Guns and Coffee in the World of Science

Chapter 126 Conan's Helplessness

In the early morning, the sun had just broken the horizon, and the cool mist had not yet dissipated, a faint white light enveloped the entire Dorobiga Park. However, this place, usually filled with laughter and joy, now seemed particularly gloomy. A corner of Dorobiga Park was tightly sealed off by police, with a cordon surrounding the area, and the yellow tape swayed gently in the wind, making a faint rustling sound.

Several police cars were parked along the park's sidewalk, their flashing lights particularly glaring in the early morning. A bustle of officers bustled back and forth. A solemn atmosphere hung in the air, shattering the park's usual joy and bustle.

Last night, Conan, with his usual persistence and wisdom, finally found evidence of Kyosuke Fudo's crime. He immediately reported this important discovery to Kogoro Mouri and asked the police to intervene quickly.

However, it was too late. Even before the police could act, Dorobiga Park staff had already called the police in the early hours of the morning to report that a body had been found in a garden at the park. The call was filled with fear and trembling, as if one could hear the staff's voice trembling as they couldn't accept the reality.

The police quickly arrived at the scene after receiving the alarm. When they stepped into the eerily quiet garden, everyone held their breath. Sure enough, there lay a figure on the grass, still wet with dew. The person was lying face up on the ground, the bloodstains on his clothes glaring in the morning light. It was Kyosuke Fudo.

A mixture of resentment and fear remained frozen on Fudo Kyosuke's face, as if he had witnessed some inevitable doom in his final moments. His eyes were open, staring into space, as if he had died with his eyes open. The police officers gathered around the body, some talking in low voices, others taking notes. The atmosphere at the scene was almost suffocatingly quiet.

Conan stood at the scene where the police were busy collecting evidence, looking at the cold body of Fenghu Kyosuke, his eyes revealing a hint of complexity and depth. He was not surprised, as he had already expected Fenghu Kyosuke's death.

Yesterday, when he saw Chen Shuo's murderous expression, he knew there was no chance this man would live to see the next day. Chen Shuo's resolve was clearly made, and that expression was like a death sentence, cold and merciless.

However, what really confused Conan and made him difficult to accept was not the death of Fenghu Kyosuke, but another conclusion of reasoning. His eyes swept over Fenghu Kyosuke's body, and doubts gradually emerged in his heart.

Conan once used Kudo Yusaku's relationship to look up some information about Chen Shuo. In addition, after many contacts with Chen Shuo, he also had a certain understanding of this person's style and habits.

Chen Shuo was decisive and ruthless. He always worked alone, emphasizing precision and efficiency, never dragging his feet. His assassination style emphasized a single strike, a clean, decisive kill that left no trace. This standard assassin's style was a precision art, each step meticulously calculated.

And now, when he lowered his head and carefully observed the body of Kyosuke Fudo, the subtle marks made Conan frown involuntarily.

Kyosuke Fudo had two fatal wounds: one from a gunshot wound and the other from a slashed throat. The marks on his body suggested the gunshot wound and the slashed throat were not caused by the same person. Combining the circumstances at the scene with the police's initial assessment, Conan came to a disturbing conclusion: the killer was most likely not Chen Shuo.

Conan stared at Fudo Kyosuke's body, his doubts growing. This method of attack was crude, even sloppy. The two fatal wounds meant at least two people had acted. One fired the gun, the other slit the throat, which was clearly inconsistent with Chen Shuo's usual style. If it were Chen Shuo, he would have chosen the most effective method to kill him in one blow, rather than resorting to two different methods simultaneously, which was somewhat unnecessary.

---

After returning to the Maori Detective Agency, Conan still couldn't shake off the doubts in his heart. He sat on the sofa, holding his chin, staring at the table with wandering eyes.

The death of Fudo Kyosuke still hangs over his heart like a dark cloud, and those illogical details and doubts replay in his mind over and over again. He tries to recall and screen all the candidates who may have harbored murderous intentions towards Fudo Kyosuke, but each candidate is eliminated one by one in the process of rational reasoning, and none of them can perfectly match the clues found at the scene.

Conan frowned deeply, his thoughts a tangled mess, his mind clueless. A thin mist seemed to obscure the light of truth, preventing him from clearly seeing the connections between all the clues. This feeling made him increasingly anxious, as if all his efforts were running headfirst into an invisible wall.

Conan, with his thoughts in a mess and in a bad mood, decided to temporarily take a break from these heavy thoughts. He left the office and prepared to go to the "Jingxin" cafe for breakfast.

Pushing open the glass door, the gentle tinkling of wind chimes rang out, a crisp sound like a gentle breeze, instantly bringing his thoughts back to reality. Inside the cafe, soft, warm yellow light permeated every corner, and the small green plants on the tables exuded a delicate fragrance, as if whispering "Welcome." Conan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, as if the heavy case had been slightly put behind him.

He chose a seat by the window and sat down. Through the window he saw that the hustle and bustle of the city continued as people rushed to prepare for the new day. In stark contrast, the cafe was filled with a quiet and leisurely atmosphere.

No one mentioned the recent case, nor was there any anxiety or tension. Everyone was immersed in their own world, drinking coffee, reading books, or chatting quietly with friends. This atmosphere made Conan feel a long-lost sense of relaxation.

After a brief greeting to the busy Enomoto Azusa and Huihara Megumi, Conan chose a seat by the window. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. He tried to relax, letting his eyes wander aimlessly around the cafe.

But at this moment, Conan suddenly froze, his pupils suddenly shrank, his expression became focused, and his eyes suddenly focused on a string of balloons hanging in the corner of the ceiling.

Those were the mascot balloons of Dorobiga Park, colorful and printed with familiar cartoon characters. These balloons were only available in the park and were inflated with hydrogen, so they usually didn't last very long. These balloons were still floating gently, indicating they still had plenty of hydrogen, meaning they had only recently been placed there.

It was as if a fuse had suddenly been lit in his mind, and all his thoughts instantly connected into one line. Dorobiga Paradise, the case there, and the death of Fudo Kyousuke... Conan's heart tightened, and a strong intuition told him that there might be some important information hidden behind these balloons.

He quickly turned around and saw Huihara Emi, carrying a tray, slowly walking towards him. She had her usual gentle smile on her face, but Conan didn't bother with the politeness. He waved at her and asked anxiously, "Emi! Those balloons... who brought them here? When were they released?"

Huihara Emi was startled by Conan's sudden excitement, and the tray in her hand shook slightly, almost spilling her coffee. She turned her head and looked at the balloons along Conan's line of sight, a hint of confusion in her eyes. After a pause, she seemed to remember something and said, "Oh, you mean the balloons? Sonoko brought them last night."

Conan was slightly taken aback by this answer. He had never thought that the balloon was actually related to Sonoko, and his doubts deepened. He stared at Huihara Emi intently, waiting for her to continue her explanation.

Huihara Huimei said as she recalled, "Last night, Sonoko and Xiaolan went to Dorobiga Paradise to relax, and the boss brought them back very late." She smiled helplessly, "They had dinner here before going back to sleep. I guess Sonoko forgot to take the balloon away."

Pu Siqinglan's identity is a sensitive issue, especially in front of a smart guy like Conan, she must be extra careful. So, she deliberately omitted the part about Pu Siqinglan in the narration, and only mentioned Yuanzi, Xiaolan and Chen Shuo.

However, this time she was worrying too much.

Conan had no time to worry about anything else. His mind was a turmoil, his heartbeat rapidly accelerating, as if being hammered by an invisible hammer. He felt a chill run down his spine, his palms slightly sweating, as if the very air around him had suddenly turned icy. Fear, shock, these emotions washed over him like waves, nearly choking him.

He finally figured it out, the scattered fragments quickly fitting together in his mind to form a complete and unacceptable picture. However, the answer made his heart feel like it was being clenched tightly - cruel, ruthless, almost unbelievable.

His childhood sweethearts... Ran Mouri and Suzuki Sonoko, they were at the park last night! Combined with the death of Fudo Kyosuke, Ran Mouri's hatred for the murderer who assassinated Officer Sato.

All those details suddenly connected in his mind like an electric current, forming a conclusion that could not be ignored - they were involved in the death of Fenghu Kyosuke. The two of them were most likely the real executors of Fenghu Kyosuke's death.

Conan lowered his head, his eyes gradually dimming as he stared at the table, as if lost in unfathomable contemplation. At this moment, the image of the two innocent and kind girls in his mind was crumbling. He didn't want to believe this conclusion, but rational reasoning told him that all the clues pointed in the same direction. Last night at Dorobiga Paradise, the two wounds on Fudo Kyosuke's body...

He was filled with fear of reality. He tried hard to suppress this unwillingness to admit, but he couldn't shake the heavy sense of oppression in his heart. In his eyes, both Mao Lilan and Suzuki Sonoko had always been innocent girls. However, now this idea was ruthlessly torn apart. Whether it was the time or the motive, it could be inferred that they killed Fudo Kyosuke. Why?

Huihara Megumi glanced at Conan, who was silent and head bowed, as if enveloped in some heavy emotion. She shrugged, sighed softly, and placed the breakfast tray on the table. She was used to Conan's reactions. The little guy would often fall into some inexplicable deep thought, as if the whole world didn't exist. She had seen this kind of inexplicable tension so many times that it was no longer surprising.

The Meditation Café was still quiet and warm, but deep in Conan's heart, a silent storm seemed to be brewing. In the gradually rising sunlight, his shadow cast on the ground seemed so lonely and helpless.