Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it seemed to drip down, swallowing up most of the hustle and bustle and neon lights of Tokyo, the city that never sleeps.

Professor Agasa's backyard is a small world enclosed by a high wall, where the chirping of insects is sparse.

The occasional intermittent low hums only served to accentuate the stillness of this small space, making it seem as silent as stagnant water.

The air was filled with the coolness unique to early autumn, carrying the scent of earth and decaying leaves, which seeped into my collar.

Conan sat alone on the stone steps in the courtyard, his hands folded on his knees, his back straight, yet exuding an indescribable stiffness.

He wasn't wearing his usual blue suit jacket, but only a thin blue shirt.

His figure appeared exceptionally thin in the night, as if a slightly stronger gust of wind could sweep him away.

His gaze fell on a dim street lamp ahead, casting a long shadow.

Zheng Yi found him at exactly seven o'clock.

As he pushed open the courtyard gate, he called out, "Conan?"

He stepped forward, and the moment he saw the other person's expression, he abandoned his usual flippancy.

He had known Conan for so long, but he had never seen Conan like this before.

Conan slowly raised his head, his face devoid of tears or even sadness; it was an emptiness more chilling than weeping.

“Brother Zhengyi…you’ve arrived.” His voice was low and hoarse, without a trace of emotion.

Conan spoke, his words slow and deliberate, as if recounting a trivial matter unrelated to himself:

"I've been waking up in the middle of the night frequently lately. Not because of nightmares, but because... I've forgotten who I am."

Zheng Yi tilted his head slightly, his brows furrowed, but he did not interrupt him.

Sometimes, I would stare blankly at the bathroom mirror, looking at this child's face, those big, round eyes, and that body that never seems to grow up.

I can't recall what Shinichi Kudo's voice was like—was it more husky, or more clear?

He raised his hand, looking at his small, chubby palm as if it were something unfamiliar.

"I'm trapped inside this body, like I'm being..."

His voice remained calm, as calm as a stagnant pool, without a ripple.

Zheng Yi: ? ? ? ?

Zheng Yi stared at him, his eyes wide, countless thoughts flashing through his mind:
What are the side effects of APTX-4869?

Dissociative disorder caused by long-term mental stress?
Or... did Xiaolan spank the child and make him stupid?

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zheng Yi finally couldn't help but ask. "Did you take the wrong medicine and mess up your brain?"

"After Xiaolan hit you, why did you start thinking about all sorts of random things? I don't understand any of it."

Zhengyi tried to ease the suffocating atmosphere with a joke, but as soon as he said it, he knew things were going to get bad.

Conan turned his head and stared blankly at Shoichi, his eyes filled with doubt and inquiry: "How did you know that Ran hit me?"

Zheng blinked, his eyes darting around, trying to bluff his way out: "Ah? Well... kids are all skin and flesh, isn't it normal for them to get a beating? I was just guessing, just guessing!"

But Conan isn't Ai Haibara, and he won't indulge Shoichi. Instead, he presses for details, asking, "Shoichi-nii, when did your intuition become so accurate? How did you know that?"

Zheng Yi sighed and said guiltily, "Actually, I put a listening device on your clothes, which is how I found out what happened yesterday."

Conan looked at Shoichi, seemingly not expecting that Shoichi would plant a listening device on his clothes.

He was usually the one who installed bugging devices at other people's places, but he never expected that this time it would finally be his turn.

But being spanked by your childhood sweetheart is ultimately not a dignified thing.

Conan stared at Shoichi, mouth agape, speechless for a long time.

Masakazu explained to Conan in a low voice, "I put a listening device on your clothes because I was worried about you."

"What do you want to know? Do you think I wouldn't tell you?" Conan said, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "Why go to all that trouble and plant a bug on me?"

"You definitely won't tell me when Xiaolan spanked you this time," Zheng Yi said matter-of-factly. "See? If I hadn't been eavesdropping, how would I have known you almost gave yourself away last night?"

Conan glared at Masakazu, his cheeks slightly flushed, and said, "You don't need to keep repeating the story of me getting spanked!"

Seeing that Conan was really angry, Masakazu said again, "It's a good thing I planted a bug on you, which saved you from suspicion once."

"What?" Conan asked, his brows furrowing slightly.

“You wore Kogoro’s clothes last night, so I had someone put an identical one in his wardrobe to prevent you from being exposed directly,” Zheng Yi said.

He even sent his bodyguards out late at night just to stage a "clothes swap".

Conan forced a smile, a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Brother Zhengyi, thank you."

"Hey kid, don't thank me. We're like family." Masakazu waved his hand and patted Conan's shoulder casually.

Conan's lips twitched.

Don't you know whether I'm a child or not?
Shoichi didn't seem to realize his slip of the tongue, and seeing that Conan didn't refute it, he assumed that the matter was over.

"Ran... she's starting to suspect me." Conan gave a wry smile and steered the conversation back on track.

Zheng Yi said nonchalantly, "This isn't the first or second time she's suspected you."

“But this time is different.” Conan shook his head, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes. “Her eyes have changed. Before, it was doubt; now it’s… an almost intuitive confirmation.”

Zheng frowned: "So what do you plan to do? Continue to play dumb, or find an opportunity to confess?"

Conan slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his gaze was resolute.

"I'm planning to leave Japan for a while and go to America with my parents," Conan said calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Zheng Yi was stunned.

He originally thought Conan would come up with some delaying tactic, but he didn't expect him to launch a strategic retreat.

"So, you're going to run away?" Zheng Yi blurted out.

“I’m planning to leave Japan for a while and go to America with my parents,” Conan repeated, his tone now carrying an undeniable firmness. “This is just a strategic relocation.”

Zheng Yi stared at him: "Isn't this just because you're afraid to see Xiao Lan, so you're running away?"

"What do you mean by 'escape'? That's an awful way to put it." Conan shook his head and said casually, "I just... need an 'outsider's' perspective."

He stood up and dusted off his pants.

“If we stay here, not only is there the danger of Xiaolan discovering our identities, but as you know, she’s becoming increasingly perceptive.”

Moreover, staying here won't make any substantial progress for the investigation team.

He turned around, looked at Zheng Yi, his eyes clear.

"Temporarily withdrawing might allow me to see things from a different perspective. Perhaps, when I stand on the other side of the world, looking at this Pacific Ocean, I can see the threads hidden in the shadows and the true structure of that organization."

"Isn't this just running away?" Zheng Yi muttered under his breath.

Conan shook his head, no longer dwelling on the word.

I've already said it's not an escape, it's just a strategic retreat to prevent Xiaolan from doubting me, and at the same time give myself a chance to catch my breath.

"So how are you going to tell Ran?" Masakazu asked, glancing at Conan.

"Ran hasn't gotten the reason you ran away from home yet, so she definitely won't let you out. So, Conan, you've run away from home again?"

"The more I say, the more mistakes I'll make, so I'm not going to say anything," Conan said, looking like he'd given up entirely. "I'm going straight to America, and once I get there, I'll video call Ran and make up a reason."

By then, it will have become a fait accompli, and Xiaolan will be helpless, only able to worry anxiously from across the Pacific Ocean.

Zheng Yi nodded, sighing inwardly.

Conan is only concerned with the present and completely ignores the future.

He can't keep this from Xiaolan forever. When the truth comes out in the future, he'll be in for a world of hurt.

For the sake of the future, Zheng Yi naturally had to support Conan: "Alright, since you've made up your mind, then so be it."

Conan is leaving Japan, which means that Zheng Yi's strategic weapons will not be usable for the time being.

Zheng Yi counted on his fingers the number of people he wanted to cook for, and realized that there wasn't enough time.

Zheng Yi stared at Conan with a deep, unsettling look in his eyes, a greedy glint in his eyes for any remaining value.

Conan shrank back, feeling a chill run down his spine, and said, "Brother Zhengyi, your eyes look really scary. It's like you're going to eat me up."

"No, no, you've mistaken me for someone else."

In an instant, he suppressed his greedy expression and replaced it with a kind smile. "I'm just worried about you. You're unfamiliar with America, and you might get bullied again."

Conan shook his head, indicating that Shoichi shouldn't worry. His father had many friends in America, so he definitely wouldn't be bullied.

"Brother Zhengyi," Conan said softly to Zhengyi, his tone unusually pleading, "If Ran does anything rash after I leave, I'll need you to look after her."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Xiaolan," Zheng Yi assured, patting his chest.

Conan stared blankly at Shoichi.

That's not what I meant. I wanted you to keep an eye on Xiaolan and not let her come looking for me.

But since Shoichi had already agreed, Conan could only nod and thank him.

Zheng Yi looked at Conan with genuine reluctance.

Japan without Conan would lack vitality.

“Then you shouldn’t stay at Professor Agasa’s house all the time, Ran could easily find out about it,” Shoichi said.

Professor Agasa's house is right next to the Kudo residence, and Ran knows about Professor Agasa's relationship with Conan, so this isn't a good hiding place.

“I know,” Conan said. “I’ll be leaving soon.”

After exchanging only a few more words, Shoichi and Conan parted ways.

Conan needs to pack his things for going abroad and also needs to wander around to avoid being found by Ran.

Back home, Zheng Yi began to sigh deeply.

"What's wrong? It's like your wife ran away just because you went out for a short while," Ai said speechlessly.

She kept sighing as soon as she got home, which ruined her good mood.

"Ah~"

Shoichi hugged Ai tightly, his voice low, and whispered, "It's more heartbreaking than if my wife had run away."

Ai wrapped her arms around Shoichi's back, frowned, and patted him.

More heartbroken than if his wife had run away?
Did he have two wives who ran away?

Unaware that Ai was joking in her heart, Masakazu whispered, "Conan is leaving Japan."

Ai patted Shoichi on the back again.

Then, freeing one hand, he tugged at his hair and picked at his ear.

and then?
Why is it sad that Conan left Japan?

Ai thought about the downsides of Conan leaving Japan for a long time, and could only think that she would lose one more person to test the drug.

"Don't tell me that you and Conan are so close that you don't want Conan to be too far away from you," Ai said expressionlessly.

Zheng Yi shook his head. "I won't say those polite words in front of you."

Ai looked at Masakazu with disdain.

How dare you say such shameful things! Even in front of me, you act like a hypocrite.

Zheng Yi broke free from Xiao Ai's embrace, returned to his bedroom, and took out a notebook.

He opened the notebook, and page after page were filled with people's names.

Ai looked at the notebook, puzzled.

What is this?

“Death Note,” Shoichi said.

There are two Death Notes. Ran has a fake one, and Shoichi's is the real one.

Xiao Ai slapped Zheng Yi: "Speak properly."

“It’s the Death Note,” Shoichi said. “The people listed here are all people I plan to introduce to Conan.”

Hearing what Zheng Yi said, Xiao Ai started to take the names of these people more seriously.

She flipped through the list casually and couldn't help but say, "Why did you list so many people?"

Zheng Yi is too petty.

Ai doesn't believe that so many people have offended Shoichi or hindered the development of the Justice Group.

It must have been those people who, for some trivial matter, upset Shoichi, which is why they were sent to the Death Note.

"Because the company is too big."

Unlike Ai's malicious speculation, Masakazu had a legitimate reason.

Zheng Yi said helplessly, "The company is too big and there are too many people in the way, so there are too many people who get in the way. There's nothing we can do about it."

Actually, I don't want to cause more bloodshed, but with Conan around, people are going to die anyway, so why can't it be them?

Ai rolled her eyes.

You're right, it could be them too.

At the same time, Ai agreed with Masakazu's statement that "a large company means many obstacles."

Not only that, the person in charge became even busier, as her sister hadn't been home for several days.

Ai's gaze toward Shoichi held a hint of resentment, but Shoichi seemed oblivious.

Ai didn't intend to complain about Shoichi at this moment, but simply said softly, "Then Conan might not be enough."

Zheng Yi nodded.

This is what's troubling him.

"With so many people needing to cook, Conan is already not enough."

Zheng Yi continued, "And he plans to leave Japan, so he just needs to deal with those difficult people."

He really wished he could break Conan in half and use him for that purpose! (End of Chapter)