Chapter 21 third chapter

The next morning, Xiaozi suddenly called: "Junping, kiss me!" When Junping rubbed his sleepy eyes and picked up the microphone, Xiaozi's eager voice floated into his ears. "Huh! What?" "You turn the mic upside down and hold your lips to it for a minute. Do it now!" Still sleepy and confused, Junping instinctively held the microphone upside down and put his lips together.His glasses-less eyes widened, he swallowed his saliva, and waited with bated breath for the second hand on the alarm clock to complete its lap. In line with the throbbing of Junping's heart, a minute passed. When he put the microphone upright, he heard the sound of the other party's lips leaving the microphone.

"Thank you, I will go to your place immediately." "Click" to hang up the phone.After putting down the microphone, Junping realized what he had just done, blushing with shame. After regaining his composure, he remembered what happened last night, so he bought a newspaper in front of the train station.The pages were full of reports about the incident.Lanzi's smiling face is strangely crooked on the creased paper, looking sad. The title is:——Ranko Aoi, mysterious death. To describe it as a mysterious death is an appropriate expression at this stage when the situation is still unclear.

There are also certain parts of the event.That is, Lanzi was shot slightly away from the heart by a bullet from a British-made pistol that fell to the center of the stage, and did not die on the spot.The man who fired the pistol was the man who could only be seen in the lights before the end of the play.If he was shot and died because of this, then the murderer was the man.The witnesses were all the audience last night.For nearly two days, everyone witnessed the murderous behavior, but no one saw the true face of the figure.The murderer was surrounded by darkness, and what everyone saw was just a shadow.Couldn't even make out correctly whether it was male or female.

Newspapers published the content of interviewing director Shinichi Yasuda. "In the script I wrote, it was originally decided that Lanzi would finally find the value and meaning of being an actress and live on. However, about ten days before the play was staged, Lanzi suddenly proposed to change the ending. .Finally when the phone rang, the figure of the man came out and shot at Lanzi. This part was all directed by Lanzi. And she didn't explain who this man was alluding to? Who will play the leading role in this role that only faces the audience with a shadow .Just say that the role is played by a very talented person, so it's absolutely fine, I just have to get the lights on center stage at the end!"

None of the troupe's staff or the hundred audience members were entrusted to play the role of this shadow.In other words, there is no way to find out who played the role of shooting Lanzi. At this moment, in Junping's mind, the man sitting in the center of the audience seat, suspected to be the man who had just been released from prison in the darkness.When his figure was compared with the figure of the man holding the gun. "Oops! Really!" Xiaozi rushed into the house and sat cross-legged: "I hope to stay by Lanzi's side until the funeral is over, but the manager of the troupe said that people like me appearing at the funeral will damage Lanzi's reputation, and Don't let me show up!"

There is a reason why the agent said that.Under Xiaozi's sports jacket with big flowers covered in gold and silver threads, she was wearing the same pair of jeans with two holes from yesterday. "I'm so sad! I was so scolded on the spot in the hospital. I couldn't bear the sobs and choked up. At this moment, anyone is fine. I hope someone can comfort me and make me stop crying! I'm sorry! There is really no other suitable candidate, so please..." Junping couldn't help blushing when he thought of just now. "Yes! What Lanzi hopes most is that you can be by her side!" At this moment, Xiaozi's angry eyes suddenly softened.

"You really know how to comfort people!" "No, I really think Lanzi is the happiest to see you accompany her in such a natural attire." Xiaozi stared at Junpei in disbelief for a while, but Junpei avoided her gaze. "Is there any information on this accident?" "Yes! There are so many! It's just a bit complicated." Xiaozi said that he got the news from the criminal policeman he met in the hospital. The police are currently leaning towards the theory of homicide.This is deduced from the number of bullets in the murder weapon pistol.According to Yasuda, the pistol placed on the stage should only be loaded with one bullet.He confessed that Lanko Aoi was keen on shooting when she immigrated to the United States, and the pistol was illegally held. In this stage play, he insisted on using live ammunition.

Just as Xiaozi and Junping were visiting the backstage.Lan Zi told Yasuda that the pistol seemed a little strange.Indeed, the trigger position of that old-fashioned pistol is a bit odd.Because the performance is about to start, Lanzi told Yasuda to repair it during the first act so that the bullets can be fired smoothly. The second act began, and before the stage lights were turned on, put the repaired pistol into the leather bag on the table.After that, Lanzi never approached the gun until the moment she took out the pistol from her purse and shot at the glass door.Not only Yasuda witnessed, but even Junping also saw these processes with his own eyes.

Yasuda insisted that there was indeed only one bullet in the pistol he put in his purse. "Is that the bullet that shot through the glass door? It is said that the bullet was found in the seventh row of the auditorium, so this inference should be correct." But - Junping frowned.Isn't the man who seems to have returned from prison sitting on the seat near where the bullet was found?And he left in the middle of the meeting.... "What's wrong? Junping." "It's nothing. Judging from this inference, Lanzi has already fired the bullet into the glass door, so Lanzi discarded the pistol. When the man in the shadow picked up the gun, there was no bullet in it—"

"Yes. The police believe that the man picked up the pistol and loaded a bullet he had prepared before shooting Lanzi. Indeed, we also saw that the man played with the gun in a strange way after picking up the gun. , isn't it? That's right!" Xiaozi continued.Three days ago, Lanzi called the mysterious man in front of the manager.On the phone, Lanzi explained the position and details of the lights, and finally told the other party the type and caliber of the pistol used, and said: "It's just firing a false ammunition, so don't worry, please pull the trigger decisively!" who is that man.

"So that's it. In this way, the murderer has the opportunity to prepare bullets in advance!" Junping and the police agree that the suspicious shadow man is the murderer, and the murderer regards Lanzi's invitation to perform as an excellent opportunity.However, they couldn't figure out who that shadow was? "The police suspect the five people who were engaged to Lanzi! Because all five of them were threatened by Lanzi!" However, Junping has never been able to forget the man who left the meeting halfway, suspected to be returning from prison, he is even more suspicious. "Ah! That man! He seems to be Naoya Kitahara, who used to be a police officer! I will tell the police that he may be the only guest that Lanzi wants to invite to enjoy this play. The police said that they can ask Yasuda immediately. I understand the truth. Because Yasuda would listen to Lanzi tell many stories about her past when he was writing this play." Aoi Lanko had worked as a nude model before she was twenty years old. At that time, she was arrested for indecent charges. The police officer in charge of the investigation was Naoya Kitahara.Bei Yin, who was infatuated with Lan Zi, went to jail for shooting the rogue lover who troubled Lan Zi in every possible way. "Besides, Beiyuan was released from prison ten days ago. The only audience must be Beiyuan. Because when Lanzi told Yasuda that story, tears welled up in her eyes!" Indeed, in Lanzi's lines performed to that man, it seems that there is a lot of connection with Kitahara. "It's just that the police let me see Beiyuan's photo, but I still can't tell if it's the man in the center of the audience. I've never seen a man I don't like!" "And I have a photographic memory, even if it's only for a moment, I can remember it clearly." "Oh! That's it! - Then I will call Akang immediately, Akang will be very happy, and he also said that Beiyuan is the biggest suspect." "Who is Akon?" "The young detective who is investigating this case." "I knew you before?" "No, we met for the first time yesterday." "Then you just call him Akang today?" "All brothers in the world!" After Xiaozi answered straightforwardly, he ran to the telephone.After hanging up: "He went to the scene. Shall we go and have a look too?" Junping agreed with great interest. Just as I was about to leave the apartment, I ran into the woman in charge. "Tazawa, when will you pay the rent?" He stared at Junping with a ferocious face. She is a kind person by nature, and she would secretly give away her husband's foreign wine to Junping to drink, but when it comes to the rent, she immediately puts on a devil face. The two of them fled out of the apartment. "How much do you owe?" "Two months—20,000 yuan." "It's only a little bit. Well, it's really poor." Xiaozi said, who had been staring at Junping's thin hair. On the subway bound for Hibiya, Junping still couldn't stop thinking about the events of last night. "Is there another suspect?" "Who?" "Yasuda! Suppose Yasuda is the one who plays the mysterious shadow at the end?" "That's impossible. Yasuda has an alibi!" "Alibi?" "Yes, it was Yasuda who was in charge of the lighting at the end. He explained that because of the ingenious positioning of the lighting in that part of the play, he had to do it himself—the lighting engineer also confirmed his statement." "Has he been at the light control since the show began?" "No, I didn't go there until the man's shadow was about to appear—before that, it seemed like I was sitting on the bench with everyone to enjoy the show... But, when the pistol was fired, he was indeed in the light room. What are you thinking, Eyes are wandering." "No, nothing." "Warm! Maybe Yasuda also had a motive to kill Lanzi..." "how do I say this?" "When I ran into him in the hospital today, Ben asked him jokingly: 'Yasian, aren't you also one of the people threatened by Lanzi? There is indeed a handle in Lanzi's hands!" "So, Ranko is a terrible woman who takes pleasure in mastering other people's weaknesses!" "No, Lanzi is just good at observing and understanding human nature. Even if she doesn't care, she can naturally see the weaknesses or secrets of others." Xiaozi stared at him as if remembering something: "Hey, Lanzi does have unique powers of observation—she also said that Junping is the most superior man! Maybe she is right... Just now, your comment on her can be seen... From the appearance , there may be some incomprehensible things, but it is not the case, she has many advantages that are different from ordinary people..." Junping blushed shyly at Xiaozi's sudden and serious expression, and was about to avoid her gaze, but Xiaozi had already averted his eyes. Several men were busy walking up and down at the entrance of Qingya Hall.I thought they were police officers, but later I found out that they were a group of people working hard to prepare the props for the drama that will open tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.It is said that it is a period drama called for by the largest stage installation since the establishment of this small theater. In front of the door leading to the auditorium, a middle-aged man with a protruding abdomen who looked like the director of the theater was arguing loudly with a salary-class young man in a well-fitting dark blue suit. "Akang!" Xiaozi called, the young man in a dark blue suit turned around and saw that it was Xiaozi, and immediately approached with a smile on his face. "Arguing about what?" "It's nothing, I just want to ask him to stay at the scene for another day - but the other party refuses on the grounds that if he doesn't work tonight, he won't be in time for the show. In this way, I don't think we can find clues from the scene at all." Xiaozi introduced Junping and explained why he came here. "Ah! You are Junping." A Kang also greeted him intimately like an old friend.If this way of making friends without strangeness is a popular method for modern young people, then I am the most outdated generation in modern times! ——Junping didn't care about the facts for the time being, he and Xiaozi walked towards the auditorium with knowing smiles. On the stage there is a set of towers.Today's dazzling stage has completely concealed the signs that a female star died here last night.The lights on the stage were dimmed last night, so I didn't notice it. I saw it today, and I knew how big the stage was. Akang, who did not carry a photo of Beiyuan on his body, drew a sketch of Beiyuan "sha, sha" in his notebook.He looks quite good at painting.Judging by the portrait, it is indeed the man Junping witnessed last night. "Oh! Then we should have found out his whereabouts sooner..." "I have a question I want to ask you." "You don't need to ask for my permission first! Junping, you are too outspoken, please speak up!" "When Lanzi shot the glass door, the muzzle was aimed at the auditorium. Then, the shattered glass fragments should have fallen in the direction of the auditorium in front of the stage! However, because the time was too short and the stage lighting was too dark, so It is impossible to see where the glass shattered." "It just landed in front of the stage!" Akon was puzzled as if he heard some strange question. "I have another question. I would like to know what the five people in the audience who would have a marriage contract with Lanzi were doing?" Junping asked.What does Junping seem to know? A Kang opened the notebook, "What's interesting is that at that time, the five of them didn't watch the boring drama on the stage, and they chatted with their companions by themselves!" "Has this been the case during the play?" "Yes. For example, Fujikawa Toshihide, the senior from the theater company Lanko belonged to, was discussing with his partner Akiko Omachi what to eat in Roppongi at the end of the play. Toji Sakurai and his former lover agreed to go for a drive together. No. When the second act started, they left." "Lanzi was killed on the stage, what about the alibi for the five of them?" "Sakurai was driving, and the four people present were sitting in the seats with other spectators. However, when the curtain ended, the venue was dark, right? If some of them quietly got up and left, I think except them No one but your own companions will notice." "Oh!" Jun Ping, who was watching the stage unconsciously, suddenly got up from his chair and ran onto the stage. The city tower that was still there just now has been destroyed, and now the stage has been replaced with chairs in the teahouse.Can the stage set change so quickly?Xiaozi, who didn't notice Junping's surprised expression, was already intoxicated by Akang's rough male voice: "Akang, can I go to your place to play next time?"