Chapter 161: The Professional's Criminal Profiling, Members Who Want to Stay Together Even During Summer Vacation
"Living Sacrifice..."
Although Yukino and Kawasaki Saki hadn't specially studied the supernatural, they had heard of the so-called living sacrifice.
In ancient times, to pray for the blessings of heaven or gods, people would offer various sacrifices.
Inanimate objects like gold, silver, and jewels need not be mentioned, and there were livestocks like cattle and sheep.
And the so-called living sacrifice was offering living people as sacrifices to the gods.
Like tying up a virgin girl and throwing her into the surging river to exchange for the river god's blessing. This extremely cruel thing seemed perfectly normal to people in that era.
Yukino finally confirmed the guess in her heart, turned to look at Yoru, and whispered with a heavy expression.
"If my guess is correct... that serial killer also heard the story about the Sunny Girl..."
Yukino pursed her lips, but the horrified and shocked emotion in her heart couldn't be dispelled no matter what.
She forced herself to stay calm and spoke slowly.
"The true motive of the Teru Teru Bozu Killer... is conducting an inhumane living sacrifice..."
Speaking of this, Yukino's face suddenly changed.
"If this is really the case, isn't Amano-san in danger!?"
Although until now, Yukino still didn't quite believe that a fifteen-year-old human girl actually possessed the ability to change the weather.
But at this time, this question was no longer important.
In the eyes of outsiders, Amano Hina was a genuine Sunny Girl.
How could that crazy serial killer motivated by living sacrifice to change the weather let go of such an obvious target?
"I don't necessarily think so."
Yoru tapped his finger lightly on the counter, saying faintly.
"Yukinoshita-san, you are still too superficial, confined to the thinking of normal people, not substituting yourself into the perspective of that serial killer to think."
Hearing this, Yukino frowned slightly.
"How can normal people substitute into the perspective of a madman to think? Unless one is also a madman."
"Hey, isn't that a coincidence."
Yoru replied immediately with a smile, as if he had been waiting for this sentence.
"It just so happens, yours truly isn't a mentally normal person either."
Yukino was very speechless.
"Looking at your appearance, why do you look quite proud?"
"Sigh, a small specialty, not worth mentioning."
Yoru waved his hand, then smiled and spoke.
"It just so happens, I also have a friend whose mental state isn't quite normal either. In terms of finding murderers, he is very professional."
Speaking of this, Yoru took out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.
The ringtone only sounded briefly before being connected immediately.
From the opposite end came Light Yagami's familiar, smiling voice.
"Yoru-kun."
Yoru didn't choose to make much small talk, but went straight to the point.
"There is something I need your assistance with."
Light Yagami on the other end of the phone replied directly without any hesitation.
"Then tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock, still in Kyoto city, see you in that cafe we've been to."
"OK, we'll talk in detail when we meet tomorrow."
"Alright."
After hanging up the phone, Kawasaki Saki couldn't help asking curiously.
"Who were you calling?"
Yoru replied casually: "An acquaintance in Tokyo."
"Eh?"
Hearing the place name Tokyo, Kawasaki Saki and Yukino both froze, speaking in unison.
"Just with your one sentence, the person is willing to rush over from Tokyo early tomorrow morning? This is too..."
Yukino felt a certain place in her heart seemed to be touched.
Just saying needing assistance, without even knowing what it was about, and agreeing to rush from Tokyo to Kyoto city early tomorrow morning immediately.
To be honest, Yukino was shocked.
Such a relationship...
Could it already be called Genuine?
"What are you thinking blindly about?"
Noticing Yukino's thoughtful expression, Yoru seemed to see through her thoughts and specially emphasized.
"It's a guy, not a girl; don't have those weird thoughts."
"Oh, is that so."
Looking at Yukino who clearly still doubted but pretended nothing happened, Yoru secretly swore in his heart.
Sooner or later, I'll make you and your sister Haruno taste my big guy together.
.....
Next morning, 9 o'clock.
"Yoru-kun."
Seeing Yoru step into the cafe, Light Yagami sitting at a table immediately stood up, smiled and waved to greet him.
"Light."
Yoru walked over slowly and sat opposite Light Yagami.
Before he could speak, Light Yagami smiled first.
"Before talking about business, congratulations first on getting first place in the joint exam."
Yoru didn't show much surprise upon hearing this, just asking back with a chuckle.
"Oh, you already know? Your information is quite well-informed."
Light Yagami pushed one of the two cups of coffee in front of him to Yoru, still wearing a warm and kind smile on his face.
"Of course, my father is the Chief of Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Police Department after all. It is said he might even get promoted in the near future. Even in Private Shuchiin Academy, there are many children of my father's friends. I have been keeping in touch with them recently."
Yoru nodded noncommittally.
"Making friends... this doesn't seem like your personality."
"Friends?"
Hearing this word, Light Yagami's smile became even more brilliant, but his eyes revealed undisguised contempt and disdain.
"How could I possibly become so-called friends with that group of boring guys who only want to gain power and influence?"
"Boys and girls of this age are all very stupid. Plus my identity as the son of the Police Department's Chief of Criminal Investigation Bureau, with a little guidance, I can obtain a lot of useful intelligence."
"I am just using them, that's all."
Yoru didn't make any comments on Light Yagami's approach, going straight to the point.
"The reason for calling you here this time is very simple."
He stared straight into Light Yagami's eyes, speaking softly.
"Do you know anything about the Teru Teru Bozu Killer incident?"
Light Yagami nodded.
"Mmhmm, even though at this stage I don't have the ability to sanction criminals outside Tokyo, I have paid attention to some relatively famous ones."
Immediately after, Light Yagami frowned slightly, the smile on his face disappearing.
"Since you also paid attention to this case, it shows this matter isn't just an ordinary serial murder case? In it... are there supernatural factors present?"
"Correct."
Yoru nodded slightly, telling Light Yagami exactly about the strange traces left by the Teru Teru Bozu Killer at the scene, and the fact that a Sunny Girl who could change the weather appeared in Kyoto city recently.
He didn't directly say Amano Hina's name, but used the word Sunny Girl as a substitute, nor did he say Hina was one of his assistants.
After introducing the basic situation, Yoru took a sip from his coffee cup and said faintly.
"Still as unpalatable as always."
Then, he looked at Light Yagami sitting opposite, who looked thoughtful, and smiled.
"This target is relatively special. Although possessing power suspected to be an evil spirit, whether in action style or thoughts, it is a complete human criminal."
"And compared to me, an exorcist, you obviously have more rich experience in dealing with human criminals."
"How is it, any thoughts?"
Light Yagami pursed his lips, his slender ten fingers overlapped, resting his chin on the back of his hands. After thinking for a long time, he slowly spoke to reply.
"My father once said that to become an excellent detective, one must be able to substitute into the perspective of the criminal during the process of handling the case."
"So, after substituting into the criminal's perspective now, I discovered a very important thing."
Speaking of this, Light Yagami paused, staring straight into Yoru's eyes, saying word by word.
"From the criminal's perspective, this living sacrifice he is conducting is effective."
Yoru looked unsurprised and nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
No need to say it too clearly; actually, both of them could figure this out.
From the perspective of insiders like Yoru, Yukino, Rio, and Miko, they all knew that the reason why the weather in Kyoto city frequently cleared up rapidly recently was because of Sunny Girl Amano Hina's prayers.
But what if... standing in the perspective of the Teru Teru Bozu Killer?
Every time it rained, he would sacrifice a young girl in a cruel way.
And then?
The weather would clear up.
This was the perspective of the Teru Teru Bozu Killer.
In his eyes, the weather being able to clear up proved that the living sacrifices he conducted really got responses from the gods.
"However..."
Light Yagami narrowed his eyes slightly, murmuring as if speaking to himself.
"Accidental coincidence in the weather is not the true reason he committed such crimes. Even if ordinary people have heard the legend of the Sunny Girl, it's impossible to kill people just because of the abnormal weather during this period."
Speaking of this, Light Yagami looked at Yoru and asked.
"Do you have the crime scene photos of the five victims being found?"
"Yes."
Yoru took out his phone, opened the album, and handed it over.
On the night he sneaked into the Police Department, he naturally collected the scene photos held by the Police Department.
File transfer would leave traces.
So, Yoru chose the most unpretentious method, which was also the most primitive screenshot method.
Using a phone to take a picture of the screen.
Seeing such photos, Light Yagami didn't find it funny or comical; instead, he looked deeply at Yoru, admiration showing in his eyes.
If saying it was just scene photos taken by the Police Department, it wasn't actually hard to get.
After all, although the investigation process was confidential, even Yukinoshita Haruno could get a scene photo stored by the Police Department through her family's connections.
But taking pictures directly against the computer screen with a phone was completely different.
This meant Yoru had sneaked into the Police Department, and retreated completely safely without alerting anyone.
Light Yagami asked himself, knowing clearly that if it were him, he would absolutely be unable to do such a thing.
"Also, the autopsy reports."
Yoru also let Light Yagami see the autopsy reports of the five deceased recorded in his phone.
Looking at these dozens of case photos capturing the corpses of the deceased and the scenes from various angles, and those five autopsy reports that were basically identical except for the different deceased, Light Yagami fell into deep thought.
"Yoru-kun."
Light Yagami pointed to the relevant photos and autopsy report of the first case, speaking with a serious face.
"Usually, in serial murder cases like this, what should be paid attention to the most is exactly the first case committed by the killer."
"Crime is also a process of continuous proficiency and improvement."
"The first case will leave the most flaws and also expose a lot of information."
"Especially this kind of serial murder case with special significance. The specific cause of death of the deceased, from a certain perspective, reveals the true heart of the killer."
"And the special thing about this serial murder case is..."
Light Yagami spoke in a deep voice.
"From the first murder case to the most recent fifth murder case, the killer's modus operandi hasn't changed at all; this is a very abnormal thing."
Speaking of this, Light Yagami thought again, murmuring to himself.
"Unchanged modus operandi, crime frequency fixed on rainy days..."
"The killer's mental state is definitely abnormal; this is beyond doubt."
"Firmly believing in his target... then his attitude towards the so-called Sunny Girl..."
"The ritual of clearing the weather... and not conducted privately but hung outside, the purpose is to attract everyone's attention and make his crimes widely known..."
Light Yagami's eyes flickered, his thoughts running constantly.
After several minutes, he finally put his hands together, staring straight into Yoru's eyes, and spoke slowly.
"Yoru-kun, regarding the criminal profiling, I have roughly completed it."
Yoru replied casually.
"Then tell me about it."
Light Yagami nodded, giving his analysis.
"A madman with extreme mental state, has anti-social tendencies, but not the conventional anti-social personality, rather an inferiority complex desiring attention and expectations."
"This inferiority complex, coupled with the abnormal weather recently and the legendary story of Sunny Girl living sacrifices, made this criminal who suddenly possessed powerful power for some unknown reason generate a sense of fate."
"He believes that as long as he uses young girls for living sacrifices enough times, the weather in Sakura Prefecture can return to normal."
"The criminal doesn't have some obsession with the weather, but originates from his own psychological problems, seeking major events that can bring meaning and change this world...."
Before Light Yagami finished, Yoru waved his hand, looking bored.
"I have no interest in understanding the criminal's thoughts and motives at all. I only want to know his next move."
"Okay."
Light Yagami didn't mind Yoru's attitude. After all, analyzing the criminal's motives and psychology was also just to guess the opponent's next move.
He didn't want to understand, nor was he interested in understanding, how a human turned into a devil cruelly killing his own kind.
There was only one end for evil.
That was being ruthlessly sanctioned.
Besides that, nothing else mattered.
"In the eyes of us insiders, the living sacrifice behavior of the Teru Teru Bozu Killer is completely meaningless, just a coincidence running into the true Sunny Girl's prayers."
"But from his perspective, the credit for changing the weather through his living sacrifices was snatched by an impostor pretending to be the Sunny Girl."
Speaking of this, Light Yagami paused, then changed the subject.
"Of course, there is another possibility."
Yoru understood his meaning, saying softly.
"The goal of his living sacrifice isn't to clear the weather but to keep the rainy days going."
"Correct."
Light Yagami nodded and smiled.
"But as said before, his true goal isn't changing the weather but making himself the person who changes the weather, thereby satisfying his twisted desire to receive attention and expectations."
"Whether wanting to clear the weather or wanting the rain to continue, that Sunny Girl is his biggest obstacle."
"I cannot predict his next move, but if wanting to attract the killer's attention and make him take the bait obediently, we only need to do this..."
....
When returning home, Yoru had just opened the door and hadn't even changed his shoes when he felt something soft throw itself directly into his arms.
"Big Brother~"
Keika hugged Yoru's waist with her arms, rubbing her small face against him constantly, like an obedient kitten.
"Here?"
Yoru smiled, rubbed Keika's small head, looked towards the living room, and found Kawasaki Saki, Yukino, and Marin sitting there, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
Marin and Kawasaki Saki were more than familiar with each other.
One was a beautiful gyaru who loved Cosplay passionately, the other was a beautiful delinquent who liked making clothes.
After joining the Super-Quant Club, the two girls were inseparable, often going to the shopping street together to pick materials needed for making Cosplay costumes.
But they couldn't be considered familiar with Yukino.
According to incomplete statistics.
Among the current members of the Super-Quant Club, the person Yukino spoke the most words to, first place was Yoru.
Second place, Yui.
Every morning in the classroom, there would be at least one sentence.
"Yahallo, Little Yukino."
"Good morning, Yuigahama-san."
Ranked third...
Was Touma Kazusa.
Except for that argument, Kazusa and Yukino had absolutely no interaction normally.
Even so, she could still rank third.
This is the gold content of someone who is completely aloof and has not a single friend!
"Yoru-san."
Seeing Yoru walk into the living room, Marin hurriedly stood up, her expression somewhat nervous and cramped.
After all, although she and the opponent were in the same club, they weren't considered familiar, normally not even speaking a few words.
"Marin-oneechan, no need to be so nervous~"
Although Keika was just a little girl, she was the most relaxed and at ease one among the girls present at this time.
"Big Brother said to treat this place like your own home. In your own home, you don't need to be so nervous~"
Hearing this, Marin, Kawasaki Saki, and Yukino all blushed.
Treat it like our own home?
Keika was ultimately too young, speaking without taboos.
How is it possible not to be nervous!
Just then, the outer door was suddenly knocked again.
Yoru opened the door and smiled.
"Here? Come in."
"Mmhmm."
Marin and Kawasaki Saki looked up, only to see Kazusa dragging two huge suitcases, walking in calmly.
The two girls looked at each other, only one thought in their minds.
No...
How many girls did this guy Yoru invite to live in his house exactly!?