Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

It's another day, and sunlight streams through the curtains into the "Jingxin" coffee shop. It's a weekday, so the place is deserted. Chen Shuo, bored watching Amuro Toru busying around behind the bar, decides to hand over the coffee shop duties to him and attend a video game company's launch event called "Mantiantang" to have some fun.

"Amuro, I'm going out first. There aren't many customers today. You can look after the store by yourself." After Chen Shuo finished speaking, he waved his hand casually and walked out of the cafe with a somewhat relaxed mood.

"Okay, boss, be careful." Toru Amuro nodded and continued to focus on making coffee with a smile on his face, still the diligent and responsible employee.

Arriving at Mantiantang, Chen Shuo was captivated by the lively atmosphere. The surroundings were bustling with activity and the atmosphere was cheerful. Then, a promotional poster for the game caught his eye, prominently labeled "Mouri Kogoro's Mystery Mansion." He was taken aback, a silent sigh of admiration: it seemed that Mouri Kogoro had begun to work harder since his relationship with Kisaki Eri warmed up.

"I never thought Kogoro would become the protagonist of the game," Chen Shuo muttered to himself, a smile on his face. He had been seeing news about Maori Kogoro in the newspapers lately, and it was gratifying to see his friend's growth and progress.

Furthermore, his experiences a few days ago had further complicated his feelings. A few days earlier, after Kudo Shinichi had shrunk, Conan had been unexpectedly sent by Professor Agasa to the foster care of Kogoro Mori's detective agency. Professor Agasa's excuse, that he wasn't good at taking care of children, seemed both helpless and genuine.

"This is going to be troublesome." Chen Shuo thought to himself, frowning slightly. Conan is the identity of Kudo Shinichi after he became a small child, but Maori Kogoro did not know this. He thought Conan was just a relative of Professor Agasa.

"Ran, have you really decided to let Conan live here?" Chen Shuo seemed a little hesitant when facing Ran Mouri that day.

"Yes, Shin... Conan can't live in his own house after all. He also needs a place to live. Dr. Agasa has tried his best to take care of himself, so it is impossible for him to take care of Conan." Ran Mouri's eyes were also helpless, and she was obviously very hesitant about Conan living in her house.

"But after all, he..."

"This is the only thing I can do for him." Mao Lilan interrupted Chen Shuo before he finished speaking, and then smiled at him: "Brother Shuo will protect me, right?"

Chen Shuo had nothing to say. He wanted to say something else, but when he saw Mao Lilan's gentle and determined gaze, he finally accepted it helplessly.

"This is going to be troublesome," Chen Shuo muttered to himself, anger and worry intertwined. After all, Conan's arrival would undoubtedly bring potential danger to the Maori family, especially since Maori Kogoro was completely unaware of Conan's true identity.

At the launch event, Chen Shuo couldn't concentrate as the game was introduced. Despite the lively discussions and laughter around him, he couldn't shake his concern for Maori Kogoro's family. He decided he had to find a way to protect them and ensure Conan didn't cause unnecessary trouble.

"Perhaps I should find a chance to talk to Kogoro and ask him to pay more attention." Chen Shuo pondered, and an idea gradually came to his mind. Although he only wanted to enjoy life after his second life, he was unwilling to stand idly by when it came to his friends' affairs.

"Hey! Isn't this Brother Shuo?"

Just as Chen Shuo's thoughts were racing, a voice suddenly interrupted his train of thought. He came to his senses and saw Ran Mouri and Conan approaching him, with Kogoro Mouri leaning against the wall behind them, looking hopeless. Ran Mouri's eyes flickered with surprise; she had clearly not expected this mature and steady man to appear at the game conference.

"Brother Shuo! Are you coming to the launch event too?" Mao Lilan had a smile on her face and her eyes were full of curiosity.

"Yes, I'm still young and wanted to come and take a look." Chen Shuo smiled with a relaxed tone.

Conan stood aside, his eyes slightly solemn, and he felt hostile towards Chen Shuo. He always felt that Mao Lilan had some distance from him recently, but was very enthusiastic towards Chen Shuo, which made him feel very unhappy.

"Why are you here?" Conan asked coldly, with a hint of doubt in his tone.

"Nothing special, I just came here for fun." Chen Shuo ignored Conan's hostility and turned to walk towards Maori Kogoro. "Kogoro, why do you look like you're going to die?"

Maori Kogoro looked up with a helpless expression, "I had a few drinks yesterday to celebrate today's release, and I'm still hungover."

"You drank too much, didn't you?" Mao Lilan shook her head helplessly, the veins on her forehead slightly bulging. "I really don't understand why you want to drink so much."

"I didn't drink much!" Maori Kogoro argued stubbornly, with a look of dissatisfaction on his face, "I just had a few glasses of gin, vodka and bourbon!"

Hearing these names, Chen Shuo's eyes involuntarily glanced at Conan and found that his face turned pale instantly, as if he realized something. It seemed that he already knew something about the organization that shrank him. He whispered to Conan, "Put away your expression and remember your identity. You are just an elementary school student now." After that, Chen Shuo didn't care about Conan's reaction and walked straight up to chat with Maori Kogoro.

"You don't feel well today. Do you want me to find you some coffee to wake you up?" Chen Shuo asked with concern.

"Thank you, but I think I'd better bear with it." Kogoro Mouri sighed and tried to cheer himself up, but the fatigue in his eyes was nowhere to be hidden.

"What an unreliable detective." Chen Shuo shook his head helplessly, but he felt a little relieved in his heart. The interaction between friends can always bring a touch of warmth.

Chen Shuo was relieved to find that Maori Kogoro was indeed fine. He decided not to ask any more questions, and let Kogoro suffer through the sales event, which would be a small lesson for him. After all, the problem of alcoholism was not something that could be ignored.

"Just stay put today and don't drink anymore." Chen Shuo said softly to Kogoro in a serious tone: "If you drink excessively again in the future, I will consider discussing with Xiaolan Eri to stop you from drinking all alcohol!"

Kogoro Mouri spread his hands helplessly, with a wry smile: "I will try my best and just drink water today." After that, he looked up at the team in front of him, looking a little bored.

Several people began to line up to receive their numbered plates. The ones in front were quietly discussing their company's large and bulky suitcases, complaining constantly: "This suitcase really takes up too much space. I really don't know how the company designed it!"

"I really hope it can be changed to a lighter style. I'm really fed up with it." Another person echoed, with a bit of dissatisfaction in his voice: "I think only the president likes this thing."

Unfortunately, their complaints were overheard by their boss, who came over angrily with a gloomy look on his face. The three people who had complained realized they were in trouble and immediately grabbed their number plates and ran away, fearing they would be caught by the boss.

"Haha, this is really interesting." Chen Shuo shook his head and laughed. These little episodes in the workplace always make people laugh and cry.

"You're so stupid that you actually complain in front of the president." Kogoro Mouri couldn't help laughing. Although he was not in good condition, such a scene still made him feel relaxed.

"Is this the pain of office workers?" Mao Lilan looked at the people who escaped, smiled slightly, and then looked forward again. She happened to be number 100, and a hint of excitement appeared on her face. "Wow, I'm number 100! This means that good things will definitely happen today!"

"This is an auspicious number!" Chen Shuo was also infected by her excitement. He looked at Mao Lilan gently and agreed.

"Do you actually believe in this kind of superstition, Sister Xiaolan?" Conan squinted his eyes and complained unromantically. Being a materialistic man, he could not understand the romance of this little girl at all.

"It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not, what matters is your mood!" Mao Lilan replied with a smile, and seemed to be filled with energy in an instant. Her eyes were shining with anticipation, as if there would be an unexpected surprise today.

"I hope your good fortune can benefit us too," Chen Shuo said jokingly, a smile on his face. Although it was just a sales event, everyone felt relaxed in this atmosphere.

---

In the lively atmosphere of the launch event, Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan were discussing the game when they noticed Mao Li Kogoro standing on the stage with a slightly unnatural expression. With the host's introduction, Kogoro was pushed into the spotlight. Although he tried to remain calm, his slightly trembling hands and bewildered expression were very cute.

"It's really interesting to see him like that!" Chen Shuo chuckled, his eyes fixed on Kogoro.

"Haha, Dad really looks like he wants to run away." Mao Lilan chuckled with her hands covering her mouth, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Do you want me to help him? Write him a sign that says 'I'm just an ordinary detective' so he won't be so nervous." Chen Shuo said half-jokingly, feeling full of amusement at Kogoro's predicament.

"That won't do! Dad is a famous detective now, we can't let him lose face!" Mao Lilan smiled and shook her head, but her face showed anticipation, and she was eager to do something.

"His behavior just reveals his true colors." Chen Shuo couldn't help but tease, "After all, in the detective world, timid characters are rare."

The two happily exchanged anecdotes about Maori Kogoro, often drawing laughter from passersby. For example, they recalled a time when Kogoro was chasing a suspect but ran too fast and tripped and fell to the ground, ending up with mud all over his face.

"That time he actually insisted that he did it on purpose, just to better hide his whereabouts!" Mao Lilan held her stomach and laughed. Thinking of her father's pretending to be calm, she couldn't help laughing.

"Haha, Kogoro is so funny." A hint of happiness flashed in Chen Shuo's eyes. Such teasing and interaction made him feel relaxed and happy.

Conan, standing by, was filled with jealousy and dissatisfaction. He watched Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan chatting and laughing, and he couldn't help but feel a little crazy. Seeing the two of them so well-matched, he had no way to vent his anxiety.

"Why can they be so happy, but I can't do anything?" Conan gritted his teeth in his heart, clenched his hands into fists, and showed unwillingness in his eyes.

"I must find a chance to investigate that organization before I can change back." He decided secretly, his heart becoming more and more determined. However, the scene before him made him feel depressed.

The atmosphere at the launch event grew increasingly cheerful. Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan continued to complain about Kogoro's embarrassing moments, while Mao Li Kogoro struggled to control his emotions on stage. Under the gaze of the crowd, he seemed a little clumsy, and the audience was also infected by the relaxed atmosphere and gave him warm applause.

"It seems that Kogoro is still popular." Chen Shuo said seriously.

"Yes, although Dad is a little embarrassing, he is a good detective after all!" Mao Lilan nodded in agreement, her eyes full of pride.

"I think Kogoro will be able to get through this." Chen Shuo smiled slightly, his heart full of expectations for this friend.

Conan stood aside, feeling unhappy. Even the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere couldn't make him forget his worries. The sales conference continued, with laughter and cheerful music, but only Conan's hurt world was complete.