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Ying Xiaoque pulled out a notebook from her bag and flipped to the page where she had tucked in a clipping. "Before I continue my analysis, let me introduce a case that occurred in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing City: 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 cut by the assailant. (Note: This is a real case that was reported by Live Broadcast 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, then handing over the tiling tools, only to be killed by the assailant 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 some photos. "I took pictures of the deceased when I first saw them and sent them via MMS to Yu Wen Ya Ji. She just called me back and said that the deceased's appearance has been matched with recently missing persons, and their identity has been confirmed."
"What was the result?" Ying Xiaoque couldn't help but stomp her foot, unable to endure Mu Rong Jing's pace and tone.
"The deceased is Jing Haoran, male, 29 years old, a widower with no children. His parents passed away early, leaving him with extremely simple social connections. Do you think it would be effective for the murderer to threaten a man with parents and children, or someone like this single man?"
"Perhaps it was through temptation?" Zhang Qiyan helped Ying Xiaoque ask.
Mu Rong Jing scoffed. "He has no financial problems; his income is decent... Besides, being trapped in here with life hanging by a thread, what use would money be?"
"What about deception? Or using hallucinogens?" Ying Xiaoque bit her lip, clinging to her last shred of hope.
"Ha! This is what I mean by 'your probability.' The likelihood of someone being deceived into ensnaring themselves is directly proportional to how much you believe it could happen." Mu Rong Jing suddenly pulled out some sugar cubes from somewhere and stuffed them into his mouth.
"Ugh..." Mu Rong Jing suddenly began to gag violently, bending over awkwardly, which was quite surprising! Meanwhile, Wu Yazhuo was laughing so hard he couldn't straighten up.
"Who eats snacks like you do—gobbling them down?" Wu Yazhuo shook the small bottle in his hand. "This time I brought some salt; next time if I catch a live corpse, who knows what I'll get you!"
He pretended to hand a bottle of water to Mu Rong Jing, cleared his throat, and adopted 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 being verbose, let’s talk about locked rooms. The main lectures on locked rooms include Chapter 17, ‘A Detailed Discussion on Locked Rooms,’ from John Dickson Carr's Three Coffins, as well as Nikaido Reito's lecture in Evil Spirit Mansion, and my own discussion in Sunzi Wuwan's The Murder of Eight. By synthesizing these three theoretical articles, we can 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 case. Given the highly provocative letter and the padlock outside, it is clear that the possibility of the deceased committing suicide is quite low. I believe that padlock was left by the perpetrator for the sake of rigor in the case. Of course, considering it was a stabbing, the possibility of an accident can also be ruled out.”
“Second, was the victim forced into suicide? Let’s refer to Miss Ying’s answer. Additionally, I would like to add that from the traces observed through the vent, it seems unlikely; we found no signs of struggle whatsoever.”
“Third, regarding devices: since the room was completely bare with no objects present, this can be excluded.”
“Fourth, suicide disguised as murder. The deceased clearly did not disguise anything; without the first line of reasoning, I might even suspect that it was a suicide.”
“Fifth, illusion and disguise. This case does not apply; to preserve the scene, we have not yet entered the room, and the deceased has been dead for several days.”
“Sixth, 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, it is ineffective just like point five.”
“Eighth, mechanical lock trickery. Since this case did not involve any mechanical door or window locks, there is no need to consider this.”
“So, eliminating all these possibilities leads us directly to the answer!”
Ying Xiaoque and Zhang Qiyan’s eyes widened in astonishment, their mouths forming an “O” shape as they leaned forward in anticipation of the final answer. Meanwhile, Mu Rong Jing maintained a stern expression, her grip on the water bottle tightening as she took a large gulp.
“The answer lies in point five of section three of Nikaido's lecture: The murderer used an entrance or secret passage that is not typically employed!” 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 several meters or even 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 fiction!" Mu Rong Jing could no longer contain himself, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "This place is called Strange Stone Beach, and for a kilometer around, it's all mudflats. The geology is primarily gravel rock, and there are countless underground currents. Even a professional engineering team, equipped with specialized instruments, would find it nearly impossible to dig a tunnel down there. How could the murderer manage it? If they used your method, they'd either be buried alive or drowned..."
"Progress comes from imagination; being meticulous also requires boldness! I finally understand why the living dead always take the initiative in battles against you—because you are too cautious and too easily constrained by reality. What you can't do, perhaps someone else can. What people can't do now, maybe in the future they will be able to. How incredible is the pyramid? People built it thousands of years ago. How magnificent is the Great Wall? It was constructed by ancient people using their shoulders and hands. Bold individuals often take the initiative but may suffer losses; 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, his emotions running high.
"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 small hole in the corner and then fill it back in..."
"There are no new traces like that; the murder happened just a few days ago!" Xiao Chang frowned, first pointing to his detailed sketches and then to the secret room, his tone firm—his meticulousness was beyond question.
"Huh? Have I lost?" Wu Yazhuo suddenly deflated, his shoulders drooping. "In any case, my hypothesis cannot be completely dismissed!"
"You lost!" Mu Rong Jing's tone was icy and concise.
"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 if you can!"
"In fact, my answer is somewhat similar to Crow's Mouth Mr.'s, but definitely more feasible!" Mu Rong Jing's eyes suddenly sparkled with sharp intensity. "Because there is a secret room, we consider secret passages; but what if there wasn't a secret room to begin with?"
These words successfully captured everyone's attention, even Xiao Chang, who had been focused on his drawing and keeping himself at a distance, paused and lifted his head.
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