Chapter 2576: Dear Detective Mr. 28

Joshua Cline was personally handcuffed by Sheriff Bruce and escorted out of the Living Room of Olgar Zhuang Yuan.

His manservant Silas was likewise subdued by two inspectors, following silently behind.

The Living Room was deathly silent, filled with Count Olgar's heavy breathing.

This old count, infuriated by successive blows, had his lips trembling, unable to utter a word, as if he could barely breathe.

"Uncle, please calm down!" Julian hurriedly supported the swaying count, rubbed his chest to ease his breathing, picked up the water cup on the table and carefully gave him a few sips, "Quick, help the count back to his room to rest! Go fetch a doctor!"

He anxiously instructed the nearby servant.

The servants rushed forward in a flurry, supporting the count Olgar who was about to faint, and left with Julian's accompaniment.

On the other side, Eleanor's slender shoulders trembled slightly; unable to bear it, she hurriedly ran out of the Living Room.

John Olgar sat alone in place, silently watching this farce that quickly came to an end.

There was little joy of vengeance in his eyes; instead, he felt uneasy.

He covered his mouth with a handkerchief, suppressing a few low coughs, and looked toward Jin Chen, who was preparing to leave together with Alaric.

"Mr. Cyril," he couldn't help but call out to him, his voice hoarse from coughing, "Your deduction……is very convincing."

"Could you tell me……why Joshua did this? Vincent treated him……so well, so well that even I……"

He choked up, not uttering the word "jealousy," even though bitterness had already shown.

Jin Chen turned around and slowly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, based on the clues I currently have, I can only infer his method of crime."

After a moment's thought, he said, "Perhaps we could go check the guest room where he previously lived."

As the story's protagonist uke, Joshua's secrets could not possibly be limited to these.

Alaric, hearing that, came back to himself from Joshua's last meaningful remark, raised an eyebrow, and took Jin Chen's finger, saying, "Let's go together, Cyril."

John saw their clasped hands, surprise and realization flashing in his eyes.

He covered his mouth with a handkerchief again, suppressing a few light coughs, and followed them upstairs.

The hallway leading to the guest room was laid with a thick carpet.

Jin Chen mentally revisited the timeline of the night of the incident.

He turned his head to look at John, whose complexion was not good, and asked, "On the night of the incident, when you climbed through the window into Vincent's study, approximately what time was it?"

Whenever this matter was mentioned, John's face would inevitably show an expression of unbearable shame.

For someone who received a gentleman's education from childhood, such behavior as climbing through a window is truly unbecoming.

But thinking that this was his and Vincent's last meeting in this life, strong emotions overcame the shame.

"It was……after about ten-thirty at night," he replied softly, "When I entered, Vincent was in a bad mood, but I didn't know that he had just met Joshua."

His voice carried regret; if he had known then, perhaps……

John, however, dared not think further.

Jin Chen nodded thoughtfully.

The servant opened Joshua's former guest room with a key.

Jin Chen put on the thin gloves he carried with him.

What caught his attention was that Alaric conducted the search with extraordinary meticulousness.

He checked from the corners of the room, tapping the walls to see if there were hidden compartments, and crouched to inspect beneath the bed and furniture.

This level of detail surpassed even the initial inspection of Vincent's study.

Jin Chen thought for a moment and soon understood the reason.

Alaric suspected that Joshua had ties to the Griffin Gang.

After a thorough search, they indeed found something.

In the locked desk, in the drawer's hidden compartment pried open by Alaric with fine iron wire, they discovered several folded bank remittance slips.

The slips showed that several sizable sums of money had been transferred in batches from Vincent's personal account into an account under the Cline family's name.

And what surprised Jin Chen even more was the discovery of a flat square box hidden at the bottom of the wardrobe, concealed beneath old clothing.

At the center of the box lid was stamped a black orchid pattern with distorted lines.

The box had no obvious keyhole; Alaric tried to pry it open with force, but the lid wouldn't budge.

Jin Chen moved sideways without a sound, slightly blocking John's view, and handed Alaric the dagger he carried.

"Try using this," he said softly.

This dagger was originally given to him by Alaric for self-defense.

Alaric took the knife, inserted it into the seam at the edge of the lid, and the lid was forcibly pried open.

The contents inside the box confirmed Alaric's suspicion.

Several strangely formatted letters, and a medal of the Griffin Gang.

Alaric's gaze darkened, but realizing Cyril was still nearby, he restrained his leaking emotions.

"Joshua and his family behind him are indeed related to the Beyaer Black Market, and Vincent perhaps discovered his secret, thus……"

He trailed off, and John also arrived at the answer—indeed, it was so.

John staggered back two steps, collapsed onto the sofa, covered his face with both hands, and his shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.

"The murderer is him……"

Alaric glanced at him, then withdrew his gaze.

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -10, cumulative 60!】

Jin Chen was thinking about studying those letters later when he heard the broadcast, looked at Alaric, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Just finding the culprit lowers it a bit, huh.

As important evidence, this black box was taken away by Alaric.

On the return carriage, Alaric gazed out the window, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression somewhat solemn.

Jin Chen saw his mood was poor, turned sideways, gently cupped his cheek, turned his gaze back, and affectionately rubbed against Alaric's side of the face.

"Alaric, you're amazing; if it weren't for you reminding me to notice those details, I wouldn't have deduced the result so quickly."

Alaric felt the warmth of his fingertips, his mind relaxed a little, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He didn't realize how gentle his gaze was when looking at Jin Chen at this moment.

It was not the polite gentleness he usually put on, but a tenderness that came from the heart, facing his beloved.

He wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's waist, lightly kissed him, "You're amazing too, dear,"

Alaric said happily, "Every step I can think of, you can also think of."

This is truly wonderful.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 70!】