SCIAW: Chapter 167/168

Chapter 167: Zero Frame Start

Damn brat!

The plan had been going so smoothly today.

But then, an unexpected variable appeared.

The incompetent fools who were supposed to assist her couldn't even handle four kids. What an absolute disgrace to the adults involved.

But what could she do now?

The entire operation had fallen apart. If she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to escape once the police arrived.

Since those useless idiots had been caught by four mere children, she might as well push all the blame onto them and make her escape.

"Hey, big sis, planning to run away all by yourself?"

At the corner of the alley, a cocky-looking kid walked out slowly.

His arrogant expression made her, the leader of the robbery gang, feel incredibly annoyed.

It seemed the police had already been alerted.

But how?

She had personally cut off and disabled the supermarket's security system, there was no way a distress signal could have been sent.

Yet, the reality before her eyes told her that things had spiraled out of control.

A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes.

This little brat in front of her…

He had potential.

With that thought, she swiftly pulled out a gun from her bag and fired, without even aiming.

The moment he saw the gun, Edogawa Conan's pupils shrank. He immediately dove behind the corner of the wall.

Bang!

A hole was blown straight through the concrete.

"…"

Conan swallowed hard.

He had encountered many criminals before, but rarely had he faced one who opened fire immediately.

She wasn't hesitating—she wasn't even trying to intimidate.

She had fired straight for the kill.

And worse, she had aimed at his vitals.

Even when facing a child, she didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

If his instincts hadn't kicked in and he hadn't moved the moment he sensed danger, that shot could have ended him.

Damn it!

At this moment, Conan wanted to slap himself.

He should have planned an escape route before approaching the suspect.

Why did he walk right up to her after confirming she was part of the robbery gang?

But who the hell shoots a kid on sight?!

He had only intended to buy some time.

In fact, after he sent the distress signal earlier, he had noticed two people passing by downstairs.

More importantly, he had seen one of them make a very obvious phone call.

Especially when that person dragged his companion away after the call, their actions made it clear that they had noticed something inside the supermarket and had contacted the police.

With that confirmation, Conan had chosen to stall the remaining suspect.

And now.

Beep—Woo—Beep—Woo—

Suddenly, the sharp wail of police sirens filled the air, surrounding the supermarket.

Conan let out a sigh of relief.

Looks like my guess was correct.

Someone saw the distress signal.

Someone called the police.

But before he could celebrate.

Footsteps.

Fast. Approaching him.

Conan's heart clenched.

Oh, no! She's coming for me!

No more hesitation—he bolted.

Stopping was not an option.

Because if he stopped now…

The consequences weren't something he could afford.

Bang!

Another gunshot.

A fresh bullet hole appeared in the wall right next to him.

At that moment, Conan felt as if he was playing a dangerous game with Death itself, where a single mistake would cost him his life.

And the leader of the robbers wasn't going to let him escape.

She could already hear the police swarming the area, but that only made her more determined.

If the police caught her, she was finished.

If she was going down, she might as well take this brat with her.

Conan clenched his teeth.

Damn it, why did I rush in without fully assessing the situation?!

Even if I wanted to stall for time, I should have kept my distance from the leader of the gang!

But before he could dwell on his mistake, the situation outside had already changed.

Miwako had heard the gunfire.

Her expression darkened instantly, and she snapped out orders.

"The assault team, follow me inside!"

"The riot squad, stay behind us!"

"Everyone else, maintain perimeter security!"

As she spoke, her gaze flicked toward the top of the supermarket.

"Are the snipers in position?"

"Snipers are in place!"

Hearing the response through her radio, Miwako Sato's grip on her gun tightened.

"Snipers, keep an eye on the target. If you get a clear shot—take it."

"Understood!"

"Let's move!"

Without hesitation, Sato Miwako led the charge.

She had personally retrieved her bulletproof vest before leaving the station.

And now, she was at the frontlines.

The officers behind her weren't slacking off either.

The assault team in front and the riot squad behind were moving in formation, fully aware of the mission's importance.

Because they all understood.

If this operation succeeded, it would be a major credit to their careers.

And they all knew who was leading this mission.

Officer Sato Miwako.

With everything lined up for success, they pushed forward at an unprecedented speed.

Meanwhile—

The female robber chasing Conan had also heard the heavy footsteps closing in.

In less than a minute, the police were already right behind her.

Miwako caught sight of her target.

A woman. Armed.

Sato didn't waste time shouting a warning.

She raised her gun while running and fired.

Bang!

A shot to the abdomen.

The robber stumbled, gasping in pain.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

She wasn't going to escape.

But she still had a gun.

And she could still take someone down with her.

She lifted her weapon, taking aim at the female officer who shot her.

"Scatter!"

Miwako immediately shouted and dove for cover.

The assault team reacted instantly, dispersing in a well-trained maneuver.

Bang!

The shot missed.

The robber's face twisted in rage, and she quickly ducked behind a wall.

But she failed to realize.

The supermarket's glass windows were right next to her.

And her position was perfect.

For a sniper.

"Sniper, take the shot."

Miwako's voice was cold and decisive.

"Fire."

Bang!

A red mist bloomed in the air.

The female leader collapsed to the ground, her hands still clutching her wounded abdomen.

Her eyes were wide open in disbelief.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 168: The Latecomers

It was over.

Through his Vision, Ren observed as the police wrapped up the scene.

Aside from the female gang leader who had been taken down, the four other male robbers had been restrained in handcuffs.

And along with the criminals, the police also escorted four children out of the supermarket.

Kudo…

He couldn't help but wonder—who else would be this restless, running around in the middle of the night?

Of course, it was him.

Earlier, when he stood outside the supermarket, Ren had questioned who could possibly be messing around this late.

And now, the answer was clear.

"What are you doing?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ren shook his head slightly.

"Just checking whether the police have handled the situation."

"Huh?"

Yoko blinked in confusion and turned to glance behind her.

They were several blocks away from the supermarket now—how could he see anything?

"You're not even trying to act anymore, huh?"

"You were so good at pretending before."

Ren sighed helplessly.

"Some things are bound to be revealed. There's no point in hiding them forever."

"And besides, I never told you anything, you just figured things out yourself."

There were things Ren would never disclose on his own.

But if Yoko guessed them, then his response was simple—he'd just pretend not to know what she was talking about.

"Hmm… Whatever."

After staring at him for a while, Yoko put her curiosity aside.

She didn't need all the answers right now.

As long as she was able to figure out some of his secrets, that was enough for now.

She wasn't going to be just another clueless woman in his life.

Bit by bit, she'd uncover the truth.

For now, she was satisfied.

At the very least, she'd wait until she got what he had promised her, then she'd start asking more questions.

"I'll pretend I don't know anything for now."

"But when the time comes, you'll tell me little by little, right?"

Ren nodded slightly.

Hearing his confirmation, Yoko let out a small sigh.

"Ha… I'm going to be really busy once I start my own studio."

"Not only do I have to be my own boss, but I also have to be my own artist."

"I even need to learn how to market myself, see how the agents do it."

"What about your previous one?"

"My previous agent…"

At the mention of him, Yoko let out another sigh.

"Mr. Yamagishi is great at his job, but he's too good at making decisions for me."

"And he's loyal to the agency, not to me."

"The medication they sent me—it came through his hands."

"I don't think Mr. Yamagishi was unaware… but…"

Ren immediately recalled Yamagishi Eiichi, the agent in question.

In the original storyline, this agent did cause quite a bit of trouble for Okino Yoko.

As an agent, he was undeniably skilled at protecting his artist and securing deals.

But he was also someone who liked to make decisions on his own, rather than giving Yoko a say in her career.

And that was a problem.

Ren believed an agent should be someone who presents choices, not someone who makes them.

Yamagishi Eiichi clearly failed in that regard.

"So, you're planning to be your own agent?"

"Yeah."

Yoko knew it wouldn't be easy.

She had no experience in handling an agent's work, nor did she know what kind of challenges she'd face.

"Until I find someone I can trust, I'm not planning to hire another agent."

"At worst, I'll have my friend's agent help out."

"Besides, I doubt I'll be lacking in resources in the industry moving forward."

"…That's true."

Ren had to agree.

As long as Shinomiya was backing Yoko, she would never have to struggle for resources.

Countless artists would kill for the kind of opportunities she'd soon have at her fingertips.

Agents were typically responsible for managing an artist's workload and daily affairs.

But if Yoko didn't need to worry about securing jobs, then all she really needed was someone to help her filter out the offers that suited her best.

"Ha~~"

After walking for a while, Yoko started feeling the effects of the cool night air.

"Well… I can't keep going. I'm getting sleepy."

The breeze had finally settled her restless thoughts.

And after watching such an eventful scene tonight, it felt like everything had reached a natural conclusion.

Well, the more important reason was—if they kept walking forward, they'd reach the commercial district.

And that, Ren wanted to avoid at all costs.

There was no way he was willing to experience being stared at by strangers again—especially not while still wearing dinosaur pajamas.

"Heading back?"

"Yeah, I'm going home."

Okino Yoko knew she'd be able to sleep well tonight.

She had clarified something important.

She had established her stance.

Their relationship wouldn't change overnight, but…

For now, this was the best possible outcome for her.

On their way home, they chose a quieter route.

At least this way, they wouldn't have to deal with so many onlookers.

Just like always, they didn't do anything unusual.

They simply said their goodbyes and returned to their respective apartments.

After closing the door behind her, Yoko leaned against it, placing her hands gently over her chest.

"Hmm~ Am I really going to end up dating a high schooler?"

"Well~ I'm only 22, and he's 16… The gap isn't that big."

Six years wasn't that big of a deal.

And just like that, she brushed aside the thought.

"Besides… there are way bigger concerns than just our age gap."

Her mind drifted back to the mysteries surrounding him.

The abnormal things he could do.

If she ever got close enough to uncover those truths, then age would probably be the least of her concerns.

After all, once she truly stepped into his world, she would inevitably learn secrets that were far more important.

Yoko didn't believe that the "relationship" Ren had mentioned before was as simple as it seemed.

Perhaps, when she was finally faced with the full truth, their six-year age gap wouldn't even matter anymore.

"Well~ I should focus on my own goals first."

"I'll think about everything else later."

"…Maybe I'm just another latecomer compared to her."

(To be continued.)