"What on earth is Tanaka doing?"
Inside the corridor, Hamano Toshiya complained as he pushed open the door. "She didn't stick to the plan and have Doi prepare the entertainment; instead, she made me..."
But before he could finish complaining, a dark figure suddenly darted out from behind the door.
The figure had a female build, wearing a light blue sweater jacket. It was none other than Tanaka Kikue, who had just been assigned to heat the bathwater.
Tanaka Kikue looped the piano wire in her hands and tightened it around Hamano Toshiya's neck.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
Under the fierce pull of the piano wire, Hamano Toshiya let out pained whimpers, eventually losing consciousness.
"Miss Tanaka, you're Kagemusha, aren't you?"
Just as she was about to tighten the piano wire further and strangle Hamano Toshiya to death, a voice sounded from behind.
"How did you get here?!"
She turned her head in astonishment and saw Fujino and Doi Toukatsu standing at the doorway, their gazes fixed directly on her.
Fujino glanced at Hamano Toshiya, whose face was red and neck constricted, looking as if he had undergone some unspeakable torment, and said calmly, "Since you're going to kill him, can you tell us why?"
"It's all because of my grandfather!"
Tanaka Kikue turned around, the piano wire still tight around Hamano Toshiya's neck, biting her lip lightly. "He was killed by these people in the chat room. I am Murai Kazetsugu's granddaughter."
"You should know, right?"
Saying this, Tanaka Kikue looked at Kuroba Kaito. "Doi Toukatsu, you even sent him an encouraging letter the night before my grandfather's performance."
"Yes, I do know."
Kuroba Kaito nodded. "Ikasama Doji – that was Mr. Murai's stage name from long ago. I'm a magician too, so I know. But why would you kill people in the chat room? Is it because of Mr. Murai's death..."
"Of course not."
Tanaka Kikue shook her head. "Honestly, I also advised my grandfather, but he insisted on performing and died on stage... That has nothing to do with anyone; it was my grandfather's choice, and I respect his choice."
As she spoke, an undeniable anger began to surface in her tone. "The reason I disguised myself as Kagemusha and killed Escape King and this guy is entirely because of the callous remarks these two made in the chat room!"
"Callous remarks in the chat room?"
Kuroba Kaito paused upon hearing this. "Could it be..."
"Yes! It was after my grandfather passed away, they said things like 'He probably wanted to die on stage anyway (lol)' and 'The old man died in cold water (lol)' – such heartless words!"
"I simply couldn't tolerate people who would say such things after indirectly causing my grandfather's death."
Tanaka Kikue's grip on the piano wire tightened further, blood even beginning to drip from her hand. "Originally, my grandfather planned to tell everyone after a successful performance. In the computer he left behind, I even saw the message [I succeeded, everyone must be very happy too, right? - Ikasama Doji · Murai Kazetsugu]. After seeing that message, I had the idea of retaliating against these two."
"Mhm, such people are indeed unforgivable."
Fujino nodded in agreement, put his hand in his pocket, slipped on the Electroshock Ring, and slowly walked forward. "Honestly, these people also insulted me in the chat room before. Can I help you deal with him?"
"Hey, hey! What on earth are you doing?"
Kuroba Kaito looked at Fujino with surprise.
This guy, he wasn't really going to kill someone, was he?
No way, right?
"Nothing. I just simply want to be a murderer for once."
Fujino shook his head, silently walked forward, and took Tanaka Kikue's hand. "Miss Tanaka, can we do this together?"
"?"
Tanaka Kikue was completely bewildered upon hearing this.
She couldn't understand why Fujino would suddenly side with her.
But before she could react, Fujino had already reached out and pressed the Electroshock Ring against Tanaka Kikue's butt.
"Zzzzap!"
The sound of electricity crackled.
Tanaka Kikue immediately collapsed limply onto the floor.
"What did you do to her?"
Kuroba Kaito walked over, first checking Hamano Toshiya's breathing. Seeing he was still alive, he asked Fujino puzzledly.
"Electroshock Ring."
Fujino silently raised his hand.
"How do you have something like this..."
Kuroba Kaito was speechless.
"Your card gun and smoke bombs – I didn't ask where you got them. Are you asking me about this?"
Fujino glanced at Kuroba Kaito.
Hearing this, Kuroba Kaito thought about it and realized it seemed to be the same principle.
His wondrous little gadgets were probably similar.
But on second thought, something occurred to him.
Recalling just now, this guy seemed to have asked him about Tanaka Kikue from the very beginning.
Could he have known from the start that she was Kagemusha?
Damn, then his earlier attempt to get intel from him...
Was probably just him being tricked?
Thinking this, Kuroba Kaito looked resentfully at Fujino. "Don't tell me you knew from the beginning that she was Kagemusha?"
"Who knows?"
Fujino smiled meaningfully.
He didn't know at first.
But after seeing Tanaka Kikue's momentary look of surprise when she learned he was a detective, he could confirm she was Kagemusha.
"You bastard..."
Kuroba Kaito looked resentfully at Fujino.
Alright, he really got played by this guy.
Kuroba Kaito sighed softly.
Although he was tricked, and Escape King died,
the outcome seemed to be good.
If Fujino hadn't alerted him, he definitely wouldn't have suspected Tanaka Kikue was Kagemusha and also wanted to kill Hamano Toshiya.
At least Hamano Toshiya didn't die.
"So what now?"
Kuroba Kaito glanced at Tanaka Kikue lying on the floor.
"What else can we do?"
Fujino waved his hand helplessly. "Now that Kagemusha is caught, my commission for you is considered complete. Of course, if you want to commission me to help her get acquitted, I can do that too. But she did commit murder, so the price will have to go up."
"Get acquitted?"
Kuroba Kaito glanced at Fujino. "You offer that service too?"
"Of course not, just kidding."
Fujino waved his hand.
"That's a big joke you're making."
Kuroba Kaito grumbled, then turned to look at Tanaka Kikue. "Speaking of which, how many years will she get for this?"
"Killing two would be ten years and up, capped at twenty. If she only killed one, the impact isn't considered severe, and if she surrenders voluntarily with a good attitude towards confessing, it'll probably be less than ten years."
Fujino thought for a moment, then patted Kuroba Kaito's shoulder, saying meaningfully, "She'll be in her thirties then, still charming. You'll still have a chance."
Kuroba Kaito: "..."