Kirigiri Novel Book 4

Chapter 3- Part 4. Twins Ability Development Institute - Kirigiri Kyōko

Everyone present felt like they were looking at the creepy mask, and their bodies gave a shudder. Even Kirigiri, who had been calm before, got pale and speechless.

The masked ghost disappeared from frame casually after that. The time displayed is 19:04.

"...Are there any signs that the video had been processed?" Hachisuka broke the silence and asked.

"We won't know until we analyze the data... but there is no sign of the video device being tampered with."

Looking under the table where the monitor is placed, there is a shelf with a glass door on which is placed a large rectangular machine, which is the hard disk drive for the surveillance video.

"If you want to tamper with surveillance videos, you have to pull out this machine and plug in the wiring on the back of the interface. But, because the cable is very short, if you want to pull out the machine, the wiring on it will fall off. The surveillance video will be temporarily interrupted. But the previous video has no trace of interruption, so it should be logically said that 'the video has no signs of being processed'."

Tsutsumi explained it like that, Hachisuka and Nagate nodded in agreement at the same time.

"Ah." Hoshī, who was checking the shelf where the hard drive was placed, called out. "Two of the four drives aren't powered on.

These are Room L's drives. The socket cords for the plugs have been cut."

"That's why the screens are black."

The signals of the surveillance cameras are received through the hard drives, so after a drive is powered off, the picture is of course interrupted.

"It seems that the footage can be restored by repairing the cord or by unplugging and replacing it. Should I restore the surveillance of Room L?" Hoshī asked.

"Hmm—, isn't it faster for us to go to Room L? It seems necessary to check with our own eyes anyway." Nagate said. "So, let's go to Room L."

Everyone left the surveillance room together.

"The murderer being in disguise means that they acted with the knowledge of surveillance cameras. That mask does not suit my generation's preferences—"

Walking down the corridor, Nagate opened his arms and said calmly.

"At least the murderer went to the monitoring room and knocked out Tsutsumi-san there before attacking Suō-san, so he must have also known that Room R was under surveillance."

Hoshī walked quickly down the corridor, her white coat floating up.

"Then again, since the murderer put sleeping pills in the coffee, they must be someone familiar with the internal situation." said Hachisuka with an odd smile. "The murderer is either one of us, or– it was Ashvins."

"Ashvins?" Kirigiri asked.

"They're the leader of this research team. The person who claims to be Ashvins prepared this research institute and gave instructions on the content of the research. We were called here by that person." Tsutsumi explained.

"In other words, there is a fifth researcher besides you?"

"That's right... Having said that, they are not here, probably. They have never shown themselves." Nagate said with an exaggerated shrug. "We really did fall for their trick, I thought something was fishy at first. They sent a black envelope with materials related to the research, offering me to participate if I'm interested enough. And that I can get 3 millions just by participating. So I couldn't help but come."