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Tears of Themis Polaroid-style Prints | Etsy Canada

Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you so much for all your support for my little store in the past year, and I hope 2022 will be a better year for us all~ >w<b Look out for new merch coming~

“And so it starts. Your heart, your body, your spirit, is for me to possess. Spirits don’t die out, for the contract is eternal.”

Even if it’s a weak flame, in the dark of night, it can still bring warmth and happiness to people——
“It’s not that it’ll succeed every time, but that you’ll always need to try, and you’ll always need to put forth effort.”

[2020-10-31] Happy Halloween!

Today, ghosts and monsters, and pumpkins appear.

Jokes and pranks are appreciated.

Enjoy a fun night with him！

Happy Halloween！

Original source: https://m.weibo.cn/7072153506/4566059174860737

[2019-10-31] Happy Halloween!

 ！！！

You can’t be absent from tonight’s holiday party. Before the pumpkins are lit, there’s still much to do. If you don’t start getting dressed, you’ll be late!

Happy Halloween ！

Original Source: https://weibo.com/7072153506/Ie3TrEnVU

P.S. It’s admin’s birthday as well! @hallowsivy​

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

▌Location- Crime Scene

(Jiang MingYue’s lie about the rooming arrangements combined with the strange position that Shen Xi was found in… tells me that the missing piece we needed to crack the case was about to be revealed.)

MC:
“Even if the hallway was empty, people could come and go as they pleased through the connecting door! This means Li Zhou could have entered Shen Xi’s suite when no one was watching. Officer, when did Li Zhou check-in?”

Officer:
“Last night, 7:00 PM.”

MC:
“That’s to say, Li Zhou was already checked in by the time Jiang MingYue brought up the box of chocolates. He had time to poison the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“You’re right. From my guess, Li Zhou and Shen Xi must be associated with one another.”

MC:
“You’re so sure of it, is it because…”

~~~Analysis Begins~~~

[Select:Position of Shen Xi’s Body,Misplaced Phone]

MC:
“Her cellphone! Last night when Shen Xi returned to her suite, no one entered or left it, but her phone was taken away by someone. The only one who could’ve done so was Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“Not only that, judging by the position she was found in and the fact that she was still dressed in formal wear… points that it’s likely she saw someone in the room. Otherwise, the first thing she would have done upon returning to her suite would have been to get changed and remove her makeup.”

MC:
“Therefore, Shen Xi must have known Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“The fact that Li Zhou was staying right next door and has the connecting keys to her room in his possession, is no coincidence.”

~~~Analysis End~~~

MC:
“Did Jiang MingYue intentionally plan the room arrangements so that Li Zhou would be next door to Shen Xi?! If so, then the lies that Jiang MingYue told in regards to the room bookings were told to cover up Li Zhou’s presence. Li Zhou and Shen Xi, what kind of relationship do they have… If Li Zhou wanted to talk to her, why couldn’t he just enter through the suite door?”

Mo Yi:
“It’s not outlandish to assume that Shen Xi and Li Zhou would be involved with some kind of secret romantic relationship. Li Zhou avoided entering through the suite door to prevent being photographed by paparazzi and risk exposing his relationship, which would ultimately affect his career.”

MC:
“That’s true. There’s a saying that fans will use, ‘when an idol dates, heads will roll’. There’s no way Li Zhou would publicly announce that he has a girlfriend.”

Mo Yi:
“Jiang MingYue’s intention behind the room bookings was to facilitate Shen Xi and Li Zhou’s secret rendezvous. She lied to protect her boss and a famous actor’s privacy. Jiang MingYue would have never suspected that her boss’s lover could be the murderer. She, like Shen Xi, believed that this was part of Lu JingHe’s revenge plan.”

MC:
“Truly, once you think about it, you can find a reasonable explanation through a sea of doubts.”

(As Mo Yi and I were discussing, another officer knocked on the door and let us know that we could interrogate the hotel manager on duty.)

Hotel Manager:
“How long will this police investigation take? We’ve been receiving guest complaints all morning.”

MC:
“As long as you cooperate in the investigation, I think the evidence gathering will end soon.”

Hotel Manager:
“There goes my yearly bonus, I suppose. Go on and ask what you need from me.”

MC:
“When did Jiang MingYue make the room bookings? At the time, were the connecting rooms to room 1817 and the executive suites on the 17th floor already booked?”

Hotel Manager:
“Miss Shen and Miss Jiang’s rooms were booked under Venus Fashion’s name. But the room next to it, room 1817, was booked by Miss Jiang herself. We never could have known that Mr. Li Zhou would be staying with us. In regards to the executive suites on the 17th floor, 1718 and 1717, both rooms were vacant. No one booked it and no one stayed in it.”

MC:
“Then the suites on the 17th floor, were they connected?”

Hotel Manager:
“No. The rooms were renovated last year, and any connecting doors were removed for all suites under the 18th floor. If it goes according to plan, the connecting doors will be removed for suites from the 18th to the 30th floor starting next month.”

Mo Yi:
“This confirms our previous suspicions, does it not? The rooming situation was premeditated, whether by Jiang MingYue or Shen Xi’s request, it was intentionally planned. The choice of staying on the 18th floor must have been because of the connected suites.”

(Mo Yi’s explanation could very well be concrete. I nodded as I thought of another key problem.)

MC:
“There’s another question…”

[Select the Red Wine in Room 1818]

MC:
“I saw Romanée Conti on the wine list, but I didn’t see the actual bottle. Does the hotel really offer this product?”

Hotel Manager:
“Of course! It is an expensive wine, and I personally dealt with the request in celebration of Miss Shen’s accomplishments. The servers brought it in after making the room last night.”

MC:
“Around what time did that happen?”

Hotel Manager:
“It was almost 7 PM.”

Mo Yi:
“7 PM? Then the banquet had already started…”

MC:
“I saw that room 1817 was already cleaned this morning. Was a bottle of Romanée Conti found in that room?”

Hotel Manager:
“No, there were no abnormalities when Mr. Li Zhou returned the room key.”

MC:
“What about Jiang MingYue’s room? Was the bottle of wine discovered there?”

Hotel Manager:
“Rooms 1713 and 1817 are regular rooms, therefore, Romanée Conti isn’t offered on their wine list.”

Officer:
“The police have already searched Jiang MingYue’s hotel room and nothing suspicious was found.”

MC:
(Where did that bottle of red wine disappear to?)

MC:
“The door connecting rooms 1818 and 1817, is it normally locked? Is there only one set of keys?”

Hotel Manager:
“Our hotel is considered a legacy of Stellis City; the connecting doors were built according to old safety standards. The door isn’t normally used, so we keep them locked for our guest’s safety and privacy. There were two sets of keys, one of which we keep at the front desk, and the other was given to Mr. Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“What was Li Zhou’s reasoning for wanting a set of keys?”

Hotel Manager:
“Mr. Li Zhou asked us whether or not the rooms were connected at the time of his check-in. He says he was afraid of paparazzi or fans catching wind of his whereabouts and the connecting door was a liability. So he requested the set of keys kept at the front desk and took them. The keys to rooms 1818 and 1816 were also given to him.”

MC:
“That excuse was so unfounded. If he was truly scared of the paparazzi finding him, he should have chosen to stay in a room without connecting doors. If the other person was determined to harass him and invade his privacy, they would have been able to do so if they picked the lock, right?”

(I tidied up the testimony. Even if there were a couple of murky things, there wasn’t anything else, at the time, that I needed to ask the hotel manager for.)

Officer:
“The analysis report of the glass shards has been completed. After a search in the citizen database, the dried blood on the shard was determined to be left by Li Zhou.”

MC:
“So Li Zhou has been in this room!”

Mo Yi:
“The two of them were in this room. Judging by the shattered vase and the fact that he cut himself, they must have been arguing about something.”

Officer:
“Shen Xi’s autopsy report has been completed as well, her fingernails have been torn. Compared with the marks left on the connecting door, Shen Xi’s nails must have broke when she was knocking on the door.”

MC:
“Then what about the time of death? Was there anything that could shrink the window of opportunity?”

Officer:
“No, the suspected time still falls between 9 PM and 2 AM. To add, forensics can confirm that Shen Xi’s death was caused by the consumption of poisoned liquor chocolates. Other than the minute amount of brandy in the liquor chocolates, Shen Xi did not drink last night. We performed mark analysis on the liquor chocolates as well. There were only Shen Xi’s fingerprints, and indentations made from some kind of silk material.”

MC:
“Silk product? That’s to say, when the murderer was tampering with the chocolate, they were wearing silk gloves.”

Mo Yi:
“Even if it’s not a fingerprint but a silk imprint, it’s still a clue. Officer, even if there is not enough evidence that points to the culprit being Li Zhou… we can confirm that he has an undeniable association with this case. I suggest that Li Zhou be detained as soon as possible. If he possesses key evidence on his person and we’re too late, he’ll be able to destroy it.”

Officer:
“We have updated Captain Yan’s team, and they with the idea, but… we broke procedure by taking in Lu JingHe without proper documentation. If we breach protocol again by detaining Li Zhou…”

MC:
“But if we wait for the documents to come through, it might be too late. Can’t we expedite the process?”

Mo Yi:
“In the face of these rules you call protocol, does Yan’s team not know how to improvise?”

Officer:
“That…”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, the police must follow set procedures in the justice system. Because of Lu JingHe, the media already has their eyes on the police. If you add Li Zhou to the mix, the case will be blown out of proportion…”

Mo Yi:
“I acknowledge the police’s hardship. I’m simply regretful that when one knows the path one must take to exit hardship, one is walled up by rules, a mere social construct. The road ahead stays in sight, but out of reach.”

Officer:
“We don’t know where Li Zhou went after he checked out of the hotel, we’ll have to check road surveillance to find out and that requires additional clearance. To do so isn’t difficult, but considering the amount of heat Captain Yan’s team is under…”

MC:
“What can we do… I got it, I know where Li Zhou is!”

(Under Mo Yi and the officer’s watchful eyes, I took out my cell phone and dialed Cheng Cheng’s number. She’s a paralegal in our firm and is one of my juniors. She’s been with Themis for less than a year and she’s a die-hard star chaser.)

Cheng Cheng:
“Sigh, it’s Sunday, why did you call me so early.”

MC:
“Early? It’s literally lunchtime, Cheng Cheng!”

Cheng Cheng:
“It’s early for me. I was binging dramas until the sun came up.”

MC:
“Alright, it’s early, if you say it so. I’m calling about actual business, can you do me a favor?”

Cheng Cheng:
“What is it?”

MC:
“Can you help me check Li Zhou’s itinerary for today? See if he’s gone on set for a shoot or maybe at an event?”

Cheng Cheng:
“Eh? Since when did you start following celebrity news, and to be Li Zhou’s stan on top of that. Stay on the line as I check. There’s a lot of fan apps that you can search to see your idol’s public itineraries.”

MC:
“Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Hm… Li Zhou might be out of the province for a shoot. There isn’t anything on the app for this week.”

MC:
“But he was staying at the Manny Hotel last night.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Then it must be his private itinerary. It’s not right to expose stuff like that.”

MC:
“Where can I find his current-day plans? Like where he is, right now…”

Cheng Cheng:
“Oi, why would you want to know something like that! It’s an invasion of privacy and it’s not allowed!”

MC:
“It’s not like I want to do this, but Li Zhou is connected to the homicide I’m currently investigating. By the time the police find his whereabouts, it may be too late, so I might as well…Sigh, you know what I mean. I have no other options… So you can’t find out where he is?”

Cheng Cheng:
“A homicide? My gosh! Then I… why don’t I help you ask my friends if they know any paparazzi or information dealers…”

MC:
“Sorry about this, Cheng Cheng. If you could, please do. I’ve put you in a difficult situation.”

Cheng Cheng:
“If it gets out that I was looking for private information, my reputation will be smeared in the fandom! Everyone will accuse me. If things go south, they’ll expose me as a sasaeng fan. You owe me big time.”

MC:
“Alright, whatever you want as compensation. But don’t reveal the fact that it’s for a case.”

Cheng Cheng:
“Of course I know that. Don’t worry and wait for my reply.”

(After the call dropped, I lifted my head to see the shocked expression on the officer’s face. Mo Yi was trying his best not to laugh as he shook his head.)

MC:
“It was an emergency, I was at my wit’s end…”

Mo Yi:
“Even if I interact with students daily, I’ve always approached the subject of star chasing as a psychological lecture topic. I thought that it was low, but now… perhaps I needed to broaden my horizons. I should not have held onto prejudice for any group of individuals.”

MC:
“I’m not too knowledgeable either, it’s all Cheng Cheng…”

(Just then, Cheng Cheng’s message came through. She sure is speedy.)

(“I found it, Li Zhou is at Stellis Airport, his flight is outbound for 12:30 PM, he’s already through security checks.”)

MC:
“Li Zhou’s at the airport. His flight takes off in an hour, he’ll be boarding the plane soon!”

Officer:
“I’ll head over right away and stop him.”

(The officer ran out while dialing a number on his phone. He must have rushed to inform Yan Wei.)

Mo Yi:
“From the looks of it, we’ll have lots of things to ask Jiang MingYue again. Before that, we’ll need to organize the clues we obtained, so… we need to obtain more evidence that pertains to Li Zhou in this room, otherwise, Jiang MingYue will be unlikely to open up to us again.”

MC:
“Jiang MingYue still has a chance to commit the crime, but as it stands, her motives aren’t as clear. Unless…”

(A man and two women, the entertainment industry, a fashion house… my mind conjured up something in an attempt to explain it all, in the most logical way possible.)

MC:
“Unless her, Li Zhou, and Shen Xi are in a love triangle…”

(Voicing something so gossipy was awkward, but when it comes to a formal investigation, nothing is impossible.)

Mo Yi:
“You’re guessing that Jiang MingYue poisoned Shen Xi out of spite and that Li Zhou was simply arguing with Shen Xi and did not intend to kill her?”

MC:
“I cannot dismiss the possibility.”

Mo Yi:
“I believe that the culprit isn’t Jiang MingYue and that it can only be Li Zhou.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi
Editor:@cL
 QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Crime Scene, Room 1818

(After the interrogation with Jiang MingYue ended, Mo Yi told me that she lied. That reminded me of the text he sent me during the interrogation. Jiang MingYue’s reaction showed that her cover was flawed.)

MC:
“Dr. Mo, how did you deduce that Jiang MingYue was lying? Was it through observing her reactions?”

(Provided that Mo Yi was a psychologist, I thought about the popular criminology subject of micro expressions.)

Mo Yi:
“Not just her expressions, but her body language as well. More precisely, the psychological stress micro reactions.”

MC:
“The accuracy of these types of observations must be high, right? Can you teach me as well?”

Mo Yi:
“You’re interested? Then can you guess what Jiang MingYue lied about? I’ll give you a small hint: she’s lying about more than one thing, and some of the things she said weren’t completely false but is lying by omission.”

MC:
“What kind of hint is that, it only increases the difficulty…”

(Mo Yi smiled wordlessly as he waited for my answer.)

MC:
“Jiang MingYue claimed that she never interacts with Shen Xi outside of work business, this must be false. It’s quite common for secretaries to organize their boss’ social and personal calendars. There’s no way for her to avoid coming in contact with Shen Xi’s personal business.”

Mo Yi:
“Mm, that’s correct. When I mentioned ‘interactions during private life,’ Jiang MingYue’s eyes widened slightly and her lips parted. This is a commonly seen shocked expression, but her response and claim that they only have a working relationship is abnormal. Therefore, she must be hiding important information.”

MC:
“Regarding the room bookings in the hotel, Jiang MingYue must have lied about that too. She looked really tense. Ah, that’s right, how did you know about the room booking situation, Dr. Mo? The police briefing didn’t mention it at all, did you specifically ask for it?”

Mo Yi:
“I did not. I was looking for Jiang MingYue’s information that you asked me for, and I wanted to see if there were any pictures of her everyday appearance. I needed those pictures to confirm that Jiang MingYue is mentally stable, as well as to get a baseline of her expressions. Regarding the room bookings, I improvised on the spot and lied to trick her.”

MC:
“Trick her?! But your attitude was so serious, even I believed it.”

Mo Yi:
“The occupation requires it, but personally, I don’t like telling lies.”

MC:
“I understand, of course, I’ll believe Dr. Mo.”

Mo Yi:
“That’s a relief. You were correct though, Jiang MingYue indeed lied about the room booking situation. She kept on fiddling with her fingers. She must have been nervous.”

MC:
“A simple question about booking rooms doesn’t warrant such a strong reaction. There must be something she’s hiding.”

(I turned to the detective.)

MC:
“Officer, can you help me check Manny Hotel’s recent room booking records?”

Detective:
“Of course, just a moment.”

Mo Yi:
“What else do you think Jiang MingYue lied about?”

MC:
“There’s more?”

Mo Yi:
“Regarding the two other secretaries that Shen Xi fired, Jiang MingYue is hiding something from us. Most importantly, she didn’t tell us the truth about the people that came in contact with the box of chocolates. She realized that I was observing her, so she lowered her head in an attempt to hide her reactions.”

MC:
“I didn’t even realize it at all. So, Dr. Mo, does this mean I didn’t answer your question correctly?”

Mo Yi:
“If I said that even if you answered it all correctly, I still wouldn’t teach you, would you be mad?”

MC:
“Why not? I won’t be mad, just a little regretful…”

Mo Yi:
“It’s because I don’t want you to be my student. I’m already the guest professor at Stellis University and have plenty of students. Plus, if I want to stay impressive to such a witty lady such as yourself, I’ve got to keep a few tricks up my sleeve, won’t you agree?”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, you have a great sense of humor.”

Mo Yi:
“Ah, so you saw through my act? I admit that I jest. The study of micro expressions is a systematic subject, thoroughly understanding it will require a lot of time and effort. If you have free time, I’ll happily teach you slowly. But for today, let me be your ‘lie detector’.”

MC:
“Alright, then it’s settled. It’s a shame that micro expression analyses cannot be used as evidence in court. Let’s look for more clues at the crime scene. Ah, Officer, what time did the first responder arrive at the hotel? Was there anything tampered with at the crime scene?”

Officer:
“The police received the call today at 7:45 AM and requested that the hotel staff immediately seal off the crime scene. The first responder arrived on location at 7:55 AM and the crime scene was kept as is.”

~~~Investigation Start~~~

[Check the Wine Glasses by the Counter]

Mo Yi:
“Amethyst wine glasses, how decadent.”

(Mo Yi picked up the wine glass and looked at it with interest. The wine glass was made intricately; the stem was hollow and filled with rough cut amethyst.)

MC:
“I remember in Roman mythology, amethyst is Bacchus’ symbol. That’s why amethysts are sometimes called ‘Tears of Bacchus.’”

Mo Yi:
“Not only that, in Western culture, amethyst is the guardian stone of love and symbolizes the honesty, chastity, and courage between lovers. Since it was placed in the wine glass, I can largely assume that it has to do with honesty and courage. Speaking of, I enjoy fermenting my own wines during my free time. Would you perhaps be interested in sampling it?”

MC:
“Really? Wine tasting is so niche, but if Dr. Mo’s offering me a chance to try it, then I’ll definitely go.”

Mo Yi:
“I will prepare a nice spread for your welcome. For example, I’ll take extra care in preparing the wine glasses, unlike this hotel, who chose to provide their guests with glassware with water spots.”

MC:
“No way they’d do that. Manny Hotel is our city’s most famous five-star hotel, yet they would make such an elementary mistake?”

(Mo Yi passed me the wine glass so I could take a look. Sure enough, there were water spots leftover from cleaning the wine glass.)

Mo Yi:
“The rest of the glasses on the bar counter were spotless, there is only one glass with water spots on it. Did a hardworking guest stop by and wash the wine glass after using it?”

MC:
“Was it something Shen Xi did?”

[Check Wine Bottle in Minibar]

MC:
“Tea beverages, soda, yogurt, Romanée-Conti… eh?”

Mo Yi:
“What did you find?”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, Romanée-Conti is a brand of red wine, right? I remember that this name is quite famous.”

Mo Yi:
“Correct. Romanée-Conti is considered as one of Burgundy, France’s top wine producers. What about it? This suit’s minibar had Romanée-Conti? Romanée-Conti, ‘The Dream Wine’, appearing in a standard suite like this, the bottle must be a fake.”

MC:
“I always wanted to try the luxurious and expensive red wine. Anyways, I noticed there were no other bottles on the counter or in the cooler.”

Mo Yi:
“Perhaps it was just written on the wine list to fool people. But on a serious note, we should ask the secretary on-duty about it.”

Officer:
“The secretary is currently being interrogated by the police. You’ll have to wait until they’re finished.”

[Check Glass Shard Under TV Cabinet]

(In front of the TV cabinet there’s a shattered glass vase on the floor.)

MC:
“The vase was shattered, did Shen Xi accidentally knock this over after the poison set in?”

Mo Yi:
“That would depend on whether or not cuts were found on Shen Xi’s body. It would be easy to hurt oneself after knocking over the vase while experiencing tetrodotoxin poisoning symptoms.”

MC:
“I don’t think that’s right. Judging from the way debris was swept aside, it must mean someone had tried to tidy up after the vase shattered. The majority of the glass pieces were by the wall with scattered bits around it. If Shen Xi was experiencing poisoning symptoms, she wouldn’t have swept the glass shards away.”

Mo Yi:
“Officer, did this room call for room service last night?”

Officer:
“They did not.”

MC:
“That’s strange, why didn’t Shen Xi call service to clean up the glass?”

(I knelt down and looked around for something to move the glass shards with, but I must have miscalculated the distance between the TV cabinet and myself. I lost my balance and tried to grab hold of the cabinet as my body was pitched forward.)

MC:
(Ah! The broken glass!)

Mo Yi:
“Careful!”

(Someone grabbed onto my shoulder and my wrist, and pulled me upright. Turning around, I came face to face with Mo Yi’s golden eyes that were widened in alarm. It was the first time I’ve seen Mo Yi so unnerved; the first time I’ve seen him lose his usually cool composure.)

Mo Yi:
“If you were looking for something to sweep up the glass, please allow me to do it. There are pieces everywhere. and you could get hurt.”

MC:
“A-ah, alright…”

(The warmth of Mo Yi’s hand on mine sent shivers up my spine, ending in pleasant sparks in my chest.)

Mo Yi:
“My apologies, I…”

(Mo Yi lowered his head slightly and smiled. Upon releasing my hand, he proceeded to inspect the debris.)

MC:
“Thank you for that, Dr. Mo.”

Mo Yi:
“No need to thank me, it was only natural that I would help.”

(Once said, Mo Yi went quiet as he began to investigate the broken shards scattered about. I quickly looked away from him and forced myself to take deep breaths…)

Mo Yi:
“This is…”

(Mo Yi’s voice grabbed my attention.)

MC:
“What did you find?”

(Mo Yi stood up with a piece of glass in his hand. While its edges were extremely sharp, more importantly, there was a streak of red smeared on it. It appears to be dried blood.)

Mo Yi:
“Officer, please analyze the bloodstain on the glass.”

Officer:
“Will do.”

Mo Yi:
“What happened in this room last night? Why was Shen Xi scared to call room service?”

[Check Magazine on the Desk]

MC:
“The cover feature of this magazine is Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“I’m not familiar with Li Zhou, although I’ve heard the movies he’s starred in over the past two years were very popular.”

MC:
“Li Zhou’s acting is incredible. He’s one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Although, I saw on the news today that Li Zhou went to the emergency clinic and was photographed by paparazzi. I feel bad for all these celebrities, they can’t seem to get any privacy.”

Mo Yi:
“If it was at my research institute, I would never allow something like that to happen. To protect the confidentiality of my patients, that’s something every psychologist has sworn to.”

(I flipped through the magazine and found that most of the interviews were more or less centered around Li Zhou’s love life. Especially about Li Zhou’s current movie in production, people were praising how well he and the female lead looked good together. I skimmed through the magazine searching for any other useful information, but to no avail. I couldn’t stop staring at the cover of the magazine after I closed it. The cover photo was of Li Zhou’s latest role: a magician. He wore a pair of silk gloves and had a mysterious but sly smile. It was mesmerizing.)

MC:
“Just by appearance alone, Li Zhou must have attracted many fans.”

Mo Yi:
“I don’t believe a man’s attractiveness lies with his looks. I believe someone’s temperament and personality are more important.”

[Check the Marker Beside the Chalk Outline]

MC:
“What does this marker mean?”

Officer:
“It’s Shen Xi’s cell phone.”

(I put on gloves and opened Shen Xi’s phone. The screen lit up immediately.)

[Check the Fingerprint Scanner]

(There’s no way to unlock the phone, but I can see that the phone has 23% of its battery left.)

MC:
“Who else’s fingerprints are on the phone?”

Officer:
“There were only Shen Xi’s fingerprints.”

MC:
“Only Shen Xi’s? That can’t be right. Jiang MingYue said that Shen Xi’s phone was kept with her for the entire banquet. It’d be impossible to not find Jiang MingYue’s fingerprints on the phone.”

Mo Yi:
“Maybe someone took Shen Xi’s phone away and returned it after cleaning their prints off when she died… Then the phone would only have Shen Xi’s fingerprints left on it.”

MC:
(Was this done by the killer? Was this done to throw us off their trail by using her hand to leave prints on the phone after she had died?)

[Check Smear on Back of Phone]

MC:
“This is…?”

(On the back of the phone, there was a brown smear that was nearly imperceptible. If someone didn’t pay attention, it would just look like a normal stain.)

Mo Yi:
“Judging by the color, it’s probably chocolate.”

MC:
“Was this left after Shen Xi ate the chocolate?”

Officer:
“It is chocolate. It has been determined that it is the same composition as the chocolates Lu JingHe gifted her.”

Mo Yi:
“The smear appears to have started on the upper left and ends near the bottom right, but it doesn’t look like Shen Xi left it herself.”

MC:
“Why would you say that? Wait, I know! If Shen Xi’s right-handed, she’d use her phone with her dominant hand, so the smear should have started from the upper right down to the bottom left. If placed in her right hand, then the chocolate smear should have started by the camera lens.”

Mo Yi:
“It’s so much easier to communicate with smart, like-minded individuals. Even if we don’t consider the direction of the smear, this phone itself is suspicious. If Shen Xi was poisoned and she had her phone with her, why didn’t she call for help? To add, if she wanted to leave her suspicions about her killer, why didn’t she type it out on her phone? Compared to unlocking her phone and typing out “Lu”, versus climbing up to the table to write a note, the latter is more labor-intensive. Unless…”

MC:
“When Shen Xi was poisoned, her phone wasn’t even by her side!”

[Check the Chalk Outline of the Body]

(The police had marked the location where Shen Xi died, right in front of the connecting door to the other suite. As seen from the outline, Shen Xi was facing the desk, and her back was to the connecting door.)

MC:
“Was Shen Xi discovered in this position?”

Officer:
“She was.”

MC:
“May I see the sticky note that she left behind?”

Officer:
“Here it is. The sticky note had only Shen Xi’s fingerprints on it.”

(The officer passed me the note; this was the key evidence against Lu JingHe. His surname, “Lu” was scrawled lightly and messily on the note. It seems like by the time Shen Xi wrote the note, she was already weak. Especially the last stroke in the character “Lu” was extremely crooked. It was probably left when her hand grew slack and let go of the pen. From the looks of it, writing this note was the last thing Shen Xi did before she passed.)

MC:
“When Shen Xi experienced poisoning symptoms, Lu JingHe wasn’t at the scene. The note that Shen Xi left could have been her guess of who was the culprit and can’t be used as concrete evidence.”

Mo Yi:
“What was Shen Xi wearing when her body was discovered? Was she still in her dress, or was it a bathrobe, or sleepwear?”

Officer:
“She was wearing the same dress she wore at the banquet.”

Mo Yi:
“Then that’s wrong. When Shen Xi fell between the bed and the desk, it appeared as if she was feeling ill, and thus she got off the bed to walk toward the desk.”

MC:
“But the covers on the bed were left untouched. It looks as if no one had sat or laid down on it.”

(The queen-sized bed in the suite looked as pristine as if it were just made. The duvet with its one corner tucked and a card wishing their guests a good night’s rest was still on the bed.)

Mo Yi:
“Unless she was extremely fatigued, women most likely wouldn’t lie down unless they’ve removed their makeup and changed outfits. Banquet dresses tend to wrinkle easily.”

MC:
“Then the position Shen Xi was found in…”

Mo Yi:
“Officer, can this connecting room door be opened to enter the suite? Was there anyone staying in the suite next door?”

Officer:
“It can be opened. Last night, the person staying in room 1817 was none other than the famous movie star, Li Zhou.”

Mo Yi:
“Li Zhou… How did Shen Xi know that someone was staying next door and that they would help her…”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, are you insinuating… that Shen Xi tried to get help from the guest staying in the adjacent room?”

Mo Yi:
“Indeed. If she did not fall off the bed, the only logical explanation for her position is that she’s tried to knock on the connecting door.”

MC:
“Then is it possible that Shen Xi had frantically knocked at the door to get the other person to notice? She took a chance and probably didn’t know that someone was staying next door.”

Mo Yi:
“No, rather, I think Shen Xi very likely knew the guest staying next door. You forgot an important step in her timeline- writing the note was the last thing she did, therefore, she tried to knock before then. This proves that when she was still capable of looking for help, the guest next door was her first choice. Therefore, that person is someone she would trust wholeheartedly.”

MC:
“But we don’t have any evidence to show that Shen Xi tried to knock on the connecting door.”

Mo Yi:
“That’s true. If it’s something we would like to prove, we must ask the officer to search for any marks left on it. Perhaps they’ll find something then.”

(After investigating the crime scene for a second time, there were now more doubts and suspicions then when we had started the case.)

Mo Yi:
“Officer, during the police investigation, was the surveillance of the 17th and 18th floor viewed? Last night after Shen Xi and Jiang MingYue returned to their rooms, did either one of them exit their rooms?”

Officer:
“Of course we have. The security footage showed that after Shen Xi and Jiang MingYue returned to their respective rooms at 9 PM last night, neither of them had left their rooms and no one entered.”

MC:
“There wasn’t anyone who tried to get close to their suite doors? That’s to say, they never left their rooms and no one visited them? Were the connecting rooms, 1818 and 1713, vacant for the night?”

Officer:
“Room 1816 adjacent to Li Zhou’s room was occupied. Some guests entered last night at 11 PM. Besides that, until Li Zhou checked out this morning at 7:20 AM, there were no movements outside rooms 1818 and 1817.”

Mo Yi:
“Room 1817 is just a regular room and is suitable for a secretary like Jiang MingYue to stay in. But instead, it was given to a famous actor, which sounds a little too simple. Officer, where were the keys to the connecting door between rooms 1818 and 1817?”

Officer:
“That… we weren’t investigating in that direction.”

Mo Yi:
“I’m hypothesizing, when Li Zhou checked in, he must have asked the front desk for the keys to the connecting door.”

(The officer contacted the front desk manager and confirmed Mo Yi’s theory.)

Officer:
“That’s right, Li Zhou had the keys to the connecting door, up until he checked out this morning.”

Mo Yi:
“It’s about time we shed some light on the subject.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi
Editor:@cL
 QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Hotel Room 1817

MC:
“Alright, then Miss. Jiang, let’s start the interrogation.”

~~Interrogation Start~~

[About work overview]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, how long have you worked for Venus Fashion? When did you start as CEO Shen’s secretary?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I have worked at Venus for five years, from the moment I was hired. I became CEO Shen’s design assistant and secretary.”

MC:
“CEO Shen must have trusted you to give you such an important role in her company.”

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Shen truly trusts me, but in the beginning, I wasn’t her only secretary. I had two other coworkers.”

MC:
“How busy was the company for Shen Xi to require three secretaries?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Not to that extent. I was originally responsible for organizing CEO Shen’s business schedule. My two coworkers would handle hidden matters in CEO Shen’s private life. On paper, their roles were secretarial, but in reality, they were more like her life assistants. They left one after the other and CEO Shen didn’t hire anyone to fill the role ever again.”

Mo Yi:
“Why did the other secretaries leave? Was it of their own volition?”

Jiang MingYue:
“This…”

(Jiang MingYue looked startled as if she had never anticipated that Mo Yi would ask her that question. She took a nervous glance at Mo Yi and then lowered her head again.)

Jiang MingYue:
“One of them didn’t renew their contract with CEO Shen and left, and the other was fired due to violations of CEO Shen’s privacy.”

[Banquet Events]

MC:
“Did the banquet last night go without a hitch?”

Jiang MingYue:
“You could assume so. But we would’ve never imagined that CEO Lu would actually attend.”

MC:
“Didn’t think Lu JingHe would attend? Were the invitations not vetoed by you guys?”

Jiang MingYue:
“We did invite CEO Lu, but Lawyer, you must have heard about the failed negotiations between PAX Group and our company… And in this fashion week, we outshone PAX Apparel and took the gold prize, so… The invitation for CEO Lu to attend was more of a demonstration than anything else. That’s why we thought CEO Lu wouldn’t attend.”

MC:
“Did Lu JingHe’s appearance at the banquet have an impact on the banquet’s itinerary?”

Jiang MingYue:
“No, CEO Shen just added a small thank you to CEO Lu at the end of her speech. When someone came to propose a toast and mentioned CEO Lu, CEO Shen made a show of opening the box of chocolates and eating one.”

MC:
“CEO Shen ate the chocolates Lu JingHe gave her in front of others, was she not afraid that other people may misinterpret their relationship? That’s to say, was CEO Shen hoping for people to see, and if so, does that imply the fake news about CEO Shen and Lu JingHe’s engagement was leaked by your company?”

Jiang MingYue:
“No no, absolutely not. CEO Shen would never do that! Although CEO Shen used the PAX Group negotiations as exposure for our company, she would never use her personal relationships to achieve it. She ate the chocolate to prove that the two companies were on good terms - that Venus and PAX didn’t have any bad blood beyond a failed negotiation.”

Mo Yi:
“Chocolates are a common banquet gift and do not necessarily imply romantic interest between two parties.”

(After hearing Mo Yi’s comment, Jiang MingYue let out a sigh and her shoulders relaxed. I can’t understand why Mo Yi would help Jiang MingYue find a way out of the topic. However, after seeing how stressed Jiang MingYue was, I think I can imagine why he did it.)

MC:
“…”

MC:
(We won’t be able to get anything out of her if she’s too anxious. I gotta hand it to Dr. Mo for handling the pace of the interrogation.)

MC:
“Then it seems like the entertainment news outlets were once again making something out of nothing in order to pull in readers.”

Jiang MingYue:
“That’s right.”

[About the Rash on Her Wrist]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, what happened to your wrist? Do you require medical attention?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s not urgent, I just had a minor allergic reaction. It’ll be alright after applying some ointment.”

MC:
“That’s good to hear. I have a coworker with a mushroom allergy. It must be so uncomfortable when it hurts and itches at the same time.”

Jiang MingYue:
“I’m allergic to chocolate. Last night, a server carrying a tray of chocolates bumped into me. I’m diligent about not being in contact with it and normally wouldn’t be like this.”

MC:
“Chocolate allergy exists? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s rare. When I eat or touch chocolate, I’ll break out in a rash. The first time this happened, I was quite young and ate so much chocolate that I went into anaphylaxis. I now avoid touching chocolate whenever possible.”

[About Work Stress]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, after the other two secretaries were fired by CEO Shen, it must have been really hard to handle three people’s worth of work right?”

(I looked at Jiang MingYue’s ill-fitting clothes and followed up with another question.)

MC:
“Are you often really busy?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s been alright. CEO Shen hasn’t had others handle her private business, so my day to day tasks have pretty much stayed the same in terms of handling her external affairs. CEO Shen is generous with our salary, and I’ve never had to work during vacation days. Even if it gets a little busier, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

[About Her Relationship with Shen Xi]

MC:
“When CEO Shen gave you the box of chocolate from Lu JingHe for safekeeping, did she know that you were allergic?”

Jiang MingYue:
“She knew. Since I’m not sensitive to the smell of chocolate and they were in the box, I was safe. Most times, CEO Shen is quite a considerate person…”

Mo Yi:
“Most times? That’s to say, CEO Shen has lost her temper with you?”

Jiang MingYue:
“We had been working together for five years, moments like that are sure to happen. Which employee hasn’t seen their boss lose their temper?”

Mo Yi:
“Is it solely because of work-related issues? For CEO Shen to know that you’re allergic to chocolate, you two must have had a lot of interactions in your everyday life.”

Jiang MingYue:
“N-no. CEO Shen and I only have a boss and secretary relationship. We really don’t have anything more than that. I understand that you suspect me because I was holding onto the box of chocolates, but I didn’t do it.”

Mo Yi:
“Oh? If it’s nothing more than a work relationship, then your actions do not correspond with your claim.”

[About Last Night’s Rooming Arrangements]

Mo Yi:
“Usually during business trips, the secretary will choose to stay in a room near their boss’, to facilitate communication. Why did CEO Shen stay on the 18th floor, while your room was located on the 17th floor, Room 1713?”

Jiang MingYue:
“The hotel had no other vacancy because it’s fashion week, so I booked a standard room on the 17th floor.”

Mo Yi:
“Is that so? But the suite 1718 connected to 1717 on the 17th floor, was vacant last night. When you booked accommodations for Shen Xi, why didn’t you pick rooms on the 17th floor? Unless the rooms on the 18th floor are special? Both floors have the same pricing and considering Shen Xi’s net worth, I suggest you avoid using the excuse of how ‘the 18th floor was discounted.’”

Jiang MingYue:
“When I was booking rooms, there really were no other open rooms… Maybe someone canceled their reservations afterward…”

Mo Yi:
“That’s valid, you have a point.”

[About Her Timeline]

MC:
“Do you remember the exact time CEO Shen ate the chocolate at the banquet?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It should be a quarter after seven, I think.”

MC:
“And you’re sure?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Yes. The fashion week’s organizer’s speech was scheduled to start at 7:20 PM, so I was watching the time.”

~~~Flashback~~~

▌Saturday Night, 7:15 PM

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Shen, the organizer’s speech is about to start, you…”

Shen Xi:
“Got it, go find Chairman Zhang and remind him.”

(Shen Xi spoke while unwrapping the box of liquor chocolates in Jiang MingYue‘s hand.)

Shen Xi:
“Although CEO Lu’s got a ways to go when it comes to doing business, he sure has a good eye for chocolate.”

Lu JingHe:
“As long as CEO Shen likes them. Please enjoy those at your leisure, I’ll take my leave for the night.”

(Shen Xi’s fingertips were capped with melted chocolate. Just as she was looking for a napkin, Lu JingHe made his way over to her. Shen Xi, holding one hand in midair, felt awkward as to whether she should bring her dirtied fingers back down to her side. Just then, a server passed by Lu JingHe, who plucked a tissue off of the tray and handed it to Shen Xi.)

Shen Xi:
“Thank you, CEO Lu. You’re a busy man, so I won’t keep you any longer.”

(Shen Xi accepted the napkin and wiped her hand without causing extra attention and raised her brow at Jiang MingYue.)

Shen Xi:
“MingYue, send off CEO Lu in my place. I’ll go and inform Chairman Zhang myself.”

(Shen Xi nodded and turned to leave.)

Jiang MingYue:
“CEO Lu, CEO Shen is quite busy tonight. Please don’t mind her attitude and allow me to see you off…”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

MC:
“Then when did the banquet end? Excluding the time when CEO Shen was eating the chocolates, did you have the box in your hands at the time?”

Jiang MingYue:
“The banquet ended at 8:30 PM as scheduled, but I didn’t hold the box of chocolates for the entire time. After I saw CEO Lu off for the night, CEO Shen mentioned that the chocolates were a little melted when she ate it and told me to bring the chocolates back to her room’s mini cooler.”

Mo Yi:
“What time did you stop by?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was around 7:30 PM, although when I was coming back from her room, I ran into an accident.”

~~~Flashback~~~

▌Saturday Night, 7:40 PM

Server:
“Ah! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! Miss, are you alright!”

(Jiang MingYue finished placing the chocolates in the fridge. On her way back to the banquet a server carrying a tray collided into her.)

Jiang MingYue:
“What are you carrying? No way it’s….”

Server:
“It’s chocolate sauce.”

Jiang MingYue:
“Shoot!”

(Jiang MingYue hurriedly grabbed napkins from a table and scrubbed at the chocolate sauce spilled on her wrist.)

Server:
“Miss, are you okay? Do I need to escort you back to your suite?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I’ll head up myself. If the hotel has any rash medication or creams, please send it up to room 1713.”

~~~Flashback Ends~~~

Mo Yi:
“After you cleaned up and finally returned to the banquet, what time was it?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was almost 8:00 PM when I returned. After the server brought me the medicated cream, he took my soiled dress for dry cleaning. If you don’t believe me, you can check their records.”

MC:
“After the banquet ended, what did you do? When was the last time you saw Shen Xi?”

Jiang MingYue:
“I was with CEO Shen when she saw all the guests off. I returned her room key to her, and left to rest in my room. We parted ways when the elevator reached the 17th floor, around 9:00 PM. That was when I saw CEO Shen last.”

Mo Yi:
“Shen Xi’s room key was in your possession?”

Jiang MingYue:
“That’s right. CEO Shen doesn’t like to carry purses or clutches at banquets so her room key and her phone were in my bag. After I changed my clothes and returned to the banquet hall, I never left CEO Shen’s side.”

[About anyone with access to the chocolates]

MC:
“Miss. Jiang, lastly I need to reaffirm that, besides CEO Shen and yourself, was there anyone else who was able to come into contact with that box of chocolates last night?”

Jiang MingYue:
“Let me think…”

(Jiang MingYue looked down in contemplation.)

Jiang MingYue:
“After thinking about it, no, there’s no one else. There was only CEO Shen and me. Of course, if CEO Lu was able to unwrap the box and then repackage it, I can’t say for certain.”

~~~Interrogation End~~~

MC:
“From the police, I heard that you were the one who found CEO Shen this morning?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It was me. The overseas fabric manufacturer had urgent matters to talk to CEO Shen about. Around 7:40 AM this morning, I picked up their call and went upstairs to find her, but I couldn’t reach her cell phone nor did she answer me when I knocked on the door.”

Mo Yi:
“So by the time you found the hotel staff to open the suite door, that was when you discovered Shen Xi’s body?”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s as you said…”

MC:
“Alright, Miss. Jiang, that’s all the questions I have for you.”

(After we finished the questioning, Jiang MingYue stood up and saw that there had been officers standing behind us all this time.)

Jiang MingYue:
“Can I head back now? After everything that’s happened, CEO Shen’s family is still uninformed and there’s a lot of things I need to handle.”

Officer:
“Sorry Miss. Jiang, you’re still a suspect in the case and we’ll need to take you back to the station with us.”

Jiang MingYue:
“It’s not me, it’s really not me…”

Mo Yi:
“Sorry, if it’s possible without obstructing protocol, may we have a second look at the crime scene before you detain Miss. Jiang?”

Officer:
“Dr. Mo, you did not finish questioning the suspect?”

Mo Yi:
“There are a couple of things I’d like to ask and verify. But I can see that Miss. Jiang is already exhausted, I would like her to rest for a bit before we continue. In the meantime…”

(Mo Yi looked at me, his eyes seemingly allowing me to finish his sentence and decide our next step.)

MC:
“Officer, in the meantime, please allow us to see the crime scene again.”

Officer:
“Alright, follow me.”

(The officer halted Jiang MingYue as she was trying to follow us out.)

Officer:
“Miss. Jiang, I ask that you cooperate and remain in this room for the time being.”

(Jiang MingYue returned to sit at the office chair, held the cushion to her chest and sobbed quietly. As Mo Yi and I left the room, a hot breath tickled my neck. Mo Yi’s calm voice spoke into my ear.)

Mo Yi:
“Just then, she was lying.”

——-

[Previous Part]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: Humi​​
Editor:@cL
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17-Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

Mo Yi:
I recently received an out of print novel set.

Mo Yi:
If you’re interested, you can come read it in your spare time.

MC:
What genre is it?

Mo Yi:
It’s a suspense thriller involving psychology principles.

Mo Yi:
Although it’s quite dated, the plot is outstanding, and the twists are interesting.

Mo Yi:
I thought… you would be interested.

MC (Choice 1):
Very interested, I think the series sounds like a great read!

Mo Yi:
I’m glad you’re interested. Why don’t you come over to my place tomorrow? I’ll prepare tea and snacks we can share in the garden…

Mo Yi:
We can read while having afternoon tea.

Mo Yi:
Lazy afternoons are hard to come by, I want to cherish it with you.

—

MC (Choice 2):
I’m quite interested, it’s just… I would’ve never guessed that Dr. Mo liked collecting fictional novels?

Mo Yi:
This book… is my excuse to invite you over. But if you like…

Mo Yi:
Tomorrow afternoon, we can read it while sharing afternoon tea in the garden.

Mo Yi:
Lazy afternoons are hard to come by, I want to cherish it with you.

MC (Choice 1):
Sounds good, I’ll come by in disturbance, Dr. Mo.

Mo Yi:
Disturbance? I would be honored if you’ll visit.

Mo Yi:
It’s a real vacation when I get to spend it with you.

—

MC (Choice 2):
But tomorrow I have shopping plans… sorry, might have to raincheck that offer.

Mo Yi:
No worries, I’ll accompany you.

Mo Yi:
To me, it doesn’t matter the location or the activity, the most important thing that matters is who…

Mo Yi:
It’s a real vacation when I get to spend it with you.

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

▌Location- Hotel Room 1817

(PAX Group’s successor Lu JingHe was incidentally wrapped into a homicide case, the murder weapon being a box of chocolates Lu JingHe had gifted the victim. After my interrogation with Lu JingHe, I uncovered that before he left, the victim had consumed a piece of chocolate and was alright afterward. Therefore, I’m speculating that the chocolates were tampered with after Lu JingHe left the banquet, although Mo Yi expressed his reservations about my hypothesis.)

Mo Yi:
“From what I’ve gathered thus far, your hypothesis may be correct, however not yet infallible.”

MC:
“Why would you think that?”

Mo Yi:
“There exist loopholes when comparing Lu JingHe’s testimony with the information provided by the detectives.”

~~~Analysis Start~~~

[Select:Shen Xi ate chocolate,Tetrodotoxin content]

(I skimmed over the lab results of the chocolates from the police and came across an important piece of data.)

MC:
“Tetrodotoxin may incur a delayed onset period as long as three hours after ingestion.”

Mo Yi:
“For most patients, symptoms of tetrodotoxin poisoning will appear around thirty minutes after ingestion, though there also exist people who do not experience symptoms until much later. The sample taken from the poisoned liquor chocolates determined that the amount and concentration of tetrodotoxin weren’t high. This may explain why Shen Xi experienced a delayed reaction after eating the chocolates and did not experience symptoms until after the banquet ended.”

MC:
“Lu JingHe saw Shen Xi eat the chocolates about a quarter after 7 PM. If we assume she experienced symptoms three hours later, then… Shen Xi would have displayed visible symptoms around 10 PM.”

Mo Yi:
“Do you remember the timeline that Yan Wei gave us? It must have happened approximately between 9 PM and 2 AM.”

MC:
“So we still can’t eliminate the possibility that the chocolates Lu JingHe gave the victim were already tampered with.”

~~~Analysis End~~~

Mo Yi:
“Besides the information about the incubation period, the report also mentions that not all the chocolates contained the toxin. Of the twelve chocolates in the box, excluding the two pieces that Shen Xi ate, seven out of the ten remaining chocolates tested positive.”

MC:
“So let’s say the second piece Shen Xi ate contained the toxin, then there were a total of eight pieces of chocolate laced with tetrodotoxin?”

Mo Yi:
“That’s right. The detectives found pin holes on all seven poisoned chocolates.”

MC:
“That means the culprit used a syringe to add poison into the center of the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“Mm, from the looks of it, there exist two possible points of doubt. What do you think?”

MC:
“The first point is…”

[Select:Why did the culprit poison the chocolate]

MC:
“Why would the murderer choose to poison the chocolates? There would’ve been plenty of finger foods at the banquet.”

Mo Yi:
“Why do you think so?”

MC:
“What’s your standpoint on this, Dr. Mo?”

Mo Yi:
“I think the murderer’s choice to poison the chocolates makes sense. In a buffet-style venue, it is very unlikely that someone would go out of their way to consume something specific. For instance, if a server is carrying a tray of wine, your victim will have a choice between many glasses. Aside from this box of chocolates that was specifically gifted to Shen Xi herself, there was no other way to predict what she might eat yesterday night. Therefore, the box of chocolates is the best vessel to choose.”

MC:
“I can’t disagree with that.”

[Select:Why the murderer chose not to poison all the chocolates]

MC:
“Why didn’t the culprit poison all the chocolates? Four out of the twelve chocolates were left as is. By chance, Shen Xi could’ve had a one in three chance of surviving.”

Mo Yi:
“If Shen Xi ended up sharing the chocolates with others, and she just so happened to consume one of the good chocolates, then the murderer’s plan would have gone up in flames. Even if the culprit was perverse and didn’t care if they would harm others in the process, they needed to guarantee that their target would be eliminated. Therefore, the fact that not all chocolates were poisoned is our first point of interest. The syringe used to administer poison is a point of interest too.”

MC:
“If the goal was to poison the chocolates without leaving a noticeable mark, then a syringe would be used, right?”

Mo Yi:
“But how would the culprit know that Lu JingHe would give Shen Xi chocolates?”

MC:
“Ah, that’s right. Lu JingHe said he bought the chocolates on his way to the banquet. If it wasn’t planned previously, then the culprit wouldn’t have the time to prepare the toxin and the syringe.”

Mo Yi:
“If it wasn’t premeditated, then what kind of person would have syringes on them at all times? One possibility is that the culprit has some kind of illness that requires self-administered medicine. The culprit would have already hatched a plot that required the use of a syringe, but upon seeing Lu JingHe gift the chocolates, they could have changed their plan on the fly to frame Lu JingHe.”

MC:
“That’s so impressive, Dr. Mo! To be able to deduce all that from one syringe!”

Mo Yi:
“Your praise is greatly exaggerated, this is only an occupational habit to look beyond one’s actions in great detail. Regardless of the deductions, the culprit must have the chance to interact with the chocolates.”

MC:
“So the person who helped Shen Xi keep the chocolates, her secretary Jiang MingYue, is very suspicious.”

(Just then, someone knocked on the door to Room 1817.)

Officer:
“Dr. Mo, Jiang MingYue is ready for interrogation.”

(Jiang MingYue stood behind the officer, her head hung low. Her left hand clutched her right side, almost as if she was cold and shivering.)

Mo Yi:
“Miss. Jiang, please have a seat over here.”

(Instead of gesturing to the sofa, he pulled a chair over from the writing table and even placed a throw pillow against the back of the chair. After our chat earlier, in my eyes, Jiang MingYue was a suspect. I scrutinized her as she took small steps into the room.)

MC:
(Is she the real culprit?)

~~~Observation Begins~~~ 

[Observe her hand]

[Note: It’s an allergic reaction]

MC:
(The red patch on the back of her hand and wrist… is that an allergic reaction? Is she allergic to alcohol? There must have been alcoholic beverages served last night at the banquet. Even the chocolates that Lu JingHe gave Shen Xi had liquor in them. What if she came into contact with alcohol after trying to tamper with the chocolates?)

(I took another glance at Jiang MingYue. The red patch on her hand was sizable.)

MC:
(If the syringe accidentally brought her in contact with alcohol, the size of her skin reaction wouldn’t be this big. It’s also unlikely that she drank at the banquet unless she was unaware that she was allergic to alcohol. This is something worth questioning Jiang MingYue about.)

[Observe Her Coat]

[Note: She’s not well-off enough to change coats]

MC:
(Venus Fashion is a clothing design company. Their boss’s secretary must be required to dress impeccably too, right?)

(Jiang MingYue wore a dull business ensemble that was a little too big on her. The oversized clothing made her look even smaller, as if a strong gust of wind would knock her over.)

MC:
(There’s no requirement that she has to wear branded clothing labels, but as a professional, shouldn’t she know not to pick clothes that don’t fit her? Unless she purchased this outfit a long time ago? If work gets busy and she isn’t eating or sleeping right, causing weight loss, perhaps she wouldn’t have time to buy new work outfits?)

[Observe Her Eyes] 

[Note: She’s scared]

MC:
(When I first arrived at the hotel, I saw that Jiang MingYue was crying. Was she upset about Shen Xi’s death?)

(Suddenly, Jiang MingYue lifted her head and looked at me. Our eyes met, and Jiang MingYue hurriedly averted her gaze.)

MC:
(Why would she avoid my gaze? Does she have a guilty conscience?)

(I thought back to the countless clients I had interacted with. More often than not, I notice this type of reaction.)

MC:
(If not for a guilty conscience, then is it possible that she’s nervous and trying to hide something?)

[Finish Observing]

MC:
(The allergic reaction and her work status are both important points to hit on during the interrogation. It may also be worth delving into whether her relationship with Shen Xi was bad or good.)

~~~Observation End~~~

(Jiang MingYue sat down on the office chair, hugged the throw pillow to her chest, and sighed after a long period of silence.)

Jiang MingYue:
“You guys must be CEO Lu’s lawyers, right? Please just ask whatever you have to ask.“

MC:
“Hello, Miss. Jiang, I am CEO Lu’s attorney, MC, and this is…”

(I was about to introduce Mo Yi as a psychologist, but…)

MC:
(If Jiang MingYue knew that Dr. Mo was a psychologist, would she be more likely to hide the truth?)

MC:
“This is the police department’s consultant, Dr. Mo.”

(After the introduction, my phone lit up. Mo Yi had sent me a text message.)

(“If you want to observe Jiang MingYue’s reaction and find the flaws in her story, I suggest you leave the questioning to me.”)

(I raised my head to look at Mo Yi just in time to see him tuck his phone into his pocket and hold his hand out to me.)

Mo Yi:
“The person of interest files from the detectives, can I see those?”

MC:
“Oh, okay.”

(I passed the dossier to Mo Yi, not knowing whether I should start questioning her right away or if I should wait until after Mo Yi finished reading over the documents. Mo Yi smiled warmly at me after noticing my hesitation.)

Mo Yi:
“No need to wait for me, you may start the interrogation. Although, I will be interjecting during this process. For that, I apologize in advance.”

(Mo Yi nodded at us and elegantly gestured with his hand that we may start.)

MC:
“Alright then, Miss Jiang, I’ll begin the interrogation.”

——-

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist]|[Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator: humi
Editor:@cL
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo.

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue
Jiang MingYue | V17 Vila: https://weibo.com/u/7360408881

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

▌Location- Crime Scene

(Manney Hotel is situated by Stellis River and surrounded by beautiful scenery, as well as the most famous high-end resort hotel in the city.)

(When we arrived at the crime scene, a lady with tear-stained cheeks was being interrogated by the police.)

MC:
“She must be Shen Yi’s secretary, Jiang MingYue.”

(I referenced the case files provided by the police and flipped to Jiang MingYue’s photo to identify her.)

Mo Yi:
“Do you plan on questioning her first?”

(Mo Yi glanced at Lu JingHe who was currently being interrogated by another officer and looked at me inquisitively.)

Mo Yi:
“I assumed you would question Lu JingHe first.”

MC:
“That’s right, I’ll obtain a timeline of events from Lu JingHe and then Jiang MingYue, for comparison. Lu JingHe is my client, therefore, I trust him more than anyone else’s testimony.”

Mo Yi:
“I was wondering, when you’re questioning him, would my presence become an inconvenience?”

MC:
“I personally don’t mind, but we’ll have to see if Lu JingHe has any qualms with it.”

Mo Yi:
“Then I’ll do my best to be of assistance and not hinder you. I’ll go ask the detectives about their investigation progress. Recently, I’ve been hosting seminars with the police department on criminal psychology; an external consultant of sorts. Communicating with them should be more convenient.”

MC:
“Thank you, Dr. Mo.”

(He had been leaning toward me, so our shoulders brushed against each other as he left to talk to the police. As I watched Mo Yi walk away, suddenly had an urge to smile. Till now, I still couldn’t quite fathom the fact that Lu JingHe and Mo Yi had a student-teacher relationship.)

MC:
(Geez Lu JingHe, you’re a grown man who still gives his teacher a hard time.)

~~~

▌Location- Room 1817

(Once Yan Wei finished his interrogation with Lu JingHe, I requested a private questioning session with him. Yan Wei let us into room 1817, the room adjacent to the crime scene, and took notice of the two police officers stationed outside the door.)

MC:
“From the looks of it, you’re not fully removed of suspicion. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be keeping their eye on you like they currently are.”

Lu JingHe:
“The detectives found an unfinished note beside Shen Xi with ‘Lu’ written on it and nothing else. That, plus the chocolates I gave Shen Xi were found to contain tetrodotoxin. Right now, they’re not going to let go regardless of what I say.”

MC:
“Shen Xi left behind your surname before she died?! Is there anyone else with the surname Lu that works with her?”

Lu JingHe:
“From what the police uncovered, there isn’t.”

MC:
“Did you and Shen Xi have any conflicts? Or in other words, what do the police detectives think your motive was?”

(I recalled the spam news notifications I received earlier today.)

MC:
(The tagline mentioned something about marriage. Could it be that there was more to the situation?)

MC:
“Lu JingHe, were you and Shen Xi in some kind of special relationship?”

Lu JingHe:
“Special relationship?”

MC:
“I saw something on the news today, gossip about you and Shen Xi. Did your relationship involve business interests?”

Lu JingHe:
“What gossip? The one about the union of the Lu family and the Shen family?”

(Lu JingHe looked at me in shock. This must be the first time he’s heard this gossip. His confused expression made me feel awkward for asking in the first place…)

MC:
“Then… It was something I saw in passing… unless it’s false?”

Lu JingHe:
“Of course it’s false. Although Shen Xi’s family is the richest in their province, their company isn’t of significance to PAX. Plus, my family has never had a tradition of selling our sons in marriage for business.”

MC:
“But to the Shen family, marriage is a golden opportunity to cooperate with The PAX Group. If Shen Xi had been open about her interests in you… such as taking time to leak information to the media, it would cause an inconvenience to your image and negatively impact your private life… With that, it would only make sense why the police suspected you to have motive to harm Shen Xi.”

Lu JingHe:
“… When you say it like that, I almost believe it myself.”

MC:
“Disproving that motive would be a little difficult… Has PAX’s stock value been stable? Is there massive news coverage over this incident? If there was no real financial loss from this incident, then…”

Lu JingHe:
“Alright, Shen Xi and I have had our disputes, but it has nothing to do with the gossip.”

MC:
“It’s unrelated? Why didn’t you say so sooner.”

Lu JingHe:
“You never gave me the chance to interject. Instead, you inferred that this was based on some gossip. Unless that’s to say, you care about my relationship status?”

MC:
“Sorry, but I’m not interested! Let’s continue then.”

~~~Interrogation Start!~~~

[Reason for Attending the Business Reception]

MC:
“If there’s bad blood between Shen Xi and yourself, why would you attend a banquet hosted by Shen Xi?”

Lu JingHe:
“As I mentioned before, Shen Xi hosted the reception because Venus Fashion won Stellis Fashion Week’s gold award. That’s worthy of celebration. She won the award by winning over PAX Apparel and sent me an invitation as a demonstration. If I didn’t show up yesterday, it would a bad look on PAX’s part, as if we’re sore losers. In hindsight, I regret it.”

MC:
“Regret attending the reception?”

Lu JingHe:
“I regret not going empty-handed. If I didn’t bring that box of chocolates yesterday, perhaps there wouldn’t be a tragedy today. Although I’ve always looked down on her business practices, I will admit that she’s a talented fashion designer. Everything she made was ingenious. It’s a shame…”

[Conflict of Interest]

MC：
“Can you tell me about any conflict of interests between Shen Xi and yourself?”

Lu JingHe:
“Venus Fashion is Shen Xi’s clothing design company that owns an ‘on-the-rise’ high-end women’s clothing brand. Three months ago, PAX Apparel tried to acquire Venus Fashion to fill shortcomings in our product line but negotiations fell through.”

MC:
“Why did the negotiations fail? Was the asking price inadequate?”

Lu JingHe:
“No, PAX’s terms were fair, but Shen Xi never had the intention to sell. We didn’t know her true intention until the acquisition negotiations helped garner hype for Venus Fashion’s value and popularity, thus entering retail alone. When negotiations just started, she leaked the news to media outlets. She then formally rejected the acquisition terms, and it was after a whole two months had passed. Venus Fashion was my first major acquisition project since I stepped in as CEO. Aside from the resources and money PAX spent, before and during those two months, Shen Xi’s plan made the Board of Directors give me a harsh talking to.”

MC:
“It’s become this serious and yet you’re still able to smile and laugh?”

Lu JingHe:
“There’s always a good and a bad outcome for a single event. Although Shen Xi’s decision to play me ended as a huge inconvenience, it’s not a bad thing in its entirety. During negotiation planning, the manager of PAX’s Capital Operation Department leaked to Shen Xi the base bid we were going to offer. I seized the opportunity and sent those old geezers to early retirement. Without a valid reason, I would’ve had a hard time vacating their positions.”

MC:
“But from the police’s standpoint, there exists a massive clash between Shen Xi and PAX. I think it’s time to prepare a copy of their formal termination documents. They may come in handy. If you end up getting sued as a suspect, it can be said that the failure of the negotiation was due to the inadequacies of PAX’s employees and had nothing to do with Shen Xi herself.”

Lu JingHe:
“Consider it done, everything is on file. I’ll tell my assistant to send it over right away.”

(Lu JingHe spoke as he pulled out his phone to text his assistant.)

[Time of Arrival and Departure from Banquet]

MC:
“How late did the banquet go yesterday?”

Lu JingHe:
“From the itinerary given to me, the banquet would start at 6:30 PM and end at 8:30 PM.”

MC:
“What time did you arrive at and when did you leave the banquet?”

Lu JingHe:
“I arrived at 6:30 PM, on the dot, and came in with a crowd of other guests. The moment I arrived, I gave Shen Xi the chocolates as a celebratory gift. I left a quarter after 7:00 PM, right after Shen Xi’s speech ended.”

MC:
“Why did you leave before the banquet ended?”

Lu JingHe:
“I’m not a huge fan of banquets, so I’ve never had the habit to stick around longer than I have to. Recently, I’ve been working on a new painting and the entire time I was at the banquet, all I could think about was the proportion, and color theme of my work. So after I got home, I went straight to my studio.”

MC:
“I heard that you studied visual arts abroad and at a famous university nonetheless.”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s right, I’m an artist. Maybe I should send you one of my paintings as a gratuity for being my lawyer. How’s that sound?”

MC:
“I’m only temporarily assisting you with the investigation, that doesn’t count as me agreeing to represent you. The Lu family must have their own group of lawyers, right? If this ends up in court, I think you should consult with them instead.”

Lu JingHe:
“Jiejie, don’t be in such a rush to decline. I’ll have you know that this is my first time giving away my paintings to someone, so don’t look down on my artistic talent, okay?”

MC:
“Gee, CEO Lu is too generous. I’m ashamed to accept it.”

Lu JingHe:
“I guess I can only fall back on my good looks and deep pockets to attract you now.”

MC:
“…”

[Reason for Sending Gifts]

MC:
“Speaking of gifts, why did you prepare a gift for Shen Xi?”

Lu JingHe:
“Although it can be called ‘a gift,’ it was just something I picked up on the fly. I had hoped that it would rub her the wrong way. The famous chocolatier that made the liquor chocolates requires a pre-order and comes in boxes of twelve. Lucifer, the fallen angel, is imprinted on the chocolates.”

MC:
“Lucifer? In Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’ Lucifer is the son of God who rebelled against his father and was therefore banished to hell. Thus, Lucifer became one of the seven deadly sins, the avatar of pride. So you wanted to satirize Shen Xi‘s actions during the PAX negotiations; saying that her actions were arrogant and conceited, and that she would suffer from it sooner or later?”

Lu JingHe:
“That’s exactly it, you sure are knowledgeable. She’s done wrong by me once, I gotta find a way to save face. I originally thought Shen Xi would throw the chocolates out once she saw the design on them. Such a shame she didn’t get the hidden message. She even smiled and ate a piece in front of me… Hang on! Shen Xi ate a piece of chocolate during the banquet and was fine!”

MC:
“Can you recall the exact time that she consumed the chocolate?”

Lu JingHe:
“It was right before I decided to leave, so somewhere between 7:00 PM and 7:15 PM.”

[People Who Came Into Contact with the Chocolates]

MC:
“Before you left, who else interacted with the box of chocolates beside Shen Xi and yourself?”

Lu JingHe:
“Since I was the one who gifted her the chocolates, Shen Xi didn’t leave them at the reception. She told her secretary to hold onto them. When she sampled the chocolate, she was the one who broke the seal on the box. Once she took a piece, she then gave the box to her secretary. Whether or not someone else would have had the chance to tamper with the chocolates, I don’t know anything beyond that.”

~~~Interrogation Ends~~~

(Just as I finished questioning Lu JingHe, Yan Wei knocked on the door and entered.)

Yan Wei:
“Lu JingHe, it’s time to head back to the station. The court summons procedure can be signed later, how does that sound to you?”

MC:
“Officer Yan, without a signed procedure, you have no right to summon, let alone detain my client.”

Yan Wei:
“CEO Lu requires a police escort, the media reporters have already surrounded the hotel. By the time the documents are processed, we’ll all be stuck in here.”

MC:
“What!? Did someone leak the news of the incident to the press?”

Yan Wei:
“Now’s not the time to discuss new leaks. Lawyer MC, are you coming with us, or staying back to investigate further?”

Lu JingHe:
“No need for her to come with. She hasn’t even seen the crime scene yet. Who knows, maybe the evidence I need to prove my innocence is in there.”

MC:
“I will once again emphasize, I am only temporarily helping you with the investigation. You should contact your lawyers as soon as possible.”

Lu JingHe:
“Alright Lawyer MC, I will, as soon as possible, fill in the paperwork.”

(You’re still dreaming about me representing you as your lawyer. Did you really think I’d fall for your trap! And to speed up the procedure process?!)

MC:
“Lu JingHe, I suggested you…”

(Yan Wei fished out a pair of silver handcuffs and snapped them on Lu JingHe’s wrists before I could finish my rebuttal.)

MC:
“Officer Yan…”

(The metal cuffs on Lu JingHe’s wrists looked so jarring I couldn’t look away. They made his wrists look impossibly thin in comparison. Recalling Lu JingHe’s spiel about his passion for art, it reminded me of something I’d heard that his paintings were indeed incredible. Those dexterous hands that were bound together are ones that belong to an artist. I suddenly felt a chill creep up my spine. I couldn’t seem to accept the fact that the man standing in front of me would be a prime suspect in this case. Nonetheless, Lu JingHe still wore an indifferent smile on his face, seemingly relaxed, despite the circumstances. But I couldn’t hold my tongue.)

Lu JingHe:
“MC, although my family is wealthy, we would never use it to obstruct justice. So I leave it to you to prove my innocence.”

(Lu JingHe was taken away by Yan Wei to the police station. His seemingly calm and carefree appearance yet serious and weighted words of trust made me calm down, and I was able to arrange my thoughts and think carefully. Just then, someone called out to me.)

???:
“Hello, Miss.”

MC:
“You are…?”

???:
“I am the second young master’s assistant, Wen Chen. The young master asked me to bring you a pair of comfortable flats. Would you like to try them on?”

MC:
“Lu JingHe? Bought me shoes?”

Wen Chen:
“That’s right. You must be tired from walking around in high heels all day, so the young master specially ordered them.”

MC:
“How does Lu JingHe know my shoe size?”

(Lu JingHe’s assistant helped me change my shoes, all the while I sat in a daze. Finally able to relieve the pressure of standing with all my weight on the balls of my feet, I sank down and sighed.)

Wen Chen:
“The young master is an incredible artist, and he’s got a good eye for size and proportion. He must have seen the shoes you were wearing today and knew the shoe size which fits you from that.”

MC:
“I see, please thank him for me.”

Wen Chen:
“With pleasure, we are troubling you for our young master’s case, after all. I can send your high heels to your law firm if that is okay with you?”

MC:
“Yes please, thank you.”

Wen Chen:
“These are the documents the young master asked me to bring for you. Please accept this.”

(I accepted the package and opened it. It was files on all the PAX employees who had worked on the Venus Fashion acquisition negotiations. After seeing Assistant Wen out, Mo Yi also returned from his chat with the officers.)

Mo Yi:
“You don’t look too well, are you feeling alright?”

MC:
“It’s nothing, just feeling stressed. This is my first time tackling a criminal case.”

Mo Yi:
“Don’t worry, after all, I’ll be here helping you. During my studies into criminal psychology, I have interacted with criminals and criminal cases alike. Perhaps, in a sense, I can claim to have experience.”

MC:
“Dr. Mo, you’re well experienced. Thank you.” 

Mo Yi:
“No need to thank me. The detective gave me a copy of the evidence obtained from the box of chocolates. On the box itself, there were no other fingerprints aside from those of Shen Xi, Jiang MingYue, and Lu JingHe. The chemical composition of the poison found in the chocolate is also listed on there, although we’ll have to wait a little longer until autopsy reports are ready. When we go to interview witnesses and examine the crime scene, we’ll be under police supervision. How was your interview with Lu JingHe? Did he provide anything helpful?”

MC:
“Lu JingHe told me that the chocolates were kept by Shen Xi’s secretary, Jiang MingYue. Before Lu JingHe left the banquet, which was a quarter after 7:00 PM, Shen Xi ate one of the chocolates.”

Mo Yi:
“You mean, before Lu JingHe left, the chocolates were fine?”

MC:
“That’s right.”

Mo Yi:
“From what I’ve gathered thus far, your hypothesis may be correct, however not yet infallible.”

——- 

[Previous Chapter]|[Masterlist] | [Next Part]

——-

《CREDIT》
Translator:@humi-and-co​​
Editor: @cL 
QC:@hallowsivy​
《未定事件簿》Tears of Themis is a 2020 Chinese otome game by 米哈游Mihoyo. All original credits go to 米哈游Mihoyo. 

《 VOICE ACTORS 》
Mo Yi | Jiang GuangTao: https://weibo.com/jiangguangtao
Lu JingHe | Yang Tianxiang: https://weibo.com/u/1745507755
Yan Wei: https://weibo.com/lengquanyeyue