not only is 34 an important number in the when they cry series, this book takes place in 2017, meaning that the murders took place in 1983 WHICH IS THE YEAR HIGURASHI TAKES PLACE. also icymi ‘when cicadas cry’ is just a literal translation of higurashi no naku koro ni
higurashi does have some sus bits (some gross jokes but nothing beyond that) but this isn’t one of them
higurashi spoilers
the name of the main villain can also be read as 34, which is also true of a major character in umineko