Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

Inside the laboratory.

Because the researchers who have recently arrived were all recruited from within the organization, they are considered Ai's former subordinates.

They worked together fairly well.

Therefore, work efficiency has increased significantly.

However, although work efficiency has increased, work progress has not accelerated much.

Because Ai has already gone astray.

She doesn't work hard. After completing her daily tasks, she becomes lazy and has no spirit of working overtime at all.

Ai stood on the chair, pondering what to add to the beaker to make the liquid inside look better.

“You don’t seem to be in a hurry at all,” Hongzi asked.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Ai asked.

Are you in a hurry to make money for Zheng Yi?
There is no such thing.

But Ai still said in a serious tone, "Those great discoveries are all flashes of genius."

Simply being anxious won't lead to any successful research and development.

This includes the psychotropic drugs that Zheng Yi needs and that can be commercialized.

This also includes the antidote that I desperately need.

Just let nature take its course.

Hongzi said with a smile, "Zhengyi doesn't agree with your reasoning."

"Whether he agrees or not, what does it have to do with me?" Ai pouted, unconcerned.

Ai doesn't care, but the others do.

The researchers who overheard their conversation nearby quickened their pace.

Hongzi said, "Have you heard? Zhengyi killed a company employee today."

He heard that Zheng Yi had turned against his own employees.

The researchers moved their hands faster and their eyes became more focused.

Their changes, of course, did not escape the notice of Ai and Akako.

Ai rolled her eyes.

How much benefit did Zheng Yi give you to make you so enthusiastic about managing these researchers?
Ai stared at the 'Director' nameplate on Akako's chest, finding it extremely irritating.

She was just a high school student who knew nothing about biology and chemistry.

What makes them qualified to be the director over me?

He could only serve as the deputy director of the laboratory.

“He doesn’t care if you’re a child or not. If you upset him, he’ll definitely retaliate,” Hongzi said.

Ai said nonchalantly, "Then let him kill me."

Do you think he can't?

Hongzi's voice seemed to have suddenly sunk into an ancient well that had not been opened for a thousand years, and the ending tone no longer carried the languid charm of the past.

Instead, it sank little by little, as if wrapped in ice shards.

"Do you really think you can escape? Don't think that just because you're researchers, you're different from everyone else."

No one is irreplaceable.

The last syllable trailed off with a slightly sticky echo.

Ai's neck hairs suddenly stood on end. Even though it was a warm and cozy laboratory, she felt a cold draft seeping into her collar, making her fingertips tremble.

Ai didn't think she was frightened by Akako's words.

Why would she be afraid of this?
It must have been Hongzi who used magic while speaking.

But suddenly, Sera Masumi's younger sister appeared in Ai's mind.

That girl is very likely also someone who was shrunk by drug A; she seems to be the same as me.

Looking at it this way, I'm not really irreplaceable.

Ai squeezed her hand a little harder, causing a few more drops of liquid to drip into the test tube.

Hongzi continued, "A guy who embezzled company property was beaten to death in his own office."

The death was gruesome; a large crater was sunken into the head, and it was almost unrecognizable as human. Ai casually poured out the liquid she had just drunk.

He paid no attention to what Hongzi said.

so what?
I did not embezzle the company's property; it is Zheng Yi who has been embezzling my property.

Every time I get paid, a large portion is deducted, supposedly to 'pay off debts'.

The one who should be careful is Zheng Yi.

“There was another employee who was sent to prison by Zheng Yi because he wanted to take on side jobs,” Hongzi said.

Ai nodded.

so what?

Hongzi said quietly, "What Zhengyi hates most is people who make him earn less money."

He hates people like you who steal his paycheck.

"Heh, that's because you don't understand the relationship between me and Masakazu," Ai said sarcastically.

That guy is my 'creditor'.

While the two were talking, the researcher who had been standing next to them suddenly walked into the cell culture room at the end of the corridor.

The centrifuge's hum was deliberately turned up two notches, the sharp sound of its rotation hitting the tiled wall and bouncing back, drifting towards Xiao Ai and the others.

The researcher paused, his hand holding the pipette darting across the corridor out of the corner of his eye.

He heard the entire conversation between the two directors.

After leaving the organization, their treatment improved significantly, and no one pointed a gun at their heads anymore.

He admitted that he had indeed become somewhat lax.

So the conversation just now made him feel a little uneasy.

"Mr. Takeshita, the cell viability report for this batch..."

"This report!"

As soon as the new intern approached, Takeshita loudly 'discussed' the data with him.

He slammed the freeze dryer door shut, the clanging of the metal latches ringing out loudly in the quiet laboratory.

"Chief Koizumi, Chief Haibara!"

He immediately raised his voice, clutching the newly printed HPLC chromatogram in his hand, and quickly walked to Xiao Ai's side.

His white coat sleeve swept across the culture rack next to him, and a few bottles of culture medium swayed. He didn't turn around, but instead handed the diagrams closer to Ai.

"Look at this data. We ran it for the third time last night. The impurity peak has finally been suppressed, and it's even three percentage points lower than the standard line!"

As he spoke, he deliberately made his breathing a little rapid, and he haphazardly brushed the stray hairs from his forehead with his hand, creating the impression of someone who had just stepped out of the centrifuge.

"Oh?" Ai's gaze fell on the graph, and she tapped the data bar with her finger. "How much was the mobile phase ratio adjusted?"

Takeshita felt a surge of nervousness.

"Go ahead and help."

Ai looked at the report, nodded her head without looking up, and waved her hand: "Put the latest report on my desk after it comes out."

"Yes."

After dealing with Takeshita, Akako let out a pleasant laugh.

Everyone knows the reason behind his actions just now.

It was just the death of an employee of an entertainment company, yet it caused researchers who had no connection to the matter to put in so much effort.

Akako tapped Ai's forehead with her finger.

"Sometimes, reputation really works."

Ai pouted.

Zheng Yi was ruthless; with just a few simple words, he completely changed the work attitude of the researchers in the laboratory.

They seem even more involutionary than when they were in the organization.

It's possible the organization was just pointing guns at them.

And Zheng Yi, would he really go after his own employees? (End of Chapter)