GSC: Chapter 150-Sixteenth Ghost Story – The Mysterious 4th Period (14)

“While you turned your head, the culprit jumped off from above? You think I haven’t considered that possibility?”

The detective said this while resting his chin on his hand.

“This is your school, and do I really have to explain the layout? Students were obviously in the classroom and studying, and with the windows in full view to them, only a lunatic would jump out of a hallway window.”

I nodded for now.

Our school has a simple structure, with the first floor for first-year students, the second floor for second-year students, and the third floor for third-year students.

Of course, each floor also has other spaces, such as teachers’ offices, restrooms, and so on in addition to the classroom.

Basically, what the detective said is correct.

If I said the culprit jumped from the spot I marked, it overlaps with the classrooms for each grade on every floor.

That means the students studying in the classroom would surely glance out the window from time to time.

“…But not from the 4th floor.”

“…The 4th floor?”

He frowned.

I nodded.

“There are no classrooms for students from the 4th floor onwards, and it’s all multipurpose rooms. The 5th floor only has the Study Room and club rooms.”

In other words, the 4th and 5th floors were spaces where one could act freely at that time without being seen.

“…I hope you know what you’re saying right now.”

The detective rested his chin on his hand and glared at me.

“There’s no way a person could jump down from the 4th or 5th floor without any injury. Even if you use all the methods, the 3rd floor is the limit.”

“That’s exactly right.”

I snapped my fingers, as if to affirm it was a precise observation.

“A person couldn’t possibly be standing unharmed after jumping from a place that high.”

“…Then—”

“Yes. This culprit. He’s not human.”

“P-Peez!”

Gyeongwon immediately shouted in surprise.

“N, no way—”

“What you’re thinking is correct.”

I nodded my head.

This case right now.

It’s probably a ghost story.

“The culprit of this case. He’s not an ordinary human being. He waited with a dead body in his arms on the 4th or 5th floor of the school. And when I turned my head, he must have jumped down to the ground, opened the hallway window, and quickly entered.”

That’s right.

The sound I heard when I was hiding for a moment after being caught by Hayoon.

[Thud- Creak-]

I thought the homeroom teacher opened the window to chase me away because Hayoon had caught me.

But when I turned my head again and checked, I realized that the words of Hayoon that I had read through the Lip Reading ability were just the movements of her lips, and that she had said it only to me.

The homeroom teacher was completely unaware, and the window in the teachers’ office hadn’t been opened at all.

‘Actually, after that, the homeroom teacher naturally started his consultation with Joo Yeseul.’

In other words, the creaking sound of a window opening that I heard back then
was actually the sound of the culprit jumping down and opening the hallway window.

“…I definitely heard it. The sound of someone opening the hallway window at that moment.”

“But earlier you said you didn’t hear anything—”

“I meant I didn’t hear anyone approaching. No sound of footsteps, no presence.”

“……”

The detective crossed his arms and let out a groan.

“…Fine. Let’s say you really did hear that sound. But this talk about the culprit not being human… Are you trying to say it’s some kind of wild animal or something? Or what exactly are you getting at……”

The detective wasn’t the only one who looked bewildered by the statement that the culprit wasn’t human.

Teacher Han Ari, Vice Class President, Joo Yeseul.

The group consisting of only ordinary people looked like they couldn’t understand anything.

On the other hand, our club members and homeroom teacher looked somewhat tense.

‘The culprit is a ghost story.’

Or perhaps someone who used a ghost story.

‘…If that’s the case, then the black sky outside must be just an industrial accident.’

For now, I decided to stall for time by laying out my deductions until Detective Park Gangwon, who was outside, contacted me, then after hearing about the situation at the scene, I would turn back time.

‘Now, let’s think about it. Who is the culprit……?’

According to the deduction just now, the suspect is limited to someone who was on the 4th or 4th floor at that time.

Who could it be?

Who was there at that time?

“……”

I decided to gradually reveal the conclusion.

“Everyone, listen carefully. I’m going to tell you the truth now.”

“……!!”

Everyone corrected their posture.

“Who is the culprit? And who is the victim?”

“……”

“When and how the culprit killed the victim, and how they escaped and are now hiding among us. From this moment on, I will reveal the answer.”

I heard someone nervously swallowing.

“Now, let’s list everyone first. The people are—”

① Homeroom teacher Park Damim

② Detective Jang Gihoon

③ Vice Class President Lee Chaerin

④ Church girl Joo Yeseul

⑤ Witness Han Ari

⑥ Suspicious In Hayoon

(The culprit is below)

② Detective Jang Gihoon

“-The culprit is, of course, you. Detective Jang Gihoon.”

“…What, what! What the heeeeck!!”

Everyone in the broadcasting room was shocked.

“P, Prez! Are you sure!?”

“J, Joony Boy! This can’t be a joke, right?”

Gyeongwon and the homeroom teacher asked me in surprise.

I nodded with a serious expression.

“Yes. In this mystery case, the detective is the culprit.”

“T, this can’t be……”

“W, what the heck……”

“It’s a simple process of elimination. The person who was on the 4th and 5th floors of the main building at that time is the culprit. However, all 10 of us who were called into this broadcasting room have already proved their alibi through thorough questioning about where we were at that time.”

The students in our class were either in the teachers’ office or the auditorium, and the whereabouts of the two teachers were also certain.

The only person whose whereabouts at the time of the incident have not been identified is.

The detective.

He was the only one.

“Hey, are you kidding right now……?”

The Vice Class President suddenly asked, lowering her cat-like eyes, and I shook my head in response.

“No, it’s not like earlier when I just said it casually. If you exclude the people whose whereabouts are certain, the detective is the only one left.”

“Th, that’s true……”

The Vice Class President and the rest of the womenfolk looked at the detective with uneasy expressions.

Now, the one left without an alibi is not me, but rather him.

“……”

But the detective just stood there with his arms crossed and a stern expression.

“…That’s not even funny.”

“Really?”

I looked at him with an equally shameless expression.

“Is it not funny because you’ve been caught as the culprit?”

“No. I’m just amazed.”

He continued speaking with a calm expression.

“Since you’ve eliminated everyone whose whereabouts are certain through the method of elimination, I’m the only one left? Well, if that’s the case, I’ll just tell you. Listen carefully. I was at the ‘police station’ at that time. The ‘police station’. You know where the police station is, right?”

“……”

“ShinLim Police Station, 3rd Violent Crime Unit, I was sitting in the office there. Why? Because the incident hadn’t happened yet.”

“……”

“Got it? To explain it in a way even a kindergartner could understand, the police only respond after an incident happens. They need the incident to occur and for a report to come in. Do you understand now?”

“Joony……”

Sunah softly called my name, as if she felt sorry for me who was silently standing there.

But I nodded, indicating that I was okay.

I had expected this.

“What, you’re saying I don’t have a clear alibi for that time? Seriously, who are you trying to fool……”

“People should speak in a way that makes sense. Don’t you think so?”

“……”

The club members glanced at the detective anxiously, but subtly turned their heads and gave me a sidelong glance.

They had expressions as if to say his words made sense.

Even the homeroom teacher looked at me with a concerned expression, as if something was bothering them.

‘…That’s true.’

But the question is, when did the detective arrive at this school?

I had thought about that before, and it must be after receiving the report about the murder that had occurred at the school.

The fact that he came to this school means he was summoned after the report, so he couldn’t possibly be the culprit of the murder.

If we leave aside the uncertainty of his whereabouts, it means the detective wasn’t even at the school at that time.

“……”

But I just stared at him, expressionless.

“You were at the police station when the incident happened.”

“…Yes.”

“…Indeed, if you say it like that, no one here would challenge it. You’re being very clever with your words. Making sure you can deceive everyone.”

“……?”

The club members made ‘Huh?’ expressions.

“I’ll ask again, Detective Jang Gihoon.”

“……”

“When did you come to this school?”

“…I came after receiving the report.”

“Indeed, if you say it like that, you can get away with it. You definitely can get away with it.”

I replied calmly.

“But what if I ask you this?”

“……?”

“Detective Jang Gihoon. When did you first arrive at this school?”

At that question, he stopped dead in his tracks and silently glared at me.

The others in the broadcasting room looked confused.

They looked back and forth between me and the detective, wondering what we were talking about.

“…It’s exactly as everyone is thinking.”

“Why are you talking like that?”

“…What.”

“About when you first arrived at this school. Why are you speaking like that?”

“……”

Slowly, the detective’s face hardened.

“…I just answered that I came to investigate after receiving a report-”

“So when did you actually come?”

“……”

“Why are you being so vague? Can’t you say exactly what time and minute you arrived?”

“……”

“Be a man and just say it, can’t you at least do that?”

“Joon……”

I nodded to Sunah who called my name.

“So tell me. When exactly did you arrive?”

“……”

But suddenly, he clamped his mouth shut as if he had turned into a mute who ate honey.

Gyeongwon and others looked at me with a look of incomprehension.

“…P-Prez. What do you mean? If it’s the detective, then surely he must have come here for the first time near the end of the 4th period, after the incident happened, right?”

“I thought that would be the case, too……”

Everyone looked back and forth between me and the detective with questionable expressions.

They all looked like they couldn’t understand why the detective was keeping his mouth shut.

At the same time, the homeroom teacher also looked around at everyone with a puzzled expression.

“…That’s probably what everyone was thinking. And that’s also what the detective was hoping you all would believe.”

“……”

“But he has ended up in a position where he definitely can’t lie anymore. Because he has also brought the teacher here with his own hands.”

“T, teacher……?”

“I’ll ask again. Why are you being so vague?”

The detective kept his mouth shut and glared at me.

It was the moment when the suspicion that had only existed as a feeling until now surfaced.

“Not going to answer? Then I’ll speak for you.”

I exhaled briefly and announced to everyone.

“Detective Jang Gihoon. He actually came to this school ‘twice’ after receiving two reports.”

“….!?”

“Two, two reports……?”

“He’s not here investigating a case for the first time.”

At that moment, the crowd began to murmur.

“…N-Not the first time? What do you mean……”

“An unidentified culprit. A victim left in a wrecked state. And a teacher who witnessed the criminal. There was exactly one more case just like this.”

“……!!”

“You tried to slip past it by cleverly twisting your words, but in the end, detective, you’re avoiding stating the exact time. Isn’t that right? The witness to the other case, wasn’t it our homeroom teacher?”

I turned to look at our homeroom teacher.

Sure enough, he looked flustered, as if something had struck a chord.

“Y-Yes, Joony.”

“Teacher, you know, don’t you? When the detective first came to this school?”

The homeroom teacher nodded and hurriedly wiped away the cold sweat.

“Y-Yes. Of course, I know.”

“Right?”

“R-right.”

The homeroom teacher, looking nervous and flustered, glanced between me and the detective.

But the others had a face as if they couldn’t understand what was going on.

“This is quite something, what on earth happened… Honestly, I can’t understand why that person is reacting like this all of a sudden. Isn’t it something you should just explain..…?”

“Right? You can just tell me.”

I leisurely looked at the detective.

“Why did you do that?”

“……”

The detective still kept his mouth shut and glared at me.

I rotated my arm and loosened my tense shoulders before taking a moment to clarify the situation.

“Since the detective is refusing to answer, I’ll ask our homeroom teacher. Teacher.”

“…Alright.”

“When did detective Jang Gihoon actually arrive at this school?”

I casually asked, looking at the homeroom teacher.

“Is it just as everyone thought, did the detective come after receiving the murder report, around the end of the 4th period?”

“…? No, that’s not right, Joony. The detective has been here at the school since early this morning.”

“W-What…!!”

Gyeongwon and Dukhun exclaimed together in shock.

Jinhee and Sunah gaped with their mouths open.

And even the Vice Class President and Joo Yeseul turned to us with startled expressions.

‘It’s more satisfying when there’s a reaction.’

I couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction at the generous reactions from the people present.

“That’s exactly what I meant. The detective didn’t come to this school after receiving the murder report. He had already arrived here at Nakseong High in advance.”

“W-what… why, why……?”

“Then…!? Why, why…?”

People fumbled around with expressions of confusion, clearly not understanding.

Even Hayoon, who seemed unaware of this part, was looking at me with an amused expression.

“The moment I suspected that was when the homeroom teacher and the detective first met.”

They were calling each other without honorifics, but everyone was caught up in the atmosphere and just looked at me with suspicion, completely ignoring it.

“After the murder incident occurred, the homeroom teacher, without a doubt, rushed straight to the auditorium with Hayoon and Yeseul.”

As soon as her name was called, Yeseul flinched, but then nodded in acknowledgment.

“Even after that, the homeroom teacher was in the classroom with us, busy managing the students and checking the number of students. Which means he did not have the time to see the detective’s face when he arrived at the school. But here’s the strange thing. The homeroom teacher, who had no way of knowing the face of the local detective in advance, was the first to spot him peeking by the door and immediately ran out to greet him.”

“W-was that so……?”

“I think so……”

“Absolutely.”

I nodded.

“Logically, after a murder has occurred, if an outsider whose face we didn’t know suddenly wandered around, wouldn’t we have been on guard? And even the ‘detective’, he’s wearing shabby clothes and looks a bit suspicious. Am I wrong?”

Everyone nodded as if they agreed with my deduction.

The detective’s forehead twitched.

“And to greet someone like that without a hint of suspicion, running out and calling ‘Detective’ first? That’s definitely not possible unless you were already familiar with the person. On top of that, there was the detective’s vague, evasive way of speaking just now. That’s when I caught on.”

“……”

“He doesn’t want anyone to know about that part, that’s what I realized.”

“……!!”

Everyone turned to the detective with their mouths hanging open.

“Detective. You gave a ‘false statement’.”

“No, no, that’s not it. That’s not it.”

At that moment, the detective, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

“I didn’t give a ‘false statement’. I just never explicitly mentioned it.”

“…Is that so?”

I looked around at everyone.

“Does that matter?”

“It does.”

He took a bold step toward me.

“No matter how much you run your mouth, in the end, it’s all just a play on words.”

I casually scratched my eyebrow.

Then he glared at me and started speaking in a rush.

“It’s true, I was already at this school from the morning. I came here to investigate the outsider who broke into the school on Friday afternoon. Since there were no staff at the school over the weekend, I came on Monday morning.”

Friday afternoon CA session, Teacher Jang Hwaeun’s latex riot show.

This detective came to the school this morning specifically to investigate that incident, and since he had already spoken with the homeroom teacher, who had witnessed the latex riot, to gather information, they were already familiar with each other.

“But after looking around briefly, I went back to the police station. Then this incident happened, and I came back around lunchtime. That’s all.”

If that’s the case, then for now, there’s no contradiction in his statement.

“…But why did you try to hide it?”

“Hide it? Who’s hiding anything? Honestly….. you guys kept telling me not to interfere, so I just stayed quiet.”

The detective glared at me with a blatantly smug smile.

“I’ve told you everything. What exactly is it that I’m hiding?”

A lie.

If the homeroom teacher hadn’t been here, he would have easily fooled us all.

He claimed that he came to the school for the first time after receiving the report during the 4th period, so he could never be considered a suspect.

When I glared at him with a serious expression, this time he smirked and asked me.

“Well then, our famous detective Lee Joon. I’m listening quietly for now. I’m cooperating, right? So, how about you tell us about the victim this time?”

“……”

“Seeing you talk so confidently, it seems our little detective has already figured out who this unidentified victim is. Let’s all hear it! Everyone, focus!”

He clapped his hands with a sharp sound.

Sparks flew between us as we glared at each other.

“So the victim. Who is it?”

“……”

I took a moment to organize my thoughts.

There was one person who came to mind.

But just like before, this was merely a process of elimination, and I still didn’t know why this would be the correct answer.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“…Then let me tell you.”

The unidentified corpse, brutally murdered and left in the hallway on the east side of the first floor.

“That victim is—”

① A homeless person who secretly sneaked in through the back of the school

② Teacher Jang Hwaeun, who we hadn’t seen till now

③ A cloned member of our Ghost Story Club, who jumped into reality like from the MineCraft ghost story

④ The ghost that was missed during the Corner Game spirit communication, perhaps one more ghost was actually there

⑤ Like a Roguelike hero from a previous playthrough, Lee Joon of the first round, who has hidden himself in this world

⑥ Detective Jang Gihoon, standing right in front of me

 

T/N: So…. Who do you think is the victim? 👀