62. A torrential rainstorm hits the village on night.

Everyone moved to the front desk, where the butler turned on the computer and accessed the monitoring software in full view of everyone.

Fang Cheng stared intently at the screen and said, "At eight o'clock last night, I saw Ahua come out of room number three."

Huo Xu had one hand in his pocket, his palm burning hot.

He said, "At that time, Ahua had already agreed to change rooms. She came to take a look at my room. Around 8:30, she came down with her luggage. When I opened the door, I didn't see anyone else."

Fang Chengjin: "Then start the video at 8 o'clock, fast forward all the way, and watch who entered the room and the time up to 7 o'clock this morning."

The butler nodded and immediately carried out the order, tapping the screen to start fast-forwarding.

The reception area wasn't very big. After standing there for a while, Liang Mei got bored, crossed her arms, and left to sit on the sofa. She picked up her wine glass, took a sip of wine, and looked out the window, lost in thought.

The others gradually left as well, returning to the sofas to rest.

In the end, only the butler, Fang Chengjin, and A-K were standing at the front desk computer, browsing the screen.

A-K spoke up: "Judging from the photos and text at the scene, the person most likely to commit murder due to a grudge should be the girl she killed. Could it be that one of us is a relative of that girl?"

Fang Cheng remained silent and did not respond; his eyes were fixed on the screen.

On the screen, from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m., apart from showing Ahua and Huo Xu changing rooms with their luggage, no one else entered room number three, nor did they enter during the time of their deaths.

Fang Chengjin suddenly took the mouse from the butler's hand, pulled the video back, and pointed at the screen, saying, "Look at this part, there's a moment of static in the middle. I suspect that the surveillance footage has been tampered with and that this time period has been switched."

The butler frowned and crossed his arms: "I didn't lock this computer because I'm the one who usually operates it. It was our oversight. We didn't expect a guest to come here specifically to look at the computer."

Tang Tiantian walked over from the sofa and asked, "Professor Fang, have you found anything?"

Fang Cheng looked up at her. "There's nothing shown on the surveillance footage."

Tang Tiantian sneered, "That proves that none of us are suspects. Professor Fang, please stop framing us. We're all in this together now. It would be better to think about how to contact the outside world."

After saying that, Tang Tiantian turned and left. But as she turned around, her tied ponytail swung back, looking like a fish wagging its tail in a huff.

Fang Cheng narrowed his eyes and stared at Tang Tiantian's back for almost a minute.

Ah K spoke up, "Professor Fang, what are you looking at?"

Fang Chengjin withdrew his gaze. "I was looking at the pale yellow scarf around her neck. It's really beautiful. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the latest winter scarf from LV, priced in the four figures."

A-K exclaimed in surprise, "Professor Fang, you even know this? I thought you didn't pay much attention to luxury goods."

Fang Chengjin did not respond to him.

Yes, he shouldn't have known. It was because he happened to be looking through Zhou Yun's admission materials when he discovered that Zhou Yun's birthday was next month, and as her mentor, he should give her a birthday present.

A presentable gift couldn't be beneath his status. Women generally prefer designer bags, jewelry, and clothes. He thought Zhou Yun's neck was quite pretty, though a bit thin, and thought a silk scarf would be a good gift.

Ah K muttered to himself, "These students probably come from well-off families. They can afford all sorts of designer brands even though they're still students. Now that you mention it, the tracksuit Ye Xiao was wearing wasn't cheap either; a set must cost over ten thousand yuan..."

The case has fallen into another fog, with no clues to be found.

Fang Chengjin's nose had lost its sensitivity; he couldn't even smell any subtle odors, sometimes he could, sometimes he couldn't.

At noon, the wall clock in the lobby struck three times again.

Everyone sat in the hall, each lost in their own thoughts, and the silence gradually deepened.

The heavy rain outside the window continued to drizzle, showing no sign of letting up.

The butler then pushed a small cart from the kitchen. "Guests, it's time for lunch."

People in the hall gradually came to the dining table and sat down, but almost everyone was silent. Even Liang Mei looked haggard.

Fang Cheng sat quietly in the small rocking chair furthest from everyone else. The rocking chair was placed next to the fireplace in the hall, where the firewood crackled and burned, providing warmth in the winter.

The butler carried a wooden basin to Fang Chengjin's side. He put the basin down, then took the tongs from it and used them to put the charcoal into the fireplace to make the fire burn longer.

The butler smiled and reminded him, "Professor Fang, it's time for your meal."

Fang Chengjin crossed his hands together and rested them on his chin, his gaze fixed on the firewood, unmoved.

The butler didn't urge him. He just gave a reminder and then slowly added more charcoal. When he turned around, the brooch at his waist reflected the firelight, its bright luster like a large diamond.

The smell of blood!

Fang Chengjin was startled and looked up, only to meet the butler's kind gaze.

It disappeared again.

Fang Cheng subconsciously sniffed, trying to catch that lingering scent.

The butler suppressed a laugh. "Professor Fang, is your nose bothering you?"

He was too embarrassed to say that Fang Chengjin's actions just now were a bit like a dog sniffing.

Fang Cheng looked at the butler and slowly stood up. "Actually, I made other discoveries, but I didn't say them out loud."

The butler stopped adding charcoal, opened his mouth, and stood up as well. "You mean a murder case?"

Just then, Ah K walked over and, upon hearing this, exclaimed loudly, "Professor Fang, do you know who killed him?"

As soon as he said that, everyone at the table looked over.

Fang Cheng looked at the housekeeper and said, word by word, "I found a drug in the central air conditioning unit in the room, so we all passed out at night. I need to check your room and the central air conditioning control panel."

Everyone came over from the dining table. Upon hearing this, Liang Mei was the first to jump up and down, "I knew it was that damned housekeeper who tricked us into coming to this guesthouse just to kill us and cover it up!"

The housekeeper put his hands in front of his chest and waved them repeatedly, "Professor Fang, you misunderstood me. You can check my room if you want. As for the central air conditioning control, we have sealed it off. Unless an electrician comes, none of us can open it. The controller is in a small room inside the kitchen."

Fang Chengjin turned around and headed straight for the kitchen, and everyone else followed.

The kitchen wasn't large, but it had the necessary utensils and cabinets. At the far end was a small room with a rickety yellow wooden door.

He paused, and his nose twitched.

Unfortunately, no special flavor appeared.

Fang Cheng stepped forward and opened the wooden door. What came into view was a completely closed glass door. Looking through the door, all the machines were running.

Ah K, who followed behind, quickly asked, "Have you found anything? Director Chen and Ye Xiao have temporarily detained the butler!"

Fang Cheng shook his head. "The room."

After saying that, he turned and left, continuing to walk quickly upstairs.

He always felt something was strange, and an oddity lingered among these people.

As he passed the sofa, the butler let out a wail, but still maintained the obsequious attitude typical of the service industry.

"Be gentle! I really didn't do it! I'm innocent!"

Unfortunately, nobody listened to him.

With two people dead, the other guests at the guesthouse were somewhat panicked.

There are three rooms on the second floor. Room number one is occupied by the housekeeper, room number two is occupied by Director Chen, and room number three is empty.

Fang Cheng went up to room number one on the second floor. Standing at the door, he realized he had forgotten to take his room key. Before he could turn around, Ah K, who had followed behind him, automatically handed it to him.

"I've got the room key, open the door!"

Fang Cheng took the room card, swiped it, and the door opened quickly.

The two went inside the room.

The butler's room was very simple and clean, which was Fang Chengjin's first impression.

The interior walls were gray and white, with a bed, a sofa, and a wardrobe, but no tables or chairs, as if no one had ever lived there.

Fang Cheng entered the bathroom and saw a brand new water glass, a toothbrush, and a full tube of Colgate toothpaste next to the sink.

Fang Chengjin went to the central air conditioning unit in the room and asked A-K to bring over a chair. He then stepped on it and bent down to look over.

Some faint white powder was scattered in the gaps of the air conditioner.

The equation was so tight that it almost choked.

He didn't even need to smell it to know it was powdered sleeping pills, exactly the same as the ones in his room.

A-K was anxiously waiting downstairs, "How is it, Professor Fang?"

Fang Cheng stepped down from his chair and sighed softly.

"This room also contains sleeping pills."

A-K was slightly surprised: "There are some too? Doesn't that mean the butler has nothing to do with this? Did he put it there himself to cover it up?"

The equation remained silent, offering no conclusions.

The two came down from the second floor and returned to the lobby. Ah K was the first to report the matter to everyone.

The butler protested his innocence, so Director Chen and Ye Xiao had no choice but to release him.

Liang Mei jumped in to stop them, "No, we can't let him go. Tie him up first. It's raining so hard outside, what if something happens tonight?!"

As she raised her hand, bruises on her arm were revealed.

Upon hearing this, Director Chen and Ye Xiao dared not untie themselves. Director Chen, who had already untied half of the knot, immediately tied it back up.

Tang Tiantian also jumped in, standing on Liang Mei's side: "Let's keep her tied up, just for safety!"

A-K suggested, "Why don't we all stay together? The rain should be stopping soon, so let's all rest here tonight."

Huo Xu was the first to get up from the sofa. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself. "I'm sorry, I can't keep you company. I don't like being with other people. I'm going back to my room. As for dinner, don't call me. The rain hasn't stopped, so I won't be coming out again."

Tang Tiantian immediately blocked his way, "Young Master Huo, how can you not eat?"

Huo Xu turned his face away, a look of disgust on his face. "I don't need your concern. I have my own food in my room."

After saying that, Huo Xu went upstairs without looking back.

A-K shook his head: "This rich kid is different. It feels like he looks down on us and thinks we're not safe. But then again, as long as we don't open the door, we shouldn't get hurt. I've tried it. If you lock it from the inside, the room key from the outside won't open it. If you force it open, it will make quite a noise."

Fang Chengjin said quietly, "If everyone is going back to their rooms to rest tonight, remember to stuff towels into the air conditioner vents. It's not for any other reason than to make sure no one faints tonight."

He walked to the French windows and looked out at the still dark and pouring rain. He felt as if a stone was pressing down on his brow.