"What do you mean?" Sam was visibly displeased at being stopped.

"I let the security guards let you in so I could tell you to your faces that you two have no right to enter the crime scene," the sheriff replied affectedly.

"Crime scene?" Feng Bujue repeated the words, then continued, "Oh...so, some kind of 'case' did happen, right..."

The sheriff quickly realized he had misspoken, but he decided to play along, replying, "Yes...so, as irrelevant individuals, you have no right to... until the police finish their investigation..."

"First..." Feng Bujue didn't even let him finish, interrupting directly, "In my opinion, this isn't a 'formal investigation' at all. If it were, you'd have arrived in a police car, wearing a uniform, with your subordinates, instead of coming in casual clothes and your own car."

As he spoke, Brother Jue gestured toward Sam. "Second, Sam isn't an 'irrelevant individual' either. I believe you already know about... the fact that 'he was on the phone with John when it happened.' So at the very least... he's an important witness."

The sheriff couldn't refute Brother Jue's words at all, but he did glean something from Feng Bujue's remarks. "You said... 'at the very least'?" He fixed Sam with a malicious, suspicious gaze. "So, besides being a witness, he has some other 'identity' in this case?"

Even in a small place like Kochi Coty Island, a person who could become the sheriff was bound to have some ability. His reaction at that moment was quite astute.

Fortunately, Feng Bujue had a ready answer. "Isn't that obvious? His other identity is John's brother. Of course, that identity might be irrelevant to this case, so I think the 'witness' identity is more important."

The answer was flawless, and the sheriff couldn't find fault with it.

"Tch...anyway, I said you can't go in, so you can't." Since official talk didn't sway these two, he resorted to being forceful. "Even if I'm not in uniform, I'm still on official business right now. If you don't leave, you're obstructing official business."

"Outrageous..." Sam said, "This is clearly an abuse of power!"

"Watch your wording, Sam," the sheriff said coldly. "It's not your place as a will-forging con man to tell me how to do my job."

"You..." Sam was about to explode.

"Hey~" But Feng Bujue stopped him. "Don't get angry. We're all adults, we need to solve problems calmly." As he spoke, he took out his phone. "By the way, could you tell me what the island's emergency number is?"

"What are you going to do?" Hearing this, the sheriff, who had been aggressive a moment ago, panicked instantly.

"Naturally, I'm calling the police," Feng Bujue replied matter-of-factly. "Didn't a 'case' happen here?"

"I am the sheriff! I'm already here!" the sheriff retorted sharply.

"So what?" Feng Bujue said, "Where's the police line? Where are the investigating officers? Is it just you? Have we gone back to the days of Westerns? The whole town relies on a sheriff in plain clothes and a revolver to maintain order?"

The sheriff was speechless because he was indeed in the wrong. He had come because of a private call from John, and he had been asked not to go through official channels before things "reached a conclusion" to avoid leaving a record.

These actions were undoubtedly serious violations, even illegal...

Helpless, the sheriff could only tell the truth. "Listen...kid, you're meddling in things you don't understand about the island... Mr. Herbert doesn't want things to be too public..."

"Is John Herbert the Attorney General?" Feng Bujue retorted rudely again. "Isn't he just a civilian? Just because he has money, he can order the sheriff around?"

Brother Jue was Chinese; playing the game of accusing and labelling was ten times better than these Europeans. "Sheriff...moral conduct is one thing, but as a police officer, if you take bribes to do things for people..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" the sheriff quickly shouted. "I just made some flexible arrangements based on the actual situation, that's...that's why I didn't bring a team..."

"Then please be a little more flexible..." Feng Bujue was waiting for these words. "...and let us in."

...

Five minutes later, inside the Herbert family mansion, in the second-floor corridor.

The sheriff led Sam and Feng Bujue to this place with a dark face.

When John Herbert saw his brother, his expression underwent some subtle changes.

In an awkward atmosphere, the sheriff went to John's ear and whispered a few words. During this process, John's gaze constantly shifted between Sam and Brother Jue.

After the sheriff finished speaking, John came before the two with a sullen face and said to Sam, "Your timing is impeccable..." He glanced at Brother Jue, "And...you even brought a detective?"

For someone involved in a "murder incident," he was unbelievably calm. Judging by the way John spoke, it was as if he were the one in control of the entire situation, not the sheriff behind him, who was being obsequious and putting on airs.

"Feng and I just met at the hotel bar," Sam said. "It's purely coincidental that he came here." His tone was equally unyielding. "As for what you said about 'impeccable timing,' I don't quite understand... I just heard some strange noises from the other end of the phone while I was talking to you, and I came to check on my brother out of concern. What's wrong with that?"

Clearly, the Sam Herbert of today was no longer the naive young rich man who was harmed without even realizing it. Over the years, he had relied on his own intelligence and hands to make his way in the world. Even if his scheming wasn't as deep as his brother's, he wouldn't be led by the nose with a few words in the face of the current situation.

"I'm fine." John stared into Sam's eyes, his gaze seeming to want to pierce through the other's pupils and observe his brain directly. "Thank you for your concern... However, I don't think you and your friend will just drop it with just these words, so..." As he said that, he turned sideways and gestured towards a door behind him. "I'll let you see for yourselves."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Before the other party finished speaking, Feng Bujue nonchalantly strode forward. When he passed John, he deliberately bumped into him with his shoulder, looking like a hooligan entering a house.

A few seconds later, Brother Jue arrived in front of the opened door and looked inside.

What came into view was a huge bedroom. Judging by the luxury of this room, the identity of its owner was obvious.

At this moment, in a corner of this bedroom, on an expensive pure wool carpet near the desk, lay a person.

Or rather...a corpse that hadn't cooled down yet.