"Professor, once again I must rely on your wisdom," Aventurine cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, tilting his head back.

"There's no need to shout. I can hear you just fine," Dr. Ratio looked at Aventurine with exasperation, shaking his head as he spoke, "The marble machine model is undoubtedly placed somewhere in the hall, just like the arch. Wait here, I'll be back shortly."

With those words, Dr. Ratio let out a deep sigh, slowly turning to walk outside. As he walked, he muttered under his breath, "At last, a moment of peace and quiet..."

After wandering around outside for a while, Dr. Ratio easily found a hollow spherical object in another corridor, which looked somewhat like a launcher model from the outside.

This must be it... At the thought of having to listen to Aventurine's chatter again upon his return, Dr. Ratio couldn't help but sigh. The pleasant moments of solitude were always fleeting.

Upon returning, he stared at the sandbox before him, inwardly lamenting:

"This contraption isn't half bad. If only it didn't contain that noisy little man inside!"

"Ratio~ I heard that~" Suddenly, a clear and resounding voice rang out from within the sandbox: "I just had an interesting idea. Tell me, what would happen if I put a sugar ball into Sprite?"

"You're welcome to try, but when the Bloodhound family interrogates you, remember not to give me up."

[Sushang: So what would actually happen?]

[Dr. Ratio: Ah... Simply put, the combination would produce a large amount of foam that would erupt from the bottle, creating an effect similar to a volcanic eruption.]

[Sushang: Oh... that sounds quite fun!]

[Welt: It's a bit like the effect of dropping a candy called Mentos into a bottle of cola in my hometown.]

Dr. Ratio's face showed a hint of helpless resignation. In the end, he silently inserted the marble machine into the sandbox.

With the rumbling sound of the marble machine starting up, Aventurine dove into it. There was a crisp "pop", and the high-speed rotating marble machine instantly propelled Aventurine violently outward, shooting him straight towards the towering rooftop.

Aventurine landed steadily on the roof, his gaze sweeping across the entire city spread out before him. The sight before his eyes left him in awe. Then, he lifted his head, his gaze fixed on Dr. Ratio, who stood like a giant before him, and said with great emotion, "Ratio, you really should come in and see this. It's magnificent. I bet you could kill me with just a gentle squeeze."

"I'd execute that immediately if the person in question consented," Dr. Ratio responded in a calm tone.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

[Stella: He's even asking for consent, I'm crying!]

[Sushang: If Mr. Aventurine agreed, would he really do it?]

[Dr. Ratio: I would fulfill some simple requests from a fool.]

When the two puzzle pieces were completely joined together, a miracle occurred — the key to the gate appeared before their eyes. Aventurine grasped the key and mused:

"Our delightful journey through Toy Town has come to an end. I'm a bit reluctant to leave. Pinocchio wasn't all bad, was it? I'll use this interesting experience as a conversation piece at the card table."

Aventurine spoke to himself, his face beaming with satisfaction.

Then, with a spring in his step, he entered the marble machine to go downstairs, once again passing through the enormous Gulliver's Arch.

[March 7th: Gulliver's Arch... what an interesting thing! It would be great if someone could actually make it.]

[Herta: Unfortunately, no one has managed to create such a thing yet.]

[March 7th: Don't tell me even the great Madam Herta can't do it?]

[Herta: Hmph... Of course I have my methods. Just you wait.]

[March 7th: Yay!]

After coming to a stop, Dr. Ratio spoke:

"It's regrettable to see you leave the sandbox alive. Sunday is just beyond this door. In my humble opinion, he's not an easy person to deal with. Are you prepared?"

Aventurine nodded slightly in response, "Yes, I believe it's he who should be preparing himself."

"Tell me about your plan," Dr. Ratio inquired.

"There's no plan. I'll improvise. When negotiating with people, there are only two types of bargaining chips: benefits or fear."

Shaking his head in resignation, Dr. Ratio said, "It seems you truly don't understand sincerity."

"Am I not sincere enough?" Aventurine retorted, then added with a smile, "No need to emphasize that. We need to make good use of death. That man's sister is dead, he certainly won't sit idle. That's fear."

"And I will help him find the killer. Due to his identity and position, he can't do this himself, but I can. That's the benefit."

[Topaz: A very reasonable deduction.]

[Sushang: I'm starting to lose track, the plot is so complex!]

[Dr. Ratio: In this story, everyone has their own agenda.]

Dr. Ratio fixed him with a sharp gaze, bluntly questioning, "What makes you think he can't do it himself, that he must entrust it to someone from an opposing company?"

Faced with Dr. Ratio's somewhat challenging words, Aventurine appeared confident and composed, a self-assured smile playing on his lips as he responded, "The reason is actually quite obvious. All indications suggest that the killer is most likely a traitor hidden within the family itself."

"You previously accused that sea ranger," Dr. Ratio pointed out.

"That was just an excuse, Professor. That woman is suspicious, I need someone to keep her in check. The fewer variables outside our field of vision when we act, the better."

[Stella: Oh my god! I'm really getting dizzy here. So you've all been deceiving me!]

[March 7th: Poor Stella, would you like some snacks to help you relax?]

[Stella: March... you guys are the best.]

In the projection, Aventurine continued to explain:

"I also need to know who she is. If my good fortune is genuine, she could certainly become an important piece on the board. And in this matter, the more friends who can help me, the better."

"But to be honest, the murder case is likely unrelated to her. I still hold to my original view; the problem must be within the family. Otherwise, why would our Mr. Sunday arrange a private meeting? This isn't an interrogation, but a secret negotiation."

He stared intently ahead, his eyes gleaming with determination, as if declaring to the world:

"Just watch. Using Robin's death as leverage, I will win back my freedom and power. In the end, I will overturn this beautiful dream and create the grandest death!"

"If stepping through this door could bring the opportunity for triumph, even if the probability approaches zero, I have no reason to hesitate, do I?"

Dr. Ratio asked impassively, "What makes you think you can win, you damned gambler?"

Aventurine remained unfazed, the corner of his mouth curling up into a confident smile as he softly replied, "Three 'chips' are enough. All or nothing."