Ghost Detectives in the Detective World

Page 184

“Master,” Xiu Nian asked疑惑地, “Why didn’t you tell Officer Matsuda about that? If you had let him investigate, maybe he could have found out the truth…”

"What do you know?" the old monk scolded Xiu Nian. "It's precisely because he's a famous detective in the Metropolitan Police Department that we absolutely cannot tell him!"

"If he finds out about that, then... then I'm finished!"

"Why?" Xiu Nian asked in surprise, "Could it be that what happened two years ago really has something to do with Master?"

"Yes, it really is related to me!"

The old monk seemed to be getting drunk, chuckling as he spoke at length.

"It's all Tadanobu's fault! My granddaughter Kikuno is already engaged to the heir of the great temple, but that bastard still plans to elope with Kikuno!"

"What if he succeeds? What will I do? I'll become a laughingstock among the head priests of Japanese temples!"

"How could I let such a penniless boy take my granddaughter away?"

"So, Master imitated the legend of the Tengu and killed Tadani?"

Xiu Nian's voice gradually became lower and deeper.

"He always respected you as his master, and yet you killed him?"

“Master, go and turn yourself in! As long as you’re willing to turn yourself in, I can…”

However, before Xiu Nian could finish speaking, the old monk decisively refused.

"That happened two years ago, and all the evidence has been destroyed!"

The old monk laughed heartily.

"I would only turn myself in if I were mentally ill!"

"Master, I've already given you a chance!"

Xiu Nian's voice suddenly became extremely hoarse, which not only startled the old monk, but also made Matsuda and Xiao Lan, who were eavesdropping outside the door, frown.

"you……"

The old monk looked at Xiu Nian in surprise. Before he could finish speaking, Xiu Nian had already walked quickly to his side and grabbed his neck tightly with both hands.

"Master, you owe me a life, now it's time to repay me!"

Xiu Nian spoke slowly in a low voice.

The old monk, through his reddened eyes, seemed to see a figure he once knew all too well.

"You are loyal... Help! Help... Waaah!"

Matsuda and Ran, who were outside, noticed that something was wrong with the sounds coming from inside. They quickly joined forces and kicked open the wooden sliding door.

Then, Xiaolan suddenly screamed.

Because she saw that Xiu Nian's face, which was originally covered with pockmarks, was now faintly glowing green, and her eyes, hidden behind her glasses, had turned blood red!

Xiao Lan's shout undoubtedly startled many people.

Even Xiu Nian, who was holding the old monk in her hand, hesitated slightly because of her shout.

Taking advantage of this moment, Matsuda quickly closed in and kicked Xiu Nian away from the old monk.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The old monk kept coughing.

At this moment, everyone else in the temple, awakened by Xiaolan's cries, gathered around.

Conan, who had been unable to find Ran earlier, was also among them.

"Master..."

Kuan Nian, Tun Nian, and Mu Nian looked at the old monk in surprise, as well as Xiu Nian, who was clearly acting strangely on the other side.

Meanwhile, Mori and Conan rushed to Ran's side.

"What happened? Ran?" Mori was still a little confused.

"Ran-neechan, are you alright?" Conan asked with concern.

However, before the two could hear Xiaolan's explanation, the old monk on the other side had already gone mad and was running desperately outside.

As he ran, he shouted in panic.

"Zhongnian! It's Zhongnian who's back! It's Zhongnian who's come back to take revenge on me!"

what?

Kuan Nian, Tun Nian, and Mu Nian, upon hearing the name Zhong Nian,

Everyone froze in place, and taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiu Nian, who had been cornered by the crowd, also ran out.

"I'll go after them!"

Matsuda left behind a single sentence and then disappeared into the night.

The remaining people in the temple looked at each other, and after a long while, Conan finally spoke and asked,

"Master Kuan Nian, who is this Zhong Nian?"

Chapter 225 The Great Tengu

"...Zhongnian was also a disciple of Shanni Temple in the past,"

Kuan Nian said with a complicated expression,

"Two years ago, for reasons unknown, he was murdered by the Tengu, and his body was hung in the house next to the waterfall..."

Before Kuan Nian could finish speaking, Xiao Lan quickly interrupted him.

"It wasn't the Mist Tengu; Kuan Nian was killed by the abbot! I just heard him admit it himself!"

"what?"

All eyes immediately turned to Xiaolan.

"Ran-neechan, are you really sure you heard me clearly?" Conan asked again.

"Xiaolan, there are some things you can't say carelessly,"

Mori also had a stern face, looking very serious.

Compared to their mild words, the three monks on the side were much more vehement.

"Miss Mori, how could it be our master who killed Tadane!"

Kuan Nian frowned, his face full of displeasure.

"Please don't speak carelessly, it will damage the reputation of our Shanni Temple."

"Ladies and gentlemen, you have all been inside that room with the high beam. When Zhongnian died, he was hung up there!"

Tun Nian said irritably,

“After the incident, we also reported it to the police, and the police checked the room and found no footprints in the dust on the beams!”

"Miss Mori said that Tadani was killed by our master. Then, may I ask, how could our master, who was so old, hang Tadani up there without using the beam?"

"The act of loyalty is something no human could possibly do; it must be the Tengu!"

Mu Nian cried out in alarm.

"I just saw it. Xiu Nian's eyes were glowing red, and his face was a bit green. He must have been controlled by the Mist Tengu!"

"But I definitely heard it clearly just now," Xiaolan said, feeling wronged. "By the way, Officer Matsuda heard it too, he can testify for me!"

Upon hearing Matsuda's name, the three monks finally quieted down a bit, though their faces still showed disbelief.

"Anyway, let's go check that room first,"

Mori yawned.

“Officer Matsuda has already gone after the abbot and Master Shunen. Why don’t we check that room again? We might find some clues that the police haven’t noticed before.”

……

The deep mountains in the night are even more terrifying and desolate.

After running out of the mountain temple, Matsuda quickly caught up with the two by the stream downstream from the waterfall.

At this moment, the old monk had collapsed to the ground, his face pale and panting heavily, with no strength left to escape.

Xiu Nian stood in front of him, staring at the old monk with a ferocious expression.

"Zhongnian! It can't be yours! You're clearly dead!"

The old monk cried out in panic.

"Master, do I look like I'm alive now?"

Xiu Nian chuckled strangely twice.

"Master, it's one thing that you disagreed with my marriage to Kikuno back then, but why did you have to poison me!"

"I've always respected you so much!"

"Chungnian, I have no choice," the old monk cried, "I overheard you planning to elope with Kikuno. I can't let you do that! I'll become a laughingstock!"

"So, I... I can only..."

"Your only option is to kill me?"

Xiu Nian sneered.

"Master, no matter what your reasons are, today I will make you pay with your life!"

After saying that, "Xiu Nian" rushed towards the old monk.

The old monk, however, had completely lost the strength to escape.

They could only watch helplessly as "Xiu Nian" pounced on them.

Just as "Xiu Nian's" hands were about to grab the old monk's neck,

Suddenly, a flash of silver light struck Xiu Nian directly on the back.

"what!"