Chapitre 16: Chapter 16 Detectives Need to Be Cautious in What They Say and Do
After the detective had changed his clothes and come out, the living room he'd stepped on was also tidied up. Although the butler didn't like this person, he still maintained his manners and politely invited him to have breakfast.
"I've eaten on the way here, but of course, if those beauties haven't eaten yet, I wouldn't mind having another serving~" The detective said with a brilliant smile, patting the only part of his hat that wasn't dirty before putting it back on.
"Butler, now that the detective is here, let's go and check Mr. Guo's condition," Zhan Qian said as she quickly got up.
However, at that moment, the old butler's expression showed some hesitation.
Seeing this, the detective approached, giggling and said, "Don't tell me, your master refused to see me while he was alive and now that he is dead you still won't let me meet him? Besides, this time I've even got a search warrant~"
He pulled out a police certificate from his pocket, which he had casually taken on the way over with the police.
"The master did not like interacting with you." The butler glanced at him coldly but still turned and headed for the stairs, saying, "Everyone, please follow me."
The group followed him upstairs, with the detective leisurely trailing behind, somehow ending up next to the photographer.
He measured up the photographer with a teasing look several times, causing the latter to helplessly give him a look before the detective finally spoke, "According to last night's police report, right before Mr. Guo had his accident, all of you just happened to be taking shelter in the manor due to getting lost, isn't that right?"
He emphasized the words "getting lost" heavily.
The people walking in front stopped and looked back at him, not saying anything, but their gazes were meaningful.
"Ugh, sounds like someone came specifically to kill Mr. Guo, eh?" The detective said with a mischief-loving smirk.
"Mr. Gu, please do not disrespect the guests before the truth is uncovered," the butler said expressionlessly as he walked to the door of the main bedroom, pressing down on the doorknob and pushing the door open.
"The butler is as much a gentleman as ever~"
The detective made a sardonic comment, but as soon as his gaze landed on the body on the bed, the smile on his face quickly faded, and he stepped forward briskly.
The butler followed hastily, fearing the detective might do something to the master's body, but he paused as he came closer.
On the chest of the body covered by a white cloth, lay a withered and rotting rose.
The detective picked up the rose and sniffed it carefully, then pinched the petals with his fingertips, which were clad in white gloves, and said, "It looks like this rose has wilted for over a month after being plucked, it must have been kept in a closed space previously, there's a faint scent of rust. Butler, I didn't realize you were so deeply attached to your master~"
The detective was only serious for a moment before his remark took on a teasing tone again.
The others listening found the comment peculiar, and despite knowing it was impossible, they couldn't help looking back and forth between the butler and the body.
The butler, angered to the point of flushing red, gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Gu, as a detective, please be careful with your words! —— This rose wasn't here when Chef Zhang and I moved the master's body, it must have been put here in the middle of the night."
The detective put down the rose and lifted the white cloth, saying casually, "I've heard that someone often sent flowers to your master in the middle of the night, it looks like they've finally taken action. You should've let me investigate earlier, but you wouldn't allow it, and now there's no chance."
The butler's expression fluctuated, and he stayed silent. When his face completely fell, it was as oppressive as the solemn Mr. Guo himself.
After rummaging through the body for a while, the detective put away the magnifying glass he'd produced from somewhere and said thoughtfully, "Death by cyanide. Also, the rose has traces of a chronic toxin. Continually breathing these over a long period and then encountering cyanide ingested, would lead to immediate death. There would have been no time for resuscitation."
Hearing this, Zhan Qian's expression subtly changed, and she instinctively twisted her hand, casting a glance towards the butler.
It was only after seeing the butler's complexion turn even worse that Zhan Qian relaxed slightly.
Because if the rose also carried a toxin, it might mean that there were problems with the letters, and she had directly touched them with her bare hands the night before.
If the butler wanted to divert suspicion and use this to frame her for setting up the murder, there was simply nothing to say.
She had indeed been too careless, next time she would have to learn from these people, to touch anything with gloves on.
Tan Xiaohe, who had also looked through the letters and even turned over the roses and searched through three rooms, was completely calm about it because she wore gloves!
The detective looked over everyone present and then smiled and said, "Let's start by telling me about the scene of the crime."
The butler spoke in a steady voice, describing what happened at that time; he was standing right next to Mr. Guo and remembered something about everyone's actions from the beginning of the meal.
Then, the detective turned and walked out, "I'll take a look in the kitchen, according to your description, it would have been more convenient to act there."
...
Xu Shuo was sitting in the dining room eating and playing with his phone, the breakfast had just been made and the guests didn't eat it, so he took care of it himself in his free time.
While playing, he suddenly looked up and saw that group of people coming down the stairs toward this way.
The detective wasn't close yet, but he stared at Xu Shuo from a distance for a good while, then asked, "Were you the chef at that time?"
Under the butler's gaze, Xu Shuo silently put away his phone, set down the guests' breakfast, and stood up with an honest and simple nod of his head.
The detective looked him over again, said nothing, and turned into the kitchen.
The kitchen wasn't so big, it couldn't accommodate many people crowding in, so the others waited outside.
While the other party was checking, Xu Shuo leaned in and asked, "How far along are you, can you finish the script today?"
"We've just figured out the cause of the poisoning," Zhan Qian didn't step forward, maintaining her elegant demeanor at the back, and spoke indifferently, "But this detective does have some skills, the GM's entry should allow us to get more clues."
Xu Shuo nodded, "Miss Zhan, as a veteran player, should be able to make quick work of it once you have enough clues, right?"
Zhan Qian naturally brushed her hair aside, "Of course."
The detective was rummaging and inspecting in the kitchen, together with the photographer who was also particularly interested in this matter, but as a suspect outsider, he couldn't touch much.
The bowls and chopsticks used by Mr. Guo were set aside in a separate place, still with food on them, and by now had started to emit a strange odor.
The detective lifted the cling film, leaned in to sniff, "Indeed, cyanide was applied to the bowl, but unfortunately, time has passed, and now it's impossible to distinguish when it was applied."
He had just sniffed too many toxins, and now he was feeling a bit unwell, covering his nose and looking around at other places.
Then, his gaze fixed on the washbasin.
"When can the police probably get here?" The photographer asked, seeing him look in that direction.
"Due to a landslide, the road is blocked for a long stretch, cleaning it up will at least take until noon, and the tools are all in the vehicles, people can climb over but can't bring them along," the detective said, approaching and glancing at the clean washbasin, then suddenly turned to the photographer, eyes blazing, and asked in a low voice, "Who do you think is the most suspicious?"
"The chef," the photographer asserted.
Even now, he still firmly believed in his instinct.
The corner of the detective's mouth lifted into a smile, "As a detective, one must speak and act with caution."
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone