Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

At night, the "Jingxin" coffee shop remains tranquil and peaceful. Warm lights cast a soft glow over the bar counter and tables and chairs, and the familiar aroma of coffee wafts through the air. Chen Shuo stands behind the bar, a book in hand. He appears focused, but his mind is actually far away.

He put down the book, sighed, and opened his phone to check a message he had just received. The content on the screen was brief and direct, but it was enough to make his eyes turn cold.

**TARGET: GEORGE DICKSON**

**Location: New York**

**Time: Within seven days**

Behind these simple words lies a complex commission and murderous intent. George Dickson, a member of the U.S. Senate, appears to be an upright politician, but secretly entangled with multiple dark forces. He has ruthlessly eliminated obstacles before, but now, he is the target.

"What an unexpected invitation..." Chen Shuo muttered to himself, a hint of a sneer on his face. "But it's okay. If I don't move around a bit, my body will get rusty."

He stood up and began to clean up the cafe, preparing to close it. Ever since the name "Wu Chen" faded from the underground world, he rarely took on such tasks, but it was obvious that this trip to New York would once again plunge his life into a turbulent vortex.

"I have to go to New York." He had already made up his mind. The mission required to be quick and clean, without leaving any traces. Although he was living a peaceful and leisurely life now, occasionally accepting such missions could keep him sharp.

Chen Shuo picked up a piece of paper, wrote a notice saying "On Vacation, Temporarily Closed," and taped it to the entrance of the cafe. According to the last message on his phone, his flight had been scheduled, departing the following evening.

He stood at the door, took one last look at the familiar Beika-cho streets, and chuckled in his heart: "When I come back, everything will be back to normal."

---

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. Chen Shuo closed the cafe and prepared to head to the airport. Dressed in simple casual clothes and carrying a suitcase, he looked nothing like the legendary assassin who once intimidated the underworld.

Just as he was about to take a taxi to the airport, a familiar voice came from behind him: "Brother Shuo!"

Chen Shuo looked back and saw Mao Lilan walking towards him quickly with a shopping bag in her hand, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Brother Shuo, where are you going? Why is the cafe closed today? Are you going on vacation?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, I plan to go to New York for a few days to relax and take care of some personal matters." Chen Shuo looked at Mao Lilan with a smile and a gentle tone.

"New York?" Mao Lilan's eyes suddenly lit up, revealing a look of surprise. "You're going to New York too? What a coincidence! We're also flying to New York tonight!"

Chen Shuo was slightly startled, thinking to himself what an unexpected coincidence. He raised his eyebrows slightly and said in a surprised tone, "Oh? You guys are going too?"

Mao Lilan smiled and nodded: "Yes! Shinichi's mother invited us to travel to New York together. The school is on vacation, so we will leave tonight. Maybe we will be on the same flight!"

Hearing Kudo Shinichi's name, Chen Shuo's mind raced. This young detective was always closely connected to cases and dangers, and he absolutely couldn't get involved in this mission. If they ran into each other in New York, things might get complicated.

"What a coincidence." Chen Shuo maintained a gentle smile. "I really hope we can go the same way."

Mao Lilan said happily: "It would be great if we could fly together!"

Although Chen Shuo nodded and smiled, he had already secretly decided in his heart that he must avoid too much contact with them.

---

As night fell, the Narita Airport terminal was bustling with people. Chen Shuo, dressed simply, walked steadily toward the boarding gate. He remained calm and composed, as if this trip to New York were just an ordinary vacation, not a dangerous mission.

But just as he was about to board the plane, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Brother Shuo! Are you on the same flight?"

Chen Shuo turned around and saw Mao Li Ran and Kudo Shinichi walking towards him. Mao Li Ran had a smile on her face, while Kudo Shinichi maintained his usual calmness and scrutiny towards Chen Shuo.

"What a coincidence! It seems we're really going the same way." Chen Shuo smiled faintly, but sighed slightly in his heart. He knew that such a coincidence would make things more complicated.

"Great!" Mao Lilan said excitedly, "This way we can board the plane together!"

Kudo Shinichi, on the other hand, appeared calmer, but his eyes were still full of inquiry. He would glance at Chen Shuo from time to time, as if trying to decipher Chen Shuo's thoughts.

"Brother Shuo, do you have any special plans for your trip to New York? Or are you just going there for fun?" Mao Lilan asked curiously.

"I'm just going to take care of some personal matters and relax at the same time." Chen Shuo still maintained his calmness, as if this trip to New York was really just for relaxation.

Kudo Shinichi frowned slightly, obviously dissatisfied with the vague answer, but he did not continue to ask.

"If we have time, we can go to New York together!" Mao Lilan said happily, "I heard there are a lot of delicious food and interesting places there!"

"If I have time, of course I can." Chen Shuo responded with a smile, but he was thinking about how to avoid them as much as possible.

---

The plane took off, and the night sky twinkled with stars. Chen Shuo leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window at the night view, his thoughts already drifting to New York. His target, George Dixon, was still unaware of the impending danger.

However, just as Chen Shuo was lost in thought, Kudo Shinichi suddenly appeared beside his seat with an inquiring expression.

"Mr. Chen Shuo, why on earth are you going to New York?" Kudo Shinichi asked in a low voice, his tone revealing a question that could not be avoided.

Chen Shuo raised his head and glanced at him calmly, his tone still calm: "It's a personal matter, I can't say more."

Kudo Shinichi frowned, clearly dissatisfied with this vague answer: "You are always so mysterious, and there are always many things that are hard to see through."

Chen Shuo chuckled and responded calmly: "Everyone has some personal matters. Kudo boy, you are the same, right?"

Kudo Shinichi snorted, his eyes still scrutinizing him. "But your calmness and composure are indeed unlike those of an ordinary person. Your attitude towards danger and cases seems different from that of ordinary people."

"You're overthinking it." Chen Shuo said calmly, then looked out the window again. "I'm just an ordinary coffee shop owner. Don't overthink it."

Kudo Shinichi didn't ask any further questions, but he clearly still had doubts in his heart. This man always gave him the feeling of being full of mystery. Although he seemed calm on the surface, he knew that Chen Shuo was not simple.

After Kudo Shinichi returned to his seat, Chen Shuo maintained a calm expression, but he also grew wary of Kudo Shinichi's acumen. He knew the young detective had a keen intuition, and he needed to be even more cautious in handling the next mission.

---

As the night deepened, most of the passengers on the plane had fallen asleep, and the entire cabin was silent. Chen Shuo was about to close his eyes and rest for a while, but suddenly he smelled a hint of cigarette smoke.

"Smoking on the plane?" Chen Shuo frowned slightly, feeling unhappy.

A passenger in the front seat protested, "Sir, please don't smoke on the plane! This is a no-smoking area!"

Chen Shuo turned his head and saw a fat middle-aged man with a friendly face and squinty eyes who was kindly trying to dissuade the man in the hat who looked sloppy and was sitting next to him.

The man in the hat had a wicked smile on his face. He waved the cigarette in his hand and said nonchalantly, "I'm so sorry!" The man in the hat said sorry, but he turned around and spit out secondhand smoke in Squinty Eyes' face, choking him and making him cough repeatedly.

The middle-aged man sighed helplessly, and the other passengers, too timid to intervene, did not intervene. Chen Shuo saw this and was about to step forward to warn him when the young woman next to the man in the hat woke up and snatched the cigarette from his hand.

"What are you doing? This is a plane!"

The woman said sharply, it looked like she knew the man in the hat.

The man in the hat smiled disapprovingly, pulled out something that looked like a film from his pocket, and boasted loudly, "Once I sell this roll of film, I'll be rich! You should be happy for me!"

"Assuming you really took a scandalous photo of U.S. Senator Dickson..." A faint voice came from the seat across from the man in the hat.

Chen Shuo had no intention of interfering, but when he heard the words "negative" and "U.S. Senator Dickson," his expression shifted slightly. Dickson? The name connected him to his target, and his attention to the man in the hat intensified.

Just as the man in the hat continued to shout arrogantly, a cold voice suddenly broke his complacent self-boasting.

"First, don't smoke on the plane. Second, shut up and sleep."

The voice came from Chen Shuo, who was not far away. His tone was cold and indifferent, and he could not be questioned. The man in the hat was about to retort, but when he turned around, he met Chen Shuo's cold eyes, as if he was frozen in time.

The man in the hat hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly put on the eye mask and fell asleep in his seat. The woman sitting next to him gave Chen Shuo a grateful look and whispered an apology.

Chen Shuo nodded slightly, his mood calming down a bit. He closed his eyes and continued to adjust his state. The mission in New York had already begun, and now he had to rest well.