Not long ago.
"Ran, don't you find it strange?"
Shinichi Kudo said to Ran while jogging behind her:
"Mr. Lin Xinyi dressed like he was going to work first thing in the morning, completely different from everyone else."
Currently, only a few early-rising citizens were exercising in the riverside park.
Everyone was wearing loose, comfortable casual clothes suitable for exercise, except for Lin Xinyi, who was dressed in a formal black suit, completely out of place with the environment.
That well-dressed appearance in a suit was so proper that he could be hired to carry a coffin if he put on sunglasses.
"It is indeed a bit strange."
Ran tilted her head to think for a moment, then suddenly realized:
"I know! Mr. Lin Xinyi must be some kind of corporate public relations staff."
"I heard that PR staff sometimes have to entertain company clients all night long before they can get off work, so being nocturnal is quite normal."
"And I also smelled it just now, he has a very strong smell of cigarettes on him."
"He might have just finished work, and he's sitting in a nearby park because he's too tired."
"That's one possible explanation."
Shinichi Kudo nodded noncommittally:
Ran's guess seemed reasonable, but it couldn't explain why Lin Xinyi's legs were wet from the water.
Moreover, if he had been entertaining clients all night, Mr. Lin Xinyi should not only smell strongly of smoke but also have a very obvious smell of alcohol.
Therefore, Ran's speculation was actually hard to sustain.
"Actually, Ran, if I'm not mistaken..."
Shinichi Kudo was about to reveal the answer in his mind to Ran.
But Ran suddenly stopped walking.
She didn't respond to Shinichi at all, instead staring blankly at the river surface not far away.
"Hey, hey? Ran, did you hear me?"
Shinichi Kudo extended his hand and waved it in front of Ran's eyes, but her eyes remained vacant, blank, and fearful.
Confused, Shinichi followed Ran's gaze toward the river surface:
Under the dim sky where the sun was just beginning to show, on the calm river where boats came and went,
a patch of scarlet red was slowly spreading in the river water.
The red was already somewhat faded, and the area wasn't large, but it was still enough to dye the rolling waves shocking to behold.
Finally, a ray of the rising sun fell upon the river surface, clearly revealing the objects floating in that blood wave to Shinichi and Ran:
"That's a..."
"Leg, an arm, and a severed head."
Shinichi Kudo's expression changed slightly.
He had been working as a High School Detective for quite some time, but he had rarely seen such a shocking scene.
Looking at the scattered pieces floating on the river—clearly, this was a Dismemberment case with extremely brutal methods!
"Oh no!"
Shinichi Kudo suddenly remembered something.
He covered his ears with one hand—better than nothing—and hastily covered Ran's eyes with the other.
But Ran's sky-piercing soprano scream erupted like a Mentos-infused cola:
"Aaaaaah!!!"
"There's a corpse in the water!"
Ten minutes later.
The Crime Scene had been Blockade by the Police who rushed over after hearing the news.
Water search personnel also took small boats with equipment and began salvaging the body parts floating on the river.
It had to be said that the response speed of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was absolutely impeccable, arriving at the Crime Scene so Timely at a time when ordinary people hadn't even woken up.
The team leader this time was a middle-aged Police Officer wearing a brown Suit, a brown hat, who was plump and had a kind face.
He was standing inside the cordon line, gathering information from Shinichi Kudo and Ran Mouri, who discovered the body.
Judging by Shinichi Kudo's address to him, this stout Police Officer should be addressed as Inspector Megure.
Outside the long cordon line that had been set up, a crowd of onlookers gathered, attracted by the spectacle.
Lin Xinyi was also there.
Yes, Lin Xinyi, who had just transmigrated, couldn't Hold Back his urge to come and watch the excitement.
Watching excitement was a common hobby for all humankind; he was no exception.
Moreover, due to his previous Profession's Instinct, he couldn't resist wanting to see this Murder scene.
"The corpse hasn't been brought ashore yet, so it's hard to analyze the specific details."
"But since it's a Dismemberment case, it won't be easy to Solve the Case."
Lin Xinyi looked at the salvage team on the river from a distance, contemplating internally:
The purpose of dismembering a body is usually to Conceal the victim's Identity. Murderers in Dismemberment cases usually possess psychological fortitude and anti-surveillance capabilities beyond those of ordinary criminals.
Finding Clues pointing to the victim and the Murderer from highly damaged body parts requires profound Autopsy Work skills and meticulous Survey and examination work.
And if the Murderer also has some medical knowledge about handling traces of the corpse, the Autopsy Work becomes even more difficult.
But...
"What does this have to do with me?"
Lin Xinyi, who had unconsciously entered overtime mode, suddenly snapped back to reality:
"I'm just a bystander enjoying the drama right now."
"Let the Japanese Police handle the cases in Japan."
He flashed a relaxed smile, as if nothing concerned him.
Yet the Case itself, especially the corpse floating on the river, firmly held his gaze.
Meanwhile, Inspector Megure inside the cordon line was also having a Headache over this Case:
"A Dismemberment case..."
"It's been a long time since we encountered a Case with such Vicious nature; this might be difficult."
As a veteran Tokyo Detective, Inspector Megure was well aware of the seriousness of a Dismemberment case.
The citizens of this world seemed to be avid fans of detective fiction, showing extraordinary enthusiasm and attention toward Criminal cases.
If such a brutal and Vicious Dismemberment case couldn't be solved, the Japanese Police would likely have to bow their heads in apology on the news headlines again.
The Pressure to Solve the Case was immense, and Inspector Megure currently had no leads on the Case details.
So, he habitually cast his inquiring Gaze toward the familiar High School Detective beside him:
"Brother Kudo, what are your thoughts?"
Shinichi Kudo remained Silent, not answering, but the confident light in his eyes kept flickering.
At the same time, the onlookers outside the cordon line began to exclaim:
"Shinichi Kudo, it's that famous Shinichi Kudo!"
"That's great! It looks like this Case will have a resolution soon."
The crowd buzzed with noise and commotion.
Looking at the Scene, one might think fans had run into a Heavenly King Superstar on the street.
But this was a Crime Scene, a bloody Crime Scene.
With corpses right next door, how could they be so excited? Weren't these onlookers a bit too Excessive?
Lin Xinyi muttered internally:
He had been to so many scenes, but he had never seen a situation where a Crime Scene turned into a fan meeting.
"Who exactly is that Shinichi Kudo?"
Lin Xinyi finally couldn't Hold Back and quietly asked a nearby onlooker.
The Fanatic Fans looked at him with even greater surprise:
"You don't know Shinichi Kudo?"
"Then haven't you heard of the title 'Sherlock Holmes of the Heisei Era'?"
"No," Lin Xinyi shook his head.
"No?"
The onlookers were as shocked as if they had heard that someone in the 21st century still didn't believe the Earth was round:
"No way! Don't you read the newspaper usually?"
"The savior of the Japanese Police, you must have heard of that title, right?"
"Huh?" Lin Xinyi showed surprise.
As a colleague, even if he didn't plan to continue this arduous and thankless Work after transmigrating, that profession had been an ideal he never felt Regret about.
Therefore, he simply couldn't Imagine the word "Police" being followed by a word like "Savior."
Savior? Savior?
"How incompetent are the Japanese Police..."
"They need a High School Student to save them?"
Unable to hold back, Lin Xinyi blurted out the Thought in his mind.
The Scene instantly became somewhat Quiet.
Especially the Police Officers busy inside the cordon line.
Their bodies stiffened, their faces darkened, their lips trembled slightly but they couldn't utter a sound.
Lin Xinyi understood such facial expressions; he looked exactly like that when his Mom scolded him severely for poor grades when he was a child—
Although being scolded was Embarrassed and humiliating, being incompetent is incompetence, incompetence is the original sin, and one can only endure being scolded.
The title 'Savior of the Japanese Police' was an honor for Shinichi Kudo, but it was a huge scar for the Japanese Police.
Those hot-headed Police Officers were flustered by Lin Xinyi's mockery.
Only Inspector Megure, who had seen many storms, remained calm:
"Ahem."
"It's fine as long as the Case is solved."
"Regardless of who Solves the Case, bringing the Truth to light is the duty of us Police Officers."
Inspector Megure calmly admitted the awkward fact that the Japanese Police currently needed outside assistance.
Then, he unreservedly cast his plea for help again toward Shinichi Kudo beside him.
"Inspector Megure."
This famous High School Detective finally snapped out of his Pondering:
"The corpse hasn't been brought ashore yet, so it's still hard to judge the specific situation."
"That's true. Then let's wait a bit longer."
Inspector Megure nodded; he didn't actually Expect Shinichi Kudo to Infer any earth-shattering Truth with such Limited Clues.
However, just then, Shinichi Kudo changed the subject:
"However, I already have a preliminary Inference regarding the Suspect in this Case."
"What?"
Inspector Megure was Shocked.
Lin Xinyi was also Shocked:
To lock onto the Suspect of a Dismemberment case without even looking at the corpse?
Should this be called the kid being divinely insightful and unnaturally intelligent, or should it be called him talking nonsense and being Arrogant?
As a former Forensic Doctor Detective who relied entirely on concrete evidence, Lin Xinyi actually leaned toward the latter.
But then, Shinichi Kudo dropped another bombshell:
"Moreover, that Suspect is right here at the Scene!"
"Right here at the Scene?!"
The onlookers were also startled.
They looked at each other with Vigilance and pulled away from each other, afraid that the terrifying Murderer was standing right next to them.
Lin Xinyi couldn't help but Eagerly anticipate how this prominent Shinichi Kudo would pull the supposed Suspect out of the crowd.
Then, under his expectant Gaze,
Shinichi Kudo, under Ran's unconsciously admiring Gaze, put one hand in his pocket in a cool pose and pointed straight at a man in the crowd:
"Mr. Lin Xinyi."
"Please come over and Cooperate with our investigation."