Weird Rules Rumor: At The Beginning, He Insisted That He Was Not Dead
Chapter 182: Landen Detective Agency (10)

【Who can explain why Bai Liang just said old man Byrne is the murderer?】

【I also want to ask, he already definitively established that old man Byrne is the murderer, and the murder weapon was found, but then he suddenly said it was a misunderstanding?】

【I think I understand, perhaps old man Byrne is indeed the murderer, but Bai Liang doesn't have enough evidence; a pistol alone cannot be considered a decisive factor.】

【Are you all completely stupid? Can't you see the obvious? Bai Liang is exploiting old man Byrne's fear of trouble to force him to reveal key information about Will!】

【Yes, if Bai Liang hadn't so confidently declared old man Byrne to be the murderer, Tony definitely wouldn't have put on this act, or it would have been easily exposed. Only this way could he make old man Byrne believe that Tony truly suspected him of murder!】

【How does Bai Liang's brain even work? Why can't I come up with anything like this?】

【This case is already very strange; without this move, the Players would have found themselves in a very difficult situation, and only Bai Liang could have conceived such a method!】

【If it weren't for your explanations, I would have thought Bai Liang only ever used cheat methods. I almost forgot that his mind is also excellent!】

......

As for why the food had to be specifically at the restaurant next to the agency, Tony couldn't explain it. He said that it had always been that way since he started working at the agency.

“Yeah, why, actually?”

Tony sat in the restaurant, staring perplexedly at the food he had been eating for many years. Everything was dreadful.

Beyond that, he couldn't understand how this restaurant had managed to stay in businessthe food here was utterly unappetizing!

The strangest thing was that the restaurant continued to operate despite this!

“I have a strong suspicion that the chef of this restaurant was hired from a school cafeteria. You know, no matter how good a product is, once it enters a school cafeteria, it’s transformed into something inedible.”

Tony picked up his fork, speared a piece of meat, and shoved it into his mouth. An expression appeared on his face that was difficult to describea mixture of anger and disgust.

“I truly don’t understand what goes through the Chief’s head... Why did he choose this place for staff lunch?” he muttered in irritation.

Bai Liang raised an eyebrow and chuckled:

“Maybe the owner of this establishment is the Chief’s nephew?”

Tony’s mouth froze.

He stared at Bai Liang with a dumbfounded expression, and the next second, his face adopted a truly priceless appearance.

“I knew it... Damn it, so that’s it! Now everything makes sense...”

His voice, initially full of indignation, gradually faded, and Tony took out all his anger on his plate, trying to drown his pain with food...

But...

It was too disgusting.

After eating just a couple of bites, he couldn't go on. All desire to put anything into his mouth completely vanished.

According to him, licking the Chief’s size 43 shoe would have been far more pleasant than eating that monstrosity.

Having just barely filled his stomach, Tony lit a cigarette after the meal. He sat down in front of a closed shop, crossing his arms on his knees.

Bai Liang settled down beside him, resting his palms freely on his knees and enjoying the cool breeze after the rain.

“Actually, it’s even better this way...” Tony suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Bai Liang turned his head and looked at him:

“Mr. Tony, you don’t seem like the type to indulge in deep contemplation.”

Tony exhaled a stream of smoke, watching the passersby:

“I’m not philosophizing. I just don’t understand why there are always people who want to destroy this rare peace and quiet.”

“Is it so bad to live like everyone else? To be different people, doing different things, living your own life, and not interfering with each other?”

Tony flicked his cigarette butt to the ground and ground it out with the toe of his perfectly polished shoe.

Then he stood up, shaking off his contemplation, and chuckled:

“Alright, you’re still too young. You probably won’t give me the answer I’m looking for.”

Bai Liang also rose to his feet, a faint smile playing on his lips:

“As you said, Mr. Tony, I haven’t quite settled on a ‘form’ yet, but...”

Tony immediately cut him off:

“Alright, alright, I get what you’re hinting at! Let’s just skip that!”

He’s veering off course again!

Did you even get a ‘driver’s license’ before ‘speeding’ so indiscriminately?

---

“Let’s go! Why not?!”

Chinatown, House No. 66.

Tony stood before the old building, examining the locked iron gate.

Next to him was a middle-aged man in a shirt, holding a bunch of keys.

He looked at Tony and said:

“Mr. Tony, people died in this house before.”

“After that, everyone who moved in here left without exception.”

“They say there’s something... unclean here.”

“Are you sure you want to go in?”

Tony crossed his arms, glanced at the dazzling sun in the sky, then lowered his gaze:

“Mr. Landlord, I’ve already explained everything to you.”

“We are here to conduct an investigation. Your job is simply to open the door.”

“I’ll take responsibility for the consequences.”

“Alright, but I repeat: if anything happens, I bear no responsibility!”

The landlord repeated his warning once more.

Seeing that Tony merely nodded confidently, he didn’t object and inserted the key into the lock.

As the saying goes: “Good words won’t stop one who is destined to die.”

“Thank you.”

Tony smiled and thanked the owner, then turned to Bai Liang, and they both went inside.

---

Before entering, Bai Liang lifted his head.

He didn't know how old the building was, but its cracked gray walls and windows, covered in a thick layer of dust, created an impression of hopeless desolation.

Through those windows, it was impossible to discern what lay hidden inside.

The house resembled a demon lurking in its lair, waiting for adventurers to step inside, only to then devour them whole.

Bai Liang stepped forward without hesitation.

At that very moment, a gust of wind slammed the door shut with a resounding “BOOM!”

Then

The door opened again.

Bai Liang propped the corner of the door open with a heavy brick to prevent it from slamming shut again due to the draft.

It was too dark inside. How could they search for anything without light?

“It seems I’ve been tricked.”

Tony stood in the middle of a clean but absolutely empty room devoid of furniture, feeling that he had been shamelessly duped.

How could they find any clues in a place like this?!

“Perhaps we should look somewhere else?” Bai Liang suggested.

But Tony shook his head, a determined look entering his eyes.

“Impossible! I don’t believe that I, the top detective, won’t find any traces here!”

“Edmond Locard, the father of forensics, said: ‘Every contact leaves a trace’!”

“According to Locard’s principle, since Will and that girl lived here, they definitely left something behind!”

Tony began searching the most secluded corners.

The crack in the door, floorboards, electrical outlets, kitchen, balcony, windows...

He tried various contortions but couldn't squeeze into the narrow spaces.

“Bai Liang, there’s something here!”

Tony finally gave up. Looking at a small hole in the floor, he rubbed his reddened hand and called out to Bai Liang with slight irritation.

His hand was too large and wouldn’t fit.

However, Bai Liang had thinner fingersthey should fit.

Bai Liang walked over, inserted his hand into the opening, and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.

On it was written:

“YOU’VE BEEN TRICKED”