"What are you doing here?"

"Someone at the intersection seems to have committed suicide?"

"Didn't someone just die here two days ago and the weekend?"

"What a bad luck! I commute from here every day, why do I choose this place to commit suicide? ”

"I heard that it seems to be a broken love, alas, the current young generation..."

“......”

At the intersection of Twilight Town, passers-by who stopped around whispered and discussed.

By the time Higashinohara and his party arrived by car, the scene of the crime had been cordoned off by the Metropolitan Police Department's search section.

However, the police did not investigate the scene of the crime, and a police officer in the search section wearing a gold-framed red round badge with the words "S1S mpd" on the collar of a suit appeared to be holding a communication machine and asking for assistance.

Higashinohara got out of the station under the cherry blossom trees outside the cordon, and he couldn't help frowning as he stared at the pools of blood on the railroad tracks and the corpses covered with white cloth on the side of the road.

In the same place, there were two suicides in three days, although the town of Twilight was a crossroads with frequent accidents in Takushi Morita's mouth.

But isn't this frequency too high?

So high that even he felt that if there was really a murderer behind the scenes, then the murderer's mood must be very urgent, very urgent, just like a loan shark rushing to collect money at the end of the year.

The politeness and disguise of the past hypocrisy,

None of this is needed at this moment.

But it was a human life, what was it that made him so desperate to kill?

Higashinohara frowned and said nothing.

At this time, there was a commotion outside the crowd of onlookers, and when I looked back, I found that it was a group of reporters carrying long guns and short guns, and I had to sigh in my heart for the sensitivity of the noses of these journalists.

No one paid attention to the suicide in Twilight Town two days ago, but when the suicide happened again in just three days, these reporters sensed that something was wrong faster than the police.

There is a case!

There is definitely a situation!

Even if it's really a coincidence, the festival of the Wano Country reporter can make up more than a dozen versions of speculation for you on the spot, and it would be good if it could win attention, and they wouldn't have to be responsible for wiping their butts afterwards anyway.

Satoru Aragaki seemed to see an acquaintance among the police who blocked the scene, walked over with a smile and pretended to be a passerby to inquire a few words, and walked back after a while.

"They say the trams on this line have been suspended, and it seems that nothing will happen again until the results of the investigation are available."

"Is the tram out of service?"

Higashinohara thought about it and suddenly realized, not to mention anything else, two people were killed in three days, and I am afraid that the shadow area in the hearts of the tram drivers of this line is not small.

"Any other clues?" Higashinohara asked.

Satoru Aragaki shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "There has always been a shortage of forensic doctors in New Tokyo, but even if the autopsy is performed, there is no result, isn't Kame-san's mother?" Fortunately, the third investigation team has taken over, and I hope they can find some useful clues. ”

Speaking of this, Satoru Aragaki suddenly raised his head, rubbing his chin and stubbing his beard to look around at the cherry blossoms blooming on the side of the road at the crossroads.

It was the October cherry blossoms, which belonged to the new horticultural bell cultivated by crossing the cherry blossoms and the bean cherry blossoms and backcrossing them with the cherry blossoms on the other side, and there are two flowering periods a year, and it is now in full bloom in late autumn.

He paused and said, "But the pattern of this crossing... I feel an indescribable weirdness, like... It's like..."

"Like what, boss?" Xia Li asked.

"An altar?"

Higashinohara's eyes flashed slightly.

Smack!

Satoru Aragaki immediately clapped his hands and exclaimed, "That's right! It's the altar, and Higashino-kun's observation is really powerful. ”

It's not that Higashinohara is powerful.

Satoru Aragaki stood at the intersection and looked around, reacting a beat slower.

And Higashinohara has the talent sequence 16 [Nine Eyes and Six Paths], and his 360-degree long-range vision allows him to directly look down on this area, and immediately discovers that the layout of the intersection in Duskbetsu Town is very similar to the small altar recorded in the Wano Country classics.

The four pink October cherry trees at the intersection are like the entrance to the legendary divine realm of Wano Country, which is used to distinguish the divine realm where the gods inhabit and the mundane realm inhabited by humans.

Aragaki Satoru frowned and pondered for a while, then continued to analyze, "Judging from this situation, I am now more and more sure that the bastards in the funeral society are showing some signs of resurgence, those guys are really easy to find, but I didn't expect to send them to the door again." ”

Higashinohara was silent for a few seconds after listening to this, and asked the doubts that had been hidden in his heart since today, "Funeral Society?" If it really is them, what is their purpose in orchestrating these murders? ”

There has to be a motive for killing.

Love killing, vendetta killing, wealth killing, J killing... None of this is in line with the current situation, this funeral society is more like some kind of Z religion organization.

But what are they sacrificing?

What are you seeking?

In this world full of natural abilities, Higashino has been affected by this world for most of the year, but he has never heard of any gods or the like.

If it is true, then his worldview is probably going to be shattered again.

Hearing Higashinohara's words, Satoru Aragaki was also stunned, and after a moment of silence, he said, "I'm sorry I didn't figure it out, although I led people to destroy their dens when I was still in the Metropolitan Police Department, I only noticed that there was something wrong with those suicide cases, and I finally found the organization behind them." ”

"But all the members of the arrested organization died inexplicably within three days, and the only two fish that slipped through the net were the president of the funeral society, the man known as 'The Doctor', and the father of Miss Snake in the bar you just saw."

That's tricky...

Higashinohara sighed, he didn't even know what the other party was asking for, so it was tantamount to the enemy being dark and clear, and he had to be led by the nose every time.

"And now are we?" Higashinohara asked.

"Let's go home first, the trams are out of service today, so there shouldn't be any more incidents."

Satoru Aragaki recalled the past and analyzed, "According to the low-key and concealment of the guys in the funeral society, in just three days, there was such a radical plan to plan and forge two suicides, it must be something inside, and then we will come over once a day, as long as we are at the scene at the time of the crime, we will definitely find something." ”

Hearing Satoru Aragaki's words, Higashinohara had no better way in his heart but to keep up.

......

The group of three got into the van, and just as they got in the car and left, a Metropolitan Police Department car was on its way from the Chiyoda Ward Metropolitan Police Department main store.

In the back seat of the police car sat a man with a rough face and a high nose, who was none other than the captain of the third team of the third investigation team of the Metropolitan Police Department, Rin Nishirin.

The vice-captain next to him, Yu Ogami, suddenly couldn't help but complain, "It's really... Now that the eyes of the whole city are on the industry of the Sigmund Trading Company in New Tokyo, and finally at the end of the year, there is a 'performance', why do we have a third team to investigate what suicide case? ”

Someone next to him chimed in:

"That's right, if you want to say idle, isn't Captain Kimura of the fifth team also idle? Is it because he was born in a famous family in Tokyo... The Criminal Department is really a kind of guy who sees the wind and rudder. ”

Xirin Qiantetsu, who had been closing his eyes and recuperating silently, opened his eyes when he heard the words, and the pair of eight-character sword eyebrows were raised as solemn as swords, and he glanced at the two people beside him.

"Don't talk nonsense, Captain Kimura graduated from a prestigious school, in addition to being the captain of the third team, he is also a senior researcher at the New Tokyo Fruit Research Institute, I heard that there has been new progress in the research institute recently, of course there is no time at this time, and... This time it wasn't necessarily a suicide. ”

"Huh? Isn't it a suicide? ”

Ogami looked down in surprise and rolled his eyes at the file, "The case of the train crash in Dubetsu Town on the weekend is the same as today, isn't it all closed?" You see here... There is also the autograph of Nakagawa, the deputy head of the search section. ”

Someone next to him interjected:

"Nakagawa Tsuru, that guy? I remember that he seemed to be the same student as Captain Kimura of the fifth team, and he was two terms taller than Captain Kimura, but it is said that he was sponsored by the Kimura family when he was in college, and he is a guy with strong business ability, and he is the most powerful contender to search for the next section leader of the first class, so he must have some kind of full confidence that he will close the case so quickly, right? ”

Nishirin Chitetsu recalled the call he had received and shook his head:

"That was before, but today there was another suicide case here, and the Criminal Department suspected that it was the capable person who committed the crime before dispatching us, otherwise it should be someone from the forensic class, and when you get to the end of the scene, you will investigate carefully and don't let go of any suspicions."

Gaps in speech,

The blockade area where police cars are getting closer.

As he spoke, his eyes inadvertently swept over an alley next to him, but in his field of vision, a petite girl was squatting in the corner of the alley, bowing her head and closing her eyes, clasping her palms together and praying for something, in front of her was a posthumous photo and a row of burning incense.

The families of the victims?

Xirin Chitetsu looked thoughtful.

......

Aragaki apartment building.

After returning home, Higashino originally returned to his room, and he was running around on the road for most of the day, but he was not idle, and the little Taidao Erdaoliu swordsmanship had been upgraded to [Elementary 5/10].

What is the level of [primary] of the Sin Manual, Higashinohara is not very clear for the time being.

But now I don't like before, I can only steal the [Lion Appearance] that I secretly figured out after learning with one move, and use the sword as a big stick to smash people purely by speed.

But it's better to see than to practice.

Thinking that next month, Satoru Aragaki will reduce his rent for December, and at the end of the month, his parents in Hokkaido will remit him 100,000 yen for the next month's living expenses, which means that the 500,000 yen in his hands has become discretionary funds.

Men have to be kind to themselves.

Higashinohara gritted his teeth, and after cooking a bowl of ramen and sucking it up, he said to himself three times in his heart, "The ramen tastes good, and the soup base is delicious."

Immediately afterwards, he decisively took the money downstairs and went straight to a nearby weapon store specializing in cold weapons according to the mobile phone map traffic navigation.

After turning around all the way, I finally found this shop in an alley in Shitamachi.

But within a few minutes of Higashinohara entering, he walked out empty-handed.

It's not that there is no small knife he wants to buy, in fact, the quality of the high-tech alloy in this professional cold weapon shop is quite good, second only to the good knife made by the old swordsmith in Kyoto.

But one will cost 480,000 yen, and Higashinohara, who is shy in his pocket, really can't afford it.

However, the owner of the shop was quite nice, and seemed to see that Higashinohara was shy, and recommended him a second-hand cold weapon trading market near Shitamachi.

Higashinohara walked around for about half an hour after entering, and finally stopped at the door of a shop, and after hesitating for a moment after looking at the "year-end clearance sale" hanging at the door, he walked in.

Cheap is not good, good is not cheap.

He understands this truth, but he has no money, so he can only pretend that he doesn't understand.

After entering the door, an old aunt in her fifties immediately greeted her, and her service attitude was more enthusiastic than when she was in the cold weapons store just now, and he estimated that there was also a part of the appearance bonus.

"What kind of weapon does the little brother usually use?"

"Uh... Little knife... Double Blade. ”

"That's not a coincidence!"

The smile on the old aunt's face bloomed like a chrysanthemum, and she led Higashinohara to the shelf, and enthusiastically introduced, "These two small swords were placed on consignment by a guest yesterday, and it is said that they were made by a famous swordsmith in Kyoto, and his consignment psychological price is only 580,000 yen." ”

Higashinohara leaned over slightly and looked at it carefully, the workmanship of these two small knives was indeed very old, without the bright metallic feeling of high-tech alloys, and they belonged to the ancient knives forged by the old swordsmiths.

But in contrast, it has more of the heaviness and condensation of a cold weapon, and the appearance is okay, and the spring water lines at the blade seem to be full of cold light.

The only disadvantage is that the blade is mottled with red rust, and the handle has also taken off some paint, and most of the buyers of ancient knives who pursue quality will probably not choose it.

Higashinohara picked it up and tried it on the weight and feel.,Sure enough, it's a little heavier than the usual wooden knife in the school training ground.,But the feel is more sticky.。

I don't know if it's because of the first time I have my own cold weapon in my past life and this life, Higashinohara was a little reluctant to put it down after picking it up.

He knew that there must be moisture in the second-hand weapon shop, and his face did not show too much eagerness, and after putting down the two small knives, he said, "I like these two knives very much, but in terms of price..."

The old aunt came over, and when she heard this, her face immediately showed embarrassment.

"Guests consign things to us... Theoretically, there is no way to bargain, but I see that little brother, you took a fancy to these two small knives at first sight, and it is also a kind of fate, so I will make my own decisions to make you cheaper... 550,000 yen, I'll explain it to the seller. ”

Higashinohara doesn't believe this, you don't say anything and change the price, saying 580,000 yen to liar the ghost?

He was ruthless, gritted his teeth and reported:

"But I only have 450,000 yen."

Unexpectedly, the voice fell, but the old aunt pretended to be half-pushing and half-struggling, and then 'ruthless and gritted her teeth', "Okay!" 450,000 yen is 450,000 yen! The most important thing in our line of work is the eye, and it's a big deal that I can count them down, but it's always a good thing to be able to sell. ”

"......" Higashinohara.

Hemp eggs!

I knew it was only 400,000 yen.

But at this time, he is not good at doing the kind of thing that says that he has less than 50,000 yen, and it is always a good thing to be able to buy a weapon that can be used, as if he didn't make a "windfall" from his part-time job at the villa dinner that night.

The old aunt of the second-hand weapon shop made a business, and I don't know if it was Oki Higashinohara who was handsome, and she prepared a set for him very intimately - an artificial leather case outside the scabbard.

It looks a bit cheap.

The advantages are... Well, for nothing.

When Higashinohara went out, the old aunt in the store reluctantly waved goodbye, "Little brother is okay to come and see often, I am sure there are new goods that you are satisfied with." ”

Forget it!

Who has the money to come here.

Higashinohara thought ruthlessly as he drew his sword.

......

Twilight quadrangle.

On the way home in the evening.

After Higashinohara walked out of the winding alleys of Shitamachi, he took out his mobile phone to navigate the nearest fastest bus route, but suddenly a news message popped up on the screen after a few steps.

【Twilight Farewell Town!】 Crossroads of Death! ——Today, the second suicide accident broke out in full view! 】

Higashinohara's footsteps suddenly paused.

What's going on?

Didn't Satoru Aragaki say that the train was suspended?

......