SWNOVELXO Chapter 13: 13
Chapter 61 Familiar FaceTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3374 words Update time: 2025-05-16 18:30:45
The first time she saw the body lying in the middle of the room, Caroline immediately left the window, ran out of the alley, and shouted to the middle-aged man who was still knocking on the door:
"Stop knocking, there's a dead body in the house!"
The man paused, his eyes widened, he looked at Caroline, and opened his mouth in confusion and puzzlement:
"You, what did you say? A corpse!?"
Caroline nodded and went back to the alley. The man at the door hesitated for a moment, then quickly ran after Caroline.
The two came to the window. The man only glanced into the room, then showed an extremely terrified look and shouted:
"Storm above...it's Workman!!"
The companion the man was looking for was called Workman, and Caroline's ominous premonition was not wrong.
Why do I have such a keen inspiration for this kind of thing...
Caroline let out a sigh of relief with a headache, and looked over, only to see the man take a few steps back, then suddenly exert force with his legs, rush to the window and try to climb into the house.
She quickly reached out and grabbed the man's clothes. Facing the man's panicked face, she pointed at the body on the ground and said in a deep voice:
"Don't barge into the crime scene. The body is already stiff. What's the point of you going in now?"
"The most important thing you should do now is to find the police immediately."
Caroline's words slightly brought the man's chaotic thoughts back to normal. He nodded repeatedly and responded with disordered breathing:
"Yes, yes, yes, we must find the police first, we must find the police quickly...!"
After saying that, he immediately rushed out of the alley, shouting at the top of his voice as he ran:
"Someone come! Someone's dead!"
...Are all the people in this world so restless?
Have you considered that I am still here? If you shout like this, people will think I am going to commit murder...
Caroline opened her mouth, looked at the man who had run away and the crowd that was gradually gathering outside the alley, but finally she sighed and stood there patiently waiting.
More than ten minutes later, the man rushed back to the alley with two police officers in uniform.
At the same time, a circle of pedestrians had gathered outside the alley next to the house. The policeman and the man finally squeezed through the crowd and quickly came to the window.
"What's going on here?"
The leading policeman also looked very nervous. He frowned and asked Caroline.
Caroline then pointed inside the house and said:
"As you can see, Mr. Officer."
The two policemen followed Caroline's instructions and looked into the house. She clearly heard the younger policeman next to her take a deep breath, while the older policeman knitted his eyebrows even more deeply.
...
More than ten minutes later, the police reinforcements finally arrived at the crime scene.
The first two policemen who arrived had already entered the house through the open window. After the other police officers arrived, they opened the closed front door and allowed their colleagues to enter the house.
"The deceased is named Charlie Workman, a 46-year-old man from Tingen, currently a vendor at the Lettuce and Meat Market... Is that correct?"
Outside the open door, a serious policeman was holding a pen and paper, confirming the basic information of the deceased with the man knocking on the door.
The man nodded tremblingly:
"Yes, officer, that's right..."
On the other side of the two of them, Caroline stood by the door, looking into the room.
The space inside this house is not large, and the first floor almost contains all functions including the living room, kitchen and bedroom. Although the existence of the stairs shows that there is a second floor, from the furnishings on the first floor, it can be seen that the second floor is probably just a warehouse-like attic used to store some sundries.
Looking from the door, there was a bed on the first floor closest to the inside. To get to the door, you had to pass through the kitchen first, then the living room and the front door. The body was at the junction of the kitchen and the living room. Because there was no wall blocking the two areas, Caroline could see the body lying in the house from the kitchen window.
At this time, the police had already drawn a basic outline around the body. Two policemen were searching for clues near the body, while the other policemen were either investigating the rest of the house or maintaining order among the onlookers outside the house.
The furniture in the house was all intact, there was no fallen debris on the floor, and there was no sign that the cabinets and drawers had been turned over... So it wasn't a murder caused by burglary...
Caroline began to analyze all the details she could observe.
A human corpse was not far in front of her, but she was not too panicked, just a little worried at most.
Perhaps it was because this body had already experienced death once, or perhaps it was because Caroline had witnessed the grand scene of her original body's murder on the day she traveled through time, so now facing this ordinary crime scene, she had no obvious feelings.
Of course, in the final analysis, it may be more because the person who died in there was just a stranger that Caroline had never met...
After observing the furnishings in the room, she focused her attention on the area around the corpse.
There were no obvious signs of a fight near the body, which meant that the deceased didn't struggle at all, or was killed without being able to struggle...
A professional murderer...was it a revenge killing or a hired killer?
Caroline raised her hand and pinched her chin, her eyes quietly turned to look at the man next to her who was excitedly explaining something to the police.
The deceased was a street vendor, and it was indeed very likely that he would make enemies with others because of a small profit.
However, he was just a vendor, a vendor selling vegetables in a vegetable market. How could he have such a conflict of interest with others that he was hated and eventually killed? Just because the price of a few vegetables was wrong?
"Mr. Officer, please believe me. I really just wanted to find Workman to go to the dock to purchase goods. He always came to me before noon in the past. Even if he couldn't go to purchase goods that day, he would tell me in advance. But he didn't tell me anything yesterday. Seeing that it was already afternoon, I was really anxious, so I came to find him, who knew...!"
The man explained the reasons for his actions to the police in front of him with spit flying, trying his best to prove his innocence.
It can be seen that as the discoverer, he was indeed very nervous and scared when faced with the sudden murder of an acquaintance.
"Mr. Tang En, please calm down. No one is doubting your motives."
The serious policeman leaned back a little, avoiding Tang En's spit, and said to him seriously:
"All I mean is that, as the first person to discover the scene, it's best for you to return to the police station and explain in detail what happened. This is the required procedure, and it can also provide you with some help... You know, in terms of psychological comfort and a little official protection."
"You really won't arrest me as a murderer, right? Walkerman and I have been good friends for twenty years. How could I possibly kill him?"
"No one said you killed him, Mr. Tang En..."
"There's no reason for me to go to the police station. If I go to the police station, people will think that Workman's death has something to do with me!"
"Mr. Tang En, please be quiet for a moment..."
Seeing that Tang En still couldn't calm down, the policeman who was holding the paper and pen had difficulty using his hands and couldn't take the necessary measures to calm him down.
He looked back at his colleagues and was about to call for help.
"I think it would be better for you to follow the officers back to the police station, Mr. Tang En."
Suddenly, Caroline, who was standing aside, stared at Tang En and spoke softly.
The policeman and Tang En's attention were drawn to her, and she continued to speak quietly:
"The furnishings in the house were all neat and tidy, and there were no signs of theft, so it was unlikely that this was a burglary that escalated into a murder. It could only be murder."
"Aren't you worried that Mr. Workman might be murdered for revenge, and as his companion, you might be retaliated against in the same way..."
Shocked, Tang En subconsciously retorted:
"How could this be a revenge killing? We are all very respectable vendors. How could someone…"
But then, Tang En's words suddenly stopped, as if he suddenly remembered something, and his expression gradually became fearful.
...!
The policeman's serious expression collapsed immediately, and he turned around and looked at Tang En in surprise who suddenly stopped talking.
...?
No way, could it really be a vendetta?
Caroline, who originally wanted to speak up to help the police control Tang En, was also stunned. She had never felt that her mouth could be so effective.
"Officer, officer, I do think it would be a good idea to go to the police station first."
Tang En spoke hesitantly, causing the policeman to look at him speechlessly for a long time, before he gestured for a younger police officer to take Tang En back to the police station first.
After Tang En was led out of the crowd by the young policeman, the policeman turned to Caroline with a pen and paper, and said with a hint of gratitude:
"Sometimes I really think the police department should assign a psychologist to us."
Caroline stroked her chin and said:
"In that case, you will have to spend more money."
"Then forget it."
The policeman smiled and shook his head, then asked:
"Mr. Tang En said that you were the first one to discover the body. Is that true?"
Caroline nodded generously in response.
"In this case, as the first person to discover the scene, you, Miss, will have to go to the police station for questioning just like Mr. Tang En. Can you accept this?"
When facing Caroline, the policeman's tone was obviously much calmer.
"As long as it doesn't prevent me from getting dinner on time."
Caroline smiled and spread her hands.
"Don't worry, it won't take long. We are much more efficient than those masters in the House of Representatives."
That doesn't seem to be very fast...
After randomly making such a complaint in her mind, Caroline prepared to follow the police to the police station to take a statement.
At this time, the police in the house had completed the preliminary investigation of the scene, and the next step was to send the body to the forensic doctor for autopsy.
Wearing gloves, several policemen surrounded Workman's body and first turned him over from the floor.
And it was at this moment that Caroline glanced into the house and saw Workman's true face.
At this moment, Caroline found that her breathing seemed to have stopped.
That face was the one she had seen just yesterday.
The stall owner selling "tender spinach" turned out to be the deceased Walkerman!
Staring blankly at Workman's ferocious and lifeless eyes in the house, Caroline felt a sudden and extremely difficult to suppress urge in her stomach.Chapter 62 ConnectionTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3082 words Update time: 2025-05-17 13:49:58
"Excuse me, are you feeling better now?"
In the interrogation room of Tingen Police Station, two police officers handed a cup of freshly brewed hot tea to Caroline who was sitting at the other end of the square table.
"Well, actually I'm fine... I just felt a little shocked."
Caroline's expression was a little embarrassed. Just now, she had experienced several dry heaves and almost vomited out the undigested food in her stomach.
"Ah, we understand that seeing a familiar vendor suddenly die in person, no one can control themselves."
The police officer said to Caroline in a kind and reassuring tone.
Caroline took a sip of hot tea and took a few deep breaths.
After seeing the true appearance of Workman's body, she, who had not previously felt much aversion to death scenes, suddenly felt uneasy.
The vendor who was bargaining with her about the "tender spinach" yesterday has turned into a dead body today... This bizarre contrast is the most difficult to accept.
Originally, in Caroline's mind, the dead Walkerman in the house was just a stranger, which allowed her to remain calm and composed when facing the scene and the body. But when she realized that Walkerman was the person she had contacted and communicated with not long ago, this calmness suddenly turned into surprise and panic.
Caroline was now only thankful that she had seen even more brutal murder scenes before, and that her willpower was still strong enough, otherwise she might have really vomited when she saw the face of Walkerman's corpse.
After seeing Caroline calm down, the two police officers sitting opposite her looked at each other, and then one of them opened a notebook, picked up a pen and asked:
"Then Miss Caroline, let's finish the procedure as quickly as possible so that you can go back and rest quickly."
When she returned to the police station with the police, Caroline had already told them her identity information, and the police also confirmed her ticket and hotel accommodation information.
"Thank you for your help."
Caroline nodded and spoke softly.
In the next few minutes, the two police officers first reviewed Caroline's entire itinerary from this morning to this afternoon.
After learning that she had gone to two different registered companies to interview their bosses today, the police officers nodded with relief, because this would be very helpful for their subsequent verification.
Then, they began to ask about the details of her discovery of the crime scene. Caroline naturally cooperated very well and explained everything about the situation and feelings at that time.
"You mean, you found Workman dead at home because you wanted to help Mr. Tang En who came to look for Workman on a whim, and ended up finding Workman's body?"
The police officer briefly summarized Caroline's words and asked her for confirmation.
"That's right, officer."
Caroline nodded in approval.
"That is to say, before that, until you saw the true face of Walkerman after we turned him over, you didn't know that you had met Walkerman yesterday?"
"Of course I don't know! Goddess, do you think I have the ability to see through other people's faces? Besides, poor Mr. Workman's body was stiff at the time, and it was impossible for me to tell from his appearance."
Caroline spoke in an exaggerated tone, and the language she used inexplicably had a sense of a hellish joke, which made the corners of the mouths of the two police officers opposite her uncontrollably rise slightly.
The police officer in charge of recording coughed twice and then continued:
"We understand. You are a really kind-hearted lady. It's just that your kindness didn't get a good result today... Uh, according to the police officers at the scene, you raised the possibility of revenge murder to Mr. Tang En who was being questioned next door. Why do you think so?"
"This is just a simple speculation."
Caroline had completely regained her composure. She drank a sip of tea and talked freely:
"There were no signs of burglary at the scene, and the door was locked, which means that it is unlikely that he was killed in a hurry. There were no signs of struggle on Mr. Workman's body, and there were no signs of fighting around him, which means that it is unlikely that he was killed randomly due to impulse."
"The murderer's method was very professional. He did not attract the attention of the neighbors. There seemed to be no clues left at the scene. In this case, it is very likely that he was a hired killer."
After listening to Caroline's analysis, the police officer nodded and said:
"Miss, your reasoning ability about cases is more reliable than many of our detectives. Are you planning to be a private detective in the future?"
Caroline took a sip of tea and replied leisurely:
"Gentlemen, many of the actions of private detectives are illegal..."
As she said this, she put down her teacup, blinked her left eye at the two police officers in front of her, and said with a smile:
"I thought you wanted to treat me to a meal, but now it seems you want to treat me to a jail meal!"
The two police officers immediately let go of their restraint and burst into laughter. They had questioned many witnesses or women involved in the incident who were about the same age as Caroline, but it was rare to find a girl like Caroline who could answer questions fluently and tell jokes that would please men from time to time.
If they were not sitting in the familiar police interrogation room, they would have thought they were actually in a pub, drinking beer and complaining about life with a cheerful young man.
The atmosphere of the interrogation suddenly became light-hearted, and the police officers stopped asking too many questions. After simply recording the content of Caroline's conversation with Workman yesterday, they ended the interrogation.
"Okay, Miss Caroline, thank you for taking so long. You can leave now."
"If there is any progress in the case that requires your help, we will come to ask for your further cooperation... Well, but I don't think there will be much more in the future."
The police officer in charge of recording put away the notebook, stood up, shook hands with Caroline, and added:
"Of course, if you remember anything that may be relevant to the case later, you are more than welcome to come to the police station and report it."
Caroline smiled and replied:
"If I come again next time, I will really ask you gentlemen to treat me to a meal."
"Haha, it's our honor to have dinner with a beautiful lady like you!"
...
After the questioning, Caroline left the interrogation room under the guidance of the police officer.
As Caroline passed a long corridor outside, she noticed Mr. Tangen who was being interrogated in another interrogation room.
Compared to the room Caroline had just stayed in, his room was much darker, as if he was being treated as a suspect.
And Don's behavior was very much like that of a suspect. Caroline only glanced at him when she passed by, but she could see his trembling hands and his expression that was so tense that it was numb and stiff.
There was nothing wrong with the police's treatment of him. After all, compared with Caroline, a new traveler to Tingen, Don, who had maintained cooperation with Workman for many years and had business connections, was indeed a great suspect.
However, Caroline felt that Don was not the murderer of Workman.
I hope Mr. Tang En can get through this...
Caroline thought to herself, shaking her head.
After leaving the police station, Caroline stood on the busy street, looking at the setting sun and the darkening sky, and couldn't help feeling helpless.
Half an afternoon's time has been wasted... I should have stayed out of my way earlier...
I have to correct my mindset. Having too many connections with people in this world won't be conducive to my return home...
Shaking her head, Caroline lowered her eyes and walked slowly towards the hotel.
...
The night deepened and darkness enveloped the earth after dusk.
Outside an alley in the East District of Backlund, silence had long since enveloped the surrounding environment. Only the fallen cordon outside the alley and the dark red blood stains left after being washed clean by the water reminded me of what had happened here.
The members of "Mechanical Heart" returned here again after many days. The team leader, who was wrapped in bandages and had basically recovered, did not dare to enter the alley rashly this time.
"Master Deacon, this is the place. A little further in, it's probably where the pothole is. That's where the strange black shadow appeared that day."
The team leader leaned close to the team members and spoke to Ikanser Bernard who was standing in front of them.
"Don't be so nervous, Henry."
Ikanser, whose facial features were strong and firm but whose hair was messy and unkempt, spoke calmly.
In his hand, he was holding a silver mirror with ancient patterns and black gemstones on both sides.
"It has been more than three days since you detected the evil spirit. The spirits that remain here have basically dissipated. Nothing will attack you anymore."
Ikanser walked to the alley and looked inside.
"The spirits that affect the environment, allowing them to become aggressive shadows... This is very classic, belonging to the pollution of the environment by 'demons'."
Captain Henry walked cautiously behind Ikanser, but still didn't dare to get close to the alley.
"Are you saying that among the two Beyonders fighting here, one is a Sequence 6 of the 'Criminal' Path…?"
"Not necessarily, but there is a high probability that there will be no mistake. Those evil criminals like bloody killings the most, which is consistent with the situation at the scene. Coupled with the changes in the spirituality of the environment, it is entirely possible to make a preliminary conclusion."
As Ikanser spoke, he turned the silver mirror over.
"As for the specific situation, we need to look at the more substantial scene."
As he spoke, he placed his gloved hand on the surface of the silver mirror, very gently and very slowly stroking the mirror three times.
After a pause of a few seconds, Ikanser cleared his throat and asked seriously:
"Dear Arrodes, my question is, who were the participants in the incident that occurred in this alley in the early morning of June 28?"Chapter 63 LanevusTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3598 words Update time: 2025-05-17 18:02:03
After Ikanser asked the question, the surrounding "Mechanical Heart" team members all came over and stared at the surface of the silver mirror nervously.
The darkness around the alley immediately became hazy, as if it had turned into mist and condensed on the surface of the silver mirror.
The silver mirror also changed accordingly. The darkness reflected on its surface spread out like waves, gradually outlining a picture:
In the dark night with a red moon hanging high in the sky, the entrance to the alley was blocked by a figure wrapped in black mist.
But as the perspective gradually got closer and zoomed in, the people in the "Mechanical Heart" saw clearly that the black mist surrounding the figure was actually an extremely viscous, illusory liquid, which seemed to be filled with a large amount of evil and filth, mixed with all the extreme desires in human nature.
The person in the picture was obscured by black liquid. Everyone could only recognize that he was an adult male, but his specific appearance was impossible to identify, as if he was just a standing shadow.
At this time, the perspective of the picture slowly shifted into the alley, and then gradually downward, showing only a small part of the situation above the ground.
The people in the "Mechanical Heart" could only see that there was also a person standing in front of the garbage dump deep in the alley, but they could only see the boots and trouser legs, and could not see the other person's shape and appearance.
At this moment, the black shadow blocking the entrance to the alley suddenly rushed forward. There was no special spell, nor any other extraordinary ability. The black shadow seemed to stretch out its claws and instantly flew through the air at a speed that could not be captured by the naked eye.
Then, the image displayed by the silver mirror suddenly froze and returned to the swaying water waves.
Ikanser slowly raised his head and looked into the alley, as if the mysterious shadowy figure from that night was still standing there.
Just as he was about to say something to the other members of the Mechanical Heart, the image on the silver mirror changed again, this time turning into a few lines of red ancient Feysac words.
"According to the principle of reciprocity, it is my turn to ask questions..."
"If you answer incorrectly, or lie, you will be punished..."
Of all the words, only the word "punishment" is particularly profound, as red as blood, and even dripping blood.
Ikanser's face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly adjusted his posture, put his legs together, and straightened his body solemnly.
Then, the words on the silver mirror changed, and new words emerged after blurring:
"Do you have any particular preferences for certain parts of the human body?"
Ikanser's expression immediately became distorted, and the surrounding "Mechanical Hearts" also shifted their gazes, trying their best to restrain themselves from paying attention to the next words of the Butler.
...
The next morning, downstairs of a detached building in the southern district of Tingen.
Caroline changed into a casual outfit and stood outside the gate with the sign of "Lanevers Steel Company".
After returning to the hotel from the police station yesterday, she immediately unfolded the "Void Cube" to see how the case was "reported".
But to her disappointment, the "Void Cube" did not generate a specific "report" on Workman's death. At most, it only mentioned that a murder occurred in the west district of Tingen, causing panic among the surrounding residents - such an insignificant "report".
This is the first time that an event that was strongly related to Caroline and influenced her actions did not appear in the "report" of the "Void Cube".
She was indeed confused for a moment, but after thinking carefully about the silver-gray solid space, she thought that perhaps because the entire case had not made any concrete progress, the "Void Cube" only generated a "report" that explained the previous impact.
Perhaps it is necessary to wait until the entire case has been investigated to a certain stage, or has been completely declared solved, before the "Void Cube" will collect all the information to generate the final result.
It is reasonable to think this way. After all, if there are related "reports" on every incident all the time, it will be endless.
"I hope this matter can be resolved soon. Workman is quite pitiful. How could he lose his life inexplicably..."
Caroline was outside observing the steel company and her thoughts were scattered. She had no recollection that her original self before she traveled through time and space also lost her life inexplicably.
The "tender spinach" incident that day did give Caroline a not-so-good first impression of Workman. From this, it can be seen that he must have been a person who particularly liked to take advantage of small advantages in the past, but this would never reach the point of a vendetta.
However, Caroline's knowledge of Workman was limited to that one transaction, and she could not use her imagination to make a conclusion about what kind of person he was.
"Huh, forget it, just treat them as NPCs... I'm currently doing the main quest, why would I want to empathize with the NPCs..."
Caroline whispered this to herself, hoping to free herself from the constraints of too many messy thoughts.
When she first came here, she really treated everyone in this world as NPCs. However, within a few days, she found that her emotions were becoming more and more intense, and her mind became sentimental, which made her almost unable to sleep at night.
This is really strange, I wasn't like this before…
The unexpected changes made Caroline a little difficult to cope with, so she had to numb her brain with the excuse of completing the commissioned task.
She had been standing downstairs observing for a while, and only after confirming that the steel company in front of her was operating and the environment was safe did she walk forward into the steel company.
Similar to the process of interviewing Mike Frazee and Mr. Arriman, Caroline was first received by a young receptionist. After she stated her purpose, she was enthusiastically led to the boss' office.
"Mr. Lanevus, there is a lady who wants to interview you."
After the front desk guy knocked on the door and asked, Caroline heard a high-pitched, rising voice coming from inside the office.
"Come in."
The young man helped Caroline open the office door. The first thing Caroline saw when she entered the office was Mr. Lanevus sitting on the sofa.
He had a broad forehead, black hair, brown eyes, and wore a pair of weird round-lens glasses. Apart from that, his appearance was ordinary and there was almost nothing worth remembering.
"The forehead is full, but the chin... uh, what professional word should I use to describe it? Thin and pointed?"
Caroline quickly observed Lanevus's face, and she didn't know whether this face could make a lot of money or not.
"Ah, what a beautiful lady, please take a seat!"
While Caroline was still observing, Lanevus stood up from the sofa and took a few steps forward to greet her.
"Mosen, go prepare two cups of the best Nanjun black tea. Remember to put a sugar cube in the one I have."
Lanevus said to Mossen, the receptionist at the door, and then he looked at Caroline, as if waiting for her preference.
Caroline reacted immediately and waved her hand gently:
"I don't have any particular preference for tea."
"Well, please don't be so reserved. Just treat me as your friend."
Lanevus took a few more steps forward and stopped in front of Caroline, finding a good balance between intruding too much into her social space and being polite like a complete stranger.
What a friendly man. Is this the secret to successful business?
Caroline nodded slightly, and then sat on the guest sofa at Lanevus's invitation.
When the tea came, Lanevus took a sip and asked Caroline politely:
"What's your name?"
"Just call me Caroline. I'm a student at Backlund University."
Caroline introduced herself smoothly. After practicing twice, she could now explain the purpose of her visit very calmly.
Students from Backlund University came here to investigate social conditions in various places for their papers. They learned about some local investment projects and came here for interviews... Their arguments were very reasonable and would not arouse any suspicion.
"Ah, political economy. I know, I know. It's the concept proposed by Emperor Roselle."
Lanevus stretched out his palm and exclaimed in admiration.
That's right, the major that Caroline's original body studied was still the knowledge that Emperor Roselle had invented when he was alive. It was just that after he proposed it, coupled with some local changes, the so-called "political economics" in this world was actually more inclined to the combination of "classical political economics" and "macroeconomics" before the 19th century on Earth, which was completely different from the political economics that Caroline was well-known for in her previous life.
Caroline felt that this might be because Emperor Roselle had not listened carefully in class before, or it might be because he had not had time to perfect himself and unfortunately followed in the footsteps of Emperor Caesar.
Judging from Lanevus's performance, the boss of the steel company seemed to have some knowledge of economics. But even so, he still chose a real industry such as the steel company, which was different from the previous two entrepreneurs.
Lanevus's answer to this question is:
"Because the real economy is more reliable, and the steel industry is an important industrial pillar of a country. Haha, I don't think anyone would refuse to contribute to their country while having a successful business."
Caroline smiled and said:
"Mr. Lanevus, your words may cause dissatisfaction among other businessmen."
"Haha, this is my truth, I don't care what other people think about it."
Lanevus spread his hands helplessly, his expression full of justice.
Caroline raised her eyebrows, changed to a more relaxed sitting position and said:
"I never knew that Mr. Lanevus was a businessman with ideals."
"Well, I don't really like being called a 'businessman'. I prefer to be called 'someone who knows how to seize opportunities'."
Lanevus raised his hands and scratched the air with his index and middle fingers, representing upper and lower quotation marks respectively.
Then he smiled and said:
"As for ideals, haha, Miss Caroline, you are so young and outstanding. As a young person, you must have some ideals."
Caroline quickly covered her mouth and chuckled, pretending to enjoy the compliment, and said:
"There is still a lack of idealists in this world."
Lanevus nodded and said:
"That's natural. That's why I don't like people calling me a businessman. Those other entrepreneurs only know how to study money all day long. They are really vulgar."
"When I'm with those people, I can't even talk about my ideals. Alas, I don't know when I can meet someone who can confide in me and share my ideals with me."
Why do I feel like the direction of communication is a little off?
Caroline was keenly aware of the meaning behind Lanevus's words. After experiencing what Ovis Wein had done, she became even more sensitive to such things.
Looking at Lanevus' eyes that were beginning to be filled with some kind of sentimental feeling, Caroline pursed her lips and could only agree:
"There are so many people in this world, we will always meet each other..."
"Well, maybe, but I think it's very difficult."
"Even if I could meet such a person, how much could I show her?"
Lanevus shook his head and sighed, but then he changed the subject and looked closely at Caroline, his tone containing a wave that seemed to make people fall deeply into it:
"But if it's a beautiful lady like you, I might actually be able to show you more."
As he spoke, Lanevus slowly raised the corners of his mouth.Chapter 64 FoundTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3080 words Update time: 2025-05-18 13:41:15
Seeing the smile on Lanevus's lips, Caroline's heartbeat quickened instantly.
This was not because Lanevus's greasy rhetoric touched her heart, but because she saw the expression on Lanevus's face that Ovis Wein had emphasized.
As if laughing at everyone's smile...
Caroline's expression froze for a moment, and her hands and feet unconsciously folded up.
Is it him?
That swindler is Lanevus?
Caroline's heart began to beat faster and faster, especially when she realized that she might be in some danger.
No, you have to stay calm and not let anyone see any clues!
Fortunately, Caroline's rationality was still intact. After realizing that Lanevus's suspicion was rapidly increasing, she quickly dodged his gaze, took advantage of the situation to put on a shy gesture, and moved away from Lanevus a little bit intentionally or unintentionally.
"Hmm? Excuse me, what's wrong?"
Such an action naturally could not escape Lanevus's eyes. He still had that frivolous smile on his face and moved a little closer to Caroline.
Caroline felt a sick feeling, but she was secretly happy about it.
Lanevus did not notice her strangeness. He just thought that she was embarrassed by his words!
So Caroline quickly followed Lanevus' words, raised her hand to gather her hair, and said softly:
"Mr. Lanevus, you are such a joker."
"Oh? Do you think I'm kidding?"
Lanevus moved closer, his eyes never leaving Caroline.
His lips moved slightly, and the words he spoke seemed to carry a special magic, making Caroline unable to ignore every word he uttered.
"I am serious, Miss Caroline~"
"You are so beautiful and so smart. I feel that you are the only one in the world who can understand my ideals."
"If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to have dinner with me, just you and me~"
Damn, how many girls has this guy deceived? Ovis didn't tell me that he has this level of skills in picking up girls... Is this a skill that the Intis people are born with...
Caroline was feeling a little uneasy. On the one hand, she felt a sense of crisis about being in the same room with the best suspect of the fraudster. On the other hand, Lanevus' words had indeed affected her mentally to a certain extent.
Huh, calm down. Ovis said that the scammer might be a Sequence 8 Beyonder... In other words, this might be caused by Lanevus's Beyonder ability...
Extraordinary abilities in eloquence and rhetoric... If used to commit fraud... it is indeed very suitable!
No wonder even Ovis was fooled, it turns out the root cause is here!
Yes! Now it all makes sense!
No wonder he was so confident in changing the topic from the company and ideals to relationships. He was confident that I wouldn't feel awkward because he was probably already using his extraordinary abilities!
Lanevus is indeed the swindler I'm looking for!
Caroline bit her lip lightly, forcibly suppressing her complex and surging emotions, and focused her thoughts on how to avoid alarming Lanevus, and then naturally take away some of his relevant information, such as photos and the like.
Well, the photo might not be easy to get. If I force him to give it to me, it might arouse his suspicion...
What if it's some personal belongings? Ovis said that among his friends there is a Beyonder who is good at divination. If I bring him some of Lanevus's personal belongings, can he use them to confirm Lanevus's identity?
Caroline quickly confirmed several plans for collecting information. After adjusting her state, she turned to Lanevus and continued with an embarrassed attitude:
"Mr. Lanevus, we just met. Isn't this inappropriate..."
"I don't think it would be inappropriate if you like."
Lanevus said this, but then he immediately changed his tone and murmured in a depressed mood:
"Well...but what you said is indeed right. I was indeed a little presumptuous. I have to apologize to you, Miss Caroline."
"Please forgive my rudeness and rashness. I just...ah, seeing you so gentle and kind, so considerate and touching, and able to understand the reality faced by idealists, I can't control myself..."
"I want to apologize to you, please forgive me."
Having said that, Lanevus stood up from the sofa and bowed to Caroline in a very formal manner to apologize.
Good man, you are really good at it. If I were not a serious boy at heart, I would have been moved by your sweet talk...
Caroline despised Lanevus in her heart. What she despised most was the guy who treated feelings as a joke.
But no matter what you think in your heart, you still have to maintain your attitude on the surface.
She immediately stood up and stopped Lanevus from apologizing:
"Please don't be like this, Mr. Lanevus. I don't mean to be excessive. It's just... well, no one has ever treated me like this before. I'm a little uncomfortable with it."
Lanevus looked up at Caroline, looking deeply moved, and said:
"You are such a kind girl, ah, just like the Virgin Mary in the fairy tale. I guess most people in this country are blinded by money, and they don't even realize that you are such a pure angel."
Holy Mother, your whole family, angels, your whole family...
Caroline's toes dug into the ground so hard that she could hardly continue acting.
But we can't give up. The opportunity to obtain Lanevus's personal information is right at hand.
Caroline lowered her head and thought for a while, then spoke slowly and softly:
"Well, Mr. Lanevus, you are an excellent gentleman with great prospects..."
"I think I need to think about it. Please give me some time."
Caroline did not intend to get Lanevus's information right away. She planned to let the situation ferment for a while and let the bullet fly for a while. This way, the emotional changes would be more reasonable.
Didn't Lanevus want to date her? Then she could get his information at that time.
Since they were going out on a date, wouldn't it be more reasonable for him to ask Lanevus for a "token of love" or take a photo together?
"In fact, I am already very happy that you can trust me, Miss Caroline."
Lanevus also nodded, agreeing with her plan.
Caroline then said goodbye to Lanevus and hurriedly left the steel company with flustered steps.
Of course, Caroline did this intentionally for Lanevus to see.
After Caroline left the office, Lanevus quietly listened to the noise outside the door. After confirming that Caroline had indeed left, he shed his polite appearance and revealed his true face.
The smile on his face became brighter and brighter, and he even couldn't help but dance a duet in the office.
"That's great. Tingen is such a great place."
"This Miss Caroline is much prettier than Megose. She is a top student in Backlund, and she looks so good... Well, I'm sure she will taste good too."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, it must be God's blessing that I met her now. Otherwise, it would be a waste of God's gift to let those people use her as a 'vessel'."
Lanevus walked to the sofa proudly and took a look at the remaining tea Caroline had drunk. The corners of his mouth curled up even more, and he directly picked up the teacup and drank the tea in it.
"However, I didn't win him over right away when we first met. Is it because I was a little careless..."
"Haha, how is this possible? I guess this is the modesty of Loen women."
"Ah, after removing this reserve, the real delicacy is hidden deep under the surface."
Lanevus was very proud. He really only regarded Caroline's behavior as shyness, not any other possibility.
Holding the teacup, Lanevus walked leisurely towards the bookshelf in the office.
...
After leaving Laneus Steel Company, Caroline immediately called a carriage and rode it quickly back to the hotel.
After going upstairs and entering the room, Caroline directly took out the "Silver Key", silently recited the honorable name and summoned the "Void Cube".
It was not until she entered the solid space that Caroline's pounding heartbeat finally calmed down.
I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect that I could find the scammer so easily.
Caroline didn't know whether she should be thankful or worried, because facing Lanevus was really difficult for her to cope with.
Fortunately, she didn't reveal any flaws. The sinister Lanevus was probably overwhelmed by his lower body, and he relaxed his vigilance when he saw that the visitor was a young woman.
Thinking of this, Caroline once again realized the advantages of being a woman.
"Take your time and relax. This commission will be completed soon."
It was only Wednesday, and she had completed the task much earlier than she expected.
But come to think of it, it was almost time. She planned to return to Backlund on Friday, so she had to get enough information from Lanevus tomorrow.
After careful consideration, Caroline decided to go to Lanevus tomorrow at noon to have dinner with him, both of them with ulterior motives.
The commission was about to be completed, and Caroline was indeed feeling excited.
Just like she had felt before, her mood now always fluctuated inexplicably, and her heart was filled with a mixture of emotions.
After taking a few deep breaths, Caroline cast her gaze towards the pile of "reports" floating before her.
She originally unfolded the "Void Cube" not to check the "report", but simply because entering this space gave her a sense of security.
But now that she was already here, she didn't plan to waste time.
Caroline reached out and picked up the top "report".
When she paid close attention, Caroline's already complicated mood was further confused by this "report".
The title of the report is as follows:
"Has the Workman death case been solved?"Chapter 65 Side QuestTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3385 words Update time: 2025-05-18 18:00:00
"July 4, Tingen - local police are fully investigating a vicious murder case. Charlie Workman, a 46-year-old local market vendor, died at home, and his body was found stiff yesterday afternoon. The preliminary autopsy showed that the cause of death was a slash in the throat with a sharp weapon, and the time of death was estimated to be around 3 am the previous day."
"According to the police, the crime scene was located in Walkerman's solitary residence. No obvious signs of fighting or struggling were found in the room, and no valuables were missing. The possibility of a conflict caused by burglary was initially ruled out. The detective pointed out that Walkerman's wound showed the characteristics of "one-shot fatality" and the body was in a natural posture. It is speculated that the murderer may be familiar with him, and the crime process was quick and the target was clear. "
"The police have turned their focus of investigation to Tang En, a friend who visited Walkerman's home on the day of the incident. It is understood that Tang En and another female tourist from Backlund were the co-discoverers of the scene. On that day, Tang En was about to go to Walkerman's home to look for him. After knocking on the door to no avail, a female tourist who happened to pass by tried to help enter the house and call for help, and then found Walkerman's body."
"According to people familiar with the matter, Tang En and Workman are business partners, but the two seem to have had conflicts over some things recently, and the quarrel led to a traffic accident in the Tingen dock area the day before yesterday. The specific details of the conflict have not been made public. Although the police emphasized that the case is still in the "preliminary investigation stage", they have taken compulsory measures against Tang En. "
"A resident who often visited Workman's stall said that the deceased was an extrovert and often haggled with others in business, but the food he sold had never had any food safety issues. Workman's sudden death made residents worried about the security situation in the Tingen West District. A community representative who did not want to be named said: "I hope the police will find out the truth as soon as possible and maintain local security." "
"At present, the police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the social relationship and financial status of Workman and Tang En, and called on those with inside information to provide clues."
——"The police in detective stories always fail to find the key to the case, and the police here are the same."
The lengthy "report" was not complicated, and Caroline was able to understand it clearly after reading it once.
Unexpectedly, they actually regarded Tang En as a suspect.
Caroline put down the "report" with a sigh. When she left the police station yesterday, she felt that there was something wrong with the police's attitude towards Tang En. Unexpectedly, less than a day later, Tang En was officially listed as a criminal suspect.
Should we say that Tang En was unlucky? As Workman's business partner, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The "report" told Caroline Workman that there was a conflict between him and Don, but she didn't think the truth of the case was that simple.
When she was at the scene that day, she saw Tang En's performance clearly. His fear and anxiety did not seem to be acted out.
Of course, Caroline didn't think that this could rule out Tang En's suspicion. Maybe he was just a natural actor.
And it is said that the suspect will return to the crime scene again. Maybe Tang En appeared there because of such psychological reasons.
However, Caroline felt that there seemed to be something fishy about it.
She always felt as if something was wrong, as if something was completely overlooked in the entire case.
After thinking about it carefully, Caroline quickly remembered that when she said the word "vendetta", Tang En's expression changed obviously.
That was not a sign of guilt, but a sign of subconscious fear.
What is he afraid of?
Did he know of anyone who had a grudge against Workman?
Is he also afraid of retaliation?
Caroline thought for a while, then looked back at the "report", reading it carefully from beginning to end.
And this time, she found another clue.
"Walkerman caused a traffic accident in the dock area the day before yesterday?"
Looking at this text, Caroline suddenly recalled a "report" she had seen before.
The "report" was about a traffic accident that occurred in the dock area, in which spinach from a horse-drawn carriage fell all over the ground, but no one was injured.
Spinach? Workman sold spinach, and it was the only spinach left in the market.
Could the car accident mentioned in the "report" be the one caused by Workman and Tang En?
The two of them are on the carriage side, so who are the pedestrians?
Caroline stared at the "report" for a while, and suddenly, she felt that the idea that came to her mind was a little strange.
So what if it was a traffic accident? Would someone hire someone to kill someone just because there was no casualty, only the loss of some spinach?
"Really? What am I thinking about..."
Caroline read the "report" several more times before she laughed at her own wild imagination and threw the "report" into the gaze space.
However, after laughing awkwardly for a while, Caroline couldn't laugh anymore.
She always felt that there must be some connection between the two incidents. It was an indescribable feeling, just like you made fried pork with peppers in the same way, but after eating it twice, you felt that the second time was not as delicious as the first time.
In this case, either there is a problem with the ingredients used in the two recipes, or your appetite has changed.
The same is true for the two current incidents.
"Mr. Tang En is most likely not the real murderer. His method of murder was 'one-shot kill'. There were no signs of struggle at the scene, which means that Workman was killed when he was completely defenseless."
"It doesn't make sense that Workman would not be on guard when a business partner with whom he had a conflict visited him in the early hours of the morning for no apparent reason."
"That is to say, Workman was not unprepared for the murderer, he simply did not see the murderer at all!"
"The murderer is a third party, and he is an extremely cruel person who did not hesitate at all!"
The more Caroline thought about it, the clearer her thoughts became. But if she wanted to know more, she had to understand the details of the car accident that day.
Thinking of this, Caroline took back the "Void Cube" and stood up from the bed.
Before she could make any move, she was already in a dilemma again.
Did she really need to care about this? Now that the fraudster had been found, she only had to focus on getting enough information from Lanevus tomorrow, and then she could return to Backlund with the intelligence.
In this case, is it really necessary for her to care about such trivial matters?
After all, whether it was Tang En or the dead Workman, they had nothing to do with him.
They are just a bunch of NPCs...
Caroline's eyes wandered around the room until she saw the bunch of spinach that she had placed on the table, which was already a little shriveled and dehydrated.
...
Finally, Caroline decided to go out and investigate.
She had two reasons to convince herself. The first was that it was still early and she couldn't sleep until tomorrow.
The second reason is very classic, "You have to complete the main quest and the side quest as well."
Caroline used to be like this when she played games. This might be a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder. If she doesn't correct this habit, she might get into trouble in the future.
But today, she decided to be a little willful.
After riding in a carriage all the way to the dock area, Caroline got off and walked along the street to inquire about the circumstances of the car accident that day.
Perhaps it was because the entire dock area was too large, or perhaps there were not many witnesses that day, Caroline asked around but still didn't get any useful clues.
It was not until she approached the warehouse area of the dock area that she got the information from an old man in his sixties.
"Oh, you mean the car accident that day? I remember so much spinach was wasted, what a pity..."
"But, I remember that some people took some spinach from the ground during the car accident. I still remember the expression on the car owner's face. Haha, he must have been really heartbroken."
The old man looked like he was enjoying the fun and described to Caroline in vivid detail the scramble for spinach that day.
Caroline listened to the old man's story patiently before she took the time to ask about the pedestrian who had the accident with the Walkmans.
"Are you asking that person?"
The old man responded, looked up to the sky and thought carefully, then said:
"I don't have much impression of that person's appearance, but, tsk tsk, he doesn't look like a good person."
Caroline caught this detail and asked quickly:
"Why do you say that?"
The old man replied:
"After the car accident that day, the man wanted to leave immediately. But the car owner was worried that his spinach was ruined, so he kept pestering the man and insisted that he make a move. The way the man looked at the car owner at that time... It was really scary! He looked like a wolf. I doubt he was a decent person!"
"And in the final analysis, the car accident happened because that person was walking in a hurry and didn't know what he was going to do. He crossed the road on his own and was almost hit by a car. In my opinion, even if that person was really hit, he deserved it."
"Is that so..."
The more Caroline listened to the old man's narration, the more she felt that there was something strange about Workman's murder.
So she quickly asked:
"You really don't remember what that person looks like? Please think carefully about it. This is very important to me!"
Caroline said to the old man sincerely.
"As a young girl, why do you always meddle in other people's affairs?"
The old man seemed annoyed by the questions and pointed at Caroline unhappily:
"Girls of your age should stay at home and learn more about housework, so that you can marry a good guy in the future..."
The corner of Caroline's mouth twitched, and she slowly took out a 1-sol note from her pocket.
"Old man, I'm a journalist, this is my job."
Then, Caroline added, as if she was feeling very angry:
"Besides, I do all the housework at home by myself, and I buy and cook my own meals."
Seeing the banknotes Caroline handed over, the old man's eyes lit up. He immediately spread out his hands and took the banknotes from Caroline very smoothly.
"Oh, what a good girl. It's a pity that my son is not very good. I think he is definitely not worthy of a good girl like you... Oh, I don't know what kind of girl he will find in the future..."
The old man kept muttering to himself, and after noticing Caroline's increasingly intense gaze, he quickly closed his eyes and tried hard to recall.
After more than ten seconds, he managed to squeeze out a few descriptive words and said:
"Black hair, blue eyes... Alas, that's all I can remember."
"Oh, and he also had a weird-looking notebook in his arms."