The Phantom Thief of Heart! But Conan.

"What is the relationship between the killer who used the power of cognitive science to kill people and Tang Ze?"

In response to Conan's question, Tang Ze summed it up in this sentence.

"Suppose, I mean, suppose..." Conan waved his hands quickly.

Although the other party now shows an attitude of not minding helping, Goro Akechi's position is really too delicate. Conan is not sure whether revealing his information to Joker will cause some kind of collapse of the balance.

Conan will not rashly reveal any information related to him before he is sure of the Phantom Thieves' attitude.

What else could it be? Of course it's a left-hand-right-hand relationship.

However, from Conan's choice of words, Tang Ze also guessed three-quarters of Conan's idea.

In Conan's understanding, Karasawa himself is the result of the Karasawa couple's research, and the embodiment of the "power to make wishes come true."

In short, it's probably just a wishing machine.

Combined with the questions that Tang Ze had asked them before, intentionally or unintentionally, such as "What are your dreams?" and "Do you have any urgent desires?", he probably had another understanding of the source of Goro Akechi's abilities.

"Do you think that Tang Ze's power could cause other people to have the same abilities as us?" In order to save Conan from having to explain in a long-winded way, Tang Ze raised his hand and pointed at himself.

Conan stroked the coffee cup in his hand twice and nodded slowly: "You really know about Tang Ze's power..."

Conan, who has experienced it personally, has tested the limits of Tang Ze's ability, and Tang Ze has answered many of his theories, which are hard to say whether they are deliberately mysterious or too beyond comprehension, making them difficult to understand.

Anyway, according to Conan's understanding, the general idea is that what he can do does not depend on him, but on the will of the person who made the wish to him.

Whatever the source of the energy driving this power, it must be Aladdin's lamp.

From this, Conan also understood to some extent the importance of Tang Ze in resisting the oppression of the organization.

If this level of ability falls into the hands of the organization, it will be a complete disaster.

Based on the above understanding, Goro Akechi's statement that he used Tang Ze's help to deceive the organization and make it believe that the results of cognitive science have taken effect on him and that Tang Ze has lost his value can also be logically sorted out.

Karasawa's ability gave Akechi Goro the opportunity to master cognitive science, making him the super-powered killer he is today.

Even Goro Akechi's power itself is highly consistent with his own qualities.

Mastering deception, manipulating people's hearts, disguising and concealing things, ultimately became another ability that was lethal to the human spirit...

"That's fine if you want to understand it that way." Tang Ze shook his coffee. "It wasn't just the physical torture and experiments. The mental pressure Tang Ze faced at the time was enormous."

"Mental pressure?" Seeing Joker actually answer the question directly, Conan was cheered up. "Do you know what Tang Ze experienced in the organization?"

"To be honest, I don't know. It would be difficult to retrieve that memory unless I break through the limitations and recall it. This is a reasonable inference based on the fragmentary information we found recently and the small amount of data Noah intercepted from Itakura Taku's computer." Tang Ze spread his hands and answered very honestly.

It was the truth, or rather, it was precisely because of this information that Tang Ze wrote a new script for the source of Akechi Goro's ability.

Because of the organization's manipulation of this period, Tang Ze himself actually has no memory of it.

Apart from the fresh and hot data collected by Itakura Takuya, the rest are the content collected by Ireland during his travels around Northern Europe, as well as some vague information from Baima Tan.

Of course, the records would definitely not indicate that the person being tested was Tang Ze. It was Tang Ze himself who made this judgment based on the few words in the middle.

After reaching the conclusion, Tang Ze had some new guesses about the organization's intention to change his memory.

They may not only want to cover up what Tang Ze saw and experienced at the time, but also consider that if these memories are not erased, it may lead to further collapse of Tang Ze's mental state, so that the research manuscripts of Tang Ze and his wife will never be found again.

"You've seen my ability, right?" Tang Ze stroked his neck with his thumb.

He was referring to the ability to heal incredibly quickly no matter how serious the injury was. Conan understood and nodded.

"Imagine this: if I could use this ability on someone else, and then I stumbled and got caught by the organization." Tang Ze raised a finger and tapped his temple. "Knowing that I'm generally a good person and absolutely won't cooperate with them, and you were to play the role of the unscrupulous interrogator, how would you force me to reveal my ability?"

Conan, who had just used a combo last night to force Akechi Goro to self-destruct in front of him: "..."

Why do I feel like there's something else behind Joker's words...

After a moment of hesitation, he put aside his concerns about whether the other party was being sarcastic and seriously considered the question raised by Joker.

He has the ability to heal himself and treat diseases, almost like a superpower. How do we test his abilities?

The problem of self-healing is easy to solve, just hurt the opponent directly. If Joker's healing ability is a passive one, it cannot be concealed at all.

Apply this logic to treating others...

Conan couldn't help but reveal an expression of disbelief on his face.

It wasn't that I found the conclusion I had imagined unbelievable, but that it was hard to imagine this conclusion happening to Tang Ze...

"...If they want to force you to prove your healing ability, they must...find some people here, seriously injure them, and then..."

"Yeah, smart." Tang Ze nodded approvingly. "Capture some innocent people, or, in case I'm hard-hearted enough, capture some targets I really can't ignore, like my teammates, like you, Detective-kun. Stab them a few times and throw them in front of me. I can either save them and reveal my abilities, or I can only watch them die... This is an absolutely unfair choice."

At this moment that tests human nature, people with bottom lines will be forced to death by those without bottom lines.

If Tang Ze were to face such a scene again, he would be able to handle it.

Being an undercover agent requires training and guidance in this area, just like Amuro Toru who once witnessed the death of Morufushi Kagemitsu in front of him. Such scenes are bound to happen. Without special training, being a special agent will only be a delivery boy.

But that was Tang Ze, who was in his twenties and had become strong after years of experience. The young Tang Ze Zhao before coming to Tokyo could not do it.

Conan's face turned pale.

"This was probably the choice Tang Ze faced in the past."

Tang Ze leaned back, sinking deeper into the soft padding of the sofa.

Although he cannot retrieve this part of the memory for the time being, Tang Ze sincerely feels that Tang Ze Zhao did a really good job in the past.

He did not establish close social relationships with anyone, maintained a fixed and almost solitary life, constantly strengthened his psychological hints, and reinforced the bottom line of the principles passed down to him by his parents. He had no memory of his past life, but still relied on this resilience to survive.

Young me, you did a great job, it's admirable.

"I not only possess the ability of cognitive science, but I also use it expertly. I just don't use it to kill people, not because I can't. Detective-kun, I'm not boasting, but you've seen Cheng Shi's abilities. If I let you solve this case, are you confident you can prove the murderer's identity? Currently, this power is confined to the Phantom Thieves. Everything is under my control, and this is the best way I can find for it."

Tang Ze raised his head and looked at Conan, his words sounding sincere.

Tang Ze, who feels deep down that he should be responsible for this, deeply feels that he has shouldered this mission.

This is also why Tang Ze always likes to say that he will be responsible for all the actions of the Phantom Thieves. In Tang Ze's view, it is his unlimited responsibility system that has earned the trust of his teammates and put the "authority" to control these forces in his hands.

Rights and obligations are relative. What Tang Ze means by this sentence is that one must fulfill obligations first before talking about rights.

"I've told you before that Joker was born because of Tang Zezhao. There's no truth to that."

Conan's understanding is not wrong from the implementation perspective. It is indeed Tang Ze who responded to the wishes of these people and gave them power.

Without contact with the cognitive world, no matter how powerful the mask user is, he will not have the opportunity to awaken his true power. While sitting on the JR train to Tokyo, the navigation to the other world that appeared on Tang Ze's mobile phone along with the memories of his past life is the key to unlocking all the subsequent events.

Later members like Hagiwara Kenji often complained that the Isekai Navigation seemed to grow into the phone on its own and would even change along with the device, making it a complete ghost in disguise.

This ghost was born when Tang Zexian took them to understand the world, and was "infected".

He is the starting point, the singularity pointing to the unknown. The stage accident eight years ago, like the Big Bang, became the core that detonated everything.

"It's difficult for me to explain this process to you clearly—of course, not everyone who wants to become like us can become one. The power of cognition requires potential and qualifications—but if you ask me about the relationship between Tang Ze and this power, then my answer is this: its source is absolutely inseparable from Tang Ze. However, I hope you understand that if someone in the organization truly possesses similar power..."

Having said that, Tang Ze's expression froze a little.

His statement was a processed script, but the development he described might have actually happened in the first act.

He really wanted to say...

"...It must have been Tang Ze who did it, but please believe that as long as there is still a glimmer of breathing room, he will not do this. If things go against your wishes, it must be him. There is no choice. Please don't blame him, Detective-kun."

----

"I heard the scenery at the campsite we're going to this time is very beautiful!"

"I really want to get there soon..."

"What's for dinner? How about a barbecue?"

"Don't eat everything in one day..."

"Conan, what about you? Conan, Conan...?"

After calling out several times and seeing that Conan didn't respond, Ayumi stretched out her hand in confusion and waved it in front of him.

"Eh? I, ah..." Conan woke up and raised his head, "I, I'm still curry..."

"You're still eating this while camping. Really?" Ayumi Yoshida shook her head.

"That's because Tang Ze's cooking skills are very good. You'll know if you try it. You will never forget it like Edogawa." Haibara Ai interrupted at the right time to divert the children's attention.

Sure enough, the children's eyes turned to the other side at once.

"Is this the curry made by Karasawa-nii? Wow, I'm really looking forward to it."

"He can cook, too?"

"Of course he will, right? Isn't he living in a cafe now? That's a famous restaurant on Rice Flower Commercial Street..."

"Shh..." Seeing that Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya was still talking excitedly, Ayumi Yoshida raised her finger, "Be quiet, don't disturb him."

The boys squeezed in the front row turned around and saw that Tang Ze had his eyes closed with his head resting on the rear window. They didn't know when he fell asleep.

Conan, who had been in a trance, looked at Tang Ze's profile as he was immersed in sleep, and his mood became even heavier.

Ever since he asked Joker for his answer, he has been absent-minded and couldn't help but think about those words and the content over and over again.

Conan, who had somewhat taken advantage of Goro Akechi's mentality to obtain information, knew very well that if this method was used on someone with a higher bottom line and stronger sense of morality, the other person would fall into a painful abyss.

Moreover, although the organization's plan did not succeed, they still achieved some of their goals in the end.

Hayato Tsuchiguchi suddenly transformed himself into the elite returnee Goro Akechi.

Faced with such torment, Tang Ze held on and did not give in, and finally helped Akechi Goro become Kumail.

It can be seen that the organization's selection of Goro Akechi was a very effective choice, whether it was carefully planned or an accidental success.

The only thing to be thankful for is that the force is mutual.

Tang Ze, who had no friends or family, put up an impeccable resistance, but because of the relationship of guilt and responsibility, his defense was broken, allowing the organization to succeed.

Goro Akechi, who might have made Karasawa change his mind, is also deeply bound by this connection, and instead becomes a nail stuck in the heart of the organization, deeper, stronger, and more hidden than the one stuck by the returning Rena Mizunashi.

Considering his background, no one in the organization would question Kumail's stance, but he turned against them...

"Hey, Edogawa." Seeing that Conan was distracted again, Haibara Ai nudged him with her elbow. "What are you daydreaming about again? You asked me to invite Tang Ze to come camping with us. It's obvious that you want to discuss something with him alone. Why do you seem so afraid to speak now?"

She probably guessed that Conan had been sent to him by the Phantom Thieves one day, and that he had heard some strange statements and was so immersed in his own reasoning that he had lost track of the world.

Alas, Tang Ze is really guilty in this regard...

Conan thought of what Joker mentioned about what Tang Ze might have encountered, and looked away: "No, I just think that he should have a good rest..."

The pure torture alone is enough to make people who know Tang Ze grit their teeth. Using other people's lives to threaten, Tang Ze could only watch innocent people die because of his resistance. If Huibara knew about that kind of thing, she would probably hug Tang Ze and cry, right?

I should finish communicating with Tang Ze first, and then think about how to tell her...

"It seems like you're thinking about something very rude." Huiyuan Ai looked at him suspiciously, "But, lately, I've felt like something's not right. I always feel like someone's watching me, um...it's really weird..."

She had already confirmed that it was not her sister who was peeking at her for no reason, not to mention that she was used to her sister's affairs.

Is someone targeting Ni-chome again? But with Karasawa's manipulations already underway, no force should dare approach this street easily...?

Conan, who was the culprit in a sense and had witnessed the other party installing a high-powered telescope, looked away again with guilt.

Mr. Akai just cares about her and is not a bad person.

They must have just moved to this street and haven't been here long, so they're still in the intelligence gathering stage. I was following them a little too closely, um, yeah, right...