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Ying Xiaoque pulled out a notebook from her bag and flipped to the page with the clippings. "Before I continue my analysis, let me introduce a case that occurred in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province: a woman was bound to a tree by the murderer in a completely voluntary and unresisting state, and ultimately met a tragic end when her throat was slit by the killer. (Note: This is a real case that was reported by 'Live Nanjing.') Therefore, we have reason to accept the fact that victims can be deceived or threatened into doing anything."
"The victim was threatened or deceived by the murderer, actively sealing the door with cement from the inside and handing over masonry tools, only to be killed by the murderer with a flying knife..."
"Or even actively committing suicide with a knife!" Zhang Qiyan added.
"We cannot rule out this possibility, but the likelihood is very low." Mu Rong Jing slowly took out his phone and pulled up a photo. "I took a picture of the deceased when I first saw him and sent it via MMS to Yu Wen Ya Ji. She just called me back and said that the deceased's appearance has been matched with recently reported missing persons, and his identity has been confirmed."
"What’s the result?" Ying Xiaoque couldn't help but stomp her foot, unable to tolerate Mu Rong Jing's pace and tone.
"The deceased is Jing Haoran, male, 29 years old, widowed, without children, and both parents passed away early. His social connections are extremely simple. Do you think it would be effective for the murderer to threaten a man with parents and a wife and children, or someone like this bachelor?"
"Maybe it was through temptation?" Zhang Qiyan helped Ying Xiaoque ask.
Mu Rong Jing scoffed, "He has no financial problems; his income is decent... Besides, he’s already trapped in here, with life hanging by a thread—what would he want money for?"
"What about deception? Or using hallucinogens?" Ying Xiaoque bit her lip, holding onto her last shred of hope.
"Ha! This is what I mean by 'your probability.' The likelihood of someone trapping themselves through deception is directly proportional to how much you think it's possible." Mu Rong Jing pulled out some sugar cubes from somewhere and stuffed them into his mouth after finishing his sentence.
"Ugh..." Suddenly, Mu Rong Jing began to gag violently, bending over awkwardly, which was quite surprising! However, beside him, Wu Yazhuo was laughing so hard he couldn't straighten up.
"Who eats snacks like you do—like a starving wolf?" Wu Yazhuo shook the small bottle in his hand. "This time I brought some salt; next time if I manage to get my hands on a live corpse, I don't know what I'll bring you!"
He pretended to hand a bottle of water to Mu Rong Jing, cleared his throat, and assumed the demeanor of a university professor as he began to reason: “Intelligence does not lie in sudden inspiration or how quickly one’s mind works; intelligence is a method, a systematic way of thinking. To avoid unnecessary chatter, let’s discuss the locked room. The main references on locked rooms include Chapter 17, ‘A Detailed Discussion on Locked Rooms,’ from John Dickson Carr’s ‘The Three Coffins,’ as well as the locked room lecture by Nikaido Rei in ‘The Haunted Mansion,’ and my grandson Wu Wan’s discussion in ‘Murder at 8.’ By synthesizing these three theoretical articles, we can systematically list the circumstances of the locked room and eliminate all impossibilities; the answer will become evident.”
“First, let’s determine whether this is a murder. Given the provocative letter and the padlock outside, it’s clear that the possibility of suicide is quite low. I believe that padlock was intentionally left by the questioner for the sake of rigor. Of course, considering it was a stabbing, the chance of an accident can also be largely ruled out.”
“Second, was the victim forced to commit suicide? Let’s refer to Miss Ying’s answer. Additionally, I’d like to add that from examining the traces visible through the vent, it doesn’t seem likely; we found no signs of struggle whatsoever.”
“Third, regarding devices: since the room has bare walls with no objects inside, this can be excluded.”
“Fourth, suicide disguised as murder. Clearly, the deceased did not attempt any disguise. Without the first line of reasoning, I might even doubt that it was a suicide.”
“Fifth, illusions and disguises do not apply here. To preserve the scene, we have not yet entered the room, and the deceased is indeed real and has been dead for several days.”
“Sixth, an external attack theory. Based on the size of the vent, this is fundamentally untenable; moreover, it does not explain the phenomenon of the cement-sealed door.”
“Seventh, time discrepancy theory. Since this locked room has not been opened, this is ineffective just like point five.”
“Eighth, mechanical lock tricks. Since this case did not involve any mechanical door locks or window locks, there is no need to consider this.”
“So, having eliminated all these possibilities, the answer becomes clear!”
Ying Xiaoque and Zhang Qiyan stared wide-eyed with their mouths forming an "O," leaning slightly forward in anxious anticipation of the final answer. Meanwhile, Mu Rong Jing wore a serious expression; whether out of anger or disdain was unclear as he gripped the water bottle tightly enough for his knuckles to turn white before taking a large gulp.
“The answer lies in Nikaido's third point and fifth item: The murderer utilized an unconventional entrance or secret passage!” Wu Yazhuo snatched the draft paper from Xiao Chang’s hands and quickly pointed at it with his finger. “It’s that simple! The murderer dug a tunnel nearby—whether several meters or a few kilometers away—to transport the body into the room and then returned by the same route.”
"Writer, this is reasoning that remains at the level of a novel!" Mu Rong Jing could no longer contain himself, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "This place is called the Stone Beach, and within a kilometer, it's all marshland. The geology is primarily gravel rock, and there are countless underground currents. Even a professional engineering team, using specialized instruments and equipment, would find it nearly impossible to dig a tunnel underground here. How could the murderer do it? If they used your method, they would either be buried alive or drowned..."
"Progress comes from imagination; one must be meticulous yet bold! I finally understand why the living dead always have the initiative in battles against you. It's because you are too cautious and easily bound by reality. What you cannot do, perhaps someone else can. What humans cannot achieve now, maybe in the future they will be able to. The pyramids are so marvelous; people built them thousands of years ago. The Great Wall is so grand; it was constructed by ancient people carrying stones on their shoulders. Bold individuals often take initiative but may suffer losses, while meticulous individuals may not suffer losses but will certainly be passive. To become an outstanding detective, one must possess both qualities!" Wu Yazhuo waved his arms passionately.
"Exactly! Moreover, Brother Wu Yazhuo's method becomes even more feasible after some adjustments!" Zhang Qiyan quickly stepped in to mediate, her eyes sparkling as she suggested, "For example, the murderer could dig a dog hole in the corner of the wall and then fill it back in..."
"There are no such fresh traces; the murder occurred just days ago!" Xiao Chang frowned, first pointing to his detailed sketches and then to the secret room with a determined tone. His meticulousness was beyond question.
"Eh? Have I lost?" Wu Yazhuo suddenly deflated, his shoulders slumping. "In any case, my hypothesis cannot be completely dismissed!"
"You lost!" Mu Rong Jing's tone was icy, short and forceful.
"You don't even have an answer! How can you say I lost?" Wu Yazhuo was thoroughly enraged by Mu Rong Jing's attitude, his face turning red with anger.
"I do have one!"
"Then say it!"
"In fact, my answer is somewhat similar to Mr. Jinx's but definitely more feasible!" Mu Rong Jing's eyes suddenly sparkled with sharpness. "Because there is a secret room, we consider a hidden passage. But what if there was never a secret room to begin with?"
This statement successfully captured everyone's attention; even Xiao Chang, who had been focused on his drawing and distancing himself from the discussion, paused and lifted his head.
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