Detective Conan: I, with my magical powers, am going to destroy the world!

Chi Chufeng said in a deep voice, "However, there are some things I haven't told you. After all, it happened five years ago, and Suzuka Sakura committed suicide. Even if we find out the truth, I'm afraid we can't convict Asuka of any crime."

....... ........ .......

Even if they were convicted, given their family background, it wouldn't be a big problem. The law is, after all, inanimate; there are those in this world who have committed heinous crimes but were acquitted, or even had their death sentences commuted to suspended death sentences and only served a few years in prison.

“So…” Fukatsu Harumi seemed to understand what Akatsukaze was about to say.

"So to some extent, I can understand the perpetrator of this crime."

Chi Chufeng said calmly.

"Lord Akatsuchi, what do you plan to do?" Fukatsu Harumi asked.

“I plan to expose the truth and then see what she chooses,” Chi Chufeng sighed.

In the open-air hot spring women's bath, Eri Akechi looked at Kaze Akatsuki with a puzzled expression.

"Lord Chichu, why did you suddenly summon me here?"

"Because the mysteries of the two murder cases have been solved."

After putting down his phone, Chi Chufeng looked at her with a smile.

"First is the mystery of the secret room at the kimono-sleeved shrine where Ms. Anzai Ema died. Only Ms. Ema's own boot prints were left in the snow."

"It's not hard to see that Ms. Ema's footprints are a bit strange; they must have been pressed down by something."

Chapter 575 He saw through everything

"You don't mean someone stepped on those footprints to go to the ancestral hall, do you?" Eri Akechi smiled slightly.

"Of course not. In that case, the footprints would have to be exactly the same shape to maintain a normal trace. But we can do it another way, like covering the footprints with a towel. What if the murderer used a large piece of wood?"

Chi Chufeng said, "If the murderer used two planks and moved them back and forth over the footprints left by Ema, the footprints could be kept as intact as possible. The price would be that the entire snow would sink and the footprints would become shallower. Although it snowed several times yesterday, a careful investigation can still find traces of the snow being pressed down."

Eri Akechi's expression became somewhat unnatural.

She pressed on, "But how did the murderer get to the back door? Only Ema went there yesterday."

"There's no need to go through the hall at all; we can just take the same detour,"

Chi Chufeng continued, "According to my investigation, the footprints on the snow to the left of the back door are shallower than those on the right because they were also covered by wooden planks last night. Only in this way can they avoid being discovered and leaving footprints."

"The murderer..."

"Yes, the murderer came out directly from the guest room and used a wooden plank to walk along the eaves to the back door. This way, the traces wouldn't be too obvious, and even if someone went there, it would be hard for them to guess the murderer's method."

Akatsukaze looked at Akechi Eri with a slight smile, "Miss Eri, the snow tracks extend all the way to the front of your room!"

Eri Akechi's smile vanished.

"Yesterday, after leaving the open-air bathhouse, Ms. Eri returned to her room and then used the method I told her to go to the shrine and kill Ms. Ema, whom she had lured there under the name of Bando."

“That does make sense,” Eri Akechi said calmly, “but what about Asuka? How do you explain her death? I haven’t been back to the bathhouse since I went back to my room. Nobody goes there after 10:30!”

Chi Chufeng smiled and said, "There's no need to go to the bathhouse at all, because Shibasaki Asuka was already killed before. The murderer just used some method to send the murder weapon into the bathhouse after killing Anzai Ema."

"What about the origami doll?" Ms. Eri asked. "The kimono-sleeved Hannya doll only appeared in front of the bathhouse after 10:30. Was it also sent there by the murderer? The method you described is simply impossible to do."

"The paper doll was there from the beginning, to be precise, it was hanging from the ceiling at the entrance of the bathhouse. All it took was a small piece of dry ice. The evidence is that the paper doll was still cold when it was discovered. As for the method of delivering the murder weapon..."

Chi Chufeng looked up at the top of the cliff.

"You'll know once you see it."

The open-air bath is surrounded by changing rooms and wooden walls, with snow slopes on top. There is a ski run in the middle that connects the hotel rooms to the women's bath. For those who are good at skiing, it is easy to ski down from there without even having to control the direction.

However, unless you are very familiar with this place, it would be difficult to notice that such a special place is not something that can be planned in a day or two. It must have been tested and rehearsed beforehand.

On the balcony atop the cliff, Fukatsu Harumi had prepared two wooden planks, on which props—a simulated murder weapon, a stun gun, and Anzai E's hemp headscarf—were secured with snow...

Upon seeing Akaso Kaze's gesture, Fukatsu Harumi immediately pushed down the wooden planks, letting them slide down the ski slope over the bathhouse roof before finally falling into the women's bath.

As the snow melted, several props remained at the bottom of the pool like murder weapons, while the towel floated to the surface along with the wooden plank.

“This is the method that Ms. Eri used yesterday,” Akatsuka explained. “It’s just that the wooden board was replaced with a kimono sash frozen into this shape, which is why long-sleeved kimonos and other sashes were left at the scene as a cover.”

“That analysis does make sense,” Eri Akechi’s expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “But why are you so sure it was me? What’s the evidence? Is it just because the snow in front of my room was compacted?”

“Ms. Ema’s earring pendant is missing from the scene.”

Akatsukaze continued, “When we were about to go to the Japanese-style living room to wait, you suggested going to the 2.8 social hall. I suppose it was because you had to take off your shoes to go to the Japanese-style living room, and your soles were still bleeding from the stab wound. That’s right, when you killed Anzai Ema, you accidentally stepped on her dropped earring.”

Eri Akechi's gaze suddenly narrowed.

She never expected that someone would see through her elaborate scheme, which she had spent so much time planning.

These were all just minor details, but here they revealed the whole truth of the matter, like a sharp sword hanging over her head.

"What...what evidence do you have that I was stabbed by the earring?" Eri Akechi's voice trembled slightly.

Chapter 576 Lord Chichu, I've come to repay a debt of gratitude

"Have you forgotten that I am an Onmyoji? I have already found the earring."

Akatsuka took out an earring from a plastic bag and looked at Akechi Eri one last time.

"Just now, we found out the information in Tokyo. Suzuka Sakurako, who committed suicide 5 years ago, was originally named Akira Sakurako. She had an older sister before being adopted by the Suzuka family. Your surname is not Akechi but Akira. Is that your motive for murder?"

Light snow began to fall again in the snow village, and the bare, century-old cherry blossom trees in front of the village's Kimono no Sode Shrine seemed to bloom with brilliant cherry blossoms.

Akatsuka accompanied Akechi Eri to the tree once again.

“I was studying in Boston when my sister committed suicide, and I didn’t find out until a year later,” Eri Akechi said sadly, looking at the snowflakes falling from the branches.

“My cowardly 29-year-old sister was framed for drug trafficking and ended up committing suicide. Why didn’t she tell me? I am her older sister, her only relative in this world, and I didn’t even get to see her one last time.”

"Those two people have gone too far. Shouldn't they be killed?"

"Does killing make you feel better?" Chi Chufeng had no answer, but said in a deep voice, "Do you really not feel any fear at all about killing such a terrible thing? Miss Yingzi certainly wouldn't want you, her only sister, to suffer such a sin."

"Lord Chichu, if only you had been here five years ago."

Eri Akechi looked somber.

Akatsuka Kaze silently watched Akechi Eri.

He sighed, reached out and plucked two souls from her head, then tossed them into his spatial dimension.

"Don't worry, I know you've repented, and they really did commit a crime. I'll help you get rid of the earrings; the rest is up to you."

Watching his departing figure, warm tears streamed down Eri Akechi's face.

"Lord Chichu, thank you!"

Akatsuka returned to Tokyo and had just put his luggage down when someone rang the doorbell.

Opening the downstairs door, Eri Akechi stood in the doorway.

"Lord Chichu, I... I've come to repay a debt of gratitude."

Her big eyes were sparkling.

"I am the guardian of time."

“Foolish woman who dares to profane the passage of time, as punishment, at the moment you were born into this world, let an invisible sword stop your time. Respectfully, the guardian of time.”

At the Akatsuki Onmyoji Agency, just as school was letting out, Conan brought in a client.

"Is this a threatening letter announcing a murder?"

"Yes."

Sitting opposite Chi Chufeng was a kind-hearted middle-aged man, around 40 years old, who worked as a butler for a wealthy family. He had a high hairline and a heavy, gorilla-like face. He introduced himself as Qingmei Yuedao.

“Starting two years ago, an anonymous letter without a sender would be sent every year around my wife’s birthday.”

Chi Chufeng frowned slightly. "Since it started two years ago, it's rare that nothing strange has happened?"

"Yes, Lord Akachu, the previous birthday parties all went smoothly, but because the lady and the guests mentioned this letter, fewer and fewer guests are coming to the birthday parties every year."

“I see,” Chi Chufeng said. “You’re hoping to find the sender of the letter?”

Butler Qingmei said, "Today is Madam's birthday party. If possible, I would like to invite you to Madam's 50th birthday party, and also to see if the person who sent the letter is among them."

Chi Chufeng pondered for a moment, "Even if they find out, it will be difficult to convict them. It's just a matter of sending a few anonymous letters."

"That's why we asked for your help. I've already brought the commission fee." The butler quickly took out a check and handed it to Chi Chufeng with both hands.

Chi Chufeng nodded and asked, "What time does Madam's birthday banquet start?"

"The party starts at 6 p.m. tonight, so it's almost over," the butler said, wiping his brow. "Thank you for your help, Lord Akaso."

The butler went down to prepare 800 cars, and Chi Chufeng looked at Conan with a puzzled expression.

"Why did you bring your client with you?"

Conan said, "Uncle hasn't received any cases in a long time, and I haven't solved any cases either. I heard about this, so I called them in your name..."

Chi Chufeng looked at Conan with an unfriendly expression.

They actually made a phone call in my name.

Conan chuckled, "Anyway, it's a request, and the money is quite a bit. Besides, if you don't want to, you can just say it's a child's prank."