i am just a student? in Conan world

Fujino pushed open the stone slab with force, revealing a winding staircase. Descending the staircase, he found himself at the entrance of a dimly lit tunnel.

Puddles of water were scattered throughout the tunnel, and droplets from the stone walls fell into them, creating a constant dripping sound.

Fujino surveyed his surroundings and noticed a half-open iron door. A faint light was emanating from inside.

Suddenly, a wailing sound echoed from within.

Fujino's heart tightened.

Peeking through the crack of the door, he saw a room resembling a prison cell.

A man with long hair and a beard was locked in a cage.

At that moment, he was tearing at a tattered bedsheet, wailing in pain at a gray-haired woman in a black dress standing outside the cage, "Mother! Let me turn myself in!"

"No way, Akio!"

Tears sparkled in Mrs. Yamada's eyes. "Just wait until the statute of limitations is over, and we can start a new life!"

"I can't live like this anymore, dreaming of my father's face every night!"

As he spoke, Akio banged his head against the iron bars, screaming, "Let me die!"

"Akio!"

Outside the cage, the helpless Mrs. Yamada used her hands to protect his head. Her already rough hands were left with more scars from each impact.

After a while, Akio finally calmed down.

At that moment, Mrs. Yamada knelt down, gently stroking his long hair to comfort him, "What's done is done. No matter how painful it is, the dead cannot come back to life. Just wait a bit longer. When the statute of limitations is over, everything will be better!"

So, they are the true culprits of the haunted house murder case?

In the hallway, Fujino watched the scene in the room, his mind clear.

Fujino was somewhat familiar with the concept of the statute of limitations. In any country, there is a period after which criminal cases can no longer be prosecuted.

Once this period passes, the culprits no longer need to bear responsibility, and the judicial authorities lose the right to prosecute.

But for someone like Akio Yamada, who still has a conscience, what difference does the statute of limitations make?

The irreversible trauma will forever haunt his mind, with nightly dreams filled with the face of the person he killed.

"The dead cannot come back to life, but the guilt will always linger in the culprit's heart."

Setting aside his thoughts, Fujino leaned against the wall and remarked, "Who's there?!"

Hearing the noise, Mrs. Yamada quickly wiped away her tears, picked up a fruit knife from the floor, and turned to face him.

[Notice: Detective mode has been activated. Countdown 0-0-59.]

Hearing the system prompt, Fujino gripped the card in his hand tightly and took a deep breath.

It seems like time is of the essence.

He then took a deep breath and stepped into the room, "My name is Fujino, and I am a detective."

"A detective?!"

Mrs. Yamada scrutinized the young man before her, feeling a growing sense of panic. "Why is a detective here?!"

"Naturally, I'm here to investigate the murder case from five years ago."

Fujino replied, focusing his gaze on Mrs. Yamada, "Five years ago, there was a murder in this house. The victim's wife and child have since moved away, and the culprit has yet to be caught... However, strangely, ever since that mother and son moved out, eerie rumors have been circulating about this house."

He paused, then chuckled, "But now, the truth behind those rumors seems clear."

"If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Yamada mother and son from the case five years ago, right?"

"The case from five years ago was not a break-in murder but a premeditated murder disguised as a robbery! And the killer is one of you two!"

"Shut up!"

Mrs. Yamada glanced at Akio Yamada, then pointed the fruit knife at Fujino, gritting her teeth, "The killer is me! He's just being held here by me!"

"Really?"

Fujino rubbed his chin, "A wife kills her husband and imprisons her son who witnessed everything. It does make for a plausible explanation."

After a moment, he looked up and locked eyes with Mrs. Yamada, "But there's another possibility. You might be trying to take all the blame to exonerate your son, the real murderer!"

"Five years ago, Akio Yamada killed his own father. In his panic, you helped him stage the crime scene to cover up his crime!"

"Normally, no one would suspect the truth... But you didn't expect that his guilty conscience would drive him to want to turn himself in!"

"And to prevent him from ruining his future, you imprisoned him in this basement cage, planning to hide until the statute of limitations expired, then return to a normal life!"

"I heard your conversation just now. The real culprit of the case five years ago is actually your son, isn't it?!"

"Shut up!"

Mrs. Yamada's expression twisted. Realizing she could no longer hide the truth, she gripped the fruit knife tighter, her scarred hands trembling.

She had planned to take all the blame herself, but this detective shattered her last hope.

A fierce glint appeared in her eyes as she lunged at Fujino with the knife, "Die!"

"Mother, no!"

Akio Yamada gripped the iron bars, shouting at Mrs. Yamada.

But the deranged Mrs. Yamada paid no heed.

Her only thought now was to kill the detective before her to silence him.

"Still unrepentant?!"

Fujino crushed the ability enhancement card in his hand.

[Ability enhancement activated: Perception and Strength increased by 100%; Countdown 0-0-59.]

Suddenly, the world around him seemed to slow down.

With the dual enhancement of strength and perception, Fujino could see Mrs. Yamada's movements clearly, even capturing the notches on the knife she held.

"Wake up!"

Fujino kicked Mrs. Yamada's hand holding the knife.

The silver blade flew high into the air, then clattered to the ground with a clear ring.

"Give up."

Fujino retracted his leg, staring coldly at Mrs. Yamada.

"I won't let you send Akio to prison!"

Mrs. Yamada struggled to her feet, her face twisted with rage. Despite her dislocated wrist, she lunged at Fujino once more.

"Honestly, I didn't want to go all out..."

Fujino frowned, watching the approaching Mrs. Yamada with a troubled expression.

His previous strike had already shown mercy, not sending her to the hospital.

But if she continued to be obstinate, he wouldn't hold back.