Nojiri Masakawa roared, without any hesitation, he turned and ran out at a speed that was inconsistent with his physique.
"Trying to run?" Koleda's eyes sharpened.
She turned and opened the trunk, grabbed a small claw hammer from inside, raised her arm, and threw the hammer like a javelin!
Whoosh—!
The claw hammer drew an arc in the air, accurately striking Nojiri Masakawa's right leg just as he was exerting force.
"Ah!!"
Nojiri Masakawa screamed, his right leg instantly went limp, and he lost his balance, falling heavily to the ground, clutching his right leg and groaning in pain.
Ben took a few large strides forward, dragging Nojiri Masakawa, who was attempting to crawl, back like a dead dog and tossing him in front of Koleda.
This time, Nojiri Masakawa was already completely intimidated, not even needing Ben to perform his "human windmill" service.
He lay slumped on the ground, looking at Koleda as she slowly approached, as if he had seen a demon from hell, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
"Don't... don't kill me! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! I'm just an intermediary! It wasn't me who wanted your life, President Koleda! Please spare me!"
No way, there's a mastermind?
Conan immediately pressed, "Nojiri-ojisan, who exactly wanted to harm Koleda-neechan?"
Nojiri Masakawa gasped for air, enduring the severe pain in his leg, and hastily confessed.
"It's the president of Yamamoto Heavy Industries! Yamamoto Kuujuuichi! It's him!Because Belobog Heavy Industries' project bids were always below market price, repeatedly stealing his business, he held a grudge.
He offered 150 million Yen! To have me get rid of President Koleda!
150 million! I... I got greedy and agreed... But I didn't want to get my hands dirty, so I... I found that bastard Mitsui..."
The more he spoke, the angrier he became, turning his head to look at the dumbfounded Mitsui Ichiro beside him, cursing.
"Mitsui Ichiro! You bastard! You good-for-nothing! What did you promise me back then?! You said you were the most trustworthy! That even if something happened, you would never betray me! Is this how reliable you are?! I really fell for your nonsense!"
"1... 150 million?!"
This time, the exclamations rang out in unison.
Mitsui Ichiro, Yoshida Jirou, Yoshida Taro, and even Mouri Kogoro and Conan were all shocked, their mouths agape.
Mitsui Ichiro looked at Nojiri Masakawa, his expression extremely shocked, he murmured.
"Boss Nojiri, you're truly ruthless when it comes to making money... Others pluck a few feathers from a passing goose, at least they let the goose fly away.
But you, you just kept the goose to stew... 150 million, and you turn around and cut it down to 50 million to outsource it to me?! Your heart is too dark!"
The Yoshida brothers, hearing this, felt their hearts bleed, their eyes filled with immense resentment as they looked at Nojiri Masakawa.The chain of outsourcing finally revealed its full extent. Yamamoto Kuujuuichi (bid 150 million) -> Nojiri Masakawa (bid 50 million) -> Mitsui Ichiro (bid 10 million) -> Yoshida Jirou (bid 4 million) -> Yoshida Taro (bid 2 million) -> Assassin Tachibana Maya.
A murder commission worth 150 million Yen, after layers of exploitation, was reduced to a mere two million by the time it reached the executor.
And in the end, Tachibana Maya, the one who actually did the work, because she received too little money, decisively sold out her upstream contact.
Mouri Kogoro was the first to recover from the shock, he cleared his throat.
"Koleda-san, the mastermind is now clear, it's Yamamoto Kuujuuichi, the president of Yamamoto Heavy Industries. The chain of evidence is also quite complete. I think, should we hand it over to the police now?"
Koleda nodded, Yamamoto Kuujuuichi lived in Gunma Prefecture, and they indeed couldn't rush over immediately. "Ben, call the police."
"Yes, President." Ben took out his phone, dialed the emergency number, succinctly explained the situation, and provided the current location and list of involved personnel.
Soon after, several police cars completely blocked the alley exit.
Inspector Megure led his team to the scene, and upon seeing the line of pale-faced men squatting on the ground, as well as Mouri Kogoro and Conan standing nearby, he habitually sighed and rubbed his temples.
"Mouri-kun... Conan... It's you two again?"
Inspector Megure's tone was full of helplessness, after listening to Mouri Kogoro recount the case again.
"Immediately take all suspects back to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department!"
Inspector Megure gave the order, then looked at Koleda, "President Koleda, please also come back with us to assist with the investigation. As for Yamamoto Kuujuuichi in Gunma Prefecture..."
He took out his phone, "I will immediately contact the Gunma Prefectural Police Headquarters and request their assistance with the arrest!"
...Some time later.
In Gunma Prefecture, within a sprawling Japanese-style mansion.
Yamamoto Kuujuuichi, the president of Yamamoto Heavy Industries, a slightly corpulent middle-aged man, was currently wearing an expensive kimono, sitting in a tea room, leisurely sipping tea.
Outside the window, a large number of police sirens suddenly approached from afar and finally stopped outside his residence.
An old butler with graying hair, dressed in a traditional butler's uniform, who had served the Yamamoto family for three generations, rushed in, looking flustered. "Master! This is bad! So many police cars have come outside! They've surrounded the mansion!"
Yamamoto Kuujuuichi's hand, holding the teacup, paused, and he frowned slightly. "Police? What are they doing here?"
The old butler moved a few steps closer, lowering his voice, his tone anxious.
"Master, I vaguely heard the leading officer say just now... It seems that, for some reason, your hiring a killer has been exposed!
Please use the secret passage and leave quickly! Just like the previous family head did, go abroad to avoid the limelight first!" The old butler had clearly experienced similar situations and was quite experienced.
However, Yamamoto Kuujuuichi was unexpectedly calm.He slowly put down his teacup, a disdainful sneer appearing on his face. "Run away? Mere police, do they really think they can make me, Yamamoto Kuujuuichi, run away? What a joke."
Not only was he not flustered, but he even beckoned to the old butler. "Help me to the restroom."
"Huh? To... to the restroom?" The old butler was stunned, what time was it, and he still wanted to go to the restroom?
"That's right, to the restroom."
Yamamoto Kuujuuichi stood up confidently,
"As long as I hide in the restroom and lock the door. If the police knock, I'll say someone's in there. How can they arrest me? They can't arrest me at all, understand?"
The old butler. "...?" This isn't right, is it?
He looked at Yamamoto Kuujuuichi's confident demeanor, and although he found it extremely unreliable, he still helped his master as instructed, walking quickly towards the luxurious restroom at the end of the corridor.
After Yamamoto Kuujuuichi went in, he locked the door from the inside and even shouted triumphantly from within. "I'm right in here! Let's see what they can do to me!"
The old butler outside was stomping his feet in anxiety, but there was nothing he could do.