Tyrone pushed his glasses up, the lenses flashing with white light. He looked at each of the four suspects in turn, beginning his deduction.
"The one who is lying is the arsonist. Since we can't find any flaws in their timelines, let's start with the cause and location of the scars. Different causes of burns result in different shapes, textures, and even locations of the resulting scars."
The cause of the burn?
No, it's probably more than that.
Byrne pulled down his sleeve, thought for a moment, and then looked at Baron Blackmist to ask another question.
"Baron, I want to ask: is the scar mentioned in the clue caused specifically by fire?"
The Baron shook his head. "Regrettably, I cannot reveal any more."
Hearing this answer, Byrne asked again, "Then, was the scar on the arsonist's right arm sustained at the scene of the fire, or after it?"
The Baron replied instantly, "After it."
Hearing this, Georgia let out a breath like a deflated balloon and complained, "What gives? After all that, the scar wasn't even caused by the fire?"
Georgia's complaint acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the suppressed hostility of many in the room.
Alex roared, "What the hell is going on? First it's the age, now it's a scar, and all you're doing is playing word games!"
Although Larry and Tyrone didn't speak, their expressions showed that being toyed with twice in a row had left them fuming as well. Unfortunately, faced with the mysterious and powerful Baron Blackmist, there was no outlet for their resentment.
Baron Blackmist sat at the head of the table, his red-glowing eyes watching the agitated crowd with interest. He showed no intention of soothing them; instead, he seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, as if admiring a well-choreographed absurdist play.
Just as the atmosphere reached a freezing point, Byrne spoke up.
"Everyone, I know you're all frustrated. After several rounds of questioning, I've discovered a potential point of information."
As soon as Byrne finished, the banquet hall fell silent. The surging hostility was pressed down as if by an invisible hand, and every eye focused on him. Even the Baron turned his red-glowing gaze toward Byrne.
Larry spoke first, his tone carrying a sense of urgency. "Byrne, what did you find? Tell us."
Byrne gave a light cough and said, "Think back. I asked the Baron three questions. The first was whether the age referred to three years ago or now; he replied instantly that it was three years ago. The second was whether the scar was a fire burn; he refused to answer. But when I asked the third time if the scar was from the scene or after, he replied instantly that it was after. Don't you find that strange?"
Larry pondered this. "Are you saying the question the Baron deliberately didn't answer is the key?"
Byrne shook his head. "No. I mean that whether it's age or the scar, beyond these three explicit clues, the Baron has indirectly given me a hidden clue through the way he answers my questions."
A hidden clue?
Byrne's statement left the others looking confused; clearly, no one else had reached that conclusion. Seeing this, Byrne sighed helplessly and explained further.
"Think carefully. The Baron's responses to my questions aren't random; there's a clear screening process. Whenever I ask a question that points to a specific physical detail, he refuses to answer. But when I ask a question related to time, he answers. In other words, time is the hidden clue. Only the real arsonist had the time to commit the crime."
After saying this, Byrne turned to the Baron. "Am I right, Baron?"
The black mist swirling around the Baron suddenly froze, and the dark purple crystal atop his cane flashed with a ghostly light. However, the Baron did not respond verbally; he only watched Byrne in silence. He neither affirmed nor denied.
Though he didn't speak, any observant person could see that the Baron had already provided the answer.
Byrne turned back to the group. "The news reports said the fire started between 7:00 and 7:30 PM that evening. Let's wait a moment for the Baron to give the third explicit clue. When we combine that with the factor of time, we should be able to find the real arsonist."
Before Larry or Tyrone could respond, the outspoken Georgia muttered, "Talk is cheap. I'm just afraid that when the time comes, all four of you will claim you had no time to commit the crime, and we won't be able to prove anything."
Larry said, "Georgia, now isn't the time for bitter words. Byrne is right. Even if the arsonist lied, a lie is still a lie. In my opinion, we should spend this time going over the period when the fire broke out once more. The more detail, the better. Even small things like drinking water or taking a phone call should be made clear. I believe that lies cannot withstand scrutiny; the more one says, the larger the potential loopholes become."
Over the next five minutes, the four suspects who had not yet been cleared—including Byrne—detailed what they were doing during that half-hour window. Shortly after they finished, the silent Baron tapped his cane on the ground.
"I shall now inform you of the final clue: The arsonist did not sneak in, but entered using a forged false identity."
With the appearance of the final clue, the three cleared survivors immediately looked at Byrne, Alex, Lei, and Juan.
Upon receiving the last clue, Larry asked in confusion, "Under thirty years old three years ago, a scar on the right arm, and entered the theater with a fake identity between 7:00 and 7:30—those are the three explicit clues. But why wouldn't the arsonist just sneak in, which is more convenient? Why go through the trouble of creating a fake identity?"
Suddenly, Larry thought of something and looked at Alex. "Alex, you're a real estate agent in the Old District and you're well-informed. Before the Red Maple Theater caught fire three years ago, was it in a preparation stage for renovation? I have a faint memory of it, but I'm not sure."
Alex was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "That's right. Before the fire, the theater was undergoing repairs in the main hall to prepare for a large-scale performance."
Georgia had an epiphany. "Oh, I see! No wonder the arsonist had to disguise their identity. That way, with that identity as cover, moving around the theater wouldn't arouse suspicion."
Tyrone followed up, "However, let's not forget that besides these three explicit clues, there is also the hidden clue of time. We're just not sure yet what that clue specifically refers to."
Juan guessed, "Could it be related to why the arsonist forged a fake identity? Perhaps because of time constraints, they had to use a fake identity to commit the crime?"
Just as she finished speaking, Byrne—who had been silent for a long while—seemed to have hit upon a possibility. He immediately turned to Baron Blackmist and asked once more:
"Baron, did the fire at the Red Maple Theater three years ago actually start between 7:00 and 7:30 PM?"
The Baron replied instantly, "No."