Chapter 6 chapter Five

On the dirty glass door, only cigarette grease and dust adhered to the surface of the oil film, which turned into beautiful amber under the subtle light. Kiba lay on the bar counter, only looking at it dimly. The shop is dark and extremely warm, and at the same time it gives people a sense of security and discomfort of being immersed in warm water. The proprietress has the appearance of a Siamese cat. She stared at Kiba with sharp but kind eyes, smiled and filled him with cheap cold wine silently. Kiba raised his head on the bar, picked up his glass and asked, "How old are you?" The proprietress looked at Kiba this time with a slightly sad gaze, and only smiled at the corner of her mouth and said, "Why? Can I ask a woman her age?"

"Ha, pretending, it's the first time I've heard you're a woman, you bastard." Kiba cursed unnecessarily, drank his drink in a rude gulp, and fell down again. This is a hotel on the outskirts of Ikebukuro, and Kiba is the only guest. The name of the store is "Maomu Cave".As indicated by the word "dong" in the name of the store, this is a small restaurant located in the basement without seeing the sun.It has been in operation for seven or eight years since it opened after the war.The boss is a very young woman. Although she is young, she has been here when she opened the store, so she should be over 30 years old, but because of her baby face and flexible expression, her age is blurred.The word "Cat's Eye" in the name of the store is taken from the fickle expression of the proprietress like a cat's eye.

Everyone calls the proprietress Ah Run or Runzi.No one knows her real name, nor her past and age. Kiba was a regular at the store—a regular who didn't come very often. In fact, Kiba seldom came, but every time he came, he acted as if he had just been here yesterday.The proprietress was the same, even though Kiba didn't come until a year later, she spoke to him as if he just came this morning. Kiba is now at a loss as to what to do next. The state of uncertain course of action made him extremely painful. Although Kiba is huge, his hands are dexterous; he looks fierce, but his brain moves quickly.Still, he was a slow-witted fool who couldn't find anyone to discuss things with.Although his friends would understand his troubles, Kiba couldn't feel his friends' consideration for him, and he was always confused by himself.At times like this, Kiba would always visit this store as if suddenly remembering it.

— darn thing. He didn't know what he was cursing. Kawashima Xincheng became a wanted criminal and was listed as an important person involved in the Zuomen Ding murder case.Because Kiba was an old friend of Kawashima, he was removed from the main force of the search.This is impossible. —ask the woman...ask the spider. What is this asking me to ask? The contact information of "Spider Messenger" that Maejima Sadasuke copied down was the phone number of the Cavalry Film Company.Kawashima strangled the woman's neck in front of the Yotsuya Department detective who was watching, and fled without success.Kawashima Shinzo is 99% related to Maeshima Yachiyo's murder.

--but. Kiba always felt unhappy. The problem is not whether the object of his suspicion is a friend, or whether he can't find the motive for the murder.No matter how gentle a person's personality is, it cannot be determined that he will never kill someone.The same is true for motivation, as long as you get to the bottom of it, you may not be able to find it.only…… Kawashima even disclosed his own contact information, what exactly is he trying to negotiate with Maeshima Yachiyo?If the purpose was to kill people, would he reveal his identity so rashly?It's so casual.If Kawashima is the murderer, it can only be said that it was a sudden murder.

From Sadasuke's testimony, it can also be inferred that there seems to be some secret negotiation between Kawashima and Yachiyo.If the conversation on the phone was as what Zhensuke said, then the negotiation must have hit the rocks.Zhenfu said that they were negotiating the amount of buying and selling sex.But this is just Zhensuke's opinion, and it should generally be inferred that it was an act of intimidation at that time.So even if there are traces of sexual intercourse, the secret meeting between two people is not to buy or sell sex, the original purpose should be to negotiate, right?The murder of a prostitute by a guest is puzzling, but the situation is different if it is blackmail.Negotiations might break down, the two would quarrel, and then kill someone—if this happened, Kiba would accept it.

--But…… It does not appear to be the case. And whether it was an impulsive murder or a premeditated murder, Kawashima should know better than anyone that his identity would be found out by the police in a short time.However, Kawashima did not take any countermeasures. Not only that, he also went back to the Cavalry Film Company nonchalantly. It's too weird to say the least. Kawashima didn't know that Zhensuke had copied his contact information - of course he didn't know.But Kawashima probably wasn't sure that Yachiyo would never disclose his number to others.Moreover, the sachet left by Yachiyo at the scene contained the paper on which the contact information was copied.This is no longer carelessness, but stupidity.

The detective from the Yotsuya Bureau who looked like a salamander—I heard that his surname was Shichijo—had come to the Cavalry Film Company a little earlier than Kiba’s arrival, and he said that there was nothing wrong with the atmosphere at that time.Just when the police were about to break in, the woman—the woman who was suspected of being a whore—went in swearing.Therefore, Qitiao criminal police decided to stand still for the time being and wait and see the situation.The arguing continued for a while, because the situation was very wrong, the police opened the door to check, and it turned out that Kawashima was strangling the woman's neck.

According to Shichijo's report, when Kawashima saw the policeman break into the door, he immediately showed a shocked expression, maintained the posture of strangling the woman's neck, and his whole body froze as if he was thinking about something. Kawashima didn't move, so the detective just stared at him and approached him slowly. ——Are you Shinzo Kawashima? ——Damn guy, an active criminal who attempted murder! —Let go of that woman!Come with us to the office! ——You are suspected of killing Maeshima Yachiyo! Hearing this, Kawashima showed an expression of enlightenment, suddenly pushed the woman away, kicked over the table and chairs, ran away, and then bumped into Kiba.Kiba must have entered the building when Kawashima froze and confronted the detectives.The woman's scream heard by Kiba was caused by Kawashima's riot when he killed his way out.

Kiba was very concerned about Kawashima's instant expression that the detective said. What did Kawashima think of, what did he suddenly realize... that he escaped? Kiba felt that something was wrong. --Not only that. Return to the scene, unnecessary secret rooms, and... --sunglasses. Afterwards, Kiba always carried those sunglasses with him. --evidence. Several sets of fingerprints were collected at the scene, and of course many fingerprints believed to be Hirano's were also found. But... Hirano was not there. No, this definitely does not mean that Hirano has an alibi.It was only because Hirano did not leave the scene that he was judged not to be there.then……

Aoki's opinion attracted attention. Could it be that Hirano wasn't the killer of the eye-shattering incident at all?Could all the fingerprints left at the four scenes belong to Kawashima?Since Kawashima was the only one who left the scene, doesn't this prove that Kawashima is the real beholder? To make matters worse, the police judged that the weapon used to kill Maeshima Yachiyo was the same as the other three murder weapons.Not the same shape of the murder weapon, but the same murder weapon. Kiba didn't know the basis of the police's judgment, and he didn't intend to ask. In this way, in the blink of an eye, all the evidence was against Kawashima.Not only is it unfavorable, the incident in Zuomen Township was done by the murderer of the other three murders, and the murderer in Zuomen Township was Chuan Dao, so Chuan Dao was the eye-broken demon—this kind of rough and sloppy three-paragraph argument has almost been exhausted. It became a conclusion deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. It's just that the police have long disclosed the Hirano murderer's statement to the public, and the incident has already caused a lot of trouble in the city. If the police now overturn the previous statement, it feels too rash.And if Hirano is really innocent, it will turn into a human rights issue. Obviously, the police will be criticized by public opinion.I don’t know if the police think that since they will be accused, it’s better to wait until the murderer is arrested, or because Kawashima is not the real murderer. Kawashima's name was not released.In order not to repeat the mistakes that Hirano made at that time, the police did not dare to act rashly, and after careful consideration, they made such an arrangement. Because the police are walking on eggshells, Kiba feels even more unhappy. If you don’t know, just post it honestly and say you don’t know? On the contrary, if there is a basis to conclude that Kawashima did it, it would be fine to say no.Kiba deeply believes that if the police are hesitant, what should the people believe?Undecided, how can crime be prevented?He even thought a little too radically that the court was responsible for the trial after all, and the police officers were soldiers at most, so those who were so cowardly would not be able to maintain social order.Of course, this is all due to inexplicable frustration. ——I always feel something is wrong. Kiba felt that fingerprints alone were outrageous. Of the many fingerprints left at the Cavalry Films studio, not even half matched the previously taken fingerprints believed to be those of Hirano—the ones the police now believe to be Kawashima.It doesn't make sense any way you look at it, doesn't it? On the contrary—and it would be strange to say the opposite—the numerous fingerprints taken by the Cavalry Film Company matched one of Yotsuya's more sensitive sets of fingerprints, and the police believed that it was not Hirano's fingerprints—Kawashima's fingerprints. Kiba believes that since this is the case, logically speaking, the fingerprints of the cavalry film company should be Kawashima's fingerprints, and the fingerprints that were believed to belong to Hirano in the past should still be Hirano's fingerprints. But the police just don't seem to think so. The police reasoned as follows: The reason why Kawashima's fingerprints cannot be found in the Cavalry Film Company must be because Kawashima wiped them off.Another fingerprint found at the murder scene was pasted on it before, in other words, it should have been pasted on by someone from the Cavalry Film Company when he went to buy sex and used the shop that sold spring accommodation.Or, it hints at the possible presence of another accomplice... ——Exaggerated words. In fact, Rider Films' fingerprints were swabbed all over the place, and still quite a few prints were collected.Kiba thinks, then it should not be wiped off on purpose, but just wiped off together when cleaning.In fact, the superintendent of the building testified that he had cleaned it.I heard that Kawashima asked the administrator to help him clean the room twice a week, and the administrator had just cleaned it that afternoon.Kawashima was not there at that time, and there was no one in the room. Kawashima didn't come back until after the administrator had wiped the furniture in the afternoon, so it was impossible to leave too many fingerprints.On the contrary, it is reasonable to say that the fingerprint with the largest number belongs to Kawashima. Moreover, the careless murderer has left a bunch of fingerprints at the crime scene, so what's the use of wiping off the fingerprints at the hiding place?No, is it possible for people to be so dexterous that they can just pick out their own fingerprints and wipe them off in daily life? ——This is an explanation that comes first with a conclusion. Kiba thinks the forecast is valid.There are also appearances in events, as long as you see that face, you will be able to see through the inappropriate makeup at once.But Kiba's prediction was based on the temperature he felt on his skin and the smell he smelled when he went around, not reason.What the theory on paper draws out is not so much a prediction as it is more like a tentative conclusion. If such a conclusion is taken as the premise, handling the case cannot conform to human nature First, there should be a big framework like this—theoretical assumptions, and then select the appropriate facts to put them in, and put some fallacies on the parts that don’t match, and exclude them to prove the integrity of the assumptions—this method is indeed very useful. efficiency.But Kiba didn't like this practice of ignoring small contradictions in order to correct huge falsehoods. The hypotheses derived from the theory are similar to the predictions derived from intuition, and indeed they are, rather the latter is weaker because it is unreasonable.But Kiba is obsessed with its weak position. For Kiba, forecasting is like a cover. Kiba believes that as long as the police officer's belief is a cover, it is more than enough.He felt that it was best for a public servant to be honest and upright, but he didn't have to be an idealist at all.Because he believes that the police have already held high the banner of a monster like society that does not know whether it really exists, and acted recklessly relying on state power. If they are armed with theory, it is too much. Kiba also believes that there must be no ideological background behind the theory. If a prediction is based on a theory of someone's mind, it doesn't qualify as a prediction at all.Because even if it is contrary to reality, it must be some kind of ideal conclusion.Kiba felt that a mere policeman and unfounded bravado would suffice. And the more detailed the reason behind it, the easier it is for the search to hit the rocks when the theory contradicts.Even if you want to modify it, the principles and principles established once are very difficult to change. Whether it is denied or affirmed, the principles at the beginning will definitely affect the end.But this is not the case with trivial predictions, which can be withdrawn at any time during the search.The work of the criminal police does not require solid reasoning, a search is a search, and there is no other way but to handle the case with two legs. So the accumulation of trivial facts is all the more important.If you forget this, you forget what you are doing.Scattered and insignificant incidents paint the full picture of events and allow Kiba to make effective predictions. That's why Kiba cares about small things. — This is self-defense. It's useless to say anything. Kiba finally had no choice but to stick his face on the dirty bar that smelled of damp wood like this, babbling endlessly. "Why are you so listless? Ah Xiu..." Ah Run said coquettishly, "...Is it a woman?" "It's long-winded." Even a woman is a dead woman. "Are you... thinking about that woman again?" "Which woman is that woman?" Kiba raised his square face.Jun's eyes sparkled, and he said, "That's the female star." She seemed to be talking about the movie actress Kiba had a crush on. "...She is not a female star, but a female prisoner." "What a joke, it's all the same. Aren't they all unattainable romances? There's never been a more unsuitable couple than you and him." "You ugly bastard, you are really long-winded. You are also in the service industry, so don't you know what to say?" "If I'm ugly, you're Guiwa?" Ah Run laughed loudly. Kiba glared at Jun angrily. "I'm thinking about a case." "Oh, Ah Xiu can also think about things?" "Of course it will." "The case of the beholder?" "Be quiet. Isn't the only saving grace in this store is that it's quiet? Turn off that record player for me too, by the way." Kiba didn't know whether it was jazz or classical music. "Why are you so fierce? This is what I want to hear, I don't care." "I don't understand Western music." "If you don't want to hear it, go back." Ah Run, with a cigarette in his mouth, turned his face away.The black dress greatly exposed the back, which was extremely eye-catching. The proprietress filled her glass with wine and said, "You are not thinking, but confused, right?" "Not all the same?" "It's not the same. It's so nerve-wracking that the policeman should be confused." "Why are you bothered?" "I won't bother you, it's because you can't figure out where the benchmark is." ——Undecided, how to prevent crime? Kiba thought the same thing just now. As soon as Kiba was silent, Arun said regretfully, "Why don't you talk? It's so boring to play tricks on." "Don't play tricks on the criminal police, I'll arrest you and lock you up." "But you have a huge physique, but you are sluggish here. It's really an eyesore. Isn't the only advantage of Ashura is that he is masculine and doesn't want to think about things?" "Don't men think about things?" "Because men are stupid." "...where are the women?" "Women are smart because they play dumb. Aren't men just fools who love to pretend to be smart?" "yes?" "But it's not a man or a woman, it's different. You're not stupid." ""Don't you just keep calling me stupid?Makes me feel like an idiot, asshole. "I'm not a thing..." "I'm not an idiot, I'm a note." "Here, Tiaozi, drink it. This is the fine wine I hid." The proprietress said, pouring the inexplicable liquid into the glass. The angle of the wrist, the subtle movements of the fingertips. The round nape of the neck and the ends of the permed curly hair reflect a strange light, glowing like tungsten filaments.The cat-like pupils also rippled and reflected the scattered light that filled the cellar, making them look extraordinarily alluring. The lukewarm light in the room turned the dirty glass into amber and made the proprietress look like a strange woman. — This guy is also a woman. Kiba once again recognized this natural fact, and turned his back on the woman.Even if he turned his face away, he could still feel the woman's gaze on his cheeks and chin, which made Kiba feel uneasy. Kiba——is not good at dealing with women. It's not that he hates women, on the contrary, he sometimes likes women to such an extent that he hates them. Kiba didn't find women difficult.He can accept the biological differences between men and women without any problem, and he is also sexually normal to a comical degree, so he can play with women like ordinary people, and can easily chat and laugh with women in the fun.But even in that case, it seemed that it wasn't women that Kiba could get along with comfortably, but prostitutes.Kiba gets along with people who are prostitutes, not with women.Daily life is exactly the same, whether it is the wife of the vegetable shop owner or the female post office clerk, as long as there is a title or position, Kiba will have no problem coping with it. However, once the title is removed and returned to the essence, Kiba will no longer be able to do it, and so is the cat-like proprietress in front of me. It is fine to treat her as a hotel proprietress, but once he realizes his gender, Kiba will definitely become incoherent.In this way, he can only put aside the differences between men and women and treat each other as human beings. Kiba doesn't understand women. --woman.Killed because she was a woman. The murderous motive of the beholder. "Hey, are you a girl too?" "You are very long-winded, do you want to see the evidence?" "Are you crazy? I won't do it if you pay me..." Kiba turned his face away. "...I'm not talking about that. Yes, for example, you know how a woman feels when she has a husband but sleeps with another man?" Maeshima Yachiyo——What the hell is he doing? If they are both women, maybe they will understand. "I don't have a husband, I don't understand." "It's so cold." "How can you confuse them just because they are all women?" "This... yes, it's my fault." Housewives, teachers, sluts, little girls... for example…… "Is it a bad thing for housewives to sell sex?" "Is it a bad thing? Won't you be arrested?" "No, women with red lines will not be arrested. How should I say, I mean morally." "I don't know what morality is..." Ah Run was like a coquettish cat, staring up at the pasture. Kiba looked at the glass in his hand nonchalantly. "...But there are many good girls among whores." "I know that too. I mean, as a woman, would you want to tell them not to do that kind of thing?" "Too self-righteous? I can't say that kind of thing. And I'm in this kind of business myself." "It's not a dishonest business." "But it's not a legitimate job, it's a laughing business. Even if I don't think it's bad, the society doesn't think so? Even if I support myself, others don't think I'm self-reliant. They think I'm Those who rely on men and society can survive. The position is unequal from the beginning." "Professions do not distinguish between high and low." "You have to amend it to: Occupation should be regardless of high or low." "You mean there is?" "That's not to say that there is. No matter what job you do or who you sleep with, as long as you are a decent person, isn't it a big problem? It doesn't mean that every time you have an affair with someone, your nose will stick out like a puppet. Long, or if you sleep with someone else, your lifespan will be shortened. There will be no physical changes, and there will be no major changes in personality." "yes." "So it's not a personal problem, it's society, culture—these words are really annoying, I just don't want to encounter these words, so I started this business—in short, it's a problem over there." "What did you do before?" "So, there are standards such as customs and culture first, and then you can decide what to do? Yes, for example, if a girl strips naked in front of others, she will be said to be shameless and shameless, right? Bar?" "Is not this nonsensical?" "But what if she's a model for a painting?" "That's another matter." "What if it's a women's bathhouse?" "It's a different matter." "But don't they all do the same thing?" "Bastard, the occasion is different." "That's why I say it's an environmental issue. In foreign countries, they think bathhouses are extremely shameless places. In some countries, it's shameless just for women to show their faces." "Is that a special case? Or not? Hey, other countries are other countries. No matter what the environment is, the more important thing is the will, right? Going to the bathhouse is to wash the body, and painting is that, for art, and simply stripping off The clothes are different." "Well, what about the situation where you assert yourself or express your thoughts through nudity? Isn't the will of those people very admirable?" "Stop messing around. What can you claim if you show your breasts in front of others?" "Okay, I think it's okay." "But society doesn't understand, it has no shame." "That's right? It has nothing to do with will or anything. People who say such things have a problem with their will, right?" "Yeah yeah……" Kiba should be very clear about this. Mood and behavior do not always coincide. If you think that you can convey something through words and actions, you are wrong.Kiba has experienced it himself, and he has a deep feeling for it. Indeed, whether it is a striptease with lofty thoughts or a drunken striptease, in the eyes of others, it is just an obscene dance.Then no matter how noble the will is, it is useless. "...Well, you are right. No matter what kind of ambition you have, if you do the same thing, the result will be the same?" "yes……" Jun propped his elbows on the counter, rested his chin on his slightly crossed fingers, and stared at Kiba with malicious eyes. "Especially you, it's impossible not to treat them as the same." "Is that so? Well, no matter if it's a married woman or a vicious warbler, prostitution is prostitution—it's all the same." "Of course it's the same." "Then, it's not a bad thing for housewives to sell sex?" "Of course it's a bad thing, you're so stupid." "Where is it?" "Didn't you just say that? How can you criminal police be confused? If no one decides the benchmark, what is good and what is bad, it is us who are troublesome. The benchmark will continue to change with the environment of the times. Every The time has to be determined properly. Aren’t you the ones who prevent crime? Take heart.” "what……" ——Arun was right. Kiba drank the wine in one gulp. What she meant was: don't compare morality, common sense, or your own mood. Police officers only need to compare the law.These things are all subject to change, so they are not absolute, but if police officers doubt the law when they investigate cases, society cannot be established. Of course, the law is not absolute, but if you want to question the law, you have to go to other places, and let go of your identity as a police officer first-this is what the proprietress of the hotel advises the criminal police. "I see..." Kiba's fingertips relaxed, "...it's not because a housewife is a bad thing. It doesn't matter if she is a good wife and mother, a little girl or a rare slut, no matter who she is, as long as you think about the other person Is it enough to do something that should be banned, right? Now the law stipulates that private prostitution must be banned, so..." "What nonsense. Really, like a child." The proprietress showed a motherly expression. Among Jun's ever-changing expressions, this face is the most troublesome for Kiba. Whether it's a wife or a little girl or a slut, it's just a role. If these characters are removed, is the face underneath just a simple person?Or a simple woman?Before being a woman, is one a person first?Or is it a woman first before being a human being?Kiba is difficult to measure. "Isn't it related to selling spring...?" "That's right. It's just..." The proprietress put away her mother's expression and said, "...Isn't there a view that both good wives and mothers and sluts are women's enemies?" "This... I don't understand." The roles of the two are different. "Prostitutes sell women's sex as a commodity, so this kind of business is an obstacle to the advancement of women's rights. Will they be treated politely? Like I just said, they are unduly despised, and they dare Accept this kind of treatment. Moreover, it is a man who buys a woman, even if a man plays with a woman, he will not be looked down upon by the world..." "I understand that, but..." "The same is true of good wives and good mothers. They are victims of the ancient bad habits of feudal society, such as patriarchy - the victims are also victims, but in reality most of them don't even realize this. In other words, actively Those who support the male society are the thieves among these women—the women themselves without self-awareness. Thinking about it this way..." "Are women the enemy of women?" — Do you also have this opinion? "I'm just saying that I also have this opinion." "...Then what do you think?" "Me? I don't think so. But some people think so? You can't be wrong." "Who thinks so?" "It's feminist expansionists." "How would those people... feel about a hotel proprietress who is complicated by men and self-deprecating?" "Before I say something, I don't have any men here. But... Well, feminist expansionists should not like it very much." "I see. What about the strict female teacher?" "It varies from person to person, right? Some teachers seem to flaunt the support system." "What about the young girl who is eager to help others?" "What and what? You are really incomprehensible. What can you tell from just this? Is this a riddle?" "No……" The scattered dots are not completely unconnectable, are they? "Could it be... Purging?" "Eliminate who?" "The enemy of women among women." "Do you mean to kill them?" yes. Ah Run put on a straight face, gave Kiba a contemptuous look, and said in a tone full of contempt: "Ah Xiu, you are really a big fool." "Where am I stupid?" "Is there any point in doing that kind of thing? The biggest enemy of a woman must be a man. If the enemy must be killed, then all the men must be killed first. If you don't do this, society will not Change. If you say that, you will be regarded as a discriminatory stupid man who doesn’t understand anything, and you will be the first to be killed.” "This...is what you're talking about." However, when dots are connected, they become lines. When lines are connected, they become images.If it becomes an image... You can see the face of the event. "Are you... really just a bar girl?" "Ah, I'm so annoying. Axiu, I remember that you are not a low-spirited person who will pursue women's past? Fortunately, I have always thought that although you are a criminal policeman, you are a straightforward guy who has no heart." Ah Run walked out of the bar lightly, turned his neck wearily, and walked towards the entrance. "What are you doing? Is it closed?" "Anyway, the customer only has a gloomy note, and he always feels that he has no interest in doing business. You can stay as long as you want, and drink as much as you like, stupid detective." Ah Run may have hung up the sign during the lunch break.In the middle of the night, it should not be called a lunch break, but this store has neither night nor day. Kiba's thoughts remained the same, a mess.But Kiba had a premonition that every muscle he had honed so hard was about to be full of vitality.Kiba is a person who can only grasp things with his body, so this kind of premonition is also manifested as a sign of the body. ——The Beholder doesn't kill people randomly. If he has a purpose... —Ask the spider? Spider, looking at Kiba's girl spider, sunglasses. "sunglasses." "what?" "By the way, there are Kawashima's fingerprints on the sunglasses." "Who is Kawashima?" — He said it was too dangerous to wear sunglasses at night, and took them off. Grandma Maji said that Kawashima took off the sunglasses by herself.Then of course Kawashima's fingerprints will be left on the sunglasses.If the only fingerprints on the glasses are believed to be those of Hirano, then Kawashima must be the beholder.But if any one of them matches the fingerprints of the Cavalry Film Company—it means that Hirano's fingerprints are still Hirano's. So…… Kiba put his hand on the inner pocket. ——Represents where Hirano was at that time. "This is it." "what?" This is the prediction Muchang pursues.Kiba got this unfounded prediction apocalypse, and the rest was just a matter of accumulating bits and pieces of truth.Reason will follow automatically. First of all - check the fingerprints on the sunglasses.Kiba is digging his own grave, for he has sealed the key of redemption deep in his bosom. "What an idiot I am." "You admit it?" "Well, I'm an idiot, there's no need to care about that kind of thing. Is the murder weapon the same? Of course, the murderer is Hirano." But it is necessary to confirm the reason why the police concluded that the murder weapon was the same, then... "It's only Licun." "Satomura-san? That weird doctor you brought earlier? The one who said 'I love dissections' and has thinning hair?" "Yes, that pervert." There is also the use of the forensic doctor Li Cunhong. The same is true for the fingerprint verification. It may be faster to ask that perverted surgeon to commission an appraisal than to ask Kiba himself. Although Li Cun is shrewd, he is a good gentleman, and he is a good man who is easy to be instigated. This works, and then... "The rest is the Chamber of Secrets." "I can't understand what you are talking about with this piece of frozen tofu." "What frozen tofu? It's poor and boxy, isn't it? The secret room you're talking about is the one that often appears in detective novels? It seems very interesting." "It's not funny at all. Listen, there's no such thing as a locked room murder. Absolutely not." "What about the agency?" "It's not a secret room after killing people in the room, using the mechanism to enter and exit or lock it. And even if you do that kind of crazy thing, it won't do any good. That kind of thing..." If you want to enter and exit that room, you can only go through that paper door.And to get in and out of that house, you can only go through that alley.The paper door was locked from the inside, and Sadasuke was watching in the alley. Double chamber. ——There is no such thing. For example, why did Kawashima and Yachiyo go to the Harusu house without hesitation?If you don't know in advance, you won't go to that kind of down-and-out, shabby hotel with an inconspicuous location and no billboard.The person who decides the location of the secret meeting is Kawashima. Then Kawashima knew the hotel——no, no, it was someone's pre-arranged location. who is it? ... —It's a spider. "That's right, it was the spider's messenger who called Yachiyo out, and the spider is manipulating it behind him!" Ah Run was sitting next to Kiba, and when he heard the detective's monologue, he opened his eyes wide and listened with relish as he swayed his legs. "Be quiet, you old lady..." If Tada Maki's hotel was the designated location at the beginning, then it should be easy to sneak in beforehand.Ma Ji has night blindness, if the murderer sneaks in and hides in the next room... Then two people came over.I don't know what they did, but the door should be locked.While it's possible to remove the paper door and break into the room, it's not a good idea.But if the people inside are asleep, the situation is different.If it were Kiba, he would definitely attack when the two of them had just fallen asleep.So the murderer waited and watched.The walls are very thin, and the house is not densely built, so the situation in the room should be heard clearly.Kawashima left the room at three o'clock.Open the door lock when leaving, but the door cannot be locked from the outside, if the woman is asleep... "...Isn't this...can you enter the room smoothly?" "But I can't get out." "So...the crime was committed at three o'clock." It wasn't that Kawashima left at three o'clock after killing Yachiyo, but that the murderer killed Kawashima after he went back at three o'clock.And the reason why Kawashima will return to the scene again... —Is it for this? A remnant known only to Kiba, the sunglasses in his pocket. Did Kawashima realize that he forgot his sunglasses and turned back to get them?But when he came back, the door was locked.Did the murder happen exactly at this time? ... No, is it over already?Anyway... — Hirano is inside. Kawashima couldn't get into the room, so he gave up quickly and went back home.It must be so. "Wait a moment……" Then...it was Hirano who threw the sunglasses out of the window.In this case, the sunglasses in his arms might also be stained with Hirano's fingerprints.If two sets of fingerprints are detected above, the police will not regard it as conclusive evidence. ——No, there is no such thing. If Kawashima is the real murderer, Sunglasses should not have detected two sets of fingerprints.And... Hirano had no reason to throw away the sunglasses. "The rest... is how to leave." “喏，出不来了嘛。” “出得来的，如果他真的在里面的话。” 离开屋子的只有川岛。 如果平野不在里面——照理说是这样。 但是如果说前提是平野在里面，这个道理就失效了。 要怀疑贞辅的证词很简单。可是如果这样做的话，就等于是把没有合理性的部分抛弃而已，这样是不行的。倒不如说，问题是要怎么样瞒过监视者的耳目离开。平野一定是趁着贞辅疏忽时逃脱的。 --Wait a moment. 平野应该不知道贞辅在监视，那么那里有什么趁机逃脱可言？ ——应该是巧合吧。 平野逃逸时最大的障碍应该是多田麻纪。麻纪阿婆的房间在玄关旁边，就算能够摸黑侵入，天亮之后想要正大光明的逃脱，也困难重重吧。So…… ——六点半左右一个老太婆脸色大变的，不知道去了哪里。 麻纪那个时候不在家。 Simultaneously, ——我走到玄关口看看。 ——本来想绕到后院去…… 贞辅的监视也中断了。 ——那个时候玄关口传来声音…… 就是这个时候吗？ 贞辅听到的声音，会不会是平野打开玄关的声音？贞辅听到开门声，夹在邻家的隙缝之间不敢动弹。这不就表示声音——出入的声音没有立即停止吗？ 碍事的麻纪外出了，所以平野逃脱了。平野一离开，麻纪就回来了。当然贞辅没有看到。 贞辅的证词保持一贯性，而平野出来了。 but…… “门为什么会锁着？是怎么锁的？第一个想得到的，就是那个老太婆说谎……” 不对应该有一个解答，没有人说谎，也没有人耍手段。木场认为平野是直接进房的，那么他一定也是直接离开房间的。 阿润撩起头发。停滞的空气一阵流动，香水的气味飘了过来。 ——女人的香味。 娼妇般的女人，廉价白粉的…… ——有那种廉价白粉的脂粉味。 ——就算看不见，这点事我也辨认的出来。 ——我怎么会知道？老娘有夜盲症啊。 ——穿着那种昂贵友禅的女人…… “喂，阿润。” “干吗啊？突然出声吓人。” “你懂和服吗？” “阿修，你没头没脑地问这什么问题啊？什么和服？别看我这样，我对穿着打扮可是很讲究的。” “高级和服会有味道吗？” “味道？不洗的话，什么衣服都会有味道啊。” “呆子，不是说那个味道啦。我是不太清楚那是友禅还是绸缎啦，不过那用闻的可以分辨得出来吗？” “怎么可能？用摸的话还……” “不可以摸。” “那就分不出来啦。你以为是咸竹荚鱼干还是大蒜啊？不过如果有熏过香或带着香袋的话，是会有香味啦。” “”“她带了香袋，装白檀的。” “那不就有白檀的香味吗？” “白檀是穿友禅时用的香吗？” “没那种规定啦。” “这样啊，没办法靠嗅觉分辨和服是吧。那……那个臭老太婆……” ——看见了是吧。 多田麻纪知道八千代穿的和服是什么种类。 但她却作证不晓得川岛穿什么衣服。 麻纪无法确认川岛穿什么衣服，当然是因为她有夜盲症，而两人造访的时间又是半夜，现场的走廊很暗。如果在路灯光线照得到的玄关都看不清楚，建筑物里头更是黑暗，麻纪当然完全看不见。 那么是在进入房间以后，打开电灯的时候看到的吗？ 也不对。那样的话，麻纪应该也有看到川岛的服装才对那是平凡无奇，先进却很罕见的军服。如果看到川岛那样的巨汉穿着军服，肯定不会忘记，而且麻纪也没有理由佯装不知情。换言之，麻纪只带领他们到房间去，既没有进房间，也没有开灯。 That is to say... 多田麻纪是在天亮以后才看到前岛八千代的和服。 当然，也就是在发现尸体的时候看到的。 发现尸体的时候，和服…… ——命案现场…… “喂，和服脱下来以后会怎么处理？” “当然是挂起来啊，平时的话。” “会不会卷起来或是折起来？” “才不会呢，又不是工作服。如果有什么重大理由或许另当别论，可是你说的是友禅吧？一定会挂起来的。不过不习惯处理和服的女人我就不知道了。最近的女孩只穿洋装，或许里头有人不知道该怎么处理和服吧。” 前岛八千代是绸缎庄的女掌柜。 “和服一般都挂在哪里？” “一般是挂在和服衣架上啊” “现场没那种东西。” 木场在脑中重新回忆起现场的状况。 肮脏的墙壁，褪色的窗帘，关不紧的窗户。 纹路粗糙的榻榻米，廉价的镜台，枕边散乱的草纸。 木制的垃圾桶，烟灰缸，火盆，破损的茶杯。 水壶，染血的被褥，还有…… 邋遢地挂在衣架屏风上的和服腰带绳。 “衣架屏风吗……” “不就有个很气派的衣架吗？有衣架屏风的话，当然会挂在那上面。一定会的。” “可是上面什么都没有啊，只有和服腰带的绳子而已。” “只有腰带绳？真奇怪。真的吗？” “错不了的，只看得到肮脏的墙壁。” “墙壁？” “如果上面挂着和服的话，就看不到背后的墙壁啦。” “是看不见啊。为了不让和服变皱，一般都会摊开来挂，像这样整个摊平。你应该也看过吧？” “本来……是挂着的吗？” 谜解开了。 应该没错，只剩下确认。 "what time is it now?" “这里没有时间。” “告诉我啦。” “就没有钟嘛。” 阿润露出慵懒的表情，恹恹地说：“你这客人真的很失礼哪，既然有十万火急的要事在身，就该在介意起事件之前早点滚蛋呀。”木场默默地点燃香烟。 木场在晚上八点过后和长门道别，所以现在一定快过午夜了。没有一件事可以现在动手去办，他明白就算性急也没用。 可是木场就是静不下来。 坚硬的圆凳开始让他感到如坐针毡。他不知道自己喝的是何等佳酿，但现在这种状况，喝得再多也醉不了。 该做什么很清楚，却无法行动，虚掷光阴，比不知道该做什么而停滞不前的状况更可恨。特别是对木场这种人来说更是痛苦。他觉得屁股的肌肉正在对脑袋发送讯号，叫他“站起来、走路”。手脚指使脑袋行动，根本是本末倒置了。 “怎么又毛毛躁躁起来了？我不晓得你想到些什么，可是刚才还像块烂豆腐有气无力的，现在却又一副心神不宁的样子，简直像想起了女朋友似的。教人生气。” "That's good." 木场漫不经心地应声，阿润笑了起来。 “你当真了？你这个木头人，我当然是开玩笑的嘛，你根本就没有女性朋友不是吗？带来的全都是些疯癫的怪男人。那个干侦探的小少爷还好吗？” 侦探指的当然是榎木津。 “什么小少爷，他跟我同年啊。” “哎呀，真的？阿修，那你还真是未老先衰呢。”阿润说道，大笑起来。木场觉得那只是因为榎木津这个人看不出年龄罢了，自己才是标准。 “不过话说回来，你的朋友全都是些怪人呢。像是那个你只带过来一次，穿着和服，老气横秋的——到酒馆不喝酒的朋友；还有另一个，喏，只喝了一杯酒面红耳赤、像只小猴子的朋友。真好笑。” 中禅寺秋彦，关口巽，被卷入箱根事件的朋友们。木场已经两个月以上没见到他们了。 “这么说来，阿修，你上次是……什么时候来的？你那个时候带来的朋友……” “不记得了啦，你很烦哪。去年吗？” “不是啦，是一月，一月底的时候。你不是带了一个朋友来吗？头发乱蓬蓬的，下巴满是胡渣，冷的要命却挽起袖子，眼神涣散，看起来恩神经质的人……” “你是说降旗吗？” 加门刑警在找的人——降旗弘。这么说来，木场的确在上上个月与降旗四处喝酒，最后木场带他到这家店来。阿润说：“对对对，就是那个叫什么旗的人。” “降旗怎么了吗？” 对了，降旗。他不就是为平野——凶手诊疗过的精神神经科医师吗？加门刑警向木场打听降旗的消息时，因为当时木场对平野凶手说一点兴趣也没有，所以没怎么放在心上，不过现在不同了。现在平野凶手说是木场预测的中心，支撑着他的理论，不能置之不理。木场开口之前，阿润抢先问道：“他是做哪一行的啊？” “以前是医生，现在……不晓得。” 阿润“哦”了一声，顺便大大地伸了个懒腰，接着说：“原来是医生啊，是知识分子呢。后来啊，他又来光临了，而且还带着女人。总觉得他和带来的女人话不投机呢，气氛很僵。真不晓得是来做什么的。” “跟女人来？那个毛崽子，终于对女人感兴趣了是吗？” “'性'致勃勃哟。他带来的啊，是以前待过玉之井的女人呢，不晓得是在哪里勾搭上的。” “是娼妇啊……” “那个女人叫里美，在这一带小有名气。虽然她是个不错的女孩啦。我觉得里美应该是不小心坠入风尘的，听说她以前是从军护士，所以才会和前任医师搞在一起吗？” “搞在一起？” “就是说你那朋友成了里美的老公啦。” “老公？结婚了吗？” “才没有呢。讨厌啦，就姘居嘛。小白脸。” “小白脸？” 木场认识的降旗，远比常人更老谋深算，说难听点就是阴险。降旗总是烦恼个没完没了，看透别人，猜疑心也重。但是木场认为那是因为降旗比别人更纤细，正义感更强，却又小心谨慎，性格非常复杂，才会如此扭曲。降旗不是个坏人。只是如果以那样的态度待人处世，结果就会流于愤世嫉俗。木场曾在酒席上这么狠狠斥责过他。 那时降旗也讲了一堆歪理，搞得木场哑口无言。 话说回来，木场的印象里，降旗总是一双眼睛滴溜乱转，外表虽然是个大人，实际上却只是个稚气未脱的娇弱少爷，没想到他竟然成了妓女的小白脸，真是意外的改变。该说是令人刮目相看、大吃一惊，还是……败给他了？ "When did it start?" “不晓得哪。上个月……对，就在溃眼魔重返四谷前，所以是半个月前，还是更早以前？” "Where?" “什么在哪里？” “那个女人的家在哪里？” Kiba stood up. “你这个人也真糊涂哪。我怎么可能把流莺的住处告诉刑警呢？这太不顾道义了。” “你这女人也真糊涂。她们做的是晚上的生意，现在肯定不在家吧？我是个刑警，所以应该取缔流莺，可是人又不在，我能抓什么？快点告诉我，顺便算账。赶快。” 体量庞大的木场猛然动了起来，室内停滞的空气也一口气被搅乱了。微温的环境产生龟裂，木场想起外头干冷的风，慢慢地以刑警的铠甲武装自己。 阿润也突然恢复一张老板娘面孔，受不了地说：“听你的口气，一副现在就要过去的样子，你该不会真的要去吧？”木场说：“我的确是要去啊。不行吗？” “可是这跟案子有关吗？” “有关无关我不知道。我不是照着道理行事的，是我的手脚擅自要动的。” “阿修，你这个人也真伤脑筋哪。你那样岂不成了净琉璃还是文乐的人偶了吗？那你说，在背后操纵你的又是什么？” “我才不知道哩。我是刑警，所以遵守法律。我照着你的忠告，把基准摆在这里。只是驱策我的似乎不是法律也不是社会正义，不过至少也不是道德、世间的常识或人情义理。所以你放心吧。” “说什么放心……” 阿润皱起眉头，露出难过的表情，再次显现出女人的样貌。木场拱起肩膀说： “驱策我行动的——对，就是肌肉。” “别说大话了，这我也是一样的。你再继续横冲直撞下去怎么行？那鼓励你的我岂不像个大傻瓜吗？” “你……在鼓励我吗？” 迟钝的木场完全没有发现。 阿润维持着女人的表情，闹别扭地骂道：“什么嘛，我的心意都白费了。”木场再三强迫她说出地址，阿润只好说“真的不可以查报里美哟”，不慎情愿地在纸片上写下地址，交给木场。 阿润说：“帐帮你记着，快去吧。” 木场转身背对女人。 “说些有的没的，结果你自己不也爱强词夺理吗？……笨蛋！”女人小声地朝着男人的背影骂道。 木场离开猫耳洞之后，走了约十五分钟。 连路灯也没了，四下一片漆黑。 漫无边际的月光诡谲地照亮了漫无边际的城镇。 眼睛习惯的话就看得见了。树林，长屋中狭窄的小巷。 眼前杂乱的景观在阳光下看起来应该也是龙蛇混杂，但是木场觉得他在夜幕中反而生机勃勃地脉动着。微温的混沌尽管让人不安，对木场来说却有一种安心感。 ——淫窟。 这里适合这称呼。事实上，这只是一栋古老的木造别墅。只是吸饱了夜晚的空气，样貌变得不祥可怖罢了。 木场打开嘎吱作响的门扉，踩着嘎吱作响的楼梯上去。 老朽得很严重，仿佛在这儿上上下下众人的思念、妄念、邪念从踏板的隙缝间嘎吱嘎吱涌出来似的。total darkness. 一张纸片代替门牌，用图钉钉在上面。 ——德田里美。 木场靠着幽微的月光凝目细看，总算辨认出字来。 他打开门，没有上锁。 “不好意思深夜打扰，我进去喽。” 如果被人斥责，再摆出刑警的脸孔就是了。就算木场本身没意识到，刑警生涯中学到的老奸巨猾也会自然而然地发挥作用。 no respond. 里面有朦胧的亮光。虽然没有开灯，但窗户开着，月光照了进来。 只有两个房间的简陋住处里，隔间的纸门打开，一名男子坐在窗边，正仰望着月亮。房间里四处散落着女人的衣服、餐具和垃圾，棉被似乎也就这么铺着没收。 男人披了件女人的襦袢，蜷着背，只抬起了头眺望夜空。 “不愧是刑警，不容小觑哪……” 浓密的直发在月光下摇晃。 “降旗吗？” “阿修。”男子缓缓回头。 一脸不健康的男子——降旗弘得意地笑了。 那张脸只有一双眼睛精亮无比，一看就知道营养不良。前任精神科医师就像个无赖汉，盘坐在散乱的和腹底裙还是内衣上，伸长的脖子像乌龟似地缩了起来。 “你没被吓到吗？” “才没有呢。不，可能吓了一跳吧。阿修，你是走那条路来的吧？我看到一个庞然身躯从树后头出现，心想会不会是阿修？没想到真的是意外的稀客哪。” “黑成这样，亏你看得见。” “有月亮啊。哎，进来吧。虽然很脏……不过这也不是我家啦。” “看你，成了个大爷了。现在是妓女的小白脸是吗？” “没刑警那么了不起啦。” 木场缩起庞大的身躯，钝重地走进房里。 地板连个可以踏的地方都没有。木场用脚尖分开女人的衣服，露出榻榻米，穿着外套，就这么坐在那小小的空隙里。榻榻米湿湿凉凉的。 “降旗啊，你的心境到底有了什么转变？我记得你不是寄住在教会，做些牧师、神父之类的工作吗？怎么办到这种满是汗臭味的地方来了？” “和住在教会的时候相比，我现在过的生活健康多了。别看我这样，我可是个很神经质的人。我现在觉得非常神清气爽，仿佛身上的妖魔都给驱逐了一般。” “不是被其他的玩意儿给缠住了？” “是啊，被坏东西给缠上——不，是我缠上了别人吧。”降旗这么说，默默地笑了。 “正汗流浃背地努力赚钱吧。而我则像这样赏玩月亮，和老友叙旧。以这种意义来说，我的确是过得像大爷呢。” 降旗盘着腿改变方向，背对月光。接着说：“虽然很想拿酒和小菜款待，不巧的是家里什么都没有，请别见怪。” 木场说：“我也不想让小白脸招待。公差揩妓女的油，这实在不成哪。” “话说回来，阿修，你是怎么查到这里的？” “只是碰巧的，从猫目的阿润那里逼问出来的。” “哦，那位阿润小姐是个很聪慧的人。从不炫耀自己的高学历，享受着酒店的老板娘生活，真是潇洒。” “那算潇洒吗？应该叫古怪吧？” 阿润似乎真的不是个寻常女子。 Kiba looked up at the ceiling.壁柜的拉门开了一半，里面一些乱七八糟的东西向山崩似地只倒向榻榻米。墙上挂着襦袢以及和服。 ——原来如此。 榻榻米上虽然乱得一塌糊涂，但混落一地的衣服中唯独不见和服。卷起来的全都是内衣和花俏的洋装。 “喂，降旗……”木场在思考八千代和贞辅的关系，“……你对自己的女人那个……出去接客，不觉得那个……不愿意吗？” “她又不是我的东西。” “哦？那她是什么？” “她是我的红粉知己。” “我不懂你那种歪理啦。” “那么什么样的道理你才懂呢？” “我最痛恨道理这玩意儿了。”木