thefictionvixens Chapter 79 Empiricism is harmful!
Chapter 79 Empiricism is harmful!
Before Lin Xiuyi and Chris even reached the entrance of the KTV, Yumi, Tsujimoto Natsumi, and Kobayakawa Miyuki rushed out of the private room in a panic.
"Miwako! What's going on with the messages in the group?" Yumi was the first to rush over and tightly grabbed "Sato Miwako's" hand.
"It's Mr. Lin's daughter; she may have encountered criminals."
Chris immediately switched back to Miwako Sato's tone, speaking with a serious expression.
"She called for help just now, and we vaguely heard gunshots before the call was cut off."
"What?!"
The three female traffic police officers' expressions changed drastically. "Uncle, let's help look for them too!" Yumi hurriedly said, and immediately pulled Tsujimoto Natsumi and Kobayakawa Miyuki towards the parking lot.
They were going to drive patrol cars and conduct a search within their jurisdiction.
Here, Lin Xiuyi followed "Sato Miwako" into her red Mazda.
After starting the car, the two drove aimlessly through the streets.
Lin Xiuyi stared intently out the window, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Suddenly, a news report playing on a giant Google screen by the roadside caught his attention.
"Recently, a gang of robbers has been breaking into shopping malls at night after they close, stealing valuables. They have committed multiple thefts. Please be careful when going out at night..."
A memory flashed through Lin Xiuyi's mind.
In the original timeline, Conan and Ayumi had an experience of accidentally entering the closed Beika Department Store and unexpectedly encountering robbers!
"Let's go to Mihua Department Store!" Lin Xiuyi urged immediately. "Xiao Lan and the others might be there!"
The situation was urgent. Although Chris wondered how he could be so sure, she didn't ask any more questions. She immediately turned on the navigation and sped off towards the Mihana Department Store.
They ran red lights and overtook other vehicles along the way, showing no regard for traffic rules, and arrived at their destination in just over ten minutes.
Are you sure this is it?
Chris looked at the bustling scene at the mall entrance with a puzzled expression.
The mall was still open at the time, and customers were coming and going in a steady stream, showing no signs of robbery or kidnapping.
Damn it! They made a mistake!
Lin Xiuyi cursed inwardly, then instantly remembered the crucial details.
In the original timeline, the gang of robbers had already robbed several shopping malls before they met Conan and his friends. Beika Department Store was just one of them, and the robberies took place at night after the mall closed!
The mall is still open, so Xiaolan and the others are definitely not here.
"Go to other shopping malls! Search door-to-door!"
Lin Xiuyi's face was dark, and his tone carried an unquestionable command.
Chris knew he was anxious and didn't take his harsh tone to heart. Just as she was about to start the car, her phone suddenly rang.
She picked up the phone casually, and Chiba Kazunobu's honest voice came from the other end: "Officer Sato, someone on my end just spotted something unusual! Near the abandoned warehouse in Beika-cho 3-chome, there sound like a child crying and thugs shouting!"
The Shirai Department Store that Chiba mentioned was only a few minutes' drive from where Lin Xiuyi and his companion were.
The car sped through the quiet streets. Lin Xiuyi clenched her fists tightly, her mind replaying Xiaolan's cries for help on the phone and the piercing gunshot. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand.
When the two arrived at the shopping mall, Chiba was pacing anxiously at the entrance, his round face full of panic. When he saw the two get out of the car, he immediately rushed over to greet them.
"Officer Sato, Mr. Hayashi, I've already contacted the mall's management, but it's too late now. They said they're on their way and haven't arrived yet."
"Sato Miwako" strode to the closed doors of the shopping mall: "What's going on?"
"This Shirai Department Store has been undergoing electrical repairs recently due to aging wiring, so it's been open during the day and closed as soon as it gets dark these past two days."
As Chiba explained, he pointed to the floors of the shopping mall.
"But when I passed by here on my way home just now, I heard passersby say that there were strange noises coming from inside the building, and the light on the fourth floor turned on for a moment and then went out, which looked particularly eerie."
"Doesn't this shopping mall have security personnel on duty at night?" Lin Xiuyi looked up at the dark shopping mall, his gaze sweeping over every window.
"There should be two security guards on duty, but I called the duty phone several times and no one answered. I guess something happened."
Chiba scratched his head, his tone full of helplessness.
"I don't dare to barge in on my own, so I can only wait for you to come first."
"Then this must be it." Lin Xiuyi didn't ask any more questions and quickly scanned the exterior wall of the shopping mall.
In the darkness of night, the entire building resembled a silent behemoth, with most of its windows fitted with densely packed security grilles.
Only one inconspicuous small window on the side was bare and without any protective measures; judging from its location, it should be the ventilation window of the bathroom.
Without further hesitation, he strode to the window, stood on tiptoe, and pushed it open, only to find that it wasn't locked, but just slightly ajar.
Lin Xiuyi braced herself against the windowsill with both hands, leaped in, and nimbly flipped inside.
"Sato Miwako" followed closely behind, about to lift her leg to climb out the window, when Chiba hurriedly called her back.
"Officer Sato! Wait a minute! The Metropolitan Police Department hasn't issued a search warrant yet. If we barge in like this, it's a violation of law enforcement regulations. If they investigate, we'll be reported!"
"At a time like this, who cares about these things!"
"Sato Miwako" turned around and glared at Chiba, secretly thinking to herself:
Anyway, it was Sato Miwako who was complained about, what does it have to do with me, Chris?
She completely ignored Chiba's warning, bent down and climbed through the small window.
Chiba watched the two enter the shopping mall one after the other, sighed, and then wanted to follow them in to help.
But when he looked down at his own round figure and then at the narrow window, his face fell.
With his size, he simply couldn't squeeze in!
In the end, Chiba could only stand there anxiously stamping his feet, occasionally looking up at the floors of the shopping mall, praying that everyone inside would be safe and sound.
……
The interior of the shopping mall was pitch black, with only the faint moonlight filtering in through the windows outlining its general shape.
Chris caught up with Lin Xiuyi, who was walking quickly ahead. Just as she was about to speak, she heard him ask without turning his head, "By the way, did you bring a gun today?"
"Of course I brought it."
Chris smiled slightly, patted her waist, and spoke with a hint of teasing.
"Since she's playing Officer Sato, her equipment naturally needs to be complete, including a pistol and handcuffs."
"Be careful." Lin Xiuyi stopped in her tracks. "I saw a news report on the street earlier that mentioned this robbery gang that specifically targets department stores. They are armed and extremely ruthless. Don't be careless."