Three hours later.
Four police cars and one regular car had left the mountain road and entered normal streets. More and more buildings passed by.
Inside the lead police car, Inspector Megure was driving, with Kurosawa Hoshino in the passenger seat. The two chatted casually.
"Hoshino, you're really amazing this time. You didn't even have to do any deductions before you scared the culprit into confessing. I really admire you." Inspector Megure was laying it on thick.
Hearing this in the back seat, Haibara Ai secretly pursed her lips. Having read so many news reports about Kurosawa, she knew very well that the Metropolitan Police Department always clung to powerful figures in cases.
"Inspector Megure—" Kurosawa was answering when a scene suddenly flashed in his mind: a car making a sharp turn ahead, nearly colliding with the police car. In the end, Megure swerved in time, crashing into the guardrail, his head slamming against the windshield, instantly losing consciousness.
"Inspector Megure, there's a sharp turn ahead. You should honk in advance." Kurosawa quickly reminded the inspector, who was watching him out of the corner of his eye.
"Don't worry. I drive very safely." Inspector Megure said, then honked his horn forcefully.
Kurosawa's lips twitched. If he really drove safely, he wouldn't have almost collided with someone in the "Danger Prediction" scene.
The horn had just sounded when another horn responded from behind the bend.
"A car's coming." Inspector Megure raised an eyebrow and decisively slowed down. Because it was a sharp turn, neither car could see the other—which was why they had almost collided in the "Danger Prediction."
As the two cars approached, Megure turned to look at the driver coming toward them. The other man did the same.
"Isn't this Inspector Megure? Inspector Megure, please stop up ahead. I need to speak with you." A man's voice came from the open window of the oncoming car.
Megure glanced at the passing car and stopped on the side of the road after rounding the bend. As soon as he stopped, the three police cars following behind—along with the car driven by Kogorō—also stopped.
Sonoko asked, "Inspector Megure, who was that just now?"
"I have a vague recollection, but I can't quite remember." Inspector Megure shook his head.
Two minutes later, the car returned and stopped in front of Megure's police car. Soon, a tall, thin middle-aged man in a gray suit got out.
Out of politeness, Megure naturally got out as well.
"Oh, it's him." Sonoko looked at the man talking to Megure outside the car and suddenly said, "I remember him. His name is Moriya Teiji. He's a very famous architect. He's currently a professor in the Department of Architecture at Tokyo University."
Kurosawa raised an eyebrow. Moriya Teiji? That guy is really famous. All the characters from the movie have appeared. Is it time for the first movie?
Thinking this, Kurosawa opened the car door and got out, walking toward the two men. His arrival silenced Moriya.
"Hoshino, let me introduce you. This is Professor Moriya, a very famous architect. Professor Moriya got a big contract today. He's on his way to design a new manor for a wealthy man," Inspector Megure briefly introduced.
Kurosawa smiled and extended his hand. "Hello, Professor Moriya. My name is—"
"Kurosawa Hoshino, right?" Moriya smiled and shook hands with Kurosawa, interrupting him. "I've heard a lot about Kurosawa-kun lately. It's hard not to know him."
"Professor Moriya, you're too kind."
"It's not just politeness. Um, Kurosawa-kun, I'm very sorry. I have something to discuss with Inspector Megure alone. I'll apologize to you properly later."
"It's alright." Kurosawa waved his hand and walked toward the car in front of him, which was still running. He turned around and glanced at Moriya, who was whispering to Megure with his back to him. He scanned the car and found nothing suspicious, then decisively opened the door and the trunk.
Kurosawa knew this guy's personality very well. His sudden appearance on such a remote road was definitely not right. Thinking of the bombs this guy had used to blow up buildings in the original work, he guessed that today might be the day he stole those explosives.
"Hoshino-kun, you—" Inspector Megure, witnessing Kurosawa's series of actions, was bewildered. He called out in a daze.
"What?" Moriya turned around and saw that Kurosawa had somehow opened the trunk of his car and was standing there looking inside. His pupils contracted sharply.
Oh no! He felt dizzy for a moment and almost lost his balance.
Kurosawa turned to them and said with a smile, "Inspector Megure, you'd better catch Professor Moriya. I found something good in his trunk." Kurosawa truly hadn't expected that this would actually be the day he stole the explosives.
"Professor Moriya, I'm sorry." Inspector Megure trusted Kurosawa implicitly. He grabbed Moriya's hand and twisted it sharply backward. Moriya cried out in pain and snapped back to reality.
The commotion finally brought the others out of their cars.
"Hey kid, what's going on?"
"Professor Moriya's trunk is full of explosives."
Kurosawa's calm words were like a thunderclap. Everyone was shocked. Looking at the ordinary little car in front of them, they all instinctively took a few steps back.
Kogorō stepped forward, carefully examining the contents of the trunk, and said to the others, "Be careful. It really is explosives. Inspector Megure, you need to notify the bomb squad to handle this. Let's move away—don't stand around here. And you, you brat—" He turned his head to say something to Kurosawa, but realized the brat was already far away, leaving him alone.
Kogorō glared at Hoshino, who was standing next to his daughter. He didn't dare linger. Even if explosives seemed safe, it was always best to keep them at a distance. Better safe than sorry.
"Tell me, Professor Moriya, what exactly happened?" Inspector Megure had already taken the hand his subordinates handed him.
Moriya understood the dangers of saying too much and remained silent, pondering a solution.
Kurosawa asked, "Inspector Megure, is there any gunpowder depot nearby?"
"Nearby... let me think... there seems to be one. Something called the Oriental Gunpowder Depot."
"Then why don't we call them and ask them to check if any explosives have been stolen?"
Listening to their conversation, Moriya's heart sank. He felt he had truly failed this time. Once again, he had been defeated by a high school detective.
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