September 7, Saturday, 12:24 p.m.
Whistling North Wind, drifting snow.
Everyone sat together in a daze, without saying a word.
After noticing that it had begun to snow, everyone realized that the temperature in the room had dropped considerably. The problem was that, logically speaking, it was summer, so everyone was dressed very lightly. Clearly, they couldn't withstand such a low-temperature environment. Fortunately, the study on the first floor was mostly unchanged, and there was still a fireplace inside. Everyone therefore went to the study and lit the fireplace, which made things a little more bearable.
The others also brought over blankets and wrapped themselves in them for warmth.
"Damn it, what are we supposed to do?"
Composer Maekura finally broke the silence, growing extremely impatient.
"Are we really going to be trapped here until we die?"
Then he turned to Police Inspector Oyama.
"Oyama, you're a police officer, aren't you? Shouldn't you be doing something right now? Can you even call yourself a police officer?"
"Even if you put it that way..."
Faced with Composer Maekura's reproach, Police Inspector Oyama helplessly spread his hands.
"Miss Duanmu hasn't moved either. There's nothing I can do. Maybe she has a solution."
"She does?"
Looking at Duanmu Huai, who was sitting beside the tea table and appeared to be asleep, Composer Maekura frowned. But when he saw the sword placed beside her, he... decisively shut his mouth and obediently sat down.
"Mr. Oyama, do you know Xiao Ai?"
Ya Naijian asked curiously. After all, ordinarily, at a time like this, everyone should have been following the police officer's orders. Yet Oyama was a police inspector and still obeyed Duanmu Huai completely, acting as though whatever she said went. It was genuinely rather curious.
"Well..."
Police Inspector Oyama gave a wry smile and