98: Chapter 98 Conan's Production Strategy, Yusaku Kudo's Wrath

The night fell like a heavy black velvet, enveloping the Kudo Residence in Beika Town.

This European-style villa, usually so quiet that one could hear the crackle of firewood in the fireplace, was now filled with an oppressive anger, making the air feel as if it had solidified.

Conan stood in the center of the living room, still clutching that miniature receiver, the color completely drained from his face.

He had just returned from the bushes outside the Suzuki Manor, and the conversation from the bug was still echoing in his head—Suzuki Shiro's ambition, Suzuki Tomoko's calculations, and Lin Long's seemingly gentle yet sharp tone.

He had thought his father would be as wary as he was regarding the Suzuki Family's Prime Minister Plan and Lin Long's mysterious background, but he never expected to be met with an unprecedented fury.

“Kudo Shinichi!”

Kudo Yusaku's voice exploded like a thunderclap as he abruptly stood up from the sofa. His usually gentle, smiling face was now terrifyingly distorted, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

In his life, he had written countless mystery thrillers and witnessed the darkness of human nature, but he had never been as angry as he was now—angry at his son's recklessness, and even angrier at his almost uncontrollable 'sense of justice'.

“How many times have I told you?! Do not meddle in other people's business!”

Kudo Yusaku's voice was hoarse with agitation. He pointed at Conan, his finger trembling.

“What is your primary task right now? It's to return to your original form! It's to deal with that Black Organization! It's not to investigate some Prime Minister election, and certainly not to provoke Lin Long!”

Conan shrank back at his father's roar, and the receiver in his hand fell to the floor with a 'clatter'. In all his years, he had never seen his father so enraged.

To him, Kudo Yusaku had always been a symbol of calm, wisdom, and omnipotence, like a mountain that would never crumble. But now, that mountain had collapsed.

“Yusaku...”

Yukiko Kudo hurried forward, trying to grab her husband's arm, but he violently brushed her off.

Kudo Yusaku's gaze was fixed on Conan, as if trying to see right through him:

“Lin Long! How many times have I told you! That man Lin Long is not to be trifled with! Do you have any idea how complex his background is? Forget our Kudo Family, even the Suzuki Family, or even the Japanese Government, wouldn't stand a chance against him! You just had to go and poke this hornet's nest—are you tired of living?!”

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He turned to the coffee table and picked up the freshly brewed cup of hot tea to drink, but the scalding water made him reflexively let go—

“Smash!”

The exquisite bone china teacup shattered on the floor, the scalding tea splashing everywhere, even staining the expensive Persian Rug with dark marks.

That sharp sound was like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's hearts in the living room.

Yukiko Kudo was stunned. Having known Yusaku for so many years, she knew how much he cherished his belongings, especially that Bone China Tea Set she had personally picked out.

The fact that he had broken it with his own hands showed he was angry to the extreme.

Conan was even more terrified, not daring to make a sound, his small hands clutching the hem of his clothes so tightly his nails almost dug into his flesh.

He knew he was wrong, but he didn't understand why his father was so wary of Lin Long, to the point of saying he was 'not to be trifled with'.

“You even dared to plant a bug on Suzuki Sonoko?!”

Kudo Yusaku's voice rose again, carrying a near-desperate interrogation. “She is your friend! A friend you grew up with! Is this how you treat a friend?!”

“I... I was just worried about her...”

Conan defended himself in a small voice, thin as a mosquito's buzz. He truly was worried that Sonoko would get caught up in danger, worried that Lin Long had ulterior motives for approaching her, but hearing his father say it now, his motives seemed to turn filthy.

“Worried?”

Kudo Yusaku let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with disappointment. “Worried enough to violate her privacy? Worried enough to hide a bug in her bag? Shinichi, tell me, is your justice built upon trampling the trust of your friends?”

Conan was left speechless, his cheeks flushing bright red and tears welling in his eyes.

He had always felt he was doing the right thing, 'protecting' Sonoko, but now he realized how excessive his behavior was. If Sonoko found out, she would surely be heartbroken, wouldn't she? Could they still complain about Uncle Mouri and chase after Kaitou Kid together like before?

“Yusaku, that's enough...”

Yukiko Kudo finally gathered her courage and grabbed her husband's arm, her voice trembling slightly.

“You're scaring Shinichi, and you're scaring me too...”

She rarely saw Yusaku lose control like this. In her memory, the only time he had shown similar despair was when they first learned Shinichi had been attacked by the Black Organization and turned into Conan.

She knew that hidden within Yusaku's anger were many worries—worry for his son's safety, worry that the peace they had worked so hard to maintain would be shattered, and even more worry that the unfathomable Lin Long would become the final straw that broke them.

Kudo Yusaku's body stiffened. Seeing the fear in his wife's eyes and Conan's near-tears expression, his taut nerves finally loosened a fraction.

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently as he struggled to calm his surging emotions.

“Forgive me...” he said softly, his voice tired and hoarse. “Yukiko, I lost my composure.”

“It's okay, I know you're just worried about Shinichi.”

Yukiko Kudo quickly took out a tissue and carefully wiped the tea splashes from the back of his hand, her fingertips gently brushing over his tense muscles. “Sit down first, the floor is cold.”

Supported by his wife, Kudo Yusaku slowly sat on the sofa.

He closed his eyes and buried his hands in his hair, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. The living room was deathly silent, save for the ticking of the antique clock on the wall, which seemed to beat against everyone's hearts.

After a long while, he opened his eyes again, his gaze falling on Conan. His tone was finally calmer, but still carried an unquestionable seriousness:

“Shinichi, listen to me. I'm not telling you not to pursue justice, nor am I telling you to turn a blind eye when a friend is in danger. But you must understand what should and should not be done.”

He paused, his voice low and heavy:

“Do you realize how dangerous our current situation is? The Black Organization has been looking for us. To protect you, your mother and I have had to disguise our identities and even... do things we didn't want to do.

We are like people walking on a tightrope; the slightest disturbance could send us plunging to our deaths.”

Conan's heart gave a violent jerk. He knew his parents had sacrificed a lot for him, but he had never considered the specifics. Looking at the bloodshot veins in his father's eyes and his mother's quietly reddening eyes, he suddenly felt incredibly selfish.

“The matter of Lin Long and the Suzuki Family has nothing to do with us,”

Kudo Yusaku continued.

“If they want to run for Prime Minister, let them; if they want an arranged marriage, let them. This is their choice, and they should bear the consequences themselves. If we involve ourselves, we'll gain nothing but trouble.”

“But... Lin Long...”

Conan was still unwilling to give up. He felt that Lin Long was not simple, and if left alone, something big would happen sooner or later.

“No buts!”

Kudo Yusaku cut him off, his tone decisive. “Lin Long's background is far more complex than you imagine. I can only tell you that he is not someone we can contend with.

Our only goal right now is to find the core secrets of the Black Organization, help you change back, and then leave this place of trouble entirely. You are not permitted to meddle in anything else!”

Conan lowered his head, looking at the shards of the teacup on the floor, his heart a whirlwind of emotions.

He knew his father was right, but that urge to 'find out the truth' was growing like wildfire in his heart.

“And about the bug,”

Kudo Yusaku's tone softened slightly, but carried a deeper worry.

“Find a way to get it back tomorrow and apologize to Suzuki Sonoko. Whether she forgives you or not, this is something you must do.”

He looked at Conan, his eyes full of complex emotions:

“Shinichi, you must remember that justice has boundaries. If you cross those boundaries, justice becomes a weapon that hurts others. Your current behavior is already skirting the edges of law and morality.”

“If the Suzuki Family found out you bugged their secrets, do you think they would let you off just because you're Sonoko's friend?”

Kudo Yusaku's voice held a trace of chill. “They are a Zaibatsu, people who won't hesitate to sacrifice anything for their interests. To keep the secrets of the Prime Minister election, they wouldn't just move against a child like you—they would dare to act against our entire Kudo Family.”

Conan shuddered. He had never considered the consequences could be so severe.

He had always seen the Suzuki Family as 'friends', but forgot that they were first and foremost a 'Zaibatsu'—in the face of family interests, friendship might truly be worth nothing.

“I... I understand...”

Conan finally looked up, the stubbornness in his eyes gone, replaced by guilt and fear.

“Dad, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn't have meddled, I shouldn't have planted the bug... I'll go apologize to Sonoko tomorrow.”

Seeing his son finally admit his mistake, Kudo Yusaku's expression softened slightly.

He sighed and reached out, gently patting Conan's head. “Remember this lesson, Shinichi. Sometimes, knowing when to retreat and let go is more important than blindly rushing forward.”

“Mhm.”

Conan nodded vigorously, his tears finally falling uncontrollably.

Yukiko Kudo quickly pulled him into her embrace, gently patting his back.

“There, there, as long as you know you were wrong, don't do it again. Your father was just too worried about you.”

Buried in his mother's arms, listening to her gentle heartbeat, Conan felt both guilty and warm.

He knew that his father's fury and his mother's worry all stemmed from their love for him.

The atmosphere in the living room finally eased. Kudo Yusaku cleared the shards from the floor and brewed a fresh pot of tea.

The aroma of tea rose, dispelling the scent of gunpowder in the air, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness in everyone's hearts.

Conan held the warm teacup, looking at the deep night outside, silently swearing to himself: he would never meddle again. He had to focus on dealing with the Black Organization and change back soon so his parents wouldn't have to worry about him anymore.

But what he didn't know was that some things, once started, could never be stopped.

His suspicion of Lin Long and his thirst for the truth had already taken root in his heart.

Meanwhile, Lin Long was sitting at the dining table in the Suzuki Manor, elegantly cutting a steak, as if he could sense that probing gaze from afar.

A faint smile played on his lips as he picked up his red wine glass and took a light sip, toast to the night outside the window.