“Exorcist....... Could it be that ghosts really exist in this world? Demons....... do they really exist as well?” Director Ochiai mumbled to himself.
“Whether demons exist or not—Shouldn’t Director Ochiai be quite clear about that?” Yu Quan tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Director Ochiai.
“Director Ochiai should be at least seventy years old, and....... I see that your health isn’t very good either.”
“Eh?” Ran Mori looked at Director Ochiai in astonishment, feeling that his spirits were still pretty good.
As if sensing Ran Mori’s thoughts, Yu Quan said meaningfully, “Appearing vibrant on the outside, but already decayed within.”
“You little brat, what are you talking about?” Kogoro Mori couldn’t help but frown.
Director Ochiai himself didn’t show any agitation, but he felt like he had been seen through.
Yu Quan’s gaze fell on an empty display stand in the exhibition hall, “There should have been a suit of armor there?”
Director Ochiai’s body trembled involuntarily, a mix of fear and an almost imperceptible expectation in his eyes as he looked at Yu Quan.
Yu Quan glanced at Heavenly Punishment and then spoke.
“Director Ochiai, have you ever considered how a man in his seventies, with a body that’s clearly starting to fail....... managed to wear medieval armor, kill someone who was still physically fit, and even nail them to the wall?”
“Ah? This.......” Inspector Megure widened his eyes, slightly doubting whether he had just heard wrong.
After a brief moment of shock, Kogoro Mori blurted out, “Yu Quan, are you saying that Director Ochiai is the killer of Mr. Sannaka?”
“Impossible! Director Ochiai is so old.......”
“Yeah, how could it be?” Director Ochiai sighed long and hard.
As if talking to himself, he said, “Even I can’t imagine what could have driven me to put on that suit of armor night after night, walking around the art museum.”
“And even, I even killed that old man Sannaka while wearing it!”
“Perhaps it’s true, as Heavenly Punishment described, that there are demons in this world?”
After speaking, Director Ochiai’s complex gaze fell on Yu Quan, as if seeking affirmation from him.
“Ghosts are real, as for demons— ” Yu Quan paused, his gaze sweeping across Heavenly Punishment.
“Perhaps they exist in the heart of every person.”
Heavenly Punishment holds secrets, the ability to accumulate energy, the ability to absorb Director Ochiai’s essence and spark his final potential....
However, Yu Quan could also confirm that Heavenly Punishment does not contain any energy entities.
Forget demons, there isn’t even a single soul inside!
“Is that so?” Director Ochiai lowered his head in a dejected manner, “It seems I’m still defeated by my own selfish desires.”
“But I’ve never regretted killing that fellow.”
Until Director Ochiai, with a trembling voice, confessed his motive— that Mr. Sannaka wanted to turn the art museum into a restaurant, and considered Director Ochiai’s art collection as trash, like a child’s— everyone present was stunned.
“But...... the art museum isn’t actually Director Ochiai’s, is it?” Ran Mori said hesitantly.
Strictly speaking, the Medieval Art Museum belonged to a different owner.
As for Director Ochiai, he was just an employee, hired to manage the affairs of the museum.
Director Ochiai’s expression stiffened, not knowing what to say, he simply shook his head bitterly.
Yu Quan extinguished his phone, which had just received a new message, and said thoughtfully, “The art museum will remain as it is.”
“Perhaps it will be better this way.”
From the fact that Heavenly Punishment can gain energy by touching others—
Although the exact way these artworks function is still unknown, they all ultimately require contact with people.
And Yu Quan certainly wouldn’t be shy about making the people of Sakura Nation the test subjects or, should we say....... nourishment for these artworks!
Director Ochiai was taken aback, then bowed to Yu Quan, “Thank you, Master Yu Quan.”
Yu Quan noticed keenly that as Director Ochiai was escorted away by the police, his figure appeared significantly older.......
……
“It’s okay to be photographed by the reporters like that?” Looking at the reporters constantly snapping pictures outside the art museum, Ran Mori asked instinctively.
“This is also a kind of publicity opportunity.” Yu Quan said meaningfully.
Then, Yu Quan glanced at the time, “It’s almost dinner time, let’s go eat, then visit the film crew?”
“Okay!” Ran Mori’s attention was immediately diverted.
As they passed by the Mita Bank, Yu Quan paused his steps, seeing the female employees probably preparing to leave work, “Ms. Hirota.”
“Ah?” Hirota Yamei was startled by Yu Quan’s voice, but soon a smile appeared on her face, “It’s Mr. Yu Quan.”
“You....... are you still handling business today? Perhaps.......” Hirota Yamei hesitated, glancing at the bank entrance.
“No, I was just passing by.” Yu Quan shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Hirota Yamei.