Survival Manual of the Science Fiction World

Xiao Lan glanced back at Chu Ming, who had stood up to open the door: "Brother Chu Ming, he's just going to open the door. Anyway, get up! Seriously, you're so sleepy this early in the morning—"

As soon as the door opened, a dark-skinned man rushed in, startling Chu Ming.

Heiji Hattori, the dark-skinned man, sized up Chu Ming: "You're Shinichi Kudo? You don't look like you in the newspaper. Damn, you seem a bit more handsome than me. You're so unphotogenic."

Chu Ming glanced at Hattori, then suddenly realized, "You're here to see Shinichi Kudo? No, and the Kudo residence isn't here."

"I've been to the Kudo residence. All the doors were locked, so it's obvious no one's been back for a long time. I found out he might be here, so I came here. Okay, let him come out!"

Ran was stunned: "Shinichi isn't here. I haven't seen him in a long time."

"It's no use lying to me, Miss. I know that kid is right here. Quickly call him out! Where's Shinichi Kudo? Is he scared of seeing me, the famous detective from Osaka?"

Conan, panting, went upstairs and had just opened the door when he heard someone calling him.

Huh? Looking for me?

"Achoo—" He couldn't help but sneeze again.

When Ran saw Conan return, his face still covered in snot, she quickly grabbed a tissue and handed it to him: "Conan, you caught a cold too? Seriously, one after another you've caught a cold, is it the flu lately? Shinichi too, he kept sneezing after just one minute of chatting..."

Hattori Heiji turned around: "Kudo Shinichi has a cold? Didn't you say you didn't know where he was? How do you know he has a cold?"

Chu Ming continued, "Hey detective from Osaka, do you know that humanity has one of the greatest inventions—the cell phone?"

"He called?" Hattori Heiji leaned closer and asked.

"You know they're childhood sweethearts, so what's so strange about them talking on the phone for hours..."

Xiao Lan blushed slightly: "Brother Chu Ming, what are you saying? That's not true—"

Conan blew his nose, a tissue slightly obscuring the corner of his grin. He chuckled. Childhood sweethearts—he liked that term. Chu Ming was quite perceptive; he didn't mind Chu Ming coming here so often. He'd even assumed Chu Ming was using the excuse of paying homage to Uncle Mori to pursue Ran.

"Just childhood friends? I've heard you're Shinichi Kudo's woman—"

Conan and Ran's faces instantly turned red, and they exclaimed in unison, "Who said that?!"

“It’s your friend, Sonoko Suzuki. She said Kudo hasn’t been to school in a long time; he must be hiding here with you.”

Chu Ming couldn't help but chuckle. He tried his best to suppress the smile on his lips. As expected of the Queen of Deduction, Shinichi was indeed hiding here.

"Tell me quickly, what did Kudo call you about?"

"Hey, what do you care what those young lovers say? Hattori, your emotional intelligence is so low," Chu Ming couldn't help but complain in his heart.

"He didn't say much, just told me that he had recently read a very interesting mystery novel, how his classmates at school were doing... and things like that."

Hattori Heiji straightened his hat, a confident smile playing on his lips: "So, what about you?"

"Huh?" Ran choked for a moment, a little disappointed. "So, it seems like Shinichi only talks about himself every time, and never asks about me at all..."

Hattori ran to the window, flung it open, and looked around, startling Kogoro Mori, who was dozing off nearby, awake: "Wait, who are you, kid? What are you doing?"

Hattori leaned against the window with one hand, striking a cool pose.

"Don't you find it strange? Since he calls back from time to time, shouldn't he at least ask how the other person is doing and show some concern? Even if it's just polite talk, like asking how they're doing, whether they're eating well, or sleeping well? There's only one reason he didn't ask, and that's—"

"He cheated on me?" Chu Ming asked instinctively.

? ? ? ?

Conan, caught up in the gossip, ended up getting himself involved, and was practically bewildered. He loudly protested, "How could that be? Shinichi isn't that kind of person!!!"

Hattori's hand slipped, almost causing her to lose her composure: "What? I mean, Shinichi Kudo has definitely been watching you somewhere! I was thinking he might be around here, but this guy just reminded me, that's possible too. The famous detective is two-timing you, keeping you on his toes while flirting with other girls, ugh—"

Conan jumped up and down in a panic: "How could that be?! Shinichi wouldn't do such a thing!!"

The others looked at him suspiciously. Chu Ming was secretly laughing so hard he almost fell over, but he still looked puzzled: "Conan, how did you know? Are you close to Shinichi Kudo?"

Conan was sweating bullets: "Because...because I've met Shinichi before, and he seems...very...handsome and responsible, he wouldn't do something like this~"

You bastard Chu Ming, you just wait!

Hattori Heiji chuckled and waved his hand dismissively: "You can know a person's face but not their heart. You're still a child, you don't understand these things."

Conan, fearing he might make things worse, quickly changed the subject: "What? You've said so much, but big brother, you still haven't told me who you are?"

Hattori took off the hat he had been wearing: "My name is Hattori Heiji, and like Kudo Shinichi, I'm a high school detective."

Conan secretly pursed his lips: So it's that Kansai detective, oh dear—

Hattori Heiji took off the bag he always carried: "Little brother, you have a cold? I just happened to bring some good medicine~ Everyone says Hattori from Kansai and Kudo from Kanto. I've always wanted to challenge him to a match, but I haven't heard from him lately."

As she spoke, she took out a cup and poured a cup of medicine for Conan.

One dared to give, and the other dared to drink. Without thinking, Conan took the cup and drank a few sips. Chu Ming watched with a wicked grin as Conan drank a few sips.

He vaguely remembered that drinking alcohol by minors was illegal in Japan.

Chapter 35 You gave the child alcohol?

After Conan took a few big gulps, he put down the cup, his face flushed, and he staggered around the room.

Chu Ming steadied him and said quietly, "According to the Law on Prohibition of Drinking by Minors, minors under the age of 18 are not allowed to drink alcohol, and those who sell or provide alcoholic beverages to minors will be fined up to 50 yen."

Ran ran over and helped Conan up: "You're giving a child alcohol???"

"Hey hey, this Chinese liquor called baijiu is really effective for treating colds. I'll be bothering you all here until I meet Kudo, so I specially chose this as a gift for you~" Hattori raised the bottle, grinning and showing his big white teeth.

"What?!" Xiaolan was about to say something, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

A wealthy woman stood at the door, looking disgruntled: "I said, how long are you going to make me ring the bell outside? Is this how your detective agency treats its customers?"

Xiao Lan quickly ran over to welcome her in, sat her down, and served her a cup of coffee.

The elegant lady removed her glasses and sat gracefully on the sofa: "My name is Tsujimura Kimie. My husband is a diplomat. I'm here today hoping you can investigate my son's girlfriend. Here is her information and resume."

Chu Ming, Conan, and Ran instinctively gathered around to take a look: "Katsuragi Kyoko, 24 years old, graduated first in her class from both Mitsuba Junior High and Mitsuba High School, and is currently studying at the University of Tokyo Medical School. She's about to graduate. Isn't that great? What's wrong with her?"

"No, it's just—"

Hattori, who had taken Kogoro Mouri's usual spot, chimed in: "It's just because she's too perfect that I can't stand her. Isn't that how people are? Suspicious and jealous, they can't help but find fault with people who are too perfect, right, Madam?"

"Is it because of this that you came to see Shinichi Kudo?" Chu Ming couldn't help but tease him as he struck a pose.

Hattori retorted loudly, "How could that be? Why would I be jealous of that guy!"

Kimie Tsujimura asked, somewhat displeased, "Who is this guy?"

Kogoro Mouri quickly smoothed things over, saying, "He's my daughter's friend. Don't worry about his wife. Let's continue."

Kimie Tsujimura lost the will to continue. She stood up and said, "Let's discuss the details with my husband when you get to my house. He's a diplomat, and countless eyes are watching him. If people find out he's in a place like this—"

“There will be scandals, right? Okay, I’ll go with you guys too!” Hattori Heiji sprang up with a somersault.

Kogoro Mouri's fist hardened. Are you trying to steal my business?

Hattori Heiji continued, "It's a bit abrupt for a detective like you to visit. Why don't we go together? People will think it's a father and son visiting, and that way it won't arouse suspicion."

Chu Ming retorted again, "If Uncle goes with you, people will suspect something, since you're so dark-skinned. But I'm different; I'm just as handsome as Uncle, we look like father and son!"

Kogoro Mouri glanced at Heiji Hattori's skin, then at Chu Ming's handsome face, and the scales tipped in his favor.

"Ahem, then Chu Ming will accompany me."

Kimie Tsujimura put on sunglasses, looking nonchalant: "It's fine with me, thank you. Let's go."

Seeing that he couldn't blend into the group, Hattori Heiji turned to Ran and said, "Miss Mori, why don't we go with them? Maybe Shinichi Kudo will show up too."

Ran seemed a little tempted, and Conan, hearing this, tugged at her sleeve: "Ran-neechan, let's go over there too~"

"But Conan, you have a cold, are you alright?"

Conan shook his head cutely, "It's okay, the medicine my big brother gave me has healed me, I feel much better~"

Then she quietly turned around and wiped her sweat. No, it wasn't that. Her condition seemed to have worsened again. But if she didn't go, what if Chu Ming and he condemned her as an absolute scumbag in front of Xiao Lan? Damn it!

Chu Ming only remembered something important after getting into the car. He secretly typed a message to Gin in his pocket.

"Does diplomat Tsujimura Isao have any connection with the organization? — Granburg."

Soon, the phone buzzed and vibrated. Conan curiously leaned over: "Brother Chu Ming, your phone is ringing! Who sent you a message? This phone doesn't look like the same one as last time~"

Chu Ming calmly pushed Conan's head away: "Because I just took over my parents' business, I need a work computer to contact people at the company (the winery)."

Conan retreated with little interest. He wasn't feeling well today; normally, he would have continued to pry into the matter.

Chu Ming thought it wasn't safe enough. Luckily, he had a lot of points recently, so he spent 1.5 points to buy anti-spy software in the store. No one except him could see the real content on his phone; they would only see some financial fund charts.

There's a reason it's expensive. This is practically a Conan-proof device. Who knows when the world's will might secretly slip your phone right under Conan's nose?

"He has some cooperation with the organization. Need to contact him? — Gin."

"You're looking at funds, huh?" A bored voice came from behind. Damn, it was Hattori Heiji who had popped his head in at some point.

Chu Ming's heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Luckily, he had bought anti-spy software in advance. Otherwise, if Hattori had shouted out in a blatant manner, "What organization is this? Who is Gin?" his friendly relationship with Conan would have been completely ruined.

It seems I haven't trained in a long time; my vigilance has dropped to this level.

"Why is your heart beating so fast?" Hattori Heiji asked without even realizing it.

"You were hiding behind me without a word and then suddenly spoke. Why is my heart beating so fast? If it weren't beating, it would mean I was scared to death by you!" Chu Ming said irritably.

Hattori Heiji scratched his head, chuckled, and retreated. The Tsujimura residence was now in sight.

"His wife is murderous towards him and has already sent a detective home to prepare an alibi. She's probably about to make her move. Do you need me to save him? — Granbury."

Buzz buzz buzz—Gin's phone rang immediately.