Several minutes later, Nicole, now completely free from the influence of the previous illusions, demonstrated the level of competence one would expect from an elite investigator.
Just by walking around the room.
While briefing Ronald on the cult magicians, she made her way to the living room on the first floor.
Then, the young investigator squatted down:
"Ronald, let tell you."
"No matter if they’re good or bad, since matters related to the mystical side aren’t ant to be seen by ordinary people, besides masters who are proficient in Illusion Techniques, people tend to hide their secrets in places like basents or attics."
"Just like this..."
As she spoke, Nicole pushed the table aside, lifted the red carpet in the living room, and revealed an entrance to a cellar in the style of a trapdoor, right before their eyes.
Without pause, Nicole then wrote two runes with one hand at the entrance of the cellar.
Whoosh—
A faint disturbance occurred under her hand, as if a thin mbrane had been torn apart.
What followed was the stench of fresh blood and the putrid sll of decay.
After the young investigator had destroyed the concealing spell.
Even with the trapdoor in between, the nauseating odors imdiately seeped out.
"Sure enough... soone has been murdered..."
Her tone was grim, but Nicole still turned her head to look at Ronald first:
"Ronald, the situation downstairs might be a bit..."
"Disgusting? Or maybe grueso."
"Are you sure you can handle it?"
Staring at Nicole’s serious and earnest face, Ronald nodded:
"I’ll try my best."
Seeing Ronald’s response, Nicole didn’t hesitate to open the trapdoor.
Following that, an even more pungent sll of blood poured into the living room, mixed with an odor that resembled rotten eggs.
Covering their mouths and noses with their collars, they cautiously made their way downstairs.
The basent wasn’t large; it was the size of a typical household cellar used for storing vegetables.
However, the contents were far from as harmless as vegetables.
In this cramped space, there was just enough room for a small cult altar, and atop the deep black wooden platform sat a ghastly green idol of the Evil God.
As for the ground next to the altar, what lay before them was a sight that was physiologically distressing.
The mutilated bodies of two won and a man were scattered on the floor.
Compared to what these people would have looked like alive, their current condition was akin to pork laid out on a butcher’s block for sale; seeing corpses of one’s own kind treated so carelessly would unsettle any normal human being.
Suppressing their discomfort, Ronald and Nicole began to inspect the place.
Shortly, a new discovery ca into view.
In fact, apart from the bodies scattered on the ground, there were neatly stacked human skins in a box in a corner of the cellar.
An arm here, a torso there—the skins, so fresh and so old, were completely devoid of flesh, leaving only the intact skin of each part.
Looking back at the three dead bodies on the ground.
They too were missing more than two-thirds of their flesh, and the wounds on their bodies also indicated that they had undoubtedly suffered a great deal before death.
"..."
"We’ve found the reason that guy upstairs didn’t escape."
Ronald and Nicole exchanged glances, seeing the revulsion in each other’s eyes.
It seed that the cult magician upstairs was an experienced criminal, with his hiding work well done.
Logically, such a person shouldn’t make such amateur mistakes.
The fact that she decisively escaped from the battle earlier was a telling sign.
But for so reason, this woman chose not to extract herself in ti this ti around, instead taking the risk to stay here and complete this evil ritual.
Just look at the degree of mutilation on the bodies of those three on the ground...
In another two or three days, she’d probably have accomplished her dreadful deed.
By then, whether Ronald and Nicole, or any investigator team ca for the investigation, they would only face the inevitable outco.
——The bird had flown.
One can only say that Nicole and Ronald’s timing was just perfect, catching this yet-to-escape culprit in the nick of ti.
"Alright, Ronald."
"Let’s head upstairs first."
The inspection was halted abruptly when Nicole suddenly called it off.
Perhaps considering that Ronald was still a newcor, she didn’t simply proceed with the work on her own:
"I’ll seal this place off first and go back to notify the professional forensic personnel to handle it."
————
As they were escorting the evil cult magician to their destination, Ronald couldn’t help but ask Nicole about an earlier encounter:
"Nicole, in cases like this, how is the culprit typically dealt with?"
"If it were just three ordinary people that had been victimized, one would generally expect over 15 years of imprisonnt, along with the corresponding mystical side’s punishnts."
"But for soone like her..."
Her gaze shifting onto the prisoner, Nicole couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow:
"She’s bound to die, no doubt."
"Before that, though, she has to undergo interrogation and punishnt, which is actually our current purpose."
Ronald nodded, understanding, and began to think over all these revelations.
In fact, the place he and Nicole were headed wasn’t the investigation bureau or a prison, but rather an address within a residential area.
——13 Forest Road.
——The ho of Warden Berenwicke.
Ronald had seen this na in the newspapers before, a well-known figure in the Berenwicke community.
However, only after Nicole’s introduction did he co to understand the other side of the warden.
This person was also one of the most powerful openly acknowledged figures within the official forces of Berenwicke.
A top-level caster in possession of an original to!
Although his position didn’t fall under the investigation bureau but within a governnt departnt, his school’s power was exceptionally appropriate. Thus while managing a regular people’s prison, the warden also took care of the detention and interrogation of mystical side prisoners.
With the investigation bureau severely short on personnel these days, and the prisoner’s deeds were abhorrent, Nicole decided to skip the interdiary steps, delivering the culprit directly into the hands of the warden.
This was considered special handling for a special case under extraordinary circumstances.
Forest Road wasn’t too distant.
Due to its location in an affluent area, the roads were very well constructed.
Most of the residents in this district were influential people, and even though the entire residential area sat within beautifully green surroundings as its na suggested, guards could often be seen patrolling the streets.
Any pickpocket from any of Berenwicke’s powers wouldn’t dare to commit a cri here.
Upon arriving at the entrance to the estate marked with the number 13, Ronald surveyed the surroundings.
On the surface, this was just a Western-style estate with an extrely large garden.
Even though he was aware that a mysterious major figure lived here, it appeared no different from any other place.
While Ronald was evaluating the area, Nicole had already escorted the prisoner to the gate of the estate.
Checking out the energetic guard, the young investigator spoke up:
"We’ve brought a guest over, please announce us."
User Comments
0 comments from readers