"Ms. Yukiko."
Horii Ryosuke said in a panic, "While your deduction is interesting, how can you guarantee that the whole thing would go so smoothly? What if Miss Akisato didn't drop the cup in the poisoned spot? What if Miss Akisato was poisoned before she even drank the champagne? These are all matters of luck. For a murder plan, it's too crude and imprecise!"
"Not absolutely precise, but infinitely close to precise!"
Yukiko crossed her arms in front of her, revealing a confident smile.
"You just need to make sure that the edible plastic wrapping the toxin doesn't dissolve before Miss Akisato drinks the alcohol, preventing the toxin from leaking out! Afterwards, Miss Akisato will naturally follow the script, arriving at fixed locations and performing fixed actions. You just need to apply the toxin in a few specific places and then wait to see at which step Miss Akisato will be poisoned!"
"But how do you ensure that the edible plastic won't dissolve before Miss Akisato drinks the alcohol?"
Inspector Megure still didn't quite understand.
"You just need to calculate the lead time! You must have done many experiments beforehand to ensure that the edible plastic film would definitely not be corroded by stomach acid within a certain period. You just need to time it right, and have Miss Akisato drink the alcohol at that moment. After that, with the addition of alcohol, which is ethanol, an organic solvent, the dissolution process will naturally accelerate, causing Miss Akisato to be poisoned!"
Yukiko said, "Inspector Megure, please have the forensic personnel thoroughly inspect this carpet. I believe they will detect toxins in many places. Moreover, the exhibition stand was only set up today, so applying the toxin accurately on it could only have been done today. I think a search should be able to find the tool he used to apply the poison! After all, that's a highly toxic substance; it couldn't have been carelessly discarded!"
After listening to Yukiko's explanation, Horii Ryosuke suddenly laughed.
"I never expected, Ms. Yukiko, that you truly live up to your reputation!"
As Horii Ryosuke spoke, he suddenly stood up, grabbed the unfinished bottle of champagne nearby, and threw it towards Yukiko!
"Grab him!"
Seeing such a sudden turn of events, Inspector Megure immediately shouted.
However, before the Police Officers could react, Takato had already rushed up, raised his arm, and blocked the bottle thrown at Yukiko.
The bottle crashed heavily against Takato's wrist, instantly shattering, and the splashing champagne stained Takato's trench coat.
Seeing his action obstructed, but still holding the broken glass bottle's neck in his hand, Horii Ryosuke continued to use this glass bottle neck, full of sharp shards, to stab at Takato, who had suddenly run out to interfere!
Although his wrist was in pain, Takato immediately reacted after blocking the bottle, using one side of his trench coat's hem to meet Horii Ryosuke's attack!
"Name: The Hanged Man"
"Special Effect: You can trip any object that touches 'The Hermit' and weighs no more than 200 kilograms. After using this effect, it cannot be used again within 24 hours."
It was in this instant that Takato used this Defense Skill!
Now, Horii Ryosuke had already touched the trench coat named "The Hermit," fulfilling the activation conditions for this "Special Effect"!
Horii Ryosuke only felt an indescribable force coming from the trench coat. Then, he was actually lifted up by Takato in front of him, and then, headfirst, was thrown to the ground!
At this moment, the Police Officers all reacted and restrained Horii Ryosuke.
"Mr. Horii Ryosuke, please come with us."
Inspector Megure stepped forward and said, having the Police Officers escort him away.
Yukiko walked up to Takato, saying with a hint of admiration, "Little Takato, your wrestling skills are amazing! It's a good thing you were here, otherwise, I would have been in danger!"
"However, why did he suddenly attack Ms. Yukiko?"
Inspector Megure walked up and asked.
"He probably felt that his scheme was exposed and wanted to take me, who was closest, as a hostage."
Yukiko said.
"Then what was his motive for the murder?"
Inspector Megure asked.
"I think the motive for the murder should be what Ooyama Kei mentioned earlier."
Takato said.
"Are you saying he is Miss Yamahara's..."
"That should be it. After all, to complete this series of methods, he needed to easily obtain Miss Yamahara's medicine bottle and understand Miss Yamahara's habits. And today, it was precisely because Horii Ryosuke brought in water that Miss Yamahara took the capsules. I think he probably knew that Miss Yamahara had to drink water when taking capsules, which is why there was no water prepared in the office beforehand, but rather he brought the water in just before the event started."
"After all, knowing that we were coming today, yet not preparing water in the office beforehand, is very impolite in terms of hospitality."
After Takato finished speaking, Yukiko added.
On the other side, Hirota Masami and the short-haired girl with brown hair had already bought the new Fusae handbag. The girl looked at the items she bought today with satisfaction, and Hirota Masami, seeing the girl's smile at this moment, also couldn't help but show a relieved smile.
After having lunch together, the girl glanced at the time but didn't say anything.
Hirota Masami noticed this action and said with a smile.
"Are you going back?"
"Sort of, I have some time."
The girl said with some hesitation.
"It's alright, anyway, today has been very enjoyable."
Hirota Masami said with a smile.
Seeing Hirota Masami say this, the girl no longer insisted, and the two prepared to leave. Just as they were about to go downstairs, Hirota Masami looked at a coffee shop nearby and suddenly said, "Shiho, why don't you go back to the car first, and I'll go buy two cups of coffee."
Saying that, she handed her car keys to the girl, and also gave her the bag containing the items she had bought.
"Could you please help me carry these?"
The girl didn't refuse and went back to the underground parking lot alone first. After putting the items they bought into the car's trunk, she sat in the passenger seat, waiting for Hirota Masami.
At this time, there were almost no other people in the underground parking lot, making it especially quiet. The girl sat in the car, bored.
"Today was really thrilling. I never expected the culprit to resist in that situation."
Takato and Yukiko walked into the underground parking lot at this moment, Yukiko said.
"After all, this is a shopping mall, with a dense flow of people. He probably wanted to escape in the chaos."
Takato said.
"However, thanks to you, little Takato, you subdued him in an instant."
Yukiko praised, "But, your clothes are covered in champagne. Is that alright? It's still a bit damp; isn't it uncomfortable to wear?"
At this point, the two had also walked to the side of the Alfa Romeo GTV. Takato looked around the deserted parking lot.
"Indeed."
Takato said, still choosing to take off his trench coat, fold it, and then get into the car.
However, he didn't notice that this scene was witnessed by the short-haired girl with brown hair in the car parked next to theirs.
Having seen Takato and Yukiko at the new product launch, the girl initially just watched out of boredom, not paying too much attention. But when Takato took off his trench coat, suddenly, as if a light bulb went off, the girl felt that this man looked very familiar!
With wide eyes, she watched Takato and the other person get into the car and then speed away.
Although his hairstyle had changed, his eyebrows were different, and his demeanor was not the same—but this face!
The girl was absolutely certain that she recognized this person! But how could this be! This was impossible!