The Phantom Thief of Heart! But Conan.

"Investigate Interpol? Why investigate that..."

Looking at the email on his phone, Ireland, who was curled up in the back seat of the car, looked around and lowered his voice to confirm with the person on the other end of the phone.

The International Criminal Police Organization, abbreviated as ICPO, sounds like a very big and powerful name, but in fact its role is not the case at all.

First, it does not have direct law enforcement powers, does not participate in any country's actual law enforcement operations, and cannot carry out specific arrests.

Rather than "criminal police", it focuses more on the word "international". It is a police coordination platform for intelligence sharing and technical collaboration among its member states. It cannot intervene in matters related to politics, military or religion, and only assists in investigating transnational criminal offenses to avoid touching on sensitive issues and causing greater disputes.

A normal criminal police officer may only come into contact with them when participating in certain special joint operations initiated by Interpol or participating in international conferences and training. Even in many foreign-related cases, the role he plays is limited.

Not to mention, ICPO's funding relies on allocations from member states and is subject to significant restrictions. It does not have independent armed forces, and its real headquarters only has civilian workers and technical personnel.

ICPO is strong in coordination but weak in coercion. It has a certain influence, but you would be overthinking to think that such an organization would be afraid of them.

"Could it be that there are police officers from ICPO in the organization? How is that possible? Do such people exist? Do they pay for it themselves?" When Ireland said this, his expression had become very strange.

ICPO itself does not have an independent law enforcement team and no police establishment.

In other words, if a person from ICPO also wants to organize an undercover operation, he will have no backup support and no financial assistance, which is basically the same as an independent informant.

If such a person really exists, it would be a bit too curious.

"It's because the ICPO isn't a strong law enforcement agency that it's easily infiltrated," Curacao said calmly. "They're all clerical staff and technicians, so they can only serve as a platform. Maybe Kumail has his eye on their intelligence system."

Although this intelligence system, including the DNA evidence of various international wanted criminals they possess, is not very strong, it is an organization with more than 100 member states after all, so it is somewhat useful.

"That's true..." Ireland shrugged. "Anyway, I don't really understand what he's busy with all day."

Ireland probably guessed that Kumail could even control Scotland, who died three years ago, so he must have very special channels or abilities. Judging from the tasks he received, he might still be independently investigating the Tangze family and the Tangze School closely related to them. But apart from that, he really couldn't see Kumail's purpose.

To be hostile to the organization openly or covertly, the power required to leverage it is too huge. He cannot see what use a little bit of information and technology can be.

"Just go when I tell you to. How come I didn't realize you're such a chatterbox before?" Curacao's voice remained cold, but his tone had become more pointed. "Did you also have so many questions about the missions assigned by the boss when you were in the organization?"

She was indeed shocked by Ireland's appearance, but when she thought about what happened to her, Curacao felt that it was nothing special.

She was shot in the middle of her eyebrows, but nothing happened except a red dot like a scar. Ireland was just shot in the chest and was handed over to Kumail by Gin.

It's just a fatal injury, is it a big problem to survive?

The biggest problem lies in the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and the person who leads them, Tang Ze.

However, there doesn't seem to be much to talk about with Ireland, a Muggle.

"Isn't Kumail just unhappy with the organization's behavior, so he's doing all this on his own?" Ireland was quite calm, not seeming to worry about his colleagues getting in trouble. "He's not that narrow-minded."

Or it could be said that both Ireland and Kumail knew his loyalty was unquestionable, so there was no need to fuss over the details.

Kenzo Masuyama's family is still being well-fed and cared for by Kumail, and Ireland has not developed any rebellious thoughts under the effects of drugs and brainwashing. It makes no sense that they can be attacked.

"Indeed. Even though you were so against him at that time, he still let you survive. I think he is a little too kind in this regard." Curacao is no less aggressive than Ireland.

Ireland also rolled his eyes.

He said that the people in Scotland were so polite and civilized all the time that he was not used to it. It was his colleagues from his former company who made him feel warm and at home.

"Alright, anyway, we're investigating ICPO's recent projects, looking for any major technical initiatives underway, and figuring out the key personnel issues, right?"

"Well, their headquarters is in Lyon, France, so I don't need to give you directions."

"Okay, I understand. Bye."

Hearing the sound of the line being disconnected, Curacao put away his phone and put his sunglasses back on his face.

The scenery of Curacao is indeed beautiful, with bright and colorful colors. She can take many beautiful photos with her mobile phone, but after staying there for a few days, she felt the irrepressible loneliness again.

It's a free and beautiful place, but she doesn't really fit in. Her background and past life have made it difficult for her to adapt to this Latin American island.

What Kumail said was indeed true. For people like them who have been living on the edge of danger for too long, complete freedom is just a concept they yearn for. If they really touch it, they will only get burned.

Their lives are already filled with order and excitement, and they can't stop or be idle.

fortunately……

Curacao looked at the blurry photo in his hand, which had unclear pixels, and silently compared the woman in it with another photo. After a while, he came to a conclusion.

"This is really Binga. Ha, no wonder Kumail said that Binga wouldn't consider returning to the organization in the short term..."

He has been acting as a woman for so long, and although there are no extremely conservative moralists in the organization, it is inevitable that he will be ridiculed when Gin, who has always disliked him, knows about his method of disguising his identity.

The only question, perhaps, is where Kumail got the photo.

Curacao looked at it for a while, then quickly gave up trying to find out more.

"Forget it. Some things are better not to be known so clearly."

Seeing and hearing too much may not necessarily be a good thing. This is probably the only lesson that her organizational life over the years has taught her.

----

"Still want to travel? Are you sure?"

"What's wrong? What's the problem with traveling?"

"No, instead of traveling, I think you should wait until Detective Maori has a new case to investigate, or receives a commission from far away, and then go to another place naturally." Haibara Ai said honestly, "That way, in the end, you can't relax and end up going on some new adventure, which will be a little comforting."

"Is it because transportation costs are cheaper this way?" Conan touched his chin and asked uncertainly.

"Because the results are almost the same anyway. It's better to just go for the case from the beginning." Haibara Ai answered matter-of-factly.

If you prepare for a long time and run out excitedly, but then encounter a case, get involved, or get injured, it will feel like a complete loss.

Anyway, the results of both are roughly the same.

"You make it sound like every trip ends like this."

"Isn't it?" Huiyuan Ai asked back, "Since I came here, no, to be more precise, since you became like this, have you really done any pure travel activities?"

She had heard everything from her sister about what they had experienced in Izu when she arrived in Tokyo.

Although in the end a guy like Jiang Yuan Shi Nan who had no bottom line was taken away by the organization, it was considered a relatively acceptable ending, it cannot be denied that this matter was somewhat influenced by the detectives.

"When I went out traveling before, it was obviously just normal fun. You are prejudiced against detectives." Conan protested, "If you insist, it's when I went out with Tang Ze, or when I met Tang Ze... Huh?"

Yes, that’s true.

When he traveled in the past, including visiting his parents in the United States and going on vacation to Hawaii, everything was very normal. He would occasionally encounter some cases, but they were not major cases.

In addition, Kudo Shinichi was not as famous as he was later. His father, Kudo Yusaku, a famous mystery novelist and a highly intelligent person, was far more famous than him. Even if there was any situation, it would not be his turn to deal with it.

On the contrary, after meeting Tang Ze, he really hasn't experienced any serious travel.

It's not just traveling, even if they don't travel far, whenever they go out within the Tokyo area, some difficult and complicated cases will occur.

This proves that...

"The real variable is Tang Ze, right?" Conan said sincerely, "If you must find one among us who has the potential for an event, Tang Ze is much more likely than me."

Although there are occasional incidents where something goes wrong even when Tang Ze is not present, when Tang Ze is present, the incidents are always particularly serious.

And the one who is affected the most is often Tang Ze himself. Ever since Tang Ze started to join in the action, it seems as if all the bad guys' attention is attracted to Tang Ze alone, and they always target Tang Ze to cause trouble.

And the few times he was in danger later, such as the bombing caused by Moriya Teiji, it was when Tang Ze was not present...

No, I can't think about it any further. The more I think about it, the more I feel that they brought Tang Ze along on the trip, as if they were using Tang Ze as some kind of taunting shield.

"...I don't deny this possibility either." Huiyuan Ai glanced at Conan, raised her eyebrows meaningfully, and silently turned a page of the magazine, "So I am even more opposed to you taking Tang Ze with you."

Based on Tang Ze's special abilities and personality, she could already guess what Tang Ze was doing.

Whenever something happens to Tang Ze, it is nothing more than that Tang Ze either needs to switch identities to create a reasonable alibi for himself, or Tang Ze predicts the means of certain people and is prepared to rely on his high performance to prevent these problems from falling on others.

Just like what happened with Scobin, if it weren't for Tang Ze, that group of greedy antiquities dealers would have had no guard against Pu Siqinglan, a seemingly weak and harmless woman. How many of them would have survived her hands in the end?

Strictly speaking, we cannot blame Edogawa Conan entirely. Even the lid of the coffin cannot suppress Karasawa's subjective initiative. But after all, if these detectives don't take the initiative to take work for themselves, why should Karasawa go to so much trouble?

So no matter how you look at it, the detective has to bear some responsibility.

"Ha, but this time, we really have to ask Tang Ze to go with us." Conan scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly.

"...Why?" Haibara Ai had just picked up the magazine and was carefully reading the release notes about a limited edition jewelry. When she heard what Conan said, she rolled her eyes.

There are only a few reasons why the detective insisted on having Tang Ze present. No matter which one, it is not a good idea to bring Tang Ze along.

Because Tang Ze is definitely going to change his identity and do something. Then, he'll have to put on a new show for the detectives, and end up getting hurt or in trouble...

"Uh, because this time we are going to Kyoto..." Conan said uncertainly under Haibara Ai's sharp gaze.

Tang Ze repeatedly emphasized that he had lived in Kyoto for many years, but because of the organization's constant surveillance, his scope of activities was very limited, so he was not considered a real Kyoto resident, but that was Tang Ze's hometown after all.

After all, as a native Kyoto person, he should be more familiar with Kyoto than these Tokyo people, right?

Although, this is actually a request that Kogoro Mouri received...

Huiyuan Ai sat up a little straighter, her expression becoming serious: "Are you going to take Tang Ze back to Kyoto?"

"Yeah, now that it's not that difficult for Tang Ze to apply to leave Tokyo, I think..." Conan turned his head and glanced in Tang Ze's direction, lowering his voice, "It's time."

Hattori Heiji traveled back and forth between Osaka and Kyoto so many times for the Karasawa case that the police in Kyoto were familiar with him. He finally pushed the case forward step by step to its current progress.

They cannot produce any proof that the case is a complete fabrication and frame-up, but the prosecutors and lawyers involved all have problems, and the police officers handling the case have disappeared or been transferred. This is also an indisputable fact.

One fact that the Kyoto Metropolitan Police Department cannot deny is that there is definitely something fishy about this case, and the person involved in the case, Karasawa, has indeed experienced a lot of unfair treatment.

Even if it is not possible to clear all the troubles for Tang Ze at this time, for the violence he suffered before and for the difficulties this unjust, false case has made Tang Ze's life more difficult, we should apologize to Tang Ze and give him some compensation, right?

At the very least, we cannot allow the rumors about him to continue spreading in his former high school and social circle.

Oh, by the way, have the insurance money and compensation for the fire in his house arrived?