There are many things 6-year-old Kudo Shinichi could not have predicted in life.

One of which is when Ranran finally recovered healthily enough to be discharged from the hospital. A lot of rehabs and painkillers later, he is already on the smartphone being fussy over his mentor, who is on her way to the main HQ of Tantei Association, located right next to Majima Michio's mother's boutique shop.

"You shouldn't have headed to the main HQ yourself! You have just completed your rehab on making full use of your right arm! Let me handle it!" Shinichi told his mentor over the phone.

"I can't, Shinichi," The little red lip detective girl replied, "You had to head to the police station and meet up with Sergeant Genzo to check that Mouri Ran's report once more didn't have any mistakes in regards to the events of 'The Last Laugh' case. Otherwise, Felix the killer would simply walk free and never be charged with the murder of his mother, on and off lover, as well as his half-sister."

Shinichi sighed, knowing that Ranran had a point. The "Last Laugh" case was one of their most intricate and challenging cases to date. It involved a convoluted web of family secrets, betrayals, and a series of murders that had left everyone baffled. Felix, the main suspect, was a cunning and manipulative individual who always seemed to be one step ahead of the law.

Although the solid evidence is enough to throw away Felix's key to freedom forever, even more so when the Japanese government got word of his attempts to kill Shinichi's 6-year-old mentor resulted in a live sentence, Shinichi knew he couldn't let Felix slip through their fingers. He had to make sure Felix can never find a single loophole to slip past the cracks of justice.

Call him paranoid, but after the attempt to blow Ranran up with explosives in that burning mansion incident thanks to the malicious Felix, Shinichi isn't going to take any chances.

With determination in his eyes, Shinichi assured his mentor, "Don't worry, Ranran. I'll handle the police station and make sure everything is in order. But promise me, you'll take it easy and not overexert yourself at the main HQ."

Ranran chuckled softly, "I promise, Shinichi. I'll be careful. You take care too, alright? Wait, what the - bloody idiot." Ranran half whispered half yelled into the receiver.

"Eh? Ranran, is everything alright?"

"Our back door to our association is left open ajar! I could've sworn...I am going to kill Takuma for forgetting to lock it again. Luckily our files are stored elsewhere."

"You can't blame him, Michio did mention that the door needed fixing for a long time." Shinichi sighed over the phone.

As Ranran continued to grumble about the forgetful Takuma, Shinichi couldn't help but pinch his nose bridge at Takuma's familiar antics. Don't get the apprentice wrong, Takuma is a responsible 6-year-old boy most of the time, but the door itself had issues, and all of the members were notified about this. Is it that difficult for the athlete to simply triple check the door is properly locked before leaving?

The Tantei Association back door when one enters the office is in the shape of a bookshelf. Before Ranran had the furniture moved into the said HQ, the previous bookshelf door was so well-hidden and perfectly blended with the other shelves that it was almost impossible to notice. It was a brilliant concealment tactic to keep the headquarters discreet and secure.

In the beginning, everyone was fine with the door. But when Michio revealed that the door is surpassed its expiry date, he decided to have it replaced with a new one. However, the new bookshelf door was not as subtle as the old one, making it more prone to being noticed and potentially exploited by intruders.

So they had no choice but to put back the old one, and even so, that didn't do much in their favour as time goes by. Which is a big red flag for Shinichi.

Shinichi knew the importance of maintaining the secrecy and security of the Tantei Association headquarters. If an intruder managed to enter, they could steal valuable information, compromise ongoing investigations, or even pose a threat to the safety of everyone involved.

Couldn't afford to waste any more time on Takuma's absentmindedness. He had to focus on the task at hand – meeting Sergeant Genzo at the police station to ensure there were no mistakes in Mouri Ran's report, then maybe arranging to meet up with Michio and Takuma to see whether they could find an affordable door.

"Hey! What the hell!?" Ranran could be heard shrieking.

"What's wrong?" Shinichi asked confusion in her rough tone.

"There is someone in our HQ, but it ain't one of our members!?"

"What did you just say!?" he echoed.

Shinichi's heart pounded in his chest as he heard Ranran's alarmed voice. Without a moment's hesitation, he could hear Ranran screaming over the phone, "Hey! Who the hell do you think you are? Hands where I can see you!"

As he listened to the chaos unfolding at the Tantei Association headquarters through the phone. He immediately dropped everything and dashed towards the location, urging Ranran, "Don't go confront whoever is in there-"

"He took out our taser baton from our equipment box and is running towards me!"

Fear gripped Shinichi's heart as he heard the panic in Ranran's voice, with the shots of the paintball gun fired.

Shinichi's mind raced, thinking of ways to get to the Tantei Association headquarters as quickly as possible. He hailed a taxi and gave the driver urgent instructions to speed there without hesitation. All the while, he tried to keep Ranran on the line, listening carefully to the unfolding situation. "Hello Ranran, do you hear me?! Ranran? Ranran!"

Before he knew it, there were sounds of heavy breathing and struggling over the phone. Shinichi's heart pounded louder, fearing the worst had happened. The taxi ride felt like an eternity as he urged the driver to go faster.

In haste, he dialled Michio's number.

As the phone rang, Shinichi's anxiety grew with each passing second. Finally, Michio answered, sounding slightly out of breath, "Shinichi, is everything alright?"

"Where are you now?!"

Michio replied, "I'm at the arcade with Junko. Why do you ask?"

"There's someone inside the headquarters, and it ain't any of our members," Shinichi said, trying to control his voice from trembling.

"Wait, what-"

"There is an intruder there! Ranran saw him taking out our taser baton! Call Sergeant Genzo over, and sent his men there! Hurry!"

As soon as Shinichi hung up, he did the next thing which was to call the emergency services of Japan.

Shinichi quickly dialled the emergency services and relayed the situation to them. He provided them with the address of the Tantei Association headquarters and stressed the urgency of the situation, explaining that a dangerous intruder was inside the building and Ranran, a 6-year-old, was in danger.

The operator assured him that help was on the way and dispatched a team of police officers to the location. Shinichi's heart raced as he hoped that they would arrive in time to prevent any harm to Ranran. He kept trying to call Ranran, but there was no response. His mind filled with worry as he feared the worst.

........................................................

Finally, he arrived at the Tantei Association headquarters. Shinichi rushed out of the taxi, paid the driver, and didn't bother waiting for the change. As he arrived at the headquarters, realizing the police hadn't arrived, he seems like the 6-year-old apprentice had no choice but to take matters into his own hands.

Armed with a paintball gun, Shinichi cautiously made his way inside the Tantei Association headquarters. His heart pounded in his chest, fear and determination fueling his every step. He knew he had to find Ranran and the intruder before things escalated any further.

Seeing through the association's windows that there is no one inside the office, he burst through the front door, only to find the office in disarray.

Paint splatters adorned the walls and furniture, and some chairs and shelves were knocked over in the struggle. And there, in the middle of the room, stood Ranran, unconscious on the floor while holding a paintball gun in her right hand, while electric sparks could be seen on the baton laying not far from Ranran, but no sight of the intruder.

Shinichi's heart sank at the sight of Ranran lying unconscious. He rushed to her side and checked for any signs of injury. "Ranran, are you okay? Ooi! Wake up! Are you okay?" he said urgently.

With no response aside from the fact that is fortunate a pulse, he knew what he had to do next.

Whipping out his smartphone, he hurriedly dialled the emergency number he knew by heart. He had made many calls as a Tantei Apprentice when it came to victims of cases involving dark nature, but making a call for someone he knows and care for personally, let alone, in distress was an entirely different experience.

"119, what is your emergency?"

Shinichi took a deep breath to steady his voice before speaking, "I had a friend who was attacked by a malicious individual with a taser baton, and she is 6 years old. I need immediate urgent medical assistance and police support."

The operator quickly dispatched an ambulance and assured him that the police were already on their way. Shinichi thanked them and then focused on Ranran. He checked her pulse and breathing again, relieved to see that she was still stable.

After a few moments, Ranran stirred and groggily opened her eyes. "Sh-Shinichi? What happened?" she asked, still disoriented.

"You were laying on the floor!"

Shinichi helped Ranran to her feet and picked up the paintball gun and the taser baton, then inspected her head and is shocked to see a patch of blood, indicating the intruder used the baton to strike her head hard.

"He struck you in the head!" Shinichi gritted his teeth, feeling anger boiling inside him.

Ranran touched the back of her head and winced, "I think so, but it's not too bad. I'll be fine."

But then seeing blood on her fair hand, Shinichi is thinking about this very differently.

"No, Ranran, we need to get you to a hospital. You might have a concussion," Shinichi insisted, worry evident in his eyes.

"But what about the intruder?" Ranran protested weakly.

"Don't worry about that now, your head needs to be sorted out first," Shinichi said firmly.

Before Ranran could reply any further, her vision was blurring.

Shinichi caught Ranran just in time as she started to sway. "Easy, Ranran," he said, supporting her weight. "We need to get you to the hospital immediately."

"No, the intruder-"

"We will go after him later-"

"It's a kid around the same age as Emiko or Michio."

"I am sorry!?" Shinichi's eyes widened in shock at Ranran's revelation. "What do you mean it's a kid like Michio? Are you sure?"

Ranran nodded weakly, "I am positive. His voice....it's definitely a kid."

Shinichi's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. The face of Ishibashi Mamiko came to mind, "Was it Mamiko?"

"No, it was a boy."

"A boy!?" Shinichi repeated. "Do you know who!?"

"No clue never met him before. But....he seems to know us."

"Eh!? And you know this because-"

"He was holding a photo of us before he broke it on purpose." She pointed to a corner of the room where the shattered photo frame lay. Shinichi walked over and picked up the broken pieces.

As he pieced together the shattered photo frame, Shinichi is shocked to see his face crossed out with some sort of marker pen maliciously, and so was Ranran's face.

The discovery sent a chill down Shinichi's spine. This wasn't just a random intruder; it was someone who had a personal vendetta against them. But who could hold such a grudge against two 6-year-old detectives?

As Shinichi tried to make sense of it all, he noticed a faint message scribbled on the back of the photo. It read, "Payback for what you did."

Shinichi's mind raced back to their previous cases, trying to pinpoint any encounters that could have resulted in such hostility. However, he couldn't think of anything that warranted this level of retaliation, especially from a male child.

Soon, a face came to his mind. Could it be Mamiko's elder brother?

No, it can't be. Cause if it was, Ranran could've revealed his name. "Did you see his face?"

"No, he was wearing dark clothes with a mask. I think I pulled it off during a struggled, but he knock me before I good get a good look on his face." Ranran groaned softly, her voice weak, "We need to find him, Shinichi. He could be dangerous."

"You're right, but first, let's get you to the hospital," Shinichi said, helping her up again. "I'll call Sergeant Genzo and inform him about the situation. He'll take care of everything here."

Suddenly, the ambulance Shinichi contacted in the cab earlier arrived at the scene. The paramedics rushed to Ranran's side and carefully examined her. Shinichi explained what had happened, and they decided to transport her to the hospital for further evaluation.

As they loaded Ranran into the ambulance, Shinichi joined in and soon, they raced towards the hospital, their sirens blaring through the streets.

.....................................................................................

At the hospital, Ranran underwent a thorough examination by the doctors and had to do surgery since she had a gash wound on her head, resulting in Shinichi pacing the hospital hallway aimlessly.

"Who the hell did that to Ranran!?" Takuma was pissed off as he asked no one in particular.

The moment he heard Ranran was attacked in the association, he immediately stormed off from his American football practice and headed straight towards the hospital waiting room to meet up with Shinichi, as well as Michio and Junko, who left the arcade to come all the way here after learning of the break-in.

"No clue," Michio ruffled his own hair frustratingly, "Shinichi said the last words Ranran said was that a boy around my or Emiko's age was the intruder.

Junko's eyes widened, "A boy around our age? That's so strange. Who could it be?"

Soon, Takuma's girlfriend Reina, also Ranran's best friend, rushed over, "I came here as soon as heard the news, is Ranran alright?!"

Shinichi turned towards Reina, his face etched with worry and exhaustion. "She's in surgery right now," he replied, "The doctors said she had a gash wound on her head that needed immediate attention. But they assured us that she should be fine."

Reina's eyes filled with tears as she held onto Takuma's arm for support. "I can't believe this happened to her," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Who would do something like this?"

"We don't know yet," Shinichi said, his voice tinged with frustration. "But hopefully, Seargent Genzo get something, otherwise...."

"....otherwise what?" Takuma found himself asking.

"Otherwise...I will go all out to track down the coward who did this to her!"

As Shinichi's words echoed in the tense atmosphere, his determination became evident to everyone in the room. Takuma, Michio, Junko, and Reina knew that when Shinichi set his mind on something, there was no stopping him.

Just then, Sergeant Genzo arrived at the hospital, accompanied by several police officers. He approached Shinichi and the others with a serious expression. "I've got a team investigating the break-in at the Tantei Association headquarters," he said. "We're checking security footage and trying to gather any leads."

"Do you have any idea who it could be?" Junko asked.

Sergeant Genzo shook his head, "Not yet. But we're looking into all possibilities."

As they waited anxiously for news about Ranran, the police investigation continued. They analyzed the footage from the Tantei Association headquarters and discovered that the intruder had covered his face with a hoodie, making it challenging to identify him.

Shinichi, still feeling a mix of anger and concern, decided to take matters into his own hands. He recalled the shattered photo frame and the message written on the back. "Payback for what you did." The words kept echoing in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that they were missing a crucial clue.

The fact that this intruder had a personal connection to them and knew about their detective agency was deeply unsettling.

.................................................................

Late into the night, as everyone at the hospital tried to get some rest, Shinichi sat by Ranran's bedside while he accompanied her by her bedside. He couldn't sleep, his mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. He decided to go through all their past cases, trying to see if there was any connection to the break-in.

And then, a thought struck him.

Not long ago...he had Michio tail onto class 1-A's former student, Mana Yoshida, who was later secretly photographed with Kasumaki Rokuro, his nemesis. Could it be....one of those two boys who did this to Ranran?

But Mana Yoshida is around 6 years old, which leaves him with one suspect left.

The apprentice's heart sank as the pieces started falling into place. It had to be Kasumaki Rokuro. He was the only one left who had a personal grudge against Shinichi. But why would he target Ranran then?

Shinichi remembered that as much as Rokuro detested him for being jealous over how close he was to Mouri Ran before Shinichi and Mouri were no longer friends...Shinichi wasn't even friends with Ranran at that time.

As Shinichi pondered over the events, he recalled an incident that happened no ago. Sonoko has promised over the phone to Rokuro while leaving at the entrance of Teitan Elementary school that he will report to him if Ranran does anything to Mouri Ran....could it be...

Shinichi's heart pounded as he connected the dots. Since Mouri Ran and Kudo Ranran have bad blood towards each other, it would make sense for Ran to cry her woes to Sonoko, Mouri's best friend.

And since Shinichi himself is an enemy of Rokuro after all, and is supposedly a 'caring friend' to Mouri according to Sonoko, it would have made sense for Sonoko to tell Rokuro where is their HQ, just so as to attack Ranran since Ranran gave Mouri a 'hard time'.

The more Shinichi thought about it, the more convinced he became that Rokuro was behind the attack on Ranran. He knew he had to act quickly to get to the bottom of this.

But where should he start?

Suddenly, he received a notification through his smartphone.

It was a message from an anonymous sender. The subject line simply said, "Do you want to know who did this to Ranran?"

Intrigued, Shinichi opened the message, and a video started playing.

The video showed Ranran at the side of the door while armed with her paintball gun, the attacker's face is hidden from the camera. The audio was clear, and Shinichi recognized the voice of Ranran muttering, "This bugger, he or she is going to pay."

Shinichi's heart skipped a beat as he watched the video. It was clear that Ranran was determined to confront the intruder. He kept watching, hoping to catch a glimpse of any identifying features, but the person was careful to keep their face hidden.

"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are? Hands where I can see you!" Ranran's voice could be heard playing in the background, aiming the paintball gun at the said masked intruder, judging the height, it was as Ranran said, a kid.

Shinichi's mind raced as he watched the video. The intruder was indeed a kid, and there was something familiar about the way they moved. As the video continued, Shinichi noticed a subtle clue - his right leg is a bit shaky when he moved, as if he had a slight limp.

That's when it hit him. He had seen that limp before because Shinichi was the one who caused it once at a soccer match.

..................................................................................

The soccer incident between Shinichi and Rokuro happened several months before the break-in at the Tantei Association headquarters. It was a regular day at Teitan Elementary School, and the students were having their usual lunch break soccer match on the playground.

Rokuro was playing for one team, and Shinichi was on the other. Both were known for their exceptional soccer skills, and there was a rivalry between them.

And no, it wasn't a friendly rivalry, or one-sided on Rokuro's part if Shinichi were to think back.

The match was intense, with each side trying their best to score a goal. Shinichi at that time had no idea why Rokuro had intense hatred towards him. But what he did know was that Rokuro is hostile towards him, in the guise of a friendly rivalry. As the game neared its end, the score was tied, and tensions were running high.

As the game neared its end, the score was tied, and both teams were determined to win. The ball was passed to Rokuro, who was in a perfect position to take a shot.

In a critical moment, Rokuro attempted to make a shot at the goal, but Shinichi's determination got the better of him. He went in for a tackle, aiming to block Rokuro's shot. However, their feet got entangled, and in the heat of the moment, Shinichi's leg collided with Rokuro's, causing him to lose balance and fall awkwardly.

The impact was hard, and Rokuro let out a cry of pain. He clutched his leg and grimaced, his face contorted with anger and frustration.

"Watch where you're going, idiot! What is wrong with you!?" Rokuro spat at Shinichi, his voice trembling with anger and pain.

"What is wrong with me? Shouldn't it be what is wrong with you?" Shinichi, who after having to deal with Rokuro's nonsense such as messing with his soccer schedule for weeks since joining the soccer club, scoffed as he crossed his arms, "You put me here as goal-keeper, so what is wrong with you?"

The other students on the playground stopped playing and turned their attention to the confrontation between Rokuro and Shinichi. The tension in the air was palpable as they waited to see how the situation would unfold.

Rokuro's face turned red with rage, and he clenched his fists tightly. "You think you're so great, don't you? Always showing off with your fancy moves and skills. Well, I'm not impressed! You're just a show-off!"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Rokuro's outburst. "If you're not impressed, that's your problem. But don't blame me for your lack of skill. It's not my fault you can't keep up."

Rokuro's anger intensified, and he took a step towards Shinichi, looking ready to throw a punch. But before anything could escalate further, their classmates stepped in to separate them.

"Enough, you two! Break it up!" one of the older students yelled, pushing Rokuro away from Shinichi.

"Yeah, take a breather," another student advised Shinichi, trying to defuse the situation.

"If one is incompetent, one shouldn't let jealousy run wild the way you do," Shinichi took a step back, not wanting to make matters worse with cold eyes towards the elder boy, "Putting someone like me as goal-keeper? The fact that you fracture your leg on your own despite putting me in such a position, tells me a lot as to how much of a fool you are."

The older students managed to calm down the situation, and the lunch break soccer match came to an end. "Sure you were!" Rokuro snapped back, his eyes burning with animosity. "You always have to be the best, don't you? Always stealing the spotlight!"

Shinichi was taken aback by Rokuro's hostility. He had never seen this side of him before. While he was competitive, he never intended to hurt anyone on purpose. But it seemed like Rokuro had deep-rooted issues with him. At that time, Shinichi couldn't understand why Rokuro had such intense hostility towards him. It seemed like a simple soccer accident, but Rokuro was acting as if Shinichi had deliberately injured him.

"Who is the one stealing the spotlight, when you are literally making an accident out of molehill?" Shinichi spoke back.

The older students intervened once again, making sure the confrontation didn't escalate any further. "One day, I will make you pay, you hear me!?"

Soon, Rokuro's teammates rushed to his side, and the teachers came over to check on him. It turned out that Rokuro had sprained his ankle and would need some time to recover.

..................................................................................

As the days went by after that incident, Shinichi noticed that Rokuro kept his distance and avoided any interaction with him. He heard from other classmates that Rokuro had been spreading rumours about him, painting Shinichi as an arrogant and conceited person. At that time, Shinichi knew he had to confront Rokuro before things grew out of proportion.

However, by the time he did, Rokuro managed to frame him as the one who instigated the feud, worst, Ran and Sonoko blindly believed a word he said without doubting him, later triggering events that later lead him to open Tantei Association with his former enemy, Kudo Ranran.

And now, the thought that Rokuro could've been behind this now made him want to puke.

And his worst fears were confirmed, as Ranran could be seen in the video unmasking her attacker, the intruder struck her with the taser baton he stole from the equipment box of their association.

Soon, the intruder was seen fleeing the scene, but not before Shinichi saw the face of the intruder.

As the video played, Shinichi's heart sank as he saw Rokuro's face at the back door entrance of the Tantei Association headquarters. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks – that his own enemy struck a blow to his partners-in-crime's head.

His mind raced with a mix of emotions – above all of the horror and anger, there was also a feeling of outrage. He couldn't believe that someone he once considered a rival on the soccer field would go to such lengths to hurt Ranran and target their detective agency, all because Rokuro thinks that Shinichi had a crush on Ran. The incident at the soccer match suddenly seemed like a prelude to Rokuro's deep-seated grudge against him.

Shinichi turned off the video, unable to watch any further.

"You despicable scum, even though you got me in trouble enough to get me kicked out of soccer club, up to the point that Ran and I are no longer friends anymore....it isn't enough with you when I became a successful child Tantei, you even went as far as to attack the only person who believed in me!" Shinichi whispered to himself, clenching his fists in anger as he watched the video. "You will pay, of course, you shall!"

Now the old Shinichi would've simply dragged the cops over, but he knew better. With the experience he had collected through Tantei Association, the likeliest case scenario is that as much as Rokuro is likely to be criminally charged since Rokuro is 9 years old, he would most likely be sent to a juvenile detention centre or receive counselling and therapy to address his issues. Heading over to Rokuro to confront him would result in the elder boy to brazenly lie in front of Shinichi, just like he did when he framed Shinichi for that feud.

In other words, it is a mere slap on the wrist on someone like Rokuro.

No, Rokuro has to pay. He must teach this boy a lesson after all of the crap he had caused, no matter the price.

..................................................................................

The first thing Shinichi needed to do was to verify the authenticity of the video that was sent anonymously to him.

The unknown number may have been a burner, but he had one thing to go on: The angle to where the camera was pointing that recorded the break-in incident between Ranran and Rokuro indicated to Shinichi that it was filmed outside at a high location.

With the suspicion that the video might have been recorded from the ceiling outside their association office, Shinichi knew he had to act quickly to confirm its authenticity. He decided to visit the Tantei Association headquarters and carefully examine the area surrounding the back door entrance.

When he arrived at the headquarters that night, not long after leaving the hospital, he carefully inspected the ceiling above the back door, looking for any signs of a hidden camera or device. After a thorough search, Shinichi noticed a small, inconspicuous camera lens hidden among the beams of the ceiling. The camera was carefully concealed, making it difficult to spot unless one was specifically looking for it.

The moment he laid eyes on it, a lot of questions were running through the mind of the 6-year-old apprentice. Who had placed the camera there, and why? Was this the work of the intruder, or was there someone else involved, in manipulating the situation?

He took a moment to collect himself and consider the possibilities. Before this incident, that psychopath Mamiko had installed bugs around their office once, but Ranran managed to easily remove it. The fact Ranran didn't notice this was unusual, even more so since she always on her jammer detector to scan the area, but didn't detect this particular camera in question.

When he brought the camera over to his neighbour, Professor Agasa's place, to check whether he could pinpoint he could track down the IP address of the user who installed this camera, he had the shock of his life when Agasa said, "Who bought this? This is one of the world's most expensive CCTV!?"

Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise as Professor Agasa examined the camera closely. "One of the world's most expensive CCTV? Are you sure, Professor?" he asked.

Agasa nodded, "Yes, I'm quite certain. This is a high-end surveillance camera with advanced technology and encryption. It's not something you can buy off the shelf. Whoever installed this knew what they were doing."

Shinichi's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. If this was one of the world's most expensive surveillance cameras, it meant that the person behind this was no amateur. They had access to top-notch equipment and expertise. "How expensive are you talking about in Yen?"

Professor Agasa scratched his head, thinking, and then replied, "Well, this particular model would cost around 1,000,000 Yen or more. It's not the kind of camera you'd find in a regular store. It's likely custom-made or acquired through specialized channels."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the exorbitant price. It was evident that whoever was behind this had significant resources and technical knowledge. The fact that they went to such lengths to monitor the Tantei Association headquarters raised even more questions.

"Is it jammer-proof?" Shinichi inquired.

"No it ain't, however, if you put it at a certain distance, the jammer wouldn't be effective," Professor Agasa explained. "This camera is designed to have a long-range signal transmission, and it can bypass most jamming devices."

Shinichi nodded, absorbing this information. It seemed that whoever planted the camera was well-prepared and had taken steps to ensure it wouldn't be easily detected or disabled. A lot of suspects were running through Shinichi's head the more he thought about this mind-boggling information.

It couldn't have been the rest of the members, their families couldn't afford it aside from Shinichi and Ranran. It could've been Ranran, but if that were the case, she would have told him in advance. And he definitely didn't do it, there were discussions to add one, but it would've been beyond their budget.

He then thought of the enemies they had made. So far, the only criminal who is rich is none other than The Snake. Even so...The Snake and his team were no strangers to breaking into their HQ multiple times, the last thing they would do is plant the camera outside. And it definitely can't be Rokuro or Mana, since they all come from middle-income families.

As Shinichi pondered the possibilities, another thought crossed his mind – Ishibashi Mamiko.

Her family could afford it, they were all relying heavily on their mother who is a dominatrix, and a highly paid one as well. Even so, even if she did all of this, what would've been the point for her to simply open a burner account, and then send Shinichi the video anonymously? Her psychotic level of scheming was to pin everyone around Shinichi against his dream as a tantei just so he ends up marrying her in the first place, so she too is out of the equation. As for her half-brother, he didn't have the brains to do this.

He decided to widen his investigation, trying to gather any information or clues that might lead him to the culprit. He reached out to his network of contacts, asking if anyone had seen or heard anything suspicious around the Tantei Association headquarters in recent weeks.

He also asked Ranran if she noticed anything unusual or if anyone had approached her with strange behaviour. Ranran, who was still recovering from her injuries, wracked her brain but couldn't recall any specific incidents.

As the days passed, Shinichi became more frustrated as he hit dead ends in his investigation. He had no leads, and the identity of the person behind the camera remained a mystery. The lack of progress only fueled his determination to find answers.

Then, one day, as he was heading towards the reception area of the hospital where Ranran was hospitalized, the nurse who was in charge looked down, "Ah, are you the regular who keeps paying Ranran a visit? You may have to wait a while before you enter the room."

Shinichi nodded, used to waiting for visiting hours to begin. But then the nurse added, "There's a group of children there right now. A group of Caucasian children in blazer tie school uniforms playing her a visit."

The apprentice's curiosity was piqued by the nurse's statement. Caucasian children in blazer-tie school uniforms? That was a peculiar sight in Japan.

The information about the Caucasian children in blazer-tie school uniforms intrigued Shinichi. He knew that Ranran had attended Edgewood Academy before transferring to Teitan Elementary School. Edgewood was an elite school known for its wealthy and influential student body. Shinichi couldn't help but wonder what brought them to visit Ranran at the hospital.

Then he remembered that expensive CCTV that was installed outside the association. Shinichi's mind raced with possibilities as he connected the dots. The expensive CCTV, the visit from the Caucasian children in blazer-tie school uniforms – it all seemed too coincidental. He had a gut feeling that there was a connection between these events.

He decided to discreetly investigate further. He asked the nurse for more details about the children who visited Ranran. The nurse mentioned that they seemed to be around the same age as Ranran, and they were well-mannered and polite. They introduced themselves as exchange students from Edgewood Academy.

Shinichi's curiosity deepened. From the conversation he had with Ranran before the incident, Edgewood Academy students will never bother to do exchange programs with average schools like Teitan Elementary School, so it was clear those groups of children were lying.

With suspicions growing stronger, Shinichi decided to secretly eavesdrop, and see what they have to say while he isn't around.

.....................................................................................

It isn't difficult for Shinichi to head down Ranran's patient room at the hospital. But getting a hiding spot was. Even more so as he could see at the entrance from afar that the Edgewood kids hadn't left Ranran's side yet.

So the only logical solution was to stand at the side of the entrance, there was not much patience on the floor Ranran was on, so not many doctors and nurses walk towards the area. Also, he had memorized the schedule of those hospital staff that may drop by Ranran's ward.

With a carefully devised plan, Shinichi positioned himself discreetly at the side of the entrance to Ranran's room, where he could keep an eye on the group of Caucasian children without drawing too much attention to himself. He made sure to appear casual, pretending to be engrossed in a book he brought along, so as not to arouse suspicion.

From what he could see, Ranran is wired to the IV drip, so she is pretty much asleep.

As Shinichi observed the group of Caucasian children, he noticed that they were engaged in hushed conversations among themselves. They seemed cautious, as if aware that someone might be listening. One of the children, a tall girl with elegant pony hair, frequently glanced around, as if to check for any potential eavesdroppers before questioning in English. "Did you check who was the idiot who did this to Ranran?"

Shinichi strained his ears to catch their conversation without being too obvious. He was careful not to make any sudden movements or draw attention to himself. The tall girl's question piqued his interest even further.

Another girl with glasses replied in English, "It's Rokuro."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the revelation. The name Rokuro confirmed his suspicions, but it also raised more questions. How did this group of Caucasian children know about Rokuro, and why was he involved in the break-in at the Tantei Association headquarters?

Then he remembered the CCTV installed outside their association without the member's knowledge. Considering they are children of nobles and royals, they could easily afford it.

The pieces of the puzzle started to come together in Shinichi's mind. The expensive custom-made CCTV, the group of Caucasian children from Edgewood Academy, and their knowledge of Rokuro's involvement – it all pointed to one simple answer.

"Luckily you installed that CCTV outside," A boy whose hair is a bit stylish compared to the others said, "Otherwise, we have no clue as to who is the idiot who did to Ranran."

"I was right, wasn't I? It was that damn idiot Rokuro who attacked our Ranran?" A familiar girl's voice.

Wait, why did that voice sound familiar?

Hoping to get a better look, Shinichi eyed the corner to see the owner and is surprised to recognize it was Veronica, one of the children Ranran introduced to him through video call.

Shinichi's mind raced as he wonders why did they install the CCTV, and then he recalled a past conversation with Ranran.

"Gotten to relate with my clients and they end up becoming my second family...that kind of connection, not all of the money in the world will I ever trade it off."

That is right, he had forgotten about this.

Those Edgewood kids were also Ranran's clients when she was The Fox, there were her second family.

In other words...they installed that CCTV to protect Ranran.

However, it raised a crucial question – how did they come to know about Rokuro in the first place? Did Ranran tell them about him?

Shinichi's thoughts were interrupted when he overheard, "Why don't we ask that boy who is listening to us from the outside?"

Suddenly, Shinichi felt like his heart drop when he heard that statement.