Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Chapter 128 Escape

Chen Shuo sat on a bamboo chair, his eyes calmly observing Conan's pain. His face showed no trace of pity, nor any sign of comfort. His voice was low and slow, as if stating an established fact, cold yet with a hint of hidden helplessness.

"Do you think I want Xiaolan to be what she is now?" Chen Shuo said calmly, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "If I had a choice, I would also like her to live a carefree life like an ordinary girl. Go shopping with friends every day and pursue her dreams. But this world doesn't allow it."

He paused here, his gaze drifting slightly away, as if lost in thought. "Do you know how dangerous this world is? Not the dangers you see in those detective stories, but real, life-or-death dangers. Dangers you can't predict or control. Do you think you can protect her forever? You can't even protect yourself."

Conan clenched his fists even tighter, his knuckles making a slight sound. He still lowered his head, silent in pain, but did not interrupt Chen Shuo.

"I'm not a god. I can't guarantee that Xiaolan will never encounter danger in her life." Chen Shuo continued, his tone still calm, but with a hint of heaviness. "So, a long time ago, I understood a truth in my heart. Instead of letting her rely on others for protection her whole life, it's better to let her learn to protect herself. Let her have the ability to survive in the face of real danger."

His words were like hammers, hammering at Conan's heart again and again. He raised his head, looked at Chen Shuo with red eyes, and moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but Chen Shuo didn't give him a chance to speak.

"A few months ago, Chairman Suzuki came to my house with his wife and Sonoko." Chen Shuo's eyes darkened slightly, and the next words rang out like thunder in Conan's ears: "At that time, Sonoko was being hunted by the mafia."

Conan's pupils suddenly constricted, and his breathing hitched. A flood of images flashed through his mind: the case that had rocked Tokyo a few months prior. Numerous foreigners had died, and despite extensive police manpower, they were unable to uncover the truth, ultimately forcing the case to be hastily closed. That incident had previously captured his attention, but he hadn't expected the truth to be connected to Sonoko.

"Could it be..." Conan spoke subconsciously, his tone filled with disbelief and shock.

Chen Shuo nodded, his voice still low, but with a hint of chill. "Those people are all mafia. They came to Tokyo just to kidnap Sonoko. The Suzuki family's wealth and background have long made them prey in the eyes of many people. Sonoko is not an ordinary girl. In the eyes of these people, she is a bargaining chip that can threaten Chairman Suzuki."

Conan felt his throat dry, his fists clenched, and he didn't know how to respond. He had never imagined that behind Sonoko's innocent smile, there was such a crisis. He also had never realized that the sensational case was so directly connected to the people around him.

"Do you think those people died inexplicably?" Chen Shuo sneered, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "It's not that they died inexplicably, but they shouldn't have come here in the first place. Their target was Sonoko, and President Suzuki came to me to protect his daughter from being taken away by those people. It's just that my way of doing things is different from your so-called justice."

"Sometimes you have to understand that protection isn't just a simple word." Chen Shuo lowered his head, gently stroking the teacup in his hand, and said in a low voice, "Not every danger can be resolved by calling the police, and not every enemy will give you time to reason. Do you know what killers hate most? Another killer!"

"Fifteen." Chen Shuo spoke softly without waiting for Conan's response. His voice was like the wind blowing through the pavilion, but it carried a suppressed heaviness.

Conan was stunned. He looked up at Chen Shuo, his face full of confusion and uneasiness. He didn't know what this meant, but he instinctively felt that something was slowly approaching, causing a dull pain in his heart.

Chen Shuo's lips curled up slightly, a smile that sent chills down Conan's spine. His eyes, as deep as the abyss, stared directly into Conan's eyes and said slowly, "Fifteen mafia members. Xiaolan has eight, and Sonoko has seven."

This sentence was like a thunderclap, instantly shattering Conan's sanity. His breathing suddenly stagnated, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he felt like he was nailed to the chair. He couldn't believe his ears, couldn't believe every word Chen Shuo had just said.

"Impossible..." Conan spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling so much that even he couldn't bear to hear it: "How is this possible... They... How is it possible that they..."

Chen Shuo's gaze remained calm, even suffocatingly calm. His voice was low and slow, like a demon's whisper, echoing in Conan's ears word by word: "At that time, Xiaolan and Sonoko were taken to the headquarters of those mafia. What do you think would have happened if they hadn't killed those people?"

Chen Shuo leaned back in a bamboo chair, his hands folded, his gaze coldly down at Conan. His tone was steady, yet it hammered at Conan's heart like a hammer: "Kidnapped, tortured, insulted, or even... worse. Do you think a miracle would have happened if they hadn't taken action? Do you think the Mafia would have shown mercy and let them go home?"

Conan's face turned pale, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. His mind was in a tizzy, as if he were still trying to find a way out, a way to refute Chen Shuo's words. But deep down, he knew that what Chen Shuo said was the truth, a fact that he could not deny no matter what.

"They had no choice." Chen Shuo's voice remained calm, but every word cut like a knife. "They had to kill those people to survive. Not for themselves, but to avoid becoming pawns in the hands of others, playthings they could never break free of. They chose to fight, and I taught them how to fight."

Conan's body began to tremble. He covered his face with his hands, his nails almost digging into his skin. He couldn't accept it. He couldn't imagine that the Xiaolan and Sonoko he knew well—that always sunny girl and that innocent young lady—had actually killed fifteen people! His heart was like a icy cave, as if the whole world had collapsed.

Conan raised his head, his eyes filled with pain and struggle. He tried to retort, but his throat seemed to be blocked, and no sound came out. Every word Chen Shuo said pierced his heart like a sharp blade, shattering his last bit of luck and hope.

Chen Shuo stood up and looked down at Conan, who was slumped in his chair. His tone was cold, but with a hint of hidden sadness: "You can hate me, kid. But don't forget, they can live and stand in the sun not because of you. It is their own choice, the freedom they paid for with their blood and lives."

A gentle breeze blew through the bamboo shadows in the courtyard, but it couldn't dispel the silence in the pavilion. Conan stood at the gate, his back to Chen Shuo, his figure looking so thin yet full of struggle.

He lowered his head, clenching his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, even sending waves of faint pain through him. He gritted his teeth, swallowing all the anger and bitterness, but he couldn't calm the heavy despair in his heart.

He left, choosing to escape. Facing the truth was too painful, because admitting reality would shatter all the beliefs he had held since childhood. He could only protect himself this way, deceiving himself by leaving. Perhaps by not facing it, he could let everything remain in the good old days.

But he knew in his heart that this was just self-deception. The world he was familiar with could no longer return to the past.

Looking at Conan's receding figure, his eyes were not cold, but rather a deep calm. He lowered his head, placed the teacup back on the table, and sighed imperceptibly.

"Some people will never be able to accept darkness, and these people will never understand that only by entering the darkness can they truly embrace the light. Kudo Shinichi... what a pity." He whispered, with a hint of regret in his tone that he himself was not even aware of.

---

The evening sun shone through the curtains into the living room, and the air was filled with the tranquility and warmth of the day coming to an end. With the sound of the entrance door opening, four girls filed in, carrying large and small bags, and their lively laughter instantly filled the room.

"Brother Shuo, we are back!" Suzuki Sonoko was the first to rush in, holding several colorful shopping bags in her hands, looking very excited, like a general who had won a battle.

"I bought a lot today! I also got some great discounts!" Mao Lilan followed closely behind, carrying two or three bags of dresses, a satisfied smile on her face.

Ai Huihara walked slowly at the end, clutching a small shopping bag. The bag bore the understated yet luxurious Fuesa logo, clearly her carefully selected trophies. Her expression remained normal, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, as if she were particularly pleased with her purchase.

The last person to enter was Pu Siqinglan. Her steps were graceful and calm, and her slender figure exuded the charm of a mature woman. A high-quality bag slung over her shoulder, two or three shopping bags in her hands, a faint smile on her face. She glanced at Chen Shuo, who was sitting on the sofa, and raised an eyebrow. "Boss, we're back, but don't expect me to bring you anything."

Chen Shuo smiled indifferently and waved his hand: "Just do what you like. Did you enjoy shopping today?"

"Of course I'm happy!" Sonoko plopped down on the sofa, opened a bag, and showed off her trophies. Xiaolan also joined the discussion, while Haibara Ai sat quietly on the side, occasionally interjecting a word, while Qinglan leaned on the armrest of the sofa, watching everything calmly.

Chen Shuo leaned back on the sofa, his eyes wandering between the four girls, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction well up in his heart. He took a sip of tea, his smile softening as he silently thought, "This kind of life is what I want."

The sound of laughter and joy gradually spread throughout the living room, and the sunset glow outside the window slowly faded, replaced by soft light. At this moment, the beauty of life seemed to be frozen in time, and the warmth lingered for a long time.