Detective Conan: Is Miss Haibara planning to assault a police officer again today?

He would feel safer having his own gun.

The main thing is that I have to spend all these reward points today!

Now, go to sleep!

"Wait, why am I being so harsh on myself?"

...

Dr. A Li's house.

Conan is glaring angrily at Ai Haibara.

This guy... is not only an accomplice of Gin and Vodka, but also the developer of that drug!

It's the kind of medicine that turned him into the way he is now!

He can't see the people he wants to see, and he can't do the things he wants to do...

Now this woman is casually telling him to calm down and be rational, and even saying that they are on the same side.

How can you expect me to be rational!

Conan said angrily, "I can't understand someone like you who makes murderous drugs, and I can't trust you. What kind of cooperation can I have with you!"

Ai Haibara continued looking at the fashion magazine, "I advise you to believe me, the fact that you are still alive is something I've been hiding. The fact that the organization hasn't come looking for you is the best proof."

"If I get caught by the organization again, do you think I'll betray you too?"

As she spoke, she slammed the magazine shut, looked at Conan, and slowly approached him. "I've finished expressing my sincerity, and I've finished making my threats."

"Now, let's have another heart-to-heart talk."

“You need to know that that drug is used to kill people. The fact that I have become like this means that I have indeed taken that drug.”

"As for the reason for taking the medication..."

Ai Haibara's eyes were filled with undisguised hatred. "My sister was killed by them not long ago. The reason I was imprisoned by them is because I refused to continue conducting experiments in order to demand an explanation."

"Everyone has times when they are not in control of their own destiny, just like you right now, just like me right now. I can tell you very clearly that I never willingly wanted to make that kind of drug."

"Believe it or not, we are now the same kind. I can still find a way to deal with the organization without you, but without me... I'm sorry, I don't think you can get any useful information by hiding in a detective agency."

"After all...you've already done your investigation, haven't you?"

Conan fell silent.

Ai Haibara casually picked up a newspaper from the coffee table, flipped through it, and showed Conan the side with the headline "Fire at Pharmaceutical Company Laboratory."

"This is where I used to be. It was burned down not long after I escaped the night before last. This is how the organization operates. They destroy wherever there's a problem, and they kill whoever is suspicious."

"Now I'd like to offer another token of my sincerity. I accidentally saved some relevant drug information onto a storage CD that I sent to my sister."

“Let’s go get the CD back; maybe I can develop an antidote.”

The word "antidote" is quite appealing.

But Conan still couldn't completely trust Ai Haibara, his expression wary. "How do I know if you're using me?"

"Furthermore, since you escaped from that organization the night before last, why did you only come to my house yesterday, wearing a brand new set of clothes? It's obvious you have other accomplices!"

Ai Haibara looked down at her clothes and chuckled softly, "Then you've already met my accomplice."

"Who is it?" Conan asked instinctively.

Ai Haibara put away the newspaper. "Officer Higashino, I stayed at his house for one night."

Chapter 21 Confrontation between Conan and Ai

"Officer Higashino??"

To be honest, this name was something Conan never expected.

But if you really want to explain it, it makes a lot of sense.

After all, Ai Haibara and Ning Higashino had a strange interaction today.

It was this interaction that dispelled Conan's instinctive suspicion of Higashino Ning.

The Junior Detective League's request was just a temporary event, unpredictable, and the possibility that Ai Haibara and Ning Higashino were deliberately putting on an act to deceive him was virtually nonexistent.

But why did Officer Higashino suddenly become so important?

Its presence is quite prominent!

Conan had met Higashino Ning before, but the two had very little interaction. Until today, it felt like he was getting to know Higashino Ning all over again.

This seemingly unreliable, stubborn, thick-skinned police officer, who enjoys teasing elementary school students, used to be a quiet, reserved person, okay?

Conan composed himself and continued to press, "So how did you two meet?"

Ai Haibara was somewhat speechless. "Do all detectives possess such a strong sense of curiosity?"

However, she still spoke slowly, her voice tinged with reminiscence, "When I escaped from the organization's garbage duct, it was raining heavily outside."

"I originally intended to come directly to you, but I caught a bad cold from being caught in the rain and was too weak. Just as I was about to collapse, I saw Officer Higashino standing by the roadside, staring blankly at his police ID."

"Rather than lying on the ground and freezing to death, I chose to seek his help."

Conan frowned. "Staring blankly at his police ID... If I remember correctly, Inspector Higashino has been on the job for at least two years. How could he possibly do something that makes him seem to doubt his own identity?"

"Furthermore, as a police officer, even if you had no choice but to take you home immediately, shouldn't you have taken you to a hospital or welfare institution afterward and searched for information about your family?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but sneer, "And then he not only took you in, but didn't ask you anything, he didn't even know your name. Do you think that's reasonable?"

Ai Haibara clapped her hands gently. "I've naturally thought about what you're saying, but you can never use the framework of rational logic to constrain human behavior."

"Just like a murderer, doesn't he know that his killing will cause trouble? Don't corrupt politicians know that their actions might lead to very serious consequences?"

"But the truth is, there will always be people who act against logic, reason, and rules. Reason often suppresses emotion, but emotion is not without its chances to take over."

Conan's face darkened. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Ai Haibara's expression turned cold. "In a high-pressure society like Japan, what's wrong with a police officer who's been a patrol officer for over two years occasionally feeling lost and doubtful about his life and future?"

"It just so happens that he met me on a rainy night when he was feeling lost about his career after a busy day at get off work."

It's not that Ai Haibara has too many ideas, but rather that Higashino Ning's various actions support her speculation.

Conan's reaction also shows that Higashino Ning is very different from before.

A stagnant life can be stirred up again with just one pebble.

Looking back now, perhaps she was that pebble, otherwise Higashino Ning wouldn't have shown that she didn't want her to leave.

Regardless, although Higashino Ning stubbornly refused to admit it, Haibara Ai trusted her instincts; the other party simply didn't want her to leave!

After listening to Ai Haibara's words, Conan stroked his chin and fell into deep thought.

This argument makes sense, and even incorporates an analysis and consideration of human nature in its fact-based rational thinking.

The way Ai Haibara is now protecting Higashino Ning has somewhat dispelled his doubts.

Generally, defending an accomplice involves using more "evidence"-like arguments, similar to a criminal proving their innocence.

Conan's gaze swept across Ai Haibara's face. "But you still haven't told me what exactly happened at Inspector Higashino's house that night."

silence.

Then it erupted.

Ai Haibara stormed up to Conan, raising her voice and speaking rapidly, "He gave me an injection and an IV while pinching my nose and saying I had a viral cold, is that enough?!"

After saying that, Ai Haibara went straight back to the sofa and sat down, turning her head to one side.

Conan, meanwhile, rubbed the spittle off his face with a sullen expression, inwardly cursing.

Analyzing snot by hand is such an absurd operation!

And injections and IV drips... Officer Higashino, you're a police officer! You're not a nurse or a caregiver!

This guy's skills are really a bit strange.

"It seems that Inspector Higashino and she really aren't in cahoots." Conan glanced at the sofa and thought to himself that the other person's angry little gestures were exactly the same as Ran Mouri's, including the way she shouted at him just now.

Are all girls clones?

How exactly did they manage to achieve such neatness and uniformity?

Conan didn't quite understand, but he knew he could give Ai Haibara more trust now.

It's Professor Agasa...sigh...how could he be so outrageous?

The person arrived in the afternoon, and the household registration and identity documents were processed in the evening.

There wasn't even the slightest bit of doubt or vigilance involved.

Conan shook his head and chuckled, "I didn't believe that guy's nonsense, I just trust Dr. Agasa's ability to judge people."

He walked to the sofa. "Okay, where's the CD you mentioned? If it's not far, let's set off now."

Seeing that the atmosphere had finally eased, Dr. Agasa, who had tried to smooth things over several times without success, quickly chimed in, "Yes, if that organization continues to use that drug in the future, there might be cases like Ai and Shinichi's."

"The organization might find you through your childhood photos, Ai. We'd better hurry up."

Conan looked up.

Doctor, so you're not that stupid after all?

Ai Haibara raised an eyebrow. "So, will Edogawa-kun agree to take in such a dangerous and hateful person as me?"

Conan shrugged. "Anyway, once your secret is exposed, it's only a matter of time before mine is exposed too. Since the professor trusts you so much, you might as well stay here and continue being a primary school student."

"Protecting you is protecting myself. You've achieved your goal, so let's cooperate properly from now on."

Ai Haibara wasn't surprised that Conan saw through her true intentions, after all, he was the Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei era.

She stood up. "Let's go then. Nanyang University, Professor Masami Hirota. But I don't know exactly where he lives. I'll have to ask him when we get there."

Upon hearing this name, Conan was stunned; it was such a familiar surname.

Professor Agasa quickly ran to the landline. "I'll call and ask first. I can find the professor's contact information through the school."

Soon, Dr. Agasa got through to Masami Hirota on the phone and arranged to meet him three hours later.