After all this time studying Cognitive Science, Conan had crammed enough that he more or less understood what it was.
Not that he understood it deeply, but at least he could broadly grasp the many theories proposed by the Tang Ze couple and how the corresponding pharmaceutical research had been carried out.
Yet that did not resolve many of Conan's doubts, because it still could not explain what exactly was going on with Joker.
Even Conan, who had Tangze and Ai Haibara guiding him and had access to firsthand information, had been left scratching his head over it. The Organization, which had not obtained nearly as much information, might understand it even less than Conan did now.
That only made Akechi Goro's situation even more baffling.
But now, no matter which side it was, they had all indicated in one way or another that their abilities were inseparable from Tangze...
Conan could not help recalling his hypothesis that Joker's abilities might have been grafted from Tangze, along with Tangze and Ai Haibara's habit of always evading the truth whenever Cognitive Science's power was mentioned. His mood inevitably grew heavy.
Forcing down his already whirring, overactive nerves, Conan asked as calmly as he could, "I can understand why, if Tangze were controlled by the Organization, some part of that codename would belong to him. But you said your codename was obtained with Tangze's help..."
"You should stop overthinking things." Tangze shook his head, cutting off Conan's speculation before it could take a dark turn. He continued with the plain truth instead. "And don't get any strange ideas like, 'Tangze is being oppressed by the Organization behind your back'... I told you, my connection with him runs far deeper than you think."
Conan furrowed his brow, clearly unconvinced. "...Doesn't that mean the