"Since this gem isn't your target, how about we keep it for you?"
Vivian's voice rang out from behind him.
Kaito Kid was startled. Before he could turn around, he felt his hand lighten, and the heavy goddess statue was snatched away by Vivian.
He turned his head to look.
Vivian, dressed in a purple gown, was holding the goddess statue in one hand, while elegantly propping her parasol with the other, standing a few steps behind him.
"You?!" Kaito Kid rarely showed such astonishment. "Didn't you already leave?" He had clearly seen Vivian depart with his own eyes.
Vivian's lips curved slightly. "That was just to trick you, of course. Otherwise, how would I get you to do my work for free?"
Before she finished speaking, the propeller under Vivian's open parasol hummed, lifting her lightly into the air.
"No way!" Kaito Kid reacted incredibly fast, deploying his glider almost at the same moment, ready to pursue.
However, just as his feet were about to leave the ground, a small, agile figure darted out from the side.
Bangboo Robin, wearing a mini Kaito Kid outfit, grabbed Kaito Kid's ankle.
"Woah!"
This sudden tug made Kaito Kid completely lose his balance, and he fell face down with a thud onto the grass of the riverbank, cutting a rather sorry figure.
In the air, Vivian looked down, approvingly saying, "Well done, Robin."
Kaito Kid quickly flipped over and sat up, somewhat exasperatedly turning to grab the mischievous little fellow. "You rascal!"
But Robin was even faster, skillfully performing a backflip to dodge his hand, even playfully making a face at him, then scurrying on his short legs, whoosh, disappearing into the nearby bushes.
By the time Kaito Kid looked up again, Vivian's figure had already merged into the night, nowhere to be seen.
Recalling his experiences today, Kuroba Kaito sighed deeply.
He felt he should also commission a Kaito Kid Bangboo to help him... A few nights later, inside the Mouri Detective Agency.
Watching the clock on the wall, Ran's brows furrowed tighter as the hands passed nine PM. She couldn't help but complain.
"Dad is impossible! It's this late and he's still not home! He must have gotten carried away drinking at the bar again! He promised me he wouldn't overdo it!"
She put down the book in her hand, sighed, and said to Conan, who was reading manga.
"Conan, I have an important exam tomorrow and I need to study now. I really can't leave. Can I trouble you to go find Dad?"
Conan looked up, pushing his glasses. "Sure, Ran-neechan. Do you know which bar Uncle Mori is at?"
"I heard him mention a new bar nearby called 'Three Little Pigs,' it's near Rin's video store on that street."
Ran said, a hint of helplessness on her face,
"I heard the owner of that bar is also Rin's friend. If Dad gets too drunk and you can't manage him alone, go find Rin for help. Ask her to call a taxi to send Dad home."
"Rin-neechan's friend?" Conan was a bit surprised, muttering to himself that it seemed like everyone on that street was Rin's friend.
He nodded and said, "I understand, Ran-neechan. I'll go now."
Conan left the agency and walked towards the street in the direction of the video store.
It was late, and most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed, with only a few izakayas and convenience stores still lit.
As he walked, he noticed municipal construction vehicles and workers operating ahead.
Several workers were using ladders to remove an old street sign and replace it with a brand new one.
Conan subconsciously glanced at the words on the new street sign— Sixth Street.
"Sixth Street?" Conan stopped, puzzled. Why would they change the name out of nowhere?
He walked forward and politely asked a construction worker who was packing up tools "Uncle, excuse me, has this street been renamed? It didn't used to be called this."
The construction worker wiped his sweat and shook his head. "I'm not sure, kid. We just work according to the notice from above. I heard it might be related to some large-scale investment plan, but I don't know the specifics."
Conan was a bit confused and continued walking along the newly named Sixth Street.
Not far ahead, he saw the newly opened bar.
The bar's facade was quite distinctive, with a wooden sign depicting three adorable little pigs, and
"Three Little Pigs" written below in a decorative font.
Next to it stood a prominent promotional sign: [Grand Opening Special! Free drinks for the first three days!]
"Free drinks…"
Conan's mouth twitched, and he immediately understood why Mouri Kogoro would be so engrossed.
Uncle must have come for this, right? He's probably already dead drunk by now.
He pushed open the bar's heavy wooden door, and a pungent smell of alcohol wafted towards him.
Inside the bar, the music was deafening, the rhythm strong, and colorful lights spun and flashed.
In the center of the dance floor, people formed a circle, following the movements of a bartender behind the bar, dancing a kind of exaggerated, seemingly casual yet mesmerizing dance.
The bartender was a tall woman, wearing a stylish leather jacket.
Wine bottles flew up and down in her hands, her movements fluid and sharp, her face beaming with enthusiastic, even wild, smiles.
"Burnice?"
Conan saw the name on her nametag.
The letters were too small, so he squinted at it a couple more times.
Soon, near the bar, Conan spotted Mouri Kogoro.
At this moment, Mouri Kogoro was holding a glass high in one hand, while the other flailed wildly to the rhythm, his face as red as a cooked lobster.
He was clearly dead drunk, humming along to the music indistinctly.
Conan sighed, struggling to push through the crowd to Mouri Kogoro, and tugged at his sleeve:
"Uncle! It's time to go home! Ran-neechan wants you to come back!"
"Hmm? Who is it… Oh, it's Conan…"
Mouri Kogoro, with blurry, drunken eyes, looked down. After recognizing Conan, he impatiently waved his hand,
"Go, go, go… Kids… Don't bother me while I'm drinking… It's free… Hehe…"
Conan pulled and tugged, but the drunken Mouri Kogoro was rooted to the spot, not budging an inch.
Just then, Burnice, who was mixing drinks, noticed the small commotion.
She put down the bottle and walked over with somewhat unsteady steps, a strong smell of alcohol on her, clearly having had quite a bit herself.
She bent down, leaned close to Conan, and curiously examined him.
"Oh? Where did this little one come from? You're quite cute! Want a glass of big sister's special Nitro-Fuel drink? Guaranteed to make you full of energy!"
Her voice carried a hearty enthusiasm.
"Nitro-Fuel?" Conan was startled, having never heard of that drink, and immediately waved his hands in refusal, "No, no, thank you! I'm an elementary school student, I can't drink alcohol!"
"Relax, relax!"
Burnice waved her hand dismissively, completely ignoring Conan's refusal, and turned to pour a glass of Nitro-Fuel from the bar, handing it to Conan,
"Nitro-Fuel is for both adults and children! It's great for boosting energy! Try it quickly!"
Before Conan could refuse again, Burnice had already half-forced the glass to his lips.
Helplessly, he took a small sip.
It was a sweet taste with a hint of lime.
Bubbles burst on his tongue, a slight tingle.
Immediately after, a warm current slid down his esophagus, and he could feel the invigorating effect characteristic of taurine.
His spirits indeed seemed to lift a little, and the taste was good too.
"How is it? Good, right?" Bernice looked at Conan's expression and smiled proudly, "This is my secret recipe!"
"Hmm… It does taste good, sweet, and makes you feel energetic after drinking it."
Conan commented objectively, feeling that this drink was more like a functional cocktail, with seemingly low alcohol content.
"You have good taste!"
Burnice's eyes lit up as if she had found a kindred spirit. She turned and took a bottle of exquisitely packaged wine from the liquor shelf,
"You know your stuff, kid! Come, try this too! This is top-grade fermented grape juice!" Saying this, she was about to pour Conan another drink.
"Wait! Really, no need!" Conan quickly backed away, caught between laughter and tears.
Fermented grape juice? Isn't that just wine!
Conan found Bernice's enthusiasm a bit overwhelming.
He decided not to linger and had to get Uncle Mori out of there quickly.
He pulled at Mouri Kogoro again with force. "Uncle! We really need to go!"
Just as Conan was pulling and tugging at the drunken Mouri Kogoro,
Bang!
Accompanied by the sound of breaking glass.
In a booth in the corner of the bar, a middle-aged man in a suit, still holding a wine glass, fell straight to the floor.
"Ah—!"
"Someone fainted!"
"Call an ambulance quickly!"
Conan's pupils constricted. Almost instinctively, he immediately let go of Mouri Kogoro's hand and rushed towards the fallen man.