Yin Dahang followed closely behind Fujiwara Yu. The two took the elevator all the way down. When they entered the parking lot and made sure that there was no one else around, he asked his doubts:

"Why did you ask Yuji to retrieve the case file from Fuchu City six years ago? Could it be related to the case on the first day of school?"

Fujiwara Yuu couldn't help but pause when he opened the car door. He looked up at Yin Dahang without answering in a hurry. After getting into the car and fastening his seat belt, he nodded silently.

It was impossible for him to forget the case he faced with Matsuda Jinpei six years ago. Moreover, Onizuka Hachizo never mentioned the follow-up of that case to him, but only asked him a question that made him feel confused when he thought about it now.

"Fujiwara, you were the only person involved last night who participated from the beginning. When you were recording your statement, you clearly stated that the blow to the head was caused by a hypnotic gas bomb, right?"

Fujiwara Yu still remembers the change in Onizuka Hachizo's expression after he received his affirmative answer, so the case that year was not solved and the mastermind behind it was not arrested... But the Metropolitan Police Department chose to close the case hastily. Why?

After seeing Fujiwara Yuu nod in affirmation, Yin Dahang took out a toothpick from the evidence bag in his pocket and put it in his mouth. With his strong logical reasoning ability, he understood the problem after a moment's thought:

"No wonder you asked Yuji to retrieve the files of closed cases. When the department was first established, you asked us to sort out all the unsolved cases in the Metropolitan Police Department. Did you notice that this case was classified as a closed case at that time?"

"Well, I didn't think much about it at the time. It would have been fine if I had retrieved the file and taken a look out of curiosity." Fujiwara Yuu frowned tightly. This case was of great significance to him. It could be regarded as the first case he had handled.

"Some things can't be changed. There's no need to dwell on them."

"Yes, some endings really can't be changed."

The two drove to Fuchu City and it took them nearly an hour to reach the apartment building in Honjuku-cho 2-chome.

This apartment with a pretty good location is rented by Chie Matsuoka. After graduating from high school, she entered the workforce and moved out of her home after becoming financially independent. However, judging from the information sent by Yuji Hashimoto...she often changes jobs and rental places, so her career is all in the service industry.

Either a cashier at a convenience store or a waiter at a family restaurant, these are all jobs that don't pay much attention to your resume or academic qualifications.

The apartment building is hidden in an old street. The surrounding environment is very dilapidated. There is red paint splashed on the wall near the stairs on the first floor. It is not caused by debt collection, but more like covering up the crooked graffiti.

Fujiwara Yuu took two steps at a time and quickly reached the door of Room 402, where Chie Matsuoka lived. Just as he was about to knock, he realized it was unlocked. Yin Dahang, noticing the same situation, quickly drew his service pistol. The two exchanged glances, one kicking the door open while the other remained alert with the gun.

Peng!

The flimsy security door could not withstand the force of Fujiwara Yu's kick, and the door fell to the ground, which made him look a little embarrassed. He didn't expect that he could break the door without using all his strength.

There was a slight noise coming from the room. The two men crouched down and rushed towards the source of the sound, but found a body hanging on the chandelier with no signs of life.

They were still too late, Chie Matsuoka was already dead... and had been dead for more than six hours.

Yin Dahang reached out and patted Fujiwara Yu's shoulder, saying soothingly:

"The body is showing obvious signs of rigor mortis, which means she was murdered before she received the letter. Do you think the murderer noticed her cries for help and took action before we arrived?"

"I can't rule out this possibility, but what was that noise just now?"

Just as the two were wondering where the strange sound came from, a hand suddenly stretched out from the edge of the bed. When they realized that there was a third person in the room besides the corpse, Yin Dahang aimed his gun at the bed without hesitation and shouted:

"Who is it? Put your hands up!

”

"I'm a police officer, not...Huh? Squad leader? Fuji? Why are you here?"

The man who was leaning on the edge of the bed to support himself to sit up was none other than Matsuda Jinpei. When he stood up cursing, he saw that the person pointing the gun at him was Yin Dahang, so he swallowed back the rest of his words.

Matsuda?

Why Matsuda?

Fujiwara Yuu frowned, feeling a little panicked. Could it be that the mastermind who hadn't been apprehended that year had already realized that Takagi Sosuke was Fujiwara Yuu? This coincidence made him doubt this possibility.

"Matsuda?!" Yin Dahang's expression was even more surprised than the other man's. He quickly stepped forward to help the weak-limbed Matsuda Jinpei up and asked, "We're the ones asking you, why are you here?"

Matsuda Jinpei rubbed his lower back with one hand and explained why he fell here:

"Didn't I go on a business trip a few days ago? I fell asleep as soon as I got home yesterday. When I woke up, I found a letter stuck in the crack of the door. There was only a string of addresses on it, and it was from a convenience store.

I thought this was a bit strange, so I came to Fuchu City to investigate. When I asked the convenience store owner, he said there was only one female employee, Chie Matsuoka, who had resigned a week ago. So I came here."

Fujiwara Yuu was puzzled as to why Matsuoka Chie would seek out Matsuda Jinpei. Matsuda wasn't from the First Investigation Division, so if he needed help, he should have gone to the Fuchu Police Station. And even if she remembered herself, she shouldn't have remembered Matsuda, since she had never met him.

"Why did you collapse at the murder scene?" Yin Dahang asked.

Matsuda Jinpei looked at the body hanging from the chandelier and was silent for a few seconds before cursing:

“…I was ambushed as soon as I entered the room.”

"Is there anyone else who can sneak attack you?" Fujiwara Yu raised his eyebrows and asked.

"Tsk, it's just a despicable trick." Matsuda Jinpei lifted up his clothes and glared at him, "Look, haven't you tried the power of the stun gun?"

Fujiwara Yu rolled his eyes. He'd certainly tried before, even being stuffed into the trunk of a car by the criminals. He didn't reply, but instead stepped on the bed and used his height advantage to easily remove Chie Matsuoka's body from the hanging rope. While examining the body, he noticed the victim had several suicidal thoughts.

There are no less than ten cut marks on the wrists. Why would a person with suicidal thoughts write a letter to himself asking for help?

"It's not suicide, is it?" Matsuda Jinpei asked with his hands in his pockets.

Fujiwara Yu stared at the groove on Matsuoka Chie's neck for a long time, then shook his head silently.