25: Chapter 25 A Change of Mindset

Evening in Tokyo, the city lights began to twinkle.

On the terrace of the Lin Family Manor, the evening breeze, carrying the lingering warmth of late summer, brushed against the roses entwined around the railing.

Lin Long sat alone in a rattan chair, holding a glass of Burgundy red wine in his hand; the crimson liquid swirled gently in the crystal glass, reflecting the moon that was gradually becoming full in the sky.

Water droplets on the side of the glass slid down, dripping onto the pristine marble floor, creating a small dark stain that looked exactly like the bloodstains he had seen over the past six months.

It had been almost half a year since he arrived in this world.

Lin Long gently swirled his wine glass, his gaze cast toward the brilliant lights of the Tokyo Tower in the distance.

Half a year ago, he was just an ordinary person struggling to make a living in the city, squeezing into the subway during morning and evening rush hours every day, staying up late for project proposals, and never imagining that he would transmigrate into the world of "Detective Conan," let alone that he would personally control the lives and deaths of so many people.

The piano curse on Tsukikage Island, the rainy night raid on the White Dove Pharmaceutical Factory, the bandaged man in the mountain villa... In the past six months, he had seen more murder cases than all the suspense movies he had watched in his previous life combined.

Behind those seemingly bizarre methods, there was nothing more than greed, hatred, and desire.

He had also attended several so-called "high society" banquets.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, those Zaibatsu bigwigs dressed in high-end custom suits greeted each other with smiles, only to turn around and plot behind each other's backs on how to annex competitors' companies, how to use money to settle cases for their law-breaking offspring, and how to trample on the dignity of the people at the bottom of society.

At a banquet hosted by the Suzuki Conglomerate, he witnessed with his own eyes a congressman's son harassing a waiter in public, simply because the person had accidentally spilled a drop of red wine on his suit.

And that congressman just dismissively said, "The child doesn't know any better," and took out a check to settle the matter, as if what had been insulted was not a living person, but an insignificant object.

"Heh..."

Lin Long let out a low laugh, the sound filled with a touch of mockery and a touch of relief.

When he first came to this world, he wasn't like this.

The first time he had the Shadow Guards eliminate peripheral members of the Black Organization, he couldn't sleep for nights on end, always feeling that his hands were stained with blood, repeatedly asking himself, "Is doing this wrong?"

Seeing Conan rushing about to find the truth, he would even feel a trace of hesitation—perhaps he should follow the rules of this world and solve problems in a "just" way.

He was afraid that his actions would lead to uncontrollable consequences, afraid that the existence of the Shadow Guards would be exposed, and afraid of being sanctioned by the "law" of this world.

He was like a cautious thief, having to repeatedly check if his footprints would be discovered with every step he took; this hesitant mindset made him live a constricted life.

But what he had seen over the past six months was like a hammer, slowly shattering the "moral values" instilled in him in his previous life.

Social morality? Legal standards? A life for a life?

These things, to those standing at the top of the pyramid, were nothing more than shackles used to constrain the lower classes.

He recalled the Zaibatsu heir who had hired a hitman to kill his own brother for an inheritance, only to be sentenced to three years of probation.

He recalled the corporate executives who used inferior raw materials to make drugs, causing hundreds of deaths, only to change their names and continue being leaders at other companies.

He recalled the Black Organization acting recklessly in Tokyo's underground market, yet repeatedly evading police pursuit; how could they do that without the protection of Zaibatsu and politicians behind them?

They made the rules, but never followed them.

And the people at the bottom could only live cautiously within the circles drawn for them, and the slightest overstep would mean complete destruction.

"What kind of bullshit morality, what kind of bullshit law..."

Lin Long cursed in a low voice, suddenly threw his head back, and drained the remaining red wine in his glass.

The spicy liquid slid down his throat, carrying a burning warmth, as if it had ignited the suppressed frustration he had held for so long.

"Bang!"

He slammed the empty wine glass onto the stone table, the crystal glass colliding with the marble to produce a crisp, muffled sound that startled the night birds resting in the corner of the terrace.

"That's right..."

Lin Long murmured to himself, his eyes becoming unusually bright in the moonlight,

"I should be the rule-maker, not the rule-follower."

He began to reflect on his actions over the past six months.

Why fear the Black Organization?

They were just a bunch of ordinary people holding guns. No matter how ruthless Gin was,

or how loyal Vodka was,

they were still just flesh and blood; a single bullet could kill them, an explosion could destroy them.

And what about his own Shadow Guards?

Lin Long recalled in the White Dove Pharmaceutical Factory, how the Shadow Guards ignored bullet attacks and sliced through the peripheral members like tofu.

He recalled in the mountain villa, how the Shadow Guards silently beheaded Takahashi Ryoichi in the dark, without even Conan discovering any traces.

The soldiers of the Shadow Trooper Corps possessed near-immortal abilities, could travel through shadows, ignore physical attacks, and execute any complex mission.

Such power was enough to crush the vast majority of existences in this world.

Except for a few "monsters"—

for example, that Conan who would never grow up, as well as Makoto Kyogoku who was hailed as the human limit, and the so-called magician Koizumi Akako.

Perhaps there were other forces hidden in the shadows—but what could these people do to him?

No matter how smart Conan was, he was just an elementary school student; no matter how strong his deductive ability was, he could not resist the absolute power of the Shadow Guards.

No matter how much of a human limit Makoto Kyogoku was, he was still flesh and blood; a single bullet could send him to ashes.

And there was Koizumi Akako; that so-called magic did have some tricks, but so what?

Weren't the Shadow Guards he summoned also a form of so-called magic? Maybe one Shadow Guard couldn't beat Koizumi Akako, but what about 100? 1000?

He could just overwhelm her with numbers.

As for those Zaibatsu, their power and wealth were built on money and connections, but when the Shadow Guards could make their family members disappear overnight and cause their business empires to collapse in an instant, what was left of their power? They were nothing but paper tigers.

"Why do I have to live so stiflingly?"

Lin Long stood up, walked to the edge of the terrace, spread his arms, and felt the freedom of the evening breeze passing through his body.

He possessed the power that others dreamed of, yet because of the fixed mindset from his previous life, he lived like a prisoner.

Worrying about this, fearing that, not even daring to strive for what he wanted.

Miyano Akemi was gentle and kind, sincere towards him, yet he had deliberately kept his distance because of their "different status."

Mouri Ran was pure and wonderful, having made him feel the warmth of this world many times, yet he had hesitated because of "Conan's existence."

Even Suzuki Sonoko's straightforward affection, he had just laughed off.

Why couldn't he strive for it?

The strong in this world never let their desires be constrained by "morality" and "rules."

For the sake of the organization's interests, Gin could kill his companions without hesitation.

For the sake of expanding their influence, Zaibatsu could sacrifice the interests of countless people.

Even that seemingly righteous Mouri Kogoro, didn't he almost ruin his police career when he was young because of impulse?

"Freedom..."

Lin Long whispered the word, his eyes flashing with unprecedented light,

"What I want is absolute freedom."

Whoever I want to protect, I will protect;

whoever I want to have, I will have;

whoever I want to destroy, I will destroy.

He needed to develop his power as quickly as possible, making Lins Office an existence that could not be ignored in Tokyo, or even all of Japan.

He wanted to keep the girls who had feelings for him by his side—Miyano Akemi, Mouri Ran, and even that willful yet cute Suzuki Sonoko; as long as he liked them, why not?

He wanted to make the Black Organization pay the price, not just for the sake of the Miyano sisters, but also to clear the obstacles on his path forward.

He wanted to let those high-and-mighty Zaibatsu know who the true ruler of this world was.

Simply put, it was—whatever I want to do, I will do.

No guilt, no hesitation, no shackles.

Lin Long looked down at his own hands.

These hands had once trembled because of his first kill, and had once hesitated because of worrying about the consequences.

But now, they were full of strength and full of determination.

He was no longer that ordinary person from a peaceful world; he was Lin Long, the King of the Shadow Trooper Corps, and the new rule-maker of this world.

"Shadow Guards," Lin Long called out in a low voice.

Two shadows emerged silently from the shadows of the terrace, kneeling on one knee, their red eyes watching him loyally.

"Pass down the order,"

Lin Long's voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable majesty,

"From today on, expand the scope of the investigation into the Black Organization. Not only must you investigate their strongholds, but also the Zaibatsu supporters behind them; do not let a single one go."

"Yes!"

"Also,"

Lin Long's gaze swept across the night view of Tokyo, a wanton smile curling at the corner of his mouth,

"Help me check which Zaibatsu are holding banquets recently and get me an invitation."

He wanted to go and see for himself how that so-called "high society" hid their hypocritical faces while plotting against each other.

The Shadow Guards accepted the order and merged back into the shadows.

Only Lin Long was left on the terrace, accompanied by the moon.

He picked up the empty wine glass on the table, raised it toward the moon, as if toasting to his past.

"Goodbye, the past Lin Long."

From now on, this world would be ruled by him.

And this was just the beginning.