pertwk Chapter 63 The Commentary Race Inside the Elevator
Chapter 63 The Commentary Race Inside the Elevator
The detective did not hear any explosion from upstairs until the elevator doors closed.
It seems that the Coral didn't choose to "self-destruct" immediately. In that case, Azure and the others should be able to deal with their opponent smoothly.
Hugo was relieved and continued to do his best to fool the two police officers in front of him.
"Regarding the questions you just raised, I reiterate that the victim's Pokémon could not be the murderer. This is not a matter of betrayal, but rather a matter of size. Among Greta's Pokémon, even the smallest Mudfish is a large yellow fish over seventy centimeters long, making it impossible for it to hide on the gray tiled floor of the crime scene; it is extremely conspicuous."
In the cramped elevator, Hugo gestured repeatedly with his hands in front of two police officers to enhance the persuasiveness of his speech.
"Therefore, no matter which of the six Pokémon is in your hands, it is impossible for them to jump out of their Poké Balls and stand in front of their trainers to use the Rock move on their abdomen. Moreover, if they really wanted to make a move, these violent Sandstorm Team Pokémon would not use the flimsy little Rock Screw; they would release a giant rock above the trainer's head, smashing the trainer and the ceiling below into a pulp and ruins."
Faced with the detective's rapid-fire reasoning, an officer spread his arms and pressed them down, signaling Hugo to calm down: "But this has nothing to do with the case. We just want you to explain—why exactly did you insist on having the police seal off the apartment building?"
The detective shook his hand helplessly and explained with a bitter face, "I've already said that the culprit who caused this whole case is in this building. The other party could start to escape at any time. Every second is extremely precious, but you insist that I explain the whole story before you're willing to consider taking action."
Time was of the essence; Hugo had to persuade the two policemen to cooperate with his next move before the elevator reached the ground floor.
The elevator had already descended to the 20th floor.
“Of course you need to explain, sir,” said another, taller officer, arms crossed. “Our superiors forbid us from acting on our own initiative, and you’ve unreasonably ordered us to illegally detain an entire building’s residents. You’re not even a police officer! Why should we trust you?”
“Okay, okay.” Hugo took a few deep breaths, trying to remain friendly, and continued to explain the simple facts to the police officer in the elevator—
"The scene was completely sealed off, and the victim was caught off guard by the direct attack. There is only one explanation to support both of these facts—the deceased was hit by a small mechanism hidden in the room. I know you didn't find the mechanism, but you should remember the small flowerpot on the bookshelf in the room, right?"
The two officers who had conducted the on-site search exchanged a glance and then nodded together.
"Don't you think it's a bit strange that the object appeared in the deceased's house? Greta was a rough trainer, as evidenced by his tasteless furniture and simple living items. Such a person wouldn't specifically buy a succulent plant for the sake of interior aesthetics. Therefore, the only explanation for the flowerpot appearing on the bookshelf is that someone gave it to him as a gift."
"Is there anything special about this gift?" the short police officer asked, puzzled.
"What's so special about it?" Hugo scoffed. "This is a succulent that can kill. Hidden inside is a sun coral that attacks with 'sharp stones,' and your Officer Jenny is battling it right now."
The elevator passed the 10th floor.
The short police officer frowned and questioned, "I've seen what Corsolas actually look like. They're at least as tall as an arm and are a vibrant pink. How could such a Pokémon be hiding in a flowerpot?"
"In order to adapt to the unique natural environment of different regions, some Pokémon have become very different in appearance from those in other regions, and their types have also changed. This difference in form is called regional form. Galarian Corsola is a prominent example."
Hugo patiently explained to the officers, "You can check the Pokédex for details afterward. I'll just give the briefest explanation—there's a Ghost-type Corsola that can play dead and not eat or drink for several days. In this state, its coral branches will become spirits and hide."
"The kind of sun coral you're talking about is in the flowerpot on the bookshelf? Is this an assassination?" The tall police officer looked incredulous, unintentionally using a word that would have a positive effect on the situation at the time of the incident.
"Yes, assassination, of course, assassination, or rather, a premeditated murder by a trap. Someone buried a subspecies of Corsola in that flowerpot and gave the flowerpot to Mr. Greta. So, on the day of the incident, when the victim was facing the bookshelf to choose a book, the demon hidden in the flowerpot remotely summoned a Rock Cone and stabbed the talented star trainer to death without leaving a trace."
The officers' faces grew paler and paler. They simply couldn't believe that they had spent an entire morning searching in the same room with a Pokémon that had killed people for a full four hours!
The shorter one asked timidly, "If that's the case, why don't we go and reinforce Miss Officer Jenny, instead of sealing off the entire building?"
"Good question." A crisp snap of fingers rang out from the detective in the white coat.
“Ordinary people who lack self-awareness often prioritize solving the problems right in front of them, treating the symptoms rather than the root cause. But this behavioral pattern often numbs our ability to perceive the future, and can lead us to make wrong decisions at crucial moments.” Hugo raised his voice, laying the groundwork for what he was about to say.
“My habit is to plan carefully before acting, and to think three steps ahead for every one I take.” The detective shifted his position, facing away from the elevator door and toward the two officers. “Now, may I ask, Ms. Officer Jenny, what impact would your Pokémon battles in the deceased’s room have on the case?”
The elevator passed the 5th floor.
The tall officer was completely bewildered, while the other officer realized what was happening: "There should be... other residents in the building who noticed the commotion."
"Absolutely right, truly worthy of being the guardians of peace in Feiyun City."
The detective didn't hold back his praise: "So, can we now rule out the possibility that the suspect is still in this apartment? Don't forget that succulent plant; it's not strange for neighbors to exchange gifts."
For some reason, a competitive spirit arose within him, and the short officer, who had been a beat slow to react earlier, immediately replied: "That's right, I understand! The criminal who sent the potted plant gift is likely hiding in one of the building's apartments. He couldn't have remained indifferent after hearing the noises coming from the deceased's room. In other words, the criminal is likely preparing to escape soon."
“Hmm! It seems our understanding has been synchronized.” Hugo said happily, “Locking down the building will not only help prevent the real culprit from escaping, but will also help us filter out the residents who are eager to leave the apartment building after the battle begins. Anyone with a brain knows that the murderer is likely hiding among them.”
“Even so, you can’t possibly pick out the one who gave the gift from all those people, can you?” The short police officer was still somewhat doubtful and looked at Hugo with unease.
"Who said I was going to look for people from the residents' homes?" The detective shrugged, then turned serious and expertly issued his orders—
“I’m going to the apartment manager to investigate some things. The information there can help complete the last piece of the puzzle. In the meantime, you will each guard the main entrance and the side entrance of the apartment. No one is allowed to leave, only to enter. Do not let anyone in the building leave.”
The elevator stopped on the first floor.
The officers, one tall and one short, opened their mouths, wanting to continue their rebuttal. However, there was nothing to criticize in the detective's previous long and rigorous reasoning, and coupled with the other party's unusually tough attitude, the officers had to admit that they had been completely overwhelmed by the man in front of them in terms of momentum. They finally nodded and agreed to Hugo's request.
The detective nodded smugly: "Well then, it's been a pleasure working with you. I've noted down your police numbers, and I'll have a good word for you with Miss Officer Jenny when I have the chance."
With his hands making a gun gesture, Hugo pointed his arms at the number plates on the two men's chests, then turned around gracefully, and the elevator doors opened at that moment.
Watching the detective in the white coat walk away gracefully towards the administrator's duty room, the short officer couldn't help but ask his colleague, "Did you understand what that detective was saying? He spoke so fast, I felt like I couldn't keep up with his train of thought."
“I thought I understood it when I was listening, but now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem like that at all. It’s like I just had a math lesson.” The partner scratched his head and said when asked, “Miss Officer Jenny and the others have only just entered the scene. Have they really discovered the murder trap? I really can’t believe it.”
"But thinking back, that flowerpot does seem a bit suspicious..."
"But that could be your preconceived notion. Even if it really was a killing machine, how can you be sure that the person who delivered the gift was someone from inside the building? They could very well have already gone out and gone into hiding."
“What you said makes sense, but…”
The two policemen looked at each other, then resignedly shrugged and spread their hands: "Let's just do as that person says."