The Corpse Collector In Conan

27: THE UNLIMITED GHOSTS

The child ghost was busy.

After delivering the murderous aura, it turned its head and floated into the cell, wanting to try and pull the shikigami off the leg of the imprisoned son.

*****

Jiang Xia was organizing the cigarette case filled with the absorbed murderous aura, looking at the two first-grade kids beside him.

Conan was still coughing while holding his neck—the pinch from the white-haired old lady was not light.

Ayumi patted his back to help him, then turned her head and secretly glanced at Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia met her gaze and casually asked, "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine!" Ayumi replied loudly.

After speaking, she hesitated and glanced at Jiang Xia, feeling that according to the customary way of expressing gratitude in TV dramas, she should give him a peck—look, this big brother even half squatted down. The person who saved her life gave such an obvious hint...

So Ayumi leaned closer expectantly, thinking about whether to kiss his left cheek or right cheek and blushing, she whispered, "Th-thank y..."

Before she could finish, a hand suddenly rested on her shoulder from behind, stopping her.

Conan, with a sense of world-weariness, advised, "Don't kiss him."

...Considering the previous experience, if she went for the kiss, she would probably end up kissing the mop.

Then she would be blamed for something strange afterward.

And Ayumi had already experienced quite a few scares today. If she were to suddenly face a blow from a friendly ally, she might just burst into tears.

Jiang Xia definitely wouldn't care if a little kid started crying.

Then, he would have to comfort her...

*****

Ayumi was unaware of the situation.

She looked at Conan with excitement, guessing that Conan was feeling jealous and seriously struggling with whether to choose the life-saving person who descended from the sky or the classmate she had known for a longer time.

At this moment, a series of footsteps could be heard from the corridor.

The police had found the dungeon.

*****

Inspector Megure, accompanied by a few subordinates, walked in and stopped in astonishment at the scene inside.

...In a society governed by the rule of law, someone had secretly built a prison right under their noses.

It was beyond imagination, truly unimaginable.

Inspector Megure looked at the dishevelled and miserable citizens inside the cell, feeling somewhat guilty. He walked over with concern, wanting to offer some consolation.

But to his surprise, when the "victim" inside saw the police, he suddenly pounced like a fierce tiger towards the railing and tearfully shouted, "Let me out! I want to surrender!"

Inspector Megure: "...Surrender?"

*****

As soon as those words were spoken, the shikigami clinging to his son's leg suddenly let go.

The child ghost was in the midst of tugging on the shikigami's leg when it loosened its grip. 

These two instantly tumbled into a bundle and fell to the ground with a thud.

The child ghost was slightly taken aback.

After a moment, it regained its senses, happily dragged the shikigami back to Jiang Xia's side, and handed over the retrieved thing.

At the same time, it looked eagerly at the cigarette case in Jiang Xia's hand.

Jiang Xia because of the unexpected windfall and was in a good mood.

He opened the cigarette case and tapped out a ghost mint from it, preparing to ignite the murderous aura and celebrate a bit.

Just as he was about to light it, a hand suddenly reached out from the side, heading straight for his cigarette.

Instinctively, Jiang Xia raised his hand to dodge and looked towards the side.

To his surprise, the one attempting to snatch the cigarette was a police officer.

Officer Satou furrowed her brow slightly and said, "Smoking in high school, what will you do with your lungs when you grow up? Where did you get this cigarette?"

According to the regulations, it was prohibited to sell tobacco and alcohol to minors anywhere. 

If he had stolen it from home... then it would be necessary to have a talk with his parents.

Facing her sharp gaze, Jiang Xia let out a silent sigh.

For a long time, in Jiang Xia's impression, 18 years old was already considered an adult.

But who knew that in a different place, suddenly he was two years short.

With the police blocking him, Jiang Xia could only put the cigarette into his sleeve under the watchful gaze of the child ghost and explain, "I don't smoke. I just like the scent of the cigarette when it's just lit. It helps me think."

Beside him, Conan's eye twitched.

He remembered the last time when he saved that kidnapped little girl, Jiang Xia not only lit a cigarette but also finished it quickly.

Moreover, now that the person had already been captured, there was no need for it to "help with thinking" at all.

The police wouldn't believe Jiang Xia's nonsense.

Just as Conan was thinking this, he saw Officer Satou nodding and saying, "So that's how it is."

Conan: "...?"

*****

Officer Satou didn't solely judge people based on appearances.

Her main belief was that there were significant differences between people who smoked long-term and those who didn't smoke.

And Jiang Xia, whether it was the color of his teeth, the appearance of his fingers, or the scent on his body, lacked the typical characteristics of a smoker.

Moreover... moreover, Jiang Xia genuinely seemed very sincere and inexplicably likable, making people want to trust him.

*****

After seeing off the police, Jiang Xia took care of the new shikigami and went to the logistics company for his shift.

*****

The next day, after waking up, he sat there in a daze for a while, savouring the grand scene in his dream where he raised his arm and countless ghosts responded.

Then he pressed the tattoo on his chest, releasing all the ghosts and shikigami sealed inside.

All lined up on the bed. One child ghost and three shikigami.

The shikigami were relatively obedient, lying on the bed motionless like real sheets of paper.

The child ghost looked around in confusion and instinctively wanted to lean against Jiang Xia.

But it was mercilessly pushed back onto the bed and forced to line up.

Jiang Xia arranged the ghosts in their places, pointing at each of them one by one, 1, 2, 3, 4.

...Only four.

He counted again, 1, 2, 3, 4.

Still only that few.

...The dream was better.

Resting his cheek on his hand, Jiang Xia sighed softly:

Who knows if lying down now for a quick nap would allow him to continue the dream he just had.

*****

On the bed, the child ghost stared at Jiang Xia's fingertips, seemingly lost in thought.

At this moment, Jiang Xia, bored, started counting for the third time: 1, 2, 3, 4...

This time, after the ghost baby was counted, it quickly rolled a few times and moved to the back of the line.

Jiang Xia's counting finger stopped on its head: "...5."

They barely managed to make it a whole number.

Both the person and the ghost felt at ease.

The child ghost obediently rubbed its hands and then looked at the cigarette case by Jiang Xia's pillow with longing eyes.

Jiang Xia tapped out a cigarette, held it between his fingers, but didn't light it:

"Constantly calling you 'you you you' is not very convenient. How about I give you a name?"

The child ghost: "..."

Remembering the names Jiang Xia gave to his cherished potted plants, the child ghost not only wanted to shake its head but also wanted to run away.

...But Jiang Xia was holding its food in his hand.

The child ghost bit its finger, struggled for a long time, and reluctantly nodded.

Jiang Xia was very satisfied with its cooperation: "Let's call you Xiao Bai."

The child ghost let out a subtle sigh of relief.

Although it was a bit simplistic, it was still good. At least it wasn't some name like Mao Dan, Gou Dan, Erdou, or Jiguan.

*****

So when Jiang Xia called it "Xiao Bai," it obediently responded.

Jiang Xia satisfiedly patted its head, got out of bed, and walked to the table to light a ghost mint.

While Xiao Bai happily sucked on the ghost mint.

Jiang Xia put away the several shikigami on the bed into the tattoo, prepared to tidy up and go to the office.

At that moment, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Jiang Xia was taken aback, walked over and opened the door, only to find a delivery person.

Jiang Xia: "..."

He hadn't ordered anything online recently, and no one usually sent him packages.

Only Sherry and her sister occasionally sent him some homemade health supplements.

With that in mind, Jiang Xia reached out to take the delivery.

As before, the sender's name had an "S," the initial of Sherry's English name.