Tokyo Mystery Writers

Chapter 116 Pain and Pleasure

Jiang Liumei relaxed a little upon hearing Otto Penzel's words: "Mr. Otto, are you able to contact Professor Danna in the United States?"

"Ms. Wu Cheng's article, 'The Mystery of the Death Row Inmate,' is absolutely fantastic!"

"I'd like to ask Professor Dana to read 'The Mystery of the Death Row Inmates' and write a few comments on it."

"If—it would be wonderful if Ms. Dana and Ms. Mai could meet!"

Maishiro Kyosuke was eating his favorite roasted pig's trotters when he heard Jiang Liu Meili's words and was immediately stunned.

Because I was so hungry, the temptation of Chinese food was very strong for me!

I was so busy eating that I completely forgot about something so important!

Why didn't I think of using "The Mystery of the Death Row Inmate" to meet with Professor Dana?

It should be noted that this parallel world is almost identical to the previous one. Teacher Danai is already seventy-five years old and will pass away in less than two years.

In other words, this is almost his last chance to see Professor Dana!

Having considered all this, Maijo Kyosuke naturally knew which was more important.

You can eat anytime, but the chance to see Teacher Dana may only come once!

Maijo Kyosuke immediately put down the roasted pig's trotter in his hand and looked at Otto Penzel sitting opposite him with the same expectant gaze as Eri Miri.

I hope Mr. Otto Penzel can help me make connections.

Unfortunately, Otto Penzel looked somewhat troubled upon hearing Jiang Liu's beautiful words: "Teacher Wucheng, Miss Jiang Liu, it's not that I don't want to help you."

"To be honest, even I couldn't find out any news about Professor Dana."

"Since Mr. Ellery Queen passed away in 1971, Mr. Danai has been working as a magazine editor and has never used the pen name Ellery Queen to publish any novels."

"The last time I saw Professor Dana was three years ago, in 1977, when Professor Dana came to Japan and met with Professors Seicho Matsumoto and Tetsuya Namikawa."

"After that, I never heard of Professor Dana again, let alone got in touch with him."

Upon hearing Otto Penzel's words, both Jiang Liu Meili and Mai Shiro Jingjie showed expressions of disappointment.

Compared to Jiang Liumei's disappointment, Maishiro Kyosuke appeared even more sorrowful, because he knew clearly that missing this opportunity would be a permanent regret.

The three masters of the Golden Age of classic detective fiction—Agatha Christie, John Carr, and Lee—have all passed away, leaving only Ms. Dana.

If we wait until Ms. Dana passes away, it will signify the end of an era.

Just as Maijo Kyosuke was filled with regret, Otto Penzel spoke up again: "However—there is another way we can try."

"You can ask Mr. Seicho Matsumoto and Mr. Tetsuya Namikawa."

"They are the last writers to have seen Professor Dana, so they might know where she is. Whether they are willing to tell you depends on your relationship with her."

Jiang Liumei has eyes that can see through people's hearts.

Seeing Maijo Kyosuke beside him, his eyes, initially filled with regret, slowly regain hope.

He naturally knew what Maijo Kyosuke was thinking.

Thinking of all this, Jiang Liu Meili leaned close to Mai Shiro Kyosuke's ear and whispered, "Mr. Mai Shiro, you want to see Ms. Dana, right?"

"Let's go see Mr. Seicho Matsumoto after we're done with this busy period, shall we?"

"Matsumoto Seichō-sensei greatly admires you, Maishiro-sensei; otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to come to the Edogawa Ranpo Ryūshō Award ceremony to present you with the award!"

"Once we find out where Ms. Dana is, let's go see her together!"

Maijo Kyosuke smiled and nodded when he heard Jiang Liu Meili's words.

All of this was observed by Kenzaki Mitsuki, who was sitting to the side.

Because Kenzaki Mitsuki was a big fan of Maijo Kyosuke's novels "A Bellflower" and "The Tokyo Zodiac Murders," she had already arranged for her butler to thoroughly investigate all of Maijo Kyosuke's relationships.

Uncle Uyama Hideomi was fine, but the beautiful magazine editor, Eri Mitsuki, was really an eyesore to Kenzaki!

Seeing her whispering in Maishiro Kyosuke's ear again, Kenzaki Mitsuki felt a pang of sadness and couldn't even eat her meal.

Although he didn't have super hearing, he was able to clearly deduce from the conversation that Jiang Liu Meili and Mai Cheng Jingjie were whispering something.

With these thoughts in mind, Kenzaki Mitsuki secretly made a plan in her heart!

We must find Ms. Dana's whereabouts before Jiang Liumei and Mai Shiro Jingjie do!

Only in this way can I legitimately invite Teacher Wucheng to go on a trip together!

As for Jiang Liumei?

With her around, Teacher Wucheng's attention was drawn to her. How could I take things a step further with Teacher Wucheng?

Kenzaki Mitsuki looked at her wrist, which had been pulled by Maijo Kyosuke, and recalled her "intimate encounter" with Maijo Kyosuke in the hot spring. A fighting spirit appeared on her face.

I'll prove to Teacher Wu Cheng sooner or later that I'm definitely no worse than Jiang Liumei!

The dinner ended in such a "pleasant" atmosphere.

Maijo Kyosuke left the hotel, intending to take a car back to "Chōmei no Yu" (Long Life Bath) for a good rest.

Because tomorrow is Monday, I not only have to continue the book signing for "The Tokyo Zodiac Murders" but also...

He also plans to use "The Convergence" to challenge all Japanese mystery writers in the magazine "Top Hat".

But—as soon as he stepped out of the hotel, Maijo Kyosuke faced a very awkward situation.

Maishiro Kyosuke felt his right arm being softly enveloped, and a faint milky scent wafted into his nose. Turning his head, he saw Kenzaki Mitsuki happily taking his arm: "Maishiro-sensei, shall I take you back to the Longevity Bath?"

"I happen to have a lot of things related to reasoning that I'd like to talk to Ms. Maishiro about alone."

Maijo Kyosuke was still unaware of what had happened.

Her other arm was also grabbed, and the faint scent of blueberry ramune was obviously coming from Jiang Liumei!

"Why don't you ride back in my car, Ms. Mai?"

"After all, I'm the one who always takes you back, and it's on my way."

As soon as Jiang Liumei uttered those words, Maishiro Kyosuke immediately sensed that the milky aroma and the taste of blueberry ramune soda had combined and turned into a strong gunpowder smell!

The smell of gunpowder is too strong!

So intensely concentrated—it made Maijo Kyosuke feel like he could explode the place if he sneezed!

Jiang Liu Meili and Kenzaki Koki each grabbed Mai Shiro Kyosuke's left and right arms, clearly neither of them willing to let go.

Because both of them knew perfectly well what the other was really thinking.

But in this situation, Maishiro Kyosuke, caught in the middle, is in a tough spot.

Normally, if Maijo Kyosuke were to be fought over by two beautiful women, he might feel a little smug, but now he only feels pain.

Because neither Jiang Liu Meili nor Jianzaki Guangxi was willing to let go, and they were both secretly pulling in their own direction, this caused Mai Shiro Jingjie's hidden injury in his ribs to hurt again!

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