The guests were eating in the dining room.
Hotta Fumiko leaned by the window, gazing at the distant city lights as she reached up to touch the necklace around her neck.
Meanwhile, in President Hotta's bedroom.
He changed into his pajamas, fuming over his unfilial sons and daughters as he settled into a recliner, intending to read the newspaper for a while before resting.
Then, with an inadvertent glance, he suddenly spotted a rectangular wooden box on the table.
"Hm? What's this?"
President Hotta picked it up and found that it was a liquor box. The upper half bore a carved trademark, while "1989" was marked beneath it.
"Rye from 1989." President Hotta's expression eased slightly as he opened the lid. "I wonder which bastard gave me this birthday gif—"
Boom—!!
The liquor box exploded violently. A scorching blast swept through the bedroom, engulfing the figure seated in the rattan chair.
"An explosion?!"
The people in the dining room shot to their feet. Jiang Xia turned toward the door, while Akai Shuichi was already striding toward it.
The three detectives hurried after him. Looking out from the doorway, they saw that the door to a nearby bedroom stood wide open—behind the charred door, President Hotta lay face down on the floor, eyes wide open in death, seemingly no longer breathing.
"Master?!"
"Dad!"
The other people in the villa had also been alerted by the explosion sound and came running over one after another.
Jiang Xia stepped forward and raised an arm, blocking those about to enter. "Don't disturb the scene. I'll go in and take a look first."
"Why should we listen to you? Who the hell are you?" the eldest son, who had lived overseas for years, snorted. "Besides, hasn't that guy already gone in?"
He pointed behind