The next day, on the sea heading to the Izu Islands, a ship was sailing in a vast expanse of white fog. Maori walked silently to the bow and looked at the island whose outline was gradually emerging in the fog. Just like the idol secret room murder case that he had solved before, the information in Maori's mind told him that a serious case would occur on the island he was about to arrive at, but he had no idea of the specific circumstances. "Moon Shadow Island? I hope it's not a tragic incident..." …… The office in Tsukikage Island Village, after getting off the boat, the first thing Maori did was to come here with Conan and Xiaolan to look for information about the client Keiji Aso - although detective novels always like to describe the scene where the detective accidentally gets key information in a bar or a restaurant, but in real life, such an office that contains a lot of information and gathers a large number of local people is the most convenient and most likely place to find information. as predicted-- "M-Aso Keiji?!" The office director, who was already a bit old, looked at the three Maori people in horror, "No, this is impossible! Because Aso Keiji died more than ten years ago!" "What did you say?!"
"Aso Keiji was born on the island and was a famous pianist in the past," The director looked horrified and said, "But twelve years ago, on a full moon night, he returned to his hometown after many years and held a piano concert at the village community center. After the concert, for some unknown reason, he suddenly locked himself in his home with his family and set a huge fire..." The director narrated in a deep voice under Xiaolan's terrified gaze: "It is said that he killed his wife and daughter with a knife. In the raging flames, he seemed to be entangled by something and kept playing the piano... It was the famous piano sonata "Moonlight" by Beethoven!" "what!" The director's emotional description scared Xiaolan so much that she couldn't help but scream. "But what about this letter of commission?" Mao Li frowned and took out the letter of commission. "It is indeed stamped with the Tsukikage Island postmark and signed by Keiji Aso. Most importantly, the commission fee has been paid in advance. It doesn't look like a prank by someone... Do you know if Keiji Aso has any friends or relatives left? Do you want me to investigate what happened to him back then?" "I really don't know what you are talking about..." The director scratched his head helplessly, "But you can try to ask the village chief? He is at the community center now." "Village chief? That's fine." Maori nodded slightly, "Thank you." …… Although Yueying Island is not big, it is still a long way from the village office to the community center, so Mao Li and his party walked all the way. I always follow the road signs. If I come across sections without road signs, I ask the locals I meet. "Hello! Excuse me, is the community center just ahead?" When passing by a place that looked like a village clinic, Xiaolan stopped a young female doctor who had just finished telling a child about the precautions for catching a cold and was about to turn around and leave. The female doctor had long hair tied up and wore a slim white coat. Her temperament and appearance were quite outstanding. "Ok?" The young female doctor turned her head and looked at the Maori trio in confusion. "Yes, turn right at the next intersection, then go straight for five minutes and you'll be there...Ah, are you coming from Tokyo?" "Yes, I came here on the same boat as before."
Xiaolan replied with a smile. "Really? I was born in Tokyo, too!" The young female doctor said happily, "But this island is different from Tokyo. It's great, right? Not only is the air fresh, but it's also very quiet..." "Dudu——!" As the young female doctor spoke, a propaganda vehicle passed by on the road, spewing black smoke, and the blaring of horns continued to echo: "Shimizu, Shimizu Masato... Please vote for Shimizu Masato!" The young female doctor was embarrassed for a moment, then smiled sheepishly: "However, this is an exception, because the election for the village chief will be held soon..." "That's it," Maori naturally took over the conversation, "We also happen to want to ask the village chief about something on this island." "So that's why you're going to the community center?" The young female doctor suddenly understood and smiled, "If it's convenient, can you tell me what you want to know about this island? Don't look at my young age, but I am a doctor on this island, with a formal medical license! Maybe I can help you with something~" "That's it, then..." "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Asai Narimi and I'm 26 years old~" "Then Miss Cheng Shi, may I ask if you know Keiji Aso?" Maori asked politely, "My name is Maori Kogoro, and I'm actually a detective. Some time ago, I received a letter of commission from a man named Keiji Aso, so I came to this Moon Shadow Island today. But the director of the village commune told us that Keiji Aso and his wife and daughter had died more than ten years ago, so I wondered if it was his other relatives or friends who pretended to be him and came to me, hoping that I would investigate the truth of his death that year..." "Aso Keiji..." Asai Makoto smiled a little embarrassedly, "How embarrassing, I was just saying that I might be able to help you, but I really don't know this person... But there will be a memorial service for the former village chief Mr. Kameyama tonight to commemorate the second anniversary of his death. Many people in the village will attend. You might get something if you ask there." "Okay, thank you." "You're welcome~" Maori and the other two left, and as he watched their departing backs, a barely perceptible complexity flashed in Asai Makoto's eyes. …… When Maori and his group arrived at the community center, many villagers were protesting against the tyranny of the current village chief at the door. After explaining their purpose to the village chief's secretary, Maori and his group were arranged to wait outside the meeting room. If they were in a comfortable meeting room, drinking tea and resting, it would be fine, but outside the meeting room, Maori was not willing to wait for half a day just to see a small village chief of Tsukikage Island. Therefore, he asked Xiaolan to wait there, and he took Conan to look around. "Uncle, there might be some inside story behind Keiji Aso's death..." Because Xiaolan was not there and Conan was alone with Maori, he no longer spoke and behaved in a childish manner. Although Maori did not expose his identity, he had clearly told him before: "Since you are more mature than ordinary children, don't act childish. If there is anything, especially discoveries and ideas related to the case, say it out in time." "It's hard to be sure right now, there's too little information," Although he agreed with Conan, Maori shook his head and did not jump to conclusions. "But whether there is inside information or not, as detectives, we must investigate until we come up with a result that satisfies the mysterious client." "Ok!" Chapter 9 The Cursed Piano is now online
Although the community center of Tsukikage Island is not small in size, there are not many places that Maori and Conan can investigate because many rooms are locked. After all, they are outsiders who have not obtained investigation permission, and it is not easy for them to break into these places by force. Therefore, the two of them spent almost no time and energy and naturally investigated an unlocked room at the end of the corridor. Pushing open the door, Maori found that in this large room, there was only a black piano placed alone in the center. Conan looked around the piano carefully, while Maori simply opened the piano lid and started playing fluently. "Eh? Uncle, you can actually play the piano?" Conan was quite surprised. "Or else?" Maori gave Conan a blank look. In fact, when Maori was studying, it was quite fashionable to learn one or several musical instruments and then show them off to the girls he liked. In order to make his childhood sweetheart, Eri Kisaki, happy, Maori also practiced the piano, which she loved very much. Although he did not continue to learn it in depth or really like it, when Xiaolan was young, he and Eri did not hesitate to let her get in touch with this instrument. While Maori and Conan were talking like this—— "You two!" The village chief's secretary, who was in charge of reception, heard the piano and rushed into the room, shouting anxiously, "Don't touch that piano!" "Ok?" Maori raised an eyebrow, "What's wrong?" "That is the cursed piano that Mr. Aso Keiji used in the concert he held on the night he committed suicide!!" The village chief's secretary named Hirata looked so frightened that his body even started to tremble. "Curse, curse?" Xiaolan just happened to follow him into the piano room. She had been afraid of ghosts since she was a child, and her scalp went numb when she heard these words. "yes," Hirata, sweat dripping from his forehead, asked Mori and Conan to leave the room, "And it's not just Mr. Aso Keiji... even the former village chief..." "Former village chief?" Conan immediately pretended to be a curious child and asked, "Uncle, are you talking about Mr. Kameyama Isamu, the former village chief who performed the ritual today?" Hirata closed the door carefully, and then he let out a sigh of relief. Then he explained in a low voice: "Yes... It happened two years ago, also on a full moon night. I happened to pass by the community center at that time. There should have been no one in the community center, but I heard someone playing the piano. When I asked who was inside, the sound stopped immediately..." "Wait till I get inside," Hirata had a horrified expression on his face. "The former village chief, Mr. Kameyama, collapsed on the piano. The doctor said that he died of a heart attack. The song he played before he died was the moonlight sonata that Mr. Aso played in the flames!" Xiaolan was completely immersed in the terrifying atmosphere. Not only did her face turn blue, but her teeth were also chattering with fear: "Could it be Mr. Aso's ghost?" "Xiaolan, you have to believe in materialism! Even if so-called ghosts exist, they are just something that science cannot explain for the time being!" Maori said righteously, just like all other parents who would not miss any opportunity to educate their children.
"But dad..." "Anyway," Hirata regained his composure, pushed up his black-framed glasses, and warned sternly, "You should go out and wait until the ritual is over. Don't touch this cursed piano again!" …… Outside the community center, a full moon has appeared in the night sky. It looks very peaceful, but for some reason there is a strange aura. "Hey, Dad...is that piano really cursed?" Xiaolan, who had been silent for a long time, finally couldn't hold it in any longer and asked Maori with some fear, "If I'm really cursed..." "That piano is not cursed, Sister Xiaolan~" Conan spoke up to comfort him, "Someone else has used it recently." "Has anyone used that piano recently?" Xiaolan was stunned, "Why do you say that? And how did you know that, Conan?" "Because if it's true what Secretary Hirata said, this piano should have not been used for at least two years, and it had not been used for quite a long time before the previous village chief touched it." Maori Kogoro reasoned as he put out his cigarette, "But its tone is not what a piano of this age and frequency of use should sound like. It is obvious that it has been tuned and maintained... You know, the room where this piano is placed is facing the sea. Such a humid environment with a large temperature difference is fatal to such an old piano if it is not carefully maintained." "So that's how it is," Xiaolan nodded in understanding. She had also learned piano. "So, Dad, you and Conan just now..." "What else? Do I look like the kind of person who would casually take a child to touch other people's things out of curiosity?" Mao Li raised his eyebrows. "A good detective has a purpose for every move he makes..." Just as Maori was saying this, Asai Narimi, the doctor whom the group met when they asked for directions during the day, came towards the community center wearing a black suit and a middle-aged man. "Huh? You guys are still here?" Asai Chengshi asked in surprise, "Did you see the village chief?" "Not yet," Maori shrugged, "and judging from the situation, I don't know how long I have to wait..." "Ms. Chengshi," Xiaolan did not respond to Maori's complaint, but asked, "Are you here to participate in the ritual as well?" "Yes," Cheng Shi smiled, "Because when I came to this island, the first person who performed an autopsy was Mr. Kameyama, so I wanted to burn incense and pay my respects." Then Cheng Shi introduced the middle-aged man next to him: "By the way, this is Mr. Qingshui." "Hello, I'm Shimizu Masato, thank you for your guidance." The middle-aged man greeted me in a friendly manner. His square face looked quite righteous and his smile was very warm and friendly. (That’s the candidate for village chief that the propaganda car had been calling for…)
"Hello."
