Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

With a cigarette in his mouth, Maori Kogoro lazily fumbled under the bar, his hand exploring a corner for a moment, and soon, his hand touched a small black ball. Kogoro picked it up and then showed a disdainful smile, with a bit of ridicule and understanding in his eyes.

"Huh, what an easy-to-guess little brat..." he said, and then threw the small ball in his hand to Chen Shuo beside him without much concern.

Chen Shuo took the small black ball, looked down at it carefully, and gently stroked its surface with his fingers, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Dr. Agasa is truly worthy of this! This design is simply ingenious," he sighed softly, his tone full of recognition for Dr. Agasa's skills.

Maori Kogoro and Chen Shuo smiled at each other, seemingly saying nothing, yet their tacit understanding seemed to have conveyed all the information in an instant. The tacit understanding between the two was self-evident, and it was obvious that they knew very well what all this meant.

At this moment, the door of the coffee shop was quietly pushed open, and a small figure walked in. It was Conan. He had a sheepish smile on his face. The words of the two were heard clearly in the eavesdropping device, and he knew in his heart that he had been discovered.

"Uh...Brother Shuo," Conan laughed dryly a few times, looking a little embarrassed. He scratched his head and walked in front of Chen Shuo, spreading his palms, "Um...this is something I forgot here, it wasn't...meant to do it...hahahaha..."

Chen Shuo didn't say much, just flicked the small eavesdropping device into Conan's hand and gestured for him to sit down with his eyes. Conan's heart sank. Although he didn't know what Chen Shuo was going to say next, he knew it would definitely not be a light conversation.

He sat down obediently at the bar, looking at Chen Shuo, feeling inexplicably nervous.

Chen Shuo was silent for a moment, his eyes slightly downcast, as if he were contemplating something. After a moment, he suddenly spoke in a low, inquiring voice: "Conan... No! Kudo Shinichi, do you think it's possible for a world completely free of crime to exist?"

Conan was stunned for a moment, not expecting Chen Shuo to ask such a question. He opened his mouth, but didn't answer immediately. He lowered his head, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. Although his sense of justice still burned, after so many cases, he was no longer the innocent boy he once was. He knew in his heart that this world couldn't be all justice, nor could it be completely crime-free. That was an impossible utopia.

Chen Shuo didn't get an answer, so he didn't rush to ask. He just smiled and continued, his tone thoughtful: "Sumiyoshi-kai, you know what? If you found evidence of the current president of the Sumiyoshi-kai committing a crime, what would you do?"

Conan suddenly raised his head and looked at Chen Shuo, his eyes showing some doubt and vigilance. He subconsciously opened his mouth, wanting to blurt out: "Of course, bring him to justice..." This was his consistent creed. As a detective, his duty was to bring criminals to justice.

But the words suddenly stopped, his voice trailing off. He stared into Chen Shuo's deep eyes, his heart tightening. He realized this question wasn't just a simple multiple-choice question, but one loaded with deeper meaning. Chen Shuo wouldn't ask this question for no reason, and his answer clearly wasn't what Chen Shuo wanted.

Conan fell silent, his expression growing increasingly serious. This issue involved more than a simple crime; it involved the complex social relations and realities of compromise. He looked at Chen Shuo, hoping to find some clue in his expression, but all he saw was a calm face, as if quietly awaiting his answer.

Feeling Conan's hesitation and entanglement, Kogoro Mouri, who was sitting next to him, took a light puff of his cigarette, then took the cigarette from his mouth, shook off the ash, and then let out a disdainful laugh.

"Hmph, little brat, do you really think that bringing all criminals to justice will make the world a better place?" His voice was filled with sarcasm and helplessness, as if mocking Conan's naiveté. Maori Kogoro's eyes were filled with depth. He lowered his head and looked at Conan, his eyes flashing with a thorough understanding of the realities of the world.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke slowly, his tone carrying a sense of vicissitudes: "Do you really think that everything will be solved by putting the gang leader in jail? Don't be so naive, kid. Do you know what consequences will be triggered if the gang leader of a city is arrested and imprisoned?"

Conan was stunned for a moment, looking at Maori Kogoro, his expression gradually changing from initial confusion to solemnity. Maori Kogoro took a puff of his cigarette, a complex look in his eyes. He continued, "The underworld organizations are never simply individual crimes. The forces behind them are very complex - there are economics, transactions, and chains of interests. You captured the current president, do you think someone will step forward to take over? No, those guys who are eyeing it will only take the opportunity to fight for power and profit, and blood will flow."

He paused, smoke drifting slowly from his mouth, his voice growing deeper. "This isn't just an internal mafia matter. If they fight, only innocent citizens will be harmed. Street violence, uncontrolled crime, innocent people being dragged into disputes—do you think the police can handle it? It will only plunge the city into chaos."

"So, although the mafia exists in the dark corners of society, it also has its own 'order' and 'rules,' sometimes even maintaining a certain hidden balance. If you arrest that person, it may seem like you're cracking down on crime, but in reality, you're disrupting a certain balance. Countless people will be implicated. Can you bear the consequences of that?"

Kogoro Mouri's voice is filled with realistic helplessness and a touch of irony. He knows Conan pursues justice and has a strong sense of justice, but some things cannot be solved by naive idealism. He has witnessed too many cases and understands the complexity of society and the existence of gray areas.

Conan fell silent, lowering his head, a flicker of struggle in his eyes. Although he still wanted to uphold his belief in bringing every criminal to justice, Maori Kogoro's words forced him to reconsider. Things were far more complicated than he had imagined, and far more thorny than simply distinguishing between good and evil.

Conan lowered his head, listening to Maori Kogoro's words, and a complex emotion surged in his heart. His thoughts unconsciously drifted back to a scene not long ago - that was the night when he learned about the hidden side of Sonoko and Maori Ran, felt powerless and shocked, and finally called his father Kudo Yusaku.

At that time, he was holding the phone, his voice revealing a trace of fatigue and powerlessness he had never felt before: "Dad... have you ever encountered a situation where you felt powerless?"

On the other end of the line, Kudo Yusaku was stunned for a moment, hearing the helplessness and frustration in his son's tone. He put down his work and became serious. Kudo Yusaku, who usually treats his son with gentleness and pride, changed his tone to a serious and concerned one.

"Too much, Shinichi." He took a deep breath, as if recalling many past events, and then his voice was low and powerful: "Shinichi, listen! You are a very good child, and I have always been proud of you. When you solved the case independently for the first time, I was very excited. I even opened a new long article to celebrate that day because you made me feel so proud."

On the other end of the line, Kudo Yusaku's voice was gentle, but soon became more serious. "However, when I saw the title 'Savior of the Metropolitan Police Department' used to describe you in the newspaper, I realized I had made a huge mistake. I regret not teaching you to become a detective before first letting you truly understand the rules of society and recognize the complexity and darkness of this world."

"You see, the world isn't black and white. Often, justice can't be achieved simply by solving a case. Even finding the truth may not solve the problem. Sometimes, detectives like us even discover that the truth can make things worse and cause more harm."

Kudo Yusaku's voice sounded particularly solemn. He continued, "Shinichi, I'm incredibly proud of your talent and your sense of justice, but you need to know that detectives aren't omnipotent, and justice doesn't always prevail. Some things are simply beyond our control. Feeling powerless is painful, but it's also part of making us face reality."

Conan was silent. He had never seen his father so serious and heavy-hearted. His father's words were like a knife, piercing his innocence and pure belief in justice. In that moment, he felt the limitations of his own detective and understood that justice wasn't always so simple and pure.

Conan's thoughts raced through his mind, as he recalled his father's words and the cases and complexities of human nature he had encountered along the way. He pondered for a long time, his inner conflicts constantly intertwining. But finally, at this moment, he took a deep breath, bravely raised his head, and looked directly at the man before him—this man he had always feared and was full of mystery.

"Brother Shuo!" Conan's voice was firm and stubborn, his eyes no longer showing any evasion or hesitation. "What is your goal? What do you want?"

Chen Shuo was stunned by Conan's direct gaze, clearly not expecting this boy to suddenly become so direct and resolute. After a moment, Chen Shuo smiled, a hint of emotion in his eyes. He raised his hand, gently tapped the table, and whispered, "At first, I just wanted to live in peace and enjoy life here. For me, a peaceful life with occasional challenges is probably enough."

He paused, looking out the window, a complex mix of emotions in his eyes, as if reminiscing, yet also pondering the future. "But... the human heart is always filled with resentment. When that resentment gradually welled up in me, I realized I wasn't willing to be mediocre, lonely. In this world, who wouldn't want to rise to a higher level if conditions allowed? Who wouldn't want to see themselves standing tall, making their own rules?"

Chen Shuo's voice gradually grew deeper and more powerful. He returned his gaze to Conan, a look of deep thought and consideration in it. "Would you rather be a lone killer, hiding in the darkness for the rest of your life, or a rule-maker, controlling your own destiny? Conan, if it were you, what would you choose?"

Conan was silent for a moment when faced with Chen Shuo's question. He didn't answer immediately, but a hint of determination gradually emerged in his eyes. He knew he had to make a choice, and although it was different from Chen Shuo's path, he had to find his own direction.

Conan lowered his head, the light reflected from his glasses obscuring his eyes, making him appear serious and silent. His fists were slightly clenched, his knuckles white from the force, and it was obvious that he was going through some intense struggle within.

"If you want to be the one who makes the rules, then you are destined not to stay in this small Tokyo for the rest of your life. Even the whole of Japan cannot restrain you..." His voice was low and slow, with a decision made after careful consideration.

Chen Shuo looked at him and nodded slightly, with a hint of interest in his tone: "So, what do you want to express?"

Conan raised his head, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes grew more determined, as if he already had the answer. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a confident and somewhat unruly smile, his eyes gleaming with the sharpness of a dragon king.

"I have realized my own shortcomings. I understand that I alone cannot prevent all crimes, nor can I completely eliminate all darkness." Conan's voice became more powerful. He looked at Chen Shuo with a deep oath in his voice.

"Tokyo is my home! I won't break the law, I won't commit a crime, but I know that I alone can't completely eradicate the darkness. However, even so, I want to use my life's best efforts to protect the order of this city... At the very least, I will do my best to ensure that innocent people are no longer harassed by crime."

He paused, took a deep breath, and stared intently at Chen Shuo, as if, in that moment, he had glimpsed his future goal. Conan's words were filled with determination and an unyielding will: "So, I... I will become the supreme judge of Tokyo's underworld! I will use the wisdom and power I possess to determine how the evil lurking in the shadows will be treated!"

Their gazes met in the air, as if in that moment of staring, they had reached a strange understanding. In that moment, Conan was no longer just a detective hell-bent on solving a case, but a decision-maker willing to shoulder greater responsibility and bravely confront the dark side. Chen Shuo saw Conan's determination, his unyielding courage, and felt a glimmer of hope for the young man's future.