The Corpse in the Wall

"Thank you."

Reiko Momoi lay on the hospital bed, a bandage applied to her forehead. Overall, it was just a minor injury. However, due to her violent struggles, her limbs had suffered minor muscle strain, requiring a few days of hospitalization.

"It was nothing."

Hozer said as he peeled an apple, not looking up.

"Did you already know that man was hiding in the shop?"

Even though she was injured, Reiko Momoi's investigative mind didn't stop. Looking at her, she had clearly entered her journalistic interview mode.

"I didn't know."

"That man was hiding in the shop, and Mr. Kaga hasn't been seen for days; he's highly likely missing. He might be the culprit. If you know anything, you must speak up."

Hozer finished peeling the apple, thought for a moment, cut it in half, and handed one piece to Reiko Momoi.

He remembered when Kaoru Ichijo had been hospitalized with injuries, he had intentionally peeled fruit and not given him any, resulting in Ichijo holding a grudge for a long time. Minori Godai had also told him that doing so was a bit childish.

So, having been gently reminded of this on and off, he had gradually corrected this bad habit.

Now, after being separated for several years with no one around to remind him, his old habits were resurfacing. But thinking of these things, Hozer's mood darkened slightly.

Reiko Momoi took the apple, noticing Hozer's sudden drop in mood. Not understanding why, she immediately made a connection.

Could it be that this man also had friends or relatives who had gone missing, which was why mentioning a missing person case made him feel down?

Hozer composed himself and looked up, only to find Reiko Momoi staring at him with a sympathetic gaze. He didn't understand why either, but he didn't pay it any mind.

"I'm just an ordinary person. How could I know about these things? Ms. Reiko, you're injured, so you should get some rest."

With that, without waiting for her to speak, Hozer stood up, drew the curtain, and sat in the adjacent chair to doze off.

For Shinji Kido's sake, Hozer decided to stay and watch over Reiko Momoi for the night, planning to leave the next day.

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, Reiko Momoi called Daisuke Okubo to inform him that she had been attacked and hospitalized.

Daisuke Okubo was greatly shocked upon hearing this and immediately sent the only remaining man in the office, Shinji Kido, rushing over.

"Ms. Reiko!"

"Keep it down, this is a hospital."

"Sorry."

Shinji Kido hurriedly pushed the door open, immediately bowing in apology. When he looked up and caught sight of Hozer sitting on the other side of the hospital bed, he let out another startled cry.

"Hozer!"

"I told you to keep it down!"

"Right, sorry."

Reiko Momoi clutched her forehead in frustration, then immediately realized something and looked at Hozer beside her.

"You know Shinji?"

"Yeah, we've met a few times."

"Kido, I'll leave this place to you. I'm heading out."

Hozer waved, bid the two of them goodbye, and left.

Once Hozer was gone, Reiko Momoi immediately pulled Shinji Kido close.

"Shinji, I know you're clumsy and I usually don't want to ask you to do anything, but right now I have no other choice."

"Shinji, Hozer definitely knows something. Follow him quickly and see what he's up to."

Shinji Kido looked miserable upon hearing this, but he could only nod in agreement.

Outside the hospital, just as Hozer got onto his motorcycle, Shinji Kido came rushing up from behind.

"Hozer, wait up!"

"What is it?"

"Hozer, that man who attacked Ms. Reiko last night?"

"Just as you think, he is Kamen Rider Scissors. He wanted to kill Ms. Reiko last night."

"What?! That... Hozer, are you going to find him now? Do you want to defeat him?"

Hozer thought Shinji Kido had figured it out, but in truth, Kido hadn't really thought that man was a Kamen Rider. He was just asking because of Reiko Momoi's request, combined with his own nature.

Of course, Hozer felt there was no harm in telling Shinji Kido, so he just chuckled, finding him too naive.

Although like Yusuke Godai, he fought with the purpose of protecting others, by comparison, Shinji Kido seemed a bit too stubborn.

Even if the opponent was human, allowing a Contract Beast to eat people at will made him nothing more than a monster in human skin in Hozer's eyes.

Having experienced the previous world, a saying of Souji Tendo's suited his taste perfectly.

Only those with a human heart can be considered human.

Anxious, Shinji Kido quickly stepped in front of Hozer's bike and said urgently, "Hozer, we can hand him over to the police!"

Hozer took off his helmet and said in a stern tone, "Kido, even if we hand him over to the police, so what? Do you think the police can catch a Kamen Rider?"

"Furthermore, he lets his Contract Beast eat people, and those people all die in the Mirror World. How can you prove those people were killed by him? Just with the charge of attacking Ms. Reiko, whether he'll even be sentenced to prison is a question. When you say these things, have you thought about the people who died because of him?"

The rapid-fire questions left Shinji Kido stunned in place. Hozer snorted coldly, put his helmet back on, revved the engine, and rode off.

Hozer didn't return to his boarding house, heading instead to the antique shop.

Because of FrostWolf, he had intentionally lured Volcancer away while hiding here himself. There was definitely something in this shop that interested him.

The owner of this antique shop was a balding old man with graying hair, who clearly didn't match the physical characteristics of the man who had attacked Reiko Momoi last night.

Therefore, Hozer deduced that Tomoyuki Kaga had likely been eaten by Volcancer early on. So why did he still want to hide here?

Hozer had come here precisely to find the reason.

Inside the antique shop, two police officers were conducting a preliminary investigation of the scene, locking up and leaving shortly after.

Since it was just a case of someone being attacked and injured, they didn't seal off the antique shop, only putting up a standard tape to bar unauthorized entry and attempting to contact Tomoyuki Kaga.

Hozer quietly climbed through the window, activating his X-ray vision to scan the surroundings, and quickly found a clue.

A white light flashed in Hozer's eyes as he walked over to the shattered glass display case, bending down to look.

"So that's why. No wonder he kept lingering here."

The white light in his eyes faded. Hozer reached out and thrust his hand into the wall, pulling out a large chunk of cement.

With just a few movements, a man's stiff left hand, covered in cement dust, was exposed.

With a shake of his right hand, the dust on the wall fell away. Hozer quietly left, pulling out his mobile phone once he was outside the shop.

"Hello, I'd like to report a crime."

The piercing sound of sirens echoed before long. A police car pulled up in front of the antique shop, and four officers got out, quickly entering the shop.

Shortly after, an officer with a serious expression came out, making a call on his phone, seemingly reporting to his superior.

In the hospital, Reiko Momoi sat on her bed, flipping through her notebook and occasionally writing something down.

At this moment, the ward door was pushed open, and two men wearing police jackets walked in.

"Who are you?"

The two officers from the police department introduced themselves to Reiko Momoi and immediately began taking her statement.

Only then did Reiko Momoi learn that Tomoyuki Kaga's corpse had been hidden inside the wall of the antique shop, and the man who had attacked her last night was highly likely the killer.

Because of this, despite her usual courage, she couldn't help but feel terrified. If Hozer hadn't arrived in time, she might have become a corpse herself.

However, after the two officers left and her fear subsided, Reiko Momoi couldn't help but grow even more curious about Hozer.

Did he already know the killer was hiding in the shop? Was he actually an undercover cop, or a private detective who had gone to the antique shop that night precisely to catch the killer?

Only, because he saved her, he had missed the perfect opportunity to apprehend the culprit.

It had to be said that Reiko Momoi was indeed a reporter; her rich imagination instantly bestowed several identities upon Hozer, using them to analyze his unusual behavior.