"I'm begging you all!"

If Yoruichi Toyama's bow only moved everyone, then Akemi's beautiful and gentle young woman's helpless plea deeply aroused everyone's sympathy and protective instincts.

Many people began to look at each other, eager to try.

“Oh, right, and me too…” The hot-blooded Hajime-chan squeezed in and stood in a row with Yoruichi Toyama and Akemi.

"If it weren't for that little girl, it would probably be my sister who was kidnapped!"

Please help this brave girl!

The layers of psychological tactics gradually swayed the crowd that initially wanted to back down.

finally--

“Then I’ll help!” A young man in his early twenties stepped forward, his handsome face showing a determined resolve.

"I am Nagakura Shinpachi, and I am willing to do my part for that poor little girl!"

As he said this, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd.

Human psychology is indeed a very subtle thing.

Even under immense pressure, if everyone insists on not changing their minds, there will probably be no result in the end.

Once someone breaks this pattern and takes the lead in expressing their opinion, more people will follow suit and make the same decision.

Soon, Kondo Isami, Hijikata Toshizo, and Saito Kazuya all stepped forward.

Of course, this refers to "one" within a group that shares this name.

The three of them, along with the leader Nagakura Shinpachi, received unanimous praise from others who shared the same four names.

After all, the problem was solved, and it wasn't my turn to cause trouble.

As a result, the pressure fell on the last two players.

As luck would have it, there were only two people named Niimi Nishiki and Yamanami Keisuke.

Shinmi Nishiki is a young woman who looks somewhat like a college student, but upon closer inquiry, it turns out she is already working and works for a company.

Keisuke Yamanami, a man somewhere between youth and middle age, looked hesitant, but with everyone's encouragement, he finally nodded in agreement.

The six-person team to deliver the ransom is now complete.

When the police officers escorted the others out, they also instructed them to keep it a secret for the time being, so as not to alert the kidnappers.

As for how many of these dozens of people can keep quiet, that remains unknown.

Yoruichi Toyama and Akemi both put on a show of deep gratitude and said many kind words to the six people who remained.

During this same period, the kidnappers' next instructions were also transmitted to the police via their dedicated line.

"Tomorrow at noon, have Kondo Isami bring the ransom and all the team members to the south entrance of Inada-zushi Station on the Keio Line. Everyone needs to wear Shinsengumi uniforms..."

Inspector Kenchi's loud voice read the text on his phone clearly.

"...If the police are following us, the deal will be canceled immediately, and the hostage will die."

Upon hearing this threat, the group of six couldn't help but shudder.

It seems they have only just realized how heavy a responsibility they have taken on.

But it's too late to complain now.

Moreover, with the police right in front of them, it's impossible for them to let the ransom transaction proceed without any follow-up.

"Then please follow the instructions tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work!" Inspector Kenmochi said this at the end, and sent the six people away.

Because not only their names, but also their identities and addresses have been registered, there is no fear that these people will back out at the last minute.

"Please, have mercy on me..." someone muttered as they were leaving.

Seeing the wise look in his eyes, Inspector Kenmochi tactfully led his officers out to make arrangements for the surveillance the next day.

Only a few people remained in the office, discussing the case.

"Hey, Toyama, who do you think was chosen by the 'magician's choice'?" Kindaichi asked preemptively, as if he already had a clue.

Knowing the answer, Yoruichi Toyama did not reply, but turned to look at Akechi.

What do you think?

“Niimi Nishiki or Yamanami Keisuke,” Akechi said without hesitation, “the kidnappers’ target is one of them.”

"Wow, as expected of Akechi-kun," Kindaichi exclaimed immediately, "He thought exactly the same thing!"

"But why?" At this moment, Miyuki takes on the role of the straight man.

"Because the events planned by Takato are never indiscriminate killings." Toyama Yoruichi had no choice but to explain when she noticed that the two people opposite her who had guessed the answer were staring at her.

"Since the murderer has a specific target, we must ensure that this person will definitely be involved in the incident."

"As for Gao Yuan, whether it's because he's rich and powerful or because he's too lonely, the murder shows he designs are getting more and more complicated. It seems he wants people to be captivated by the messy clues and forget that this is a murder case."

"In this incident, he first indiscriminately kidnapped a primary school student to threaten the police, and then demanded a ransom. He wanted the police to shift their focus from the ransom target to solving the kidnapping case."

"So, conversely, the target of the murder must be one of the six people who paid the ransom."

"Therefore, the killer's target must be either Nishiki Nishiki or Keisuke Yamanami, who share the same name. Otherwise, no one could be sure who would be chosen."

"Isn't that a bit too wordy?" Akechi frowned slightly as he listened to Yoruichi Toyama's explanation.

"The so-called 'magician's choice' is a technique that seems to offer many options, but in reality, it only points to a specific target."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!