Ke Xue: I picked up a bottle of sherry at the beginning.

"How can it be?"

"But, Officer Bai, how did the murderer get to and from the study?"

"This is also very simple. The murderer used the connecting corridor in the middle."

"What did you think you were going to say? It's just nonsense!"

"Is that so? But apart from this theory, wouldn't it be even more absurd and ridiculous if the murderer flew into the air?"

"But Officer Bai, there was no one passing through the corridor at that time, and you were also in the living room, so you should be able to see it clearly, right?" said Hamura.

"There's still one person—" Izumi's voice paused: "Yes, the murderer is—Tadokoro Toshiya! It's you!"

"Tanoko!?" Hamura was so shocked that his glasses almost fell off, Doi almost fainted, and Mrs. Torakura was shaking her head desperately.

Tansho wasn't panicked at all: "How, how could it be? What are you talking about!? When I got to the study, the wooden stake that was used as the murder weapon was still in the collection room! Right?"

"Quan Yi, didn't we watch it together?" Mingmei said.

"Akira, what we saw was just a very sophisticated imitation."

"Counterfeit?"

"Yes. When Mr. Tadokoro went to the collection room to get the film tapes, he deliberately invited us to see the fake stake so that he could use us to prove that the murder weapon was still in the collection room. Then, after killing Mr. Torakura, he used the real stake that he had hidden in the study. He pretended to check whether the doors and windows were locked. Then he stole the fake stake from the collection room."

"But, Officer Bai, do you have any evidence to prove that the wooden stake is fake?"

Quan Yi threw the wooden stake at the door with a "bang".

"This is……"

"It's very delicate, isn't it? It's indeed very similar. The bloodstains are painted with oil paint. Mrs. Torakura often paints with oils, so it's not difficult for her to get the oil paint."

"¨" Mr. Tadokoro..."

Tanosho remained silent.

Hamura was still confused: "Officer Bai, even if he really used the corridor to go back and forth between the study and the hallway, how did he get in and out? The door was locked from the inside, so he couldn't have gone out through this door again. If he went out through the window, how did he use the corridor to get back to the living room? There are no footprints in the snow except in front of the window."

"The footprints in front of the open window were deliberately placed by Mr. Tadokoro." Izumi shrugged. "In fact, Mr. Tadokoro entered through the main gate and finally came out through the main gate."

"Then tell me, how did I lock the door from the outside?" Tansho looked at Izumi with a cunning look.

"To lock the door, there's no need for any special method. Just use that projector over there!"

"Projector?" Everyone was puzzled.

"You, what are you talking about? How could the projector lock the door?" Tansuo lost his temper.

"Mr. Tansho, I already know what happened and why you shone the light on the corpse."

"Isn't his goal to make this case look like the final scene of a movie?" Doi interjected.

"No, you're wrong. He shone the light on the corpse because he moved the projector. His real purpose was just to conceal this action!"

"What's the real purpose?"

"This time, his trick requires moving the projector to the front door, otherwise it won't work. However, if we just move the projector, his trick will be quickly exposed. So, he deliberately focused the light on the victim's body, making everything look like a reenactment of the movie plot, in order to divert our attention. Now I'll show you. Mingmei, come and help me!"

"No problem." Mingmei nodded.

"First, you pull about five meters of film off the projection tape."

"it is good!"

"Next, place some clear tape on the front of the film. Once that's done, you'll drop the film over the pole with the black curtain in front of the door and place the tip against the lock."

After a busy period, Mingmei shouted: "OK! Quanyi, the preparations are complete!"

"Mingmei, turn on the projector now."

"Okay!"

As the projector started to turn, everyone was surprised to see the locked door actually open with a "click!"

I really want to do it in public

"So, Mr. Tadokoro locked the door." Izumi shook his head slightly. "But Mr. Tadokoro overlooked one thing. When the film was rolled up, the transparent tape unconsciously stuck to the rod holding the black curtain, leaving a clue. And there are some small square marks on this transparent tape. These are the perforations of the film, that is, the traces of the small square holes on the film. Mr. Tadokoro, do you have any other explanation for why the transparent tape with the film perforations on it stuck to the rod holding the black curtain?"

"This, this..." Tansho finally broke out in a cold sweat.

"You should tell everyone the real truth, right? Actually, when you found the body, you already told everyone you were the murderer!" Quan Yi pressed on. "You told everyone back then that you heard the sound of a projector coming from the study. That's suspicious. The crack in that door was already coated with soundproof rubber, so how could you still hear any noise from the room? You knew the projector was running in the study. Why don't you try it? Close the door and go outside to see if you can still hear the projector?"

"Ah, that's right! I killed him!" Tian Suo knew that he could not hide it anymore, and said with a fierce look in his eyes.

"What!?" Everyone was shocked.

"But why? If you kill Mr. Torakura, won't your sister..." Mingmei asked.

"My sister... Kaori died a year ago!" Tansho's eyes were filled with tears.

"How could it be!?"

"Torakura didn't let Kaori receive treatment at all! He bribed the attending police officer and deliberately didn't allow Kaori to receive treatment, as long as she could be kept alive. Kaori was hospitalized to prolong her life... However, I didn't expect that this would make Kaori's condition worse, and she died just like that! I only really found out about this a month ago. Torakura had been planning to hide my sister's death... He also told me that he would transfer her to a better hospital in the United States, and I was deceived by him all the time! But, a month ago... the nurse who was responsible for taking care of Kaori couldn't help it anymore, so she secretly ran to tell me about this. Before Kaori died, she kept calling my name... If she could receive treatment... If she could receive good treatment, she wouldn't have died! Kaori was killed by Torakura! So... I... Woo——!" Tansho knelt on the ground, crying loudly.

Everyone felt sad, even Xiao Ai couldn't help but be moved.

It's said that once a vampire sucks their blood, they too will become a vampire. Mr. Tadokoro also unknowingly became a vampire, a vampire accused of murder...

Quan Yi sincerely hopes that there will be fewer people like Torakura.

……

Just last week, as a precautionary measure against a major earthquake, the Metropolitan Police Department conducted "training" from top to bottom, and Qin Xuan was no exception.

This is in preparation for a major earthquake, when all transportation shuts down, leaving even cars unable to drive. But a journey that normally takes only 20 minutes straight by subway now takes three hours. While it's a good workout, what will happen if an earthquake strikes and everyone in the Metropolitan Police Department is exhausted?

"Director, it's quite convenient. Even if we walk, we can get there in fifteen minutes."

—Unmindful of his subordinates’ complaints, the Superintendent enthusiastically presented his latest haiku, which he was proud of, to his exhausted subordinates:

"We are always prepared for a major earthquake whenever it strikes."

Not to mention that a haiku isn't a haiku without a word to describe the season, saying "come anytime" isn't a good thing—countless people were secretly grumbling, but as the administrator, Qin Xuan could only applaud with a convulsive smile. Compared to a real earthquake, it's better to stop training early, but...

Baiquanyi's gaze suddenly turned away - a lady came to the aisle next to me.

A true beauty, she commanded the admiring gazes of the surrounding passengers. She had supermodel height, artistic curves, and a beige summer suit that looked like a high-end product. She had short, brown hair, and sunglasses perched on a perfectly shaped nose. She was clearly looking down at me.

Before I could speak, the beauty leaned close to my face and whispered:

"The night of the lunar eclipse."

"what……?"

Ignoring Bai Quanyi's stunned expression, she continued quietly:

"Emerald Tower, Shadow of the Werewolf."

"that……"

"The Marquis of Marbach's suicide note was written entirely in human blood..."

After finally adjusting his posture, Bai Quanyi replied in a rather stiff voice:

"What on earth are you kidding? The other passengers are watching. Please stop making trouble."

The beautiful woman wearing sunglasses straightened up slightly, clicked her tongue, took off her sunglasses, and stared at me with her bright and beautiful eyes as if unhappy.

"Really? You have no sense of humor at all. It's so hard to create a little bit of a train travel atmosphere, but you really don't understand your boss's painstaking efforts at all!"

That's right, this beauty is Shiraizumi's boss, her name is Yakushiji Ryoko. It's just that the relationship between superiors and subordinates is not enough to describe, but now it has developed into a harmonious sex life. Shiraizumi has to go to Yakushiji Ryoko's office from time to time to serve her. Although it is very hard work, Shiraizumi loves his job very much.

Shiraizumi Masu stood up from his seat and asked Ryoko to take the window seat. The beautiful boss sat down with almost a "whoosh".

"I'm sorry, but this isn't the Orient Express of the 1820s, it's the Nagano Shinkansen of the 21st century. It's just a metal box with windows that can't even be opened, and it has nothing to do with the nostalgia or passion of travel. It's just a box that can move a lot and get you to your destination in a flash."

"I know it!"

Bai Quanyi's boss crossed his arms in his seat - with such long legs, they would have to be crouched there in a very awkward position between the seats in an ordinary carriage, right?

"I didn't realize you'd take a train... What's going on?"

"What? Is it abnormal for me to take the train?"

"That's not what I meant, but I thought you were going to drive to Karuizawa."

Shiraizumi's mind flashed with the image of Ryoko driving a crimson JAGUAR recklessly on the highway - no, speeding.

"I had completely forgotten that it's time for the annual vehicle inspection."

"Oh, I see."

"But you own more than one car, don't you?"

"Don't keep asking questions!"

"That's not a question."

"That's a lot of nonsense. Anyway, there's a reason!"

Ryoko's gaze drifted out the window. What was the reason? It couldn't be to eat a station bento, could it? Karuizawa was only about an hour's drive away.

Shiraizumi pondered this, but expressing any of his speculations would likely displease his superiors, so he remained silent. Outside the window, the flat terrain stretched endlessly across the outskirts of a vast city.

About halfway between Omiya and Takasaki, Shiraizumi Masu said:

"So, what did you ask me to do?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Liangzi put her slender hands around Qin Xuan's neck and blew into his ear.

"Is it about the case? Did you go to Nagano Prefecture specifically for the case?"

Baiquan Yi was so tempted by Ryoko that he seemed to have done something to Ryoko Yakushiji, but this was a public place and he couldn't do that.

To be squeezed dry

"That's not the case."

"What's that for?"

"Needless to say, vacation! I've already taken my vacation and am going to my villa in Karuizawa, specifically asking you to accompany me. Why don't you thank me?"

"Then I will be squeezed dry by you."

"Oh, how come you don't understand how considerate your boss is to you!"

Ryoko not only blew in Baiquanyi's ear, but also came close to him and rubbed against Qin Xuan.

"Thoughtful? That's wonderful."

"It's so thoughtful of me to rescue you from that scorching hell of Tokyo and let you go on vacation to Karuizawa, where the climate is cool and the scenery is beautiful!"

Bai Quanyi guessed that his daily work from now on would be to do it with Ryoko. They had unknowingly developed this kind of relationship, and he didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

The train had arrived at Takasaki Station and soon continued on its journey, heading from the plains to the mountains.

Upon arriving at his destination, a refreshing cool breeze immediately enveloped Shiraizumi's entire body—as expected, natural cool air is better. The air flowing through the Shinkansen car earlier couldn't be called cool air; it was just "cold air" at best.

Shiraizumi was carrying his travel bag in one hand and Ryoko's Italian luxury leather bag in the other. He was following Ryoko towards the elevator when suddenly:

“MiLady!

Two figures stood beneath the highland summer sky, waving at us. Their fresh beauty seemed to add a touch of fragrance to the cool breeze. Both were dressed in T-shirts and hot pants, perfectly suited to the highland weather—and I was no stranger to them.

"It was Marianne and Lucien who called us, wasn't it?"

"Of course. How could we leave them both in Tokyo, which is like a tropical night!"

Black-haired Marianne and chestnut-haired Lucien were both Ryoko's maids, specifically responsible for taking care of her daily life. Although these two Parisian girls had angelic smiles, they were actually geniuses in weapons and electronic mechanics, and their kung fu skills were enough to take on a dozen weak and useless men.

"I plan to keep them both in Karuizawa until the end of September. The lingering summer heat in Tokyo is quite stubborn!"

The two maids who regarded Ryoko as a god and called her "my mistress" also smiled warmly at Shiraizumi Masu.

The gazes from all around him were like needles pricking Bai Quanyi's skin - needless to say, they were the envious and jealous gazes of his Japanese friends. Bai Quanyi had this experience frequently and was used to it.

Japan didn't originally have a tradition of "escaping the summer heat." Throughout history, even the most powerful figures worked up a sweat in excruciatingly hot summers. Neither Ashikaga Yoshimitsu nor Toyotomi Hideyoshi considered building luxurious villas on Mount Rokko. Karuizawa, Hakone, and Lake Chuzenji in Nikko weren't "discovered" by foreigners as summer retreats until the Meiji era.

Exiting the ticket gate, right is south, left is north, and the directions are as they are. Ryoko turned left without hesitation. The north exit used to lead to a villa district and shopping streets, while the south exit led to a massive shopping mall and golf course.

It wasn't summer vacation yet, so there were few elementary and middle school students around, but there were already many men and women milling about. A group of middle-aged women, seemingly headed for the shopping mall, were bustling about, moving towards the south exit. We followed them in the opposite direction, descending a wide spiral staircase and arriving at the square in front of the station.

Karuizawa encompasses a vast area. The traditional area dating back to the Meiji era is known as "Kyu-Karuizawa," stretching from the JR Nagano Shinkansen's north exit to approximately two kilometers north. From there, approximately three kilometers west, the area north of Naka-Karuizawa Station is considered "Naka-Karuizawa." The area south of the JR lines is "Minami-Karuizawa."

The area up to this point is considered Karuizawa Town in Nagano Prefecture, but heading north, past the eastern foothills of Mount Asama and up to Naganohara Town in Gunma Prefecture, this stretch is considered "North Karuizawa"—in other words, North Karuizawa is actually in Gunma Prefecture. (Translator's note: So the Gunma Prefectural Police also appear in the Karuizawa case in Conan...orz) So, it seems that there's no "East Karuizawa" in the old Karuizawa area, but for this villa district with ancient traditions and noble pedigree, other places are just "fake Karuizawa."