Jing Minghe nodded, "Then, think about it again, who among us was alone during this past half hour? Who had no shared timeline with others."
Tong Zheng recalled carefully, "You and Mr. Chi Hao didn't return to your rooms until 12:40. Dr. You Mi and Chen Mu were talking together from 12:00 to 12:30. Let's exclude the four of you first. Yue Yang and Yan Xiaoqian both came downstairs before 12:00 and went upstairs around 12:25. Five minutes isn't enough time to commit the crime, so they can be excluded as well. That leaves me, Lin Ling, and Guo Wei as having the opportunity to commit the crime. None of us had any overlap with anyone else between 12:00 and 12:30."
"That's correct. Then comes the hiding of the murder weapon," Jing Minghe analyzed. "After 12:30, you were forcibly put to sleep until 1:20. During this time, you had no opportunity to go downstairs to hide the murder weapon. You must have killed someone and hidden the weapon between 12:00 and 12:30. Yue Yang and Yan Xiaoqian were both on the first floor from 12:00 to 12:25."
Hearing this, Tong Zheng added, "But Yan Xiaoqian said that when she returned to the second floor, she hesitated at the corner of the stairs for two or three minutes before deciding whether to go up and find me. She also heard movement from the victim's room. If I had gone downstairs to hide the murder weapon at that time, I would have only had two or three minutes. Moreover, I had called Guo Wei up to talk with me, so in reality, I didn't have time to go downstairs."
"Mm."
"But," Tong Zheng was confused, "if I didn't have time, then Guo Wei also didn't have time. Isn't his situation the same as mine?"
"How could it be the same? Didn't he go downstairs after talking to you?"
"He went downstairs to return to his room."
"How can you prove that he went downstairs to his room and not just to the first floor?"
"Didn't you and Lin Ling encounter..." Tong Zheng said, paused, "Right, you and Lin Ling encountered him at the corner of the stairs on the fourth floor. His room is on the third floor. After you met him, did he go directly back to the third floor, or did he go to the first floor before returning to the third floor? No one can confirm that."
After speaking, Tong Zheng was still a little uncertain, "But compared to Guo Wei, doesn't Lin Ling have even more time? In her timeline, she was alone between 12:00 and 1:00 until she met Dr. You Mi on the first floor. If she went downstairs between 12:00 and 12:30, she might have encountered Yue Yang, Yan Xiaoqian, and Guo Wei. But between 12:30 and 1:00, she had a full half hour to go downstairs."
"Precisely because she had such ample time, it's impossible."
"Ah? Why?"
Jing Minghe countered Tong Zheng, "Since she had so much time, why would she only hide the weapon at 1:00? If she spent half an hour hiding the weapon, why was it hidden so carelessly?"
Tong Zheng remembered, "The weapon was hidden so carelessly," he had said this himself when the weapon was found.
"Of course," Jing Minghe shrugged. "The weapon being hidden so carelessly could also be because Lin Ling was too nervous while hiding it, so she could also be the murderer. But there's one point: she admitted that she went to see the victim at 12:00. We can analyze the victim's time of death, so the real killer would definitely know when the victim died. Do you understand what I mean by saying this?"
Tong Zheng stopped rubbing his arm, lowered his head in thought for a while, and then suddenly realized with enlightenment, "I understand! The others are unlikely to lie in order to find clues and vote for the killer. Only the real killer would lie and conceal."
Jing Minghe patted Tong Zheng's shoulder, "Brother Zheng, there might be more cases to come. Keep it up."
After finishing his conversation with Tong Zheng, Jing Minghe stood up and stretched. Chi Hao's cold voice sounded in his ear, "Finished talking?"
"Mm," Jing Minghe took out his pocket watch and checked the time. "It's still early. I wonder what will happen next. Shall we go..."
"To rest," Chi Hao interrupted Jing Minghe, pulling him closer, half-embracing him, and walking upstairs. As they walked, he whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, I'll be with you and won't let anyone hurt you."
Jing Minghe's steps suddenly faltered. Although Chi Hao's tone was still cold, these words definitely weren't something that would come out of Chi Hao's mouth, nor should they be said to him.
Jing Minghe turned to look at Chi Hao. The man's face remained expressionless, as if his words were just his auditory hallucination and Chi Hao hadn't said anything at all.
Strange, has it already begun?
Chi Hao's room was on the second floor, but he didn't stop there. Instead, he continued to accompany Jing Minghe upstairs, all the way back to Jing Minghe's room.
Upon returning to Jing Minghe's room, Chi Hao pushed him onto the bed to lie down, then stood by the bedside, looking down at Jing Minghe, and said, "Sleep quickly, I'll stay guard here."
Now, Jing Minghe was almost certain that Chi Hao had begun his plot enactment.
Why so early?
Jing Minghe sat up on the bed with bent legs. He was thinking, since Chi Hao had started his plot enactment, and it was related to him, why hadn't he received any information related to the plot enactment?
"Can't sleep?" Chi Hao walked over and sat beside Jing Minghe, his tone much gentler than before. "Don't be afraid, rest assured."
As Chi Hao spoke, he gently brushed Jing Minghe's hair, his eyes gentle, completely unlike his usual self. "You are not only the artist I value most, but also my treasure. I will protect you."
"..." Jing Minghe's eyes widened like brass bells.
Chi Hao's plot enactment was too ridiculous! Did he have to say so many words? And so sickeningly sweet.
Jing Minghe looked at Chi Hao with sympathy.
It must be difficult for the child.
Chi Hao's expression remained normal, and his next action was even more alarming. He suddenly reached out and hugged Jing Minghe into his arms, coaxing him affectionately, "There, there, sleep quickly."
Jing Minghe's mouth twitched even more severely. He was not just unaccustomed to this Chi Hao, he was downright terrified. He silently prayed that if they could all survive this instance, Chi Hao would go easy on him when he hit him, at least spare his life.
Wait a minute!
Jing Minghe suddenly thought of something.
He hadn't received any plot enactment information, but Chi Hao's enactment revolved around him. Does that mean he needs to make a judgment and actively drive the plot forward?
Is that really the case?
Jing Minghe hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Chi Hao, what exactly happened? Why are you telling me not to be afraid and saying you'll protect me?"
Chi Hao's brows furrowed slightly, it was unclear whether it was out of difficulty or impatience, but he still had to speak.
"Your bodyguard, Chen Mu, had ill intentions towards you. Assistant Yue Yang saw it, and the two of them clashed. Chen Mu killed Yue Yang and is now hidden somewhere. Dr. You Mi and Lin Ling are looking for him."
As expected!
Jing Minghe was surprised. He had actually guessed correctly.
What Chi Hao said, was this the case this time?