119: Chapter 119 Changing Name and Surname

The safe house was a hidden Japanese-style wooden house in the old district of Tokyo. When the door was pushed open, it made a soft creak, carrying the unique, warm scent of wood.

On the tatami mats behind the sliding door, Kudo Yusaku was typing on a laptop, his gaze sharp and calm behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

Kudo Yukiko was kneeling by a low table, holding a needle and thread, altering a small-sized school uniform jacket. When she saw Conan Edogawa enter, her eyes instantly turned red.

Shinichi!

She dropped the needle and thread and rushed over, pulling Conan Edogawa tightly into her arms. Her voice choked with emotion, Let Mommy look—are you hurt? Did Akai Shuichi say you ran into Gin?

Conan Edogawa felt a bit breathless from the squeeze, but he obediently let her hold him. The tip of his nose brushed against the perfume at his mother's temple—it was still that lily-of-the-valley scent he had loved as a child.

He wanted to say he was fine, but the words turned into a soft Mom as they reached his lips. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly felt his eyes grow hot.

Kudo Yusaku pushed up his glasses and closed the laptop: Alright, Yukiko, let the boy catch his breath first.

He beckoned to Conan Edogawa, Come sit over here. I have something to show you.

Conan Edogawa was pulled to the low table by Yukiko. As soon as he sat down, he saw a folder on the table with the words New Identity Plan printed on the cover. Next to it lay two photos the size of ID cards—one was of him wearing a middle school uniform, his features youthful but unable to hide his heroic spirit.

The other was of Yukiko disguised as a middle-aged woman, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes perfectly placed; it was impossible to tell it was a disguise.

This is..., Conan Edogawa picked up his photo, his fingertips brushing across the photo paper, A middle school student?

Yes, Kudo Yusaku opened the folder, which contained detailed household registration information, school records, and even forged vaccination records, His name is Ekoda Conan, with his household registration in Saitama Prefecture. His parents are deceased, and he has been brought to Tokyo to attend school by distant relatives (that is, your mother and me).

He pointed to Yukiko's photo, I will appear as Mr. Ekoda, and your mother will be Mrs. Ekoda. We will live next door to you—in that vacant old house next to the Kudo Family, which I bought a long time ago.

Yukiko leaned over and held up a grey school uniform as if presenting a treasure: Look! This is the Ekoda Middle School uniform. I specifically altered the waist, so it will definitely fit you.

She suddenly lowered her voice and said mysteriously, I also sewed a miniature wiretap into the collar. If anyone strikes up a conversation with you, it will automatically record it.

Conan Edogawa flipped through the files, becoming increasingly alarmed the more he read—even the name of the homeroom teacher and the list of classmates from his elementary school in Saitama Prefecture were clearly written down. There were even a few photos of Ekoda Conan with his distant relatives. In the photos, Yusaku had a beard, and Yukiko wore reading glasses; there were absolutely no flaws to be seen.

Dad, when did you prepare all of this?

From the moment you first said the name Conan.

Kudo Yusaku's tone was flat, as if he were talking about something completely ordinary, I checked the development records of APTX4869 and knew about the instability of this drug—since it could shrink a person, it would sooner or later be targeted by the Organization.

He paused and tapped his fingertip on a page in the file, Have you noticed? The Ekoda Middle School uniform is very similar to the one at Teitan High School; only the school badge is different. This way, since you're used to wearing the uniform, you won't easily give yourself away.

Conan Edogawa only then realized that the uniform in the photo was indeed very similar to the one he used to wear, even down to the position of the buttons on the cuffs.

Yukiko suddenly let out an Oh! and ran to the inner room to fetch a mirror. She put a black wig on Conan Edogawa's head: I almost forgot this! Ekoda Conan has black hair; that brown hair of yours is too eye-catching.

She took out an eyebrow pencil and added two strokes to the ends of his eyebrows, This makes you look tougher, like a kid from Saitama Prefecture.

The boy in the mirror had distinct features, with black hair hanging over his forehead; he was indeed a completely different person from Conan Edogawa.

I've already had people prepare the house next door in advance. Kudo Yusaku opened his phone and pulled up the floor plan, The walls are lined with soundproofing material, and the windows are fitted with one-way glass. You can see the Kudo Family from here, but people outside cannot see inside. A secret passage has been dug in the backyard that leads directly to the Kudo Family basement; you can hide there in an emergency.

Conan Edogawa pointed to a red dot on the floor plan: What is this?

A pinhole camera aimed at the entrance of the Kudo Family. Yusaku's gaze darkened, Yesterday, Akai Shuichi told me that Gin has set up three surveillance points around the Kudo Family, all manned by members of the Organization who are most skilled at lurking.

Yukiko's hand paused, and her voice lowered: Did they... find something out?

I'm not sure either, Yusaku shook his head, But since Gin dared to show his face personally, it means the Organization has listed Kudo Shinichi as a key suspect. For the next few days, as you report to Ekoda Middle School, your mother and I will act as the Ekoda couple, going to the nearby supermarket to buy groceries and taking out the trash so that the neighbors get familiar with us—Akai Shuichi's people will pose as newspaper deliverymen and cleaners to keep an eye on the movements of those Organization members.

Conan Edogawa watched his father making arrangements in an orderly fashion. He suddenly remembered his childhood—every time he got stuck playing detective games, Yusaku would always take a magnifying glass and tap on the details he had overlooked: The clues are always right in front of you; it just depends on whether you can find them.

Thinking about it now, his father's composure was not without reason—he had already simulated all possible dangers countless times.

Oh, right, Yusaku took a small communicator from the drawer that looked like an ordinary fountain pen, Keep this safe. Press the cap to talk. The channel is encrypted; only the three of us can receive it.

He took out a keychain with a brass key hanging on it, The key to the house next door, for the back door. Don't use the front door usually; it's more discreet to use the back door.

Yukiko suddenly hugged Conan Edogawa's neck, resting her chin on the top of his head: Shinichi, I'm so sorry... you're a high school student, yet you have to pretend to be a middle school student.

Conan Edogawa patted his mother's back and looked at the new identity file on the table, suddenly smiling: Mom, your disguise skills have improved. I almost didn't recognize Mrs. Ekoda in the photo.

Yukiko immediately glared at him: What do you mean improved? I was very good before, okay!

Yusaku looked at the mother and son bickering and felt a rare smile tug at the corner of his mouth, though his fingertips typed a line on the keyboard: Night Owls are in position. Codename Owl 1 is at the flower bed on the east side of the Kudo Family, Owl 2 is at the utility pole on the west side, and Owl 3 is on the rooftop opposite.

After sending it, he looked up at Conan Edogawa, his gaze becoming solemn, Remember, from tomorrow on, you are Ekoda Conan. Don't be too conspicuous at school, and don't show off using your deductive abilities. Go to class on time, leave school on time, and just be an ordinary middle school student.

Conan Edogawa nodded and tightened his grip on the communicator pen—the cold metallic touch made him feel inexplicably at ease.

The sky outside the window darkened, and the streetlights in the old district lit up one by one, casting warm yellow patches of light on the tatami mats through the paper sliding doors.

The direction of the Kudo Family next door was quiet. No one knew that three observers were hiding there, and even less did they know that a battle of identity and disguise was about to unfold silently in this seemingly peaceful residential area.

Conan Edogawa stroked the photo of his new identity. He suddenly remembered the cold muzzle of Gin's gun, the determination of Akai Shuichi when he leaped over the wall, and the dense plans in his father's notebook... He took a deep breath and shoved the keychain into the side pocket of his school bag.

Ekoda Conan? It didn't sound too bad.

At least this time, he was not fighting alone.