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

"No, the master isn't very tall."

Upon arriving at the room where the incident occurred, Chi Chufeng took the lead in observing the entire scene.

The bed, table, and chairs look quite simple. The entrance leads directly to the balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows, and you can clearly see the bloodstains on the balcony floor.

"It was on this balcony that the lady was shot in the head and died leaning against the wall."

Akatsuki followed Megure to the French windows on the balcony.

Besides the bloodstains, there was also a hook with a rope hanging straight down on the balcony railing.

It appears the murderer climbed up the rope to the second-floor balcony, and the bottom corner of the floor-to-ceiling window near the door lock was broken.

“The murderer must have climbed up, broken the glass door to the balcony, and then sneaked in,” Megure explained. “This place faces the embankment, so it’s not easy to be seen.”

Is that really the case?

Chi Chufeng looked at the riverbank blocking his view across the way, then looked up at the top of the floor-to-ceiling window.

"The glass near the door lock was broken, but the glass above it, which also has a lock, was undamaged."

"It's probably because Madam likes to look at the stars," the maid said sadly. "Madam often goes to the balcony at night to look at the stars, so it's possible that she forgot to lock it."

"Forgot to lock it?" Chi Chufeng smiled and said nothing more.

"The lady was shot around 9 or 10 p.m. the night before last, shortly after she returned from a friend's family dinner, right?" Uncle Maoli asked earnestly.

"Yes, as soon as Madam came back, she said she wanted to rest and then went back to her room."

"In other words, the perpetrator 003 had already sneaked in before that and was lying in wait somewhere in the room. After the lady entered the room and went to the balcony as usual, he shot her from behind, then stole the pearl necklace and bracelet she was wearing before fleeing the scene."

Uncle Mori seemed to have returned to the time when he was still a detective.

"The criminal is indeed a veteran."

“Actually,” Takagi interjected, “there were some oversights that might have occurred due to the panic. Apart from the rope with the hook, the prisoner even left his pistol at the scene. We found it on the grass below the balcony, and it even had a silencer attached.”

Even habitual criminals are always a little flustered when they're on the run.

"Officer Takagi," Akatsuka asked, "could I see some photos of the scene?"

"Ah, yes."

The forensic team took comprehensive photos, including not only crime scene photos but also close-ups of the victim's body from various angles and close-ups of related evidence.

Chapter 617 The Lady Who Loves to Observe the Stars

This case doesn't look like a robbery case at all.

There was also a pearl earring on the table, and another one was found on the right ear when the body was moved.

Even without considering these factors, it's difficult to make logical sense.

If the robbers only wanted to steal necklaces and bracelets, there was absolutely no need for them to commit murder.

Stealing it after the lady of the house falls asleep is the same.

It's only possible to kill someone to cover it up if they were caught in the act, but according to the crime scene, the victim was murdered on the balcony facing the riverbank.

What's even more ridiculous is that all the tools used in the crime were left at the scene, which cannot be explained away by a mere panic or carelessness.

Rather than saying the murderer carelessly left it behind, it's more accurate to say it had no choice but to remain at the scene.

Considering the earring, it seems more like she had just returned to her room, taken off one earring, and placed it on the table when someone called her to the balcony.

"Excuse me," Chi Chufeng asked the maid, "did Madam wear these pearl earrings when she went out that day?"

"Correct."

Where were you the night before last, between 9 and 10 pm, when the lady was murdered?

"Me? Me?" the maid asked, taken aback. "Are you doubting me? By the way, who are you?"

"Me?" Chi Chufeng smiled slightly. "I am a senior advisor to the Metropolitan Police Department. Could you tell me where you were at the time of the incident?"

The maid was startled upon hearing this and quickly looked at Inspector Megure. Seeing him nod in approval, she immediately became much more respectful.

"Two friends and I were in the living room downstairs, discussing the dishes we needed for the family dinner that was supposed to be held today. We stayed there from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. when my friends went home."

“Regarding this,” Takagi said, taking out his notebook, “I’ve already asked those two friends. They were definitely with her at that time, and they both saw the lady go back to her room to rest.”

"Then where is Mr. Funamoto?" Akatsuka suddenly asked. "Where was Mr. Funamoto at that time?"

"Master and young master finished dinner and went to their room to rest before Madam returned," the maid said. "Master was kept playing with by the young master starting the evening before last, so he must be tired."

“In that case, Mr. Funamoto will not have an absolute alibi.”

"Hey, Lord Chichu!"

Megure hurriedly called out to Akaso Kaze, who seemed about to make a decision.

"The lady's gunshot wound was a penetrating wound from the back of her head to her forehead. Considering the angle of the bullet's entry, the prisoner's height should be over 180cm, while Mr. Funamoto is only about 160cm."

"Furthermore, we have already consulted the doctor. Mr. Funamoto had an X-ray taken just two days before the incident. His bones haven't healed yet, and he can't stand up without help."

Kogoro Mouri stood silently behind him.

Looking at Akatsuki Kaze, who was listening intently to Inspector Megure's words, he couldn't help but ponder.

Chi Chufeng frowned and continued to ask Megure, "Can you be sure the prisoner is over 180cm tall?"

Megure shook his head again: "From the perspective of bullets, that's true. If the lady was crouching down to pick something up when she was shot from above, there should be a bullet hole somewhere."

"What if it was fired from below?" Chi Chufeng's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's hearts. "What if Madam was looking up at the night sky at that time?"

"Night, night sky?"

Megure was a little taken aback.

"Could it be?"

“That’s right,” Chi Chufeng said intently, “Madam has always enjoyed observing stars. The fact that she was shot on the balcony speaks volumes. The reason she only left one earring on the table is probably because someone said a shooting star had appeared. Therefore, Madam didn’t even have time to take off the remaining earring before rushing to the balcony.”

"So that makes sense when he fell to the ground."

Having been enlightened, Megure carefully raised his chin and began to ponder.

"As long as the lady looks up, even if she is sitting in a wheelchair and the shot is fired from a low position, the bullet will enter from the back of her head and exit through her forehead."

So it looks like a tall person firing a gun. Using this method, with the muzzle pointing upwards, there won't be any bullet holes left in the room, and the bullet will fly across the riverbank and disappear.

As he spoke, Megure's mind cleared up, and he said happily, "You're amazing, Lord Akatsuki! How come I didn't think of that?"

“It’s probably because of preconceived notions,” Chi Chufeng smiled. “I only confirmed it when I saw that only the bottom glass of the balcony door was broken, because Mr. Daren was in a wheelchair and couldn’t reach the top lock.”

"So the murder weapons were all left near the scene? Because the murderer never left the house," Inspector Megure said in a deep voice. "But if Mr. Tadahin is the culprit, where did the pearl necklace and bracelet go?"

Megure frowned, unable to figure out the key point, and became even more troubled.

"Even if Mr. Daren murdered the lady here, he couldn't have secretly thrown away the necklace and bracelet, could he?"

Because Mr. Daren's leg is broken and he can't go downstairs alone, we've searched all sorts of places where he could hide things, including outside the balcony where a person in a wheelchair could throw something down.

Chapter 618 Onion Chips on a Wheelchair

Chi Chufeng had specifically observed the riverbank opposite the balcony. Under normal circumstances, a person with mobility issues who is in a wheelchair would not get lost very far, but it was not entirely impossible.

“In that case,” Megure said seriously, “we’ll search the river again. If we find something, it means this isn’t a simple robbery and murder case.”

Chi Chufeng nodded.

The crime scene doesn't look like a robber killing someone to cover it up, does it?

However, there might be better ways to handle necklaces and bracelets.

Akatsuki continued, asking Megure, "Have you really checked all the trash?"

“Of course,” Megure said, somewhat bewildered. “We checked all the trash in the bins before taking them out for recycling.”

Uncle Mori asked, "Could this case be related to that strangely high-paying job?"

"High-paying jobs?"

"It is said that someone found a job opportunity and was commissioned by a group that studies the harmless treatment of waste to collect combustible waste in the vicinity. The O020O pay is quite high."

Uncle Mori began to recount the story without much concern.

“Every Thursday and Monday is the combustible waste collection day. Early in the morning, I collect the garbage into the designated truck and then drive back to the parking lot. I can earn 5 yuan each time, which is 45 yuan a month.”

"This started two weeks ago. The only problem is that the workers noticed that the group didn't seem to have touched the garbage. So we suspected that the person who commissioned the workers might have some ulterior motive, which is why we came to check it out."

"Oh?" Inspector Megure asked in surprise, "Is the garbage collection point around here?"

"This is the right place, but isn't the Funamoto family's garbage collection fine? I think it's just a coincidence."

On the first floor of the Funamoto house, Funamoto Tatsuhito was still sitting in his wheelchair talking to his son.

Chi Chufeng stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor and looked down at the father and son who had a deep affection for each other. His gaze fell on the dark long-haired carpet laid directly below the railing of the corridor.

If Mr. Funamoto is indeed the murderer, it would be incredibly cruel to the unsuspecting child.

However, judging from the situation at the scene, Mr. Funamoto is indeed the most suspicious person.

Akatsuka Kaze walked down the stairs with Ai Haibara, hands in his pockets, just as Funamoto Tatsujin looked up.