1194 YUNYUE VS FENGHUANG (XXIX)
THE old man's faint smile remained, but he said nothing, letting the silence stretch between them. His sharp eyes stayed locked on Luo Yan, as if studying him, peeling back layers to see what lay beneath. His fingers tapped lightly on his cane. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm and even, with just a hint of amusent. "You seem remarkably sure of yourself," he said at last, his tone laced with a calm amusent that gave nothing away. "Confidence, though admirable, can be a double-edged sword. Let us hope yours is as well-founded as you believe." He didn't confirm or deny anything, leaving his words hanging like a challenge, daring Luo Yan to prove himself right.
Luo Yan let out a soft chuckle. He knew this guy wouldn't make it easy for him. But if he did, then he wouldn't be Sherlock Hols. Then, Luo Yan just had to amp up his ga.
"A man who plays the violin so well must surely appreciate the value of precision," he began, his tone casual but deliberate. "After all, it's not the notes you play but how you play them that reveals your character. So, if I were mistaken about who you are, you'd correct —because leaving a false impression would be an affront to your principles, wouldn't it? But you haven't corrected ." He paused, raising an eyebrow, his lips curling into a knowing smile. "Silence, after all, can be just as telling as words. Don't you agree, Mr. Hols?"
The old man's brows lifted ever so slightly, the briefest flicker of surprise breaking through his composed expression. For a mont, he regarded Luo Yan in silence, as if reassessing him entirely. Then, he let out a low, soft chuckle, the sound rich and smooth, entirely different from the gruff, aged tone he'd been using. Straightening slightly, he adjusted his posture with the ease of soone slipping out of an ill-fitting disguise. When he spoke again, his voice carried the unmistakable confidence of a man who knew he was always the sharpest mind in the room. "Well done," he said simply, his sharp gaze now laced with a glint of approval. "It's rare to find soone who observes not just what is said, but what is unsaid. You are correct—I am Sherlock Hols." The old man, no. Sherlock Hols tilted his head, studying Luo Yan with renewed curiosity. "Now, shall we dispense with pretenses and get to the heart of the matter? You've gone through considerable effort to uncover —surely it wasn't for a re introduction."
Luo Yan decided to drop the timid girl act entirely. At least in front of this guy. There was no point in pretending anyway—not with Sherlock Hols. The man had already seen through his earlier act, and trying to fool him again would only waste ti. Instead, he straightened his posture, eting Hols' gaze with confidence.
"Let's skip the formalities. You've already seen through once, so I'll just say it outright. My adoptive mother was attacked in her cabin last night. This morning, soone else on the train was found dead. I think it's the sa attacker." He looked at Hols directly. "This isn't about or her—it's about the bigger picture. Two incidents in a single night on this train? I'm sure you've already noticed the patterns I haven't. If solving this doesn't interest you, fine. But if it does, I'm here to help. I've already done what I can with the pieces I have—now I'm handing it to you."
"Hmm… quite right. I, too, find it unlikely that the attack last night and Mrs. Bowman's death are re coincidences," Hols said, his tone thoughtful. Then, his sharp gaze fixed on Luo Yan. "But what intrigues more is how soone of your apparent age ca to such a conclusion—and even managed to enlist the assistance of a train attendant to orchestrate this little encounter. Tell , young lady, are you truly a child?"
Luo Yan didn't know if he should feel flattered that the Sherlock Hols was much more curious of him than the very interesting case they had at hand or be worried that he might not be able to help their team because his attention was sowhere else? Well, he couldn't really bla Mr. Hols. After all, he was just that interesting. And to think he was not even in his Noctis avatar. The other would probably be srized with him if he also knew how beautiful he was.
He let out a helpless sigh. The only way to move forward was to give Sherlock Hols an answer that would satisfy his curiosity. The problem was, anything he said might only make Hols even more interested in him. He did have one outlandish answer in mind, but if he used it, Hols might fixate on him even more. Still, maybe if he started with the wild answer and followed it up with a more logical one, it would redirect Hols' attention back to the case where it should belong.
Luo Yan let out a dramatic sigh, clasping his hands together as if preparing for a grand revelation. Then, in the most overly theatrical tone he could muster, he said, "Ah, as expected of the great Mr. Hols! You've uncovered my secret with astonishing speed. The truth is… I'm actually an adult, but I suffer from a rare and mysterious condition that keeps from aging." He widened his eyes and added a wistful shake of his head for effect. "A tragic curse, wouldn't you agree?" It was so exaggerated that anyone paying attention, let alone Sherlock Hols, would imdiately recognize it as a blatant lie.
Hols raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk appearing on his face. "A rare condition? How creative," he said plainly. "You didn't truly expect to believe that, did you?"
Luo Yan leaned back slightly in his seat, folding his arms and fixing Hols with a look that was almost serious. "The truth is, I'm a genius," he said, pausing for effect before adding with a faint smirk, "So things just co naturally to people like ."
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