Conan: The Spring of Meguro 3
Chapter 3: First Meeting with Mouri
“What’s the situation with the Mantendo Game Company?” Lin Longma asked Doi.
“I’ve found out, Brother Longma. There was indeed a disturbance at Mantendo Game Company’s press conference. The person they were dealing with regarding the agave plant (referring to a likely illegal transaction) has been taken in by the police for questioning,”
“But the police have suppressed news of the press conference, and many attendees are remaining tight-lipped about what happened.”
“The police have sealed their mouths?” Lin Longma was startled. “Then that proves something happened at the press conference. Let me think…”
“Who was the detective who collaborated with Mantendo Game Company at the press conference?”
After a moment’s recollection, Doi remembered, “It was the famous detective, Mouri Kogoro.”
“Mouri Kogoro? A newly famous detective? I’ve never heard of this person before.” Lin Longma knew immediately that there was no such person among Tokyo’s famous detectives of the past. However, anyone called a famous detective must have some skills.
“Yes, Brother Longma. Mouri Kogoro is a detective who has only recently become famous. He was a detective in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division, resigning ten years ago to become a private detective.”
“Wait,” Lin Longma paused, questioning Doi, “You mean he’s been a detective for ten years, and only now is he becoming famous?”
“That’s right.”
This is strange.
Mouri Kogoro’s resume gave Lin Longma a strange feeling. The detective profession is one that relies heavily on natural talent.
It can be said that the phrase “late bloomer” is basically inapplicable to the detective profession.
Ordinary people might become second-rate detectives who can make a living through deduction with experience, but experience alone is not enough to make an ordinary person a famous detective.
The cases and incidents that occur every day in Tokyo and even across the whole of Japan are incredibly creative and innovative. To become a famous detective, you can’t simply rely on past experience.
Almost all famous detectives become famous at their debut. There’s absolutely no possibility of spending ten years in this industry and then suddenly skyrocketing to fame.
The term “awakening” simply doesn’t apply in this profession.
But Mouri Kogoro’s resume challenges the industry’s commonly accepted unspoken rules, which explains why Mouri Kogoro has gained such high popularity recently.
“Interesting. Doi, do you have the address of this Mouri Detective Agency? Tell Jin Tian to prepare the car; I’m going to pay this newly famous detective of Mihana a visit.”
While Lin Longma also handles intelligence gathering, his methods differ from those of the organization’s intelligence support department.
The intelligence support department, overseen by the second-in-command, Rum, mostly uses infiltration, penetration, and theft – risky methods. It’s more like the image of spies portrayed in movies and TV dramas.
This intelligence gathering method requires high personnel standards for the field operatives.
Lin Longma rarely uses infiltration and theft to obtain intelligence. He prefers to use publicly available information or data analysis to deduce the intelligence he wants.
Therefore, Lin Longma has many data and information analysis talents among his subordinates.
In other words, Rum’s department seems more like a criminal organization that is close to an intelligence agency, but the bases Lin Longma controls look more like a normally operating company.
In fact, the external disguise of Lin Longma’s base is an unremarkable consulting company.
With Gin, a hardworking “angel investor,” in the organization, Lin Longma has no intention of being frugal.
So his company car is a Mercedes-Benz S680. If Gin can put in more effort this year in terms of funding, Lin Longma wouldn’t mind upgrading his company car to a Rolls-Royce.
Let’s make Gin work harder so the brothers can enjoy the finer things.
The driver took Lin Longma and Jin Tian to the building housing the Mouri Detective Agency. Jin Tian got out of the passenger seat and went to the back door to open the door for Lin Longma.
“Brother Longma, this is the Mouri Detective Agency.”
“Let’s go. Let’s have a good chat with this newly famous detective, Mouri.”
Jin Tian walked ahead of Lin Longma and went to the office area on the second floor. He knocked on the glass door, and a voice from inside said, “Come in.”
Jin Tian pushed open the glass door of the office and entered the Mouri Detective Agency first.
“Hello, this is the Mouri Detective Agency. Is there anything I can help you with?”
This was Lin Longma and Mouri Kogoro’s first meeting. After entering the office, Lin Longma immediately took a look around the small office.
The office area wasn’t very large, but the entire workspace was well-organized.
However, not all areas were so neat. For example, Mouri Kogoro’s desk was quite cluttered.
Various newspapers and documents were haphazardly placed on the desk. The ashtray was full of cigarette butts, and some ash and squeezed-out cigarette butts were scattered around the ashtray.
This untidy desk formed a stark contrast to the well-organized rest of the workspace. So, is Mouri Kogoro’s wife helping to manage this office?
“Hello, Detective Mouri, I am Lin Longma, the president of XX Consulting Company.” Lin Longma stepped forward to shake hands with Mouri Kogoro. The moment he grasped Mouri Kogoro’s hand, he felt calluses on the tiger’s mouth of his hand.
This proved that Mouri Kogoro had engaged in high-intensity shooting practice for at least a period of time.
After they released their hands, Jin Tian, who was behind Lin Longma, immediately handed Mouri Kogoro Lin Longma’s business card.
Mouri Kogoro took the card, examined it, and found that it only had the consulting company’s name, Lin Longma’s name and position, and his phone number.
The back of the card was the company logo: a simple drawing of a crow spreading its wings as if to take flight.
Mouri Kogoro put away the business card and gestured for Lin Longma to sit down. “Please have a seat, President Lin. So, President Lin, what is your business at my agency?”
Lin Longma nodded and began speaking directly. “Detective Mouri, recently one of our clients wanted to cooperate with Mantendo Game Company.
However, they heard that there was an incident at Mantendo Game Company’s press conference, so they came to us for consultation.
We found out that Mantendo Game Company’s press conference was to launch a detective game authorized by you, Detective Mouri.
So, we wanted to come and find out more from you.”
“Detective Mouri, please don’t refuse hastily. I know this might involve some things you can’t talk about, but rest assured, we won’t put you in a difficult position.
And we’re willing to pay for the information.”
Lin Longma waved his hand, and Jin Tian behind him immediately presented Mouri Kogoro with a check.
Mouri Kogoro subconsciously took it and glanced at it. “Tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands…500,000 yen?!”
Mouri Kogoro’s surprised reaction was unexpected to Lin Longma. Logically, 500,000 yen might be a lot to ordinary people.
But for a famous detective like Mouri Kogoro, is this amount of money really surprising?
This Mouri detective seems a bit strange…
(End of Chapter)
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