Considering that Genta had picked up this cipher map in the park earlier, maybe someone had already found the treasure and ditched the map afterward.
"Is that it?"
Conan wondered, feeling something wasn't quite right.
Meanwhile—
In an alley not far from where Conan and the others were—
Azuma looked at the three unconscious thieves in front of him, then grinned at the large sack of maple leaf gold coins beside him!
A full 15,000 coins, worth 600 million yen!
Then—
He picked up one of the thieves' phones and dialed the Metropolitan Police Department's emergency line.
"Yeah, it's those three thieves from the TV. They're right here—hurry up and come get them."
Using a disguised voice to report the crime, Azuma tossed the phone back onto the thief, then turned, grabbed the sack of gold coins, and walked off.
As for the three thieves?
Azuma was sure they wouldn't wake up for two or three hours.
And the police wouldn't take that long to respond.
By the time they came to, they'd find themselves in an interrogation room.
Back home, Azuma dumped the sack of maple leaf gold coins on the table, then headed to the fridge. He grabbed a can of cola and took a sip.
Sure, 600 million yen's worth of gold coins sounded like a lot, but it was only about 113 kilograms.
At that moment, Okino Yoko came downstairs, yawning.
Seeing Azuma, she gave a casual wave.
"Hey! Don't tell me you just woke up?"
Azuma said, exasperated, eyeing this woman who was getting way too comfortable around him.
"I took a nap, but I was up early, okay!"
Okino Yoko walked over, grabbing a can of cola from the fridge for herself.
"No more watching your figure?"
Azuma asked, noting her behavior.
"No point. My acting career's toast anyway," Okino Yoko said with a shrug.
Was she really that indifferent?
Only she knew for sure.
Probably just putting on a brave face.
After all—
She'd worked so hard for years to reach her current status.
And then, because of Fujie Akiyoshi, bam—back to square one?
Pretty heartbreaking when you think about it.
"Giving up on yourself?"
Azuma sat beside her, asking.
"What else can I do? What options do I have?"
Okino Yoko gave a bitter laugh. "The agency called me today. They said they won't be arranging any more work for me and hoped I'd 'understand their difficulties.'"
"I get their difficulties—who's gonna understand mine?!"
The more she talked, the angrier she got, chugging a big gulp of cola.
She used to avoid carbonated drinks entirely, meticulously watching her diet to maintain the slim figure her fans loved.
But now…
Who cares!
Might as well get fat and die!
Okino Yoko thought, wallowing in self-pity.
"Come on, it's not that big a deal. It's not like you've got a terminal illness and are about to die. Is it really that bad?"
Azuma snatched the cola from her hand.
"Give it back!"
Okino Yoko lunged to grab it, only to be pinned down by Azuma's single hand.
"Waaah! You're bullying me too!"
Feeling wronged, Okino Yoko burst into tears, sobbing loudly.
Azuma couldn't stand seeing her like this. Letting go, he walked over, picked up the sack of gold coins from the table, and set it on the coffee table.
"Open it and take a look," he said.
Still sniffling and shedding little tears, Okino Yoko gave him a pitiful glance, then reached out and opened the sack.
Clatter!
The next second, a pile of gold coins spilled out.
They scattered all over the floor.
Okino Yoko was dumbfounded!
She stared at the scene in disbelief.
"What's this?"
Her neck stiffly turned as she looked at Azuma and asked.
"Maple leaf gold coins worth 600 million yen. Got any channels to cash them out? I need them turned into money fast," Azuma said calmly.
Just 600 million yen's worth of gold coins?
Peanuts.
If he'd wanted, he could've brought back dozens or hundreds of tons of gold from the Man of Steel world.
But he didn't. He chose his armor instead.
So—
These 100-plus kilograms of gold coins? Nothing to him!
"Cash them out?" Okino Yoko took a deep breath, thought for a moment, and said, "I do have channels for that, but the designs on these maple leaf coins are too distinctive."
"No problem. Melt them down," Azuma said.
Simple fix.
"Then it's fine," Okino Yoko nodded. Then, clinging to Azuma's arm, she asked, "Azuma, what are you planning to do with this money?"
"Can you get your contract back from your old agency?"
Azuma countered with a question.
Okino Yoko thought about it and nodded. "Shouldn't be an issue. I'm pretty much worthless to them now. A few million yen should be enough to buy it back."
"Good. Get your contract back ASAP, then use this money to buy a small entertainment company. You'll be the boss from now on."
Azuma had no interest in running a company himself—he didn't have the time or patience for that.
But if someone could handle it all for him wholeheartedly, he'd be happy to start one.
As for whether Okino Yoko might betray him?
Not only was Azuma unafraid of that, but the company would only be hers in name. The actual shares would stay in his hands.
He wasn't worried about betrayal at all.
He'd just give her a 10% stake, make her the legal representative, and he'd be the hands-off boss behind the scenes.
No work, just profit.
Why wouldn't he go for that?
"You're giving me a company?"
Okino Yoko stared at him in shock. Was this the same Azuma she knew?
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I'll give you 10% of the shares at most."
Sure enough, Azuma mercilessly shattered her daydream.
But 10% was still huge.
If they bought a company with 600 million yen, 10% would be 60 million yen!
Okino Yoko's own savings didn't even come close to that.
Of course—
She'd have to run the company and use her fame early on to generate profit.
So that 10% was essentially her hard-earned pay.
But as the company grew, her 10% would grow too.
It'd be like making money for herself.
Compared to slaving away for bloodsucking execs at her old agency as their cash cow, Azuma's offer was leagues better!
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