Detective Conan: Strategy Above the Depths

The St. Aphrodite, a luxurious cruise liner, glided smoothly across the calm waters of the ocean as it embarked on its maiden voyage. Onboard, a group of friends had gathered to embark on a much-needed vacation. Among them were renowned detective Kogorou Mouri, his daughter Ran, and Kogorou's trusted apprentice, Conan Edogawa, along with the young Detective Boys. Sonoko Suzuki, a close friend of the Mouri family, had kindly arranged for their trip at the cost of her family. As the St. Aphrodita set sail, the group couldn't wait to unwind and enjoy the festivities that lined the ship's itinerary. However, their relaxation was short-lived. The ship's captain had announced that a treasure hunt was to be held onboard, and Sonoko had enthusiastically taken the initiative to organize a hide-and-seek game as part of the festivities. The game was about to begin when the contestants were led to a designated area, and a loud horn sounded, signaling the start of the game. Sonoko and the other contestants were to hide around the ship while the searchers were given a set amount of time to locate them. However, as the clock ticked, and the searchers failed to locate any of the hidden participants, the game seemed to take a disturbing turn. Sonoko, who was supposed to be hiding, failed to turn up for the designated reunion point, raising the alarm and sending the group into a panic. Ran and Kogorou immediately sprang into action, but their search efforts were in vain. The detective duo and the Detective Boys scoured every nook and cranny of the ship, but there was no sign of Sonoko. Conan, with his sharp instincts, quickly picked up on a few inconsistencies in the captain's account of the previous days of the voyage. His keen mind and attention to detail led him to a mysterious and isolated cabin, and as fate would have it, Kogorou, who was keeping a watchful eye on Conan, stumbled upon him. The cabin was Sonoko's alleged hiding spot but something didn't look right to Conan. His eyes scanned the room frantically while, in that moment, he detected the faint scent of cigar smoke – a scent reminiscent of the earlier ship engineer Hideto Yashiro. In a flash of inspiration, Conan put the pieces together, realizing that the disappearances were a ruse to throw off the investigation and to cover up a deeper, sinister truth. The seemingly isolated incidents of the earlier collision and Hideto's car accident now seemed linked to the events on the St. Aphrodite. As they delved deeper into the mystery, it emerged that Hideto Yashiro, before his fatal car accident, had designed a unique and intricate ventilation system for a specific purpose on a cruise ship. Conan pieced together the events and realized that the luxury liner had, in reality, served as a floating prison all these years, disguising itself as a vessel of leisure under the name 'St. Aphrodite'. As Conan and Kogorou unraveled the intricate web of secrets on the ship, they were in for a shock. It turned out that Hideto had been working on the ventilation system to secretly confine and torture victims, using the system to keep them captive below the ship's decks. This macabre game of cat and mouse had been orchestrated by Hideto and his accomplices, who were now working on the ship with an ulterior motive. A thrilling series of confrontations unfolded on the ship as Conan and Kogorou confronted the conspirators and unraveled the web of secrets they tried to hide. The investigation led them deeper into the heart of the ship, and as they got closer to the truth, they realized that there were more complex forces at play here. In the end, it became clear that nothing on the St. Aphrodite was as it seemed, and only Conan's sharp detective skills could save the group and restore truth on the ill-fated voyage.