Following Lin Xinyi's instructions, Mao Lilan took Conan outside the villa to conduct an on-site re-examination of the murderer's footprints in the snow.

"Stand still and don't move."

Mao Lilan subconsciously gave Conan a few instructions, then leaned down and observed the series of footprints with all his concentration.

Conan was speechless for a while.

He has also discovered these days that Xiaolan is treating him more and more like a child without knowing it.

Just like Lin Xinyi treats Hui Yuan Ai.

"What do you mean don't move?"

"I'm not really a primary school student."

Conan rolled his eyes.

In addition, what also concerned him was:

Xiaolan's way of leaving him behind and focusing on investigating the case was so practiced that it became a habit.

It's like I didn't realize there was a childhood sweetheart beside me.

Lin Xinyi sent Conan to help her.

But after these days of hard work, she has become independent and capable, and does not need the help of this great detective at all.

"Alas..." Conan sighed softly.

It's such a terrible feeling to be forgotten.

So, Conan held back his energy and subconsciously turned his attention to the string of footprints in the snow.

Something must be seen.

We still have to get there before Xiaolan.

Otherwise, slowly, the heroic image he has built in Xiaolan's mind over the years will collapse sooner or later.

He will gradually become a useless follower behind Xiaolan, a stay-at-home nanny who only knows how to wash dishes, sweep the floor and scrub the toilet...

A dull life will dim passion, and Xiaolan will gradually lose her favor for him who is invisible to everyone.

Maybe before he grows up, he can find a "brother-in-law" for him from outside.

"This is absolutely not okay!"

Conan shuddered subconsciously.

His gaze when observing the scene became more focused and dignified, as if he was fighting wits and courage against a terrible fate.

And after he tried so hard, he quickly discovered something:

"Yes!"

An idea flashed in the back of Conan's head.

His eyes also quietly became solemn.

"Xiaolan." Conan's voice suddenly became deep and confident: "I noticed-"

"There's something wrong with this set of footprints!"

"Oh?" Mao Lilan raised her head curiously and turned her gaze to the little boyfriend whom she had subconsciously forgotten.

"Just now you were focusing on observing a specific footprint."

"And I carefully observed the entire series of footprints, and soon discovered a very important problem:"

Conan gradually regained the feeling of a famous detective:

"That is, the step length of this series of footprints is too short."

"Short step length? No..."

Mao Lilan looked at the set of footprints and took out a tape measure to measure:

"The owner of the footprints moves evenly, and the step length is about...about 75cm."

"This is the average step length of an adult's normal gait. It's not considered short, right?"

"etc..."

Without Conan's continued reminder, Mao Lilan reacted instantly:

"Normal gait...how can it be a normal gait?"

"The murderer was blocked in the room by us at that time, and he had no choice but to jump out of the window and escape."

"How could he still use this normal, even gait and walk leisurely around the villa when the murderer was caught on the spot and there were pursuers behind him?"

"The footprints he left should be very messy!"

"That's right!"

Conan nodded in agreement:

"The murderer was being chased by you and Belmod at that time. He didn't have time to 'run', so how could he use 'walk'?"

"When people are running, their stride frequency is fast and their steps are long, mostly above 110cm."

"The footprints are often incomplete, and the forefoot pressure is heavy when landing, while the heel pressure is light."

"Especially when running in this fluffy snow, the active gait of pedaling, digging, and lifting marks should be more obvious. Starting and lifting your feet quickly will inevitably bring up a lot of snow debris."

"But what about this series of footprints?"

"It's so smooth, clear and complete."

"This does not look like the footprints of a panicked escapee at all, but more like the footprints of a person walking frequently in a calm environment."

Conan explained his reasoning in an orderly manner.

At the same time, he unknowingly raised his head with confidence, looking forward to receiving the adoring eyes of his childhood sweetheart like before.

Mao Lilan was really looking at him.

However, the look in his eyes was not one of admiration, but something strange:

"Aren't these all trace studies knowledge..."

"Conan, didn't you say you don't want to follow Mr. Lin's tricks?"

"I..." Conan's face turned red.

Hattori Heiji, who is also a famous detective, has changed his career and became Lin Shinichi's apprentice due to family factors and his shattered dreams.

But Kudo, a native of Kanto, has always been stubborn and refused to embrace the modernization of criminal investigation, insisting on being a traditional Sherlock Holmes-style detective.

To describe it in the style of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ overseas propaganda mouth, this is called craftsmanship.

Of course, Conan is not such a stubborn and conservative person.

He just vaguely felt that...if he gave up detective and became a police detective, it would be like losing to Lin Xinyi completely.

And because of a series of experiences in the past and some hidden worries that have not been completely eliminated even now, the last thing Conan wants is to give up to Lin Xinyi.

So he stubbornly persisted in his dream of being a detective.

only...

He said no with his mouth, but his body was very honest.

Faced with these new knowledge and new methods that were obviously of great help to criminal investigation reasoning, Conan, as a reasoning madman, couldn't help but follow Mao Lilan secretly to learn.

Now he showed it so casually.

Mao Lilan immediately noticed something keenly:

"Conan, did you peek at the professional books I kept at home?"

"No, no..." Conan said guiltily: "This is all from my past, uh..."

"I learned it from my dad when I was on vacation in Hawaii."

"Is it..."

Mao Lilan smiled noncommittally:

"Conan, do you understand now?"

"The kind of detective that relies too much on personal intelligence and reasoning to solve crimes is now outdated."

"From now on, you can study criminal science and technology with me, and preferably, you can also work with me in the Metropolitan Police Department."

She looked forward to the days when she would work in the police force with her childhood sweetheart.

But the kid Conan shook his head stubbornly:

"don't want!"

He will never become a policeman in the future!

You know, Mao Lilan is now working in the Metropolitan Police Department and has long since become a de facto forensic officer.
To be continued...