Conan's face turned pale as he thought to himself What kind of way is this just to catch someone?!This guy's strength and control are too terrifying!
After spinning for a full seven or eight turns, Ben suddenly stopped and, like throwing trash, tossed Yoshida Taro onto the cold flagstones with a "thud."
"Ugh... wah--!"
As soon as Yoshida Taro landed, he couldn't stand up at all. He felt dizzy and nauseous, and immediately lay on the ground, violently vomiting. The smell of alcohol instantly filled the air.
When he had mostly finished vomiting and was almost completely drained, Koleda slowly walked in front of him and looked down at him from above.
"Yoshida Taro-san, can we talk properly now? Why did you hire an assassin to kill me?"
Yoshida Taro's face was covered in tears and snot from vomiting, and he was dizzy, but his will to live made him struggle to argue.
"As... assassin? What assassin? I... I don't know what you're talking about... I'm just a regular security guard... You've got the wrong person..."
Koleda didn't speak, but just tilted her head slightly and glanced at Ben.
Ben immediately stepped forward.
Yoshida Taro saw Ben approaching him again like a wall, and he shivered in fear.
The terrifying experience of the human windmill instantly returned to his mind.
He immediately broke down and screamed, "No, no, no! Don't spin me again! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! I did it! I hired the person!"
"Why?" Koleda pressed, her gaze turning cold.
"I... I didn't want to kill you!"
Yoshida Taro wailed, his voice full of grievance and fear,
"I, I'm just a middleman! I do things for money! The one who truly wants you dead is my younger brother! Yoshida Jirou! He's the president of Yoshida Construction Company!"
"Yoshida Jirou?" Mouri Kogoro interjected,
"Why would he do that? Is it because of business competition? Does your company have business conflicts with Belobog Heavy Industries?"
Koleda shook her head and analyzed,
"Yoshida Construction is just a small construction company. Belobog Heavy Industries' current business focus has long shifted to large-scale machinery manufacturing and national-level engineering projects. It no longer undertakes such small civil construction business. There is no competition between us."
Conan rubbed his chin.
Not business competition? Then what's the motive? Personal grudge?
"I... I don't know why he insists on you dying!" Yoshida Taro said, with snot and tears, "He suddenly found me a few days ago, handed me 4 million yen in cash, and told me to find a way to get rid of you... I... I'm just a security captain, how dare I kill anyone!"
"But you couldn't bear to part with that 4 million, right?" Conan pointed out sharply.
Yoshida Taro choked, then said awkwardly,
"I thought Beika Town's solve rate was quite high, so doing it myself would be too dangerous... so... I thought of finding a professional assassin online to do it... clean and neat... and I could even make a profit from the difference..."
"So you pocketed 2 million and only used 2 million to hire an assassin?" Mouri Kogoro looked at him with disdain, "You really are a good brother to your brother!"
"2 million isn't a small amount!" Yoshida Taro even felt a little wronged, "Who knew that assassin I found online, named Tachibana Maya, was so unreliable!
She has no professional ethics at all! Not only did she not complete the mission, but she also sold me out, her employer!
She swindled 2 million yen from me! Wuwuwu..."
He actually started crying and cursing Tachibana Maya, as if he were the biggest victim.
Conan and Mouri Kogoro exchanged glances, both speechless at this guy's logic.
Koleda had no interest in Yoshida Taro's complaints. She directly ordered, "Call your brother, Yoshida Jirou. Tell him to come over now."
"Ah? Now?" Yoshida Taro was stunned for a moment.
"What? Do you need Ben to help you'sober up' again?" Koleda's tone was flat, but full of menace.
"No, no, no! I'll call! I'll call right away!" Yoshida Taro shivered in fright, quickly fumbled for his phone, and with trembling fingers, began to search for the number. As he operated it, he said, "Actually... there's no need to bother him to come over... He's probably drinking at some bar right now... I'll just call and ask..."
The call connected. Yoshida Taro took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound normal.
"Moshimoshi[1]? Jirou? It's me... Mmm, nothing, didn't that thing you asked me to do work out? I'm in a good mood.
Let's go for a drink! Our usual spot? Okay, okay, I'll be right there! Order a few more dishes! My treat today!"
After hanging up the phone, Yoshida Taro looked at Koleda ingratiatingly.
"It's... it's done.
He agreed. He's at another bar he frequents, not far from here..."
"Lead the way." Koleda said concisely.
Ben picked up Yoshida Taro, who was too weak to stand, like a piece of luggage.
The car drove through the streets at night, the atmosphere oppressive.
Yoshida Taro was slumped in the back seat like a puddle of mud. Ben drove with focus, Koleda in the passenger seat was expressionless, while Mouri Kogoro and Conan in the back seat had complex feelings.
Following Yoshida Taro's trembling directions, the car quickly arrived at the entrance of another more secluded alley. Not far away, a small tavern with red lanterns could be seen.
"This is it. He said he'd wait for me here..." Yoshida Taro's voice trembled.
"Call him and tell him you've arrived. Tell him to come out." Koleda commanded.
"Okay... okay..." Yoshida Taro quickly took out his phone and dialed his brother Yoshida Jirou's number, trying to make his voice sound normal, even a little excited.
"Moshimoshi? Jirou? I'm here! Right at the alley entrance of our usual spot! Come out quickly! There's good news today! Great news! We'll talk when you come out!"
The other end of the phone seemed to complain a few words about the cold weather, but still agreed.
Less than two minutes later, a slightly fat man in a suit, his face flushed with alcohol, pushed aside the tavern's cloth curtain and walked out. He looked left and right, and saw the black sedan parked at the alley entrance, with Yoshida Taro waving at him from the car window.
Yoshida Jirou walked over with some confusion, muttering, "What the hell... so mysterious..."
Just as he approached the car window, wanting to see who else was inside, the rear door suddenly opened.
Ben, who was already prepared, moved as swiftly as a leopard. Before Yoshida Jirou could react, a large hand covered his mouth, and another strong arm, like iron tongs, clamped him around the waist, easily stuffing him into the car.
The action was clean and swift, making almost no extra sound.
"Mmm mmm mmm?!" Yoshida Jirou struggled in terror, but it was useless against Ben's strength.
The car quickly started and drove into the depths of a dark, deserted dead-end alley, where it stopped.
The interior lights came on.
Yoshida Jirou, still shaken, looked at the people inside the car.
The terrifying, bear-like man in the driver's seat, the red-haired girl in the passenger seat who had turned her head with icy eyes, the uncle and a little kid in the back seat who were looking at him with disdain, and his brother Yoshida Taro, who was huddled in the corner, his face ashen.
When he clearly saw Koleda's face, his reaction was exactly the same as Yoshida Taro's. His eyes widened instantly, as if he had seen a ghost, and his body began to tremble violently.
"You're that kid from Belobog Heavy Industries... the president?! A ghost! A ghost--" He was so scared that he became incoherent and screamed.
[1] Is it good like this? or just use Hello?