Chapter 9
"Is there anything you need help with?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind me; it was Captain Decker. He saw the treadmill and shrugged, "We've been so busy lately that we haven't even had time for our routine maintenance."
Indeed, he had both the time and the motive to commit the crime, Professor Ma stated
"Indeed," I said, "the classic theory of crime: who stands to benefit? In my view, the one who stands to gain the most is Mr. Gerwan. With Ford's death, he will take over the entire department, along with immense honor and wealth; he will inherit everything that Ford could have obtained."
Although Magini mentioned the need to investigate the incident involving the scientific vessel, the maintenance team on board still requires some time to complete their work. Therefore, we have no choice but to set it aside for the moment. Magini and his assistant are discussing the case while organizing their thoughts. I hurried to call Professor Ma, unsure if he was awake yet. Upon reaching the bedroom, I discovered that Professor Ma was already up; the bed was made very neatly, as if it had not been slept in at all. I noticed a pair of leather shoes placed under the bed, which immediately led me to think that Professor Ma might have gone out for exercise again. Clearly, this elderly gentleman is very enthusiastic about fitness. Indeed, at the gym, I found Professor Ma dressed in sportswear, standing in front of a treadmill, lost in thought.
You need to be mentally prepared, as they may ask you like this later
However, I argued, he can restore the oxygen system first, and then restore the warning system
May I ask you a question? I hesitated and finally inquired
I nodded slightly and slowly walked towards the door. As the door closed behind me, I could still faintly hear the voice of Magini.
"Follow me," said Captain Decree, taking out a card from his pocket and walking towards a small room. "This is the VIP gym, which has a treadmill inside." As he spoke, he inserted the ID card and opened the room. Indeed, there was a set of small fitness equipment inside, with no one present, making it appear very tidy and spotless.
"In this way..." Professor Ma said
I think so too," Professor Ma nodded and said, "However, he revealed a flaw, which he had not anticipated
Let me explain, if I may. He looked at Magini, and Magini nodded.
I? Professor Ma was taken aback for a moment, "I don't have any opinions for now; I was sleeping all morning."
I agree with your inference; I have no issues with that. Professor Ma said, "What would you like to do next? It seems there are only three suspects left."
Treadmill? Miss Kelly does not understand.
No, that's not necessary. I quickly waved my hand, saying, "I didn't come here for that... Actually, regarding the Ford case, I think... I think... they, Professor Ma and Detective Magini, will ask you a few questions..." I spoke somewhat hesitantly, as if I had made some mistake.
"How can the dead benefit?" I looked at Professor Ma in astonishment, even doubting whether I had heard him correctly
"There are still some people alive..." Professor Ma said meaningfully
I mean... private relationship? My heart is pounding
Indeed, I can understand very well. Professor Ma nodded, expressing sympathy
"Thank you very much," Professor Ma said as he turned on the treadmill, nodding in satisfaction. "It seems that this treadmill has been used by someone."
Hearing Magini say this, I almost jumped up, wanting to protest against such an assumption, as if he were speaking of a criminal
"Should I go call her?" asked Duran, Magini's assistant
Professor Ma pondered for a moment, tapping his head with his finger, and said, "Majini has narrowed down the scope, focusing on a few individuals. The question is, who would ultimately benefit from Ford's death"
You are welcome to use it; we hope you can feel as comfortable here as you do in your own home
"What is the matter, Professor Ma?" I asked, standing behind him.
I don't know, assuming it is her speaking...
Magini's words sank my heart to the bottom again, and I suddenly recalled the argument in the corridor. Clearly, Miss Kelly and Mr. Ford had a very close personal relationship
Is this the only treadmill? I curiously looked around, and indeed, there was just this one treadmill in the gym
"It is also possible that there are personal motives, after all, she is a woman..." Magini said dismissively
Am I being too forward here? Professor Ma continued to ask, Will it affect others?
Around 2:00 PM, further results emerged. Firstly, the issue regarding the oxygen system has been clarified; maintenance personnel finally discovered a set of tampered circuit breakers in the electronic compartment located beneath the cockpit, with clear signs of having been reset. Relevant records were also found within the vast data pool of the spacecraft's data recorder, proving that the oxygen circulation system, alarm system, and door lock system of the Ford laboratory were deliberately cut off at 10:30 PM on April 7, and were restored around 2:00 AM, indicating that someone had tampered with those circuit breakers. It is evident that Professor Ma's speculation is correct; a series of incidents were not coincidental but rather acts of sabotage, targeting Mr. Ford. I, along with Magini, inspected the electronic compartment, which has an entrance near the cockpit door, beneath the corridor floor next to the restroom. Clearly, anyone could access it from there. The narrow electronic compartment is very cramped, and that individual would need to exert some effort to crawl through the pipes to locate those circuit breakers. I, along with Magini, inspected the electronic compartment, which has an entrance near the cockpit door, beneath the corridor floor next to the restroom. Clearly, anyone could access it from there. The narrow electronic compartment is very cramped, and that individual would need to exert some effort to crawl through the pipes to locate those circuit breakers
This is quite strange, " said De Keli casually, " there are treadmills in all our rooms, yet very few people use the treadmills here. If there is nothing else, I will step out; I still need to check on the results of their inspection regarding the malfunction.
Majini nodded, "Professor Ma is indeed impressive"
"You seem busy," Professor Ma said. Di Ke nodded, walked to the door, and suddenly turned back, asking, "Professor Ma, what do you think?"
Do you have any thoughts on this? I asked
I laughed and said, "Professor Ma will surely envy you; he loves the treadmill the most, but we don't have one in our room"
"Exactly so," Magini nodded. "Co-pilot, Miss Kelly. I have a certain interest in her. It just so happened that during her shift, the spacecraft experienced some malfunctions, which was quite intriguing. Moreover, she also possessed a Level 5 ID card, which allowed her to understand the spacecraft's circuitry and the distribution of short circuits. Miss Kelly was one of them."
I have a question, Professor Ma stood at the door and curiously asked, "For such an advanced scientific vessel, why is there only one type of ID card? In my opinion, there should be many unrelated ID cards, such as one for the laboratory to manage the laboratory, and another for the living area to manage the living area. Having only one card is quite inconvenient; anyone could open my door, right?"
I really enjoy running, it's such a pity, Professor Ma said with some regret, "I don't understand why they dislike treadmills so much"
"I do not understand," Miss Kelly replied
A new witness has been discovered; Magini asks you to go and listen.
Just as Magini was about to explain, Professor Ma, who had been sitting quietly on the sofa, interjected.
Magini nodded, "This further confirms that this is a criminal act"
"Let me go then." I suddenly stood up, realizing that I had lost my composure, and hurriedly covered it up by saying, "I know where Miss Kelly is."
"The cautious criminal, whose behavior is easily predictable," Professor Ma said, looking at Majini, "is that why you are seeking witnesses"
"There is another possibility," Professor Ma suddenly said. "I noticed that this case involves some events from ten years ago, particularly concerning the renowned scientist Grant, who holds a doctor's degree. I still have some impression of him. Ford's death benefited another person, which is Grant, the one with the doctor's degree."
I am beginning to understand. "Are you saying that in order to prevent anyone from helping Ford escape, the sign was deliberately removed, and after Ford's death, it was quietly put back in its original place?"
"What is happening?" Professor Ma inquired
Majini noticed the confusion on my face and asked, "Is there a problem?"
Returning to the lounge, without taking the time to change clothes, Magini, drenched in sweat, gathered all personnel and summarized his views.
Miss Kelly smiled and gathered her long hair with her hand. "Every room here has it, except for the guest room. If you need, you can ask Miss Chris to change rooms."
There is no doubt that Magini is moving in the right direction; he is a very capable person
Professor Ma smiled gently at me, as if he understood my thoughts, and said, "Alright, go find Miss Kelly, no, please invite her here."
When Magini mentioned Miss Kelly, my heart suddenly began to pound inexplicably, perhaps out of nervousness, even I couldn't figure it out myself
I was taken aback and quickly said, "The treadmill." In Miss Kelly's room, there was a treadmill.
A small oversight, said Magini, he may not have anticipated that at four o'clock in the evening, there would still be people going to Ford's laboratory; otherwise, we might still be puzzled about why Ford suffocated to death. The criminal intended to create an illusion that the laboratory's oxygen system had always been functioning normally, but the meticulous Professor Ma discovered the anomaly.
I have no personal relationship with Ford," Kelly replied straightforwardly, "Why do you ask that?"
I couldn't help but ask: "There is a detective, Magini. I find it strange why the criminal doesn't first restore the oxygen short-circuit device before entering the laboratory; wouldn't that be better?"
Captain Keli displayed a troubled expression. "In fact, it was originally designed according to standard specifications, with several sets of ID cards. However, the scientific vessel is quite old, and the entire intelligent management system often malfunctions. Therefore, last year, Miss Chris ordered a complete replacement of the intelligent management system, and we are currently using a backup system, which has led to this situation"
Miss Kelly's eyes were fixed on me, her black pupils as calm as the depths of a lake
Do you have any other questions?" Magini turned to Professor Ma and asked
Finally, it has arrived. Miss Kelly's demeanor was calm as she looked at the clock and the books. I understand, then let us go. She said decisively, casually placing a piece of paper she was writing into the desk.
Miss Kelly's room is very clean, with simple furnishings, and the air is filled with a faint scent of jasmine. Miss Kelly sits at the desk, with her back to me, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, writing something, creating a warm and wonderfully imaginative scene. The only element that does not match this setting is a large photograph hanging above the bed, taller than a person, depicting a panoramic view of Earth taken from space. The azure Earth fills the entire view, shrouded in a light white veil, with large irregular patches of green land faintly visible below, appearing elegant and mysterious. This is clearly a depiction of Earth before the Flood, and at this moment, it evokes a sense of nameless sorrow.
"I will be right there," Professor Ma said, wiping the sweat from his brow. Dressed in sports attire, he returned to the lounge with me. In the lounge, there was a person in uniform, looking somewhat anxious, while Magini was inquiring about something. Upon seeing us, Magini immediately stood up and signaled for the person to leave. Once he had exited the lounge, Magini spoke up: "Professor Ma, that person can confirm that Mr. Ford was not in the laboratory around twelve o'clock on the night of April 7."
In fact, I do not know where Miss Kelly is. In the corridor, I touched my forehead and calmed down a bit. In any case, I cannot believe that the petite and charming Miss Kelly could be a cruel criminal; the two are absolutely incompatible. However, judging from Magini's attitude towards her, I truly do not know what might happen.
Is there a need for further investigation into Gerwan, as he appears to be the prime suspect
"What about the motivation?" Professor Ma asked with interest
The two individuals smiled in unison, yet I remained in the dark. Professor Ma explained, "The reason that person believes Ford is not in the laboratory is that he did not see the sign hanging outside the laboratory indicating Ford's presence."
Professor Ma seemed to have anticipated this, nodding slightly and smiling as he said, "Detective Magini, you must have noticed."
In fact, Ford has been in the laboratory while the crime is taking place said Professor Ma
"Exactly so," Magini said, "but that does not mean Ford is not in the laboratory; someone took the sign to make it seem as though Ford is not in the laboratory."
I pushed open the door
You are too kind," Professor Ma said, "but I admit that this will confuse us a bit more at times
Is this Professor Ma? The door to the gym opened, and Captain Duran, Assistant to Magini, poked his head in
After inquiring with the staff, I found Miss Kelly's room in the living area. I gently knocked on the door, and a woman's voice came from inside: "Please come in, the door is open"
"Do you really think so?" I asked, "Is the answer that clear?"
Professor Ma and Magini both laughed, which made me feel somewhat embarrassed, as if I were a very ignorant fool
What are you looking at, sir
What will happen
How is your relationship with Ford?
What? I exclaimed.
Miss Kelly turned around, saw me, and stood up. Perhaps noticing that I seemed a bit distracted, she frowned slightly
Professor Ma turned his head, spread his hands, and said helplessly: "The treadmill is broken; I noticed it on the first day. It's really strange, why haven't they repaired it?"
The sequence of events unfolded as follows: Around 10:30 to 11:00 PM on April 7, the perpetrator descended into the electronic chamber and disconnected the circuit breaker. At that moment, the oxygen supply system in the Ford laboratory ceased to function, the alarm was disabled, and the door was locked. Subsequently, he stealthily entered the laboratory and removed the Ford sign, creating the illusion that Ford was not inside. Around 2:00 AM on April 8, the perpetrator estimated that Ford was already dead and returned to the laboratory, re-hanging the sign on the door. He lingered in the laboratory for a while, searching for something. Around 5:00 AM, the perpetrator descended into the electronic chamber once more, reset the circuit breaker, and the oxygen supply and alarm systems resumed normal operation, as if no malfunction had occurred. Thus, the entire criminal process was completed.
Captain Cleary nodded slightly, seemingly hesitant to speak, ultimately saying nothing and gently closing the door. Professor Ma set the treadmill and began to jog, looking invigorated. I stood to the side and started recounting the inquiries made in the morning, as well as the information collected by Major Magini. Professor Ma occasionally nodded, indicating that he was listening attentively. About ten minutes later, the treadmill came to a stop, and Professor Ma took a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, saying, "It seems that Major Magini is very close to the answer." I stood to the side and began recounting the inquiries made in the morning, as well as the information collected by Major Magini. Professor Ma occasionally nodded, indicating that he was listening attentively. About ten minutes later, the treadmill came to a stop, and Professor Ma took a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, saying, "It seems that Major Magini is very close to the answer."
It is because of the early warning system. If he restores the circuit breaker of the early warning system and detects a lack of oxygen in the laboratory, the alarm will wake everyone up. Therefore, he prefers to wait until the oxygen levels in the laboratory return to normal before restoring it
Miss Kelly is a human from Earth, which is also worth questioning. Of course, Professor Ma, I hold you in no disrespect, nor do I harbor any prejudice against humans from Earth
This means that he has to descend into the electronic chamber twice, and any clever criminal would not increase their chances of being discovered, Magini said