Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

"Zhengyi, I'm really in mortal danger this time, you have to save me!"

Conan burst into the Masashi family's house, rushing towards the two men with a look of terror on his face without even having time to change his slippers.

His small face was filled with solemnity and despair.

Zheng Yi and Xiao Ai were snuggled on the sofa, eating potato chips and watching a reality show about finding relatives.

Although they couldn't invite any of the organization's members, the show still aired. Ai and Masakazu were both commenting on who acted fake and who didn't cry sadly enough.

Moreover, Zheng Yi even found many people who looked similar to the organization members to appear on the show, so that Gin and the others could feel more immersed when watching it.

Although Shoichi informed Gin to watch it on time, it's unclear whether he actually watched it or not.

When they saw Conan approaching, neither of them paid him any attention and continued their previous argument.

"I feel that the crying of contestant number 1 was too fake. The audience will definitely be able to tell, and then the show will be ruined."

"I feel like it's very sincere?"

"The crying was so loud, and she was so sobbing she couldn't stand up straight, isn't that obvious?"

"He tripped over!"

Seeing that neither of them paid any attention to him, Conan hurriedly shouted again, "Brother Zhengyi! You have to save me!"

Zheng Yi casually tossed a cushion next to him and lazily yawned: "What's wrong? Gin finally found out where you are? The Black Organization is already at your doorstep?"

"It's a hundred times more terrifying than that!" Conan plopped down on the carpet in front of the coffee table, holding his head in his hands.

If it were an organizational matter, that would be much easier to resolve; it's either die or run away.

What could possibly happen?

"Ran...Ran is acting strange! I feel like she's completely turned from love to hate and is preparing to attack me!" Conan said.

Shoichi stopped eating potato chips and stared at Conan curiously.

Ai raised an eyebrow, casually poured Conan a glass of warm water and handed it to him, resting her chin on her hand with interest: "Oh? Tell me more, what exactly happened?"

Conan took the water glass and gulped down a mouthful, as if he had finally found someone to confide in, and began to complain at lightning speed:
"At noon today, when I went to call Xiaolan downstairs for lunch, I found her sitting at the table, frantically searching for information on the computer!"

Zheng Yi asked cooperatively, "What information did you look up?"

"She's searching for 'how to kill a male high school student without anyone noticing,' 'the complete guide to human fatal weaknesses,' and even 'carpet cleaning guide (for large amounts of blood)'!" Conan clutched his head, looking extremely pained.

Isn't that too suggestive?
Male high school student?

Conan felt that Ran wanted to kill him the most.

It's understandable that Xiaolan is angry that he's been gone for so long without even a decent explanation.

Zheng Yi and Xiao Ai exchanged a glance, and then Zheng Yi said, "Xiao Ran actually wants to do it herself? Murder goes to jail. She has a lot of youth left. Even if she has a huge grudge against you, she shouldn't do this."

"It shouldn't be like that," Conan continued, looking utterly devastated.

"She even dug out all the murder cases that Uncle Mori had handled before, and studied them word by word, one by one!"

He was muttering to himself, saying something like, "So that's how they disguised it back then. I've learned something new."

That look in his eyes was absolutely terrifying.

Ai blinked and poured Conan another glass of water: "It seems Ran is very enthusiastic about learning. Maybe she just wants to improve her reasoning skills?"

She pushed the cup towards Conan, indicating that he should finish drinking before continuing.

"Does improving reasoning skills require studying dismemberment techniques?!" Conan retorted in despair.

Zheng Yi explained on Xiao Lan's behalf: "Maybe Xiao Lan is planning to study medicine or biology in college, so she wants to familiarize herself with the human body in advance."

“You don’t need to study dismemberment just because you’re familiar with human anatomy!” Conan said.

"You don't understand."

Ai Haibara stated confidently, "Biology, in essence, is the study of how life is sustained and how it comes to an end."

If we don't understand how the human body is broken down at the physical level, how can we accurately grasp the limits of maintaining its integrity?

After all, destruction often reveals the true nature of things more clearly than construction.

Conan stared blankly at Ai.

Zheng Yi also stepped back a little.

Could Ai really be an expert in dismemberment techniques?

After we've slept together so many times, is my body still intact?

Ai's lips twitched.

I won't dismember a body.

But seeing that Shoichi looked obviously scared, Ai didn't explain further.

It's worth it to make this bastard afraid of me; at least it will stop him from bullying me.

Conan asked blankly, "Haibara, are you planning to study biology in college?"

“That’s right.” Ai nodded.

"Oh."

Conan nodded, then looked at Shoichi.

Brother Zheng, you'd better be more careful in the future.

Ran is currently learning how to dismember a body, but Ai will spend four years of university learning how to do it.

You're definitely worse off than me.

Zheng Yi remained silent.

Conan doesn't understand anything.

Ai is now back after completing her studies.

Fortunately, she was small and weak, so she certainly couldn't easily dismember the body.

"Ai," Masakazu said in an unusually gentle tone, "you can sleep with Kouye tonight."

Xiao Ai remained silent.

Can't I sleep by myself?
Zheng Yi added, "By the way, the knife used to cut the watermelon in the kitchen is still on the cutting board and hasn't been washed yet."

Ai remained silent.

Why do you need to tell me the location of the knife?
Okay, tonight I'll tell Hongye that Zhengyi is going to kill you.

"Brother Zhengyi, can you listen to my story first?" Conan said.

"no problem."

Just as her attention was being drawn back, Ai continued watching Conan.

The two took turns pouring water for Conan, eating potato chips as they listened, just like they were listening to a story.

Conan didn't sense anything amiss and continued, "The scariest thing is that I accidentally overheard her making a phone call."

As she sharpened her knife, she angrily cursed into the phone, "That bastard Shinichi Kudo! He's been missing for so long without a trace. If I can't find him soon, I'll chop him into pieces and make him into a specimen!"

"Ran's love for you is still too deep," Ai said.

"what?"

Conan looked at Ai with a puzzled expression.

Ai asked, puzzled, "Don't you feel that Ran loves you a lot? Because you're never around, she wants you to stay by her side. What's wrong with that?"

"But," Conan stammered, "Ran wants to turn me into a specimen."

"Wouldn't a specimen be better?"

Ai was even more confused, and her tone of voice began to carry a hint of horror.

"As for specimens, as long as the container is well sealed and the preservative solution is changed regularly, they can theoretically be preserved for more than a hundred years, longer than you live."

"So, Ran just wants to be with you for a long, long time," Ai said with admiration.

Conan's mouth gaped open, and he unconsciously rubbed the goosebumps that had risen on his arms. Is that how you interpret it?

Conan looked at Zheng Yi and said, "Zheng Yi, how exactly do you raise your child?"

Masaichi glanced at Conan.

Don't look at me, I'm much more scared than you are.

Xiaolan doesn't know anything.

But Ai Haibara is genuinely familiar with human anatomy and can actually make specimens.

Conan, if nothing unexpected happens, I might become a specimen before you, and you'll have to call me "senior."

Conan weakly said, "Anyway, I feel that this is not longing and love at all, this is clearly a naked death threat!"
I have a feeling she's going to use me as a practice subject any second now!

Looking at Conan's pitiful appearance, trembling as if he was about to be silenced at any moment, it was hard to tell whether he was frightened by Ran or by Ai's words just now.

"Why are you shaking, Zheng Yi?" Conan asked.

“The sofa is shaking,” Zheng Yi said. “I’m sitting on a massage sofa.”

I never realized Ai was thinking like this.

No, it's a comic!

Ai was perfectly normal before, but things changed after she started reading the manga.

Red leaves!

What exactly did you show Ai Haibara?

Zheng Yi patted Conan on the shoulder and comforted him with a serious expression: "Don't be afraid, Conan. Look on the bright side. At least Ran still loves you. Look, she even did her homework on how to dispose of the body in advance. That shows how much she cares about you."

"This isn't just caring, this is mortal danger!" Conan was on the verge of tears.

Brother Zhengyi, if Ai is also prepared to dismember you, would you be happy?

"Don't worry, Xiaolan might just be acting on impulse," Zhengyi said.

"Just like me, I often get angry. Some of our competitors are really disgusting. I've said more than once that I want to take them down, but I've never actually done it, have I?"

Ai silently popped a potato chip into her mouth.

You really didn't do anything?

You've given Conan plenty of wrong information about the organization, causing him to run around aimlessly.

Those guys who died at Conan's hands will also be blamed on you.

“But I don’t think so,” Conan said. “Ran has been planning this for so long; it’s obvious she’s thought it through carefully.”

Xiaolan has been studying case files for quite some time now.

Moreover, Conan could clearly sense that Ran's temper had been very bad lately; she was extremely irritable, which was unusual for her.

"Relax," Zheng Yi said. "Even if Ran's opinions about Shinichi Kudo are irreconcilable, what does that have to do with you, Conan Edogawa?"

“But I want to change back too,” Conan said.

He doesn't want to be Conan forever.

"Why change back?" Masakazu said, "Why don't you just use the identity of Edogawa Conan and accompany Ran as she grows up?"

Ran is currently very dissatisfied with Shinichi Kudo, and you've been quietly supporting her through her most difficult time. Once you've grown into a cute, younger man, it will be natural for you to be with Ran.

Conan felt like his head was about to split open.

What a terrible idea!
Is Zheng Yi trying to make me cheat on him?

That idea is absolutely outrageous!

While they were talking, Hongye also came downstairs, holding a handful of melon seeds, and began to listen to Conan tell a story.

After Masakazu gave Conan this idea, Momiji's eyes lit up, and then she suddenly looked at Ai.

But Ai was so engrossed in listening to the story that she didn't notice Momiji's gaze at all.

"Brother Zhengyi, can you give me some good advice?" Conan said helplessly.

"What good ideas are there?"

Zheng Yi spread his hands: "You can only influence Ran subtly by talking about how good Shinichi Kudo is, so that Ran's murderous intent will be temporarily reduced."

But once it's revealed that you are Shinichi Kudo, Ran's murderous intent might be even greater.

Conan nodded, then shook his head and said, "This should be the best way. Besides, I'm quite confident in my disguise skills. Ran might not be able to tell that I'm Shinichi Kudo."

"Oh?" Masakazu looked at Conan strangely.

Are you that confident?
Conan confidently stated, "Because the antidote I take is unstable, I keep switching between Shinichi Kudo and Conan."

Many times, I transformed right there at the Mouri Detective Agency, but I always managed to fool Ran without her suspecting a thing.

This is the confidence of Shinichi Kudo.

He was a little panicked when he first transformed, but he's not anymore.

Shoichi and Ai exchanged a glance, shook their heads, and then sighed.

Were they really completely unaware?
“Alright, in that case, let’s do it this way,” Zheng Yi said.

"Anyway, Xiaolan will never find out your identity, and she will never know that you are praising yourself, so go ahead boldly."

Shoichi was giving Conan a pep talk, trying to make him braver.

Ai Haibara chimed in, "Ran is such a gentle person, she wouldn't really want to kill Shinichi Kudo. If you praise yourself more in front of her..."

"This will remind Xiaolan of your kindness, and her anger will naturally dissipate. You know how gentle she is."

Conan nodded.

That's right, although Xiaolan often kicks down telephone poles, smashes tables, and breaks televisions in a fit of anger.

But Xiaolan is still very gentle.

"Then I'll go."

"Go ahead." Both Shoichi and Ai looked at Conan with kind eyes.

Conan's lips twitched; he was utterly speechless.

He said, "Can you please stop looking at me like that? It's like I'm never coming back."

"If we go and never return," Zheng Yi said.

Xiao Ai chimed in, "Then she left and never returned."

"Bah bah bah!"

Conan glared at the two of them.

I definitely won't be coming back if I go, but not because I was attacked by Xiao Lan Dao. It's because your desire to watch the show is too obvious, so I don't want to come.

After Conan left, Masakazu whispered, "Ran might not know where to buy a sharp knife. I need to recommend one to her."

"Hmm." Ai nodded. "You're right, so which place has the sharpest knives? I want to buy one too."

"you?"

Zheng Yi looked at Ai and asked, "Why did you buy a knife?"

“Of course, it’s cutting watermelons,” Ai said matter-of-factly.

"You'd better really be used for cutting watermelons," Masakazu said, patting Ai's head.

Ai grabbed Shoichi's finger and calmly said, "If you're not going to use it to cut a watermelon, what are you going to cut? Is it your brain?"

"Okay!"

Shoichi glared angrily at Ai: "You've finally revealed your true intentions. You just want to cut off my head."

That Ai Haibara, how could she be so mean! (End of Chapter)