Chapter 115
Yukiko quickly found the person responsible for serving food.
"Kenta!" She first showed surprise, then looked around vigilantly.
No one was nearby, but it wasn't good to chat in the hallway either. Kenta quickly led her into a room.
"Mina is dead. There are two police officers, and they might come looking for you later." Yukiko's voice was weak but rapidly conveyed the information. "Is everything okay on your end?"
"No problem. With such heavy snow, avalanches have happened before. They won't think it was caused by a bomb collapse." Kenta asked Yukiko in return, "What about you?"
Yukiko quickly said: "No problem on my end either. Mina was already used to taking sleeping pills. Although it's a bit strange to take sleeping pills while bathing in hot springs, it can be treated as her momentary carelessness and forgetting. Besides, they might not even discover she took sleeping pills. I saw those two police officers didn't find anything either—there's a good chance they'll just close the case as accidental drowning!"
Kenta pondered and asked: "Do you know where those two police officers are from? What are their names?"
"They seem to be from Tokyo. I heard something about Criminal Investigation Division One. One is called Jinpei, and the other seems to be called Hagi."
Kenta relaxed: "That's good then."
Yukiko couldn't quite understand Kenta's relaxation at this moment: "Is there really no problem?"
"Absolutely no problem, don't worry." Kenta began painting a rosy picture for Yukiko. "After the heat dies down, I'll go collect the insurance money, and then we two can go abroad and get married!"
He and Mina had already registered their marriage early on but hadn't held a wedding ceremony yet. People around them still thought they were just boyfriend and girlfriend, so it would take a while for anyone to think of murder for insurance fraud.
Moreover, this method wasn't something he came up with alone, but rather he'd met a crime consultant on the dark web.
That consultant claimed to be the modern Moriarty, having been in crime planning for over three years and selling multiple perfect crime plans.
This crime consultant would write the criminal process as novels, then ask if he wanted to buy the complete version, simplified version, or just the first half.
He didn't have enough money, but still gritted his teeth and bought the complete version. After all, once the plan succeeded, the money he could get would be much more than what he paid for this crime plan. People must be decisive and not lose big for small gains at times like this.
As expected of the complete version crime plan, that master even helped him find purchasing channels for the bomb, and even confidently told him not to fear the police—he would definitely be fine.
That confident attitude was very convincing. Besides, having come this far, there was no turning back. Kenta had to believe even if he didn't want to.
But now, Kenta felt he seemed to understand why that crime consultant was so confident.
Previously, Kenta understood having him bomb to cause an avalanche was merely to block local police, giving him and Yukiko time to calm down, strengthen their acting, destroy evidence, and increase autopsy difficulty.
But now it seemed this was also related to after-sales service—although the plan was already so perfect, the crime consultant still considered that small-town police had a high probability of muddling through. Just in case, he had influential Criminal Investigation Division One detectives come to vouch for him.
Police from such remote places—that kind of crime master probably disdained knowing them and had no connections to turn a blind eye. This was normal. But for that slight possibility of encountering serious and righteous police, he called his police informants to help complete the plan...
This way, when local police came tomorrow, they would most likely close the case according to what these two detectives said today.
Truly worthy of the complete version crime plan book—this money was well spent!
Kenta frantically sang praises for that mysterious crime consultant in his heart.
What? You ask how he knew those two police officers were his own people?
As an employee here, when he was called to serve food earlier, he had also asked which room the guests were in and what their names were.
So he immediately connected "Jinpei" and "Hagi" with the guests in the room he was responsible for serving—and immediately thought of the person who came with these two police officers.
When he went to deliver food, the other party hadn't changed into a yukata yet, just removed his coat, lazily sitting on the tatami, leaning against something, casually propping his head, and giving him a light glance due to the commotion at the door.
Just from that one glance, he immediately understood the other party's identity.
This must be that crime consultant, the modern Moriarty!
He had read "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and greatly admired Professor Moriarty, Holmes's arch-nemesis. He'd also watched many related TV shows and movies, but none could make him immediately realize the other's extraordinariness from first sight like this person—like the moon on a starless night, simply impossible to ignore.
The other dressed very low-key, seemingly trying hard to separate himself from the dark world, wearing light colors, and unwilling to acknowledge him. He could completely understand this—after all, this was risky business. The master should just be planning to observe his crime plan's implementation up close and make timely adjustments to ensure perfect crime.
But the master's temperament was still too unique. Although the proprietress hadn't seen through the truth, she also felt uncomfortable, so she called him to serve food instead. And he recognized him at first glance...
In any case, having guessed this was the crime consultant, and connecting the police names with the two people who came with the crime consultant, Kenta immediately knew these two police officers were his own people, which is why he suddenly relaxed.
With the master supervising on scene and bringing two corrupt cops for support, he was now full of confidence, already thinking about how to spend the insurance money.
After reassuring Yukiko with a few words, Kenta felt those two corrupt cops would probably have to talk to him even if just for show, so he explained a few things to Yukiko, and the two quickly separated.
Reiko was anxiously pacing in circles in the room. Seeing her return, she breathed a sigh of relief: "You're back? Did you talk to Kenta?"
"Mm, after all, Mina was his girlfriend. I felt I should tell him, otherwise when the police come looking, their approach might not be as tactful as mine."
Reiko sighed: "I know. It's just that leaving me alone, I was a bit scared, always thinking about that man we encountered earlier... Do you think he could be the murderer?"
Yukiko quickly said: "Don't say that. He probably doesn't even know Mina, and besides, didn't the police suggest it was accidental drowning?"
What murder or not—such thoughts were unacceptable! It must be accidental death! Quick brainwashing!
Reiko thought about it and felt that made sense: "It's just what he said was so strange..."
Meanwhile, Kenta was also walking toward the crime scene.
Although he knew both police officers were his own people, lying still carried some pressure. Fortunately, he didn't administer the sleeping pills—he just set off a bomb to cause a small avalanche, so it was relatively easy.
The difficulty lay in performing deep love for Mina and the pain of discovering her death... If he were the first to discover her, it would be easier to act—just show disbelief. But now that he'd been informed in advance, should he restrain himself a bit later and not overact, lest the two corrupt cops say nothing but the proprietress first feels something's wrong...
Sigh, if only the crime consultant master could have included acting lessons in the plan...
Just as he was thinking this, Kenta saw a young man approaching.
It was the crime consultant master!
The master had changed into a yukata, making his master's temperament even more professional!
There was no one else nearby, and having just learned that the master had even found corrupt cops to cooperate with him, Kenta was now very excited and really wanted to thank the master and praise how perfect this complete version indeed was.
But the master seemed unwilling to acknowledge him, so Kenta could only try hard to express his gratitude through his eyes.
However, just when Kenta thought the master would pretend not to know him again and pass by, the master suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
Kenta reflexively responded: "Yes, Master!"
The master paused suspiciously, put both hands into his kimono sleeves, then asked: "Are you going to the scene?"
"Yes, Master." The master actually acknowledged him, meaning everything was secure. Kenta was very happy and quickly said, "I followed your plan completely. Regarding the accomplice aspect that could most easily cause problems, Yukiko also performed very well."
The master looked at him coldly, his gaze full of pressure: "Mm, do you know what else you need to do next?"
Though there was some pressure, thinking this was his own person, Kenta actually felt happy.
It was great that his own people were strong! It would be troublesome if the police were this scary!
Therefore, thinking the master was conducting a spot check, Kenta obediently answered: "Next is to wait for the snow to melt a bit, then go recover the bomb debris to ensure the avalanche was just an accident..."
"What if the victim's family insists on an autopsy?"
"I'll insist that Mina always took sleeping pills regularly, not letting anyone suspect Yukiko."
"...Not bad." The master nodded lightly, seeming satisfied with his fluent responses. "Don't forget your original intention."
Kenta smiled: "As long as your plan goes smoothly, Master, the insurance side will definitely pay out."
The master thought for a moment: "I'll go with you."
Kenta was a bit surprised, but thinking there were only his own people over there, plus maybe the proprietress who might not even still be at the scene, he accepted: "Great!"
He respectfully walked one step behind the master, following him step by step to the women's bath.
Sure enough, only the two corrupt cops who were his own people remained at the scene. After Yukiko and the others left, the proprietress probably left too, since although there weren't many guests, she definitely had to explain to each one why the hot spring couldn't be used.
The master greeted his two companions: "This is him."
Kenta felt this was introducing the client to accomplices.
Although secrecy was important, since the other side had police identities, they'd have to interrogate him according to procedure. Introducing him now meant he didn't have to act anymore—very convenient.
"Thank you all for your hard work." Kenta bowed repeatedly. "To think you'd come so far because of my matter... I'm truly very sorry!"
"Huh?" The somewhat fierce curly-haired dark-haired police officer made a sound like a gang member.
Kenta was a bit confused and quickly looked at the person beside him: "Master..."
The other police officer who looked like a strategist smiled, somehow appearing somewhat tired: "Little Shinryu, what's this about now?"
"This one is the mastermind, that Yukiko is the accomplice." The master took something from his sleeve. "He just confessed himself. I recorded it... Oh right, there should be a planner behind this case. He probably mistook me for the planner."
Kenta: "...???"
He was shocked, blood rushing to his brain all at once, momentarily unable to understand the other's meaning.
"Aren't you the crime consultant?!"
The curly-haired police officer sneered: "This guy is a police officer."
Kenta still couldn't accept reality.
The master's temperament was so outstanding, so obvious—how could he have mistaken him?!
Moreover, his conversation with the master just now had been so smooth, he hadn't noticed anything wrong at all! If the master wasn't the master, how had he been able to respond to his words?!
Impossible, absolutely impossible. This must be a joke from the master. After all, there were only his own people here, so nothing said could spread. But the master probably didn't know yet that he'd already discovered these two police officers were corrupt cops, his own people...
"Haha." Kenta laughed dryly. "Master, stop joking. You're that 'Moriarty,' right?"