Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

As time slowly passed, the atmosphere in the living room remained somewhat subdued. Several people sat together, their faces showing some annoyance. Kudo Shinichi—now Edogawa Conan—stubbornly sat on the sofa. Although he was scolded by Chen Shuo, he still refused to compromise.

Mao Lilan sighed softly, looked up at Conan, and carefully advised: "Shinichi... No, Conan, why don't you want to tell your uncle and aunt? Your parents are in the United States. If they knew about this, they would definitely help you find a solution. Besides, staying away from this dangerous place is also the best choice."

Conan was silent for a moment, then raised his head and said firmly, "Xiaolan, I know you're doing this for my own good, but I can't tell them, and I can't go to America." He gritted his teeth, a stubborn glint in his eyes, "If I tell them, they'll definitely take me away, but I can't just give up on finding clues about the men in black. What they did is too dangerous. I have to track down the truth myself and can't let them get away with it."

Ran wanted to say something more, but Conan's resoluteness stopped her. She sighed, a trace of helplessness and sadness in her eyes.

(Even after all this talk, he still doesn't care? Is reasoning so important to him?)

Chen Shuo stood aside, arms folded, looking at Conan coldly: "You are quite courageous, but the question is, do you have the ability now? You have become so bad that you can't even protect yourself, and you still want to fight those men in black? Do you think you are Superman?"

Conan lowered his head. Although he knew Chen Shuo was right, the obsession in his heart remained unshakable. He could not retreat, he could not escape.

Dr. Agasa watched this scene, his brow furrowed, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he coughed softly, breaking the silence: "Ahem... Since Shinichi—no, Conan—is unwilling to go to America, let's not force him for now. Chen Shuo, Xiaolan, after all, he probably has his own ideas."

Mao Lilan hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "Maybe... it's okay not to tell uncle and aunt for the time being. But he's in this state now, he can't stay alone, right?"

Dr. Agasa thought for a moment, raised his head and said, "How about...Conan live in my house for a while. I live alone anyway, so no one will suspect anything. And I can take care of him. By the way, I can see if I can help study this mysterious drug and maybe find some clues to the antidote."

Conan heard this, a trace of gratitude flashed in his eyes: "Thank you, Doctor. This is the best, and I can stay away from the sight of those men in black."

Chen Shuo snorted in dissatisfaction. "That's good. At least no one in Dr. Agasa's office will notice your identity as a 'child'. Just don't think about any more risky actions. Expect to get caught."

Conan nodded. Although he was still thinking about how to continue to track down the clues of the man in black, he still followed Chen Shuo's advice on the surface. Now, keeping a low profile was his only option.

"That's settled then." Dr. Agasa smiled and stood up. "Conan can stay at my place tonight. We'll see what to do next tomorrow."

Mao Lilan breathed a sigh of relief. Although she felt helpless about Conan's stubbornness, she also knew that he was not the kind of person who would be easily persuaded. She stood up and said helplessly, "You must be careful, Conan."

Conan looked up at Ran, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. He smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, Ran. I will be careful."

"That's it for now. We'll talk about it tomorrow." Chen Shuo curled his lips, seeming to be dissatisfied with the decision, but he did not continue to object.

After a brief discussion, they decided to let Conan stay at Dr. Agasa's house for the night. No one could predict what the future would hold, but for now, there was a temporary solution.

After the discussion, the atmosphere in the living room finally calmed down. Chen Shuo stood up, straightened his clothes, turned to Mao Lilan and said, "It's getting late, and we should leave. Let Conan rest at Dr. Agasa's house tonight, and we'll find a solution tomorrow."

Mao Lilan hesitated for a moment, nodded, and stood up to leave. However, it was clear that what had happened today had a great impact on her. The bizarre turn of events still made her feel a little uneasy. She looked at the little Conan, then at Chen Shuo, her eyes filled with mixed emotions. As she reached the door, she suddenly felt a chill, and involuntarily reached out and grasped the corner of Chen Shuo's clothes, as if seeking some sense of security.

Chen Shuo looked down at her and said nothing. He just patted her shoulder gently, telling her to be at ease. Mao Lilan pursed her lips and whispered, "What happened today is really hard to believe... Shinichi has become like this, I really don't know what to do."

"Don't worry, he's only shrunk temporarily. There will always be a solution." Chen Shuo's tone was calm, with a hint of comfort. "If you get confused, he won't be able to calm down."

"Hmm..." Lan nodded slightly, but her hand still did not let go of the corner of Chen Shuo's clothes, as if only in this way could she dispel the uneasiness in her heart.

At this moment, Conan, standing nearby, was watching this scene intently, with a complex emotion welling up in his heart. His eyes were fixed on Mao Lilan's hand that was grasping the corner of Chen Shuo's clothes, and he felt an indescribable pain and jealousy in his heart.

"Xiaolan..." Conan secretly called her name in his heart, but sighed helplessly. He had become a child now. No matter how anxious or jealous he was, he could only watch Lan relying on Chen Shuo. The intimate back seemed to hurt his eyes.

He wanted to step forward, to tell Mao Lilan that he was still there, still the Kudo Shinichi she knew. However, his current appearance—his childish face and short stature—only made him seem like an insignificant child. No matter how much emotion he felt, he couldn't express it in words.

"I can't do anything right now..." Conan smiled bitterly. She was right in front of him, but he couldn't stand beside her like before. This scene seemed to remind him that he had lost his identity as a high school student, Kudo Shinichi.

"Let's go, Lan." Chen Shuo patted her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts, and the two walked out the door together.

"Shin-no, Conan, you must be careful." Mao Lilan looked back at Conan and warned.

Conan nodded, a forced smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Don't worry, Xiaolan, I will take care of myself."

Watching them leave, Conan unconsciously clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with helplessness and loss. He knew in his heart that he had no right to fight for anything now, and could only watch the two people walk away silently.

The door closed gently, and the room fell silent. Conan stood there, his heart filled with mixed emotions. But he also knew that now was not the time to be willful or jealous. He had to quickly find clues to the man in black and solve this mystery so that he could stand by Ran's side again and protect her as Kudo Shinichi.

"Xiaolan, wait for me - I will definitely come back." Conan swore silently in his heart, but a rare determination appeared on his young face.

---

As the night deepened, Mao Lilan and Chen Shuo sat in the car, the interior completely silent, with only the low hum of the engine echoing inside. Chen Shuo silently gripped the steering wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead, while Mao Lilan leaned back in the passenger seat, her eyes seeming a little unfocused.

Outside the car window, the nightscape of Tokyo passed by like flowing water, but beneath the bustling neon lights, a shadow loomed. Mao Lilan hesitated for a long time, but finally mustered up the courage to speak and break the silence in the car: "Brother Shuo... do you know who those people are who made Shinichi become like that?"

Chen Shuo's hands paused on the steering wheel, his eyes still looking forward. He was silent for a moment before he said lightly, "Well, I know a little."

Mao Lilan's heart suddenly rose, and she quickly turned to look at Chen Shuo: "Then... who are they? Why are they so terrible? They even hurt Shinichi like that?"

Chen Shuo sighed slightly, his eyes still fixed on the road ahead. His tone became calm and steady. "That group can be called the 'Black Organization.' They are an extremely mysterious and large criminal group, operating in secret, and their members are extremely dangerous. The code names of the organization members are all the names of alcohol, such as the 'Gin' and 'Vodka' that shrunk Conan today. Their actions never leave any trace."

He paused and continued, "No one knows their true purpose, but from what I know, the organization is involved in many illegal transactions, assassinations, and even some extremely dangerous drug experiments. And Conan... he was targeted because he was tracking their actions, and was forced to take that drug, which is why he became what he is now."

Mao Lilan clenched her hands, her eyes full of anxiety: "Shinichi really faced them... The Black Organization sounds like an existence that cannot be defeated. But Brother Shuo, since you know their existence, can you... help Shinichi?"

Chen Shuo sighed and interrupted her, "Lan, I understand how you feel, but you don't understand the complexity of this. I'm a killer, and my identity is already sensitive enough in the underground world. If I take action against the Black Organization, no matter what the reason, the balance of the entire underground world will be disrupted."

He gave Lan a deep look and continued, "The underground order in Tokyo, and indeed in all of Japan, has always maintained a delicate neutrality. Each faction has its own territory and rules, and no one will easily cross the line. And I have always acted on the neutral line. As long as I don't take sides, no faction will act rashly. They will only act within the rules I set."

He looked ahead, his tone growing more serious. "But if I get involved, it means the rules I set no longer exist. Not only will the Black Organization attack me, but other forces will follow suit. The entire Tokyo underworld will be thrown into chaos. Both I and you could be in even greater danger."

Mao Lilan was stunned, realizing that things were much more complicated than she had imagined. She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but when the words came to her lips, she couldn't say them.

Chen Shuo glanced at her, his eyes softening a little. "Lan, I understand you're worried about Conan, but this isn't something I can interfere with. All I can do is pretend I know nothing and never get directly involved. Otherwise, the consequences will be disastrous. I hope you'll do the same and pretend you know nothing. That will be better for everyone. At least I can protect you now."

Mao Lilan lowered her head, biting her lips tightly, feeling powerless: "Then...what about Shinichi? He's become a child now, and he can't fight against that organization alone..."

Chen Shuo's tone was slightly helpless. "He is Kudo Shinichi, Tokyo's smartest high school detective. Although he has become a child, I believe his wisdom will not disappear. There are some roads that only he can walk alone."

The car fell into a brief silence. Although Mao Lilan was still filled with anxiety, she gradually accepted the reality. She knew that Chen Shuo was right. Although she did not fully understand the rules of the underground world, Chen Shuo's neutral status could not be easily broken.

"Thank you, Brother Shuo. It's a good thing you're here, otherwise I don't know what to do." She whispered with a hint of helplessness in her tone.

Chen Shuo nodded without saying anything else. The car continued to drive in the night. The surrounding street lights flashed by quickly, bringing a somewhat desolate atmosphere.

The two of them were thinking about their own things, and the atmosphere in the car returned to silence again. Mao Lilan leaned back in her seat, her eyes a little dazed.

As the car drove forward, the night deepened and the shadow of Tokyo seemed to grow thicker.