Gao Yuan felt something strange from the beginning. Kudou Shinichi had vowed yesterday that he was not interested in the study trip, but today he came to participate in the study trip.

And listening to Mao Lilan's simple description of the incident, Gao Yuan felt that Kudo Shinichi's behavior on the ship today was also a little strange.

Therefore, Gao Yuan had a guess, so he tested Kudo Shinichi just now. When Kudo Shinichi confirmed that Suzuki Sonoko was fine, Gao Yuan knew that his guess was right - Suzuki Sonoko would be on the ship today.

Being kidnapped, Kudo Shinichi had expected it!

"What's the meaning?"

Mao Lilan didn't quite understand the meaning of Gao Yuan's words, but looking at Kudo Shinichi's performance at this time, she also knew that he seemed to know something, so he shouted as if to ask.

"Shinichi!"

Hearing Xiaolan's questioning, Kudo slowly chased after him, looking a little remorseful. He looked at Xiaolan embarrassedly, and then glanced at Gao Yuan beside him.

"Let me tell you frankly. Someone sent me a challenge letter. The sender called himself Kidnapper. He said he would kidnap a certain classmate on the boat on a school trip. Then, just now, this guy called

I picked up the phone and issued a second criminal statement, saying that another person would be kidnapped at noon tomorrow. While making that call, I heard Sonoko’s voice confirming that she was okay.”

Speaking of this, Xiaolan felt a little sad, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Xiaolan..."

Seeing Xiaolan with such an expression, Kudo couldn't bear it.

"Why……"

With a crying voice, Xiaolan stared at Kudo, a little hysterical, "Why didn't you call the police when you received the challenge? This case is not a game!"

With that said, Xiaolan grabbed Kudo's sleeve and asked: "Putting people around you in danger is not what a detective should do!"

Hearing this, Kudo looked away.

"I didn't think of it as a game."

As he spoke, he said with firm eyes: "This is a contest between me and that guy!"

"Contest?"

Hearing this, Xiaolan couldn't understand and shook her head tremblingly, "What's the point of competing with such a despicable person!"

"meaningful!"

Kudo said, "It is precisely because the prisoner is a despicable person. If I evade this challenge this time, the prisoner may do something even more despicable to provoke me next time. The challenge book states that if I do not comply with the one-on-one duel

If asked, he will do whatever he wants."

Hearing this, Xiaolan seemed to understand Kudo's thoughts.

"besides……"

Just looking at Xiaolan like this, Kudo never said anything.

"what else……"

Xiaolan asked softly.

"No, it's nothing."

Looking at Xiaolan's expression, Kudo's eyes began to dodge a little.

"uh-huh."

At this moment, Gao Yuan coughed slightly, breaking the gaze between the two of them - have they forgotten that I am still here?

Hearing Gao Yuan's voice, Xiaolan and Kudo seemed to remember that there was someone here.

"Sorry, Mr. Akechi. Because of the prisoner's request, this is a one-on-one showdown between me and him, so..."

"So what? You just said that the prisoner called you? What number did the other party use? And what specifically did he tell you? When you heard Yuanzi's voice, what did Yuanzi say?"

Gao Yuan asked several questions in succession, interrupting Kudo Shinichi's words.

In response to this, Kudo Shinichi thought for a moment and began to answer.

"The other party used an encrypted number. When I asked about Yuanzi's situation, I heard a knock on the door, and then I heard Yuanzi shouting: Let me out quickly, you bastard."

"knocking?"

Gao Yuan asked.

Hearing this, Kudo Shinichi began to recall - "It was like a sound of knocking on an iron door... It seemed like there was an echo... Damn it, I can't remember more!"

At this point, Kudo Shinichi seemed to realize Gao Yuan's purpose in asking this question, but at that time, his attention was all on the kidnapper, and he actually ignored the more important information in the phone call!

"Then what did the kidnapper say? Do you still remember what he said?"

Takato knew that Kudo Shinichi would not be able to recall this information for a while, so he asked the next question.

"He said: This is really an easy game. It's so boring to still be like this after giving you such an obvious reminder. So, I will kidnap another person tomorrow. Don't be too nervous. I will give you one this time.

A more obvious reminder, tomorrow’s kidnapping will be at 12 o’clock at noon, exactly every second.”

Kudo Shinichi repeated the kidnapper's words, and then said seriously:

"In short, no matter what, we must prevent that guy from committing another crime. And we must catch that guy! Xiaolan, Mr. Mingzhi, please believe me!"

"I trust you."

Xiaolan couldn't help but said when she saw Kudo Shinichi being so serious.

"But on the other hand, please stop hiding it from everyone!"

Looking at Xiaolan's pleading words, Kudo Shinichi nodded silently, and then looked at Gao Yuan.

"Mr. Akechi, do you have anything else to ask?"

"Since you knew someone would be kidnapped today, you must have been observing carefully the whole time on the boat. So can you tell me? From your perspective, what was the complete story of the kidnapping of Suzuki-san?

"

Gao Yuan asked.

Kudo Shinichi could not deny this.

"Today, when the tour boat was sailing on Lake Ashi, in addition to the classmates of our class, there were only four outsiders on board who were not very familiar to us: they had recently come to our class as substitute teachers, and they were also the leaders of this school trip.

Team teacher Mr. Kitajima Shingo, tour guide Ms. Nishida Mai, crew member Mr. Minami Kyousuke, and captain Mr. Tokunio."

After Kudo Shinichi briefly explained the candidate he suspected, he began to talk about the entire incident today:

During the day, Lake Ashi, on the tour boat——

After the captain Tokunio briefly introduced the plan for emergency situations on the ship, Kudo Shinichi and other students who came to participate in the school trip began to move around freely on the ship.

Suzuki Sonoko seemed to be very fond of the appearance of the crew member Minamida Kyousuke, so she began to express her kindness to him frequently, but Minamida Kyosuke always rejected her on the grounds that she had a job.

The sailing route, introduced by the tour guide Mai Nishida, is that the boat will go around the lake and it will take about an hour.

"In other words, the next hour will be a secret room on the water! Come over here, I will definitely protect them!"

After understanding this basic information, Kudo Shinichi, standing on the highest deck, thought so.

But at this time, the crew member Nantian Kyousuke suddenly came to Kudo Shinichi and asked tentatively: "Are you the high school detective, Kudo Shinichi?"

"yes."

Kudo Shinichi responded.

"I'm your fan! It's an honor to meet you!"

Hearing this answer, Nantian Kyousuke was a little excited. He wiped his right hand on his clothes and stretched out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Kudo Shinichi.

Kudo Shinichi looked at the crew member who suddenly came to chat with him carefully, but seeing his smile that didn't seem to be fake, he still stretched out his hand to shake his hand.

But because he still had a job as a crew member, Minamida Kyousuke shook hands and walked to the cabin. At this time, Suzuki Sonoko immediately followed him enthusiastically and began to ask if he had a girlfriend, but Minamida Kyousuke dismissed him as a workman.

He avoided Suzuki Sonoko for some reason, but Kudo Shinichi saw that Suzuki Sonoko followed Minamada Kyousuke and entered the cabin.

After that, Kudo Shinichi began to inspect various parts of the ship and found that it was impossible to sneak in quietly from the outside while the ship was sailing on the lake. In other words, the kidnappers should have been there early.

It's on board!

With this idea in mind, Kudo Shinichi began to observe the four outsiders whom he was not familiar with.

Captain Higashi Kunio has been controlling the helm in the control room. Substitute teacher Kitajima Shingo and tour guide Nishida Mai have been discussing more details of the school trip on the bow deck. Only crew member Minamida Kyousuke has been being chased by Suzuki Sonoko.

Run.

Everything was normal. Under Kudo Shinichi's observation, he found nothing strange or anyone behaving strangely on the ship.

But an accident happened at this moment——

"ah!"

Suzuki Sonoko's voice came from the aisle on the right side of the ship. Kudo Shinichi heard the sound and rushed over immediately. What he saw was that he was feeling uncomfortable due to seasickness, leaning against the ship's rail and wanting to vomit.

Suzuki Sonoko.

“So it’s just seasickness?”

Walking to Suzuki Sonoko, Kudo Shinichi breathed a sigh of relief. However, Suzuki Sonoko's shout just now attracted the attention of other members on the ship. Kitajima Shingo, Nishida Mai and Minami Kyousuke all heard the sound and ran over.

"Suzuki-kun, are you okay?"
To be continued...