The First Piece of Equipment

The First Piece of Equipment

When Ran Mouri heard her mother actually judge her father like that, she immediately protested, "Mom, Dad isn't as hopeless as you say. He's still really amazing."

Conan, listening from the side to Kisaki Eri's assessment of Uncle Kogoro, thought, As expected of a married couple. She really does understand her husband. Every time, if it weren't for my help at the end, with Uncle Mouri like that, how could he possibly solve any cases? It'd be good enough if he didn't make things more and more confusing. Also, this man really does have a problem. At first he asked Ran whether I was there when Uncle was 'sleeping,' and now he wants to meet Uncle himself. Looks like he's suspicious of something.

Listening to her daughter's defense, Kisaki Eri curled her lip in disdain. How could she not know what kind of man he was? He had some ability, but if someone wanted to call him a famous detective, she would never believe it. From childhood to adulthood, she had never seen him show any talent or achievements in that area. But since her daughter cared so much, she decided not to refute her anymore. She would leave her with a good impression to hold on to.

However, the man beside her was quite capable. Not only was he extraordinary in a fight, his judgment and investigative skills were also strong. If someone said he was a famous detective, she might actually believe it. Thinking of this, her heart stirred.

"Mr. Lin, judging from your performance in solving the case earlier, could you also be a famous detective?"

Although Lin Maoxian did not know why Kisaki Eri was asking this, he still smiled and explained, "A famous detective? No, I'm no detective. I've simply seen a lot, and I know a little about investigation. I'm still far from being a detective, much less anything like a famous detective. I'm nowhere close."

Conan looked at Lin Maoxian. Not necessarily. His powers of observation are very strong. Back at the café, he was watching my every move. Looks like I should keep my distance from him for now. When I get back, I'll think of a way to deal with him wanting to find Uncle Mouri.

"Big Sister Ran, let's hurry and eat. Uncle is still waiting for us at home, so we have to go back quickly." Conan put on an adorable act and told Ran that Mouri Kogoro had not eaten yet, hoping they could hurry back.

"Ah, I almost forgot. I haven't prepared lunch for Dad." Hearing Conan's words, Ran Mouri immediately remembered that she had not prepared lunch. Originally, she had only planned to go back and cook after the date.

Kisaki Eri frowned when she heard this. "What does it matter? He'll go out to eat when he's hungry. What difference does it make if you skip cooking one meal?"

"Mom, no, I have to go back and make Dad's meal. Conan and I won't eat, we'll leave first." After saying that, she pulled Conan and hurried outside.

"Come back, you..." Watching her daughter run farther and farther away, Kisaki Eri was furious. So in the end, she was not even as important as that drunkard.

Lin Maoxian looked at Kisaki Eri's angry face, yet it had a different kind of beauty. Thinking that she was Mouri Kogoro's wife, he vaguely sowed discord and said, "Miss Kisaki, don't be angry. Ran is only worried about Mr. Mouri's health. If something happened to Mr. Mouri's body, that would be a loss for the people. After all, he is a famous detective."

Kisaki Eri shook her head noncommittally. "Him? Leaving aside whether he's a famous detective, all he knows how to do every day is drink, and he's extremely **. Even if something happened to him, it wouldn't be a loss. It would be saving resources for the country."

Knowing that too much would be as bad as too little, Lin Maoxian stopped bringing up Mouri Kogoro. As long as he let her learn more of Mouri Kogoro's faults when the time came, he would have plenty of opportunities.

Then he began telling Kisaki Eri about his own adventures, making her gasp and laugh from time to time, and she also spoke with him about her experiences handling defense cases. Lunch passed in this kind of conversation. After they finished eating, Lin Maoxian asked Kisaki Eri for a business card from her law office, saying that he would visit when he had time. Then he left her his phone number, hoping she would contact him if there was any news regarding Yukiko. After that, he said goodbye to her.

After parting from Kisaki Eri, Lin Maoxian, who now had money, first went to the mall and bought a huge pile of clothes, ranging from youth styles to elderly styles, for thin body types and fat ones alike. Then he had the mall staff deliver them to the hotel where he was staying. After returning to his hotel room, Lin Maoxian claimed the rewarded equipment from the space.

Ring of Unwillingness

[Quality]: Common

[Level]: level1

[Category]: Accessory

[Description]: This was the wedding ring of Tenzan Juzan, who had only recently gotten married. Unfortunately, another woman he was involved with forced him to divorce his wife and then marry her. Tenzan Juzan, who did not want a divorce, lost his head for a moment and killed this woman. The woman's face was full of disbelief, unable to understand how the person she loved could kill her. Her blood, filled with unwillingness, stained this ring.

[Attributes]: Strength +2 Life recovery speed -50%

Looking at the equipment's attributes, it truly lived up to being "common." Its attribute only added 2 points of strength, and it even had a negative status, halving recovery speed. His life recovery speed was already very slow, and if it were reduced by half again, it would basically be useless. Even so, he equipped it, then looked at his character panel. His strength had become 11 points. It was almost twice his strength before enhancement. He clenched his fist and did indeed feel more powerful.

Lying on the **, he thought over what had happened today. His luck had been very good. He had merely gone to a random café, yet he had gotten to know the male and female leads and Kisaki Eri, and he might even get to know Yukiko. He had also asked for the specific address of the detective agency, so Main Mission One now had a lead. The reward for one side mission had even given more equipment than the first main mission. It seemed he needed to dig up more side missions. Although he still did not know what use the Source Points rewarded by the space had, he figured the more, the better.

A mirror-bright moon hung in the sky, spreading silver radiance over the earth.

A man wearing a coat and a hat that hid his face entered a ** shop.

The owner was a somewhat wretched-looking middle-aged man. Seeing a customer enter the shop, he immediately greeted him. "Sir, do you need anything?"

Ignoring the owner's greeting, the man asked in a hoarse voice, "Do you have any medicine here that can make a woman quickly fall into that kind of feeling?"

Looking at the way the man before him was dressed, the owner did not want to stir up any trouble, so he could only say awkwardly, "Sir, this is a proper shop. We don't have things like that."

"One hundred thousand." Looking at the troubled owner, the man directly named a price, clearly not believing that the shop would not have what he wanted.

"What? One hundred thousand? Please wait, I'll get it for you right away." Hearing the man offer one hundred thousand to buy it, the owner had long since tossed any possible trouble to the back of his mind. Most shops had this kind of thing. If he did not do this business, plenty of others would. As for trouble, he had not received any customers today, let alone seen anyone.

He handed the medicine in his hand to the man before him and said pointedly, "Sir, I haven't done a single piece of business today, you know."

The man took the medicine the owner handed him and said with a smile, "Of course. I also never came here today. However, if this thing of yours doesn't work, you'll pay the price." By the end, his tone had turned icy.

Now that he had taken the money, the owner did not care what his tone was like. He had seen plenty of people like this. "Don't worry about that. There's absolutely no problem with my goods."

The man sneered a few times, put away the medicine, and disappeared into the vast night.

Early the next morning, Lin Maoxian called Kisaki Eri and arranged to meet her at the same café as yesterday.

He went out and hailed a taxi. In less than thirty minutes, he arrived at the café from yesterday.

When he entered the café, Kisaki Eri was already sitting in the same seat as yesterday. He ignored the waiter's greeting and walked straight over.

Looking at Kisaki Eri, who was drinking morning tea, Lin Maoxian said apologetically, "I'm truly sorry to have kept Miss Kisaki waiting."

Gently setting down her teacup, Kisaki Eri tidied her hair with one hand and said with a smile, "Not at all. I only just arrived myself. Does Mr. Lin want to ask about Yukiko?"

Hearing Kisaki Eri's words, there might already be news from Yukiko's side, so he quickly asked, "Is there news from Miss Yukiko? Did she agree?"

Looking at the anxious man before her, Kisaki Eri thought of Yukiko's smug voice over the phone yesterday. She had said that even though she had retired from acting more than ten years ago, she still had fans, that her charm was truly limitless, unlike certain people who were still alone even now and were almost unwanted by anyone. Thinking of this, her tone turned stiff. "Don't be anxious. I contacted Yukiko last night. She agreed to come back to Japan first. As for what happens after that, you can discuss it in detail then."

Although he did not know why the woman before him had suddenly become stiff in tone when she had clearly been fine just now, there was still a smile on his face. "As long as Miss Yukiko can come back, that's good. As for afterward, I'll find a way to persuade her. I still have to thank Miss Kisaki for your help. Otherwise, this matter wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Knowing that she should not blame the man in front of her, Kisaki Eri softened her tone. "It's nothing. Mr. Lin helped me too. I wonder what Mr. Lin plans to do next?"

He was going to the Mouri Detective Agency in a while. Kisaki Eri probably had not gone back there in a long time. He wondered what would happen if he brought her along. Thinking this, he said it aloud. "I'm planning to visit the famous detective Mr. Mouri Kogoro later. Would Miss Kisaki like to go?"

Hearing Lin Maoxian call Mouri Kogoro a famous detective, Kisaki Eri curled her lip in disdain. "What kind of famous detective is he supposed to be? I've known him for so many years. How could I not understand him? Where would he get such great ability? Aside from beautiful women, all that's left is drinking."

Listening to Kisaki Eri's evaluation of Mouri Kogoro, Lin Maoxian further stirred things up. "Then perhaps it was only after you left during these ten years that Mr. Mouri's ability as a famous detective was able to show itself."

Hearing this, Kisaki Eri grew even angrier. So when she had been with him, she had actually limited his "famous detective" abilities? She stood up and said angrily, "Go. Of course I'll go. I'd like to see whether, after all these years, he really has become a 'famous detective.'" After saying that, she walked out.

Lin Maoxian watched Kisaki Eri's angry back as she walked out and smiled for some reason. He placed some money on the table, then chased after her.