Phantom Thief of Heart!but conan

Chapter 928 It’s all a good thing
"Just now, regarding what Mizunashi Reina and the others were talking about, are you okay? Sister Mingmei was very worried about you."

Hoshikawa Teru, who was fixing his hair, paused, turned his head and gave Tang Ze a meaningful look.

He was not surprised that Miyano Akemi told Tang Ze about this. As one of the only two minors in the group, although Hoshikawa Teru himself did not think that there was any difference between him, Tang Ze and other people, whether in what they did or what they thought, he could not stop what others would think.

He was wondering why Tang Ze would come to him specifically to talk about this matter.

"Ah, are you talking about the organizational experiment? Well, it's okay." Hoshikawa Teru straightened and smoothed his striped tie in front of the mirror, and answered casually, "I just haven't thought about those things for a long time. I heard it suddenly and I was a little confused."

He was completing the identity exchange work with Tang Ze on a daily basis.

Karasawa took Mizunashi Rena to Shibuya in the identity of Goro Akechi, and now he naturally boarded the RV in the state of Goro Akechi. According to the rhythm of development, Karasawa should go back to the cafe to briefly introduce the situation to Toru Amuro and communicate the next steps. Then the identity of Akechi will naturally be handed over to him.

What Tang Ze just said was not an excuse. Goro Akechi had a meeting to attend at the office today. Even if he put aside the detective work, there were still some trivial matters that needed to be dealt with.

For example, accepting an interview, taking over a batch of materials transferred from the laboratory, receiving newly applied weapons, etc.

"I haven't asked you in detail. I have roughly understood the experiments you have undergone in the laboratory, but about the training part..." Tang Ze considered his words for a while, "What specific training did you receive, and what did you do afterwards?"

Hoshikawa Teru paused in tidying up his clothes.

He didn't turn his head, but just glanced at Tangze in the mirror. The expression on his face was just as Miyano Akemi had just described, and it became gloomy again.

It was as if some shadows from the past had once again broken free from the skin and surfaced.

Obviously, Tangze asked about the thing that he really wanted to avoid recalling, so Xingchuan Hui, who had not yet escaped from the emotion just now, easily lost control of his expression again.

Although his expression was not looking good, Xingchuan Hui still answered all of Tang Ze's questions truthfully.

"Yes, those trainings are ordinary. Generally speaking, the organization wants to train assassins, especially those of us who have undergone experiments. We basically won't disobey their orders. So even if it's some confidential missions, or cannon fodder missions that require life, there is no need to worry about handing it to a role like me. Physical training, and then, combat, firearms..." He dragged his tone and gradually slowed down his speech. "Seriously speaking, I should thank Shigehiko Tsuguchi to some extent."

Unlike when Karasawa played Kumail, in order to establish his character in the organization, he would use an extremely hateful and emotional tone to describe Shigehiko Tsuchiguchi, who had oppressed him for many years and imprisoned him, and he never hesitated to call him "father" or "dad" with very intimate terms, which even sounded damp and sarcastic. Since Shigehiko Tsuchiguchi's death, Hoshikawa Teru has never called him father again.

He would only address her in a distant and indifferent tone, as if he was talking to a stranger, and swallow his words heavily.

"If I was really just a low-level member with no family background and was controlled by the organization since childhood, I would not have lived to this age. They would not consider whether people like us are capable of certain tasks at our age. Even adults have a high casualty rate and can easily die." As if he had finally adapted to the rhythm of the narration, his tone became straightforward again, and his expression also relaxed a lot. "It was precisely because I had some identity and background, and he wanted to have a killer who was easy to control, that he took me back."

Tang Ze listened and observed his expression without making any noise to interrupt him.

Tang Ze had already seen some of this experience through the hall of Shigehiko Tsuchiguchi.

If you think about it carefully, life after returning to the Tōngguchi family is indeed better than in the organization. Although he is still not taken seriously and not treated normally, Tōngguchi Shigehiko is just a congressman with many bad hobbies. He is indeed greedy for money and lustful, and his behavior is indeed bad. But because of this, the intensity of the conflicts he can be involved in is simply not comparable to that of the organization.

Therefore, Hoshikawa Teru "luckily" reduced the intensity of the task, which made it possible for him to live to the age of 18.

"It's a little easier to work for Shigehiko Tsuchiguchi. He has always relied on his wife's family in his political career, so although he has made enemies, they are not to the extent of causing death. The main work is all about money, and at most people are needed to complete some personal threats. He has more than one mistress, my mother, and he often conflicts with people in this regard..."

Recalling this, he turned his head and looked at Tang Ze.

What happened next was what happened after I met Tang Ze.

"You know what happened next. Compared to your situation, it was all pretty unremarkable."

His tone became calm again, and his facial expression was straightened out. When Tang Ze's gaze swept over him, he even revealed the gentle smile that belonged to Goro Akechi.

Tang Ze silently evaluated it in his mind for a while.

How should I put it? I can’t say that there are no problems at all, but being able to take the initiative to explain and analyze his past to others is already a great improvement for him.

Thinking of the lifeless eyes when he first saw him, Tang Ze nodded secretly.

I can’t say that the therapeutic effect is particularly significant, but at least people look much more normal.

Being able to feel trauma and respond to emotional fluctuations is already an improvement for Xingchuan Teru.

After all, pain is a normal human reaction, an instinct to seek benefits and avoid harm, but in the past, he lacked even this instinct.

"What about now?" Tang Ze asked, "The Phantom Thieves is indeed a pretty good place. For Sister Mingmei, Chengshi and Miss Junhui, it is a good place to heal. But you are different. You haven't lived a normal life for a long time. Is it a good choice for you? I sometimes also..."

"Of course!" Xingchuan Hui suddenly raised his head.

This time his reaction was much more serious than when he just discussed his past life, as if he was afraid that Tang Ze would give him another choice because of this concern.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. You say I didn't have a normal life, but I did. At least I went to school." He spoke a lot faster. "When I lived with my mother, she sent me to elementary school. The conditions weren't very good, but I knew what a normal life was like..."

Tang Ze shook his head: "In your situation, even if you can go to elementary school, your life will not be very satisfactory."

His mother couldn't even speak the language, and she didn't speak much Japanese until she was sent out of Japan by Shuichi Akai. It's easy to imagine what kind of life a woman like her would live, with an illegitimate child whom she dared not let the man know about.

Tang Ze doesn't even need to use his imagination to guess what kind of life Hoshikawa Teru, who doesn't have a normal family and doesn't have much money, will live in a campus environment like this in Japan.

Children who are not taken care of are destined to be outliers among their peers. Children's goodness and evil are pure, as are their instincts and sense of smell. They will quickly distinguish people who are different from themselves, form small groups, and complete conscious or unconscious divisions. Tang Ze has experienced this firsthand.

Xingchuan Hui opened his mouth, unable to refute, so he had to lower his head again.

"Anyway, I think I'm doing pretty good this way." Knowing that he had no chance of winning a verbal battle with Tang Ze, he simply replied in a very stubborn and firm tone, "Life here is very busy, and there are a lot of things to do, but there's nothing wrong with it. I like the Phantom Thieves, I like everyone, and I can help, so this is good."

"Even if you have to stay up many nights for work?" Tang Ze couldn't help but tease him when he saw him say that.

"I don't sleep well even if I don't stay up late." Xingchuan Hui shrugged and told the truth. "I don't know if it's because of the medicine or something else, but my sleep quality is pretty poor. If I'm busy, at least I can rest more easily."

"...You didn't take much of the medicine Shiho gave you?" Although the tone was a question, Tang Ze was quite confident when he said, "You can't avoid seeing a doctor if you don't take the medicine. Who can you blame for your insomnia?"

After Haibara Ai came, as a subject who had undergone experiments, Hoshikawa Teru naturally also underwent her examination.

The conclusion is that even if his nerves controlled by drugs are no longer affected, after all, it has been with him for many years, and the impact left behind cannot be reversed.

Difficult-to-correct emotional problems are just one of them. The severe nightmares and uncontrolled work and rest caused by the excessive activity of the brain affected by cognitive experiments are still a constant presence.

"I don't want to rely on drugs." Xingchuan Hui retorted with a rare firmness, "I have relied on them for long enough."

Although he theoretically understood that the purpose of taking the medicine was treatment, he was still very resistant to the switch from dependence on certain drugs to dependence on another drug.

Read more latest popular novels at 6.9*shuba!

To put it more bluntly, he has taken too much and does not want to continue taking medicine for a long time.

"Okay." Tang Ze took two steps closer and patted his shoulder. "Don't be nervous. Relax. I don't mean to change your mind. If you feel that this state allows you to adapt, then let's do it this way for now."

As for more…

"Hey, why don't you try to travel with us? Not as the Phantom Thieves, but on your own terms."

"……what?"

----

Soon, when Hoshikawa Teru arrived at the office, he understood what Tang Ze meant.

"Are you asking me to capture Kaito Kidd?"

Xingchuan Hui looked at the girl sitting opposite him and widened his eyes slightly.

He was of course very familiar with this person, though not in her current capacity. That was why he was particularly surprised to see her coming here specifically to entrust him with a commission.

"You also know, Ms. Suzuki, I seldom accept this kind of commission which is difficult to succeed..." Putting down the teacup in his hand, he considered for a moment and decided to decline.

Now he finally understood what Tang Ze meant by his previous remarks.

"I know, I know. After all, Kidd is an international thief. It's hard for detectives to have the energy to deal with a target like him..." Suzuki Sonoko put down the notice letter in her hand, revealing a pair of shining eyes, "So my commission is only for this exhibition. After all, this is the first exhibition I'm in charge of, and I don't want any problems..."

Xingchuan Hui laughed dumbly: "But, I remember, didn't you publicly say that you admired Kaito Kidd..."

"The romance between the thief and the girl lies in the fatalistic sense of hostility!" Suzuki Sonoko shook her finger and pointed out seriously, "It is because only when they pass by each other in pursuit and adventure that this kind of encounter is full of attraction..."

"Well..." Hoshikawa Teru, who considered himself a thief, tried hard to maintain an awkward smile.

"Besides, this is my first battle as a collector!" Suzuki Sonoko waved the paper in her hand enthusiastically, "Even Mr. Kidd cannot destroy it!"

When she said that, Xingchuan Hui understood.

Generally speaking, for underage young masters and young ladies of conglomerate families, there are not many opportunities to really get in touch with the family business. Even if they have a sense of career, the projects they can participate in are mostly image projects such as charitable foundations and collection donations.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Suzuki Sonoko, who accidentally made a name for herself in the art world, received a similar commission.

Although the exhibition is still under the charge of professional exhibitors, she only supervises, cuts the ribbon, reviews the theme, keeps track of the project progress, etc., which is also a very important job.

"Okay, I understand your idea." After taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves, Hoshikawa Teru paused and asked tactfully, "However, Ms. Suzuki, you are Tang Ze's classmate, and I know something about you. Why did you invite me instead of Detective Maori?"

This is what Xingchuan Hui is most confused about now.

Suzuki Sonoko was unaware of the true situation of Maori Kogoro. To her, Maori Kogoro, as her best friend's father, should always be her first choice. It was a bit strange to find Akechi Goro, who was more or less a competitor...

"Ah, of course I invited Xiaolan and the others, but I just invited them to come and visit. It's a rare opportunity to have fun, and Uncle Maori might feel pressured to make it so formal." Suzuki Sonoko waved her hand, "Besides, Akechi-kun, you are still more expensive now!"

At this point, her eyes sparkled again.

"Kaito Kidd and Detective Akechi, my god, just thinking about you two being printed together in the newspaper makes my heart surge...My exhibition may become world-famous! No matter how I think about it, it's a good thing!"

After thinking about her logic, Xingchuan Hui, who really couldn't refute it, said: "..."

(End of this chapter)