128: Chapter 128 The mantis stalks the cicada

On an afternoon in the Pacific, sunlight filtered through the mist, casting dappled shadows on the deck of the "sea serpent." The freighter sliced through the deep blue sea, leaving a white wake behind it; from a distance, it looked like a lonely giant whale cruising through the boundless ocean.

Kudo Yusaku stood by the ship's rail, the sea breeze lifting the hem of his trench coat to reveal the neatly pressed shirt underneath. He gazed at the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, his brow slightly furrowed as his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the encrypted USB drive in his pocket—it contained the preliminary analysis report of Conan Edogawa's blood samples, and it was his only bargaining chip for today's negotiations with those jackals.

Ever since the freighter entered international waters, that feeling of being watched hadn't disappeared, as if countless eyes were hidden in the clouds, staring fixedly at the ship.

"Yusaku, what's wrong?"

Kudo Yukiko's voice came from behind him, carrying an unconcealable worry.

She wore a beige knit cardigan, her long hair blown against her cheek by the wind, her eyes full of exhaustion yet still gentle. These past few days, seeing her husband's bloodshot eyes and increasingly haggard face, her heart ached so much she couldn't sleep all night, yet she could only force herself to stay calm, fearing she would add to his troubles.

Kudo Yusaku turned around, the gravity on his face instantly vanishing and being replaced by a warm smile: "It's nothing, Yukiko. Maybe I just stayed up too late organizing data last night and I'm a bit tired."

He reached out to help her tidy her wind-blown hair, his fingertips touching her slightly cool earlobe. "Why aren't you staying in the lounge? It's windy out here."

"I'm worried about you."

Kudo Yukiko looked at the bloodshot streaks in his eyes, her voice becoming choked with emotion. "You haven't slept properly for three days, Yusaku. Are we... are we really going to take such a risk? Those people are madmen; they'll do anything for Shinichi's secret..." As she spoke, tears slid down her cheeks.

Kudo Yusaku pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, feeling the trembling of the person in his embrace.

He knew she was afraid, and how could he not be? But he had no way back—Conan's antidote was still in development, the safe house had been exposed, and the FBI's protection network, while seemingly tight, had long since been infiltrated by various international intelligence organizations. Rather than hiding passively, it was better to take the initiative and use the chips in his hand to trade for a bit of breathing room.

"Trust me."

He gently patted her back, his voice steady and powerful. "I am Kudo Yusaku, I am your husband, and I am Shinichi's father. I won't let anything happen to you."

He paused and added, "What those people want is the 'rejuvenation' technology, not our lives. As long as they feel they can get what they want from us, they won't act rashly."

Yukiko nodded in his arms, yet she still tightly gripped the edge of his coat like she was clutching at a final lifeline.

She knew her husband's resourcefulness and the backup plans he had laid out, but the thought of those muzzles hidden in the shadows and those poison-filled gazes made her heart feel as if it were submerged in ice water.

Just then, two men in black suits suddenly rushed out from the control room at the end of the deck. They were the guards Akai Shuichi had assigned to Kudo Yusaku, belonging to the "Nightingale" squad responsible for protecting the "sea serpent."

Both were pale as they ran up to Kudo Yusaku, their voices urgent and almost distorted: "Mr. Kudo, it's bad! The radar shows at least thirteen speedboats approaching rapidly, less than ten nautical miles away!"

One of them pulled up a tablet, the radar map on the screen densely packed with red dots, like a pack of bloodthirsty sharks converging on the "sea serpent."

"We intercepted their encrypted communications. It's the Black Organization, and... and there are markings for the Italian 'Cross Society' and the Russian 'Black Night'! Their target is clear—they're coming for you and your wife!"

Kudo Yukiko's body jerked violently, and she instinctively gripped Kudo Yusaku's arm.

Kudo Yusaku, however, was exceptionally calm. He took the tablet, his fingers sliding across the screen as he carefully observed the speed and heading of the speedboats. A knowing curve even appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"They've arrived half an hour earlier than I anticipated."

"You... you knew already?" The guard looked shocked.

"From the moment we decided to take the samples out to sea, we should have expected this day would come."

Kudo Yusaku handed the tablet back to the guard, his tone as calm as if he were analyzing a case. "Notify the captain to change course immediately and head full speed toward the predetermined negotiation coordinates. Also, have the 'Nightingale' squad on high alert, deploy heavy firepower on both sides of the deck, and tell them not to fire unless absolutely necessary."

"But..."

The guard wanted to say more but was interrupted by Kudo Yusaku's sharp gaze.

"No buts."

Kudo Yusaku's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority. "What they want is me alive and the complete samples. As long as we have what they want, they won't dare to go to extremes. Go carry out the orders."

The guards exchanged a look and quickly turned to run back to the control room. Rapid footsteps soon echoed on the deck as members of the "Nightingale" squad quickly took their positions. Some guarded the rails with light machine guns, while others deployed flashbangs and smoke grenades on the deck. The once-peaceful freighter instantly transformed into a heavily guarded fortress.

Kudo Yukiko looked at her husband's steady profile and finally couldn't help asking, "Yusaku, you planned this all along? To negotiate with them?"

"Yes."

Kudo Yusaku nodded, leading her to the shade of an awning in the center of the deck, where the view was open but they could avoid potential stray bullets. "I posted a message on the dark web saying I would 'auction' the preliminary data of the samples in international waters. These people are greedy and suspicious; they wouldn't miss this chance. Rather than being chased and attacked by them, it's better to lure them to a place of my choosing and gain some initiative."

He pulled a small metal box from his trench coat pocket. When opened, it revealed a syringe and a small vial of transparent liquid.

"This is the 'bait' given by Dr. Agasa. It only contains trace components of Conan's blood mixed with some ordinary saline; it looks exactly like the real sample. The true samples and data are hidden in a place they will absolutely never find."

Yukiko looked at the syringe, a flash of realization in her eyes. "You want to... use a fake sample to buy time?"

"More than that."

Kudo Yusaku put the box away. "I want them to be suspicious of each other. The Black Organization wants it all for themselves, and the 'Cross Society' and 'Black Night' aren't exactly pushovers either. Once I release word that there's only one copy of the sample, they'll start fighting among themselves. When they've both suffered losses, we'll take the opportunity to escape."

Just as he finished speaking, small black dots appeared on the distant sea. The sound of speedboat engines rolled over like muffled thunder, becoming clearer and clearer.

Through binoculars, one could see different flags flying on those speedboats—the black flag of the Black Organization, the blood-red cross of the "Cross Society," the black bear emblem of "Black Night," and even several speedboats with no markings at all, clearly lone wolves hoping to profit from the chaos.

"They're here."

Kudo Yusaku took a deep breath, straightened his collar, and said to Yukiko,

"Go into the cabin. There are people from the 'Nightingale' squad there to protect you. Don't come out no matter what you hear."

"I won't!"

Yukiko gripped his hand tightly, her eyes determined. "If we leave, we leave together; if we stay, we stay together. We are husband and wife; I can't let you face this alone."

Kudo Yusaku looked at her stubborn gaze, his heart warming. He reached out to wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks. "Alright, we face it together."

The thirteen speedboats quickly surrounded the "sea serpent," stopping less than a hundred meters from the freighter to form a tight perimeter. People on the speedboats raised their guns, the dark muzzles pointed at the deck. The atmosphere was as tense as a string about to snap.

A man wearing a black trench coat and a fedora stood on the lead speedboat. He used a megaphone to speak, his voice processed and raspy like sandpaper rubbing together:

"Kudo Yusaku, we know you're on the ship. Hand over the samples, and we'll give you and your wife a way out. Otherwise, this 'sea serpent' will be your grave!"

It was Gin! Kudo Yusaku's eyes sharpened. He hadn't expected the Black Organization to have him lead the team personally; it seemed they were determined to get the samples.

"Gin, I hope you've been well."

Kudo Yusaku picked up a megaphone on the deck, his voice carrying calmly over the sea. "The samples can be given to you, but I have conditions."

"You're in no position to negotiate!" Gin's voice carried a cold sneer. "Either hand them over, or we'll come up and take them."

"Take them?"

Kudo Yusaku smiled. "You can try. You should be well aware of the 'Nightingale' squad's combat capability. Even if you manage to seize them, I guarantee that all you'll take back is a pile of useless fragments."

He paused and deliberately raised his voice so all the surrounding speedboats could hear. "Besides, you aren't the only ones here, are you? Friends from the 'Cross Society,' brothers from 'Black Night,' are you willing to let the Black Organization keep all the benefits for themselves?"

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, an irritable voice came from a "Cross Society" speedboat: "Kudo Yusaku is right! The samples belong to everyone. Why should the Black Organization be allowed to take them?"

"Exactly! Whoever has the skill gets them!" People from "Black Night" chimed in as well.

Gin's expression instantly turned ugly. He hadn't expected Kudo Yusaku to dare to sow discord so openly.

Kudo Yusaku seized the opportunity and continued, "I know you all want the samples. How about this: I'll divide the preliminary data into three parts, and each of you can send one person on board to collect it. A fair distribution."

As for the complete sample, once I confirm that my wife and I have safely arrived in the United States, I will naturally tell you the storage location."

This proposal was like a pebble thrown into a deep fryer, immediately causing a commotion.

The people on the speedboats began to look at each other, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

Gin stared fixedly at Kudo Yusaku on the deck, his eyes so dark they could drip ink—he knew this was Kudo's stalling tactic, but he had to admit that the proposal had struck everyone's greed and suspicion.

"Fine, I agree." Finally, the representative of the "Cross Society" shouted first. "I'm sending three people up!"

"We're sending three people too!" the "Black Night" people immediately followed.

Gin grit his teeth and said into the megaphone, "Fine, but I must send someone first to check the authenticity of the sample!"

Kudo Yusaku nodded. "Fine. But everyone must be unarmed and board the ship alone, otherwise there's no deal."

A few minutes later, the three organizations each sent three unarmed representatives who boarded the "sea serpent" by small boat.

After being searched by the "Nightingale" squad, they were brought before Kudo Yusaku, their eyes warily scanning the surroundings like a pack of wolves ready to pounce.

Kudo Yusaku took out the metal box and opened it in front of the three, revealing the syringe inside. "This is the sample. The preliminary data is on this USB drive. Now, you can verify it."

A man wearing glasses stepped forward, carefully picked up the syringe, and checked it for a moment with a portable detector. He nodded to the people behind him: "It's real. It has Kudo Shinichi's DNA markers."

The representatives of the three organizations immediately became excited, all reaching out to grab it.

"Hold on!"

Kudo Yusaku closed the box. "According to our agreement, confirm our safety first. Tell your people to retreat five nautical miles. Once our ship enters U.S. territorial waters, I will naturally give you the data."

Just then, a roar suddenly came from the distance, and the dark shadows of several helicopters appeared in the clouds, moving with incredible speed.

The expressions of the representatives on the deck changed drastically, and they all looked toward their own speedboats.

Kudo Yusaku looked up, his heart sinking—those helicopters had no markings; they belonged neither to the FBI nor to any of the organizations present.

A new variable had appeared.