On the other side of the venue.
Amuro Tooru, dressed in a waiter's uniform, was carrying a tray with wine bottles and glasses. He appeared to be serving, while quietly observing the venue.
His gaze swept over Shigehiko Nomiguchi, and he also kept an eye on Pisco, who might make a move at any moment.
Suddenly, a figure blocked his way.
It was Vivian, the head waitress who had interviewed him for the job here.
"What's wrong with you, new waiter?"
Vivian crossed her arms, her gaze stern. "I've been watching you for a while. You've been wandering around the venue, looking everywhere, not genuinely serving the guests!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was full of the oppressive feeling of a seasoned employee.
"I'm sorry, senpai," Amuro Tooru immediately put on a humble expression. "I'll correct it right away."
Vivian pointed to a young woman not far away, also in a waiter's uniform, moving deftly.
"Look at others. She's also a part-timer, but Sjal is much more diligent and professional than you! Whatever a guest needs, she always spots it and delivers it immediately. And you? You haven't served a single glass of wine from your tray, have you?"
Amuro Tooru felt a wave of speechlessness. He wasn't really here to be a waiter.
But while he complained internally, he still respectfully said, "Sorry, senpai, I just started and I'm still getting familiar with the environment..."
"Getting familiar with the environment is not an excuse for slacking off!"
Vivian interrupted him, her tone stern.
"Take your tray and follow me! From now on, you're responsible for the east section.
Keep your eyes peeled. If you see a guest's glass is empty or they need service, go over immediately!
Be quick and respectful! If I see you idle again, you can forget about this part-time job!"
Vivian clearly treated Amuro Tooru as a novice who needed strict supervision, constantly watching him.
Amuro Tooru had no choice but to temporarily compose himself, hold his tray, and, under Vivian's watchful eye, began to seriously play the role of a waiter.
While dealing with the work, he also had to constantly pay attention to Shigehiko Nomiguchi movements and search for Pisco's figure.
What was worse, he also had Sjal, a 'Workaholic', by his side.
Sjal not only did the waiter's job but also doubled as a cleaner.
She always found something to do and couldn't stop once she started.
This led to him constantly being lectured by Vivian, telling him to learn more from Si Qi.
Annoying, he had a mission!
Suddenly, the lights in the venue gradually dimmed.
The host walked onto the stage, his voice low. "Distinguished guests, next, we will play a series of precious slides that Director Sakamaki never publicly released during his lifetime. Let us review the master's artistic career together..."
As his words fell, the main lights in the venue completely extinguished, leaving only a few faint wall lamps and the projector's beam.
The entire hall plunged into darkness.
"Oh no!" Amuro Tooru had a bad feeling.
Shigehiko Nomiguchi disappeared from his sight.
Just then.
CRASH—!!!
A deafening sound of a heavy object falling echoed, and glass shards flew everywhere.
"Ah—!!!"
"What happened?!"
"The lights! The chandelier in the hall fell down!"
The venue descended into chaos.
In the darkness, the screams of women, the exclamations of men, and the sounds of tables and chairs being knocked over rose and fell!
A few seconds later, emergency lights and backup power sources illuminated.
The lights revealed a chaotic scene in the center of the venue.
The huge crystal chandelier that had been on the ceiling of the hall had now completely collapsed onto the floor, shattered into pieces.
And beneath the massive chandelier, a person was crushed.
It was Politician Shigehiko Nomiguchi, whom the Black Organization had specifically ordered to assassinate!
More than half of his body was pinned under the light fixture, and blood flowed profusely from beneath him, staining the carpet.
Not fat away Kudo Shinichi's face was ashen, looking thoughtfully at the purple handkerchief he had picked up in his hand...
"Everyone, remain calm! Stay where you are! We are the police!" Inspector Megure's booming voice rang out.
Thanks to Kudo Shinichi's advance warning, he had already deployed plainclothes police officers inside and outside the venue.
It was just unexpected that, despite their covert protection, Shigehiko Nomiguchi still died.
A cordon was set up, and the police began their investigation.
Listening to the forensic team's preliminary report, which deemed it an accident, Inspector Megure's face was grim.
With Kudo's prior warning, he firmly believed this was not an accident but a carefully planned murder.
However, the scene was too chaotic, and there were no detectives, so they couldn't solve the case quickly.
Furthermore, those present were all social elites and political and business dignitaries, so he couldn't forcibly detain everyone for long interrogations.
Solving the case was fraught with difficulties.
"Inspector Megure!" Takagi jogged over, nervously saying, "The guests are agitated. Several representatives from political and business circles have strongly demanded to leave, saying they cannot delay their important schedules..."
Inspector Megure was under immense pressure and was just considering whether to close the case as an accident when his phone vibrated in his pocket.
It was a call from Kudo Shinichi.
He immediately walked to a relatively quiet corner to answer: "Kudo, you know the situation? Councilman Toguchi, he..."
After a conversation.
Inspector Megure's eyes lit up. He hung up the phone and immediately ordered. "Takagi! Chiba! Instruct everyone to gather all guests who were given purple handkerchiefs by the hotel! Other unrelated guests can be allowed to leave first."
After this order was issued, most of the guests chose to leave directly.
The pressure on Inspector Megure significantly decreased.
Looking at the information Takagi had compiled.
There were a total of 7 people left.
They were.
International movie star Chris Vineyard, automobile company chairman Masuyama Kenzo, renowned Novelist Nanjo Mika, music producer Tarumi Naoya, politician Naomichi Maikura, and two other business figures.
None of these people were easy to deal with. Seeing that they were singled out, they protested loudly, expressing their dissatisfaction.
"Officer, what exactly does this mean? Why are we being singled out?" Masuyama Kenzo's face was grim, his tone stern.
"That's right, we're just here for the memorial service!" Nanjo Mika echoed.
Chris, meanwhile, looked confused, acting as if she didn't understand Japanese very well.
Inspector Megure sternly scanned the seven people. "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize. There are many suspicious points regarding Politician Nomiguchi's death. We suspect this is a murder.
During the time the lights were out, the culprit used a fluorescent method to locate the chandelier's position and guided Politician Nomiguchi to stand directly beneath it.
Finally, the culprit used a silenced gun wrapped in a purple handkerchief to shoot the chandelier's connection point, causing the chandelier to fall and crush Politicisn Nomiguchi to death."
Inspector Megure pulled out a purple handkerchief and showed it to everyone.
"This is the purple handkerchief the culprit used to conceal the gunshot residue, which was picked up by someone else.
Now, our police have detected gunshot residue on this purple handkerchief.
Please take out your handkerchiefs and cooperate with the investigation. Those among you who do not have a purple handkerchief are the primary suspects."