I'm raising a fox fairy wife in Tokyo

That's so convenient.

Rich people are really something; it makes their work much easier.

The saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle."

Intelligence is also very important in this line of work.

“My parents divorced when I was young, and I was raised by my mother alone from the time I was old enough to understand. I dropped out of junior high school because of bullying and became a NEET who stayed at home. My mother died when I was 32. I have no work record or online part-time jobs and live solely on the savings left by my mother.”

“I go to Yuchu Supermarket, which is two kilometers away, once a week to shop. I don’t go out except for that. Even if I commit a crime, I only do it while shopping. I never leave home at other times.”

The coffin can be seen as the heart of the spirit.

Its formation follows certain patterns, and through thousands of years of continuous summarization and deduction, the conclusion reached is—

"The thing that comes to mind at the moment of death, and that is closest to oneself."

"what?"

Isn't it something like "the most important thing to the deceased"?

"There were such speculations before, but they were gradually refuted because there are indeed some coffins that do not belong to this category."

"Isn't that a bit too broad a scope? What does 'what was on one's mind before death' even mean?"

Although the condition of "closest distance" was also added.

But what exactly is the range for this distance measurement? It seems ridiculous!

Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka both thought so.

"Actually it's not bad."

Takagawa Takayuki explained.

"for example."

"Do Shinomiya-san and Hayasaka-san know about deflection coil components?"

Chapter Nine isn't here either? It's nowhere to be found!

"what?"

"Where's the cathode ray tube?"

"..."

"These are all components inside the television set."

now.

The three of them had passed through the entrance hall and arrived at what looked like a living room.

In the long, vermilion cabinet room, there is also a rather old-fashioned CRT television set that looks quite dated.

Gao Chuanlong patted the dusty, probably already broken television.

He said with a smile.

“No normal person would know these things, and since they wouldn’t know them, they wouldn’t consider it a coffin.”

After saying that, he picked up a dirty porcelain bowl that was placed next to the counter.

There was something inside, but it was moldy, covered in grime, and had traces that looked like insect eggs.

“If it is an everyday item, then its shape and pattern must be consistent, otherwise it will be classified as an ‘imaginary, non-existent thing’ and will not become a ‘coffin’.”

Therefore, in conclusion...

In theory, a coffin should be something the deceased knew about during their lifetime and that was deeply etched in their memory—it doesn't necessarily have to be the most precious thing, but it must be something that is most commonplace and easily thought of.

“Previously, Europe and the United States had conducted research on using death row inmates, putting them into a deep sleep before killing them… but it didn’t work.”

"The human brain is amazing. As long as it doesn't completely shut down, it will unconsciously remember something, just like dreaming."

That sounds so scientific!

"I've already told you, Shinomiya-kun, you have to believe in science, because spiritualism is also a science. Even if it's just about constantly summarizing experience, over the years, it has developed into a fairly mature and systematic methodology."

The casual conversation dispelled some of the fear.

Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka even felt as if they were attending some kind of extracurricular learning lecture with the boy.

It was the kind of on-site inspection.

Hey, hey, hey, this is clearly an exploration of a haunted house belonging to a terrifying serial killer!

And it can be confirmed that there are definitely places where spirits exist!!

Show some respect for others...

You'll cry.

Listen...

"Waaaaaah, no...no...no!! I...I can do it...I can!!"

Suddenly, a woman's shrill wail came from the depths of the corridor.

The two girls were startled.

She instantly hid behind the boy.

Yes, it is real; there is something terrifying in this house.

At this moment.

Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka both truly realized this.

Takagawa Takayuki seemed completely unresponsive to this.

The boy continued muttering to himself.

"He lost his mother at 32, but only started committing crimes at 40. Perhaps he had almost run out of the money his mother left him, and the bank statements can also prove this."

"What would a NEET who's in his fifties and still lives off his parents, doesn't even know how to use a computer or have a cell phone, do all day at home?"

I walked around the living room.

What Gao Chuanlong is using at this moment is actually the simplest process of elimination.

To understand the life of a "spirit," one should try to reconstruct its trajectory before death. This will naturally narrow down the scope of the search and eventually lead to the answer.

"Of course, there are other ways."

Do not know why.

At that moment, both Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka felt that the boy's smile was a little terrifying.

This guy seems to be completely enjoying himself!

A cold wind blew by, making both girls feel a chill seep into their backs.

It wasn't just the crying and shouting at the end of the corridor.

and also.

Especially that ever-present, terrifying gaze that seemed to come from nowhere…

Huh! ! !

The boy, however, remained oblivious to this, continuing to talk to himself.

"Sleeping and eating are both essential. The food bought from the supermarket is all cheap pre-cooked food, so a refrigerator is necessary..."

The refrigerator is located on one side of the living room.

Takagawa Ryu opened it, but strangely, there was no smell.

just.

The refrigerator, which should have been broken long ago, was now emitting a pale, cold light from its interior, except for a large number of packaging bags that were piled up and even stuck together.

Nothing else.

"Ok?"

She tilted her head slightly.

"No?"

What are you expecting?!

The refrigerators in horror movies usually don't contain anything good!

to be frank.

Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka were both startled.

But Takagawa Ryu seemed to have thought of something.

After closing the refrigerator, he walked out of the living room and led the two girls upstairs.

The staircase leading to the second floor is on one side of the corridor.

Meanwhile, in the darkness on the other side, the woman's cries grew louder and louder.

Gao Chuanlong continued to act as if he couldn't hear him.

Then, they looked through the rooms on the second and third floors one by one—most of the rooms were empty, with nothing in them; some were piled with a lot of miscellaneous items, and there was only one bed that had long since rotted.

This is probably where Yagijiro used to sleep.

Still nothing.

Takagawa Takayuki and the girls returned to the first floor.

"Is washing up and showering necessary every day after waking up, eating breakfast, going to the toilet, etc.? It doesn't seem so."

"There are no problems with the toilets and bathrooms either."

There are no problems!

The toilet and bathroom were covered in blood!!

Following behind the boy, it was unclear whether it was due to the influence of the "spirit" or the inability to remove the filth from his early years.

The walls, ceiling, and floor were covered in large pools of blood mixed with what looked like chunks of flesh...

And hair.

A large amount of hair had piled up in the corner, and now it was like ivy, covering one side of the wall.

This is presumably where Yagi Jiro disposed of the victims' bodies.

even.

In the corner of the drainpipe, both Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka saw the eyeballs piled up inside.

One by one, densely packed.

Even so, Takakawa Takayuki still had a disappointed look on his face.

"not here."

The boy turned and left nonchalantly, forcing Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka to follow immediately.

What exactly is this subtle feeling?

It was both terrifying and like a picnic...

"Ah... I see, it's television. A NEET in his thirties with no hobbies or entertainment activities, staying at home alone, probably spends most of his time watching television."

"The intelligence report said this guy doesn't have a reading habit."

Back in the living room.

The boy searched and finally found the broken TV remote under a rotten blanket.

"It's not this one either..."

The entire house has been explored.

"Strange, [Ling] hasn't come looking for us either."

"..."