[March 7th, a tall man with a pronounced Osaka accent suddenly approached me, expressing keen interest in a program I was working on.
But when I told him that I had decided not to continue development due to deteriorating eyesight, he promptly left...
That man in black clothes... I hope I never see him again....]
"Damn it, why is there only this one diary entry..."
Conan scratched his head in frustration. "The subsequent diary entries don't mention anything about Tequila... Was it all in vain?
We only know that the Black Organization is interested in a program Mr. Itakura developed, but there's no really crucial information..."
"Don't be so quick to draw conclusions." Senichi pointed to the blank space in the diary on the computer. "Move the mouse to the empty area, then use the left button to drag and select the blank space..."
[I'm so tired... If it continues like this, I might be killed one day...]
"It is a hidden text!?"
Conan's expression brightened as he saw the revealed text on the screen. "Yes, why didn't I think of this? If you want to hide certain text, you just need to use the same color as the background, and you can effectively conceal it!
If that's the case, there must be very important information hidden here. Mr. Itakura was afraid that someone might steal his diary and it prompted him to take precautions at crucial points... Thank you!"
While this small technique was common in the future, known to any computer-savvy kid.But in this era when computers had just become popular, it was not something everyone knew.
Leaving aside other things, Inspector Megure probably wasn't even clear on how to turn on a computer. So, these somewhat "sophisticated" techniques could naturally puzzle people.
"From ten days after Tequila came to see Mr. Itakura, hidden text started appearing..." Conan operated the computer and gradually revealed the contents of the blank spaces.
[March 20th, the pen on the table has been moved 5 centimeters again... Someone has indeed infiltrated my studio...]
[April 15th, this time someone broke into my mansion while I was away. The police won't take me seriously... Likely because nothing was stolen or damaged....]
[June 11th, I can't stand these days anymore. I spent money to change the lock on the main door and installed hidden cameras at home, but still, there's been no progress...]
[July 6th, who the hell is it!? Bastard!! Show yourself!]
[December 19th, I'm so tired... If this continues, I might not only be killed but also driven insane...]
[January 6th, to escape this terrifying horror, I left a message on the desktop for the intruder, saying "I am willing to accept your conditions"...]
[January 8th, surprisingly quick, the unknown intruder left a message on my desk...
Only the word "OK" was written in bright red on that paper along with a somewhat strange phone number.
The red "paint" looked like blood, and its meaning was already clear. If I dare to speak out randomly, I might immediately lose my life...]
[January 23rd, I hesitated and felt lost for a long time. In the end, instead of calling the police, I dialed that peculiar phone number.
Unexpectedly, a woman answered on the other end and she spoke in a commanding tone like a queen in control of everything...
Her only demand for me was to finish the computer program I had abandoned within a year and they offered to buy it at a high price...
I think she might be the companion of the Osaka-accented tall man from before.]
[February 13th, our communication method changed to email. I proposed two conditions: first, to transfer my reward to my account in advance, and second, not to disturb me anymore...]
[December 22nd, I can't do it... I refuse to finish it! I know this program mustn't be completed, not because of my vision, but for the sake of humanity....]
"For the, for the sake of humanity?" Conan looked at the content in front of him, and his expression became serious.
The tone of the other party didn't seem like a joke, so the weight of the phrase "for the sake of all humanity" appeared rather heavy.
"Next is the last entry..." With the mouse's movement, the most crucial content revealed itself before the two.
[February 9th, the deadline for the transaction is approaching. I'll leave the incomplete software and their check near the computer at my cottage.
They'll send me an email at midnight 5 days from today to specify the time and location for handing over the program. I must get out of the country.]
"Great!" Conan clenched his fist. "This diary entry was written four days ago, which means that in three hours, the Black Organization will send an email with transaction information!"
"It seems that Itakura had already planned to escape."
Senichi looked at the email with a touch of regret. "So he took on three development jobs simultaneously, probably to prepare for fleeing overseas. However, this move to raise funds also led to his demise..."
Itakura originally intended to escape for his life and prepared funds for that purpose. But unexpectedly he was killed during the fund-raising period due to this action...
Senichi could only say that fate had its own plans...
As the mouse wheel scroll down, Mr. Itakura's written diary reached its last entry, leaving behind a large blank space.
Conan habitually pulled down the blank area, but he didn't expect that there was a hidden diary under the last entry.
And this was Mr. Itakura's final diary entry.
[February 10th, I don't know what they wanted to do when they asked me to develop that program. But the words that woman on the phone said to me, I can never forget...
Once, because I was unable to bear her condescending tone, I couldn't help but question who they were.
But unexpectedly, the woman smiled and said to me in English...
'We can be both God and The Devil, since we're trying to raise the dead against the stream of time..'
"!!!"
Looking at the revealed line of English, Conan's face was instantly covered with visible shadows due to the horrifying content.