A Core Ship From The Start

I have to say, discovering a body during filming is already quite horrifying.

And the body being someone they know is even more terrifying!

"Hey, what's going on?"

"What do we do now?"

"Call the police, just call the police!!"

For a moment, the whole filming site was in chaos, and the staff didn't know what to do. Seeing the scene in front of him, Duanmu Huai frowned, then walked forward and shouted.

"Everyone shut up!"

Duanmu Huai's roar was louder than the thunder outside, echoing in the enclosed space and causing everyone's ears to ring. They couldn't help but close their mouths, looking uneasily at Duanmu Huai who stepped forward. Duanmu Huai surveyed them slowly.

"Stop arguing! Stay put, call the police immediately. Everyone stay where they are, don't move around!"

"......…"

With Duanmu Huai's order, the staff gradually calmed down, then Duanmu Huai casually pointed at someone.

"You, call the police."

"Huh? Me, I should call the police?"

Faced with Duanmu Huai's order, the staff member froze for a moment, then uneasily glanced toward the director standing not far away — the director was still standing there dumbly, staring at the body hanging in mid-air like a statue.

Duanmu Huai also looked at the director and frowned.

"Director, call the police."

"Ah, oh."

Hearing Duanmu Huai's words, the director seemed to awaken from a dream, nodding subconsciously.

"Okay, got it, call the police... call the police..."

With the director's consent, the staff member dialed the police, said a few words, and then looked at Duanmu Huai with a bitter face.

"Um, that......."

"Hmm?"

"I've called the police, but they said the weather is too bad, and we're too isolated. It's hard to dispatch officers at this time and asked us not to disturb the scene and wait for someone to come investigate after the rain stops..."

"What about the body? Just leave it hanging?"

The staff member turned back to the phone, repeating Duanmu Huai's question.

"Yes, do not disturb the scene, and do not move the body... that's what they said."

"Alright then."

Duanmu Huai picked up a flashlight and shone it around. The entire Separate Pavilion was a big warehouse, completely sealed with only a few small ventilating windows on the second floor. Besides that, there was nothing. Then Duanmu Huai shone the light on the body again, which was still hanging on the beam, swaying slightly, with its head tilted and mouth wide open, looking both painful and terrifying — well, it was obvious hanging was quite a painful method of suicide.

"Let's go, lock the door."

Duanmu Huai waved his hand, and since no one else spoke up at this moment, it had to be admitted that although Duanmu Huai looked fierce, the group indeed needed someone to take charge in this situation. The director was now completely lost, not dependable at all; if Duanmu Huai hadn't taken charge, who knows what would have happened.

Hearing Duanmu Huai's order, the others didn't say anything, quietly left the Separate Pavilion, and then locked the door. Just as the door was locked, a staff member suddenly spoke up.

"Hey, how did Sawamura get into the Separate Pavilion if it's locked?"

"......!?"

Hearing this, everyone was taken aback and then felt a chill down their spines.

Right, the Separate Pavilion was locked, so how did Sawamura get in?

"Doesn't he have a key?"

"There's only one key, and the director specifically instructed me not to lose it."

"This......."

Hearing this, everyone simultaneously closed their mouths, feeling a chill down their spines.

The Separate Pavilion was locked, so how did that person get in?

"Alright, don't think too much!"

Seeing everyone looking terrified and anxious, Duanmu Huai waved his hand.

"Maybe he climbed in through the second-floor window."

"But, but why would he choose that place?"

At this moment, a crosstalk actor bravely spoke up, and Duanmu Huai glared at him.

"How would I know what those who want to commit suicide are thinking, maybe he thought it was quiet there, alright, back to the Main Pavilion!"

With Duanmu Huai saying this, no one else dared to say anything more and obediently followed his words back to the Main Pavilion. It wasn't much different from before, except now it was dead silent, everyone sitting there blankly, not daring to speak. Even if they did speak, it was in soft whispers, gathering in small groups, clearly shaken by the incident.

Although they were filming at a Suicide Holy Land, they never thought one of their own would commit suicide!

This was way more shocking than filming those unknown bodies!

Only Duanmu Huai leaned against the wall next to the hall, chatting with Yuko Shionji and Shajuye.

Yuko Shionji was almost falling asleep, but this incident woke her up instantly.

This was a locked-room murder!

"Alright, alright, what locked-room murder, you're really thinking of yourself as a detective now."

Hearing Yuko Shionji chatter on, Duanmu Huai was speechless.

"Why isn't it a locked-room murder? You heard it before, there's only one key to the Separate Pavilion, and it was locked before. A person committing suicide had no reason to climb a window, especially since the windows are high up on the second floor, and it's impossible to get up there if there's nowhere to climb on the outside!"

"Well, that's simple then."

Duanmu Huai yawned.

"The staff member who opened the door is actually the murderer. In fact, the Separate Pavilion's door was never locked; he just pretended to be unlocking it. Alright, case closed. Isn't this the usual plot in detective novels?"

"......…"

Ziyuansi Yuko was left speechless by Duanmu Huai's abrupt remark, while Shajuye awkwardly laughed beside him.

"No matter what, shouldn't we investigate a bit? Who solves a case like you?"

"I'm not a detective, after all."

Duanmu Huai spread his hands, indifferent to something like a locked-room murder. After all, old tricks could come up with countless variations. Even if someone really manipulated the staff to enter the locked room and hang himself, it's not impossible. Why get stuck on such things?

However, what Ziyuansi Yuko said made sense; an investigation still needed to be conducted… So Duanmu Huai turned his head to the side and beckoned.

"You guys, come over here!"

"Ah, yes."

The three staff members who were huddled together were startled by Duanmu Huai's call and walked over, trembling.

"What can I do for you?

"What's the situation with that staff member? What happened before?"

"This...…"

Faced with Duanmu Huai's inquiry, the three staff members were a bit uneasy but still mustered the courage to explain what had happened in the hall.

"So you're saying the photographer forgot to load the tape and got scolded by the director?"

"Yes...…"

"Is he often scolded?"

"Not really, or should I say the director has a volatile temper. We've all been criticized to some extent. So, it's not that he's particularly targeting Sawamura. After all, this director has been with the station for a long time, and everyone respects him."

It's just that Japanese seniority hierarchy again.

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes. The Japanese always talk about this. Whether it's in the symphony department or within companies, status is based on seniority. Well, it's none of his business…

"So how was he behaving before?"

"Quite normal. At least nothing seemed particularly strange to us...…"

"Oh… Alright, you can go."

After getting the information he wanted, Duanmu Huai quickly dismissed the staff members. Meanwhile, Ziyuansi Yuko and Shajuye, who overheard the conversation, were dumbfounded.

"He chose to commit suicide just because he was scolded once? Isn't that an exaggeration?"

"That's how people in society are. Some people bottle things up, and perhaps that photographer did. Maybe he had already endured too much grievance, and being scolded by the director was the last straw that drove him to suicide."

"But why did he choose to commit suicide in the Separate Pavilion?"

"This...…"

"What do you mean?"

Just as Duanmu Huai was talking with the others, suddenly, an angry roar erupted. Duanmu Huai turned to see the director standing there, glaring at his staff with rage.

"Are you implying that I killed Sawamura? You better be clear, that guy committed suicide! Suicide! He sought death on his own! It had nothing to do with me! Or are you suggesting that I'm the murderer?!"

"I, I didn't mean that, director...…"

The staff member was shocked to see the director's anger. He only wanted to ask him if the assistant photographer had faced any difficulties before. However, the director reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, jumping up and verbally lashing out. The staff member was taken aback, waving his hand as he backed away.

But the director didn't seem done with him. He glared menacingly at the staff member and then scanned the surroundings.

"What? Do you all think I killed him? That I killed him? What a joke! You all saw it! That guy committed suicide! Suicide! Dammit, that bastard, even in death he's causing me trouble!"

The other people didn't dare speak, watching him from a distance. Seeing this, the director became even more furious. He grabbed a fruit knife from the table and gestured at everyone!

"Come, since you think I'm a murderer, I'll really kill someone to show you!!"

Yelling, the director rushed toward the staff member!

Seeing the director charging at him, the staff member gritted his teeth, grabbed an iron rod next to him.

"Damn it, I'll fight you!!"

Saying this, the staff member didn't fear the director's knife, directly facing the director, raising the iron rod to smash down on his head!

Seeing this, the people around screamed, and as the two clashed, Duanmu Huai suddenly appeared, reaching out to grab both of them by their necks, lifting them like puppies.

"What are you doing! Stop it immediately!"

However, even with Duanmu Huai's angry shout, the two continued in their frenzied state.

"I'll kill you, kill you. It makes no difference if I kill one or two!"

"I'll kill you! I've always wanted to kill you! Die!"

"...…MMP."

Duanmu Huai sighed, rolling his eyes as he looked at the two struggling in his grip, their eyes red with rage. Then, he grabbed their heads and collided them forcefully.

"Bang!"

The next moment, their heads collided with a dull thud, and both rolled their eyes, fainting completely.

"Seriously, making trouble out of nothing."

Duanmu Huai tossed the unconscious two on the ground and gave an order.

"Find some rope and tie these two up, so they don't cause more trouble."

Hearing Duanmu Huai's instructions, the staff quickly complied, while Duanmu Huai watched the unconscious two and glanced around. He realized the atmosphere here was a bit off. Although it was dead silent, there was something in everyone's eyes, as if their emotions were unstable…

Could this be the secret of the Western-style House?