"Professor, I'll have to rely on your wisdom once again," Aventurine shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and tilting his head back.
"No need to shout, I can hear you," Professor Ratio said, shaking his head with a helpless expression as he looked at Aventurine. "The pinball machine model is definitely somewhere in the hall, just like the archway. Wait here, I'll be right back."
With that, Professor Ratio sighed deeply and slowly turned to walk outside. As he walked, he muttered to himself, "Finally, I can have some peace and quiet..."
After wandering around outside, Ratio easily found a spherical, hollow object in another corridor. It looked somewhat like a launcher model.
"This must be it..." Ratio couldn't help but sigh at the thought of hearing Aventurine's incessant chatter again. His pleasant solitude was always fleeting.
Upon returning, he stared at the sandbox before him, lamenting inwardly:
"This thing isn't bad at all, if only it didn't have that noisy little person inside!"
"Ratio~ I heard that~" Just then, a clear, bright voice suddenly came from within the sandbox: "I just had an interesting idea. What do you think would happen if I put a sugar ball into surlada?"
"You can try, but when the Hound Family interrogates you, remember not to give me away."
[Sushang: So what exactly would happen?]
[Dr. Ratio: Sigh... Simply put, the combination of the two would produce a large amount of foam and spray out of the bottle, creating an effect similar to a volcanic eruption.]
[Sushang: Eh... That sounds interesting.]
[Welt: It's a bit like the effect of dropping a candy called Mentos into a cola bottle in my hometown.]
A look of helplessness appeared on Ratio's face. In the end, he silently inserted the pinball machine into the sandbox.
Accompanied by the roaring sound of the pinball machine activating, Aventurine dove inside. With a crisp 'pop,' the high-speed pinball machine instantly propelled Aventurine out with great force, sending him directly towards the towering rooftop.
Aventurine landed steadily on the rooftop. He looked out, and the entire city was visible. The sight before him filled him with awe. Then, he looked up, his gaze fixed on Ratio, who stood like a giant before him, and he said with deep emotion, "Ratio, you really should come in and see this. It's magnificent. I bet you could crush me with a single squeeze."
"If the person concerned agrees, I will execute it immediately," Professor Ratio replied calmly.
[Star: He even asks for the person's consent, I'm dying of laughter.]
[Sushang: If Mr. Aventurine agrees, would he really do it?]
[Dr. Ratio: I will fulfill some simple requests of The Fool.]
When the two puzzle pieces were completely fitted together, a miracle occurred—the gate key appeared before him. Aventurine held the key and sighed:
"The enjoyable journey through the toy city has ended, and I'm a little reluctant to leave. Penacony isn't all bad, right? I'll use this interesting experience as a talking point at the card table."
Aventurine muttered to himself, a satisfied smile on his face.
Then, he walked with light steps into the pinball machine to go downstairs, passing through the enormous Gulliver Archway once more.
[March 7th: Gulliver Archway... What an interesting thing. I wish it could really be made.]
[Ms. Herta: Unfortunately, no one has made this thing yet.]
[March 7th: Can't even the great Ms. Herta do it?]
[Ms. Herta: Hmph... I naturally have the means. Just wait.]
[March 7th: Yay!]
After standing still, Ratio spoke:
"I'm sorry to see you leave the sandbox alive. Sunday is behind this door. In my humble opinion, he is not an easy person to deal with. Are you ready?"
Aventurine nodded slightly in response: "Hmm, I believe it's he who needs to be ready."
"Tell me your plan," Ratio asked.
"No plan, just improvisation. The bargaining chips for negotiating with people are nothing more than two: interest or fear."
Shaking his head helplessly, Ratio said, "It seems you truly don't understand sincerity."
"Am I not sincere enough?" Aventurine retorted, then smiled and said, "No need to emphasize it. We must make good use of death. That man's sister is dead; he definitely can't sit still. This is fear."
"And I will help him expose that murderer. Due to his identity and position, he can't do this himself, but I can. This is interest."
[Topaz: A very reasonable deduction.]
[Sushang: I'm already starting to get lost, such a complicated plot!]
[Dr. Ratio: In this story, everyone has their own ideas.]
Ratio stared at him with sharp eyes, retorting unceremoniously, "Why do you think he can't do it and has to entrust a company person with an opposing stance?"
Facing Ratio's somewhat questioning words, Aventurine appeared confident and composed, a confident smile on his face as he replied, "The reason is actually obvious. According to various signs, that murderer is very likely a traitor hidden within the Family."
"You previously accused that Sea Ranger."
"That was just an excuse, Professor. That Old Woman is not right. I need someone to restrain her. The fewer variables outside our sight when we act, the better."
[Star: Oh my! I'm really going to faint. So, both of you have been deceiving me!]
[March 7th: Poor Star, want some snacks to relax?]
[Star: March... You guys are still the best.]
In the video, Aventurine continued to explain:
"I also need to know who she is. If my good luck is genuine, she will definitely become an important chess piece. And on this matter, the more friends who can help me, the better."
"But honestly, the murder case probably has nothing to do with her. I still hold the view that there must be an internal problem within the Family. Otherwise, why would our Mr. Sunday arrange a private meeting? This isn't an interrogation; it's a secret negotiation."
He stared intently ahead, his eyes shining with firm resolve, as if announcing to the world:
"Watch me. With Robin's death as leverage, I will win back my freedom and power. Finally, I will overturn this beautiful dream and create the grandest death!"
"If stepping through this door leads to a chance for triumph, even if the probability approaches zero, I have no reason to hesitate, do I?"
Ratio asked impassively, "Why do you think you can win, you damned gambler?"
Aventurine, however, remained unmoved, his lips curving slightly into a confident smile as he softly replied, "Three 'chips' are enough. All, or nothing."