Chapter 136: The Merchant's Purpose
Today's launch event for the "Cocoon" project had been derailed by a security incident of catastrophic proportions. The head of the Sindora Group was in police custody, and to compound the disaster, the project's revolutionary artificial intelligence had self-destructed. With one calamity piling upon another, it was painfully clear that the project was dead in the water. Every yen invested would surely go down the drain.
Having lost such a staggering sum of money, Conan Edogawa couldn't help but wonder how Ningguang planned to mitigate the losses. He made a mental note to have Dr. Agasa keep a closer eye on her subsequent actions; it might be the key to learning more about these mysterious individuals who possessed Visions.
Meanwhile, Yusaku Kudo, having just unmasked the culprit, also found his attention drawn to the poised and unshakable Miss Ningguang.
While this was their first time meeting in person, it was not the first he had heard of her. His son and Dr. Agasa had previously tasked him with investigating her, so he already possessed a general understanding of her background. The information he could unearth wasn't deeply detailed, but a surface-level review of her history was astonishing enough. To have gone from nothing to commanding a vast fortune in less than a decade… even he, a man who dealt in brilliant minds, had to admire her business acumen. Her keenness, decisiveness, and courage were all indispensable traits, and she possessed them in spades.
Judging from the intelligence he'd gathered, Ningguang had scarcely made a single losing deal in years.
Yusaku refused to believe that such a formidable woman would simply stand by and do nothing in the face of today's sudden catastrophe. In fact, a flicker of professional curiosity ignited within him. What moves would she make to stanch the bleeding from this failed launch? Or, perhaps, could she somehow twist this monumental loss into a profit?
He waited patiently off to the side as she concluded a conversation with her staff. Seeing her turn away, he approached with a practiced, easygoing air. "Miss Ningguang, hello. I am Yusaku Kudo."
Yusaku offered a nod and a warm smile. "We may have been in the same room before, but I believe this is our first formal introduction."
Ningguang inclined her head, her own smile just as polished. "Mr. Kudo, a pleasure. I have long admired your name. The mystery novels you write are particularly brilliant; several of my friends are quite fond of them, especially the Night Baron series. Would it be too much trouble to ask for a few autographs later?"
"Of course, no trouble at all," Yusaku readily agreed, pleasantly surprised. "I had no idea you had friends who were fans of my work."
With the pleasantries exchanged, his gaze drifted over the somewhat chaotic scene of the dismantled launch event. His expression shifted to one of polite concern. "I'd heard that you possess outstanding business acumen, Miss Ningguang. When I learned you were also an investor in the 'Cocoon' project, I had hoped for an opportunity to meet you. It is simply… unfortunate that our first formal meeting is at a crime scene."
He paused, his eyes meeting hers. "With both 'Noah's Ark'and the Sindora Company compromised, the'Cocoon' project is destined for termination. I was wondering what you plan to do next?" As the words left his lips, Yusaku realized how improper they might sound and quickly added, "Of course, I don't mean to pry into your trade secrets. I simply meant that if you encounter any technical problems that require assistance, you can contact me or my friend Dr. Agasa at any time. After all, we were involved in this project's early stages."
Ningguang's smile remained perfectly intact, a mask of serene neutrality. She neither agreed nor refused, her tone as smooth as polished jade. "Then I thank you in advance for the offer, Mr. Kudo."
She seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second, a calculated pause before she continued, "However, you needn't worry too much on my account. The moment I saw that Mr. Kenmura had met with an accident and the police were called, I contacted my assistant. I instructed her to immediately begin reaching out to the other directors of the Sindora Company and prepare for the acquisition of their shares. I believe I will be receiving good news from her before long."
Yusaku's eyebrow arched. "Oh? So you're saying that as soon as you saw the crime scene, you knew the culprit was Thomas Sindora himself? Then why didn't you mention this after the police arrived?"
As if oblivious to the sudden tension that thickened the air, Ningguang's smile never wavered. "Yes. Did I not mention it before? Mr. Kenmura was very fond of Nahida and was almost entirely without defenses in her presence. He would sometimes let slip things he found inconvenient to tell others. Therefore, after seeing that Mr. Kenmura had met with an accident, Nahida guessed that the culprit was Mr. Sindora."
Hearing her answer, Yusaku's brow furrowed. He suddenly realized what had felt so subtly discordant about Ningguang's presence this whole time—the little girl, Nahida, who had been shadowing her, was nowhere to be seen.
Ningguang was unaware of his fleeting curiosity about Nahida's whereabouts and continued her explanation. "As for your second question… Mr. Kudo, I am a merchant. A merchant's purpose is to generate wealth, while solving cases is the business of the police and detectives such as yourself. In the world of commerce, timing and intelligence are paramount. Upon learning that the head of the Sindora Group was very likely to meet his downfall, my first priority was, naturally, to seize the opportunity—to claim the 'cake' that is the Sindora Group before anyone else was the wiser."
Yusaku was genuinely puzzled. "But the scandal at the Sindora Group hadn't been exposed yet. The company was, by all public accounts, flourishing. How could you possibly convince the other directors to transfer their shares to you?"
At this question, a knowing smile finally touched Ningguang's lips. She glided past Yusaku and came to a stop before the grand window, resting her hands on the sill. She gazed out into the distance for a long moment before turning her head back toward him, her voice a low murmur.
"That… is a matter of my own methods."
Yusaku turned, watching her silhouette framed against the fading light. The backlighting obscured her expression, leaving her words to hang in the air, laced with an unnerving confidence.
Suddenly, he heard a burst of rapid, purposeful footsteps approaching from behind. He saw Ningguang look up, her eyes tracking the newcomer. A slow, satisfied smile spread across her face, the expression of someone who had just received very good news.
Curious, Yusaku turned his head. Walking toward them was a woman who radiated a quiet, capable grace. She had long, deep blue hair tied back in a sleek ponytail that cascaded down her back. She wore a stylish white qipao, short and embroidered with complex gold patterns, complemented by matching white sleeves. The Chinese knot decoration at her waist held a striking blue gem, set in a frame identical to the one on Ningguang's own hip. She clutched a stack of documents, clearly here to report to her superior.
Yusaku's gaze lingered on the woman's waist decoration for a beat longer than necessary before he nonchalantly looked away.
He noted that as the woman passed him, she offered a slight, acknowledging nod. She then walked to Ningguang's side and spoke, her voice calm and efficient. "Lady Ningguang, the tasks you assigned have been completed. Miss Keqing reports that she has spoken with all the directors of the Sindora Group in the U.S., and they have all agreed to transfer their shares at market price. These are the transmitted materials; you may wish to take a brief look."
Ningguang accepted the documents, her fingers flicking through the pages. A clear satisfaction settled on her features, though there was no hint of surprise, as if this outcome was one she had anticipated all along.
She then gestured between the two. "Mr. Kudo, allow me to introduce my assistant, Yelan."
Only then did Yusaku Kudo realize this was the very assistant Ningguang had mentioned moments before.
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