Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

As the heavy metal door clicked shut, the agave outside was at a loss.

Vermouth flung away Zheng Yi's arm and stared intently at the innocent-looking Zheng Yi.

"Are you crazy?" Vermouth lowered her voice. "Why did you bring up Shinichi Kudo? And why did you send Chianti to investigate him?"

Zheng Yi said slowly, "Chianti has been too idle lately. Giving her something to do is also for the sake of the organization's efficiency."

"Stop playing dumb with me!" Vermouth stepped forward, extending a finger that almost poked Zheng Yi's nose.

"You know perfectly well that Conan is Shinichi Kudo! If Chianti really finds out about Beika Town and Conan, have you thought about the consequences?"

"Consequences? What consequences?" Zheng Yi said casually, "It just means Conan's identity will be discovered."

"What promises did you make to me back then?"

"And what promises did you make to me back then?" Zheng Yi countered.

Vermouth paused for a moment, then asked, "What debt?"

"Work." Zheng Yi held up a finger and waved it in front of her, saying, "When we reached an agreement, you promised me you would work hard for me, but what happened?"

Vermouth's lips twitched.

She didn't make any solemn promises; it was clearly a reluctant one.

Furthermore, she believes she has already done a very good job.

She spent more time working for Zheng Yi than for the organization, which can be considered as fulfilling that promise.

Vermouth sneered, took out a slender women's cigarette from her handbag, but did not light it, just toyed with it between her fingers.

"Don't forget that Shinichi and Sherry are in the same situation. If Chianti discovers Shinichi's abnormality, Sherry's situation will also be exposed."

"So what if we get exposed?" Zheng Yi said nonchalantly.

It's as if few people know about this now.

Vermouth paused, then continued, "Then I'll go tell Gin. Tell him that Ai Haibara is Sherry. Let's see how Gin reacts."

"Are you threatening me?" Zheng Yi asked, staring at Vermouth.

“I’m negotiating with you,” Vermouth said defiantly. “You don’t want Gin to know Sherry’s whereabouts, do you?”

“Vermouth, you’re really interesting.” Shoichi shook his head: “Whether Gin can come back is still uncertain.”

Vermouth just stared at Zheng Yi.

If Gin doesn't come back, are we just going to let you stay here and wreak havoc on the organization?
If you continue to be the leader, will the organization have to be renamed the Justice Group in the future?
She observed that technical members of many organizations could be directly assigned to Zheng Yi's laboratory, and operatives could also join security companies.

Can your boss trust you?
Besides Gin, who else in the organization would dare to go against you?

Masayuki comforted Vermouth, saying, "Don't worry, Conan knows how to protect himself. Chianti might not be able to find anything out."

Vermouth rolled her eyes.

If he could really hide his identity, she wouldn't be so nervous.

Countless people already know his identity, and he has revealed his true form many times.

If she was able to investigate the relationship between Shinichi Kudo and Conan back then, there's no reason why others can't.

It's just that the organization hadn't investigated Shinichi Kudo before; it was Sherry who went to check on him and confirmed that he had died after taking the drug.

If Chianti investigates him now, the chances of her being exposed are too high.

“If you’re worried about him, you can go and cause trouble for Chianti and stop her,” Zheng Yi said.

Vermouth said expressionlessly, "If you want me to deal with Chianti and get revenge for you, you can just say so directly. There's no need to make it so complicated."

“They are all key members of the organization, and I have no intention of eliminating any of them,” Zheng Yi said.

Vermouth snorted coldly.

Everyone knows that you, Masakazu Sumitomo, are petty and narrow-minded.

Can you not take it to heart now that Chianti is against you?
Vermouth asked, "If Chianti's leg is broken, will she be unable to carry out the mission?"

Zheng Yi looked at Vermouth and said, "What are you going to do? The organization forbids infighting. Don't think you can do anything outrageous just because the boss favors you."

Zheng Yi patted Vermouth on the shoulder and earnestly advised, "Besides, even without Chianti, you still need Cohen."

"Understood, Cohen's legs will be broken too," Vermouth said coldly.

Zheng Yi looked surprised.

Your reading comprehension is absolutely perfect!

He really had no intention of having Vermouth teach someone a lesson.

"Don't do anything reckless."

"I understand. We can't let anyone know that you did it."

"Hey~ you..."

Why are you doing reading comprehension so carelessly?

Vermouth snorted coldly at Zheng Yi and left.

After she left, Tequila came in and asked, "Boss Cointreau, was Vermouth disrespectful to you?"

“No.” Zheng Yi shook his head, looking in the direction Vermouth had left, and then said to Tequila, “Vermouth is a valuable asset to the organization. You should learn more from her.”

"Huh?" Tequila looked shocked.

Learn from Vermouth?
Without any backing within the organization, wouldn't following Vermouth's example be suicide?
But since the boss of Cointreau had said so, what could he do but nod in agreement?

……

They are a family.

Zheng Yi was looking at a thick stack of forms, holding a pen in his hand, and occasionally writing or drawing on them.

Ai is playing karuta with Momiji, occasionally glancing up at Shoichi.

"They actually put you in charge of the organization temporarily; the organization is really not far from destruction," Ai said, pouting.

The organization, such a behemoth, put so much pressure on her when she first escaped; she never imagined it would now be on the road to destruction.

Throughout history, those seemingly invincible behemoths have ultimately perished not from external attacks, but from internal decay.

The same applies to organizations.

Zheng Yi looked at Xiao Ai with displeasure and said, "You're talking nonsense again. How could the organization be destroyed in my hands?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Ai nodded, agreeing, "The leader of the organization is the boss, and he died at the hands of the boss."

Zheng Yi was nothing more than a treacherous minister appointed by the boss; the boss was the real culprit behind the organization's demise.

Zheng Yi was still very dissatisfied.

"You still think I can't manage the organization well, right?" Zheng Yi asked.

Ai let out a soft hum.

Isn't this just common sense?

Zheng Yi said, "If I can build such a big company, how come I can't manage a small organization?"

Xiao Ai snorted coldly.

Do you really have no idea who is actually running your company?

Without my sister, your company would have gone bankrupt long ago.

Ai grew angrier the more she thought about it, and said to Masakazu, "If you could spend half the time you spend running this organization on your company, my sister wouldn't be so tired."

Zheng Yi stared at the form without saying a word.

Ai is still too self-centered.

She's not Akemi Miyano, so how does she know that Akemi Miyano only feels tired and not fulfilled in her career?
Zheng Yi shook his head, not arguing with Xiao Ai.

"Say something!" Ai yelled at Masakazu.

"Why are you yelling so loudly?" Zheng Yi said with dissatisfaction, "I didn't leave everything to your sister. I also keep an eye on the company, you know."

Zheng Yi patted the paper in his hand and said, "Isn't the reason I'm running this organization all for my company?"

"Ok?"

Ai looked at Shoichi with a questioning expression. Shoichi said, "Don't I have to think about how to reasonably transform the organization's assets into the group's assets?"

Xiao Ai's lips twitched.

You are indeed thinking about the company.

However, Ai doesn't intend to retract her outrageous claim that the organization is doomed, because Shoichi's statement makes it seem like the organization is even more likely to collapse.

"Ai, you have to take playing cards seriously," Hongye said to Ai.

"Oh."

Ai continued playing cards with Momiji, her head bowed.

But Ai couldn't help but say to Masakazu, "Why don't you find a professional manager? Stop exploiting my sister all the time, okay?"

“I don’t trust anyone else either,” Zheng Yi said.

"Is it because other people are asking for more money?" Ai said.

Zheng Yi shook his head, it was hard to tell whether he was nodding or shaking his head.

"Hmph!" Ai said with a straight face, "Then I'll have my sister embezzle company assets and see if you change her."

“Your sister is so kind, she wouldn’t do that,” Zheng Yi said.

Ai is very angry.

She made up her mind: once her sister returned, she would take her on a spontaneous trip and let all that trouble go to hell.

"Don't even think about dragging your sister away." Zheng Yi said without looking up, still looking at the organization's documents.

“Your sister is very responsible. She won’t abandon her tasks, and she certainly won’t cause trouble for others or affect their progress because of herself.”

Ai was even angrier.

Zheng Yi, that bastard, just bullies my sister because she's honest and kind.
"Speaking of your sister's sense of responsibility," Masakazu turned to Ai and asked, "How come you have absolutely no sense of responsibility?"

Why didn't I have it?

"Why haven't you gone to research the antidote yet? How long have you been playing around?" Zheng Yi asked.

Ai's hand stopped.

One day, two days, three days... many days.

I haven't been to the lab for who knows how many days.

Zheng Yi said, "Conan has called me several times, all asking about the antidote."

"Forehead……"

Ai stopped playing cards.

I suddenly feel so guilty.

Ai stopped playing, and Momiji got anxious.

She glared at Zheng Yi with dissatisfaction and said, "Why are you talking about work? How many days a month do you even work? What gives you the right to make demands of Xiao Ai?"

Seeing how strongly Momiji supported her, and how she even argued with Masakazu for her sake, Ai was a little touched.

Red leaves, my good friend.

Zheng Yi, the villain.

Ai stood behind Momiji, and also said a few sarcastic remarks to Masakazu, then whispered to Momiji:
"I should go to the lab too. Besides, I'm not working entirely for Zheng Yi. Researching the antidote is my own business."

Hongye held onto Xiao Ai tightly, afraid she would suddenly run away: "There are so many people in the lab, we won't miss you."

Ai shook her head.

She is the core of the laboratory; without her, the laboratory's progress is pitifully slow.

"Please don't go, okay? Who will play with me if you go?" Hongye said.

“You can go to school,” Zhengyi shouted.

Hongye glared at him, then looked at Xiao Ai with a pitiful expression.

Ai looked at Momiji and, although she could tell at a glance that Momiji was faking it, she still couldn't bear to refuse her outright.

“But you keep hitting my hand,” Ai said.

Hongye blushed.

Isn't it because you're too bad at the game?

Simply winning against you is meaningless; we need to change the game and see how many times we can hit your hand in a single round.
"I won't do it again." Hongye hugged Ai's arm and rubbed against her. "We can play chess or video games from now on."

Ai shook her head.

She said to Hongye, "We can't keep playing like this, otherwise when will we be able to develop the antidote? I'll go to the lab tomorrow."

Hongye frowned and hesitated before saying, "But Dior is releasing new bags tomorrow, and you promised to go shopping with me."

Ai hesitated for a moment.

She really wanted a bag too.

Moreover, Hongye had already said that as long as he accompanied her to see it, Hongye would give him the same one.

Hongye continued, "That's a limited edition bag; you probably won't be able to buy it again."

Now Ai was even more hesitant.

"Then how about..." Ai said softly, "I'll go with you to buy a bag tomorrow, and then we'll go to the lab the day after?"

"it is good."

Hongye hugged Xiao Ai, lifted her up, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

Ai is nothing but a piece of trash, easily handled.

Zhengyi glanced over there and pursed his lips.

Useless Ai Haibara, she was actually controlled by a bag.

Holding Ai in her arms, Hongye asked Zhengyi, "Zhengyi, do you want to come with us?"

"I'm not going," Zheng Yi replied coldly.

"Here's your shopping fee," Hongye said.

The shopping fee was a small tip given by Hongye to Zhengyi when he accompanied them shopping and carried their bags.

Zheng Yi almost laughed in anger when he heard this.

He's Sumitomo Shoichi, he owns such a big company, and he's currently managing such a large criminal organization, making so much money every second. Why would he care about your little tip?
That's hilarious.

"How much?" Zheng Yi asked.

"How about one million yen?" Koyo said.

"Oh."

Zheng Yi sneered and remained silent.

Are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?
Seeing that Shoichi didn't react, Koyo realized that her initial offer was a bit too low, so she decisively raised the price, saying, "How about 1.1 million yen?"

Zheng Yi's sneer deepened.

Adding only 100,000 yen at a time, it's really just trying to fob off a beggar. He's not that contemptible.

He watched Hongye quietly, waiting to see if she would raise the price further.

Ai said to Momiji, "Don't send him money anymore, why don't you take Curaçao with you?"

Curaçao is much more likable than Masakazu, and she won't ask for money.

Masaichi turned his gaze to Ai.

Koyo put Ai down and held up two fingers, saying, "How about 1.2 million yen?"

"Humph!"

He held up two fingers, and I thought he was going to ask for two million, but it was only one hundred and twenty.

"What about the 1.3 million yen?" (End of Chapter)