Chapter 13: Fundamental Deductive Method

It is often said that knowing oneself and knowing the enemy ensures a hundred battles without defeat. At this moment, since Zhang Chu intended to participate in the Sherlock Holmes fan fiction contest, his first priority was to understand the level of his competitors.

Strictly speaking, he was not really a fan of detective fiction; he had barely read any books of this genre. It was a niche interest—nine out of ten people had never read such stories, and the tenth had only heard of them.

Detective fiction might be niche, but Sherlock Holmes as a character was as mainstream as could be—an IP unto itself, a veritable gold mine. Even if people couldn't name the specific cases Holmes had solved, they knew he was a master detective, a man of extraordinary intelligence.

The lavishly funded production of "The Great Detective Sherlock Holmes" sought to capitalize on this legendary name and spark a worldwide frenzy of suspense and deduction. Such a unique publicity campaign caused quite a stir online. After all, Arthur Conan Doyle had been dead for many years, yet Holmes remained vibrantly alive in films, television, and literature, radiating a different kind of vitality.

After the college entrance exam, Zhang Chu would need money both for travel and university. As someone with the mental age of a man over thirty, he found it embarrassing to ask his parents for money. Forget the hundreds of thousands of yuan in prize money—even the per-thousand-character payment from "Times Mystery" magazine would be enough if his work was published.

After searching online for information about the Holmes fan fiction contest, Zhang Chu entered the official website, where there was a dedicated voting channel. Only works that had passed the initial selection of "Times Mystery" magazine were eligible for voting, making it a valuable reference.

"The Will of Sherlock Holmes"? This story is actually ranked first.

He muttered to himself, clicking on the article, curious to see just how good it was.

The story was set in London, 1898. The protagonist, Sherlock Holmes, was desperately trying to clear his name from criminal suspicion. All evidence pointed to Holmes as the chief suspect in a case of theft and fraud. With no way to prove his innocence, Holmes quickly lost the support of the London authorities, and even his trusted companion, Dr. Watson, began to waver.

Though the story was not very long, it was filled with exceedingly difficult and complex elements. Each mystery was a test of insight and wit, involving the collection of evidence, integration of crucial information, and countless clever hints!

No wonder it was ranked first—it was truly captivating. Such a ranking could not be achieved simply by manipulating votes; it was a testament to genuine skill. The tens of thousands of words were packed with twists and turns, making for a thrilling read.

Among the top ten were many other outstanding works, such as "Sherlock Holmes: The Curse of Baskerville," "Crime and Punishment," "Awakening," and so on. Most of these stories featured gripping plots. Standing out among so many excellent works would not be easy, and Zhang Chu put aside his initial underestimation.

Before writing, Zhang Chu decided to consider his father's perspective as well. "After reading the best submissions, it would be helpful to look at those rejected by the magazine. That way, I can better gauge where the bar is set."

...

Descending from his room on the second floor to the bookstore below, Zhang Chu found his father, Zhang Bowen, fully absorbed at the counter, typing away at the keyboard, inspiration flowing like a spring.

"Dad, what kind of story are you writing? I just read some of the top-voted entries—they're really impressive."

Zhang Bowen shot him a wary look. "You're not just fishing for ideas to plagiarize from my work because you can't come up with your own, are you?"

Zhang Chu couldn't help but roll his eyes and retorted bluntly, "Who would bother copying someone who's been rejected countless times? I was just checking in on you, worried you'd get turned down again."

When the two of them argued, there was no sense of familial restraint; wounds were laid bare without preamble.

"You don’t even understand Sherlock Holmes. When you were little, I told you his stories every day, and you never warmed to them. Don’t stick your nose in."

Seeing Zhang Chu’s persistence, Zhang Bowen suddenly had a thought. "You’re not short on cash for a trip or something, are you? I’m broke too—the thousand-plus yuan I lost yesterday hasn’t even been made up yet."

"What kind of father tells his kid gruesome murder stories in the middle of the night? No wonder Mom scolded you. I was only five or six back then, and you had the heart to scare me like that!"

Zhang Bowen defended himself, "You were seven, actually—a real man shouldn’t be afraid of such things."

"Just let me see what you’re working on. I bet I can write something better, get published in 'Times Mystery,' and show you how it’s done."

Zhang Chu shamelessly pressed on, knowing his father’s temperament well—praise would get him anywhere.

"Fine, the title is 'The Method of Deduction.'" Zhang Bowen slid his chair aside, making room for Zhang Chu to pull up a seat.

"'The Method of Deduction,' huh? That’s good. Isn’t that the technique Holmes used to solve cases?" Even though Zhang Chu wasn’t a detective fiction buff, he had picked up the concept from his father over the years.

The so-called method of deduction was to analyze and infer based on existing clues, making educated guesses, and reasoning backwards to uncover more leads, until all evidence formed a coherent logic.

"Have you noticed," Zhang Bowen continued, "that most of the fan stories are set in late nineteenth-century London, just like the originals? My 'Method of Deduction' is about a modern-day Holmes. He and Watson can solve cases in London, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Tokyo—wherever."

Hearing this, Zhang Chu couldn’t help but admire his father. The image instantly reminded him of an American TV series he had watched: "Elementary."

That show relocated the story to modern-day New York, telling of the former Scotland Yard consultant Sherlock Holmes, who, due to his addiction, entered rehab in New York and became a consultant for the local police, partnering with a caretaker named Joan Watson to crack difficult cases.

Zhang Bowen’s fan story had much in common with that series—an original and distinctive idea. Zhang Chu ventured a suggestion, "Dad, since you’ve modernized the setting, why not make John Watson a woman? After all, this is fan fiction."

On his previous world, the biggest talking point about "Elementary" was that Watson was a woman, but while watching it, Zhang Chu never felt it was out of place. On the contrary, the dynamic between the two characters had great tension. As an independent woman, Watson wasn’t a gentle vine, but a resilient kapok tree that could weather any storm.

"That’s a unique idea, but isn’t it a bit too bold, even ahead of its time?"

Zhang Bowen propped his chin as he pondered, finding his son’s suggestion intriguing, though he wondered if others would accept it.

Sensing his father’s hesitation, Zhang Chu pressed on, "There are so many entries worldwide for the Holmes contest. Without some innovation, how can you stand out? Dad, your biggest problem is playing it too safe—this isn’t the time to be conservative!"

In his previous life, a female Watson had headlined an entire series, widely accepted by audiences; otherwise, it wouldn’t have lasted so many seasons.

"I’ll give it a try, then. Hopefully this time it works out."

In his heart, Zhang Chu gave himself a mental thumbs-up. He also wanted to help his father realize a small dream. Becoming a full-time writer might be out of reach, but publishing a piece now and then was certainly possible!