Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

In the dark library, dim moonlight streamed through the windows, casting dappled shadows across the bookshelves. Chen Shuo gently picked up his phone, and a familiar name flashed across the screen—Mouri Ran. His lips curled up slightly, revealing a gentle smile, as if he were holding not a gleaming eagle claw knife, but a steaming cup of coffee.

"Xiaolan?" His voice was low and gentle, as if he was chatting casually in the sunshine, rather than lurking in this cold and silent sea of ​​books.

"Brother Shuo, are you free? Let's go on vacation to Izu together in two days! This is the opportunity Conan has gotten!" On the other end of the phone, Mao Lilan's voice was full of excitement and anticipation.

Chen Shuo responded gently as he raised his knife and slashed across the man's neck. The blade flowed like mercury, precise and unerring. Tsukawa Hideji's eyes widened as he clutched his neck, blood oozing from between his fingers. His body convulsed, and he gradually collapsed to the ground.

"Izu?" Chen Shuo glanced at Tsukawa Hideji, who was struggling in pain on the ground, and said calmly, "Well, I'm fine. I'll follow you wherever you go."

"Really? That's great!" Ran Mouri's voice was full of joy.

"Of course no problem." Chen Shuo still maintained a gentle tone, as if everything in front of him had nothing to do with him.

The moment he hung up the phone, the smile on Chen Shuo's face faded, replaced by a cold expression. He looked down at the lifeless Tsukawa Hideji on the ground, a trace of disgust in his eyes. A drug lord? Such a person didn't deserve to live.

"What a troublesome guy." He muttered coldly, then kicked over the bookshelf next to him, revealing a anesthetic bag disguised as a book. Mission accomplished, he was no longer surprised by this.

This was today's commission: Tsukawa Hideji, the notorious drug lord. And Chen Shuo was always happy to take on such "drug lords." Right now, the only thing that interested him was the trip to Izu with Mao Lilan in two days. This vacation might be quite interesting.

---

Two days later, the golden sands of Izu Beach shimmered in the scorching sun. Chen Shuo, wearing sunglasses and swimming trunks, lay on a beach chair, looking relaxed and at ease. Having just politely rejected another woman's advances, he couldn't help but sigh and mutter, "What a hassle."

Conan, standing next to him, looked at him, speechless. He once again marveled at Chen Shuo's well-defined muscles, a hint of jealousy rising within him. Although Chen Shuo was already thirty, the years seemed to show no sign of age on him, and his aloof, handsome aura was pervasive.

"What a Versailles..." Conan muttered to himself, thinking that if he had the same appearance, he would have been bathed in all kinds of envious gazes.

Chen Shuo seemed to notice his gaze and smiled: "Do you want to try? I can teach you how to exercise."

"Forget it, just thinking about it can tell that it's a hellish training scene." Conan shook his head, thinking that if he stayed here for a while, he would see Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan interacting and eating dog food, which was simply self-torture. "I'd better go back to the hotel to find Uncle Mao Li."

Chen Shuo waved his hand casually, his gaze drifting inadvertently out to sea. Mao Lilan swam in the water like a joyful mermaid, her smile gleaming in the sunlight. Chen Shuo's gaze softened, a touch of admiration and contentment in his eyes.

"Well, don't forget to say hello to Xiaolan." Chen Shuo said lazily.

"I will," Conan nodded, but he secretly wondered when he could finally relax like Chen Shuo. Ever since the incident at the Tsujimura household, he and Maori Kogoro seemed to have reached a tacit understanding: Conan could investigate cases more freely, and Maori Kogoro would help him cover up. The two of them had a tacit understanding, a kind of special partnership.

As Conan left, Chen Shuo closed his eyes again, enjoying the sea breeze gently blowing across his cheeks, and secretly sighed in his heart that this vacation was really a good choice.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Shuo suddenly felt someone approaching quietly. His muscles tensed instantly, ready to strike at any moment. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his sunglasses obscuring his expression, and he seemed completely unaware.

But when he saw the person coming, his body immediately relaxed. It was Xiaolan! She was tiptoeing closer, as if planning a prank. Chen Shuo's lips curled up slightly, but on the surface, he remained calm, feigning composure.

Mao Lilan, fresh from a swim, her water droplets sparkling in the sun, watched Chen Shuo relaxing on a beach chair with a mischievous smile on her face. Thinking of secretly giving her usually calm boyfriend a scare, she quietly moved closer to him, ready to pinch his nose.

Just as Mao Lilan's fingers were about to touch Chen Shuo's nose, Chen Shuo suddenly grabbed her hand like lightning! Mao Lilan didn't react at all and screamed in surprise. Chen Shuo exerted a little force and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh!" Mao Lilan was startled, her heartbeat quickened, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. "How did you know I was coming?"

"Your trick is too simple, Xiaolan." Chen Shuo lowered his head, a smile on his lips, and said softly, "But I do like this kind of 'surprise'."

Mao Lilan was surrounded by his warm embrace, and her heart was sweet. She looked up at him and said mischievously: "It seems that I have to change to a more advanced sneak attack method."

"If you want to try, I'm always here for you." Chen Shuo raised his eyebrows slightly, with an interesting glint in his eyes.

The two smiled at each other, the sea breeze blew gently, and it seemed that even the sun became warmer because of their interaction.

---

After playing around for a while, Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan returned to the hotel hand in hand. As soon as they stepped into the lobby, they heard Mao Li Kogoro's complaints.

"What? You said you only paid half of the rent?" Chen Shuo was slightly stunned, raised his eyebrows, and looked puzzled.

It turns out this trip was an online discussion group initiative initiated by Professor Agasa and his friends. Because his friend's granddaughter had a fever and couldn't come, the professor gave the spot to Conan and the Mori family. The tour consisted of six groups of ten people. The organizer had reserved three days of rooms at the Izu Princess Hotel for everyone, prepaying half the cost. The core of the game was that the organizer would hide among the group members, and everyone had to find him. Successfully uncovering his identity would not only reimburse the other half of the room cost, but also receive a floppy disk called "Duke of the Night."

Maori Kogoro obviously didn't understand the rules, so he complained angrily. Conan, who was standing nearby, quickly explained to him to prevent him from misunderstanding further.

"Uncle Mouri, I've explained it very clearly just now." Conan adjusted his glasses helplessly, complaining in his heart about Kogoro Mouri's carelessness.

"Hmph, who has time to listen to these trivial matters!" Kogoro Mouri waved his hand impatiently, but his face was still full of dissatisfaction.

Chen Shuo shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I'm not interested in this kind of detective game. I came here just to relax with Xiaolan. Anyway, if you and Conan team up, this game will be a piece of cake for you, right?"

Maori Kogoro was flattered by Chen Shuo's words. He immediately became proud and patted his chest and shouted: "Of course! With my ability, Maori Kogoro, it is effortless for me to solve this little puzzle!" After saying that, he showed his signature tongue-sticking smile.

Chen Shuo couldn't help laughing, and then said, "However, one room isn't convenient enough, so I'll book another one at my own expense. You guys can go play detective games to your heart's content, while Xiaolan and I will enjoy our vacation."

Maori Kogoro's expression changed instantly when he heard this, and he became serious: "You two want to live in the same room? Xiaolan, you're still in high school, don't mess around!"

Xiaolan's face flushed instantly, and she quickly retorted, "Dad! Don't let your imagination run wild!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she angrily swung her fist and hit Kogoro Mori on the head lightly, making him scream in pain. The atmosphere in the lobby instantly became relaxed.

Conan watched them interacting, silently gritting his teeth, his heart filled with helplessness and a little jealousy. "Really? Chen Shuo and Xiaolan are enjoying their vacation so sweetly, while I still have to worry about this puzzle. However, this game is really interesting..."

Chen Shuo patted Xiaolan's shoulder gently and said with a smile: "Okay, go check in, don't let Xiaowulang continue to have wild thoughts."

Then he turned to Maori Kogoro and said jokingly: "Don't worry, Kogoro, Xiaolan is still young, I know the limits, what are you thinking about."

Maori Kogoro glared at him, but could only wave his hands helplessly. He knew Chen Shuo was not the kind of person who would act impulsively, and his warning just now was just an instinctive reaction as a father.

Xiaolan nodded, feeling warm in her heart and with a sweet smile on her face, she walked to the front desk with Chen Shuo, looking forward to the upcoming trip to Izu.

The two were checking in at the front desk. Just as they got their room cards, they heard a strange man's voice next to them: "Are you the Dark Night Baron?"

"Who?" Chen Shuo subconsciously protected Xiaolan behind him and stared at the other person vigilantly.

The man ignored Chen Shuo's reaction and stared at his computer screen, a look of surprise on his face. "0.54 seconds? No! It should have been faster. I pressed the button too slowly! Who are you?"

Chen Shuo looked at the nervous man in front of him, and vaguely guessed that he might be a player in this detective game. He had no interest in getting entangled with him, so he planned to turn around and leave.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in your detective game." Chen Shuo said in a light tone, preparing to pull Xiaolan out.

They had barely taken two steps when Chen Shuo's eyes darkened. He suddenly pulled Xiaolan aside and quickly reached out to grab a filthy man by the neck, his eyes as sharp as a knife. "Do you want to die?" he said in a low, murderous voice.

At the same time, another tall man quickly took action, grabbed the wretched man's arms, and forcibly tied him up. The wretched man was subdued by the double, and his face turned pale instantly. The feeling of suffocation and the severe pain in his arms made him look panicked.

"Yes...I'm sorry! I was wrong!" The wretched man struggled to force out an apology.

Xiaolan was startled. Worried that Chen Shuo might just fall into a habit and kill someone in broad daylight, she quickly stepped forward, grabbed Chen Shuo's hand, and asked anxiously, "What happened? Brother Shuo, calm down!"

Chen Shuo then slowly withdrew his hand, snorted coldly, his eyes sharp as a knife, and said lightly: "This guy just tried to touch you and molest you."

Xiaolan's face changed when she heard this, anger and fear welling up in her heart. She glared at the wretched man fiercely, then turned to look at Chen Shuo, feeling both touched and worried.

Chen Shuo turned and looked at the tall man who had just helped subdue the wretched man. His expression softened a bit and he nodded to him: "Thank you for your bravery just now."

The tall man nodded slightly, appearing somewhat modest. "You're welcome."

Xiaolan's eyes suddenly lit up as she recognized the man in front of her. She asked in surprise, "Are you Mr. Maeda Satoshi?"

Maeda Satoshi was slightly stunned, then nodded: "It's me."

Chen Shuo looked puzzled and asked, "Is he someone you know?"

Xiaolan nodded excitedly: "Mr. Maeda Satoshi was the Japanese karate champion six years ago! I started practicing karate because I admired him!"

Chen Shuo listened and nodded thoughtfully, then gave Maeda Satoshi a friendly smile: "I see, thank you for your help today."

However, a subtle competitive urge was brewing in Chen Shuo's heart, and he secretly thought, "I'd love to spar with him if I get the chance... Of course, it's definitely not because Xiaolan admires him! Absolutely not!"

---

In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun shimmered on the hotel's pool, creating a shimmering, tranquil scene. Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan were happily splashing around in the pool, their laughter filling the air. After a day of relaxation and enjoyment, both were feeling particularly relaxed.

Xiaolan gently lapped the water's surface, looking at Chen Shuo beside her, her eyes filled with a gentle smile. Ever since she started dating Chen Shuo, she felt more and more like she had found the perfect boyfriend. Chen Shuo was not only stunning in appearance, but also gentle and considerate. He never forced her to do anything she didn't like, always silently paying attention to her emotions, chatting with her about topics that interested her, and patiently listening even to trivial matters.

"I really can't live without you anymore..." Xiaolan thought silently in her heart, with a sweet look in her eyes. She couldn't help but smile and gently splashed a handful of water on Chen Shuo: "Brother Shuo, was this trip to Izu fun?"

Chen Shuo gently dodged the splashes and laughed back, "With you here, everywhere is fun!"

The two of them bantered back and forth, splashing water and escalating laughter. Chen Shuo gazed at Xiaolan tenderly, her smile filling him with immense satisfaction. He had always taken good care of her, understanding her preferences and trying his best to accommodate her, because in his heart, Xiaolan's happiness was his own.

Xiaolan leaned against the edge of the swimming pool, sighed softly, and had a happy smile on her face: "Brother Shuo, thank you for always taking care of me." There was a hint of emotion in her voice.

Chen Shuo smiled and ruffled her hair: "You are my girlfriend, isn't it my responsibility to take care of you?"

After hearing this, Xiaolan felt a warm feeling in her heart. She knew that she had found someone worthy of her dependence, and she was also sure that she was becoming more and more dependent on him.

Their faces were getting closer and closer, and just as they were about to kiss, a familiar scream suddenly came from above. Chen Shuo and Mao Lilan looked up and were shocked to find Conan screaming and falling from the upstairs, falling straight into the swimming pool.

"Is this kid so eager to play in the water?" Chen Shuo thought to himself, eyes wide open.

Conan quickly emerged from the water, his eyes sharp as he looked around for something, completely unaware of the two familiar people staring at him in the pool. He swam upwards, hurriedly climbing up the edge of the pool, as if looking for something, and ran into the hotel without looking back.

Everyone in the pool looked at each other in confusion. Ran couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Is Conan in trouble? He obviously didn't want to jump just now, right?"

"It looks like he's gotten into some trouble again," Chen Shuo shook his head. "It looks like this detective game isn't going to be easy..."

"I really hope he can tone it down a bit." Ran sighed, following Conan's departing figure. "He always puts himself in such dangerous situations."

Chen Shuo gently held Xiaolan's hand and smiled: "Don't worry, Conan is much more sensible now than before, and Kogoro is also here, so nothing will happen. Let's just enjoy our time and don't let him disturb us."

The two approached each other again. Although the atmosphere just now was interrupted, their hearts were still filled with passion.