July and June

He had thought it was nothing more than a coincidence.

He had never expected their next meeting to take this form.

Was this what they called fate?

He had to admit, Cordis was quite interested in games like this.

Just as everyone reached a stalemate,

Bowenbo spoke first.

"Little beauty, why don't you go first? Of course, even if you accuse the wrong person, I'll protect you."

Cordis looked at Bowenbo, who was drooling nonstop with a lecherous expression plastered across his face, and grimaced in disgust.

But to Bowenbo, that expression only made him look even cuter.

[You now have five minutes to examine the body.]

[After five minutes, return to your positions on your own.]

As soon as those words rang out, everyone who had been frozen in place regained control of their bodies.

Cordis dared not waste any time. He moved his arms a couple of times, then climbed onto the round table alone and searched the woman's body, heedless of the filthy water covering her.

Hisoka stood where he was, watching the scene with a hint of revulsion.

"Pai Pai~ You really don't sweat the small stuff, do you~?"

Cordis rolled his eyes at Hisoka and sneered.

"This is all because of you. Can't you take this a little more seriously for the sake of that six billion?"

Hisoka narrowed his eyes, looking puzzled.

"Huh?~ Speaking of that six billion, I'm only giving you five hundred thousand, you know~"

Those words instantly set Cordis's temper ablaze.

As if I didn't know that! Did you really need to remind me? Who wants your lousy money anyway? You're such a damn cheapskate!

Cordis had originally intended to ignore him, but when he saw Hisoka standing there, watching him without a care in the world,

his anger shot straight through the roof.

He shook off his hands and quit on the spot.

"You really think I'm your damn nanny? I quit! I'm done!"

Hisoka tilted his head, regarding the fuming Cordis with amused curiosity as he teased him.

"You still owe me three hundred million~"

To be honest, that gave Cordis a moment's pause.

But his anger soon returned. It was only three hundred million. He could just take on more jobs later.

He would rather go hungry all the time than ever be Hisoka's nanny again.

Seeing that even this had failed, Hisoka realized he had genuinely made Cordis angry.

He sighed helplessly, then climbed onto the round table himself. Only after covering himself with Texture Surprise was he willing to touch the woman's corpse.

He brushed aside her hair and discovered a large amount of blood at the back of her head. Even now, it continued to seep out.

"Looks like she wasn't just strangled."

Cordis suddenly leaned in behind Hisoka, stroking his chin in serious thought.

Hisoka exchanged a glance with Cordis behind him, then caught Cordis's arm with his blood-covered hand in a seemingly casual motion.

"Oh my~ I thought Pai Pai was angry~"

When Hisoka let go, a crimson handprint remained on Cordis's pale arm.

Cordis stared at it, speechless.

"Have you seriously got nothing better to do?"

Hisoka grinned without answering. Apparently, Cordis's reaction pleased him immensely.

Just then, Cordis happened to glance over and noticed that the dead woman seemed to be clutching something.

He shoved Hisoka out of the way.

He pried open the dead woman's fingers.

A small tuft of short hair was clenched tightly in her palm.

This was an excellent piece of evidence. The fish had said the killer was among them, and only a few of them had short hair.

Just as Cordis was about to keep searching,

the winged fish above them let out a beep.

[The five minutes are up. Please return to your positions.]

Cordis was utterly bewildered. He had barely started, and they were already telling him it was over.

So I wasted all my time bickering with Hisoka?

Though calling it bickering seemed generous; he had been the only one getting angry.

But no matter how unwilling he was, there was nothing he could do. He could only return helplessly to his place.

The fish hovering in the air spoke again.

[There are three rounds in total. If you fail to identify the killer within three rounds, the killer will also be declared the winner.]

This news undoubtedly made an already difficult task even harder.

Everyone began speaking in turn, following the numbered cards in front of them.

First was a short-haired girl, who was also Cordis's first suspect.

The girl looked timid, her head drawn down and her back hunched. Even her voice was barely audible.

"My name is July, because I was sold here in July. This dead woman's name is June. We shared a dorm room."

Cordis suddenly asked,

"Did you see her before she died?"

July hastily waved her hands.

"N-no. We're the same age, but we hardly ever talked."

Just then, a blue-haired girl standing beside July pointed at her and snapped,

"You're lying! Just last week, I saw the two of you going to eat with your arms around each other. You were laughing and chatting! You clearly weren't strangers!"

July did not know what to say. She could only keep repeating, "No, no," while the blue-haired woman continued accusing her.

Hisoka stroked his chin as he watched, his eyes narrowing dangerously. A crooked smile tugged at his lips as he murmured,

"Well~ This is rather interesting~"

After July and the blue-haired woman argued for a minute or two, the blue-haired woman slammed her hand on the table and took charge.

"The answer is obvious now! It was July! She must have strangled June and then dumped her in the river! I suggest everyone vote with me!"

The other girls began to waver.

Meanwhile, July continued saying things like, "It wasn't me. I didn't do it."

Seeing how chaotic things had become, Cordis questioned July again.

"July, I don't care what your relationship with June was like. I just want to know whether you saw her before she died."

By then, July was so nervous that she was beginning to struggle for air.

After taking two deep breaths, she said,

"No. I haven't seen her since last night. I called her several times, but none of the calls went through."

The blue-haired woman beside July folded her arms and glared viciously at her.

"She's a lying little thing. Don't believe any of her bullshit."

At those words, July finally poured out all the resentment she had bottled up for so long.

"What the hell is your problem? I told you I haven't seen her! What more do you want? Don't think I don't know that out of everyone here, you're the one who wanted June dead the most!"

Sometimes, what you see really isn't the truth.

Often, the most unlikely possibility turns out to be the truth.

Feel free to make bold guesses about the truth behind this. Remember, be bold.