Chapter 38: The Bandaged Man Murder Case at the Mountain Villa

Two days later.
Nagano Prefecture.

After getting off the vehicle, Gao Mo took out the map provided with the invitation and entered the mountains. Once he confirmed the location of the villa, he retrieved the items he had brought along from his suitcase: a white smiling mask and a specially prepared hooded robe.

His makeup skills had not yet reached level two. Given that he had been recognized several times in the past, he decided to play the part of a mysterious figure this time. It worked out well, as the role he was invited to play was that of an obscure actor participating in a short film for a group of photography enthusiasts. The role description explicitly stated that he did not need to show his face.

If "The Mustache" could still recognize him under these circumstances... But then again, this was a private gathering of Ayako Suzuki's college friends, and the detective likely wouldn't be here.

Gao Mo looked up at the deep, dense forest. A gust of wind blew by, making the surrounding leaves rustle; it felt completely different from the city. Under the lead-gray sky, there were few bird calls, and pale mist began to rise inadvertently... creating a sense of lonely terror.

"Is it going to rain soon?"

Gao Mo quickly packed his suitcase and quickened his pace along the forest path. There was no one in sight, and only the occasional villa could be seen. Fortunately, the terrain was not too complex, and the routes marked on the map were still easy to follow. With his Hawk-Eye Vision, it would be difficult to get lost—though, in truth, few people would get lost with such a detailed map.

"Whoosh!"

As a flock of mountain birds took flight, Gao Mo finally emerged from the forest trail, and the view before him suddenly opened up. A long suspension bridge connected the wide cliffs, and the sound of a rushing torrent could be heard from the ravine below. On the other side of the cliff was his destination: a three-story brick villa surrounded by dense coniferous trees, with a red attic roof and a chimney from which light smoke curled, suggesting that dinner was already being prepared.

"This must be the place."

Gao Mo braced himself and was about to head toward the suspension bridge when a dark figure rushed out from the cliff side. The figure was also wrapped in a black hooded robe, with bandages swathed across their face, revealing only a pair of bloodshot, terrifying eyes.

"Boom!"

A low, thunderous roar echoed through the darkening sky. The dark figure stood at the entrance of the suspension bridge, turned back with a malicious glare, and seemed clearly startled upon seeing Gao Mo’s bizarre attire. In the shadows of the woods, illuminated by a flash of lightning, the masked man appeared as a horrifying white-faced specter, looking like a reaper wielding a scythe. Especially the eyes behind the mask, which seemed to emit a soul-devouring glow—

The pupil of the bandaged figure dilated. He buried his head and charged across the suspension bridge, disappearing into the dense forest surrounding the villa on the other side.

"This person..."

Gao Mo looked at the back of the bandaged man in surprise, choosing not to pursue him.

He suddenly thought of the "Mountain Villa Bandaged Man Murder Case" from *Detective Conan*... Could it be? Was the setting for this role-play the *Mountain Villa Bandaged Man Murder Case*? He had skipped over this particularly bloody and terrifying case after seeing the Art Museum case, having only indirectly learned some of the details. The victims were apparently decapitated and dismembered, their deaths being exceptionally cruel...

Thinking that he might witness a live-action version, his stomach began to churn. He wasn't sure if he could handle the impact of such a perverse method of killing on the spot—he feared that even normal police officers would need psychological counseling after seeing it.

But since he was already here...

Gao Mo steeled himself and crossed the suspension bridge. He was destined to deal with murder cases, and he wouldn't back down because of something like this. Besides, he would have to get used to it sooner or later.

...

"Rumblings!"

Inside the villa.

As soon as Gao Mo entered, the weather outside took a turn for the worse. The wind howled, signaling that a heavy rain was imminent. Amidst the thunder, only the hostess, Ayako Suzuki, was waiting in the foyer. After checking his invitation, she didn't ask any questions about his strange attire.

"I'll be counting on you later. We'll start filming after dinner... What should I call you?" Ayako Suzuki asked with a gentle, narrowed-eye smile; she was a stunning beauty who felt like the girl next door.

"Just call me Renzaburo."

Gao Mo quickly got into character, playing an actor with a silent and reticent personality—a bit odd, but it counted as a professional performance. This time, he was determined to push for a higher rating, aiming for something above "qualified."

"I don't want anyone to see my true face. Could I have my dinner in my room?"

"I suppose that's fine..."

Ayako felt a bit conflicted, not quite sure how to judge Gao Mo.

"I have a habit of maintaining a sense of mystery from the start," Gao Mo added. "It makes it easier to get into character during filming."

"Understood."

Ayako smiled in agreement. "I've prepared your room, but... a few rooms are temporarily unavailable. Do you mind sharing a room with a child?"

"A child?"

Gao Mo looked up instinctively, and the next moment, he saw Conan appearing from the second floor with Ran and the others. Beside Ran, a girl with a hairband was laughing and chatting; she looked just as young and vibrant. If Ran was the quiet, gentle type who hid a fierce strength, the girl with the hairband seemed to be the lively, cute, and slightly mischievous type—was this the Sonoko of this world?

She was so different from the comic relief character in the animation.

"Big sister!"

Sonoko Suzuki noticed the situation in the foyer. She curiously examined the well-wrapped Gao Mo, her small face unable to hide her disappointment. "Is this the actor you invited? Why are they all such weirdos?"

"Is it the bandaged man we just saw?" Ran asked, avoiding Gao Mo with a hint of fear. She felt he was even scarier now that he was wearing a mask.

"..." Conan said nothing, but he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. That oppressive atmosphere, like an approaching storm...

"Come to think of it, we encountered someone when we arrived, too. Someone wrapped in bandages, wearing a black cloak, quite scary... is it this guy?"

The doors on the second floor opened one after another as the sound of voices drifted out, and Ayako’s classmates complained as they came downstairs.

"Ayako, what’s the deal with this guy?" A handsome man with long, melancholy hair looked at Gao Mo with dissatisfaction. "I'm supposed to be the lead actor for this film, right?"

"It was my suggestion," a stout, honest-looking man with round-rimmed glasses said with an embarrassed laugh. "It’s a rare reunion, and I thought it would be fun to shoot an interesting suspense short."

"Hmph, I don't care," the long-haired man said, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he sat at the dining table and crossed his legs. "In any case, I must be the lead."

"Of course, the weirdo is just a supporting character," the stout man said, scratching the back of his head. "Though I didn't expect that the weirdo we saw earlier was actually this one..."

"This is Mr. Renzaburo," Ayako introduced, turning back to the silent Gao Mo. "These are my classmates from the university film club. This is my sister Sonoko, and her friends, Ran and Conan."

"Hello." Sonoko tried her best to appear well-behaved and gentle, despite the skeptical look from Conan beside her. Her sharp eyes kept darting around, as if she were desperate to see what was behind Gao Mo's mask—though she lacked Ran's combat prowess, she was much bolder.

"Hmm." Gao Mo’s gaze swept calmly over everyone in the villa.

Aside from the long-haired man and the stout, honest-looking man, there was a man with a center-parted hairstyle holding a video camera, and a woman with short hair who exuded a strong sense of presence.

"I'm Chikako Ikeda, the director and screenwriter for this short film. Nice to meet you..."

The short-haired woman didn't seem interested in Gao Mo; after coming downstairs, she turned to the other classmates. "Just to be clear, I'm not good at suspense scripts, and I went to great lengths to find the time to come here. I really don't want to rack my brain anymore..."

"Don't worry," the stout man quickly replied. "I have a script from a junior here."