Chapter 31: A Familiar Stranger

Chuning decided to try a different way of opening the door lock. Standing foolishly in front of the door and fiddling with it was clearly suspicious—no murderer would use such a clumsy method to break in.

He tried the Russian way—impatiently kicking the iron door and then pulling it forcefully toward himself. But he had to admit, his strength was probably a bit lacking, so he gave up on this approach that didn’t suit him.

After some thought, Chuning decided to use a more down-to-earth tactic. He rehearsed a call to Room 618, pondering how he might trick the people inside into opening the security door for him, much like Little Red Riding Hood deceiving the Big Bad Wolf.

Why Room 618? Because that was Tanya’s home! There was certainly no one inside, so it didn’t matter how he tried—no one would answer anyway.

“Ahem, I’m here to check the water meter, could you please open the door?” he called out.

He found his excuse a bit intimidating, so he switched to pretending to be a deliveryman, thinking that might work better.

The intercom remained silent, which Chuning found normal—unless Tanya had returned home early, nobody would bother to respond.

But suddenly, there was a crisp clatter through the intercom, like porcelain shattering on the floor. Immediately after, the beeping sound of the intercom signaled the other party had hung up.

Perplexed, Chuning muttered to himself, “Did I remember it wrong? Maybe Tanya’s apartment isn’t 618, but another number?”

“No, that’s not the right reaction! The person inside shouldn’t have responded this way. If it were me, and someone played such a prank, I’d at least say something before hanging up.”

As Chuning puzzled over the situation, the security door clicked open automatically, and out stepped a woman, heavily made up and strikingly curvaceous.

The overpowering perfume made Chuning hold his breath for a moment, nearly nauseated by the scent. He composed himself, stepped aside, and caught the door before it closed.

“Heading out so late? Be careful! There was a murder here recently, and the killer hasn’t been caught yet. It’s always better to be cautious!”

Chuning spoke to the unfamiliar woman as if he were a resident, giving the impression that he belonged. After all, few people remember everyone in a building—most are familiar strangers.

The woman forced a smile and nodded at him, accepting his warning graciously.

“We all have to make a living! You be careful too, things haven’t been peaceful lately!”

Her voice was soft and sweet, revealing a gentle and kind soul, though her makeup skills left much to be desired, Chuning thought.

They exchanged a few pleasantries and smiled as they passed each other.

Chuning didn’t press for conversation, knowing that talking too much risks mistakes. Even though the young woman’s voice was enchanting, making him wish to speak longer, he knew that people in life are but fleeting passersby, parallel lines never crossing. He simply appreciated the beauty before him—after all, beautiful things are meant to be admired.

“So it turns out we all wear masks, presenting the proper face to meet life,” Chuning mused melancholically, watching the woman’s figure disappear before finally, reluctantly, stepping inside.

If one stripped away the unsuitable makeup, the woman who had just vanished would be quite beautiful. The pungent cheap perfume, the bold black eyeshadow, the alluring purple lipstick, the red nail polish, and the faint smell of decay on her body.

Chuning was still lamenting her vanished silhouette—not because he was besotted with her looks, but because he noticed too many incongruities. He sensed the woman was harboring many secrets, waiting to be uncovered.

“Stop it, enough wild speculation!” Chuning muttered to himself in front of the fire cabinet’s mirror, adjusting his demeanor and preparing to continue tracking Tanya.

He hesitated at the stairwell—stairs on the left, elevator on the right. If he wanted to catch up to Tanya, the stairs weren’t the best choice, he reassured himself—it wasn’t just laziness.

Besides, following someone by stairs was difficult; he’d have to move silently and keep his target in sight.

Chuning had a vague idea of the killer’s method now. He walked to the elevator and waited for it to open. If the murderer took the elevator, they could reach the seventh floor and then return by stairs to the sixth.

The elevator would certainly be faster than climbing. The murderer would have plenty of time to lie in wait. When Tanya opened her door, they could attack her from behind.

“That means the killer knew Tanya’s details ahead of time—it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment crime. That makes solving the case much easier.”

Ding!

As the elevator reached the first floor, the doors slid open. Chuning was relieved to find it empty, sparing him the effort of forced pleasantries.

“The murderer could be someone Tanya knows, or someone who knows her. They must have gathered a lot of information before committing the crime, so the suspect pool can be narrowed further.”

Chuning already had an idea for the investigation. His years of watching Detective Conan weren’t for nothing—he even crammed a few more detective shows in the last three days to sharpen his mind.

The elevator was indeed fast and conserved his energy. The only flaw was the security camera inside; if the killer really acted as he’d deduced, they would surely be caught on film.

“How did the killer avoid the cameras?” Chuning wondered. He doubted investigators would overlook such a blatant clue—if he could think of it, so would the professionals.

Could the killer really have come up the stairs? Chuning couldn’t help but imagine an agile, nimble figure in his mind.

If that was the case, it would be easy to identify the killer. By process of elimination, Chuning knew he didn’t fit those criteria, and many others could be ruled out as well.

Combined with Tanya’s description of the assailant, the murderer could be quickly identified. Just investigate Tanya’s friends and acquaintances, and the case would soon be solved.

Thinking of the reward after the case was closed, Chuning felt a surge of joy. It was as if he’d stumbled upon half an apartment for free—almost too easy.