Several days later, at 7 PM, the Beika City Civic Building was brightly lit under the night sky.
Tonight, the highly anticipated launch event for the next-generation game device, "Cocoon," was being held here.
This gaming device was said to utilize virtual reality technology to allow players to experience a completely realistic game world in an immersive way.
Thanks to Sonoko, Ran and Rin brought the Detective Boys and their companions into the venue.
The venue was bustling with people, filled with celebrities only seen in the news.
Of course, the most eye-catching attraction was still the 50 cocoon-like game pods displayed in the center of the hall.
The children of the Detective Boys were completely focused on them, excitedly discussing them.
"Wow! How amazing! Is that the 'Cocoon'? Can we really enter the game world?" Ayumi's eyes widened as she exclaimed repeatedly.
"Yeah! I heard you can experience a completely different world! Just like a real adventure!" Mitsuhiko's face was full of anticipation, his hands clasped to his chest.
"I wonder if there's unagi donburi to eat inside... If so, wouldn't that mean you could eat as much as you want without getting fat? What a great invention!"
Genta, with his spiky hair, had a unique focus as always, and drool was even escaping from the corners of his mouth.
Just as the Detective Boys were curiously discussing, some unpleasant voices drifted over.
"Hey, hey, look at those brats over there."
Morohoshi Hideki, with his slicked-back hair and small suit, pointed at the Detective Boys with his chin. He was the grandson of the Deputy Superintendent of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and had always looked down on ordinary people.
"Dressed so plainly, they must have gotten in through connections, right? They want to experience 'Cocoon'? They should take a good look at themselves. Can 'Cocoon' be experienced by these low-class people? Haha! I'm dying of laughter!"
"Exactly, so provincial."
Another boy, similarly dressed, echoed him,
"There are only 50 experience slots for 'Cocoon,' and these are reserved for truly important people. Do these country bumpkins even understand what high-society entertainment is?"
"Hmph, they're just commoners" another girl said, arms crossed, with a look of disdain.
These blatant taunts from the privileged children instantly wiped the excitement from Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta's faces, leaving them looking down in embarrassment.
"Hey! You kids, that's going too far!"
Ran couldn't stand it anymore. She took a step forward, frowning, and said, "Everyone is here to experience the game, why are you talking like that?"
Rin was also somewhat angry. Her gaze swept over the arrogant children, and she said calmly, "So young, yet so skilled in the theory of bloodlines. Who decided that only the upper class is worthy of playing?"
"Huh?"
Morohoshi Hideki scoffed, sizing up Ran and Rin.
"Are you their guardians? Just take care of the country kids you brought, and stop meddling here! Slots are limited, so it's better for people like them to leave early, lest they get even more embarrassed when they can't experience it later!"
With that, Morohoshi Hideki and his companions left without looking back, playing soccer unrestrainedly in the venue.
They caused a mess in the hall, yet no one dared to stop them.
The reason was simple: they were the grandchildren of politicians, the sons of capitalists... the second generation destined to inherit the position.
"These hateful brats!" Ran clenched her fists.
Rin, meanwhile, rested her chin in her hand, wondering whether to use that thing[1] to teach these brats a profound lesson.
Haibara Ai stood quietly to the side, observing everything with a cold eye.
"These people are simply a microcosm of ugly hereditary system. Along with this hereditary system, humanity's mistaken history will repeat itself.
It is these 10% of the privileged, who control 90% of society's resources, who are wantonly squandering and enjoying privileges, while the entire nation must bear the cost."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the well-dressed children, her tone completely unsuited to her age,
"For most people, life is simply being born, and then striving to live on."
Ayumi tilted her head: "Ai-chan, I don't understand what you're saying at all."
Seeing everyone's gaze turn towards her, Haibara Ai immediately imitated Conan, using a child's tone to say that she didn't understand either, and that she had seen it on TV.
Ran looked at the children of the Detective Boys, feeling incredibly troubled.
"I'm sorry everyone... Sonoko only gave me one ticket..."
"It's okay, Ran-neechan!"
Genta suddenly puffed out his chest. Although his eyes were still a little red, he tried to act strong, "We'll figure it out ourselves! We're the Detective Boys!"
With that, he pulled the still-dejected Mitsuhiko and Ayumi, turned, and squeezed out into the crowd.
"Eh? Genta-kun! Where are you going?"
Ran hastily tried to follow, but there were too many people in the venue, and the children disappeared in a flash.
Rin wasn't worried about Genta and the others being in any danger, as the God of Death's aura was still quite lenient with them.
She turned to Ran and asked with some curiosity, "By the way, where's your little detective? I haven't seen Conan since earlier."
Ran then remembered Conan and looked around. "Ah! Conan! He was just here... I remember he said he saw Dr. Agasa and ran over there."
She pointed to a corner of the exhibition area in the venue, and walked over with Rin.
Sure enough, Conan was standing next to Dr. Agasa.
But to their surprise, Conan was not only with Dr. Agasa.
Standing beside him was an elegant, bespectacled middle-aged man—
The world-renowned mystery novelist, Kudo Shinichi's father, Kudo Yusaku.
At this moment, Conan was looking up, excitedly telling Kudo Yusaku something, gesturing with his hands.
Kudo Yusaku, in turn, bent slightly, a smile on his face, nodding occasionally, and even affectionately ruffled Conan's hair, then picked him up.
That affectionate attitude far exceeded the scope of an ordinary elder's relationship with a relative's child, it was more like a father and son.
Ran's steps halted, her eyes complex as she watched this scene.
"Sure enough, Conan and Uncle Yusaku's relationship isn't ordinary. Is he... really Uncle Yusaku's illegitimate son?"
The more Ran thought about it, the more she felt her idea was correct. All that was missing was proof!
Just then, Kudo Yusaku seemed to lean his head down slightly to hear Conan better.
Ran keenly noticed a few silver hairs at his temples.
Opportunity!
Ran took a deep breath, put on a concerned smile, and quickly walked over.
"Uncle Yusaku! Long time no see!" Ran greeted sweetly, interrupting Conan and Yusaku's conversation.
Kudo Yusaku straightened up, saw Ran, and responded with a smile. "Ah, it's Ran. Long time no see, how is your father?"
[1] I don't want to use the original text in here, I really can't anymore, the mention of that thing's even make me sick to think about it