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Chapter 858 The Most Likely Answer
It only took a few seconds for the two of them to fall and roll to the bottom.
In the darkness, Conan sensed Hissashi release his hand and quickly sat up. "Brother Chi? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Chi Feichei sat up, assessing his condition. His back was sore from the landing, and he had scraped the back of his hand.
He was a little glad he was in the habit of wearing long pants and long sleeves, otherwise, more than just the back of his hand would have been scraped.
Conan tried his Watch Flashlight, and said helplessly, "My Watch is broken."
The two of them sat quietly in the Pit for a while. After their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they could vaguely make out their surroundings.
Chi Feichei got up and picked up the Small Plastic Medicine Bottle scattered around.
Above the Pit where they were, there were traces of excavation, but below the Slope was a natural Limestone Cave. In addition to the Stalactite hanging down from above, there were also many Stalagmite and Stone Pillar standing upright. The two Small Bottle that sounded wrong before had hit the Stalagmite and fallen to the Ground.
Conan helped Chi Feichei pick up the Small Medicine Bottle, and sat quietly waiting for Chi Feichei to bandage him.
He couldn't help but feel touched when he thought about how Chi Feichei had been protecting him with his body when they rolled down.
His Little Friend was a good person, a very good person.
And... Little Friend still carried such complete supplies.
Alcohol for disinfection, Disposable Bandage for bandaging, and when he was picking up the Small Medicine Bottle, he also saw a Small Bottle with a memo that read 'Anti-Inflammatory Medicine'.
However, there was one thing he wanted to confirm.
"Brother Chi, did you intentionally throw the Bottle down just now?" Conan actively helped tear off a piece of Medical Tape for Chi Feichei.
"Uh-huh." Chi Feichei took the Adhesive Tape and pressed the Bandage wrapped around his hand tightly.
Conan wasn't surprised to get Chi Feichei's affirmative Answer.
When he fell, he heard a lot of things falling and clattering to the Ground, and thought that Things in Chi Feichei's Pocket had accidentally fallen out, but when he helped pick up the Bottle just now, he found that the landing locations of those Bottle were very scattered, not like natural drops.
In Other Words, Chi Feichei intentionally threw the Small Plastic Bottle in his Pocket to different Places when he was falling, listening to the Sound of the Bottle landing to probe the Altitude of the Pit and the Situation below the Pit.
He once again sincerely envied someone's characteristic of being calm and quick-witted in the face of Matters.
After Chi Feichei finished treating the Injury on his hand and put away the Small Bottle, Conan stood up, walked to the steep Slope, looked upwards, and said, "It's a man-made Cave Entrance, reinforced with Cement, and this Slope was also built. It doesn't look like it's for people to enter and exit or to trap Prey. And this Village is surrounded by Mountains, and it's easy to suffer Disaster if it encounters heavy Rain. Then, this Cave Entrance should be built to guide Rainwater into the Water Sink of the natural Limestone Cave and serve as a backup Reservoir."
Chi Feichei's Judgment was similar to Conan's, and he reminded, "The Wind is blowing in from the Cave Entrance above, not from behind. The Passage is Sealed."
Conan turned around and walked deeper in. Sure enough, he was blocked by a Wall. He reached out and groped in the dim Light. "It's Cement..."
Chi Feichei also reached the Cement Wall, and placed his Palm on the Wall. When his Palm touched the cold Wall surface, a Guess suddenly popped up in his Heart.
"The Slope over there is too steep, it's hard to climb up, and the Road here is Sealed by Cement," Conan said with Regret as he retracted his Hand. "It seems that if we want to get out, we can only wait for everyone to find us."
"Conan..."
Chi Feichei's low voice sounded a bit gloomy in the Pit.
Conan felt a chill down his Back when he heard it, and looked up at Chi Feichei beside him in Doubt.
Due to the Light being too dim, he could only see a Black Shadow standing facing the Wall with his Hand on the Wall.
However, Chi Feichei didn't continue, retracted his Hand, turned around and walked towards the Slope of the Pit, took out a Multi-function Military Knife from his Pants Pocket, turned out the Screwdriver, Letter Opener, and Protractor, and used the Protractor to wedge between the Screwdriver and the Letter Opener, making a stable triangle. He gripped the handle tightly with his Right Hand. "Come Over."
Conan stepped forward, Realized Chi Feichei's Intention when he saw it, "You want to climb directly up? It would be easier for you to go up first and then find a Rope to come down and pull me up than to take me up with you now, right?"
Using the tips of the Screwdriver and Letter Opener to jam into the edge of the Slope or Pit, using the edge of the Protractor to increase friction, plus Chi Feichei's Physical Fitness and Burst, he should be able to climb up, but climbing with a Children in his arms would be much more Troublesome.
Chi Feichei didn't explain, held Conan up a little higher, so that Conan could See the Situation behind him, and stuffed a Small Plastic Bottle into Conan's Hand. "Open the Lid, protect it in your Hand, pay attention to See, and prepare to sprinkle it out at any time."
Conan lowered his Head and opened the Bottle. By the Moonlight, he could See the Red Chili Powder in the Bottle clearly. He was Stunned for a Moment before he Understood Chi Feichei's Intention.
Understood, Chi Feichei Means that if the Monster Ambush at the Cave Entrance after they go up later, he will immediately sprinkle the Chili Powder out when he Sees someone...
This should also be the Purpose of Chi Feichei carrying him up together—he was responsible for Staring at Chi Feichei's Back.
After Chi Feichei finished explaining, he didn't dawdle any more. He thrust the Multi-function Knife gripped in his Right Hand into the Cement Wall, and used the force to climb upwards.
Half a minute later, the two of them were out of the Pit.
Moonlight sprinkled Between Trees around them. The Surrounding Area was quiet, and there were no Suspicious Person.
Conan put the Lid back on the Chili Powder Bottle he was protecting in his Hand, handed it to Chi Feichei, and said Speechless, "Brother Chi, you are too nervous."
Chi Feichei put away the Bottle, and observed the Surrounding Area while putting Conan down.
More dangerous than Accidents and difficulties was the Human Heart.
If the Other Party was squatting outside, standing behind him when he just climbed to the Cave Entrance, whether using a Knife, a Stick, or other Weapon, they could injure him who was inconvenient to move.
Compared to that, climbing up with Conan in his arms was not difficult. Even if there was an Accident, he could react quickly and stab the Multi-function Knife into the Cave Wall, and he could always stabilize himself.
Comparing the two, a Fool would know how to choose.
Seeing that Chi Feichei didn't respond to him, Conan silently Teasing Little Friend with a Sentence 'Nerves too sensitive, late stage Paranoia' in his Heart, and also Looked at the Surrounding Area. "It seems that Fellow has Run Away, let's hurry back too."
Chi Feichei responded casually, Glanced at the Direction where the Monster left, retracted his Line of Sight, and led Conan towards the main Road. When they reached the main Road, he lowered his voice and said, "Go to investigate Tomorrow."
Conan was Stunned, and quickly asked anxiously, "Did you Discover any Key Clue?"
He and Chi Feichei had been together all the time. If Chi Feichei suddenly Discovered any Clue, it was very Possible that it was in the Pit just now. Moreover, in the Pit, Chi Feichei's abnormal Behavior of standing in front of the Cement Wall for a while, suddenly Speak Out Call him and not continuing to Say, made the Possibility of his Guess even greater.
Chi Feichei Should have Discovered something at that time, but suddenly stopped and didn't continue to Say, Decided to climb out of the Pit first, probably worried that the Monster was still squatting outside the Pit and would hear their conversation!
Was there a Problem with that Cement Wall?
Chi Feichei Looked Towards the Rear of the Village. "Mr. Wakura Said on the Road to the Villa that there is a large Reservoir behind the Village."
Conan Looked over in Doubt, his Mind racing.
Large Reservoir, underground natural Cave Reservoir, Cave Entrance Sealed by Cement...
"Could it be..." Conan's Face instantly became serious, sorting out his Clue. "If that Reservoir is connected to the Cave, and there is only a Gate Partition in the middle, as long as the Murderer Seals the Exits of the Cave everywhere, leaving only a Hole below the Sacrifice Tree, and finds the Timing to open the Switch of the Reservoir Gate, letting the Water in the Reservoir pour into the Cave, the Water in the Cave will increase rapidly, but there are not enough Vent to discharge Air, the Air pressure will become greater and greater, then, the Air rushing out of the Hole left behind is Sufficient to lift people into the Above in a Moment and Impalement into the Branch..."
In this way, the strange Sound that Yasumi Shirafuji heard before Death that resounded throughout the Village can also be explained. That Should be the Sound of Water pouring into the Cave and Air being squeezed out.
"But there are no similar Holes near the Sacrifice Tree, and just relying on the Airflow bursting out of the Hole, it Should be very difficult to blow people away and accurately Impalement them on that sharpened Branch, right?" Conan muttered while walking, touching his chin.
It was more like he was asking himself than asking Chi Feichei.
He also felt that this was the Answer closest to the Truth at Present, but there were still many Suspicious Point that needed to be clarified.
Chi Feichei was also thinking.
When he was Staring at the Corpse eating Bread, he had assessed in his Mind that with his current Strength, he could throw people into the High air and be Impalement to Death by Tree Branch, but it was difficult to Impalement people into Branch thick enough to hang a person.
Similarly, small Mechanism were also difficult to do this.
A small catapult Machine might be able to throw people up, but at most it could make people hit the Branch and cause Bone fractures and Death, and it was impossible to Impalement people into the Branch.
Then, the Murderer must have a large Mechanism with strong thrust, but that Mechanism was hidden Sufficiently.
Based on this Point, being in a large underground Cave, touching a Cement Wall that Sealed the Cave Entrance and was completed no more than a month ago, and thinking of the Reservoir and the Sound that Yasumi Shirafuji heard before Death that resounded throughout the entire Village, he Realized this Method.
Using the Cave under the entire Village as a Mechanism, this Mechanism was indeed large enough, and Air was also the most hidden Weapon.
However, the two Points Conan Said did need to be Considered.
"Screech, screech, screech—!"
A high-pitched and sharp cry sounded again, breaking the silence on the Road in the Night.
Conan was startled, and suddenly Turn Head Look Towards a Sacrifice Tree they passed by.
This kind of Sound appearing...
Was the Murderer starting to Murder again?
The Sound passed quickly, and there was no Abnormality on the Sacrifice Tree behind them, and naturally no Corpse hanging on it.
"Could it be that this Sound has nothing to do with the Case? Or Rather, not all Sacrifice Tree have that Mechanism nearby?" Conan Said, Speed Up Pace, and ran towards the Place where the Sacrifice Tree that Impalement Yasumi Shirafuji was located. "There seem to be more than one Sacrifice Tree in this Village, but the one most Likely to become the Crime Scene is the Tree that Impalement Yasumi Shirafuji. Brother Chi, let's Go To Check!"
Chi Feichei followed.
By the Time he Go To, Conan was already looking up at the Branch of the Sacrifice Tree, but there was no Corpse hanging on this Sacrifice Tree either.
Yasumi Shirafuji's Corpse had already been taken away by the Police. Now the Branch was empty, and the dried Blood Stain at the tip appeared Black in the Moonlight.
The Night Breeze blew the yellow Caution Tape near the Sacrifice Tree, and also bent the waist of the Wild Grass in front of the Tree, revealing a piece of Land that had been infiltrated by Blood and also appeared Black in the Moonlight.
Conan stood for a while. He didn't know if it was because the Environment was too gloomy, the Matters were too strange, or the temperature dropped tonight, which made him feel a little Cold. He Turn Head Look Towards Chi Feichei who followed. "There is no Corpse."
Chi Feichei stood on the Roadside, lit a Cigarette, and Looked Towards the Beam of Light of the Flashlight shaking at the End of the Road and A Group of People running over. "Doctor Agasa and the others have found us."
(End of Chapter)
It only took a few seconds for the two of them to fall and roll to the bottom.
In the darkness, Conan sensed Hissashi release his hand and quickly sat up. "Brother Chi? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Chi Feichei sat up, assessing his condition. His back was sore from the landing, and he had scraped the back of his hand.
He was a little glad he was in the habit of wearing long pants and long sleeves, otherwise, more than just the back of his hand would have been scraped.
Conan tried his Watch Flashlight, and said helplessly, "My Watch is broken."
The two of them sat quietly in the Pit for a while. After their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they could vaguely make out their surroundings.
Chi Feichei got up and picked up the Small Plastic Medicine Bottle scattered around.
Above the Pit where they were, there were traces of excavation, but below the Slope was a natural Limestone Cave. In addition to the Stalactite hanging down from above, there were also many Stalagmite and Stone Pillar standing upright. The two Small Bottle that sounded wrong before had hit the Stalagmite and fallen to the Ground.
Conan helped Chi Feichei pick up the Small Medicine Bottle, and sat quietly waiting for Chi Feichei to bandage him.
He couldn't help but feel touched when he thought about how Chi Feichei had been protecting him with his body when they rolled down.
His Little Friend was a good person, a very good person.
And... Little Friend still carried such complete supplies.
Alcohol for disinfection, Disposable Bandage for bandaging, and when he was picking up the Small Medicine Bottle, he also saw a Small Bottle with a memo that read 'Anti-Inflammatory Medicine'.
However, there was one thing he wanted to confirm.
"Brother Chi, did you intentionally throw the Bottle down just now?" Conan actively helped tear off a piece of Medical Tape for Chi Feichei.
"Uh-huh." Chi Feichei took the Adhesive Tape and pressed the Bandage wrapped around his hand tightly.
Conan wasn't surprised to get Chi Feichei's affirmative Answer.
When he fell, he heard a lot of things falling and clattering to the Ground, and thought that Things in Chi Feichei's Pocket had accidentally fallen out, but when he helped pick up the Bottle just now, he found that the landing locations of those Bottle were very scattered, not like natural drops.
In Other Words, Chi Feichei intentionally threw the Small Plastic Bottle in his Pocket to different Places when he was falling, listening to the Sound of the Bottle landing to probe the Altitude of the Pit and the Situation below the Pit.
He once again sincerely envied someone's characteristic of being calm and quick-witted in the face of Matters.
After Chi Feichei finished treating the Injury on his hand and put away the Small Bottle, Conan stood up, walked to the steep Slope, looked upwards, and said, "It's a man-made Cave Entrance, reinforced with Cement, and this Slope was also built. It doesn't look like it's for people to enter and exit or to trap Prey. And this Village is surrounded by Mountains, and it's easy to suffer Disaster if it encounters heavy Rain. Then, this Cave Entrance should be built to guide Rainwater into the Water Sink of the natural Limestone Cave and serve as a backup Reservoir."
Chi Feichei's Judgment was similar to Conan's, and he reminded, "The Wind is blowing in from the Cave Entrance above, not from behind. The Passage is Sealed."
Conan turned around and walked deeper in. Sure enough, he was blocked by a Wall. He reached out and groped in the dim Light. "It's Cement..."
Chi Feichei also reached the Cement Wall, and placed his Palm on the Wall. When his Palm touched the cold Wall surface, a Guess suddenly popped up in his Heart.
"The Slope over there is too steep, it's hard to climb up, and the Road here is Sealed by Cement," Conan said with Regret as he retracted his Hand. "It seems that if we want to get out, we can only wait for everyone to find us."
"Conan..."
Chi Feichei's low voice sounded a bit gloomy in the Pit.
Conan felt a chill down his Back when he heard it, and looked up at Chi Feichei beside him in Doubt.
Due to the Light being too dim, he could only see a Black Shadow standing facing the Wall with his Hand on the Wall.
However, Chi Feichei didn't continue, retracted his Hand, turned around and walked towards the Slope of the Pit, took out a Multi-function Military Knife from his Pants Pocket, turned out the Screwdriver, Letter Opener, and Protractor, and used the Protractor to wedge between the Screwdriver and the Letter Opener, making a stable triangle. He gripped the handle tightly with his Right Hand. "Come Over."
Conan stepped forward, Realized Chi Feichei's Intention when he saw it, "You want to climb directly up? It would be easier for you to go up first and then find a Rope to come down and pull me up than to take me up with you now, right?"
Using the tips of the Screwdriver and Letter Opener to jam into the edge of the Slope or Pit, using the edge of the Protractor to increase friction, plus Chi Feichei's Physical Fitness and Burst, he should be able to climb up, but climbing with a Children in his arms would be much more Troublesome.
Chi Feichei didn't explain, held Conan up a little higher, so that Conan could See the Situation behind him, and stuffed a Small Plastic Bottle into Conan's Hand. "Open the Lid, protect it in your Hand, pay attention to See, and prepare to sprinkle it out at any time."
Conan lowered his Head and opened the Bottle. By the Moonlight, he could See the Red Chili Powder in the Bottle clearly. He was Stunned for a Moment before he Understood Chi Feichei's Intention.
Understood, Chi Feichei Means that if the Monster Ambush at the Cave Entrance after they go up later, he will immediately sprinkle the Chili Powder out when he Sees someone...
This should also be the Purpose of Chi Feichei carrying him up together—he was responsible for Staring at Chi Feichei's Back.
After Chi Feichei finished explaining, he didn't dawdle any more. He thrust the Multi-function Knife gripped in his Right Hand into the Cement Wall, and used the force to climb upwards.
Half a minute later, the two of them were out of the Pit.
Moonlight sprinkled Between Trees around them. The Surrounding Area was quiet, and there were no Suspicious Person.
Conan put the Lid back on the Chili Powder Bottle he was protecting in his Hand, handed it to Chi Feichei, and said Speechless, "Brother Chi, you are too nervous."
Chi Feichei put away the Bottle, and observed the Surrounding Area while putting Conan down.
More dangerous than Accidents and difficulties was the Human Heart.
If the Other Party was squatting outside, standing behind him when he just climbed to the Cave Entrance, whether using a Knife, a Stick, or other Weapon, they could injure him who was inconvenient to move.
Compared to that, climbing up with Conan in his arms was not difficult. Even if there was an Accident, he could react quickly and stab the Multi-function Knife into the Cave Wall, and he could always stabilize himself.
Comparing the two, a Fool would know how to choose.
Seeing that Chi Feichei didn't respond to him, Conan silently Teasing Little Friend with a Sentence 'Nerves too sensitive, late stage Paranoia' in his Heart, and also Looked at the Surrounding Area. "It seems that Fellow has Run Away, let's hurry back too."
Chi Feichei responded casually, Glanced at the Direction where the Monster left, retracted his Line of Sight, and led Conan towards the main Road. When they reached the main Road, he lowered his voice and said, "Go to investigate Tomorrow."
Conan was Stunned, and quickly asked anxiously, "Did you Discover any Key Clue?"
He and Chi Feichei had been together all the time. If Chi Feichei suddenly Discovered any Clue, it was very Possible that it was in the Pit just now. Moreover, in the Pit, Chi Feichei's abnormal Behavior of standing in front of the Cement Wall for a while, suddenly Speak Out Call him and not continuing to Say, made the Possibility of his Guess even greater.
Chi Feichei Should have Discovered something at that time, but suddenly stopped and didn't continue to Say, Decided to climb out of the Pit first, probably worried that the Monster was still squatting outside the Pit and would hear their conversation!
Was there a Problem with that Cement Wall?
Chi Feichei Looked Towards the Rear of the Village. "Mr. Wakura Said on the Road to the Villa that there is a large Reservoir behind the Village."
Conan Looked over in Doubt, his Mind racing.
Large Reservoir, underground natural Cave Reservoir, Cave Entrance Sealed by Cement...
"Could it be..." Conan's Face instantly became serious, sorting out his Clue. "If that Reservoir is connected to the Cave, and there is only a Gate Partition in the middle, as long as the Murderer Seals the Exits of the Cave everywhere, leaving only a Hole below the Sacrifice Tree, and finds the Timing to open the Switch of the Reservoir Gate, letting the Water in the Reservoir pour into the Cave, the Water in the Cave will increase rapidly, but there are not enough Vent to discharge Air, the Air pressure will become greater and greater, then, the Air rushing out of the Hole left behind is Sufficient to lift people into the Above in a Moment and Impalement into the Branch..."
In this way, the strange Sound that Yasumi Shirafuji heard before Death that resounded throughout the Village can also be explained. That Should be the Sound of Water pouring into the Cave and Air being squeezed out.
"But there are no similar Holes near the Sacrifice Tree, and just relying on the Airflow bursting out of the Hole, it Should be very difficult to blow people away and accurately Impalement them on that sharpened Branch, right?" Conan muttered while walking, touching his chin.
It was more like he was asking himself than asking Chi Feichei.
He also felt that this was the Answer closest to the Truth at Present, but there were still many Suspicious Point that needed to be clarified.
Chi Feichei was also thinking.
When he was Staring at the Corpse eating Bread, he had assessed in his Mind that with his current Strength, he could throw people into the High air and be Impalement to Death by Tree Branch, but it was difficult to Impalement people into Branch thick enough to hang a person.
Similarly, small Mechanism were also difficult to do this.
A small catapult Machine might be able to throw people up, but at most it could make people hit the Branch and cause Bone fractures and Death, and it was impossible to Impalement people into the Branch.
Then, the Murderer must have a large Mechanism with strong thrust, but that Mechanism was hidden Sufficiently.
Based on this Point, being in a large underground Cave, touching a Cement Wall that Sealed the Cave Entrance and was completed no more than a month ago, and thinking of the Reservoir and the Sound that Yasumi Shirafuji heard before Death that resounded throughout the entire Village, he Realized this Method.
Using the Cave under the entire Village as a Mechanism, this Mechanism was indeed large enough, and Air was also the most hidden Weapon.
However, the two Points Conan Said did need to be Considered.
"Screech, screech, screech—!"
A high-pitched and sharp cry sounded again, breaking the silence on the Road in the Night.
Conan was startled, and suddenly Turn Head Look Towards a Sacrifice Tree they passed by.
This kind of Sound appearing...
Was the Murderer starting to Murder again?
The Sound passed quickly, and there was no Abnormality on the Sacrifice Tree behind them, and naturally no Corpse hanging on it.
"Could it be that this Sound has nothing to do with the Case? Or Rather, not all Sacrifice Tree have that Mechanism nearby?" Conan Said, Speed Up Pace, and ran towards the Place where the Sacrifice Tree that Impalement Yasumi Shirafuji was located. "There seem to be more than one Sacrifice Tree in this Village, but the one most Likely to become the Crime Scene is the Tree that Impalement Yasumi Shirafuji. Brother Chi, let's Go To Check!"
Chi Feichei followed.
By the Time he Go To, Conan was already looking up at the Branch of the Sacrifice Tree, but there was no Corpse hanging on this Sacrifice Tree either.
Yasumi Shirafuji's Corpse had already been taken away by the Police. Now the Branch was empty, and the dried Blood Stain at the tip appeared Black in the Moonlight.
The Night Breeze blew the yellow Caution Tape near the Sacrifice Tree, and also bent the waist of the Wild Grass in front of the Tree, revealing a piece of Land that had been infiltrated by Blood and also appeared Black in the Moonlight.
Conan stood for a while. He didn't know if it was because the Environment was too gloomy, the Matters were too strange, or the temperature dropped tonight, which made him feel a little Cold. He Turn Head Look Towards Chi Feichei who followed. "There is no Corpse."
Chi Feichei stood on the Roadside, lit a Cigarette, and Looked Towards the Beam of Light of the Flashlight shaking at the End of the Road and A Group of People running over. "Doctor Agasa and the others have found us."
(End of Chapter)
