"Five minutes and twenty-two seconds." Dubu Kunikida glanced at the timer on his phone.

Taizai put aside the lock he had just unlocked and flexed his fingers in frustration.

"I can't believe it. Mr. Taejae actually took so long." Atsushi Nakajima picked up the lock and observed it carefully. "But this lock looks very … unique."

Taizai held the steel lock in Atsushi Nakajima's hand and glanced at it with the help of the light. Sure enough, in an inconspicuous corner, he saw the words "Schloss.

8923242. "He nodded.

"Mr. Taejae?"

"This number." Taizai pointed. "Every lock has its own specific number, and there's only one corresponding key."

"I see …" Atsushi Nakajima held the lock in his hand again.

"But this lock looks too simple."

"The locks in this company all look the same." Taizai yawned. "That's why the lock and key have a special number."

"Huh?" Atsushi Nakajima quickly compared it with the key Akutagawa brought over. "It's true."

"If you ask me, I'm just too lazy to hire a designer."

Taizai began to stretch again. "Those German things, to put it nicely, are simple, generous, and tough. To put it bluntly, they're just ugly."

When the people around him heard him say that, their faces showed a bit of helplessness. Only Nakahara Nakayama let out a "Pfft" laugh.

Taizai heard his laughter and turned to wink at him. As expected, Chūya rolled his eyes.

"Now we can completely rule out the possibility that Thief N broke in by picking the lock."

Atsushi Nakajima put his palms together. "I'm sorry. Although I've said it many times before, I still want to confirm it myself."

"That's nothing. I also want to try this lock myself." Taizai picked up the key beside him and inserted it into the lock. As he spoke, he played with it. The lock made a "kacha kacha" sound in his hand. "I haven't practiced for a long time, but I've regressed."

"Mr Taejae, you're too modest."

Nakahara Chūya looked at him with a half-smile. "Speaking of which, I originally had some complaints about you being the person in charge. But now, it seems like you're quite capable."

Everyone present could hear Chūya's unfriendly tone.

They also felt strange in their hearts. It should be the first time these two people met today, so why were they so hostile from the beginning? Now, when they were talking, the atmosphere was so awkward that they couldn't stay any longer.

"Suddenly saying that …" Taizai looked up. "Speaking of which, Central Plains Police, do you want to try this lock too? It's not very convincing if I'm the only one who can open it."

"I'll pass." Chūya waved his hand. "I'm not as skillful as you."

"You're too modest."

Taizai said lightly. He stood up from the ground and patted the dust off his body. "What's next … Right, the interior of the warehouse."

"The interior of the warehouse is completely sealed. There are no other doors," Akutagawa replied. "The only thing that can be considered as a passageway is probably the ventilation duct."

Everyone raised their heads at the same time and looked at the square metal ventilation duct above the warehouse.

If it was a way to enter the warehouse by force, it would make sense. However, the size of the ventilation duct made it difficult for an adult man to climb in.

Taizai seemed to have seen through everyone's thoughts. "Same old rules. Try it and you'll know."

"Mr. Taejae …" Atsushi Nakajima showed a look of disapproval for the first time. "No matter how you look at it, this duct seems like only a child can get through."

"I already said to try." Taizai snapped his fingers and pointed at Nakahara Chūya. "Central Plains Police, please."

"Me?" Nakahara Chūya was shocked when he was suddenly called out. "Why?"

Hmm … Everyone looked at him. It seemed like … Central Plains Police … could … give it a try …

After all … his size … hmm …

"… I understand." Chūya, who was being looked at strangely by everyone for a long time, admitted defeat. He walked to Taizai, threw his hat and coat to him, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

"You better pray that you're still alive after this case is over."

Taizai's expression did not change. He smiled and took it. "Don't push yourself too hard."

"You don't have to tell me that."

Chūya took off his hair band and reached out to grab his hair. He tied his half-length orange hair into a ponytail, rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, and estimated the height of the ventilation duct.

He stepped on the wooden frame beside him and climbed up two floors. His hands, which were covered in black gloves, grabbed the edge of the ventilation duct and pushed himself up.

His series of actions were coherent and beautiful, fully demonstrating the strength and speed of an action movie star. If it were not for the special circumstances, Atsushi Nakajima really wanted to applaud him.

None of the people below said anything. Everyone raised their heads and stared at the vibrating vent.

From time to time, there was a dull metallic sound coming from the duct. From the layer of metal below, they could see Chūya's route.

It seemed that the duct was indeed very narrow. Even for Nakahara Chūya, who was thin and small, it was very difficult to move forward.

"I can't do it."

Chūya, who was covered in dust, jumped out of the duct. His hair and clothes were messy. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and said while wiping the sweat on his head, "The duct is very narrow, and although there is an upward passage at the corner, it is in a zigzag shape.

If we really want to go through the duct, we have to use all four of our limbs to go up. I don't think we can do it.

Adults don't have this kind of physique, and children don't have this kind of strength.

And whether we go up or down the duct, we will be stuck at the corner of the zigzag shape. It's a dilemma. "

"Thank you for your hard work!

It's just as I thought. "

Taizai smiled. "It seems that my inference was right from the beginning. Monster Thief N used some kind of method to enter the warehouse."

"You bastard, are you doing this on purpose!" Zhong Ye's accumulated anger completely exploded under the provocation of his words.

He grabbed Taizai's collar and pulled him in front of him. "Although I don't understand why, you seemed to be looking for trouble from the beginning, Osamu Dazai!

It seems that I have to teach you a lesson. "

"Did I?"

Taizai's face was red from lack of oxygen, but he still smiled. "I don't know what I did wrong, or you …"

He leaned forward slightly and whispered in Chūya's ear, "You're guilty."

"What a joke, what do I have to be guilty about?"

Chūya frowned. "Now tell us how Monster Thief N got into this warehouse. It's best if you have some basis for it. Otherwise, I can only take it that you're deliberately playing with me, and you'll have to bear the consequences."

"Okay, I got it, but let me go first." Taizai blinked.

Chūya snorted and shook him off.

As soon as he was free, Taizai immediately coughed non-stop.

Akutagawa's eyes never left him. Seeing him like this, although he frowned, he just pursed his lips in the end.

Atsushi Nakajima wanted to help, but Chūya glared at him, and he didn't dare to speak.

"Of course, I did it because I had a rough guess. Now, there are two things I need to confirm." Taizai smiled bitterly as he straightened the jeweled necktie on his chest and stretched his neck.

"Tanizaki, you were the one who confirmed the safe, right? Other than you and Akutagawa, who else knows the password?"

"Let me think …" Tanizaki Junichiro, who was called out, stepped forward. "When Akutagawa confirmed it, he only told me. 'Tachihara' didn't know. So, I think it should be Kokida, Akutagawa, and me, a total of three people."

"This kind of safe," Taizai put on gloves and smacked his lips. "An experienced person can easily open it. There's no need to know the password." He squatted in front of the safe, put his hands on the turntable, and put his ear close to it.

"My pen …" Kokida saw the marker pen in Taizai's right hand and patted his pocket. "This guy …"

Taizai turned the turntable with his left hand and wrote the number on the floor tile with the marker pen in his right hand. He didn't change it at all. In less than a minute, the nine-digit password appeared on the floor tile.

In the silent warehouse, a "click" sound was heard. The safe door opened.

"Forty-five seconds," Kokida reported the time mechanically. "Taizai, your new record."

"This …" Atsushi Nakajima was dumbfounded. "Mr. Taejae … actually …"

He had only seen this kind of lockpicking method in movies. He didn't expect to see it with his own eyes one day. It was really scary.

Thinking about the people in the detective agency who usually dropped things and skipped work to sleep, Atsushi Nakajima was confused.

He felt that even if he were told that the Strange Thief N that he worshipped was actually the boss that he couldn't pay, he would still feel calm and numb.

After a long silence, there was a burst of applause in the warehouse.

Taizai took off his gloves and nodded to the police as if he was performing.

"And then?

How did Strange Thief N do it? "

When the applause stopped, Chūya crossed his arms, raised his chin slightly, squinted his eyes, and asked provocatively.

"Akutagawa," Taizai didn't answer his question. "When you arrived, what was the scene like?"

"At that time, the warehouse door was still locked. We thought nothing had happened and breathed a sigh of relief. When we opened the lock and entered the warehouse, we found that the safe had been opened."

"The door was locked properly," Taizai confirmed again. "The key was still there. Strange Thief N didn't come in by picking the lock."

"Mr. Taejae!

Tell us quickly. "Atsushi Nakajima was anxious.

"Isn't it simple …" Taizai made an "eight" gesture with his chin. "There's only one possibility."

Everyone held their breaths as a dozen or so gazes focused on him. The Grand Chancellor blinked and said with a faint smile, "That's right.