Chapter 28

The girl's eyes still held a hint of hesitation, but she still let Niino Li enter.

"Tomizawa Osamu is in the first room on the left at the stairs—just go up yourself." The girl seemed disinclined to speak, turning immediately to enter the room beside the kitchen on the first floor.

Left alone, Niino Li stood in the dimly lit but still opulent living room, holding a gift bag.

"Strange," he murmured, climbing the sturdy wooden staircase as he pondered the family's behavior.

On the dining table against the living room wall sat a large white bowl filled with coarse salt piled into a small mountain.

In an instant no one saw, the topmost pinch of salt quietly turned into thick blackness, then slowly dissolved into a wisp of dark smoke that vanished into the air, leaving a concave gap.

On the second floor, a corridor just wide enough for one person stretched ahead, flanked by neatly arranged sliding doors covered in washi paper.

Very Japanese home style.

As the girl had said, Tomizawa Osamu sat kneeling on the tatami in the first room on the left, the sliding door slightly ajar, his back to the door.

"Tomizawa-kun, long time no see. I'm here from the Art Club to check on you—how's your recovery?" Niino Li stared at his back.

He wore the uniform of Tokyo Sakura-Ran High School, proving he had indeed attended school today.

"Niino-kun? I didn't expect you to come visit." Tomizawa Osamu turned slowly, movements stiff, eyes filled with surprise as he spoke incredulously.

"If you want to know about my health, why not just ask me in class during the day? Why come all the way to my house?"

His voice wasn't weak like Tianye Zhenyi's, and his questions matched normal human awareness.

But Niino Li noticed something odd.

"Things have been busy since the start of term, so maybe it's better not to disturb you," he said, setting down his gifts and making up an excuse.

"But I clearly saw you walking and laughing with Minazawa Yuu from Class One—is that also 'not disturbing others'? I recall you didn't know her before summer break, Niino-kun."

His voice showed no fluctuation, tone calm as if answering about some trivial, ordinary matter.

"Did I? I didn't know Tomizawa-kun paid me so much attention," Niino Li said, his smile flawless as his pupils contracted slightly.

"If you don't go to work now, you'll be late and lose pay. Tell Teacher Kozawa I'll be in school tomorrow, the day after, until the end—I won't have any problems!"

Tomizawa Osamu never took his eyes off Niino Li's face, bloodshot eyes like a vast net capturing prey.

Locked tight!

"Alright, sorry for the disturbance."

Outside light was blocked by the windows; the room was shrouded in a deathly black curtain.

Faint breathing and speaking sounds arose.

Not a single light glowed in the entire house—like the deepest darkness—and the girl who had opened the door was nowhere to be seen.

Using his phone's light, he exited the house.

Walking down the street lit by streetlamps, Niino Li frowned in thought. "What exactly does Tomizawa Osamu want?"

He knew the previous owner's life path and social connections intimately—even that he'd seen Minazawa Yuu returning from the library at noon today.

Even the most professional surveillance team couldn't do better.

Second, Niino Li felt the person speaking to him wasn't one person.

A deeply eerie, bizarre sensation.

"Come to think of it, there seemed to be an old-style coin on the table behind him." Niino Li glanced around—no one nearby—then vanished in a flash.

Back home, he received a call from Izawa Ayane.

"Niino-kun, Minazawa Yuu and I have delivered the nine paintings to the police station, but now things have gotten complicated..."

The line was noisy; Izawa Ayane hesitated, words caught in her throat, but finally spoke out reluctantly.

"The officer wants to meet you to get more information—do you have time now?"

Normally, no one wants to be dragged into a murder case; Izawa Ayane hadn't expected such a strong police reaction, and her naturally kind, simple nature left her deeply conflicted.

And afraid.

"Are you alone at the station? Where's Tianye Zhenyi?" Niino Li picked up the keys he'd just set down and replied calmly.

Learning Tianye Zhenyi was currently speaking with police, he relaxed and headed out.

Clearly, the shrine maiden's robe painting was the key affecting physical states—so if all participants of the ritual were gathered to explain their roles, the first blind spot of information could be resolved.

In the spacious, brightly lit lobby of the police station, Niino Li comforted Izawa Ayane, whose small face was pale and who clutched her phone, then followed a young officer into a dedicated interrogation room.

"Don't be too tense. Though it's not ideal to talk here, let's ease the mood with introductions—I'm Kitagawa Satoru."

Across a metallic-gloss table sat a handsome young officer.

In his own mind, convinced he could "see through" every criminal's guilt, Niino Li appeared like a fly without a head, constantly scanning the surroundings, searching for any exit.

No surprise—a high schooler new to society, suddenly summoned to a police station and interrogated alone in a cold, sealed room, would naturally be nervous.

In fact, Niino Li was merely observing his surroundings—

In his entire life, this was his first time inside a police station; of course he'd study it carefully—how often would he get a chance to enter an interrogation room?

"You already know my name. Let's get straight to the point," Niino Li replied calmly, leaning back in his chair.

Interesting.

Kitagawa Satoru's eyes lit up.

"First, how did you discern the connection between the nine paintings from Tianye Zhenyi's home?" He propped his chin on his hands, eyes sharp as a hawk's.

"It's simple—it's just a 3x3 puzzle."

Niino Li spoke without a single flaw, not looking at him at all, but at the Ghost Spirit slowly fading above the ceiling to his right rear.

Anger, resentment, jealousy, regret—so intense even the interrogation room, symbolizing justice and foresight, was tainted with malice.

"Simple?" Kitagawa Satoru snorted, barely keeping his composure.

After obtaining the nine paintings from evidence, and based on descriptions from the victim and accompanying relatives, they'd spent hours trying combinations—the closest result barely matched five pieces.

Even the two girls who'd seen them once could only describe them verbally, unable to articulate any pattern.

Had the lines and materials not been so unusual, and had the victim's background not been so complex, the station would've dismissed it as a prank long ago.

"That's right, Officer, don't you play puzzles often?" Niino Li asked with a smile.

"Shall I teach you then?"