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墨書 Inktalez
Early in the morning, upon arriving at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, he was summoned to the office of the Police Superintendent.
Confused, he wondered if there had been a major case. However, upon arrival, he was questioned about the incident involving Matsushita Toshiya, who had been seriously injured four months prior. The case had not been handled well, and even the Police Superintendent was aware of it? But what happened next left him even more bewildered.
The Police Superintendent instructed him to hand over the case to an assistant of a private detective, with everything already arranged for him to go immediately.
When he arrived at Fukuyama Station in a daze, he saw Yeluo Tan waiting there. The latter was staring blankly at a pattern on the station sign and nodded at Longjing when he sensed his gaze.
After they introduced themselves to each other, Yeluo Tan took the folder that Longjing handed over, which contained various records related to the previous incident. Longjing followed Yeluo Tan from Fukuyama Station to Ito Jewelry Store.
“Are we going in to investigate again?” Longjing asked.
Yarou nodded.
Longjing professionally stated their purpose. When the store manager asked if they needed to find the staff who were working that day, Yarou quickly waved his hand. His gaze swept around the jewelry store before settling on the manager, his intense stare making the manager feel slightly uneasy.
“Excuse me—”
“Is this your work uniform?” Yarou suddenly interrupted the manager's unfinished question.
The manager paused for a moment before nodding.
“Do all employees have to wear uniforms while working?”
“Yes, that's correct. Is there something wrong with that?”
Yarou shook his head and replied, "No, it's just that the badge on your uniform is quite unique."
Following Yarou's gaze, Longjing noticed a red R-shaped emblem, twisted in a peculiar manner.
On their way back, Longjing recounted the testimony: the jewelry store clerk confirmed that she had seen Matsushita Kazuya and Zekawa Yuji around 10:28 PM. She remembered the time precisely because it was just before her shift change. She also mentioned that Matsushita Kazuya, who had been interested in a particular ring, suddenly seemed to recall something and pulled Zekawa Yuji away.
Yarou's expression remained neutral, as if he were listening intently.
It wasn't until they returned to the platform that Yarou suggested they visit the Matsushita Residence again.
The two chose the same route as that day. Longjing understood that this was to gain firsthand insight into the situation at the time; however, he felt that most of the groundwork had already been laid months ago, and he didn't expect any new discoveries this time.
He initially wanted to inquire about Yarou's identity but hesitated upon seeing the deep contemplation on his face, feeling it would be inappropriate to interrupt.
For some reason, he felt an inexplicable fondness for this young man; perhaps it was due to a shared tenacity reminiscent of his own past.
Upon arriving at the Matsushita Family home, Yarou casually walked from one room to another with his hands in his pockets.
The key had been obtained from the landlord, and it appeared that Matsushita Kazuya hadn't returned in quite some time, as many areas were covered in dust.
"How strange..." Yarou murmured as he stared at an easel.
Several paintings were placed on it, and as Yarou lightly traced his fingers over them, a thick layer of dust clung to his fingertips, indicating they had been untouched for a long while. However, it was evident from the clean spots on the easel that several paintings had been removed.
One painting before Yarou was splashed with vibrant colors, lacking any discernible scenery; it seemed the artist was an abstract painter.
As they continued to flip through the pages, they came across several drawings that were smeared and chaotic. Then, finally, Yarou pulled out one that depicted a scene: a deep blue sky merging with inky waters, and a small house by the shore painted in shades of golden rice, the only bright spot amidst the darkness.
“Matsushita Kazuya must have taken a few, after all, they were his brother's works,” Yarou remarked.
“Besides him, it’s unlikely anyone else would have them. I wonder what the painting is about,” Longjing replied noncommittally. He noticed Yarou was still gazing at the artwork, feeling a twinge of confusion; he didn’t believe there was anything significant within those images.
“Isn’t it true that artists express their innermost feelings through their work?” Yarou suddenly murmured, his gaze seemingly penetrating beyond the paper.
“Longjing, we need to check on the missing persons,” he added.
“Hmm?”
“Ueno Jun has probably been dead for a while now.”
Testimonies:
Fisherman A: “That day, I went fishing as usual. When I reached the shore, before I even got off the boat, I saw someone floating in the water. At first, I thought someone had fallen in. When I went over to pull them up, I realized they were lifeless. I immediately called the police.”
Fisherman B: “Yeah, it’s true. That spot is mine, but I haven’t been there in ages. The waves will wash away houses layer by layer. I only go there in autumn; it’s very dangerous in summer! By now, it’s probably all washed away.”
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