Chapter 1 The Case

For the next hour, Feng Bujue returned to his room to wait for the "case" that would happen eventually.

This script was the easiest Nightmare script he had ever played. Although his character abilities were somewhat restricted, he hadn't encountered any obvious death flags since the car explosion at the beginning, and the NPCs were all friendly and treated him with courtesy.

Probably as long as Brother Jue didn't act like a moron, like exposing his true nature... nothing should threaten his safety.

"So... the difficulty is concentrated on the thirty-three chapters setting..." Feng Bujue lay on the soft, comfortable bed, hands behind his head, and lazily muttered, "Well... generally speaking... in detective novels or movies, the setup and the crime itself don't take up more than a quarter of the story. So... something will happen before Chapter Eight, no matter what..."

Just as he was muttering some boring nonsense, he suddenly heard faint footsteps in the hallway outside.

Feng Bujue immediately sat up alertly, listening carefully.

Brother Jue had done some non-systematic but very practical research on footsteps. Differences in height, gender, occupation, attire, habits, and even personality can be reflected in the sound of a person's walk.

At this moment, he knew at once that the person coming was the short gardener, Barton.

Knock, knock—

Barton gently knocked on Feng Bujue's door.

"Who is it?" In fact, Feng Bujue was already standing behind the door, and he knew who it was, but he still pretended to ask.

"Uh... I'm the gardener, my name is Barton," Barton replied from outside the door. "We met outside once, do you remember?"

Feng Bujue opened the door and greeted him with a calm expression, "Of course, hello, Mr. Barton, is there anything I can do for you?"

Barton looked around the corridor in an exaggerated manner, then lowered his voice and asked, "Mr. Feng... are you really a detective?"

"Yes," Feng Bujue replied in a normal tone, conveying a convincing confidence. As he spoke, he stepped aside and said, "I think you have something to say to me, please come in."

"Uh..." Barton hesitated for a second, and turned his head again, carefully confirming that no one was watching, before stepping inside. "Sorry to bother you."

Feng Bujue closed the door casually, bolted it, then turned around naturally and moved a chair for the other man. "Please sit down and talk, Mr. Barton."

"Thank you." Barton accepted the chair, but didn't sit down immediately, waiting for his host to sit first.

Feng Bujue naturally took in these details. Without saying anything, he moved another chair and sat down directly.

Seeing this, Barton also sat down.

Through a few simple lines and actions, Feng Bujue successfully created the illusion that "this detective is very easygoing."

"There's something very important that I feel I need to tell you," Barton said, his expression already tense. "But before I say anything, I want to be honest with you about my own background."

"I'm all ears," Feng Bujue said.

Barton nodded and said, as if he had made a great determination, "I... used to be a burglar."

"Used to be?" Feng Bujue interjected.

"Uh... yes, of course I'm not anymore," Barton explained. "Actually, when I was young, I had a promising future... ah... never mind. Anyway, at thirty, I spent two years in Pandanville Prison, it was terrible. Even in winter, the prisoners only had a coarse linen uniform, the food was grey broad beans boiled into a tasteless paste, and there was endless work to do every day. One night, I was cold and hungry, and soaked to the bone by the rain, I thought I was going to freeze to death..."

"The point, Mr. Barton," Feng Bujue said. "Please get to the point."

"Heh... sorry," Barton said. "Anyway, that experience had a big impact on me, and I've turned over a new leaf ever since."

"So... does this have anything to do with the very important thing you're about to tell me?" Feng Bujue asked.

"I just hope you can trust me fully," Barton replied.

"Hmm..." Feng Bujue pondered. "That's strange... how would describing your criminal past help me trust you?" Without waiting for a response, he continued, "I imagine the 'very important' thing you're about to tell me would be very detrimental to someone in this mansion, right?"

"How did you kno..." Barton began to say.

Feng Bujue interrupted, "It's obvious... A says something bad about B, and if B wants to refute it, the best way is to attack A and reduce the credibility of his words. 'Are you really going to believe what that thief said?' Something like that..." He scratched his head. "You know very well that people will use your disreputable past against you. So you simply told me about it yourself first."

"Oh! Sir, you're amazing! You really are a great detective," Barton exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Heh... you flatter me..." Feng Bujue replied with a smug expression.

A few seconds later, he added, "Please tell me what's going on with peace of mind, Mr. Barton, I have no prejudice against you. I'll judge the truth for myself."

Barton nodded, swallowed, and began, "What I want to tell you is..." He lowered his voice, looking very serious. "Master Dennis may be planning to murder Mrs. Odette..."

"Based on what..." Feng Bujue immediately understood that the gardener must have seen or heard something.

"Before, when Master Dennis and Master Korston were arguing in the room, I accidentally overheard a few words..." Barton said.

"Let me guess..." Feng Bujue held up both hands, extending two fingers on each, making quotation marks. "You 'just happened' to be pruning the branches on a tree outside that room, right?"

Barton blinked awkwardly, "Uh... yes."

"Okay... please continue, what did they say?" Feng Bujue shrugged, indicating that he should go on.

Barton continued, "I only heard a few words... Master Dennis seemed to be persuading Master to remove Mrs. Odette's name from the will."

"The master refused?" Feng Bujue asked.

Barton nodded. "Yes, and he was furious, and even scolded the young master." His expression darkened. "At that moment, Master Dennis actually said..."