Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

Chapter 175 The one who takes the blame won't get shot in the back.
"Why am I here?"

Inside the castle, Kaito rubbed his head.

“I’m the one who rescued you,” Hongzi said.

Akako's fingertips traced the arc of light across the crystal ball, stardust condensing into a crescent moon in her palm, and a witch's unique smile curved her lips.

"Kaito Kuroba, your magic should come to an end—not because you lost to the police, but because you lost to a madman who is better at 'scheming' than you."

"A madman who's better at strategizing than me?" Kaito scratched his head.

He couldn't imagine who that person could be.

None of the people he fought seemed to be crazy.

Although Zheng Yi has evidence of mental abnormality, he seems to be quite mentally normal.

Suddenly, a tarot card appeared in the crystal ball: the Magician card was pierced by a silver compass, the tip of which was engraved with Moriarty's initials - JM, the ink being a dried dark red, like blood.

"You're not talking about Shoichi, are you?" Kaito asked.

Kaito could only think of Shoichi as someone who could be connected to Moriarty.

However, Kaito did not believe that Shoichi would kill him.

Kaito rubbed his back, wondering how many black pots were on it.

"Are you doubting my prophecy?" Hongzi said. "My previous prophecy about you was correct."

Hongzi is right.

She had previously made a prophecy about Kaito, saying that he would become someone's pet.

At the time, Kaito didn't pay attention, assuming that the "someone" Akako was referring to was Akako herself.

But by the time Kaito believed the prophecy, it was too late.

He has become Zhengyi's lackey.

"I still find it hard to believe he would kill me," Kaito said. "Do you know about Tokyo Tower and the buildings in Nishitama City?"

Hongzi nodded.

"I blew them all up."

Hongzi covered her mouth in surprise.

So what is your purpose in telling me this?
Tell me you're really tough, aren't you afraid of that guy?

Kaito stubbornly said, "I've already taken so many blames; these blames have formed an extremely powerful armor."

As long as the black pot is still on his body, no bullet can pass through it and hit his body.

Hongzi touched the crystal ball. "The prophecy tells me that he hates your disorder."

Kaito. You think your magic tricks are improvisational? He actually used function curves to plot the angle at which you change cards each time, and used probability models to predict your escape route tonight.

He wants to prove that your miracles are nothing but laughable tricks in the face of absolute logic.

Hongzi suddenly leaned closer to the crystal ball, her purple eyes flashing dangerously in the mist, her tone a witch's unique, bloodthirsty intimacy.

"Of course, if you're willing to kneel down and beg me, I can help you disrupt his formula."

After all, the only one who can make Phantom Thief Kid stumble is me, Koizumi Akako. But if you dare to let that man in the suit catch you…”

Hongzi crushed a star stone with her fingertips, and the powder fell onto the crystal ball.

"If I hadn't intervened today, you would have died very soon after you came out of that game pod."

Kaito didn't believe Akako's words.

Hongzi's goal was simply to make him her dog.

She and Zheng Yi are no different; they're cut from the same cloth.

Akako disregarded Kaito's wariness.

Once he encounters danger, he will know who he can trust the most.

"Would you like to eat this chocolate?" Hongzi asked, taking out a box of chocolates.

Kaito shook his head with his mouth closed.

Compared to Zhengyi, he still felt that Hongzi was more dangerous.

Zhengyi only wanted him to act like a dog, but Hongzi wanted him to act like a dog in his heart as well.

Hongzi waved her hand and put the chocolate away.

Interesting is the man who rejects her kindness.

“Your friend seems to be in some trouble as well,” Hongzi said.

"You mean Hakuba Saguru?" Kaito asked.

The only friend he might encounter in danger is Hakuba Saguru.

Because he was the only one doing such dangerous things.

Kaito is immune to Shoichi's killing because he wears armor, but Hakuba Saguru does not.

“It seems he knows some incredible secret,” Hongzi said.

"Did you divine all of this?" Kaito asked.

“That’s right.” Hongzi nodded.

Kaito frowned.

Kaito doesn't even know if magic is accurate.

Hongzi said, "I can help you get rid of Zhengyi, so that he will stop doing bad things and stop making things difficult for you."

"Really?" Kaito asked skeptically.

Zheng Yi, that man, is incredibly cold-blooded.

Kaito doesn't know what kind of person or event would make him give up exploiting others and learn to be magnanimous and not hold grudges against others' offenses.

“Of course it’s true,” Hongzi said.

The chocolate that Kaito had just rejected reappeared in Akako's hand.

If she can make Zheng Yi her dog, then everything will be solved.

"Do you still want to do things for him? To take the blame for crimes that aren't yours?" Hongzi asked.

"Of course not!"

Hongzi said, "Then eat this chocolate, and I'll take care of him for you."

Kaito kept his mouth tightly shut.

……

Where did you put Kaito?

"He's probably out of danger now," Zheng Yi said.

Masahiro said to Hakuba Saguru, "Go back and get a good night's sleep. You'll see Kaito when you go to school tomorrow."

should be.

He has already checked the surveillance footage.

Kaito, who was originally inside the game pod, suddenly disappeared.

Disappear into thin air.

After such a bizarre incident, the first thing to do, of course, is to delete the surveillance footage.

Kaito Kuroba's personal actions have nothing to do with Justice Game.

Even if it were the Metropolitan Police Department, they definitely wouldn't be able to find anything.

He asked Hiroki to hack into Kaito's electronic devices and finally found out where Kaito was.

A place full of magic.

An evil witch has accepted Kaito's request to deal with her.

Back in the lounge, Masakazu said, "Hiroki, keep an eye on Kaito Kuroba and Akako Koizumi for me."

“That’s illegal,” Hiroki said.

Zheng Yi raised an eyebrow.
Illegal?

Is what he's doing actually illegal?
Hiroki said, "I helped you hack into Kaito Kuroba's electronic devices to investigate his location and ensure his safety."

Now that we know he's safe, further surveillance would be illegal.

“I just want to protect myself,” Zheng Yi said.

A terrible witch is coming after me.

Hongshu, aren't you going to help me out?
Zheng Yi said, "Then help me analyze what magic is and how that witch took Kaito away."

This ten-year-old artificial intelligence fell silent.

Zheng Yi's question just now seems to have exceeded his capabilities.

He's only ten years old, so he can't solve this problem.

Zheng Yi said, "I've provided you with a job and promised to help you find friends to play games with, so you should have agreed to some of my small requests in return." "But you promised not to let me do bad things," Hong Shu said.

Zheng Yi smiled and said, "Illegal things aren't necessarily bad things."

A virtual projection appeared in front of Zheng Yi.

The projected image of a person is Hongshu.

Shoichi said, "Koizumi Akako is an evil witch, someone who could very well endanger society."

Your act of spying on her is a righteous one.

And she's going to come after me now. You're monitoring her to protect me, which is a good thing.

Zhengyi actually really wanted to eat Hongzi's chocolate.

I don't know just how amazing magic really is.

Moreover, that witch can concoct such magical potions; I wonder if they might be helpful for the medicine the organization is researching.

"Hiroki, help me analyze this. If I'm being controlled by Koizumi Akako, can you save me?" Masakazu asked.

Hongshu began to operate.

"Through specially formulated ingredients to precisely regulate neurotransmitters, the appearance, temperament, and suggestive qualities of the red fruit are enhanced."

The key to her love magic must be creating the illusion of love in the consumer's brain.

"As long as you master the scientific three-step method of blocking component absorption, interfering with neural pathways, and breaking psychological suggestion."

That would completely invalidate the witch's love scam.

In the face of science, even the most powerful magic is nothing more than unexplained laws.

Zheng nodded.

But a great magician once said that magic must be used to defeat magic.

Do you think science can really defeat magic?
"We should still give it a try," Zheng Yi said.

However, given his noble status, he certainly cannot risk his life.

Kaito seems to be immune to Akako's chocolate, while Hakuba Saguru, even though he doesn't eat chocolate, still wants to be Akako's dog.

Choosing the right people for the experiment isn't easy.

"Let's get a red chocolate first."

……

Kaito has just been released from the castle by Akako.

The phone in my pocket then beeped.

Seeing that it was an email, I knew without even guessing who it was from.

Of all the people he's in close contact with, only Zheng Yi likes to send emails.

"Get me a piece of red chocolate, the kind with magic. — Zheng Yi"

How do you know everything? —Kaito

Kaito looked up at the sky and felt that Shoichi might also possess magic.

Magic shouldn't be anything rare or unusual. —Zhengyi

Kaito gritted his teeth. This was the foundation of a centuries-old conglomerate. They seemed quite familiar with magic.

What is your purpose in wanting chocolate?

[You just need to do as I say. — Zheng Yi]

He didn't need to explain to his subordinates.

Kaito felt that Shoichi would never do anything good.

[I may have been a bit too lenient with you, making you increasingly bold. Hongzi's divination might just come true. — Zhengyi]

Kaito frowned.

Zheng Yi knows too much.

He searched his belongings but couldn't find any listening devices.

Besides, this phone is brand new. Zheng Yi didn't have time to tamper with it, did he?
"Could he be using magic too?" Kaito muttered to himself uncertainly.

It's hard to say that a centuries-old conglomerate wouldn't have some connection to those who possess magic.

Perhaps Zheng Yi has a great magician protecting him.

Depend on!
This world is truly becoming more and more mysterious.

[If you don't want the person you care about most to see you being arrested by the police, then complete the mission as soon as possible. — Zheng Yi]

Inside the lounge.

Hiroki rudely spied on Shoichi and Kaito's conversation.

“Spying on my conversation with Kaito is also doing something bad,” Shoichi said.

Hongshu did not reply.

You are such a bad person.

He kept threatening a poor high school boy.

Zheng Yi explained in a low voice, "Actually, I am a person who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, even though I have been threatening and exploiting others."

But I have a kind heart, and I really hope everyone is well.

She's just not good at expressing herself.

Having analyzed countless humans, Hiroki could tell at a glance that Shoichi was lying.

He felt like dying.

Working under such a villain would surely lead to many bad deeds and cause great harm to the world.

“That witch must be a bit worse than me,” Zhengyi said.

“She’s even more mentally unstable than you,” Hongshu said.

Through his analysis, he learned that the witch named Koizumi Akako was even worse than Shoichi.

Moreover, the probability of them doing extreme things is greater than that of Zheng Yi.

If such witches are not restrained, many people will be harmed.

Zheng Yi said, "Why don't you analyze the magic before you die, leaving humanity with some methods to deal with magic?"

Magic is so dangerous, and witches are so uncontrollable.

You, artificial intelligence, must shoulder the heavy responsibility of humanity's fate.

Zheng Yi is attempting to morally blackmail artificial intelligence.

Hiroki began to think.

“Magic is very powerful. Before we know how firearms can damage magic, we need you, the AI, to analyze its dangers and how to deal with it,” Zheng Yi said.

He said that Hiroki was very important, and that Akako was terrifying.

Humans are very vulnerable in the face of magic.

"So, Kaito said you were the one who bombed Tokyo Tower and the building?" Hiroki asked.

Zheng Yi blinked; "You are already a ten-year-old artificial intelligence. You need to learn to discern for yourself."

It seems Hiroki is about to start his investigation.

Zheng Yi doesn't care.

No matter how much the investigation goes, the culprit is Gin; Shoichi is just playing the role of a minor accomplice.

Kaito should be able to get chocolate easily.

As for the experiment...

"Shoichi-nii, are you resting here? Everyone's been looking for you." Sera Masumi looked at Shoichi.

One of the organizers has been arrested and imprisoned. What are you, the organizer, doing hiding here?
"Sera." Masakazu gave a bright smile.

"You actually found me before Ai! Well then, I'll treat you to dinner."

"what?"

Sera Masumi looked at Masakazu strangely.

She was faster than Ai because Ai didn't look for you.

And why would you invite me to dinner for such a strange reason?

"How about the Rice Flower Restaurant?" Zheng Yi said, "I think their desserts are quite good, especially the chocolate."

"Uh, okay." Sera Masumi nodded, accepting Masakazu's invitation to dinner.

Sera Masumi had a misconception.

Brother Zheng Yi, could it be...?

(End of this chapter)