Chapter 3 Two, twenty faces

Speaking of those diamonds, after the fall of the Russian Empire, a Belarusian got hold of the Romanov family crown and took off the crown jewels.Later, it was sold to a Chinese businessman, and after several twists and turns, it was finally bought by the Hashiba family in Japan.It is said to be worth 200,000 yen, making it a very valuable treasure.The six diamonds were quietly stored in the safe in Sotaro's study.Judging from the meaning in the letter of the strange thief, it seems that even where the diamonds are placed is very clear. After receiving this notice letter, although Sotaro, the head of the family, looked normal, the wife, lady and even the servants were all trembling with fear.

Especially Kondo, the old housekeeper of Hashiba's house, seeing such a big incident happened in the master's house, he ran around trying to find a solution.First, he ran to the police station to report the case and sought protection; then he bought a bulldog... In short, he racked his brains and came up with various means of defense, waiting for the thief to attack. The inspector's family lived in the long house of Hashiba's house. Butler Kondo asked the inspector to take turns to invite colleagues who were not on duty so that two or three inspectors were stationed in the house at any time.Moreover, there are three strong scholars living in the family.Inspectors, scholars and bulldogs, such a watertight guard, even if the strange thief named "Twenty Faces" has great skills, he must not be able to sneak in easily.

But having said that, most of the time they are still excitedly looking forward to the return of their eldest son Zhuangyi.Back then, Zhuang Yi went to a wild island in Southeast Asia with bare hands. Now that he has achieved such success, the man came back to help out, and the whole family felt relieved. In other words, on the morning when this Souichi-kun was about to arrive at Haneda Airport, the fiery red morning sun of autumn fell on the warehouse of Hashiba's house.At this moment, a young boy came out quietly from the inside, that was the primary school student Zhuo Er. It's not time for breakfast, so the house is very quiet this morning.Only the early sparrows were full of energy, chirping on the branches in the garden and on the roof of the warehouse.

Early in the morning, Souji was still wearing terry pajamas, holding a scary-looking iron guy in his hands, and walked down the stone steps of the warehouse down the courtyard.Even the sparrow was scared away, what is going on? Souji had a terrible dream last night.He dreamed that the strange thief "Twenty Faces" sneaked into the study on the second floor of the bungalow from nowhere and stole the treasure. Kaitou was like the Noh mask hanging on the wall of his father's small lounge, with an eerily pale and expressionless face.After getting the treasure, the guy quickly opened the window on the second floor, jumped into the dark courtyard.Zhuoji woke up with a loud "Wow", but luckily it was just a dream.But he always felt that this nightmare would happen.

"The 'Twenty Faces' guy will definitely jump out of that window. Then, he will escape through the courtyard." Souji was convinced of this. "There is a flower bed under that window, and the ghost thief will probably trample on the flowers in the flower bed." Just as he was thinking wildly, a wonderful idea suddenly flashed in his mind. "Well, by the way, that's a good idea. Let's set a trap in the flower bed. If what I dreamed happened to happen, the thief would escape through that flower bed. Set a trap there, and maybe it will happen." Can subdue that guy."

The reason why Zhuoji thought of this iron clip is because he still clearly remembers. About last year, one of his father’s friends was a forest manager. He said he wanted to ask his father to make an iron clip, so he brought a sample made in the United States. It has been stored in the warehouse since then. Souji was very proud of the idea he came up with.It is really doubtful whether such a small trap can be used to restrain the thief in the empty courtyard.But he has no time for further careful scrutiny, he just wants to set the trap and try his luck.That's why he made an exception to get up early, sneaked into the warehouse quietly, and laboriously moved the huge iron guy out.

Souji recalled the tense and exciting feeling of anticipation of success when he set up a mousetrap once before.However, this time the target was not a mouse but a human, and it was the "Twenty Faces", a rare monster in the world. The tension in his heart was magnified ten or even twenty times compared to when he was catching mice. After moving the huge iron guy to the center of the flower bed, he forcefully opened the two jagged iron pieces.After the layout is done, collect the withered grass on both sides, cover the trap, and hide it so that it will not be discovered at a glance.

As long as the thief steps into the trap, the iron thing will be like a mousetrap, and the serrated teeth on both sides will be closed with a "click", like the fangs of a big black beast, biting the thief's ankle fiercely.Although it is not good for family members to step on the trap, but if it is placed in the middle of the flower bed, no one will step into this kind of place for no reason unless it is a thief. "That's all right, but will it work? It must be a very pleasant sight for the thief to be pinned around his ankle by this thing. God bless my plan with success."

Souji made a gesture of praying to God, and then, while secretly laughing wickedly, walked into the house. This is really a childish approach.But don't underestimate the boy's intuition, the trap set by Souji will really play a big role in the future!Readers, keep this trap in mind. Is it a human or a demon? That afternoon, Hashiba's family dispatched to Haneda Airport to meet Soichi, a wanderer returning from overseas. Soichi, who stepped off the passenger plane, really lived up to expectations, with a heroic demeanor.The dark brown thin coat was tucked under the armpit, the double-breasted suit of the same color was neatly dressed, and the ironed trousers made the legs look particularly slender, like a Westerner who came out of a movie.Under the dark brown gentleman's fedora hat, there is a simple and handsome face bronzed by the sun, smiling reservedly.Thick unlined eyebrows, big piercing eyes, a row of neat white teeth when he smiles, and a neatly trimmed mustache on his upper lip...all of them give people an indescribable sense of intimacy, and the photos Almost exactly the same.No, the person is more attractive than the photo.

After shaking hands with everyone, Zhuang was hugged by his parents and got into the car.Souji sat in the back car with his sister and the old butler Kondo.But even when the car was driving, staring through the window glass, barely able to see the blurred back of his brother, this could make Souji feel an indescribable joy in his heart. After returning home, the whole family gathered around Zhuang Yi and chatted non-stop.Before I knew it, it was evening, and in the kitchen, my mother carefully cooked a delicious dinner.The large dining table was covered with a new tablecloth and decorated with beautiful autumn potted plants.On each seat, silver knives and forks shone crystal brightly.Today was different from usual, folded napkins were laid out like a formal banquet.

During the meal, Soichi was of course the center of attention.He talked eloquently, telling strange Nanyang anecdotes one after another.During the period, he also frequently mentioned the memories of his boyhood before he ran away from home. "Zhuangji, remember when you were just learning to walk, you often broke into my study and messed up the things on my desk. Once you knocked over the ink bottle, and then wiped your face with ink, making you look like a Little Negro, makes the whole family laugh, doesn't it, Ma?" The mother, although she couldn't remember whether this had actually happened, was now full of joy, tears in her eyes, and she just kept nodding with a smile. Speaking of which, readers, the joy of family reunion was abruptly interrupted by that dreadful event, like a violin piece played to its climax, stopped abruptly in amazement when a string was broken. What a wicked demon this is!On this happy day when the parents reunited after being separated for ten years, as if to curse this happiness, the creepy hazy figure of that guy appeared. It turned out that when everyone was reminiscing about the past, a scholar walked in with a telegram.Even when everyone was chatting vigorously, the head of the family had to read the telegram in a hurry. Sotaro frowned and browsed through it.Then, for some reason, his face suddenly tensed, and fell into silence as if annoyed. "Dad, is there anything that bothers you?" With sharp eyes, Zhuang could see the changes at a glance, so he asked. "Well, trouble came to you. I didn't want you to worry, but since I received this kind of thing, it's impossible not to be extra careful tonight." Saying so, showed him the telegram: Tonight at twelve o'clock, according to the agreement, go to pick up the package.20 "This 20, shouldn't it be the phantom thief named Twenty Faces?" Soichi seemed to realize something suddenly, and stared at his father intently. "That's him. You're well-informed." "Since I landed in Xiaguan, I have been hearing rumors about him. I also read the newspapers on the plane. I didn't expect him to come to our house now. But, what exactly is that guy trying to steal?" "After you left home, by chance I got the diamond from the old Russian Tsar's crown. That's what he was going to steal." So Sotaro told his son everything about the "Twenty Faces" and the content of the notice letter. "However, with you at home tonight, I feel much more at ease. I think we, father and son, will stay by the jewel all night." "Okay, that's safe. I still have confidence in myself, and I'm glad to be able to help as soon as I get home." Soon, Sotaro declared martial law.Under the command of the old housekeeper Kondo with a livid face, at eight o'clock in the evening, everything from the gate to the entrances and exits was tightly closed, and all were locked from the inside. "No matter what guests are tonight, we will refuse to receive them." The old housekeeper sternly ordered all the servants. According to the plan, the three off-duty inspectors, the three scholars and the car driver would guard the entrances and exits separately all night, or patrol the house. Mrs. Hashiba, Sanae-san, and Souji were sent to the bedroom early.A large number of maids gathered in the maid's room, whispering nervously. Sotarou and Soichi stayed close at hand in the study on the second floor of the bungalow.They ordered sandwiches and wine to be prepared and put them on the table in the study, intending to stay up all night. The doors and windows of the study were all locked and bolted, and could not be opened from the outside, so that even ants could not get in under such tight precautions. "We're making too much of a fuss." Sotaro, who was sitting in the study, said with a wry smile after getting ready. "No, no matter how careful you are when dealing with that guy, I can't be too careful. I've been studying the news clippings of the 'Twenty Faces' incident very carefully, and the more I study, the more terrifying that guy becomes." Zhuang Yi looked solemn, and his tone of voice was a little uneasy. "So, you're saying that even with such mobilization and heavy security, the thief is still hard to guard against?" "Yeah, maybe that sounds discouraging, but that's just how I feel." "However, where can he come in... In order to steal the diamonds, he must first climb over the towering wall; then, he must avoid the sight of a large number of scholars. Even if he can successfully break in here, he must break the door, and then , and we had to wrestle with our father and son. And, that's not the end, the diamond is in a safe with a complicated code, and the thief doesn't know the code. Even if he is really a magician, he can't get past four or five high roads. It's a level of difficulty. Hahaha..." Sotaro laughed out loud.But there seemed to be something hollow and bravado about his laughter. "But, Dad, I read the news in the newspaper. Hasn't that guy achieved seemingly impossible amazing things time and time again with no effort? There is a practical example, that is, putting things in the safe and thinking You can sit back and relax. Unexpectedly, a big hole was dug in the back of the safe, and all the contents inside disappeared. Another example, there were five strong men guarding them, but they were given sleeping pills unknowingly. Everyone fell into a coma at the moment. That guy is very smart, has the wit to adapt to the situation, and can think of any way." "Hey, Soichi, from your tone, it sounds like you're praising the thief." Sotaro stared at his son in astonishment. "No, this is not a compliment. But the more you study that guy, the more terrifying you feel. That guy's weapon is not strength, but wisdom. As long as wisdom is used properly, there is almost nothing impossible in this world." While talking, the night gradually deepened, and it seemed that there was a little wind.A gust of black wind blew past, rattling the window panes. "It's you, who made such a serious statement about the thief's ability that I couldn't help worrying along with you. It's better to check the gems first, otherwise if a hole is dug behind the safe, it will be troublesome." Sotaro got up with a smile, approached the small safe in the corner of the room, turned the combination lock to open the door, and took out a brass box.Then, he solemnly carried the small box back to the original chair, and placed the box on the round table separating him and Soichi. "This is the first time I've seen it!" Soichi seemed to be deeply curious about the diamonds in the box, his eyes sparkling. "Well, it is indeed the first time for you. You see, these sparkling diamonds were once adorned on the head of the Russian emperor." As soon as the lid of the box was opened, the dazzling rainbow lights made the father and son barely open their eyes.Six luxurious diamonds, as big as soybeans, shining brightly on the black velvet pedestal, are indeed rare treasures. After Soichi had admired enough, Sotaro closed the lid. "Let's put this box here. It's safer to keep our four eyes on it than to put it in a safe." "Yeah, that should be more appropriate." The two had nothing to talk about, so they stared at each other's face from time to time across the treasure box on the round table. Gusts of night wind rattled the window panes.In the distance came several fierce dog barks. "what time is it?" "Eleven forty-three, seventeen minutes to go..." Soichi looked at his watch and answered, and the two of them fell silent again.Taking a closer look, even Sotaro, who has always been bold and bold, turned pale, with beads of sweat appearing faintly on his forehead.Souichi clenched his fists against his knees and clenched his teeth. The room was deadly silent, as if the breathing of the two people and the ticking of the second hand of the watch could be clearly heard. "How long is it?" "Ten minutes left. At this moment, out of the corner of their eyes, the two of them caught a glimpse of a small white thing, moving quickly on the blanket.Hey, is it a mouse? Sotaro couldn't help being taken aback, lowered his head, and began to search under the table behind him.The white unknown object seemed to be hiding under the table. "After a long time, it turned out to be a ping pong ball. But, how could this thing roll over?" He picked up the ping pong ball from under the table and looked at it in disbelief. "It's really strange. Maybe Zhuoji left it on the shelf and forgot to take it away, and accidentally dropped it?" "Perhaps...but what time is it?" The interval between Sotaro's questioning time became shorter and shorter. "Four more minutes." The two looked at each other, and the sound of the second hand moving seemed to be terrifying. Three minutes, two minutes, one minute, the scheduled time is getting closer and closer.Twenty Faces might have climbed over the wall, and might be walking down the corridor now... no, maybe they've come to the door, listening. Ah, could it be that the next second, the next second, there will be a terrible, breaking sound? "Dad, what's the matter with you?" "No, no, nothing. I won't lose to twenty faces." Even though he said that, Sotaro's face turned pale, and he held his forehead with both hands. Thirty seconds, twenty seconds, ten seconds, accompanied by the beating of two people's hearts, the suffocating and terrifying time finally passed by second by second. "Hey, what time is it?" Sotaro almost moaned. "One past twelve." "What, it's been a minute...Ahahaha...Look, Soichi, the letter with twenty faces is unreliable at all. The diamond is placed here in good condition, without any abnormality." Sotaro laughed with a victorious attitude.But Souichi wasn't smiling. "I don't believe it. Is the diamond really all right? Is the Twenty Faced the kind of guy who doesn't keep his word?" "What nonsense are you talking about, isn't the diamond right in front of you?" "But, that's a box." "So, do you think that all the diamonds in the box have disappeared?" "I want to check it out, I don't feel relieved without seeing it with my own eyes." Sotaro stood up involuntarily, holding the brass box with both hands.Soichi also stood up.The eyes of the two men stared at each other strangely and intently for almost a full minute. "Then, just open it up and see. There's no way such absurd things can happen." "Crack", the lid of the box opened. At the same time, Sotaro let out an exclamation of "Ah". gone.There was nothing on the black velvet pedestal.The diamond with a long history and worth 200,000 yuan disappeared out of thin air as if it had evaporated.