Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

The night was as dark as ink. Moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting a cold luster across the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Chen Shuo's figure moved swiftly through the darkness, his steps brisk and silent.

He launched a lightning-fast massacre in the narrow hotel corridor. His movements were precise and efficient, without a single unnecessary movement. The air was filled with tension and the smell of death.

After leaving the room, Chen Shuo ignored the residents who had rushed out to investigate after hearing the noise. He chose to stand in a corner of the corridor. This position allowed him to monitor the entire battle area at a glance, and with his back against the wall, he could avoid being attacked from behind. He gave the Remington 1875 a final check, his finger lightly touching the trigger, and his body entered combat mode, every muscle tensed, ready for the coming battle.

one minute later

The sudden sound of fighting shattered the hotel's silence. Two heavily armed bodyguards, clad in body armor and armed with pistols, were the first to enter Chen Shuo's field of vision. Their movements were swift but slightly flustered. Clearly, they hadn't anticipated the day they would be needed. Their first reaction upon seeing Chen Shuo was to aim their weapons. However, Chen Shuo's reaction was even faster, his experience having already anticipated the enemy's movements.

The two bodyguards were only a second slow, and it was in this short second that Chen Shuo pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"boom!"

The muffled sound of gunfire, accompanied by the recoil of the revolver, shook the air. The first bodyguard's chest was almost instantly torn apart by the immense force of the impact, and large amounts of blood splattered on the wall. Even his ribs were shattered by the fragments of the shotgun. As soon as the gunshot died down, the body fell heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

The second bodyguard was a bit slower to react. He was horrified to see his companion fall down, and instantly realized that the enemy in front of him was no ordinary person. He suddenly raised his gun and pointed it at Chen Shuo, but it was too late.

Chen Shuo's movements were seamless. The moment he pulled the trigger, he had already swiftly rolled sideways behind the sofa, with barely a pause. The bodyguard's bullet grazed the edge of Chen Shuo's hair, sending sparks flying off the wall, but Chen Shuo's movements were as smooth as flowing water. He precisely used the corner for cover, keeping his body close to the ground to minimize his target area.

Chen Shuo, sensing a pause in the bodyguard's firing, opened fire again while he was reloading. With a deafening roar, the second bodyguard's head exploded, a bloody mess. His body was flung backward like a puppet, slamming against the wall and collapsing to the ground.

During the battle, Chen Shuo displayed exceptional spatial awareness and tactical foresight. He wasn't simply shooting; he exploited every object and every inch of terrain to gain tactical advantage. In such a confined environment, speed and precision were more crucial than firepower.

After dealing with the two bodyguards, Chen Shuo did not relax. His ears moved, and before he could turn towards the gun, he instinctively drew out the Eagle Claw Knife.

Sure enough, the door next to him suddenly opened, and a bodyguard rushed out quickly, holding a tactical dagger, attempting to attack at close range. This bodyguard had obviously received strict CQB training. He did not rashly open fire, but chose to use the dagger to engage in hand-to-hand combat in the narrow corridor. The lethality of the dagger in close combat is sometimes much more effective than that of a gun.

Chen Shuo also realized this. Facing the oncoming bodyguard, he quickly retreated two steps, avoiding the attack. The bodyguard's dagger grazed his abdomen, almost touching his skin. However, Chen Shuo's reaction speed was extremely fast. The moment the dagger just missed, he suddenly punched the bodyguard in the face.

The force of the punch was so immense that the bodyguard's facial bones cracked with a resounding sound, and he stumbled backward. Without hesitation, Chen Shuo charged forward, kneeing him directly in the chest. The bodyguard's breathing instantly stopped, and the powerful impact knocked him off his feet, sending the dagger flying from his hand.

Chen Shuo's hand holding the Eagle Claw Knife seemed to leave a shadow as it quickly cut across the opponent's throat. Blood gushed out. The bodyguard covered his neck with his hands, his eyes filled with fear and unwillingness, but his body could no longer support him and he fell to his knees.

Chen Shuo knew time was running out, and the sounds of intense fighting in the room had likely already attracted the attention of the security outside. Without wasting a second, he quickly analyzed the retreat route.

He pulled spare bullets from Uchimura's tactical sling, refilled his Remington, adjusted his breathing, and steadied his heartbeat. His eyes were calm, and he was completely in combat mode. At this moment, Chen Shuo was like a precise and ruthless killing machine.

He decided to take the rooftop evacuation route. After all, the bodyguards inside the hotel had been alarmed, and the frontal route was extremely dangerous. However, he could use the vertical height difference and complex building structure to buy himself some time through the rooftop.

Chen Shuo swiftly crossed the long, narrow corridor, keeping an eye on every possible dark corner, wary of ambushes and surprise attacks. He made no sound, his steps light and swift, stalking the darkness like a cheetah, always ready for the next battle.

In this confined space, Chen Shuo exemplified the essence of CQB: speed, precision, and decisiveness. Relying not only on powerful firepower but also on his tactical awareness and keen spatial perception, he achieved complete suppression of the enemy at minimal cost.

The battle lasted only a few tens of seconds, but for Chen Shuo, every moment was a life-or-death struggle. Every decision made between breaths could determine the outcome of the battle. And he—from beginning to end—remained calm and composed, demonstrating the art of close combat to perfection.

ten minutes later.

Chen Shuo has already fought his way out of the encirclement, and the bloody battle behind him is still vivid in his mind.

The bodies of several fallen bodyguards lay strewn across the corridor, the air thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder. Chen Shuo's expression remained impenetrable, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He clutched a Remington 1875 rifle, the smell of bullets mingling with the scent of blood making his heartbeat even stronger and steadier.

"Time is running out." He whispered to himself.

After quickly checking the ammunition in his hand, Chen Shuo's eyes flashed, and he pushed open the last door leading to the roof without hesitation.

---

The cold wind from the rooftop pierced his skin like a sharp blade, carrying with it the chill of the night. However, Chen Shuo had no time to feel it all; he had to seize this brief respite.

He quickly scanned the area, confirming there were no other ambushes. He then pulled out a grenade, removed the safety pin, and threw it toward the only exit leading to the rooftop behind him. With a resounding boom, the exit was instantly blocked by shattered concrete and iron doors, sending clouds of dust and debris filling the air. Chen Shuo's face remained expressionless, yet he felt a sense of relief. This would at least temporarily deter the pursuing enemy.

"Safe for now." Chen Shuo stood on the edge of the roof, overlooking the entire city. The wind blew the corners of his clothes, and he looked like a lonely god of war, appearing particularly cold and stern in this steel jungle.

However, just as he was about to take a break, a subtle sound came from the other side of the roof. Chen Shuo's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he gripped the gun tightly in his hand and slowly walked towards the source of the sound.

When he turned around the water tower on the roof, he suddenly saw a figure - a silver-haired man, holding a black pistol in his hand, standing quietly in the corner of the roof, looking at him in surprise and suspicion.

"This guy doesn't look like a bodyguard." Although Chen Shuo was confused, he did not hesitate with the gun in his hand. A hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and he pointed the gun at the silver-haired man.

The silver-haired man also noticed Chen Shuo at this moment, and looked at him with cold eyes. The atmosphere between the two of them instantly became tense, as if the air was frozen.

Chen Shuo didn't hesitate at all, his finger on the trigger. He would never give the enemy any chance. Just as he was about to raise his gun to shoot, a scream suddenly came from the edge of the roof not far away.

"Brother Shuo!?"

Chen Shuo froze, his gaze darting towards the source of the noise. He saw Mao Lilan standing on the other side of the roof, half of her body dangling from the fire escape ladder. She had clearly just climbed up from there, a handkerchief clutched in her hand. Her eyes were filled with fear and confusion; she had clearly not expected to see such a scene.

The appearance of Mao Lilan made the whole situation change subtly. The silver-haired killer reacted immediately, a sneer appeared on his lips, and he pointed the gun at Mao Lilan without hesitation. His voice was low and hoarse: "An acquaintance, that's perfect, I'm in need of a hostage."

Chen Shuo's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a hint of anxiety flashed through his heart. If Mao Lilan became a hostage, everything would become extremely difficult.

However, at this moment, something unexpected happened.

The railing the silver-haired man was leaning on had been in disrepair for a long time, and as he moved, it suddenly made a crisp "crack" sound. Then, the railing broke, and he instantly lost his balance and fell towards the outside of the roof.

Even Chen Shuo was a little confused by this dramatic scene, but he still breathed a sigh of relief. At least Mao Lilan was safe.

No one expected that at this moment, Mao Lilan instinctively stretched out a hand and grabbed the silver-haired man who was about to be smashed into a meat paste.

"Catch me!" Ran Mao Li shouted, with a desperate determination in her eyes.

The silver-haired man obviously didn't expect that this woman would actually try to save him in such a situation. Seeing Mao Lilan grabbing his hand, his expression became complicated and he was completely motionless.

Chen Shuo rushed over from the edge of the roof, a cold look flashed in his eyes. He squatted down, grabbed Mao Lilan's shoulders with both hands, and pulled her up together with the silver-haired killer.

The silver-haired man hadn't reacted yet and was looking at Mao Li Ran with a confused expression, obviously unable to understand what was happening before his eyes.

After Chen Shuo pulled him up, he protected Mao Li Ran behind him and pointed the gun at the man's head. However, he didn't care about the gun and just stared at Mao Li Ran blankly.

"Why...why did you save me?" the man murmured.

Mao Lilan seemed to have found a sense of security by holding Chen Shuo's clothes. Although she was still trembling slightly, her eyes were firm.

"There might be a motive for someone to kill another person, but when you're desperate, you don't need to think that much about the reasons for helping someone, right?"

The girl's gentle but firm words pierced the hearts of the two murderous killers in front of her, and something that had been dormant in their hearts for a long time seemed to revive.

"Thank you..." The silver-haired man was about to say thank you, but before he could finish his words, Chen Shuo pointed the gun at his abdomen and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Oh!"

With a dull thud, the bullet instantly penetrated the silver-haired man's abdomen. He widened his eyes, his face filled with an expression of incredible pain, and fell to his knees, clutching his abdomen.

"You..." The silver-haired man gasped in pain, his face turning pale in an instant.

Chen Shuo looked at him coldly, the muzzle of the gun in his hand still pointed steadily at his head, as if he would end his life in the next second. But he did not shoot immediately. Instead, he said calmly: "I will not kill you this time. Let you experience the pain slowly."

After saying that, Chen Shuo put away the gun, turned around and pulled up the frightened Mao Lilan: "Let's go, we must leave here as soon as possible."

Mao Lilan was still shocked. She had just experienced a life-and-death test and her heart was still beating wildly, but she still obediently followed Chen Shuo to escape to the other side of the roof.

---

Below, hotel security and police had completely sealed off the entire building. Chen Shuo led Mao Lilan through the rooftop emergency escape and quickly disappeared into the Manhattan night. The sirens behind them faded further and further away, gradually drowned out by the wind.

"Brother Shuo... who are you?" Mao Lilan finally couldn't help but ask, with a hint of confusion and uneasiness in her voice.

Chen Shuo didn't turn around, but was silent for a moment, then replied helplessly: "You don't have to care. To you, I will always be your Brother Shuo."

---

Inside a New York City phone booth, Sharon Wynyard…or Vermouth, clutching her bleeding abdomen, her face pale as a sheet. She struggled to pick up the phone and dialed a number. After speaking a few words, she hung up.

She knew she had escaped this disaster. Blood oozed from her abdomen, carrying the scent of death. Everything in front of her became blurry, and only the image of the angelic little girl reaching out to save him kept appearing in his mind.

"Why... save me..." She murmured to herself, her eyes gradually dimming.

---

Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan walked on the streets of Manhattan. Mao Lilan's heart was full of questions. She looked at the man in front of her and suddenly realized that she knew nothing about him.

"Brother Shuo...there are still many things you haven't told me." She said softly.

Chen Shuo turned his head and glanced at her, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a smile familiar to Mao Lilan: "Some things, knowing them will not do you any good, but don't worry, I will never hurt you, I swear."

"Xiaolan!"

Just as Mao Lilan was about to ask Chen Shuo more questions, she suddenly heard Kudo Shinichi's voice behind her. She turned around and saw Kudo Shinichi running towards her from a distance. Mao Lilan looked back and found that Chen Shuo had disappeared. She shook her head, buried her thoughts in her heart, and greeted her childhood sweetheart. No matter what Kudo Shinichi asked, she remained silent. The two of them returned to their hotel in silence.