Net King Whale Fall

Chapter 687 Pretending
Maki Hase's face turned pale. Three years had passed, and she thought she would forget, but when she heard about this bastard child, a feeling of humiliation still rose in her chest. If it weren't for it, she wouldn't have agreed to those things.

Sanada Rin said, "Shall we talk about what happened when you went to the cram school together?"

Maki Hase remained unconvinced and argued, "I was just young and ignorant at the time, and I accidentally did something wrong."

"Is this really something that warrants you police officers coming all the way here to interrogate me? What law says abortion is illegal?"

"I just graduated. Why would I give up such a promising future to go home and have a baby? That's ridiculous."

Sanada Rin raised her eyes. "Your decision is none of my business."

It's not hers, so what does it matter to her whether she has the baby or not? It's just an embryo.

But this person really won't shed a tear until they see the coffin.

"Your body is your own decision," and whatever you do, you must bear the consequences.

"But your bright future was built on the blood and bones of another person."

"I haven't told you the cause of Ezaki Hako's death yet, even though you've been here for so long."

Sanada Rin didn't give her time to think. She slapped a photo of Ezaki Hako in front of her. It was actually a photo that had been carefully cleaned by a forensic doctor. Her hair had been shaved off, and the bloodstains on her face had been wiped clean. It was frozen in the morgue and was clearly the face of the deceased.

Maki Hase screamed, startled by the empty 'eyes' in the photo, and took several steps back. They were truly empty, with no eyeballs, only a brownish-black hollow.

After making sure she could see everything, Sanada Rei slowly put away her phone. "Do you still think you did everything right?"

“Ezaki Yuko was kidnapped and disappeared three years ago. She was kept in a dark and sunless place by the murderer. Not a single bone in her body was intact. For three years, she repeated the pain of pregnancy and childbirth. After she was no longer of any value, she was brutally murdered. That's what you just saw.”

"You weren't completely unaware of what happened back then, were you?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Ezaki Hako, Ms. Hase?"

During their school years, their eye and hair colors were all similar. After starting work, Maki Hase dyed her hair a blonde color and got a perm with big waves.

Do you think the murderer and those behind him will let someone like you, who knows the truth, go unpunished?

Sanada Rin looked at her face, which was covered in cold sweat. "I don't mind telling you that Ezaki Hako is not the first victim. Of course, you have your own guesses."

"Let me tell you, the killer has a very regular pattern to his killings. It's a three-year cycle, and every three years he'll find a woman he's brutally murdered." And not just one.

"Three years have passed now, and Ezaki Hako's body is in the morgue. Tell me, who do you think will be thrown out in three years?"

"Could it be you, Ms. Hase Maki?"

What do people look like when they are truly afraid? It must be like Maki Hase right now; she's about to break down.

Officer Matsuda thought, "It's just one step away, and Maki Hase is about to give up."

Ms. Alice's questioning method was somewhat irregular, but sometimes it can be handled specially, with flexibility and proactive adaptation.

Officer Matsuda occasionally tilted his head to look at the cactus on the windowsill. It was well-maintained; he would buy one when he got back.

An undeniable fear welled up in Maki Hase's eyes, as if her very soul was trembling. She felt as if she had returned to that night, unable to move.

Sanada Rin wasn't that close; he could hear the clicking of her teeth.

After a long pause, Sanada Rin took a step back. "Since you're unwilling, then let's go find other witnesses. Let's go."

Ah-Da and Officer Matsuda stood up at the same time, followed by Genichiro Sanada.

The moment the door was opened, Maki Hase's stiff mind was finally awakened.

"No, you can't leave, you can't leave."

Maki Hase realized what was happening and tried to grab Rei Sanada's arm, but Rei dodged her. "Ms. Hase, are you remembering what happened back then?"

The fact that Maki Hase was able to make that decision back then and is still alive and well proves that she is definitely not a kind person.

Maki Hase vigorously wiped her face. "Can you guarantee my safety?"

Sanada Rin remained calm and composed, waiting for her to finish speaking.

"If you can guarantee my safety, I will tell you everything that happened three years ago."

An hour later, Maki Hase appeared in the police station's interrogation room.

Important information from that time should be kept in the right place.

Maki Hase looked around at her surroundings and couldn't help but smile bitterly. After hiding for so many years, she still ended up sitting here.

"Just ask whatever you want to know."

Officer Matsuda stared intently at Maki Hase, his face expressionless and his eyes serious. "Were you involved in the disappearance of Hagumi Ezaki three years ago?"

Maki Hase denied it, saying, "No, it's true that we went out to play back then. At first, I didn't know what would happen next."

Officer Matsuda: "I didn't know at first, but I found out later."

"You were gone for a week. When did you find out, and what did you find out?"

"Is Ezaki Hagumi's disappearance directly related to you?"

Even though Maki Hase had made up her mind to speak out, she still found it difficult when she was about to say it.

It was so difficult to completely cast aside her despicable and shameful thoughts—the truth she had been hiding for three years.

Officer Matsuda didn't urge her, patiently waiting for Hase Maki. Now that she was seated here, she shouldn't be thinking of leaving unscathed.

Maki Hase remained silent for a long time before suddenly turning her head toward the entire glass wall. She knew that the girl who had threatened her without batting an eye was right behind her.

Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've still seen pigs run, right? Anyone who's watched TV knows what's coming next. "You guessed it, didn't you? You guessed what I did back then."

Behind the glass, with her arms crossed, Sanada Rei quietly observed Hase Maki. Once inside, she seemed a bit smarter.

"Didn't you want to have a chat? What are you doing hiding outside? Come in, I have something to tell you."

Officer Matsuda also glanced outside to signal.

Now that we've come this far, do you think Sanada Rei will retire?
That's absolutely impossible.

Just before entering the room, Shinichi Kudo whispered a reminder, "You absolutely mustn't let what she said upset you."

Sanada Rin flicked Kudo Shinichi's forehead without any hesitation. What kind of look was that?

At this stage, Sanada Rei thought about it and realized that there was no one who could provoke her.

Sanada Rin sat down next to Officer Matsuda. "Go ahead and speak."

Don't waste her time causing trouble. Her time is precious. If she gets rid of you, there's always another one waiting for her.

Maki Hase stared intently into Rei Sanada's eyes, which were dark and unfathomable, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if her confession were of no importance.

Maki Hase thought, "I really hate this kind of person. They're so pretentious, like a fake person."

She and Ezaki Hako, whom she once despised, both came from dysfunctional families. Why was she so stubborn, insisting on rebelling and leaving?

It only made her, who always compromised, seem like an incompetent coward, so despicable.