Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Seeing Conan's body gradually getting bigger and the clothes he was wearing starting to tear, Chen Shuo suddenly realized something and hurriedly said to Mao Lilan: "Xiaolan, quickly, turn around!"

Although Mao Lilan didn't understand why, she still obediently turned her back to the two of them.

Chen Shuo deftly tore off Conan's stretched clothes to prevent him from suffocating, quickly stripping him naked, then picked up the quilt beside the bed and covered Conan with it. After doing all this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly: "This is the first time I've stripped someone's clothes, and it actually reminds me of that bald guy..."

"Bald?" Mao Lilan heard Chen Shuo's complaint and turned around curiously and asked, "What bald?"

Chen Shuo smiled and answered casually, "A colleague of mine, a bald guy. He loves to strip other people's clothes and then put them on himself."

Mao Lilan was speechless when she heard this, and couldn't help but complain: "There are really all kinds of weird people in this world."

Chen Shuo shrugged and smiled, "Yeah, he can run into anyone. But he's a master of stealth, and his assassination skills are unparalleled. Speaking of assassinations alone, I can't compare to him."

Mao Lilan sighed slightly, feeling helpless and amused: "Please don't compete in such a terrible thing."

The room suddenly became quiet and the atmosphere gradually relaxed. Chen Shuo looked at Conan lying on the bed, thinking about his future plans.

---

As time passed, Conan gradually returned to his former self. He opened his eyes in confusion, feeling as if he had just woken up from a long dream. Chen Shuo's voice reached his ears: "Awake? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Shinichi rubbed his eyes subconsciously and answered in a daze: "Much better, but my head is still a little dizzy..." As soon as he said that, he suddenly felt that something was wrong with his voice. He looked down at his hand - that was not Conan's elementary school student hand, but the hand of the high school student Kudo Shinichi he was familiar with!

"This..." Kudo Shinichi woke up instantly. He suddenly lifted the quilt and looked inside. He was stunned for several seconds, and then jumped up excitedly: "I'm back!"

Mao Lilan heard the noise and was about to turn around, but Chen Shuo quickly covered her eyes and said calmly, "Don't look."

Shinichi was clearly getting carried away. Chen Shuo glanced at him and said calmly, "Calm down." He then raised his chin and gestured to the clothes lying next to the pillow, "Put your clothes on first. What else do you want to do when you look like this?"

Shinichi was stunned. He looked down and found that he was not wearing anything at all! His face flushed red and he immediately grabbed the clothes next to him and said embarrassedly, "Ah, yes, yes, I'll put them on right away!"

Chen Shuo looked at him helplessly and shook his head: "Really, put on your clothes and think carefully about what to do next."

Mao Lilan was still covered by Chen Shuo's eyes. Although she couldn't see, she had guessed something from the conversation between the two and couldn't help laughing: "Shinichi, you are back."

After Kudo Shinichi put on his clothes, he still couldn't believe he had really returned to his original appearance. He paced around the room, jumping from time to time, as if to confirm whether his body had truly recovered. After confirming that this was not a dream, he excitedly pumped his fist, his face filled with uncontrollable joy.

Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan looked at Kudo Shinichi who was so complacent, and couldn't help but smile at each other, feeling a little helpless.

"Shinichi, slow down and don't get too excited!" Mao Lilan kindly reminded him, but Kudo Shinichi obviously didn't listen much. Suddenly, he seemed to think of something, his eyes lit up, and he rushed to the door in a hurry.

However, before he could take a few steps, Chen Shuo quickly grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him back. Chen Shuo stared at him with a stern expression and asked coldly, "What do you want to do?"

Kudo Shinichi staggered and felt a little strange, but he still answered as a matter of course: "Of course I'm going to solve the case! Now that I'm back to being Kudo Shinichi, no one can stop me with elementary school excuses!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a cold breath coming from his forehead. He looked down and saw Chen Shuo holding a pistol to his forehead, his expression gloomy and his eyes full of murderous intent.

"Do you want to die?" Chen Shuo said in a low voice, with obvious anger. "Have you forgotten that you are now a 'dead man'? If you show up in front of everyone now, do you know how many people around you will die?"

Kudo Shinichi was stunned, frozen in place. He hadn't expected Chen Shuo to be so harsh, and for a moment he didn't know how to react. Chen Shuo's eyes were as sharp as a knife, as if they could pierce his heart in the next second.

At this time, Mao Lilan rushed forward, grabbed Chen Shuo's hand holding the gun, and gently comforted him: "Brother Shuo, don't be like this, calm down! Shinichi is just too excited and didn't think clearly."

Chen Shuo glanced at Mao Lilan. Although his face was still full of murderous intent, he slowly lowered the gun in his hand. Then he looked at Shinichi coldly: "You'd better remember your current situation. You have exposed your identity, and it will affect more than just you."

Kudo Shinichi pursed his lips, knowing that he had been impulsive, and whispered, "I... I understand. I was too reckless just now."

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased a little, Mao Lilan breathed a sigh of relief and gently patted Shinichi's shoulder: "Don't be impulsive, be careful in everything. Now is not the time for you to act recklessly."

Kudo Shin nodded. Although there was some reluctance in his eyes, he also knew that Chen Shuo was right. Now was not the time for him to act freely. He had to keep a low profile and act cautiously.

Chen Shuo put away his gun and said in a calmer tone, "Alright, now's not the time to make a fuss. Think about your next move first. Don't run around like this."

Kudo Shinichi sighed. Although he felt a little disappointed, he knew Chen Shuo was right. He patted his face lightly and secretly decided to calm down and wait until the time was right before making any plans.

The tension in the air gradually dissipated, and the three of them stood in the room, silent with each other.

After a long moment, Chen Shuo solemnly warned Kudo Shinichi, "Calm down here for a while, and don't see anyone else! Think carefully about what you did today, what you ate, what you drank, what you smelled, and what you touched..."

After saying that, Chen Shuo pulled Mao Lilan out of the room, leaving Kudo Shinichi alone inside to think calmly. When the two of them arrived at the door of the study, they unexpectedly heard an argument coming from inside. Chen Shuo frowned and looked inside.

Inside the study, Maori Kogoro and Hattori Heiji were arguing with each other, creating a tense atmosphere. Chen Shuo stood at the doorway, while Maori Ran craned her neck curiously to eavesdrop.

"I'm telling you, uncle, it's him!" Hattori Heiji waved the fishing line in his hand with a very confident tone, "This fishing line was found in the trash can. Using it, we can pull off the locked room murder method I just demonstrated! Based on this clue, the murderer is the deceased's father, Tsujimura Toshimitsu!"

Maori Kogoro retorted unconvincedly, pointing at Hattori Heiji's nose: "Don't be so self-righteous, kid! Your reasoning is flawed. I saw with my own eyes that the key was found in the deceased's pocket. According to your method, the key could not have been in that position and condition!"

The two exchanged barbs, their faces reddening. Hattori Heiji, though clever and confident in his identification of Tsujimura Toshimitsu, was unable to address Mori Kogoro's suspicions. And Mori Kogoro, despite his vast experience, was unable to devise a more suitable method of committing the crime. He could only identify Hattori Heiji's flaws, but he couldn't come up with an alternative. The two men were at an impasse, neither willing to yield.

Chen Shuo watched this scene and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. "These two men, one relying on intuition, the other on reasoning, but both are lacking something." He thought to himself that while Kogoro Mouri's intuition as a veteran detective was correct, he certainly wasn't a bright man. Hattori Heiji, on the other hand, had deductive ability, but was sometimes overconfident and prone to overlooking details.

Mao Lilan looked at the two of them, then at Chen Shuo, and couldn't help but laugh and whispered, "It's really rare to see Dad arguing so fiercely with others."

Chen Shuo smiled and said in a relaxed tone: "These two people each have their own strengths. It seems that they need to complement each other. But right now, the truth is not that simple."

---

The case reached a stalemate again. After their argument, Maori Kogoro and Hattori Heiji each reluctantly searched for clues. Chen Shuo leaned against the door, bored, whispering to Maori Ran.

Mao Lilan's mind was not on the case at all. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she was obviously more worried about Kudo Shinichi: "How is Shinichi doing? I'm really worried about whether he can leave here smoothly without being discovered."

Chen Shuo was also a little embarrassed and sighed: "Yeah, it's really troublesome to get Kudo Shinichi out of this house without alerting anyone."

The two discussed for a long time, but could not find a perfect solution. At this moment, a familiar and childish voice suddenly sounded behind them: "Don't worry now..."

Both of them were startled and turned around hurriedly, only to see Conan standing behind them, wearing a set of clothes that were obviously ill-fitting, with an extremely complicated expression on his face. Mao Lilan was stunned for a few seconds, then immediately walked up to Conan, squatted down and poked his head: "You... why did you turn back into Conan?"

Chen Shuo was also surprised: "It became smaller so quickly?"

Conan scratched his head, looking somewhat helpless, and explained in a complicated manner: "I was in the room wondering why I grew bigger, but suddenly my whole body ached badly, as if my bones were melting. Then I became smaller..."

Mao Lilan frowned and asked: "But didn't you just grow bigger? How come you grew bigger so quickly..."

Conan sighed and continued, "Didn't I drink some Lao Baikan when I came here? I only grew bigger after drinking it. Maybe it's because I drank too little that I grew back in such a short time." He spread his hands helplessly, with a self-deprecating expression, "If I drink more next time, I should be able to grow bigger for a longer time, and maybe even keep the appearance of Kudo Shinichi forever."

Chen Shuo raised his eyebrows after hearing this, and said calmly but with a hint of warning: "Don't rush into thinking about 'getting bigger'. Right now, your identity as an elementary school student is the best disguise."

Conan pursed his lips and lowered his head in thought. Although he felt a little unwilling, he also knew that Chen Shuo was right. He nodded helplessly: "I understand. For the time being, it is safer to maintain the identity of Conan."

Mao Lilan looked at Conan's disappointed look and felt a little sorry for him, but she also thought about Shinichi's safety. She sighed softly and touched Conan's head: "In this case, let's not take risks for the time being. Let's find a better way first."

Chen Shuo said calmly, "It's a good thing that you can grow bigger, but we still have to be careful about what happens next."

Conan looked at the two of them and smiled helplessly: "It seems that I have to continue my elementary school life..."

After saying that, Conan's head tilted and he fainted. Chen Shuo hurriedly picked him up and felt his pulse. Although it was a little weak, it was not serious.

"It's nothing serious. It's probably just excessive energy consumption. It will be fine after enough rest." Chen Shuo explained to the worried Mao Lilan. Mao Lilan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

---

In the end, the clues never led to any further breakthroughs. Just as everyone was awaiting a conclusion, an unexpected development occurred: the deceased's father, Tsujimura Toshimitsu, came before the police and confessed to his son's murder. He described the crime in detail, and it matched the method reconstructed by Hattori Heiji perfectly.

Upon hearing this result, Hattori Heiji couldn't hide his smug smile, a hint of pride. He turned and looked at Maori Kogoro, his eyes seemingly saying, "See, my reasoning was correct."

However, Maori Kogoro didn't return his gaze. He stood in a corner of his study, staring at the photo of the deceased and Tsujimura Kimie on the bookshelf, his face thick with thought. His expression gradually became more complex, as if he had caught some detail but kept it to himself. Finally, he simply withdrew his gaze and silently glanced at each person in the Tsujimura household, a flicker of indescribable complexity in his eyes.

"Let's go." Maori Kogoro suddenly said, his voice sounding a little tired. He turned and walked out, completely ignoring the presence of Hattori Heiji.

Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan looked at each other, and although they were a little puzzled, they still followed. Mao Lilan vaguely felt that things might not be that simple, and wanted to ask something, but saw Chen Shuo shook his head slightly, indicating that she should not speak for the time being.

The two men carried Conan out of the room, followed by Maori Kogoro, and left the Tsujimura residence. The sky outside was a little gray, as if foreshadowing that there were still mysteries hidden behind this case that had not yet been revealed. But at this moment, all that could be seen was the footsteps of the crowd gradually fading away.

---

On the way back, Chen Shuo was lost in thought. Finally, he couldn't help but break the silence. He turned to look at Maori Kogoro and asked calmly, "Kogoro, although I didn't participate in the investigation, judging from your expression just now, you obviously know something. Why didn't you say it?"

Mao Lilan was also full of curiosity. She turned to look at her father, waiting for him to give an answer.

Maori Kogoro gave a wry smile and looked off into the distance, seemingly weighing his words. After a moment, he sighed, shook his head, and said, "That Tsujimura Kimie, when she was young, looked almost identical to Katsuragi Sachiko."

This sentence was like a stone that caused a thousand waves, and the atmosphere in the car froze instantly. Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan both looked at Mao Li Kogoro in surprise.

Maori Kogoro continued, "It's obvious that there's a huge amount of grudges and hatred involved here...so much so that Tsujimura Isao's father, Tsujimura Toshimitsu, would rather take the blame for Tsujimura Kimie than see her confess. Didn't you see the look in his eyes? He was filled with apology towards Tsujimura Kimie."

He sighed, a hint of helplessness in his tone: "It's difficult for an honest judge to judge family affairs. This family's grievances and hatreds are too complicated. As an outsider, there's no need for me to get entangled in them."

After listening to this, Chen Shuo nodded slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Indeed, it sounds like there's a lot of water involved here, far more than just a simple murder case."

Mao Lilan frowned, still a little confused: "But... if you saw something suspicious, why didn't you tell the police?"

Maori Kogoro waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "This has gone beyond the scope of the case. It's a family conflict. Speaking out won't change anything. Tsujimura Toshimitsu turned himself in. He chose to bear the blame. This may be the best outcome for his family."

A brief silence fell in the car, as everyone digested this hidden and complex truth in their own minds. Although the case was closed, the doubts and regrets in their hearts lingered for a long time.