Chapter 14: The Death Cruise Sets Sail

“Moo—!”
Another prolonged horn blared for about ten seconds.
At dusk, the last ship departed from Shikamoto Island, its faint lights still glowing.
Unlike Gao Mo, the others only saw the beautiful sunset and felt nothing unusual about the night’s journey ahead.

At 7:30 p.m., the luxury cruise sailed calmly under the moonlit sea.

In the lower deck restaurant, Gao Mo arranged the dining table according to British butler standards. In the kitchen, Shikamoto Shoji also began preparing dinner.

With thirty minutes remaining before mealtime, most guests were in their rooms, while a few rested on the outer deck.

Just like last time at Yoko’s apartment, that strange feeling once again quietly vanished, but Gao Mo still kept his distance from the second-floor guest rooms.

As for what his employer might do... he was just a temporary butler and didn’t need to worry about such things.

No need to risk his life just for a job.

If anything, the Grim Reaper might get to him first—the conspicuous odd one out.

“Hmm?”

Just as he finished setting the cutlery, Gao Mo glanced casually at the outer deck, then turned and looked again.

The living quarters, which should have housed only nine people besides him, now strangely held twelve.

“Isn’t that the kid from Kido?”

Mouri Kogoro entered the restaurant with Ran and Conan. Though his face looked unwell from drinking, he still called out upon seeing Gao Mo.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ahem!”

Gao Mo carefully looked around.

So busy playing the butler role, he had forgotten these distinguished guests were aboard.

“I’m Kanedaichi, the temporary butler here. Nice to meet you...”

“Nice to meet you my foot!” The man with the little mustache scowled and tried to snatch Gao Mo’s glasses. “I could tell it was you by the smell. Do you think I’m blind just because I’m drunk?”

“Shh!”

Gao Mo quickly stopped him.

“Keep your voice down, I finally got a job, just pretend you don’t know me...”

“You, you...”

Ran, slow to realize, stood there dazed, stammering as she stared at Gao Mo.

“You’re Kido Gao? Oh my god, Dad was talking about you? But... how did you two become friends?”

They were two people who shouldn’t have any connection at all.

“I’m friends with Yoko.” Gao Mo glanced silently at the man with the mustache.

If this guy wasn’t blind, how could he not recognize Conan with his glasses on? At least he should suspect the Kudou family, right?

“I get it,” Ran said happily, “It’s because Dad fulfilled Miss Yoko’s request, so you became friends, right?”

Gao Mo looked at the man again, opened his mouth but said nothing more.

“You all sit first, dinner is in thirty minutes... I’ll prepare three more sets of cutlery.”

Passing by little Conan, Gao Mo hesitated briefly.

Seeing the Reaper in elementary school form for the first time, he didn’t feel danger but found him so cute he wanted to pinch his cheeks.

Hard to imagine this was the high school detective known as the Heisei Holmes—Shinichi Kudou.

A sin.

This wasn’t a smaller body; it was a total reversal of aging.

“Hello, Uncle Kido.” Conan smiled brightly, raising his little face, looking obedient.

Though a child, he forced himself not to act like one—it was quite strained.

“Call me brother.” Gao Mo said expressionlessly, ruffling Conan’s hair.

That’s better. Now that you’re Conan, why stick to the same hairstyle as Shinichi Kudou?

“I miss it so much,” Ran said, completely ignoring Conan’s sulking face, staring curiously at Gao Mo’s back. “Just like before... I wonder what he’s been doing all these years and why he’s here as a butler?”

“Why not just ask him directly?” Conan pouted, putting on a baseball cap bought on the island.

Definitely needs to wash his hair later.

He was quite curious about the “Kido kid” the uncle mentioned, only to find out he was this washed-up pretty boy idol.

“How could you? That’s too rude.”

Though she said that, Ran looked intrigued.

“Alright, alright,” Mouri Kogoro yawned and sat down beside them, “When did you become like Miss Suzuki, Ran? Idols aren’t a big deal. Don’t let Kido kid’s good looks fool you—he’s actually pretty stingy...”

“Dad, aren’t you chasing after Miss Yoko too?”

“How is that the same? Miss Yoko’s the real idol!”

“Really?” Ran clenched her fists, smiling slyly.

Thinking of her dad obsessing over Yoko every day without even calling her mother, she couldn’t help but get angry.

“Calm down!”

Gao Mo returned with the cutlery just as Ran’s terrifying smile appeared; cold sweat dripped from his forehead, fearing she might punch the table.

If that happened, he—the temporary butler—would be the unlucky one.

Ran instantly softened: “Mr. Kido...”

“Just call me butler.”

Gao Mo wiped sweat from Conan’s forehead, then hearing footsteps by the guest room stairs, quickly composed himself and arranged the cutlery with one hand holding the tray and the other behind his back, bowing slightly—a humble yet ceremonious posture, far from a mere footman.

“Please take your seats, dinner will start promptly at eight. Would you like some tea?”

“Uh...”

Mouri Kogoro was stunned.

If he didn’t know Gao Mo’s identity, he might have thought this was a real butler from a wealthy family.

Truly uncanny.

“Mr. Kido is impressive,” Ran whispered to Conan, “so professional.”

Conan propped his chin up, observing: “Maybe it’s just an act. He’s not a professional butler after all.”

“Still impressive. Too bad he’s retired from acting.”

“Ran, are you getting used to the ship?”

Shikamoto Natsue entered the restaurant wearing a sleeveless collared long dress, her bangs neatly trimmed, her long hair pure and charming with a touch of Chinese elegance.

A stark contrast to her sister’s aura toward Gao Mo.

But after a few cases, Gao Mo didn’t dare judge a woman by her appearance.

“Miss Natsue?” Ran asked in surprise, “Why are you alone? Isn’t Mr. Koutake with you?”

Because Mouri Kogoro had mistakenly noted the return time, they were the last to be kindly brought aboard by Natsue, and had grown somewhat acquainted.

The newlywed couple was always inseparable.

“Koutake was called away by his grandfather.” Natsue smiled faintly but seemed somewhat worried.

“Thank you so much, Miss Natsue,” Ran said gratefully, “otherwise, we’d have to stay on the island for another three or four days.”

“You’re welcome.”

Natsue and Ran sat together, suddenly recalling something and turned to Gao Mo.

“Butler, could you please prepare some snacks and drinks?”

“Certainly.”

Gao Mo agreed and stepped away but couldn’t help eavesdropping.

The voices grew quieter: “Mr. Mouri, please don’t mention you’re a detective later. My grandfather hates detectives the most—he says those who follow people around and dig into their privacy are the lowest scum...”

So that was to sideline him, the butler.

“Perhaps Master Shikamoto misunderstands detectives,” Mouri Kogoro looked visibly embarrassed. Having dealt with cases involving surveillance recently, “I’m a famous detective cooperating with the police, usually handling cases...”

...

As the clock neared eight, the Shikamoto family gradually left their rooms for the dining hall. Despite the small number, they split into four tables, wary of each other, completely unlike a family.

Fortunately, the memo had a reminder, so Gao Mo didn’t need to reset the table settings.

“Butler Kanedaichi,” Shikamoto Shoji adjusted his collar and said, “I’ve prepared dinner. Could you help out?”

“That name always sounds strange.” Mouri Kogoro frowned, still disliking the title.

It just didn’t roll off the tongue like ‘Kido kid’.

“Sure.”

Gao Mo ignored the man with the mustache and returned to the kitchen alongside Shoji.

Unlike several Shikamoto family members with scheming looks, Shoji wore a crisp white suit, tall and broad, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. He was courteous to everyone and maintained his uncle image in front of the younger generation.

The personality notes described him as fairly normal.

By contrast, the eldest daughter Mariko’s family was particularly abnormal.

Mariko was snobbish and eager to divide the inheritance quickly. Her meek, subservient husband was a live-in son-in-law, and their son was shy and introverted.

The quarrelsome Akie and Tatsuo were also only married on the surface...

At eight o’clock sharp, Gao Mo pushed the serving cart into the dining room.

The meal wasn’t lavish, mostly simple dishes, but they looked appetizing.

“Seriously, where is that Tatsuo guy? Washing his hands so slowly!”

Shikamoto Akie sat alone at a table. Upon seeing Gao Mo bring the dishes, she casually leaned closer to the cart, pulling her deep V-neck even lower.

Gao Mo kept his eyes straight ahead but noticed her legs subtly brushing against him—an enchantress?

The familiar omen of death surged again in his heart.

Damn it.

Why drag him into the deadly whirlpool of cases?

Gao Mo felt thoroughly trapped.

Can’t he just slack off and finish his tasks quietly?

A piercing gaze came from behind—it was Shikamoto Tatsuo returning from washing his hands. Seeing his wife’s seductive act, his eyes darkened and teeth clenched tightly.

His expression flickered for a moment before he forced down his anger.

Bitch! Adulterers!