulated, Tang Ze does not intend to reveal them all, which will increase the communication costs.
Amuro Toru looked at Tang Ze deeply, and without saying anything else, he just pointed in the direction of the aquarium behind him.
"I have to go fix the electrical problem. Gin will come to 'pick you up' personally, so please be careful."
Gin's words were relatively friendly, but anyone could sense that this was by no means a friendly and harmonious expression of concern between colleagues.
Maybe he was expressing his dissatisfaction with Kumail's handling of a Curacao with amnesia, which he dragged out for so many days. Not only did he not kill the man on the spot, but he also escalated the situation and took it to a public place.
In short, he had to do things better so that this matter could be concluded without any problems.
"Don't worry, I'm ready. But, Mr. Amuro, you..."
Tang Ze tilted his head and looked around at Amuro Toru from head to toe.
I didn't see any injuries, and it looked pretty neat.
I just don't know if he really didn't completely meet Akai Shuichi, or if he already did, and for the sake of face, he changed his clothes before coming to find me...
"What's wrong with me?" Amuro narrowed his eyes.
The two of them had never communicated at all about the question of Shuichi Akai's survival. However, even before he encountered the man who looked like Shuichi Akai today, Toru Amuro had never doubted the answer to this question.
There is no way that Tang Ze would sit idly by and watch Shuichi Akai die, this is a foregone conclusion.
This includes Tang Ze's suggestion that he use the method of questioning the authenticity of the matter to further provoke conflicts and test the bottom line of Rum and Gin. His confidence also comes from the fact that this question is true.
That being said, if the reason Akai Shuichi showed up here today was because of Karasawa, and this guy was still harboring a lot of ulterior motives and just wanted to see a head-on collision between the two of them...
Keenly aware of Toru Amuro's emotions, Tang Ze decisively took a step back and decided not to get involved in their grievances.
"Nothing, I just want to say, you should be careful too."
Toru Amuro raised his eyebrows, ignored his words which had a hint of double entendre, turned around and walked towards the security door behind him.
It was still the staff passage, and it seemed that Toru Amuro was determined to make full use of the part-time job he had obtained today.
Tang Ze shook his head at these two reliable adults who were both in their late twenties, turned the corner and walked back to the restaurant door.
"Have you contacted Sister Sonya's family?" Seeing Tang Ze coming back, the children's eyes lit up.
Curacao said that her memory had recovered a lot. She remembered that she did not come to the amusement park alone today, but was brought here by an older sister who had been taking care of her. She was sitting on the bench at that time because her sister had something urgent to do and had to queue up to buy tickets, so she left her there to wait.
Conan and Haibara Ai naturally knew whether this statement was true or not.
Haibara Ai didn't even bother to guess, she just knew that the sister she was talking about was either Miyano Akemi or Shimabukuro Kimie.
——There are only a few women in the Phantom Thieves. They sent someone to the amusement park to hand over to Karasawa. It is impossible for them to ask Asai Makoto to travel in women's clothing just for this matter.
The reason for leaving Curacao there is even simpler. Tang Ze himself came with them, so someone has to bring Curacao over.
Conan tacitly agreed that Curacao's appearance in this place was most likely the result of surviving the car accident that day.
After falling off the bridge, I was swept by the current to a nearby area and instinctively came to the place with the most serious light pollution, so the most eye-catching place, which is this aquarium.
By saying this, she was sending a signal that she was ready to leave.
But in the eyes of the children who knew nothing about this, the nature of the matter was different. They wanted to help and protect the older sister who had lost her memory and might be hurt, but in turn caused her to be separated from her family.
They certainly had no ill intentions, but judging from the results, it was definitely a case of good intentions leading to bad results.
Meeting their gazes, Tang Ze nodded. "Well, the staff said that a woman came to them at noon and said she was separated from her family and couldn't get in touch."
"Well, when we went to the service center to ask in the afternoon, they said there was no similar broadcast or notice?" Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya touched his chin and muttered in confusion.
Of course, they were not so careless as not to even confirm the situation.
"Oh, that's because..."
Tang Ze looked past the children and landed on Curacao, who looked a little nervous.
"...She forgot her current name, so when we went to the service center to ask, we couldn't find any relevant notice."
In front of these children, Curacao couldn't make a very obvious expression, but he still couldn't help but open his eyes slightly in shock.
Kumail means...
"Her name now is Kurisaki."
"Kurisaki..." Conan repeated the name briefly and then he understood a little.
Kuri Saki, pronounced as Kuri Saki, is slightly different from Curacao in pronunciation, but they are still somewhat similar.
This was also a disguised way of informing these children who had just met by chance of the "name" that Curacao was currently using.
Curacao's eyes flashed, he looked at Tang Ze seriously for a while, and nodded slowly.
Was this the name Kumail wanted her to go by? She understood.
Seeing that everyone's questions seemed to have been answered, Tang Ze smiled and pointed in the direction of the service center: "Shall I take her there? The staff said her sister left contact information. It may take some time to verify, but we should be able to contact her family soon."
"Eh, now?" Yoshida Ayumi was stunned when she realized the meaning of this sentence.
This means that Curacao will soon be sent to find her family, which means she will have to say goodbye to them.
Ayumi Yoshida turned around and looked at the screen of "Welcome to Toudou Aquarium" playing on the Ferris wheel that had been out of service, as well as the time displayed on it, and felt a little reluctant.
There is only one hour left before the park closes. If we don’t send the person to the service center now, it will be difficult to contact and wait for family members to pick them up before the park closes.
But if we leave right away, we will have to miss the last half hour of the fireworks show.
"What a shame! I wanted to take some pictures of my sister..." Yoshida Ayumi looked eagerly at the camera hanging around Dr. Agasa's neck, "How about we go together to see my sister off?"
"No, you've waited so long, it would be a shame if you couldn't see the fireworks display." Tang Ze smiled, "I've already made an appointment with Mr. Amuro, he will come pick me up on his way home from get off work."
After saying that, Tang Ze winked at Huihara Ai.
Before Dr. Agasa could react, Haibara Ai had already stood on tiptoe, unfastened the buckle of the camera, and took it directly off the doctor's neck.
"So let's take the photo now? It doesn't matter if there are no fireworks, the night view is already beautiful."
"Okay!"
"Then everyone comes together!"
Who should I ask to take the photo?
Haibara Ai looked around, scanning the faces of Dr. Agasa, Karasawa and Conan one by one. She was hesitating about who should take the photo, but Karasawa came over and took the camera from her.
"This is a rare opportunity, so let's take a picture together." Tang Ze smiled and turned on the lens of the digital camera, checked the parameters, then turned his head and suddenly approached the man who was standing by the street light and looking down at his mobile phone.
Conan looked over there, and his heart couldn't help but tremble.
"Sir, could you please take a picture? Just point it in the direction of the Ferris wheel," Tang Ze turned the camera in his hand and handed it over. "The parameters are already set. Just press the shutter."
Shuichi Akai was forced to look away from his phone and looked at the smiling face of Tang Ze standing in front of him, feeling quite helpless.
He knew that no matter who he hid it from, it would be impossible to hide it from Tang Ze.
After all, this was a sharp guy who could always recognize me from the crowd at a glance since we met. No matter how hard I tried to change my gait and posture, it was impossible to avoid his detection.
"Okay. Shall we shoot here?"
"Um, yes, please."
"Small things."
Conan looked at Shuichi Akai, who had now changed his name to Subaru Okiya, with fear and trepidation. He took the camera from Karasawa with a new face carefully created by Yukiko Kudo, and felt his heart beating so fast that people around him could hear it.
He understood the logic. Akai Shuichi had been following them for a while, and was neither too far nor too close to them, so it was not surprising that he was chosen by Tang Ze.
But when he saw Tang Ze hit Akai Shuichi, who had just pretended to be dead a few days ago, so accurately, he couldn't help but clench his fingers and start to think wildly.
So, when Shuichi Akai pressed the shutter and the flash lit up, everyone else in the picture was smiling naturally or shyly, except Conan, who was smiling like a squirrel with its teeth clenched.
"Show me, show me!"
After the camera was returned, before Dr. Agasa could turn it around, it fell into the hands of several impatient children.
In the preview, Curacao is surrounded by children, with a tall and bright Ferris wheel behind her. The animation of waves and fish schools is frozen on the side LED screen. The five-colored searchlights intersect like a rainbow, reflecting colorful spots of light on her silver hair.
"That's a great shot, isn't it, Miss Jiuli?" Tang Ze raised his hand and patted Curacao on the shoulder.
Curacao shuddered and stared at the photo.
She used a false identity to play with the children for a day, but the background was still the colorful Curacao. The truth and falsehood seemed to be frozen in this moment of light and shadow.
Curacao curled his lips and said, "You're right. It's a very good shot."
"Sister, can you leave us your number? When the photos are developed, can I send you a copy as well?" Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya thought quickly and immediately thought of a way to keep in touch.
"I...I haven't remembered my number yet..."
"Leave it to me," Tang Ze soothed. "I'll be responsible for delivering Miss Jiuli to the person who comes to pick her up. I'll ask for their number and tell you when the time comes, okay?"
Seeing the reliable Tang Ze say this, the children became positive and nodded in agreement.
"Then next time, can I still ask you to come out and play with me?"
Facing Yoshida Ayumi's expectant expression, Curacao took a deep breath.
"Well, if there's a chance, I'd like to ride the Ferris wheel with you guys."
If, there is still a chance.
Of course, the three children did not understand the sadness hidden in her words. They just thought she agreed and became happy.
With the promise of seeing each other again, the feeling of parting was of course much lessened, so even when they were saying goodbye, they looked very excited when waving.
"See you next time, Sister Sonya!"
"You'll get better, and come play with us!"
Curacao smiled softly, raised his hand and waved, then followed Tang Ze, turned his head, and walked slowly in the opposite direction of the tourists who were gathering on the ground or leaving the park.
"What next? Where to go?"
Without these children who knew nothing about the real situation, she would have to face her inevitable fate.
When the moment came for this illusory fairy tale to end, Curacao's mood actually calmed down a lot.
She had no choice but to follow Kumail's arrangements.
"Now that you're here, you shouldn't leave any regrets. Of course, you should go to the place you've never been to."
Tang Ze pointed to the road sign beside him indicating the direction.
On the cartoon-style road sign, there was only one landmark going in the same direction as them.
The Dolphinarium, which has never been popular among children, was introduced by Ai Haibara.