Lively Air

In the touching reunion scene, three of the family members couldn't get up.

Knowing he was facing the Kudo couple, Tang Ze didn't go all out. Although, based on his understanding of the Conan's world, he wouldn't have had any problems even if he had gone all out—

The Red Faction in Conan's world can be summarized as the gun of benevolence. Don't you see the sharpshooter Akai, who never misses? The only way enemies die is by suicide, without any chance of being killed on camera. It can be said that no matter how the Red Faction characters act, they can't kill anyone. Look at a soccer kick that can turn a naval gun 90 degrees; it didn't kill Yukiko Kudo when it hit her.

But after being thrown around, it wasn't strange for the two of them to be down for half a day or a whole day.

"I say, are you two really that free..." Conan sat opposite the coffee table, looking at the couple slumped on the sofa, one on each side, and was furious. "Did Professor Agasa rat us out?"

If his parents, who traveled all over the world, had even one reliable trait, they wouldn't be completely unreliable.

What do they mean by "we teamed up to put on a show to warn the careless Shinichi"? They probably just wanted to see him jump to conclusions so they could laugh at him!

Yusaku Kudo, rubbing his back and nestled among the pillows, tried to sit up straight. "With such a big incident, how could he not notify us?"

"That's right, Shinichi," Yukiko agreed, leaning on her husband. "You encountered such great danger, yet you still thought of handling it alone. Where did this inexplicable hot-bloodedness come from..."

Yusaku Kudo sighed and looked at Tang Ze, who walked past the back of the sofa, diligently cleaning up the various mechanisms in the living room. He pouted, not entirely convinced. "You were able to escape today only because you were lucky and had an information advantage. We didn't notice Tang Ze as a potential ally. If it were just you, the situation would have been almost one-sided."

Their plan was meticulously crafted, accurately grasping their troublesome son's psychology. If it weren't for the variable of Tang Ze's high physical strength, they would definitely not have encountered a setback.

"I know there was a big risk, that's why I was trying to hide..."

"No! You don't know at all!" Yukiko glared, a little angry. "Why do you think your father and I were so scared when we saw you get caught! You still don't understand what you're facing."

Yusaku Kudo pushed up his glasses, which were exactly like Conan's current ones, and said in a low voice, "If your identity were truly exposed, you, your mother, the Mouri family, Professor Agasa, Tang Ze, and everyone you've come into contact with would face the same danger as today. Shinichi, come abroad with us. I'll ask my friends at Interpol to help you investigate the relevant information about the drug you took. It's really not safe to stay in Japan until you recover."

Conan lowered his head.

By now, the fear of being pursued and the excitement of setting up the counter-attack had subsided. He understood that his parents' words made sense. He was likely facing a deeply entrenched and powerful criminal organization. They weren't just a violent group; violent groups couldn't develop strange drugs that could shrink people.

For all intents and purposes, this was not a situation a high school student could handle normally. His parents wanting him to leave with them was a very reasonable plan.

But... leaving Japan...

Conan's mind flashed to Ran Mouri, who was tossing and turning with worry for Shinichi Kudo. He then turned his head and squatted on the floor, slowly cleaning up the scattered thumbtacks, unable to see Tang Ze's expression.

"No, I can't leave," he said, shaking his head firmly. "I have reasons to stay."

He couldn't just leave like this. The fact that Shinichi Kudo's death hadn't been reported in the news was the biggest loophole. If that organization really wanted to thoroughly investigate him as a missing person, Ran Mouri, who appeared with him at the amusement park that day, would be the first to be targeted. And the troublesome commission, which was originally just an excuse, had become a genuine one. If Tang Ze had any other choice, he wouldn't have entrusted a life-altering case to someone who had been turned into a child.

He couldn't abandon them, couldn't abandon his responsibilities, and he still had to protect Ran...

"Shinichi..." Yukiko Kudo could easily see the familiar stubbornness on his now childish face and couldn't help but sigh. Who did this stubbornness come from? Neither she nor Yusaku were inflexible people!

The conversation fell into a stalemate for a moment.

"Here, black tea." The one who broke the silence was the only adult who could still move freely, Tang Ze.

Yusaku Kudo reflexively took the teacup and thanked him, then couldn't help but stiffen. Realizing that this was the culprit who had left him numb until now, he held the black tea and couldn't drink it.

"Thank you, Tang Ze," Yukiko Kudo, who found the young-looking and handsome Tang Ze very likable, thanked him with a smile. Putting aside her son, who was still butting heads with Conan, she proactively asked about Tang Ze. "Are you Shinichi's friend, Tang Ze? I didn't expect him to have friends with whom he could share secrets. This kid wouldn't even contact us willingly..." As she said this, she glanced at Conan meaningfully, feeling a bit sour.

Her child had grown up and had new friends and little secrets, but he wouldn't tell his parents.

Tang Ze smiled mysteriously, looked at Conan, raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of playful teasing, "Should I reveal your embarrassing past?"

Conan put his hand to his forehead, remembering his foolish way of being exposed, and coughed.

"He would never say it voluntarily," Yusaku Kudo, who couldn't guess his son's depth, snorted. "I think he was too bad at pretending to be a child and got found out."

"He really didn't act like one," Tang Ze agreed.

Yukiko Kudo recalled her son's awkwardness when he lied, which was easily exposed, and couldn't help but touch her face with worry. "At your age, Mom was already nominated for a film award. How come you only inherited your dad's deduction obsession and none of my talent..."

"That's not true! I..." Conan gritted his teeth, but he was too embarrassed to admit that a miscalculation had led him to accidentally prick Tang Ze, and perhaps pricking his arm had been ineffective, causing their act to be revealed halfway through. He could only retort dryly, "It was an accident! Tang Ze discovering me was an accident!"

Yukiko Kudo clapped her hands, coming up with a new idea. "That's it! Since Shinichi insists on staying in Japan, then the talented and beautiful actress Yukiko will give you acting training! At least enough to fool the Mouri family!"

"Hey!"

"It's decided! Then, the first project is to learn how a child should act spoiled!" Yukiko Kudo looked at Shinichi's childlike face and patted Yusaku Kudo nostalgically. "When Shinichi was this age, he would still run into my arms and cry, asking me to take him to buy a new soccer ball..."

"Ah!!!" Conan collapsed, covering his ears. When he saw Tang Ze, who was sitting beside him, shaking with suppressed laughter, his teacup trembling, he became even more ashamed and angry. "Stop talking, just stop!"

For a moment, the Kudo residence was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.