Ghost Detectives in the Detective World

"Don't worry, I will catch the murderer as soon as possible."

Matsuda nodded. The squinty-eyed Miss Suzuki in front of him was clearly different from the carefree Sonoko; she looked very composed.

Thinking of that saying from my past life, "Those with squinty eyes are all monsters..."

This Miss Suzuki must be someone special. Matsuda thought to himself.

After introducing Ayako Suzuki, the only people Matsuda didn't recognize were a few of Ayako's classmates from the film club in college.

Hiroki Kakutani, who enjoys photography and appears tall and reliable,

Ota Masaru is handsome, but his behavior is frivolous.

Short and chubby, with a seemingly honest and simple appearance, Ryoichi Takahashi.

"Besides those three, the only one left is Ms. Chikako Ikeda,"

Sonoko pointed tremblingly to the woods not far away.

"She's over there right now."

……

In the woods, Matsuda found Ikeda Chikako's mangled body.

“Officer Matsuda, let’s hurry back to the villa,” Sonoko said in a trembling voice. “That bandaged man might be hiding in the woods. He attacked Ran here during the day.”

Chapter 107 Come, let's search you.

"How do you know that bandaged man is hiding in the woods?" Matsuda retorted. "Maybe he's hiding among you all?"

“You agree, Mr. Takahashi?” Matsuda looked at the short, stout, and unusually honest-looking Takahashi Ryoichi.

"Officer Matsuda, what... what do you mean by this?"

Takahashi forced a smile.

Do you suspect I'm that bandaged weirdo?

"Officer Matsuda, the bandaged man is definitely not among us,"

Sonoko's older sister, Ayako Suzuki, spoke up in defense of her classmate.

"We all witnessed that bandaged weirdo kidnapping Chikako in the living room of the villa."

"Are you sure you were all in the living room at the time?" Matsuda asked.

“That’s right,” Ayako nodded affirmatively.

The others nodded in agreement.

Unfortunately, there isn't enough evidence...

Matsuda frowned as he looked at Takahashi Ryoichi.

Clinging to Ryoichi Takahashi was a woman with torn limbs and covered in blood.

That's right, it's Chikako Ikeda!

Because she was cruelly dismembered, her resentment was so strong that she had long since transformed into a vengeful spirit.

She had only been dead for a short time when her vengeful spirit had already left her body and was now haunting Takahashi, who had killed her.

Earlier on the other side of the cliff, Matsuda noticed this and, worried that the evil spirit would harm people, hurriedly grabbed the rope and jumped down.

Fortunately, after arriving, he discovered that although Chikako's vengeful spirit had already appeared,

But since he had only recently died, the evil spirit didn't have much power yet. That's why Takahashi was able to live until now.

Since Matsuda already knew who the murderer was, his decision to examine the body was likely an attempt to more logically identify the killer.

After all, if he had just jumped off the cliff, then Takahashi must be the murderer.

Putting aside what others might say, Conan would definitely suspect the reason behind it.

Matsuda originally wanted to trick Takahashi to see if he would reveal any flaws.

Matsuda stared at Takahashi, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

Chikako Ikeda's posture as she clung to him was truly bizarre.

Her whole body was twisted, her head pressed against Takahashi's stomach, and her limbs hooked around Takahashi's body.

Why does Chikako's head have to be next to Takahashi's stomach?

Could there be something inside that belly? Matsuda's heart skipped a beat.

“Mr. Takahashi, I don’t doubt you, I actually doubt all of you.”

After thinking for a moment, Matsuda looked at everyone present and said,

"According to our police regulations, I would like to first search you all to make sure you do not have any suspicious items on you."

"what?"

Sonoko quickly hugged her chest, her face full of shyness.

"Officer Matsuda, you..."

Ayako and Ran, who were standing nearby, also took a step back, looking rather awkward.

"The three of you girls can check each other."

Matsuda quickly explained,

"I'll take care of the remaining three men, and Conan can keep an eye on them for me, okay?"

"Okay." Conan nodded.

“Then let’s start with you, Mr. Takahashi.” Matsuda looked at Takahashi Ryoichi.

"This one……"

Ryoichi Takahashi couldn't help but take a step back, his face turning pale.

He questioned, "Why are you searching us? That bandaged guy isn't even among us."

His words displeased Hiroki Kakutani and Katsuya Ota, who were standing nearby.

After all, Matsuda's actions could be described as treating them all as suspects.

“As I said, it was just a routine search,” Matsuda explained. “After all, the suspension bridge was cut first, and then the villa’s telephone line was also cut.”

"Doesn't all of this mean that the guy with the straps wants to keep you here? Even if that guy with the straps is the murderer, some of you might be his accomplices. The body search is for everyone's safety."

“Alright, Takahashi, let Officer Matsuda search us,” Hiroki Kakutani snorted. “Once he’s done his search, he’ll know we have nothing to do with the bandaged monster.”

“That’s true,” Ota Masaru flicked his long hair and sneered, “I originally thought that the famous detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department were so amazing, but it turns out they’re only this good.”

Matsuda ignored Ota's provocation and continued to stare at Takahashi.

"Well, Mr. Takahashi, have your companions all agreed?"

"me……"

Takahashi stammered, but remained standing still, refusing to move.

Now, his two companions also realized that something was wrong.

"Takahashi? What's wrong?" Hiroki Kakutani couldn't help but ask.

"Hey, what are you waiting for?"

Ota Masaru walked up to Takahashi and had just opened his mouth to say something when Takahashi suddenly shook his head.

"No, no..."

After Takahashi finished speaking, he suddenly raised his hand and pushed Ota Masaru to the ground, then tried to run away after passing him.

But since Matsuda already knew he was the murderer, how could he not be paying attention to his every move?

Before Takahashi could make a move, Matsuda had already raised his leg and kicked him directly in the belly.

With Matsuda's physique enhanced by the system, this kick sent Takahashi flying backwards for over ten meters.

He only stopped after hitting the trunk of a tree.

Matsuda looked down at his foot. When he kicked the guy in the stomach, the soft, yielding feeling didn't feel like he'd kicked flesh at all!

At this moment, Ota Katsumi, who had been pushed to the ground, got up and angrily walked towards Takahashi.

"Don't go near him!" Matsuda shouted a warning and tried to go over to stop him.

However, Ota Masaru was only one or two meters away from Takahashi.

Now, in his anger, he refused to listen to Matsuda and took two steps to stand in front of Takahashi, grabbing him by the collar.

"Takahashi, what are you doing? How dare you push me..."

Before Ota Katsumi could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a chill on his neck.

A dagger had appeared in Takahashi's hand without his knowledge, and now the murder weapon was held against his neck.

"Takahashi, you..."

Ota Masaru looked fearfully at his classmate with a sickly smile on his face.

Everyone else stared in disbelief at what had fallen out of Takahashi's stomach.

It was the head of the bandaged monster they had seen before!

"The bandaged monster's head? Did you also...?"

Sonoko was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, and Ran wasn't much better off. The two girls clung tightly to each other.

On the contrary, Ayako Suzuki, although she was also trembling,

But at this moment, she opened her eyes, which had been squinting.

After carefully examining the head of the bandaged monster on the ground.

Ayako questioned, "That bandaged head, you made that prop, didn't you, Takahashi?"

"What exactly is going on, Takahashi!" Hiroki Kakutani asked sternly.

“It’s very simple. The real murderer of Ikeda Chikako is him,” Matsuda said calmly.