My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 46: Chapter 32: Case Closed!

Aoto rummaged through the cabinet in the hall for a while, and finally found another thing that could strongly prove his earlier speculation—a few candles placed in the corner of the drawer.

After staring at these candles for a while, Aoto closed the drawer and slowly walked back to Granny Ping’s corpse to examine it once more.

”Did the perpetrator cover the victim’s mouth with one hand and commit the murder with a knife in the other hand...” Aoto closely observed the scratches on Granny Ping’s mouth.

Around Granny Ping’s mouth, which was slightly open and covered in blood foam, there were marks of pressing and fingernail scratches.

Those pressing marks were clearly left by the perpetrator holding down Granny Ping’s mouth to prevent her from screaming.

As for the scratches, they were likely left when Granny Ping struggled to push away the perpetrator’s hand from her mouth.

——Scratches...

Aoto turned his gaze to Granny Ping’s ten fingers, deep in thought...

Crash...

The sudden sound of the door opening interrupted Aoto’s observation and thoughts.

Realizing people had entered, and not just one person, Aoto raised an eyebrow.

He stepped out from the room where Granny Ping lay dead, and as soon as he was in the corridor, he saw five figures approaching him.

Among the five, the one leading, like Aoto, was dressed as a Dōshin.

The leading figure among the five, whose lips were slightly thin, stood about 1.6 meters tall, shorter than Aoto but notably taller than most people of the era. Aoto’s eyebrows slightly furrowed: ”Nishino...”

”Tachibana.” The young man tilted his head slightly upward, looking at Aoto with his nostrils, ”What are you doing here?”

Nishino Hosojirō—the name of this Dōshin.

Nishino Hosojirō’s name was well-known at the North Guard Station, famed along with Aoto, although they were famous in completely opposite directions.

To describe him, one sentence suffices—the ace of the North Station’s ”Three Times”!

Within the North Station Town Patrol, there’s a consensus that the ”Tojo Group’s” record far surpasses the ”Arima Group’s” in terms of case-solving abilities and political achievements.

Apart from partly being due to the ”Arima Group” being held back by Blockhead Don, the main reason is Nishino’s presence in the ”Tojo Group.”

If asked who has the strongest case-solving abilities in the North Guard Station... it must be Nishino—most of the officers would agree.

Since joining the North Station Town Patrol three years ago, Nishino has consistently demonstrated outstanding work capabilities.

Numerous difficult and significant cases, when handed to Nishino, were solved swiftly.

His professional competence is remarkable, and his swordsmanship is also exceptionally outstanding.

Beichen One-Sword Style uses ”Paper Cutting,” ”Table Level,” and ”License” as its three levels of disciple proficiency.

At a young age, Nishino obtained the second level: Table qualification.

Many assert that if it weren’t for Nishino’s youth, being only 25, and lack of experience, he could have been promoted to Temporary Patrol.

”This area is part of my jurisdiction.” Aoto said, ”A murder occurred in my jurisdiction, so I came to the crime scene to examine, any problem?”

”...Is that so, then you haven’t disturbed the things at the crime scene, have you, so as not to disrupt it?” Nishino’s expression and tone remained cold.

Aoto: ”I haven’t touched anything I shouldn’t have.”

”That’s good. I’ll trust you haven’t disturbed the crime scene.”

”Alright, you can leave now.” Nishino pointed towards the door behind him, ”Lord Hosoi has entrusted me with full responsibility for this case.”

”Those irrelevant, without my permission, you must not approach the crime scene.”

”Hurry up and leave.”

”Since this area is part of your jurisdiction, go outside and maintain order, help disperse those gathered to watch.”

”Even someone like you should manage this kind of task, right?”

When muttering ”someone like you,” Nishino deliberately emphasized his tone.

”And in short, don’t cause trouble or give me a headache.”

In a previous life, a rather famous science fiction novel was called ”Three-Body,” which Aoto never read, but he knew a famous line inside it: The greatest respect civilizations show each other is annihilation, and their greatest contempt is ignoring one another.

Aoto always thought this line applies to interpersonal relationships as well.

What is the greatest contempt between people? Is it trading insults? Is it wearing a mocking face, engaging in relentless ridicule?

None of these.

The greatest contempt between people is the same as between civilizations—it’s ignoring, not even bothering to glance.

That’s precisely Nishino’s attitude towards Aoto now.

He didn’t use a mocking tone when speaking with Aoto.

Nor did he adopt any expressions of contempt.

Yet anyone could sense the stark contempt Nishino’s words carried towards Aoto.

Judging by rank, he and Aoto were of the same level, both Dōshin of the Town Patrol. Besides ordering Aoto to leave his designated crime scene, Nishino had no authority to instruct Aoto to do anything else. But he did, ordering Aoto with an arrogant superior’s air to go outside and manage the crowd.

With an attitude like Aoto wasn’t worth a glance, reluctant to say more, he ordered Aoto to vanish from his sight.

Feeling the palpable contempt Nishino’s words and demeanor conveyed, Aoto’s brows furrowed slightly, a few strands of dissatisfaction surfacing in his heart.

But as soon as these sparks of discontent surfaced, Aoto immediately pressed them down.

Nishino was the Dōshin dispatched by Lord Hosoi for this case. Now that he’s arrived at the crime scene, Aoto indeed had no excuse to linger here.

At this crime scene, it’s undoubtedly Nishino’s domain. Should any dispute arise here, even verbal, Aoto would be in the wrong and face impeachment.

Without acknowledging Nishino, Aoto silently brushed past him, heading toward the door.

Nishino didn’t respond to Aoto, not even sparing a glance. He led his undercover informant into the room where Granny Ping lay dead.

Upon exiting Granny Ping’s house, Aoto spotted Hui Dalang.

Seeing Aoto, Hui Dalang initially paused and then quickly plastered a formal smile, approaching Aoto.

”Ah, Lord Tachibana! You’ve come out!”

Hui Dalang faced Aoto as always—superficial politeness, harboring hidden resentment.

——Haha...

Grayish mocking laughter echoed within Hui Dalang’s heart.

——You fool... sneaking into the crime scene and being chased out by Lord Nishino, right?

Amid his fervent mockery, Hui Dalang suddenly heard Aoto calling him:

”Hui Dalang.”

”Hmm? Here.”

Though the Dōshin dispatched for the case arrived earlier than anticipated... fortunately—I gathered sufficient clues from the crime scene.

Aoto, with a calm face, slowly said:

”Hui Dalang, could you go and gather Granny Ping’s neighbors and friends again? I have another inquiry for them.”

”If luck’s on our side, we might capture the perpetrator soon.”

”Perpetrator...?!” Hui Dalang’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Aoto, then he subconsciously asked quickly, ”Lord Tachibana, do you know who the perpetrator is?”

”If my conjecture is correct... the perpetrator is a male; Granny Ping likely died from a crime of passion. The perpetrator visited Granny Ping last night, chatted extensively, confessed love, was rejected, and enraged, drew a blade to murder but wasn’t adept with knives. Only one strike hit Granny Ping fatally. The perpetrator could be a close friend or childhood acquaintance, possibly bearing Granny Ping’s fingernail marks on one hand’s back.”

”Crime... of passion...?” Hui Dalang’s mouth formed an ”O,” his expression dulled by shock.

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Today there are three updates!

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