One might have expected all suspicions to immediately fall on Ethan, following the logic of detective fiction enthusiasts: The culprit is always the first to return to the crime scene.

But luckily for Ethan, the current prime suspect was actually Royce Nguyen, a student from class 11D—same as Ethan—simply because he had arrived at the scene right after him.

In the eyes of those who thrived on sensational rumors, Royce had far too many plausible motives to be the culprit. Before Felix Hoang set foot in this school, the undisputed most charming male student had been none other than Royce.

Last year, with his towering 1.88-meter height and broad shoulders, Royce had been the ideal model of masculinity. He was admired by the male students and the dream crush of many girls, who fantasized about being pursued by him.

Yet this year, within just a month of transferring, Royce had been dethroned. Felix Hoang, with his delicate, scholarly beauty and an air of fragility, had made Royce’s impressively muscular physique—well above the average for boys his age—suddenly seem crude, almost gorilla-like.

No one had ever witnessed any direct hostility between the two. There was no evidence of any hidden rivalry for the admiration of the student body. But the fan clubs supporting each side had done an excellent job of ruining any potential peaceful relationship between them—spreading slander and bad-mouthing one another through live streams on TikTok at the slightest provocation.

Unfortunately for Royce, his fan club was not only larger but also far more vocal in these online feuds than Felix Hoang’s supporters. As a result, Royce had unintentionally gained a reputation as a senior who bullied underclassmen.

“Did you see Royce Nguyen doing anything suspicious when he arrived at the crime scene, Ethan Duong?”

During the Monday morning assembly, right in the schoolyard, Andrew Vo from class 11B—better known as Andrew The Detective—was “interrogating” Ethan within the 11D student area. Lowering his voice dramatically, he tried to sound as serious as a seasoned investigator.

“I already told everything necessary when the police took my statement. And just call me Ethan—no need to say my full name like that.”

Ethan recalled how the local police had questioned him gently under the watchful eye of his landlady. Since he was only 17, the law required that all questioning take place at home with a legal guardian present, ensuring a comfortable and professional atmosphere.

His landlady, acting under the authorization of Ethan’s parents, had played her guardian role flawlessly—so much so that she had shooed the officers away before they had even finished an hour of questioning.

“Royce Nguyen called the police instead of an ambulance, didn’t he? Only the murderer would know for certain whether the victim was already dead! That makes him the most suspicious!”

Andrew The Detective pushed up his glasses, mimicking a famous manga detective, before dramatically delivering his conclusion.

“You’re way too obsessed with Detective Conan!” Ethan sighed. “I think anyone who saw the crime scene would have known the victim wasn’t going to make it.”

His face paled, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The image of Felix Hoang’s hollowed-out chest, lying in a pool of blood, flooded his mind again.

“Hmph, I think you’re covering for Royce Nguyen, Ethan. Are you his accomplice?”

Andrew The Detective leaned in, his face uncomfortably close. A wave of nausea churned in Ethan’s stomach—his breakfast seemed to be protesting, demanding an immediate escape through his throat.

“If you want to know more, why don’t you just ask me directly?”

A sharp voice suddenly cut through their conversation.

“Why are you questioning Ethan? That guy was throwing up all over the place at the scene and then passed out cold. He doesn’t remember a damn thing!”

Without anyone noticing, Royce had appeared behind them. He leaned in, staring straight into Andrew The Detective’s face with an icy, deathly gaze.

Never before had Royce looked this terrifying!