Survival Manual of the Science Fiction World

Inspector Megure arranged for someone to take the children home. Chu Ming grabbed Conan, waved to Inspector Megure, and indicated that he would take Conan there.

Inspector Megure, oblivious to Ai Haibara who had been deliberately playing the background role, turned and walked away.

Chu Ming led the dejected Conan along until they reached a small alley.

"Hey, Brother Chu Ming, you're not riding a bike?" Conan sensed something was off as he walked.

Ai Haibara, who had been silently following behind, spoke coldly: "APTX 4869."

Conan was taken aback: "Huh?"

"That's the name of the medicine you're taking."

Conan asked in alarm, "What are you saying? Brother Chu Ming, did you hear her saying...?"

He didn't finish his sentence; his pupils contracted, and his face filled with terror. He saw Chu Ming turn to him, a chilling smile on his face.

When Chu Ming saw Conan looking at him, he tried hard to recall Gin's cold smile, and his murderous aura erupted.

"Hmph, famous detective, I've been searching high and low for you! If you hadn't transformed in front of me last time, I wouldn't have known you were still alive. Thank me, famous detective! As soon as I found out you were alive, I immediately notified the organization's chief researcher—the esteemed Researcher Sherry—so you can spend the rest of your life on the organization's experimental table. How about that? Touched? After all, if Rum were here, he would definitely kill you!"

"You—!!!" Conan's eyes were filled with grief and indignation. "I considered you my best friend, and you actually are...!!"

Ai Haibara said dismissively, "Friends? Hmph, naive. People like us don't have friends, nor do we need them."

Chu Ming added, "Exactly. I, Vodka, don't need friends!"

"You're Vodka?!" Conan's eyes widened in horror.

"You still have thoughts about him? How's it going, Detective? How's the medicine I personally concocted working? How does it feel to be back in your childhood?"

"You think you're worthy? But you're just a little kid, what can you do..."

Chu Ming looked smug: "Hmph, you're so ignorant, famous detective! Have you heard the story of Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs? How can you know the effect of your own medicine if you don't taste it yourself!"

Even in his terror, Conan couldn't help but exclaim, "You even taste poison? Are people in your organization this ruthless to themselves?"

"Hmph, scared now! I...!" Before Chu Ming could finish speaking, Ai Haibara poked him hard from a blind spot—too much nonsense. I didn't mention this part before. Don't secretly add scenes for yourself and smear your own image. What kind of research freak image is this!

Chu Ming's tone shifted abruptly, now filled with murderous intent: "—You'd better mind your own business. After all, if they take you away, none of the people around you will survive. The organization's people should be at that PhD's house next door by now..."

Conan was shocked and took out his portable phone to call Dr. Agasa, but there was no answer.

He was about to run back when Chu Ming blocked his way. Chu Ming dodged Conan's tranquilizer dart by tilting his head. "Damn it, little detective, you have no sportsmanship. You're trying to ambush me. Can't you handle this?"

Chu Ming grabbed Conan and started to walk away. Conan struggled desperately, and seeing passersby, he shouted for help: "Help me! He's a human trafficker! He's trying to take me!!!"

Passersby gathered around with suspicious looks. Chu Ming took out his phone to show them the photos he had taken and the group photos, explaining, "My cousin ran away from home. I just caught him. He's too naughty and still doesn't want to go back..."

Ai Haibara looked sad: "Edogawa...brother, you have to be good, Uncle Mori and Sister Ran are still waiting for us to come home."

Ai Haibara reluctantly called out "brother," but seeing the photo and a cute little girl as witnesses, and knowing that Conan understood Haibara's threat, he obediently shut up. The passersby also thought it was just a child playing a prank, and dispersed while condemning Conan.

Conan watched as Chu Ming carried him towards Professor Agasa's house, saying as they walked, "Well, since you treated me, Vodka, as a friend, I'll show you what Professor Agasa looks like now to repay your kindness~"

Conan, filled with despair, clung to Chu Ming's arm, his hands and feet hanging limply, his head bowed. "I'm sorry, Professor Agasa, it's all my fault... It's all my fault... And Ran, Uncle Mori..."

Professor Agasa's house was brightly lit. As Ai Haibara approached the door, she put on an act one last time: "It seems the organization has completed its mission and left. Let's go in and take a look."

Upon entering, Conan looked up sadly: "Doctor..."

"Hmm, new—uh Conan hahaha, Mr. Chu Ming is here too. How is it, Ai? Does going to school feel good?"

???

Conan was completely bewildered: "Actor, are you alright? You're lying to me???"

Chu Ming tossed Conan, whom he had been carrying all the way, onto the sofa, his eyes full of laughter: "Exciting, Conan?"

Conan's half-moon eyes: "Hey! Is teasing kids really that fun?!"

Chu Ming rubbed Conan's head: "Just to remind you not to be reckless. If the organization that made the counterfeit money is really the one that harmed you, your action of rushing up to the door to ask them directly will not only kill you, but everyone around you will be silenced, understand?"

Conan was also a little scared: "I know... but you can't play tricks on me like this. And Dr. Agasa, he didn't even answer the phone. Where did you find this girl? How did you tell her my identity?"

Dr. Agasa paused for a moment: "Us? So Mr. Chu Ming knows about this too?"

"Yeah, before that famous detective transformed, he practically wouldn't let me leave ←_←"

Dr. Agasa chuckled: "I see. Chu Ming met Ai on the street a few nights ago. She said she was my relative, so Chu Ming brought her here."

Chu Ming continued, "I just found out too. Xiao Ai said that she was also given the same drug as you by those men in black, and she also shrunk."

Professor Agasa rubbed his bald head: "Ai said she would tell you herself. What, didn't she say it just now?"

"Since she's an accomplice of those men in black! Why did you take her in?!" Conan exclaimed angrily.

Ai Haibara took out a book, reading as she concealed her sadness: "I originally wanted to go to your house. You probably don't know, but the organization has confirmed the deaths of everyone who took the drug before, except for you. The organization has sent people to your house several times to check. The first time we returned empty-handed, and the second time, I discovered that all your childhood clothes were missing. Considering the experience of mice shrinking during the experiments, I made a deduction..."

"...You must have turned into a child like the lab rat. Thank me, Detective, I've changed your status from 'unknown' to 'death.' However, if the organization finds out that I, the traitor, confirmed your death, they might reopen the investigation..."

—Not necessarily. Gin probably doesn't even remember who Shinichi Kudo is, if he really is hiding his identity abroad instead of constantly gathering public security and FBI agents to carry out operations.

Chapter 50 It’s actually him

“…Traitor?” Conan heard a word that bothered him.

"That's right. They took this drug, which was still in the experimental stage, out to people without authorization. I originally disagreed with it, but I was powerless to stop them."

Ai Haibara turned a page of the magazine in her hand, forcibly suppressing her trembling hands, her tone becoming even calmer: "But the biggest reason is still that they killed my sister... Because of this, I stopped my drug research. This action led the organization to imprison me in the laboratory. I took that pill with a death wish, but unexpectedly, I returned to my childhood. I escaped from the garbage dump, and when I had nowhere to go, I thought of you. I happened to run into Fujino Chumei, so I lied and said I was a relative of yours next door, and she brought me here. I think we're in the same situation now, so we should be able to empathize—"

Conan was trembling with anger. From his perspective, he couldn't empathize with Ai Haibara at all. He was born into the light and pursued justice, unlike Sherry, who was born struggling in darkness. Their positions were inherently different. All mistakes are based on choices, but Sherry had no choice at all.

"What are you talking about?! Who understands your feelings?! You're the kind of person who invents deadly drugs!!!! Do you even know how many people your drugs have killed?!"

Shirley's fingers gripped the book tightly, and she remained silent for a long while.

Chu Ming remained silent. If he wanted to offer advice, he could have argued with them at length. Should someone who was shot blame the inventor of the gun? But he didn't speak; instead, he reaffirmed his resolve to keep his identity a secret.

Even Conan couldn't accept that Sherry indirectly harmed someone; if he had known she was the real deal, their friendship would have truly come to an end.

—The organization's members don't need friends, but Chu Ming needs a magnetic field generator!

Professor Agasa rushed over to smooth things over: "Don't be angry, Shinichi. Think about it, she invented this drug, so wouldn't it be easy for her to make an antidote?"

Conan was somewhat tempted, but Ai Haibara quickly shattered his illusions: "It's no use. The drug data is all in the research institute. How could I possibly remember such a huge amount of drug data?"

"Where is that research institute?"

Ai Haibara walked to the bookshelf, took out a newspaper from a few days ago, and unfolded it.

“They never leave any evidence. Once they've confirmed I'm the traitor and escaped, all the outposts I know about will be abandoned. You see—”

Conan stared at the newspaper report about the pharmaceutical company being burned down, his eyes filled with resentment.

"If the organization continues to use poison on such a large scale, there might be more exceptions like us. Then the organization will find me based on photos of me as a child. So, detective, do you want to get rid of this troublesome task of mine?"

Chu Ming said in Chinese, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold."

Conan nodded. Having learned a great deal of knowledge and skills from his father in Hawaii, Conan could also understand Chinese: "That's right. Once you are discovered, I won't be spared either, so even to protect myself, I can't kick you out."

------------

"Brother, we've found the trail of the last disk. I investigated all the communication records of that research institute. Three years ago, Sherry sent several disks to her sister. It's very likely that they were leaked around that time," Vodka reported respectfully from behind Gin.

Gin tilted his head and took a cigarette out of the pack: "So where's the magnetic disc now?"

"It was handed over to Professor Hirota Masami of Nanyang University by Miyano Akemi. Brother, should we send Granburg to do this task?" Vodka secretly wanted to find something for Chu Ming to do, since he was the only one who was currently bored.

“No, we’re going.” Gin thought of the 26 missions he had given out earlier and the mission reports that were giving him a headache.

“But brother, Rum is coming to see you later to discuss the details of the assassination plan against Shigehiko Tomonochi a month from now…”

"Tsk." Gin took out his phone and sent a message to Chu Ming. It was time to recruit people. They had killed too many rats recently, and they were short-handed.

----------

The phone vibrated twice. Chu Ming glanced at Conan, who was excitedly preparing to leave for Professor Miyano Akemi's house to get the disk, and then turned on the phone.

"Go to Professor Hirota Masami's house at Nanyang University and retrieve the drug data disk. I'll have Vodka send you the address. —Gin"

"Hiss—" Chu Ming glanced at the professor who was on the phone asking for an address, and greeted Conan: "Conan, I have some urgent business to attend to at my company, so I won't be going with you guys for now."

Conan was focused entirely on the data regarding the medication that might restore his health, so he nodded casually upon hearing this. Only Ai Haibara gave him an inquiring look, but Chu Ming shook his head, indicating that it wasn't related to the organization.

Ai Haibara hadn't expected Chu Ming to lie to her, and she felt somewhat relieved as she continued listening to the doctor's phone call.

After leaving home, Chu Ming planned to go straight home to ride his motorcycle, but suddenly remembered that he had left it in front of Teitan Elementary School. Later, he followed Conan and the others around and forgot to ride it back.

Then you can't use your face to hail a taxi anymore; Conan might discover a clue someday.

He changed his character's appearance to the organization's special avatar in a blind spot, then took a taxi directly to the address of the vodka distribution point, which was still in Shizuoka.

Chu Ming frowned. It seemed he needed to hurry; he couldn't let them arrive first.

However, whether it was due to the obstruction of the world's will or not, the taxi Chu Ming was riding in suddenly had a flat tire halfway through the journey and could no longer be driven.

Chu Ming reluctantly paid the fare and got out of the car, then notified the surrounding members to come and pick him up.

Chu Ming was squatting idly by the roadside when a black car sped by. The window rolled down, revealing Vodka's face.

"? It's you?" Chu Ming was a little surprised. He had only called for the outer members.

"The assassination mission a month from now is related to the organization's future development direction. The organization has been quite busy lately, and you need to drive fast, so Big Brother sent me your disguise photo and asked me to come over."

Chu Ming glanced at the somewhat disgruntled Vodka and handed him the number: "Call him and see if he's home. It wouldn't be appropriate if my voice were heard."

Vodka pretended to be an insurance salesman and made a call, but no one answered. It seemed like the game was over. Chu Ming was getting anxious and kept urging Vodka to drive faster.