Conan suddenly understood everything and started running around the area: Light! Wherever there is light, that's where the Dark Star is hidden.
At the stern of the ship, there were only a few dim lights and everything else was dark. Finding a bright spot was extremely easy.
"I've found it."
Conan's cheerful voice sounded especially loud in the silent stern, immediately attracting the attention of Inspector Nakamori and the others.
[He found it?]
Heiji was frozen for a moment, and then he shrugged: Perfect, this way I don't have to intervene.
The group ran to where Conan was. A security light was flashing.
"Little one, have you found the Dark Star?"
Heiji looked at Conan with doubt. He had not hidden the Dark Star in that place.
"Yes. In the phrase 'under the bright night sky,' 'bright' is the most important clue. It indicates that here, in the dark stern of the ship, the bright spot is where the Night Baron has hidden the Dark Star," Conan said confidently.
"Not bad, little one. It seems that from playing detective so much you've gained experience. It shows you spend a lot of time with Heiji," Sonoko praised Conan.
The first part of the sentence seemed completely natural to Conan, but the second was like swallowing a fly: Is this girl, Sonoko, saying I'm not as good as Hattori? Damn woman!!!
"Really? Quick, take down that security light."
The only place with light here was this lamp. Tomoko Suzuki said urgently.
"Quick, dismantle the security light!" Inspector Nakamori ordered his men.
Conan watched from the side, full of confidence. He glanced sideways at Heiji with a smug expression: Hattori, I won this time.
Heiji watched everything calmly, a malicious smile on his lips.
"Heiji-niichan, what are you laughing at?"
Conan, who was keeping a close eye on Heiji, felt his heart skip a beat when he saw him smile. Could I have been mistaken? He quickly looked at Inspector Nakamori.
The security light had been dismantled, but in the box where it was installed, there was nothing.
"Dismantle the lamp, it might be inside."
Inspector Nakamori was not giving up.
[That's not right, it's surely not inside. Something as valuable as the Dark Star can't be too close to a light source. The heat emitted by the lamp could damage it. The Night Baron would never do something like that. Damn it, I was wrong again.]
Conan furiously punched a nearby machine, an expression of frustration on his face.
"Madam, there's nothing here."
Inspector Nakamori shook his head, disappointed.
Tomoko Suzuki was instantly disillusioned and looked at Sonoko: "Sonoko, summon the media immediately. Tell the Night Baron that if he is willing to return the Dark Star, the Suzuki Corporation will not only press no charges, but is also willing to pay him five billion yen as a ransom for the jewel."
Gasp!!!
Those present couldn't help but hold their breath. Five billion yen... the Suzuki Corporation was truly immensely wealthy.
"Mrs. Suzuki, you are encouraging crime. We cannot allow this," Inspector Nakamori said seriously.
Tomoko Suzuki gave him an indifferent look: "I didn't say I needed your permission. What's the rush? As long as the Dark Star is safe, the Suzuki Corporation will not press charges against the Night Baron."
"Alright, Mom. I'll call the press conference right now."
Sonoko's capability was impressive. As the second young lady of the Suzuki Corporation, it was to be expected that she would have certain skills.
"Don't worry, madam. The Dark Star is still here," Heiji said with confidence.
Conan looked at Heiji, his brow furrowed and very bewildered: I'm sure I haven't misunderstood the meaning of that phrase. But in this place, apart from that security light, where else is there light?
"Heiji, you can't fool me. The sooner the news is published, the safer the Dark Star will be. If the Night Baron sells it abroad, money will no longer be able to solve the problem," Tomoko Suzuki said seriously.
"Don't worry, madam. The Dark Star is here, without a doubt. Because the Night Baron is surely still on this ship; he wouldn't carry something so valuable on him."
"Heiji-niichan, could I have misunderstood the meaning of that phrase?" Conan asked, feigning innocence.
Heiji smiled maliciously: "I've already told you, don't learn too much from Kudo's reasoning. His way of deducing is not enough, it's too shallow."
[Heh, heh!]
Conan rolled his eyes, his face grim: You're not one to lecture me, Hattori.
Heiji put his hands in his pockets and slowly walked towards a spot, radiating great confidence.
"Under the bright night sky, I will take this jewel of the night. This sentence has two keys. One is the one little Conan mentioned, 'bright,' and the other is 'night sky'."
"Night sky?"
Everyone looked at each other and instinctively looked up at the sky. It was completely dark, with only a full moon hanging high above.
[Night sky???]
Conan lowered his head, thoughtful, and examined the spot where Heiji was. Suddenly, his pupils dilated: Don't tell me it's...
"Inspector Nakamori, please, ask some of your officers to go down into these fish tanks."
In front of where Heiji was, there were five square, sunken pits. They were about 2 meters deep and covered with a wire mesh. They were normally used to store fish.
"You guys, be careful," Inspector Nakamori ordered.
Several policemen went down into the pits and shouted: "Inspector Nakamori, we're ready!"
Inspector Nakamori looked at Heiji, awaiting his next instruction.
[I get it, I get it. So that was it.]
On the side, Conan was completely stunned. The meaning of that phrase was that.
"Now, please, officers, look towards the night sky and describe what you see," Heiji said calmly.
"From here I can only see a completely dark night sky," said the officer in the first pit.
"It's better from here, I can see a piece of the moon," said the officer in the second pit.
"From here I can see almost half the moon," said the officer in the third pit.
"From here I can see a large part of the moon, it's very bright," said the officer in the fourth pit.
"From here you can only see the moon! You can't see any of the night sky, it's incredibly dazzling!" said the officer in the fifth pit excitedly.
"'Under the bright night sky'... 'bright night sky'... I know! The Dark Star is in the fifth pit!" Sonoko suddenly exclaimed.
Hearing Sonoko's reminder, everyone present suddenly understood.
"Quick! See what's in there!" shouted Inspector Nakamori.
The officer in the fifth pit looked down to check: "I don't see anything, just a water outlet, but it's clogged."
"Nothing? Was I wrong?" Sonoko said, somewhat disappointed.
[Impossible, it has to be there. This can't be wrong.]
Conan ran to the fifth pit and looked through the wire mesh.
"Please, officer in the fifth pit, remove what's obstructing the water outlet. I believe the Dark Star is in there."
Shortly after!
"I've found it! It's a case!" shouted the officer in the fifth pit cheerfully.
"Officer, give it to me, I'll take it," Conan said, extending his hand to take it.
"Be careful, little one. Hey, little one, don't open it!"
The officer in the fifth pit handed the case to Conan, but he opened it directly...
A black pearl, completely simple and without luster, lay quietly inside, as dark as ink.
"It's the real Dark Star."
"We've recovered the Dark Star!"
The stern of the ship erupted in jubilation. Heiji smiled slightly, his hands in his pockets, and looked up at the night sky at a forty-five-degree angle.
"Congratulations, host, for completing the A-class mission. 500 evil points have been eliminated."
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