Chapter 7: Supermarket Showdown

Downstairs at the apartment building.

Gao Mo, wincing at the expense, forced himself to spend money at a 24-hour convenience store to fill his stomach.

He had only one feeling.

It was so expensive.

Passing by the supermarket where he used to work, he was surprised to see it had already reopened. The customer flow hadn't decreased; if anything, it had increased.

Typical of the Conan world, I suppose—everyone's already accustomed to crime scenes, aren't they?

Gao Mo peeked inside.

Since it was his day off, he only saw the other shift of employees. The cashiers were two young girls who looked like students.

Even the visible staff were all female.

He had heard that the manager for this shift was a middle-aged woman as ruthless as a sect leader, and she would be managing both shifts temporarily until a new manager arrived.

That was truly ruthless.

Gao Mo shook his head and stopped paying attention.

He was headed to a regular supermarket, which was a bit further away.

Unlike the convenience store downstairs or the international supermarket nearby, this regular supermarket focused on low prices and bulk family purchases, making it perfect for stocking up—though its location was rather remote.

...

In the suburbs.

By the time he arrived, the sun was already beginning to set.

What made Gao Mo uncomfortable was the group of fierce middle-aged women rushing toward the entrance, each carrying a pile of eco-friendly bags. Clearly, they had the same idea as he did.

In the world of Conan, buying discounted goods is a discipline—and a war.

Gao Mo knew his current physical condition well; he couldn't even handle standing at a cash register for a day, so it would be difficult to compete with these experienced and energetic housewives.

But it wasn't impossible.

His primary target was the cheap bread nearing its expiration date.

As an idol, he had been frugal with food and had come here often, so he had some experience in this regard.

The main battlefield at 7:00 PM was fresh food, followed by daily necessities—toilet paper, laundry detergent, and other consumables—which would be snapped up in a hoarding frenzy.

Bento boxes and sushi were also quite popular, but he would have to wait for the next wave; because their shelf life was short, he would have to see how things developed.

"Hmm?"

As the crowd waited for the supermarket broadcast by the discount section, Gao Mo and a mustachioed figure on the other side stood out from the rest.

Their eyes met, but they realized they weren't competitors.

The mustachioed man had his sights set on discounted beer.

"Kogoro Mouri?"

Gao Mo recognized the guy.

The way he laughed triumphantly in television interviews was so infectious that it was hard not to remember him.

It was a coincidence, too.

The day he was "reborn" happened to be the day Kogoro Mouri's career took off.

The previously dead-end Mouri Detective Agency had suddenly seen signs of life recently; it wouldn't be long before he became a famous detective.

"It's starting!" A commotion broke out in the crowd, and people’s breathing grew heavy.

Some people left suddenly, seemingly having received news of deeper discounts at other supermarkets.

The veterans just sneered.

Once you’ve set a target, don’t change it easily; being indecisive only leads to getting nothing in the end.

Others were secretly pleased, having apparently spread false information in their social groups.

"The time is now... the price reduction begins!"

Following the supermarket's announcement, the housewives swarmed forward toward their targets. They didn't even stop after grabbing their items, immediately rushing off to other sections like they were running a circuit.

Kogoro Mouri, however, was in no rush.

No one was competing with him for the beer. He walked with a certain air of grandiosity until he slipped and took a hard fall.

He scrambled up, pretending nothing had happened, then immediately glared with a sour expression, clearly dissatisfied with Gao Mo, who was struggling to hold back his laughter.

What are you laughing at? It was just a fall!

...

Gao Mo ignored the mustachioed man. As the housewives began their scramble, he activated his "Eagle Eye" for five seconds, his eyes shimmering as he took in every detail of his surroundings.

The dust in the air, the lint... chaotic information that an ordinary person would never notice was imprinted into his vision.

Fortunately, the Eagle Eye was a supernatural ability, so the influx of data didn't overload Gao Mo's brain; instead, it pulled him into a super-perceptive state.

The housewives' movements slowed down, and their paths to their targets became perfectly clear.

Without needing to spend the full five seconds, Gao Mo found the optimal route instantly. Weaving through the aggressive crowd, he easily secured his targets: two large bags of bread nearing their expiration and a stack of dirt-cheap instant noodles.

Everything in the convenience section nearing its expiration was half-price—a paradise for the destitute.

Most of the housewives had rushed to the fresh food section first, so very few people contested Gao Mo.

"I should get some eggs, too, for nutrition."

As the Eagle Eye deactivated, Gao Mo felt a wave of dizziness, but he quickly grabbed the last carton of eggs.

Perfect!

"This kid..."

Kogoro Mouri rubbed his eyes, watching suspiciously for a moment. He saw a sense of ease in Gao Mo's movements that he couldn't quite place. "This kid is a bit eerie."

Who shows the composure of a master while shopping at a supermarket?

It was simply bizarre.

Grabbing a few six-packs of beer, Kogoro Mouri held his head high and headed for the checkout.

There was no need to scramble; the supermarket was just a place he came to stock up once in a while.

"The second hurdle." Gao Mo's gaze darted between the long lines at the registers.

He had been a cashier himself and knew that a short line didn't necessarily mean a fast one.

He had to choose a line that wasn't too long or too short and, if possible, judge the cashier’s proficiency—there might even be a slacker like him in the mix.

The clearance sale lasted for an hour, so he actually had plenty of time.

But he needed to pay now to prepare for the next wave of shopping.

The supermarket was too far away; he didn't want to come here every day.

Besides, the discounts were better than usual today, and there was an extra limited-time discount for the first 40 customers at the checkout—20% off.

Which line should he choose?

Gao Mo carefully observed the cashier ahead. Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. He turned to see a middle-aged woman in the fresh food section staring fiercely at the eggs in his hand.

That familiar feeling of impending doom...

No way. It’s just a carton of eggs—does this woman want to kill me?

Gao Mo couldn't understand it. Just then, Kogoro Mouri happened to pass by, so he quickly shoved the eggs into his arms.

The effect was immediate; the next moment, he saw the woman walk away reluctantly, throwing herself back into the business of shopping.

What was that about?

Could it be because he had used his supernatural power earlier?

Gao Mo took the eggs back from the mustachioed man. This time, it didn't cause any stir.

Kogoro Mouri looked like a confused goose: "?"

What's that supposed to mean?

...

Fifteen minutes later.

At the checkout.

Gao Mo looked numb, and Kogoro Mouri, trailing behind him, looked equally annoyed.

After all that analysis, they had ended up in the slowest line.

There was nothing wrong with the cashier; it was the people in line that were the problem.

Somehow, an argument had broken out in front.

"Buzz!"

By the time it was finally Gao Mo's turn, the 20% discount for the first 40 customers had long since expired.

Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Hold on."

Gao Mo paid while freeing up a hand to answer the call.

Yoko had finally called.

"Kido-senpai," Yoko Okino’s voice was filled with a mix of exhaustion and fear. "Do you know any reliable private detectives? I feel like I've been watched lately. I've received a bunch of photos of myself being stalked, and someone chased me during my night run yesterday. I'm really so scared..."

"Yo-Yoko?"

Kogoro Mouri, standing behind him, was stunned, frozen in place.

It was the voice of his favorite Yoko... although it was a bit hard to hear, he couldn't be mistaken!

As a super fan, drama buff, and loyal viewer of Yoko Okino, he couldn't possibly have misheard...

"You know Ms. Yoko... wait, aren't you that washed-up idol named... what was it, Mo?"

Kogoro Mouri’s mind instantly played out countless scenarios, as if he had been struck by lightning.

"Are—are you two secretly dating?!"

"You heard wrong."

Gao Mo looked at the housewives around him who were all pricking up their ears. He discussed meeting up with Yoko and then hurriedly paid and left the supermarket.

Yoko Okino was currently very popular; there couldn't be any rumors spreading.

He had absolutely no intention of using Yoko to make a comeback.

Whether for the sake of his reputation or his life...

"Wait!"

Kogoro Mouri didn't even care about his beer; his face went pale as he chased after Gao Mo, sweating profusely.

"I can't be wrong! You participated in a show with Yoko before! My daughter even hid a poster of you!"

Gao Mo stopped in his tracks at these words.

The mustachioed man's daughter... wasn't that Ran Mouri?

Conan's "Ran-neechan"... also a fan?

Honestly, he didn't see what there was about his "idol" self that could attract Ran.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Kogoro Mouri gritted his teeth, nearly grabbing Gao Mo by the collar, regardless of the setting.

You jerk! Not only did you corrupt my daughter, but now you're coming after my beloved Ms. Yoko.

"If I were dating Yoko, would I be here scrambling for discounted bread?" Gao Mo turned back, looking helpless. "We are just friends."

"That sounds plausible, I guess," Kogoro Mouri remained suspicious. "But... you're on your way to see Yoko right now, aren't you?"

Before Gao Mo could deny it, the mustachioed man changed completely, putting on a sleazy, flattering smile. "Say... could you take me with you? Don't worry, I'm definitely not a suspicious person. To be honest, I am actually the famous detective Kogoro Mouri, and I'm also a loyal fan of Ms. Yoko..."

"No." Gao Mo refused decisively.

"Oh, come on, do me a favor, please."

Mouri chased after Gao Mo, humbling himself.

"I heard everything; you need a reliable private detective... I am absolutely the perfect candidate!"

"Heh."

Gao Mo thought about this guy's performance in the anime.

He came with an aura that lowered everyone's intelligence, often dragging the police around him down to his own level of investigation.

He was rarely reliable.

Bringing this guy along would just be causing trouble for Yoko...

Wait.

Gao Mo looked at Kogoro Mouri again.

Why look for another detective? He could completely use the mustachioed man's name to collect the commission from Yoko's agency.

He could handle the investigation himself.

With his Eagle Eye, he wouldn't have to worry about finding clues.

"What's wrong?" Kogoro Mouri was taken aback by the stare.

He had a bad premonition...