Hidden Side Quest

"That's good. Still, if anything comes up, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll help however I can." Seeing how Kudo Shinichi himself had said it, Megure let out a sigh of relief. It had been so long since they'd seen each other that he'd really thought something had happened. Since Shinichi was fine, he was relieved.

Kudo Shinichi replied at once, "Don't worry, Officer. If anything does happen, I'll definitely ask for your help."

"Officer, we couldn't find the gun at the disposal site. We checked, and it looks like someone's already been there and dealt with it." A police officer walked in from outside, cutting short their conversation.

"Well, then, Kudo, I'll go see what's going on. We'll have a proper chat next time." Megure left with the officer, telling him as they walked, "Check the hotel and see if any surveillance cameras caught anything. Or ask who went over there. Ordinary people don't go there for no reason."

Lin Maoxian paid no attention as Officer Megure walked away. He'd been extremely careful when he went there earlier. With all his experience, if he could get caught over something this small, he'd only have himself to blame.

He glanced at Kudo Shinichi and was just about to approach him when he suddenly received a prompt from space.

"Adventurer has triggered a hidden side quest—'Black' Attack. Difficulty: Normal (C)"

"Quest Details: Because of your intervention, Adventurer, Kudo Shinichi recovered his body ahead of time and learned a little about the Black Organization behind the scenes. However, after regaining his body, Kudo Shinichi failed to conceal his identity while solving cases, alerting the Black Organization. Gin has received information that Kudo Shinichi is still alive. In 24 hours, he will bring Vodka to capture or kill Kudo Shinichi."

"Quest Objective: In 24 hours, Adventurer must protect Kudo Shinichi and prevent him from being captured or killed by the 'Black' Organization. Protection must last 24 hours."

"Quest Reward: 2,000 Source Points. Failure will deduct 2,000 Source Points from Adventurer. If Adventurer does not have enough Source Points, a penalty will be imposed (equipment will be collateral first, then attributes will be deducted until the full 2,000 Source Points have been repaid)."

Lin Maoxian's first reaction to learning about the quest wasn't anything else. It was: That saves me the trouble. He'd been planning to spend a large sum hiring the media to make a big fuss about where Kudo Shinichi had appeared, hoping to draw out the Black Organization and see if a side quest would appear. He hadn't even done anything yet. Just by trying to complete a main quest, he'd triggered this one as well.

He checked the reward: 2,000 Source Points. Four times the reward for the first main quest, so the difficulty would probably be higher too. Luckily, he'd already been planning to do this and had made some preparations.

In 24 hours? They're giving me time to prepare, I guess. But there's no need to rush. I can take it slow. He walked over to Kudo Shinichi. "Kudo Shinichi, you're here too. How's it going? I told you so, didn't I? You've turned back into your original body."

Seeing that it was Lin Maoxian, Kudo Shinichi said irritably, "You were right, but I never doubted you, did I? Don't make it sound like I didn't believe you. I'm grateful you helped me get my original body back. What are you doing here?"

Lin Maoxian shrugged. "I came with Eri. You know her—she's Ran's mother. I saw Ran over there too. They're chatting together right now."

"I have to hand it to you. You and Aunt Eri...?"

"Hand it to me?" Lin Maoxian cut him off, his tone sarcastic. "If anyone deserves admiration, it's you!"

Kudo Shinichi seemed to catch the sarcasm in Lin Maoxian's voice. "What do you mean by that? Just say what you want to say."

"All right, I'll be blunt. Now that you've turned back into Kudo Shinichi, instead of finding somewhere quiet to meet Ran, you're strutting around this crowded building and even solving cases as if nothing's wrong. It seems you're not worried at all about people finding out you're alive. Don't you think I have reason to admire you?" Lin Maoxian said. He really was impressed. This guy knew he might be hunted and still swaggered around like he owned the place. He was unbelievably brazen.

To Lin Maoxian's surprise, Kudo Shinichi didn't seem bothered. "What's the big deal? I already told Officer Megure not to reveal my identity. I don't think it'll be that easy for anyone to find out."

"You're being way too optimistic. Forget the police for a second. Are you sure no one around here knows who you are? And are you sure there aren't any members of that organization nearby? Don't forget you came here with Ran. If they find out, she could be in danger too." Seeing how unconcerned Kudo Shinichi looked, Lin Maoxian was at a loss. If he didn't need Shinichi's help and have to protect him, he would've left already. He wouldn't have gone to all this trouble to lecture him.

"Th-then what should I do?" Hearing that Ran might be in danger, Kudo Shinichi panicked at once. He was nothing like the great detective he'd been a moment ago.

Watching Kudo Shinichi's panic, Lin Maoxian quietly nodded. Shinichi might have other flaws, but his feelings for Ran were absolutely genuine. There was no doubt about that. "Don't worry. I'll look into it. For now, don't go looking for Ran. Ask her to meet you somewhere else, preferably somewhere with fewer people. I'll come to your house tomorrow morning. Make sure your mother doesn't go out. I need her help with something, understand?"

"I'll call Ran in a bit and ask her to meet me somewhere else. But what does this have to do with my mom?" Kudo Shinichi agreed, but when Lin Maoxian mentioned Yukiko, he still asked. He didn't want his family getting involved.

Lin Maoxian didn't answer his question. Instead, he said, "All right, you'll find out tomorrow morning. Just remember not to forget. It's not safe to talk here. We'll discuss it when we meet tomorrow morning. Make sure you're home waiting for me." Still a little worried, Lin Maoxian repeated the instructions several times.

"All right, all right... Don't worry, I won't forget. I'd better get going, then. See you tomorrow." Kudo Shinichi said impatiently, waved goodbye, and headed straight outside. He was obviously going to call Ran and arrange to meet somewhere else.

Meanwhile, on a highway, a black Porsche blended into the traffic.

After putting down his phone, Vodka continued driving and spoke to Gin in the back seat. "Big Brother, the Organization just sent some information. The famous detective Kudo Shinichi has shown up again. Turns out he never died."

"Kudo Shinichi? Who's that?" Gin couldn't remember who he was. In his eyes, dead people weren't worth remembering. He didn't bother remembering the names of the dead; there was no point.

Vodka knew his big brother's personality. Gin never remembered the dead, so he explained, "Big Brother, don't you remember? It was during that deal in the park. Some kid saw the Organization's transaction, and you gave him the drug the Organization developed."

"Oh. Now I remember. That did happen. He took the drug the Organization developed, so he should be dead. You said he's still alive. How did that happen?" After Vodka reminded him, Gin finally recalled the incident. The kid had been foolish enough to challenge the Organization despite having no real ability. He'd deserved to die.

"An Organization informant said they saw Kudo Shinichi, who'd been missing for a long time, at the Beika Center Building. Not long afterward, he disappeared again." Vodka relayed what the informant had told him.

Gin finally took some interest in Kudo Shinichi, who'd survived the Organization's drug and was now swaggering around in public. "Oh? Is that so? That's good news. Tell the men to search thoroughly. I want his exact location within 24 hours. I'll bring him back to the Organization myself and find out why he's still alive. It might help with the development of our drug. Don't you agree, Vodka?"

"Yes, Big Brother. I'll give the orders. With the Organization's resources, we'll definitely find that kid within 24 hours. I don't know how he survived last time, but let's see him get away this time. He can't stand up to the Organization's power." Vodka sounded proud as he spoke of the Organization. It was a vast, international organization, and even he, a longtime member, didn't know the full extent of its power.

"He won't get away this time." Gin let out a cold laugh.

When Lin Maoxian returned to Kisaki Eri and the others, he happened to see Ran getting up to leave. He knew Kudo Shinichi had already called her, but he still thought, That kid's quick.

He greeted Ran and sat down in the seat she'd just vacated.

"How did it go? Did you solve the case over there?" Kisaki Eri asked as Lin Maoxian sat down.

"It's solved. Didn't you see Ran leave? Kudo Shinichi asked her to meet him somewhere else." Lin Maoxian said with a smile.

Kisaki Eri looked surprised. "That was quick. The kid really does deserve to be called a great detective. He solved a murder case in no time. But why did he ask Ran to meet him somewhere else?"

Lin Maoxian couldn't tell her the real reason, so he said, "Maybe he felt awkward because we were here."

After hearing that, Kisaki Eri said nothing more.