Mission Accomplished

Mission Complete

Sitting in the speeding car and watching Kisaki Eri focused on driving beside him, Lin Maoxian sank into thought.

What did he have to do to unlock more side missions? In what form did the space's side missions exist? How was he supposed to trigger them? He remembered he had been with Conan back then. Could it have something to do with him? If he simply killed Conan outright, how many rewards would he get? No, that would not work. In Conan's current state, killing him would be far too easy. The space could not possibly have a loophole like that. There had to be something he did not know.

While Lin Maoxian was thinking, the car soon arrived at 5-chome, No. 39, Beika Town, Beika City—in other words, the Mouri Detective Agency.

After getting out of the car, Lin Maoxian carefully observed the surrounding environment. It was a three-story building, and judging from its style, it should have been built in the seventies or eighties. A café was open for business on the first floor, and a sign reading "Mouri Detective Agency" hung outside the second floor. On the left was a building that looked very much like an apartment block, though he did not know what it was used for. On the right was a two-story building; judging by the sign, the first floor was the "Ichi-Ni-San Sushi Shop," with an advertising board at the very top. Opposite the agency was a row of office buildings, their lower floors all storefronts, and he could vaguely see meat placed in front of the counter.

"This is the place. They're either on the second floor or the third. Let's go." As Kisaki Eri spoke, she headed up the stairs.

Looking at Kisaki Eri walking ahead, Lin Maoxian quickly followed.

Knock, knock, knock!!!

"Dad, we've got guests coming. At least tidy up a little."

"If they're coming, they're coming. What's there to tidy up? Go see who it is."

The voices of the Mouri father and daughter sounded from inside the room. Judging from the footsteps, Ran was probably coming to open the door.

"No need. I'll come in myself." As Kisaki Eri spoke, she opened the door directly and strode in without caring about anything else.

"Mom, it's you? Why are you here?" Ran Mouri was very surprised to see her mother arrive. After all, ever since her mother had left home, she had never come back. Seeing Lin Maoxian standing behind her, she immediately said, "Mr. Lin is here too. Did you come together?"

Before Lin Maoxian could speak, Kisaki Eri cut in first. "So what if it's me? Am I not allowed to come? Look at what this place has become. Beer cans thrown everywhere, the table a complete mess. As expected of a single man's life." Those last words, however, were directed at Mouri Kogoro, who was sitting in a chair.

When Mouri Kogoro first saw Kisaki Eri come in, he had wanted to tidy up his image a little, but after hearing her sarcasm, he lifted both legs and put them on the table, leaning back in his chair as he said, "What's wrong with living like this? You have no idea how happy I am. Ever since you left, my life has been wonderfully free. I drink a little when I'm idle, watch Miss Okino Yoko's programs—life couldn't be more comfortable. Unlike you. It's only been ten years since we last met, and you've already aged like this. Give it a few more years and I'm afraid I won't even recognize you."

Listening to Kogoro's words, Kisaki Eri trembled with rage and pointed at him. "You... you..."

Seeing her parents start arguing again, Ran Mouri hurriedly said, "Dad, Mom, can you two stop fighting? Both of you, just say a little less." Seeing Lin Maoxian standing at the doorway, she thought to change the subject and pointed at Kogoro. "Mr. Lin, didn't you say you wanted to meet my dad? This is my dad."

Just as Lin Maoxian stepped through the doorway, he received a prompt from the space.

"Adventurer has completed Main Mission One: [Search]. Reward: 500 Source Points. This reward will be settled together after returning to the space."

"Adventurer has completed Main Mission One, triggering Main Mission Two: [Wish]."

"Adventurer may choose any 3 of the following options to complete. This mission has no fixed reward. The more missions completed, the greater the settlement reward after the final return. Mission time: 5 days."

"If the Adventurer does not complete at least 3 Wishes within the designated time, the mission will be judged a failure."

"Failure penalty: For each mission left incomplete, the space will deduct 1000 Source Points from the Adventurer. If the Adventurer does not have enough Source Points, the space will first sell the Adventurer's equipment to offset the Source Points. If the equipment is insufficient, the Adventurer's attribute points will be deducted instead."

"1: Ran Mouri—I haven't seen Shinichi in so long. I don't know what he's doing out there. I really want to see him."

"2: Conan (Shinichi)—Who exactly are those people who used drugs to shrink me? What kind of deal were they making? I will definitely find the truth."

"3: Mouri Kogoro—Money, money, money!!! If only I were a multimillionaire, then I could be with Miss Yoko..."

"4: Kisaki Eri—It's all that damned childhood sweetheart's fault. If only I could meet a good man and have someone to rely on."

"5: Kudo Yukiko—Adventure! There's nothing I don't dare to do. My goal is victory."

"..."

"9: Kudo Yusaku—My ideal is to become someone like Conan Doyle and write detective novels that can compare with Sherlock Holmes Detective Stories."

"10: Miyano Akemi—I truly hope I can safely leave the organization together with my younger sister, then live a peaceful life with Dai."

"Mission hint: After some missions are completed, the plot will undergo unpredictable deviations. Adventurer, please choose carefully."

Listening to this pile of prompts from the space, among the options in Main Mission Two, the more reliable ones that could actually be completed were only the first few. As for the ones after that, they were either too difficult or he might not even be able to find the people involved, so they definitely had to be ruled out. Moreover, this mission came with a penalty for failure, and the penalty was extremely severe. Since increasing attribute points meant becoming stronger, decreasing them would definitely mean becoming weaker. As for what would happen if his attribute points were all deducted and still not enough, clearly nothing good would come after that. Fortunately, he had some idea about the first few Wishes. He did not dare say he could complete many, but he was still confident he could basically guarantee completing three.

"Mr. Lin, what's wrong?" Seeing Lin Maoxian stand frozen in place ever since he stepped through the door, Ran Mouri asked in confusion.

Lin Maoxian, whose thoughts had been interrupted, saw that everyone in the room was looking at him. He smiled and said to Mouri Kogoro, "It's nothing. It's just that Mr. Mouri said Miss Kisaki was very old, and I can't agree with that. If Miss Kisaki and Miss Ran walked together, I believe everyone would only think they were sisters. At least, that is what I would think."

Hearing Lin Maoxian call her her daughter's sister, Kisaki Eri was clearly very pleased. She lifted her chin slightly and, with a smile all over her face, provoked Kogoro. "Oh my, Lin, really now. How could I be as young as you say? Certain people say I'm very old."

Kogoro disdainfully brushed his mustache with his hand and said to Kisaki Eri, "Tch, he was just too embarrassed to say it. Don't you know what you look like yourself? A person should have self-awareness. Don't take a few polite words from someone as the truth."

"You..." Kogoro's words had clearly infuriated Kisaki Eri badly.

Standing to one side, Ran Mouri saw Kogoro make Kisaki Eri that angry and immediately said to Kogoro, "Dad, can you say a little less? How is Mom old? I think Mr. Lin is right. Mom is still very young. Don't you go talking nonsense!" The last sentence was spoken word by word, and it was very obvious that it carried a heavy threat.

After hearing her daughter's words, Kisaki Eri's expression had already eased. She no longer wanted to say anything more to that man and only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. "Lin, I don't want to stay here any longer. Contact me after you're done with your business. I'll leave first." With that, she turned and left, completely ignoring Ran calling after her from behind.

When Lin Maoxian heard Kisaki Eri say she was leaving first, he did not say anything. What had happened today should make her even more disappointed. Some things could not be rushed; they had to be taken slowly.

After seeing Kisaki Eri downstairs, he returned to the agency.

When he reached the doorway, he ran into Ran coming out. The girl did not greet him at all. Clearly, his interjection earlier, which had triggered the two to bicker, had made this young lady unhappy.

Lin Maoxian only smiled, then entered to look for Kogoro.

Looking at the room, which was much tidier than before, it was obvious Ran had straightened it up a little while he was downstairs, because the great detective was currently drinking beer, watching Okino Yoko's program, and shouting "Great!" again and again.

Seeing Lin Maoxian come in, Kogoro asked unhappily, "Why are you back? Didn't you leave with that woman?"

Looking at Kogoro's displeased face, it was very obvious that he was still brooding over what had just happened. Lin Maoxian ignored Kogoro for the moment. He first sat down on the tidy sofa and put the bag he had brought to one side. Only then did he say to Kogoro, "Mr. Mouri, I came to you because I heard you were a famous detective. I have a commission and need your help."

Hearing someone call him a famous detective, and that there was also a commission for him, Kogoro looked extremely excited. "Oh, so it's a commission. Please rest assured. There is nothing that I, the famous detective Mouri Kogoro, cannot handle. Tell me what it is."

"Kudo Shinichi. I hope Mr. Mouri can help me find the high school detective Kudo Shinichi." Looking at the excited Kogoro, Lin Maoxian stated his commission.

"Kudo Shinichi." Kogoro muttered the name. That brat had left a deep impression on him. For a time, he had made it so Kogoro could hardly get any commissions at all. He had only heard that the kid had gone missing recently, seemingly tied up by some case. He only hoped that brat would never get free. He did not want to hear anything like that brat had solved another case again. Thinking of that brat's detective skills, Kogoro slumped weakly into his chair, his excitement from moments ago completely gone, and waved his hand at Lin Maoxian. "That brat? How would I know where he is? I'm afraid I can't take this commission."