The cabin looked weathered and worn as if it had been neglected for a long time. The windows were boarded up, and the door was slightly ajar. The trio exchanged cautious glances, their hearts pounding with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Before Takuma could enter, Reina made a grab of his wrist to ask, "Tak-san, you can't be serious, right?!"

Takuma paused, feeling Reina's grip on his wrist. He looked into her eyes and saw the concern and worry reflected in them. Taking a deep breath, he responded, "Reina, I understand your concern, but we need to find out the truth."

"But Takuma, he just cut up your tent not long ago for some reason!" Ran whispered, her voice barely audible. "There's a chance that the person we're looking for might be inside hiding out."

"That's right," Reina reminded her boyfriend, "Also Tak-san, you watched plenty of movies with me, remember? Entering into a cabin alone, especially with no plans never ends well for anyone."

Takuma sighed, realizing the validity of their concerns. He nodded in agreement, recognizing the risks involved in venturing into the cabin alone.

"You're both right," Takuma admitted, releasing himself from Reina's grip. "We shouldn't rush into this without a plan. Safety comes first."

Ran and Reina nodded in agreement, relieved that Takuma had reconsidered. They knew that their investigation required caution and strategic thinking.

"We should regroup and come up with a plan," Reina suggested. "We need more information before we confront anyone."

Takuma and Ran nodded, acknowledging the need for a well-thought-out approach. The trio quietly retreated from the cabin, leaving it undisturbed for the time being. As they moved away, they discussed their options and brainstormed ideas for investigating further without jeopardizing their safety.

"I think three of us ain't enough to enter the cabin," Reina thinks.

Ran nodded in agreement. "True, I mean there are only 3 first graders."

Reina pondered for a moment and then suggested, "We should bring Ranran and Shinichi over."

"Wait," Heads shift to Ran, "Why can't we just call our sensei to accompany us?"

"And then tipped the serial killer off that we know that he staged those accidents in the guise of murder!?" Takuma is in disbelief, "Not a good idea, Mouri. Just the three of us, plus Ranran and Shinichi is enough."

In all seriousness, they later agreed.

........................................................

Ranran and Shinichi sat in the living room of the lavish penthouse, gathered around a laptop connected to a video call with Michio, Junko, and Emiko. The atmosphere was tense as they discussed the latest developments in the case.

"Right, so about the Yasuo family, I spoke to Mr Muniko who had just returned from the funeral." Junko shuffled her files while announcing on the laptop, "He spoke to the family doctor who was present there, and he did find it odd that how a man in his 60s could just easily die while hiking at his usual route. Even more surprising was...the wife didn't even request for an autopsy."

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged intrigued glances upon hearing Junko's revelation. The lack of an autopsy request raised suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Mr Yasuo's death.

"Why was it odd for the doctor?" Shinichi questioned.

"You know that the two used to have a son named Yasuo Tatsuo, who died drowning in the pond near their family home when he was nine, right?" Ranran and Shinichi nodded to the spectacle girl, "Well," Junko then took out another file, "When he died...his mother demanded an autopsy, certain that someone murdered him."

Ranran's eyes widened as she listened to Junko's revelation. The connection between the death of Yasuo Tatsuo and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Mr Yasuo's demise was starting to become clearer.

"So, you're saying that Mrs Yasuo suspected foul play in her son's death and demanded an autopsy, but when her husband passed away, she didn't request one?" Ranran summarized, seeking confirmation. "Ain't that normal? Her scumbag husband did cheat on her after all, and had a son with another woman."

Junko nodded, understanding Ranran's perspective. "Yes, it's true that their relationship was strained due to Mr Yasuo's infidelity and the existence of his illegitimate child. However...shortly after Tatsuo's death...whenever one of her family members passes away, she always ordered an autopsy without fail, even though they die out of natural causes. That's right," Junko remembered, "Even when her scumbag husband's parents, the in-laws, died, that was without fail. The reason their doctor knew this, is because he knew of the people in charge of autopsy who worked for the Yasuo family."

Ranran furrowed her brow, processing the new information. The sudden change in Mrs Yasuo's behaviour regarding autopsies raised suspicions about her husband's death.

"Could it be that Mrs Yasuo knew something about her husband's death that made her refrain from requesting an autopsy?" Shinichi pondered aloud, his detective instincts kicking in.

"Exactly," Junko confirmed. "That's what we're trying to figure out. It seems like there might be more to Mr Yasuo's hiking accident than meets the eye. And with the pattern of autopsies in the family, it's worth investigating further."

"That's definitely suspicious," Shinichi remarked, his detective instincts kicking in. "It's unusual for someone to pass away unexpectedly, especially during a routine activity, without any further investigation. Did the family provide any explanation for their decision?"

Junko shook her head. "According to Mr Muniko, the wife especially seemed strangely calm and composed throughout the funeral. They simply attributed Mr Yasuo's death to a sudden heart attack. The doctor didn't push further, as it's not uncommon for families to decline autopsies due to personal beliefs or cultural reasons."

While Shinichi jotted down Junko's words, Ranran turned to Michio on the laptop, "Majima, did Miss Jun's mom did anything funny back in the city?"

Michio, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, paused for a moment before responding to Ranran's question. He adjusted his glasses and leaned closer to the laptop screen, his expression thoughtful.

"Actually, now that you mention it, there was something peculiar that happened a while back," Michio began. "Miss Jun's mother, Mrs Saeki, was involved in a rather scandalous incident in the city. It was reported in the tabloid news."

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged curious glances, eager to hear more about this new development. "What happened?" Shinichi probed, his detective instincts kicking in.

Michio continued, "Apparently, Miss Saeki was caught in a public altercation with Miss Shizuku, at a luxury cafe, there are regulars there. I spoke to the cafe manager there, then witnesses claimed that they overheard a heated argument between them, and it escalated to the point where Miss Shizuku slapped the woman in public."

"Miss Shizuku...." Ranran connected the dots, "Mr Yasuo Tsuyoshi's wife right? Also Tasuo's mom?"

Ranran gasped in surprise, while Shinichi furrowed his brow. The connection between this incident and the ongoing investigation on the island intrigued them. "So Miss Shizuku, Miss Jun's mother-in-law, slapped her mom?"

"What is the reason? Did Miss Saeki demand more money from her? Since she did after all marry off Jun to Miss Saeki's illegitimate son for money." Ranran inquired, her eyes fixed on the screen.

Michio nodded, confirming Ranran's observation. "Yes, it seems that the altercation was related to Dozing Shoemaker, the luxury shoe store Jun's family-owned. From the sounds of things, it appears that the shoe store had not been doing well for the past 12 years, despite Miss Shizuku wiring money to them. It appears she decided to put a stop to the financial support, which led to a confrontation between her and Miss Saeki."

Ranran's eyes widened as she absorbed the information. The strained relationship between Jun's family and Miss Saeki, combined with the financial troubles of Dozing Shoemaker, painted a complex picture.

"You mentioned the two are regulars there, do they...go together?" Shinichi inquired.

"No, the opposite." Michio shook his head. "It seems they, or rather Miss Shizuku purposely avoided Miss Saeki way more than the other whenever possible."

"Who wouldn't want to avoid a gold digger after 12 years." Ranran rolled her eyes.

Shinichi furrowed his brow, his mind racing to piece together the puzzle. "You said they are regulars...Michio, did the cafe manager manage to hear what the two women say while they were busy confronting the other?"

Michio nodded, recalling the details he had gathered from the cafe manager. "Yes, according to the manager, they overheard some of their conversations. Apparently, Miss Saeki was demanding more financial support for Dozing Shoemaker, while Miss Shizuku was adamant about cutting off the funding. There was mention from Miss Saeki's side saying 'Are you not afraid that I reveal that secret?! But then Miss Shizuku was like 'go ahead', I am done after 12 years."

Ranran's eyes widened, "What secret?"

"No clue," Michio admitted.

"Could it be that time when Kichiro, Jun's late fiance, fell off a cliff during the expedition 12 years ago?" Ranran suggests.

"It's possible," Shinichi replied, his voice filled with intrigue. "The timing matches up, and if there's a secret related to Kichiro's death, it could explain the animosity between Miss Saeki and Miss Shizuku. We should dig deeper into the details of that expedition and see if we can uncover any information about what really happened."

"Emiko, constructing Mr Eiji's face without the scars, are you done with it?" Ranran asked the artist of Tantei association.

Emiko, who had been silently observing the conversation, nodded in response to Ranran's question. She reached into her bag, pulling out a sketchbook.

"Yes, I've been working on it," Emiko replied. "Here is a printed face of Mr Eiji without the scars after wasting so much time, based on the reference photos Ranran sent me last week. Here it is."

Emiko opened the sketchbook to reveal a detailed drawing of a man's face without any scars. The features were well-defined, capturing the essence of Mr Eiji's appearance.

Ranran and Shinichi leaned closer to examine the sketch, studying the face intently. The absence of scars altered the man's appearance significantly, and it would be a useful tool in their investigation.

"Great job, Emiko," Shinichi commended. "This will help us gather more accurate witness testimonies and potentially identify Mr Eiji in case he's still on the island."

"Does he...not look a bit familiar to you?" Ranran can't help but say.

Shinichi studied the sketch for a moment, his brows furrowing in concentration. "Now that you mentioned it, he does."

Shinichi's statement caught Ranran's attention, and she eagerly awaited his response. Her eyes flickered between Shinichi and the sketch, her mind racing with possibilities.

"I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about this face that feels familiar," Shinichi continued, his voice filled with intrigue. "It's like I've seen someone with a similar appearance before."

Ranran's excitement grew, and she leaned closer to Shinichi, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Who do you think it could be? Someone we've encountered during our investigation?"

Shinichi pondered for a moment, his gaze fixed on the sketch as he tried to recall any potential matches. So far, nothing. "Sorry Ranran, I can't remember."

"Not your fault, I can't remember either. But his face does look familiar." Ranran thinks.

Ranran's mind raced as she tried to connect the face in the sketch to any previous encounters or individuals they had come across during their investigation. She sifted through her memories, desperately searching for any clues or associations.

Suddenly, a fragment of memory flickered in Ranran's mind—a fleeting glimpse of a face that bore some resemblance to the sketch. It was a face she had seen briefly in one of the photos Michio had sent over when he and Junko paid MIss Akane a visit.

"Neh Emiko," Ranran suddenly said, "Do you remember that time I asked you to de-aged Namba's face during the 'Illegitimate Extra' case?"

Emiko looked up from the sketchbook, her brows furrowing in concentration as she tried to recall the specific case Ranran was referring to. After a moment, realization dawned on her face.

"Oh, you mean the 'Illegitimate Extra' case," Emiko replied, her voice filled with recollection. "Yes, I remember. You asked me to de-age his face while I was in his fiance's car at that time. What about it?"

Ranran's eyes lit up, "Could you do the same with Mr Eiji's face? But do it around 12 years ago."

Emiko's eyes widened as she realized the significance of Ranran's request. She nodded eagerly, understanding the potential impact it could have on their investigation.

"Of course, I can give it a try," Emiko replied, her voice filled with determination. "If we de-age Mr Eiji's face to around 12 years ago, we might be able to uncover any potential connections or similarities to people we encountered during that time."

"How long would it take?" Shinichi questioned.

"Around Friday." 

Ranran leaned closer to the laptop. "Alright then take your time, Emiko. And one last question," The founder of the association cast her gaze at Michio, "After you finished tailing Miss Jun's mother, did you find out anything about Kichiro's family?"

"Ah, Miss Jun's late fiance's family," Michio read through his notebook, "About that, he was in fact raised by a single mom plus maternal family his whole life. Nothing was out of the ordinary so far, except...."Michio paused.

"Except what?" Ranran prompted, her curiosity piqued.

Michio cleared his throat before continuing, "Except....they seem to move a lot before ending up in the lazy city. Kichiro at that time was around nine. But even moving here, a series of misfortunes followed the family." 

 "Like what?" Shinichi encourages him to continue.

Michio took a deep breath before responding, "Well, shortly after moving to the lazy city....there were an unusual amount of security cameras added around the property he grew up in before moving out."

Ranran furrowed her brows. "That's certainly interesting. It's unusual for a residential property to have an excessive amount of security cameras. Do you have any idea why they would install so many?"

Michio shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure, Ranran. It's possible they had legitimate reasons for the increased security measures, but it struck me as odd considering they had just moved to the lazy city."

"I remembered that," Junko gave a slow nod, "When we arrived, I didn't find it odd, since it is a slum city with crime everywhere after all."

"But Junko, don't you think it's strange that when we went up to their doorstep, they were telling us to go away? Even though I mentioned that we are investigating Kichiro, who died in a cliff-falling accident 12 years ago?" Michio pointed out.

Ranran leaned back, processing the information. "They reacted that way? Especially when approached about an investigation into his death?"

"The neighbour actually told me when Kichiro died 12 years ago, although his mom was devastated, during the funeral, neither of the family members showed up," Michio added.

"But it's is a normal response," Junko argued, "They didn't want to accept that he died, since his corpse was never discovered!"

"Is it? Then why would they react that way? If Kichiro's death was indeed an accident, there shouldn't be any reason for them to be defensive or secretive." Emiko was perplexed.

"Wait, Kichiro's corpse was never discovered?" Ranran and Shinichi's simultaneous reaction indicated their surprise.

"No, also," Junko flipped her notebook, "There was a particular incident a few years ago, this was around the time Kichiro was around 17. It seems that Kichiro's mother filed an insurance claim for a significant amount of money due to a house fire. The claim was approved, and she received a substantial payout from the insurance company."

"How is this odd?" Shinichi wondered.

"Because a string of bad luck followed one after another," Junko announced her findings, "After claiming insurance, Kichiro's maternal grandfather who works as a labourer became blind due to a workplace accident, so they manage to sue the company and won some hefty payout, which was enough to put Kichiro to university. Then after that, there was a car accident involving Kichiro's younger cousin. The cousin sustained severe injuries, and the family received another substantial insurance settlement. Then there was a water piping incident that blew up, and they-"

"Enough, it's quite a coincidence that these unfortunate incidents led to significant financial gains for Kichiro's family, don't you think, Ranran?" Shinichi narrowed in suspicion while turning to Ranran who is sitting next to him, "Kinda like..."

"......kinda like a series of orchestrated events to obtain insurance payouts," Ranran finished Shinichi's sentence, her expression growing serious. "The excessive security cameras, the defensive and secretive behaviour, the unattended funeral, and now these incidents of insurance claims and financial gains—it all seems highly suspicious."

 "It definitely raises a lot of questions," Emiko chimed in. "If Kichiro's death was under suspicion that it was a murder case, why would his family react defensively? As if they are deluding themselves that it was indeed an accident."

"Do you think Miss Jun's mom knows? Cause it would make sense now if she does, why she was so eager to marry off Miss Jun to someone else that ain't Kichiro." Michio suggests.

Shinichi nodded, considering Michio's suggestion. "It's a possibility. This is a woman who manages to secure her own daughter's marriage with a rich son not long after Kichiro died. Let alone, held on to whatever 'secret' that Miss Shizuku has been trying too hard for over 12 years leading up to now."

"Do you think...Miss Jun knows then?" Emiko wonders.

"Whether she knows or not, the answer has died with her," Ranran's words brought the other children into a thoughtful silence, "Neither of you is still unable to locate the expedition records Kichiro last attended before his death?"

 Ranran's question lingered in the air, causing the team to exchange glances. The search for Kichiro's expedition records had been one of the ongoing challenges in their investigation. Despite their best efforts, they had yet to locate any concrete information about the specific expedition he participated in before his untimely demise.

Michio sighed, his expression reflecting a mix of frustration and determination. "Unfortunately, we haven't had any luck finding the exact expedition records Kichiro was involved in. It seems like a crucial piece of the puzzle, but it's proven to be elusive thus far."

Junko chimed in, her tone tinged with disappointment. "We've scoured various archives, libraries, and online databases, but there's a lack of accessible information regarding specific expeditions from that time period. It's as if they've been purposely hidden or erased."

Shinichi's brows furrowed as he contemplated their next steps. "Is there really no other way?"

The team fell into a brief moment of silence, pondering Shinichi's question. The lack of accessible information about Kichiro's expedition records posed a significant obstacle to their investigation. They had exhausted many avenues, but it seemed that there might be no easy solution.

"Whatever it is, we won't give up and will work hard looking into it."

Michio and the others soon waved their goodbyes before the laptop app finally shut down.

Without warning, the walkie-talkie on the table crackled to life, emitting a faint static sound. The team members exchanged surprised glances before reaching for the device, their attention fully captured.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" a voice echoed through the walkie-talkie, filled with urgency.

Shinichi quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie and pressed the button to respond. "Yes, we can hear you. Who is this?"

............................................

"So, you're saying that you all found a suspicious cabin on the island?" Shinichi asked, his brow furrowed with concern after Takuma and the others spill everything.

Ran nodded, her eyes focused. "Yes, Takuma, Reina, and I discovered it while investigating the cuts on Takuma's tent. It seems like someone is deliberately targeting him."

"And so, did the three of you enter the cabin?" Ranran pressed.

"No, we didn't," Reina replied, her voice firm. "We realized it would be too risky to enter without a plan or backup. We decided it would be best to regroup and come up with a strategy."

Shinichi nodded, understanding their cautious approach. "Good, so, what's the plan now?"

"We thought it would be best to involve you and Ranran," Reina explained. "Considering you both have experienced entering a criminal's place multiple times."

Shinichi and Ranran exchanged a glance, acknowledging the weight of the situation. They had faced dangerous criminals and infiltrated their hideouts before, but this new development on the island added an additional layer of complexity and mystery.

"By the way, you mentioned the bugger cut up your tent again, Takuma, was anything stolen?" Ranran inquired.

Takuma sighed, his voice filled with frustration. "The second medicine box you had Shinichi send over to me, is stolen again."

"Again!?" Ranran's voice was laced with disbelief and concern. The theft of the medicine box added another troubling element to the situation. It seemed that whoever was targeting Takuma not only wanted to intimidate him but also had a keen interest in obtaining the contents of the medicine box.

Reina's eyes narrowed as she processed the information. "Seriously, why is that serial killer keeps on stealing the medicine box Ranran gifted Takuma?! Is there something in the box worth stealing?"

For some reason, Shinichi and Ranran said nothing about this. "Did you notice anything else out of the ordinary near your tent besides that?"

Takuma paused for a moment, recalling his observations. "Aside from the footprints, nothing much. So what is the plan, Ranran?"

Ranran took a moment to gather her thoughts, considering the available information and the growing concerns surrounding the stolen medicine box. She knew that they needed to proceed with caution and formulate a plan that would maximize their chances of success while minimizing the risks involved.

"First, we need to establish a secure meeting point," Ranran began, her voice focused and determined. "Somewhere near the cabin but not too close to avoid raising suspicion. We'll meet up with Takuma, Reina, and the others there to finalize our strategy and ensure everyone's safety."

"Oh, you mean around now?" Reina asked.

"No, not now. You, Reina and Takuma had said it yourself that he recently fled since the other kids screamed upon spotting him or her. If we do it at the point that he or she is on alert, we are basically notifying the killer. So I suggest doing it tonight."

"Night!?" Ran grew horrified, since for a 6-year-old girl like her, it can only mean one thing, "Guys, did you all not watch movies that whenever one does this in the middle of the night, one gets attacked by either ghosts or killers!?"

Shinichi's facepalmed hearing Ran's words, while Ranran rolled her eyes.

"Mouri, I want to remind you, that the whole lot of us are not only stuck on an island where rescue may not come till maybe Friday or the weekend due to the bad weather, there is barely a police in existence." Shinichi reminded Ran sternly, "If we don't look into this cabin, sooner or later all of us will die."

"And I didn't pick nighttime because I wanted to," Ranran sighs, "I want to do it at a point that the killer assumed no one would break into his cabin, catch him off-guard. Especially nighttime."

"But how certain are you to think that the killer would not be in that cabin?" It suddenly dawned on Takuma. "I mean he or she is hiding out after committing all those murders, right? They might be sleeping around that time hiding out in that cabin."

"No, the killer is likely to be out around nighttime, and here is why I suspect so," Ranran insists, while she explains, "According to Shinichi, Mouri Ran kept screaming every 12 am, correct? With the claims of seeing a shadowy figure outside the tent?"

Shinichi nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's correct. Mouri Ran mentioned seeing a shadowy figure outside the tent at around midnight, and it seemed to coincide with the time the killer has been active."

"If you think about it, I suspect the reason he keeps coming over to the campsite is to check whether his victims are alive," Ranran continued, "Considering the killer is following a pattern of targeting their victims during the night, no one would suspect that we would be ransacking their cabin during the night, right?"

Reina chimed in, "So if we choose to strike during the night, we might catch the killer off-guard and have a better chance of finding evidence without putting ourselves at too much risk."

"So that is why you think so," With a sly smile on Shinichi's face, he grew determined, "It has to be tonight, as it will be the perfect time to get a good look around the cabin."

Takuma hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Considering Ranran's theory, it will make sense to do so."

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Ran doubts, "What if we get killed and no one to seek help?"

"Don't worry," Ranran reassured, "I have a plan for that."

"Eh!?" All of them reacted.

Ranran smiled mischievously, relishing in the suspense she was building. 

.................................................

As the clock struck 10 pm, Mouri Ran, Hikari Takuma, and Matsuyuki Reina stood in the designated meeting spot in the forest, hidden by the darkness of the night. The moon cast an eerie glow through the dense canopy of trees, adding to the tension in the air.

Ran glanced at her watch, her senses heightened as she awaited the arrival of Ranran and Shinichi. Every rustle of leaves and distant sound made her heart skip a beat, her mind acutely aware of the danger they were about to face. Takuma and Reina stood beside her, their expressions a mix of anticipation and concern.

A few moments later, the sound of footsteps approached, and Ranran emerged from the shadows, followed by Shinichi. Ranran's eyes gleamed with determination, and Shinichi wore a serious expression, the weight of their mission evident on his face.

"Ranran! It's been a week since we last saw you!" Reina rushed over to hug her best friend, before releasing her with a pout, "That is so unfair, do I smell an expensive shampoo you had used from the hotel!?"

Ranran chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, a girl has to treat herself, even in the midst of a dangerous investigation," she replied playfully.

"As for you, Shinichi," Takuma gave a wide side-eyed grin at the blue-eyed boy, "How was your stay in the penthouse with Ranran?"

Shinichi's face turned slightly red, caught off guard by Takuma's question. He cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Uh, well, it wasn't exactly a leisurely stay. We were focused on gathering information and preparing for tonight's mission."

"Yeah right," Ranran rolled her eyes before listing out the food Shinichi had ordered, "From the moment you moved into the penthouse, you kept ordering rare steak, maple porridge, Belgian Buttermilk Waffles With Glazed Bananas-"

Shinichi's face flushed with embarrassment as Ranran listed out his food choices. "Okay, okay, I may have indulged a little," he admitted sheepishly. "But in my defence, it helped keep up my energy for the investigation!"

Ranran grinned mischievously. "Sure, sure, great detective Kudo Shinichi. We all know you have a weakness for good food."

While Mouri Ran once more felt a pang of jealousy at Ranran and Shinichi's banter, she decided to end their interaction by saying, "Alright, enough of this nonsense. Ranran, you said not all of us will be heading to the cabin, what do you mean by that?"

"Is exactly as I said," Ranran's playful demeanour faded as she became serious once again. "Not all of us will be heading.

.................................................

While all of the adults and children are asleep, Mouri Ran and Hikari Takuma quietly snuck back into the Kodama Forest Camp activity centre in silence. "How did we end up with each other again?" Takuma can't help but ask.

"Ranran said some of us will be heading to the cabin, while the others be at the campsite. We don't want to tip the killer into thinking that some of us are awake and missing. And the decision was mutually through a coin toss." Ran quietly responds.

"But what do we have to investigate in this place anyway?" Takuma can't help but rambled while wandering through the activity centre. "We've already searched for clues here before."

Ran glanced around the dimly lit room, her eyes scanning the familiar surroundings. "Ranran said right now Mr Miki is the no.1 suspect, considering that he is the illegitimate son of a very wealthy family."

Takuma's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to process the information. "But don't you think that it is odd? Like, what would the son of a wealthy family choose to become a rock climbing instructor? I mean he is born rich."

"Yes, he is rich, but he isn't treated like their child. More like property, I too would run away if I were him. Not all the money in the world can ever convince me to stay," Ran admits in a hushed voice, the two quietly headed up to the office and then tried to turn the door handle. Nothing happened.

"Locked," Ran said crossly. The reason both Ran and Takuma decided to check the office was because this was the only room they haven't inspected yet. "I think we should consider going outside to break the window before entering the office."

"And then alert everyone who is sleeping soundly at the tents outside!?" Takuma scoffed, "No, if we can't open the door, we will do it the Ranran way."

"I am sorry, what is the 'Ranran' way?" Ran can't help but asked.

Takuma smirked mischievously, glancing at Ran. "You will see."

All of a sudden he pulled something small out of his jean pocket and slid it down the side of the door. "No way!" Ran gasped quietly, "You know how to pick a lock!?"

"Ranran taught me," Takuma chuckled softly. "You never know when these skills might come in handy." He continued manipulating the small tool inside the lock, his movements are precise and careful.

Ran watched with curiosity as the lock gradually gave way, and with a soft click, the door unlocked. "Why would someone like her who is born into a rich family learn this sort of thing, even Shinichi has no idea how to do this," she whispered, impressed by Takuma's lock-picking abilities.

"I never asked," Takuma shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes.

Ran watched with curiosity as the lock gradually gave way, and with a soft click, the door unlocked. "Impressive," she whispered, impressed by Takuma's lock-picking abilities.

There was a click; he turned the handle and it swung open.

As their eyes adjusted to the dim light, they began to search the office for any signs of evidence. Ranran had mentioned Mr Miki as a suspect, and they hoped to find something that could shed light on his possible involvement in the mysterious events on the island.

Ran examined the desk, sifting through the papers scattered on its surface. Takuma moved to the bookshelves, running his fingers along the spines of the books, searching for any hidden compartments or unusual items. They worked silently, their senses heightened, aware of the significance of their mission.

.................................................

At the abandoned cabin, however, Ranran ordered, "Reina, wait outside, Shinichi and I will sneak in. If we don't come out the next 10 minutes, cry for help out loud."

Reina nodded, her expression serious. "Be careful, both of you. I'll be on high alert."

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a determined look before turning their attention to the cabin. They approached it cautiously, taking note of the surroundings and keeping an eye out for any signs of movement or potential danger.

Ranran motioned for Shinichi to follow her lead as they moved silently towards the entrance of the cabin. They had to be careful not to make any noise that could alert the potential killer inside. With a month of experience for Shinichi, while Ranran is 3 years, they knew the importance of remaining stealthy and focused.

She slowly reached for the doorknob, her hand trembling slightly with anticipation. With a gentle turn, she pushed the door open, revealing the dark interior of the cabin.

The room was dimly lit by a small lamp, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Ranran and Shinichi stepped inside, their senses on high alert, scanning the surroundings for any clues or signs of the killer's presence.

"Shinichi, let's start with the drawers," Ranran whispered and he nods.

And so, they started with the filing cabinets but found nothing that was even remotely interesting. Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a disappointed glance as they searched through the filing cabinets, finding nothing of significance. The drawers contained mostly paperwork and administrative records related to the camp activities, with no apparent connection to the mysterious events happening on the island.

But then out of the blue, when Shinichi shone his watch-torch light onto the wall, it was covered with newspapers. "Uh.....Ranran, you might one to take a look at this!"

Ranran's curiosity was piqued, and she hurried over to where Shinichi was shining the light. As she approached, she could see that the wall was indeed covered with newspapers, forming a collage of sorts. The headlines and articles were haphazardly arranged, creating a chaotic and unsettling display.

.................................................

"Neh Takuma, found anything?" Ran's voice trailed off as she noticed Takuma staring intently at a big brown hardback book with an embossed design on the spine.

She approached him, curiosity and anticipation in her eyes.

Takuma turned to face Ran, his expression a mix of intrigue and concern. "Ran, look at this book, this is the type of scrapbook Reina's cousin, Moriko, usually has on her bookshelves."

"Why would this sort of book be in the campsite office of all places?" Ran asked, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and concern.

"Only one way to find out," As Takuma pulled it from the shelf, something within the book fell out all over the floor.

"That is careless of you, Takuma!" Ran chided before seeing what was on the floor. "Newspaper cuttings!?"

Takuma quickly bent down and gathered the fallen newspaper cuttings from the floor, his hands trembling slightly with anticipation. Ran joined him, their eyes scanning the cuttings and searching for any clues or connections.

The very first one Ran picked up was about Kagetora Kiryu, the cliff instructor who was supposed to be here last week Monday. Then, Ran read it a bit loud for Takuma to hear, "So it appears that while he was taking a shower at his own personal gym in his house, the thermostat broke. Boiling water had poured down on him, and somehow later on...the unit exploded."

Takuma's eyes widened as he listened to Ran's words. "Wait, you're saying the explosion didn't kill him? But rather, the hot boiling water boiled him to death?!" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"You can die if the water is too hot, it's like boiling fish or chicken," Ran nodded solemnly, her gaze fixed on the newspaper clipping. "It's bad enough that he was boiled to death, but why did it have to explode?"

The gruesome details of Kagetora Kiryu's death were unsettling, and the fact that it involved both boiling water and an explosion added another layer of mystery to the already perplexing case. "You know, considering if he has likely to survive from being boiled, perhaps the killer sabotaged the shower unit to make sure Kiryu dies?"

"But why would someone go to such lengths to kill him? And why on earth would Mr Miki keep any of this!?" Ran grew more confused by the minute.

.................................................

"Shinichi, look at this," Ranran whispered, pointing at one of the news clippings on the cabin wall. "Mr Kiryu, the one who supposedly died when the shower unit exploded....he was literally boiled like a stew to death before the explosion!"

Shinichi's eyes widened as he examined the newspaper clipping, his analytical mind immediately kicking into gear. "Boiled to death? That's a highly unusual method. It's not a common cause of death, especially under such circumstances. And an explosion followed after that!? It seems as though...the killer wants to ensure he completely dies."

Ranran nodded, her expression serious. "Exactly."

"Considering this is the killer's cabin," A sweat grew behind Shinichi, "Is the killer literally putting up all of these news clippings as if they were his personal trophies?! Like some sort of achievement!?"

Ranran's eyes widened as she looked around the cabin, taking in the eerie sight of the newspaper clippings plastered on the walls. The realization sent a shiver down her spine. "You might be right, Shinichi. It seems like the killer is not only taking pleasure in these gruesome deaths but also proudly displaying them as some kind of sick trophy collection."

Shinichi's voice dropped to a hushed whisper. "If that's the case, it indicates a deeply disturbed mind. This person is not just killing for the sake of it; they are revelling in the act and want their kills to be noticed. It's as if they are taunting us, daring us to figure out their twisted game."