Science: The Little Shota of the Maori Family

On the deck, the host of "Weekend Treasure" was filming the opening remarks.

"Hello everyone, this is Weekend Treasure! It's finally time to hunt for treasure. I'm your host, Akiko Hanyu. This time, we're on Koikoto Island, a remote island said to contain over 4 million yen worth of gold."

As far as the eye can see, a small island is in the distance.

"Next, I would like to introduce our guests. First, our regular guests, actress Ms. Satsuki Kagawa, Mr. Yohei Sudo, and our all-round entertainer Ms. Yoko Okino."

"In addition, we have invited two social elites to participate in our program. They are Mr. Kyoichi Toda, an excellent student at the National Dental University, and Mr. Kogoro Mori, a private investigator. We look forward to their performance on the program."

As the camera turned to Kogoro Mouri, he posed very conceitedly and made a bold statement to the camera.

"I am Maori Kogoro, and I want the treasure worth 4 million yen."

115. Strange Room Number

In addition to the guests and hosts, the program was also recorded with director Kyoko Onizawa, assistant director Jun Matsumoto, screenwriter Tappei Koike, and cameraman Yoichi Yamada.

Including the two idle people, Toru Watanabe and Xiaolan, there are twelve people in total.

The abandoned western-style building on the island was simply transformed into the accommodation for the program crew. As soon as everyone sat down, Kyoko Onizawa clapped her hands to attract everyone's attention.

"Everyone, please look this way."

She lifted the tablecloth in front of her, revealing the neatly arranged gold bars underneath.

"Oh—"

Amidst the exclamations, Kagawa Satsuki asked, "Ms. Onizawa, are these gold nuggets real?"

"Of course it's just a prop," Kyoko Onizawa said, "but the real gold nugget is hidden somewhere on this island. It's worth over 4 million yen and weighs approximately 966 kilograms."

Maori Kogoro "Rokushisan" was shocked: "Who brought so many gold nuggets to the island?"

"Of course it's the owner of this house." The one who answered Kogoro Mouri was Kyoichi Toda. He wore glasses, had a gentle appearance, and was about 27 or 8 years old.

"He was once a renowned physicist, but perhaps because he was too intelligent, he became somewhat erratic in his later years, pouring all his personal wealth into the foolish art of alchemy. He never left the island until his death. However, there are also rumors that he is not dead at all, but simply disappeared... in this very house where we are staying."

Kogoro Mori had a dazed look on his face.

Xiaolan couldn't help but move closer to Watanabe Toru.

Didn't we agree to come here to hunt for treasure? What's this weird rumor about?

Kyoko Onizawa cleared her throat and said, "Alright, now that everyone knows the secret of the treasure sleeping on Koikoto Island, let's assign the rooms. Matsumoto, draw lots as usual."

"Yes."

Matsumoto Jun found a piece of blank paper, tore it into a dozen small pieces, wrote the room number on it, then folded it up, threw it into a small cardboard box and shook it twice.

"Then let's start with the youngest."

Toru Watanabe and Xiaolan share a room, and Xiaolan is the youngest, so she is the first to draw the lot.

"22."

Xiaolan opened the selected ticket.

It was my turn next. Yoko Okino stepped forward.

"I'm 26."

"And then there's me..."

After everyone had chosen their rooms, Kyoko Onizawa announced, "We'll start preparing dinner at six o'clock. We'll need to take photos at that time, so everyone must gather. Before that, everyone can go back to their rooms and rest."

"it is good."

"Everyone, throw your drawn lots here." Matsumoto Jun shook the cardboard box in his hand. "I need to make a colorful ball, and these pieces of paper are perfect for it."

……

Everyone's rooms are on the second floor.

Seeing that the door was made of heavy metal blocks, Xiaolan couldn't help but touch it and said, "Is this door made of silver?"

"How is that possible?" Maori Kogoro rolled his eyes. "Silver is just a common color of metals, such as aluminum and tin. However, this door looks quite heavy, it must be made of a single piece of metal."

"Huh? It's not Yin." Xiaolan was a little disappointed. She pushed the door gently with her hand and it opened.

The three of them entered the house together.

The room was simply furnished with a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. Apart from that, there was nothing else. The windows were blocked with iron grilles, giving people a depressing feeling as if they were in a prison.

"The conditions are really simple." said Kogoro Mouri.

Xiaolan didn't really care: "I think it's okay. After all, we are on a deserted island. It's much better than camping in a tent, right, Xiaoche?"

Watanabe Toru nodded in agreement.

Maori Kogoro yawned and said, "I feel dizzy after riding the boat. I need to rest for a while. If you need anything, please come to my room."

"Good~"

At six o'clock in the evening, everyone gathered in the restaurant downstairs to film the dinner scene.

"Wow, this is such a delicious homemade curry! I can't wait to try it."

"Being able to eat curry rice made by Ms. Yoko herself, I must be the happiest man in the world."

“Delicious, touching… the taste of love in my mouth.”

……

Xiaolan was stunned by the exaggerated acting of the guests.

"That's just some instant curry I just heated up for you."

Watanabe Toru chuckled twice.

It's a variety show, as long as the audience is entertained, it doesn't matter what the truth is...

Just now he saw Kyoichi Toda secretly slipping an envelope to assistant director Matsumoto Jun. He wondered what kind of deal the two of them had made in secret.

The filming lasted until eight o'clock. Everyone took turns taking a shower and then went back to their rooms to rest.

"Hey, Xiao Toru, do you think there really are gold nuggets here?" Xiaolan locked the door, climbed onto the bed, and asked Watanabe Toru.

Watanabe Toru shook his head: "I don't know, it's just a rumor after all."

"If we really find the gold nugget, it will definitely cause a sensation across the country." Xiaolan imagined the scene: "Then, Dad will really become a famous detective known to everyone."

How is this different from daydreaming?

Watanabe Toru changed the subject: "Sister Xiaolan, don't you think the room numbers are a bit strange? There's no pattern at all. Our room number is 22, Miss Yoko's is 26, and Uncle's is 13. It's like they were just randomly chosen."

"Oh, right." Xiaolan was also a little surprised: "Could it be that these numbers have special meaning to the owner of the villa?"

"Is that right?"

Toru Watanabe felt that this explanation was a bit forced.

"Okay, don't think about it." Xiaolan yawned a little: "It's getting late, let's go to bed. We have to get up early tomorrow."

"Okay." Toru Watanabe snuggled into Xiaolan's arms, smelling the refreshing fragrance of her body after bathing.

"Good night, Sister Xiaolan."

"Good night, 2.9 Xiao Che."

……

August's blue sky is vast, and the morning sun is just right. Opening the windows, you can see the dazzling green of various vegetation, including creepers and evergreens, and the fresh air blowing in, making you feel refreshed.

After washing up, Watanabe Toru and the other two went to the restaurant downstairs, only to find it in a mess.

"Huh? What happened?" Xiaolan asked over.

Hanyu Akiko's face looked a little grim: "Matsumoto is missing. If he's not here, I don't know where I put my things. It's hard to even make breakfast."

"Oh...that's the case. Then I'll help too." Xiaolan stepped forward to help find things.

"Do you think that guy found the gold nuggets in the middle of the night and ran away with them?" Kagawa Satsuki folded her arms, leaning against the sofa, and expressed her speculation.

116. Trapped on an Island, the Mysterious Alchemist

Sitting on the sofa, Toda Kyoichi pushed up his black-framed glasses and disagreed with Kagawa Satsuki's opinion: "That should be impossible, Ms. Kagawa. After all, the gold nugget weighs about one ton."

"If we do 32 times to move 30 kilograms each time, we can finish the task," said Satsuki Kagawa unconvinced.

"If it's a small ingot, it's possible, but if it's a whole piece, it's impossible for one person to move it out."

Kagawa Satsuki was speechless.

"Oh no!" At this moment, screenwriter Koike Takuhei and actor Sudo Taira rushed in from outside and shouted to everyone in the room, "Something big has happened, come out and see."

"What, what happened?" Kyoko Onizawa was shocked: "Didn't you go out to look for Matsumoto?"

"The yachts were burned down."

"What!!".

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

At the dock where the yacht was docked, everyone looked at the burning yacht in shock and anger.

"Who did this?" Kyoko Onizawa looked angry.

Xiaochi Chaping said in a deep voice: "When we came to look for Matsumoto, we found that it was burned like this. Even the boat was gone."

"That assistant must have escaped with the gold nuggets." Kagawa Satsuki 17 gritted his teeth. "Send the radio to the police and have him arrested."

"No." Kyoko Onizawa shook her head: "Radio equipment is only available on yachts."

"What? Then wouldn't we..."

Kyoko Onizawa sighed: "Yes, we are trapped on this isolated island."

……

Before the filming even started, the director's assistant disappeared and the yacht burned. Everyone was in a state of panic and the villa was completely silent.

"Ms. Onizawa," Maori Kogoro suddenly said, breaking the silence. "The camera placed in the stairwell is used to record the living quarters on the second floor and the people coming and going, right?"

"Yes." Kyoko Onizawa nodded.

"Then if Mr. Matsumoto really ran away with the gold in the middle of the night, he would have been photographed."

Kyoko Onizawa's expression suddenly froze, and then...

"Yamada, pull up the video footage from last night."

The tone was urgent and excited.

"it is good."

……

The computer was playing a video recording from after 11 o'clock last night.

The first to appear was the missing Jun Matsumoto, who came upstairs at 11:20.

Half an hour later, Satsuki Kagawa appeared on the screen.

Seeing everyone looking at her, Kagawa Satsuki explained, "I was just thirsty. I drank some water and then went back to my room."

Sure enough, in less than three minutes, Kagawa Satsuki appeared in the camera again.

"Yamada, come in quickly." Kyoko Onizawa ordered, "Stop when you see something in the picture."

"Yes." Yamada Yoichi nodded slightly.

Time on the screen passed quickly like quicksand. Watanabe Toru stared at the screen. At 2:33, his pupils suddenly shrank and he shouted, "Stop."

Yamada Yoichi quickly pressed the pause button and zoomed in on the image.

"This, this is..."

Astonishment, confusion, fear, all kinds of expressions appeared on everyone's faces.

The mysterious figure appeared in the picture, wrapped in a cloak, dragging a gleaming giant sword. The sword seemed very heavy, and the mysterious figure struggled to lift it. After stumbling and swinging it a few times, he slowly turned around, and a face wearing a metal mask appeared in the camera.

The room was dead silent. What he saw was too shocking to be real.

After a while, Toda Kyoichi swallowed his saliva and said in horror: "Alchemist, that legend, could it be true..."