Chương 32: chapter 32: What is this?
Police and firefighter sirens echoed through the smoke-filled air, bouncing off crumbling walls.
Firefighters sprayed jets of water onto blazing cars, steam hissing as it rose, thickening the already grim haze.
Charred bodies, zipped in black bags, were lined up along the roadside, silent witnesses to the devastation. The stench of fire and death choked the air.
Burned-out cars and shattered glass littered the ground, their skeletal frames and jagged fragments glinting in the dim firelight. A once-thriving street, shaded by green trees, was now an ashen wasteland. Charred trunks stood like blackened skeletons, scattered branches reduced to ash.
A crowd gathered behind yellow police tape, phones raised to capture the tragedy. Without the barrier, they might have surged forward for a better view.
In the eastern house, now reduced to ruins, chunks of decaying walls crumbled to the ground. The partially collapsed roof revealed gaps that exposed the starry sky—though it was now difficult to see the stars due to the rising smoke. The burned furniture mixed with rubble, painting a sorrowful picture of what had once been a lively home.
Amid this catastrophic scene stood a man in a white suit, his expression devoid of emotion. He surveyed the area carefully, as if meticulously calculating the losses with a cold precision. Once he finished, he glanced in my direction, ignoring both Narco, Hank, and Dexter, who stood beside me.
Who else could it be but the Scum, Null.
"It hasn't even been hours, and here we are again for another conversation, Mr. Emiric," .
As if I would be afraid of him. I held his gaze, calmly pulling out the last cigar in my pocket and lighting it.
"Is the office so short-staffed that they always send you to me? Don't tell me there's a special file about me, and you're in charge of it."
Predictably, he didn't answer, instead shifting his attention to Mopheus, who was seated on one of the few surviving chairs. Beside him, a nurse was tending to a wound on his head.
"Are you the owner of this place?".
The old man, Mopheus, wasted no time in responding.
"Is it customary for the Deputy Chief to ask questions he already knows the answers to?"
"Heh," came an exaggerated laugh from Narco, drawing Null's sharp gaze toward him.
"You laugh while all these lives have been lost because of you."
Narco stopped laughing, his gaze shifting as if searching for something. Slowly, he took deliberate steps toward Null.
"Are you talking to me, Kingdom dog?"
The action made the office agents and police officers standing behind Null place their hands on the pistols holstered at their waists, ready for trouble.
Before the clash could escalate, a voice intervened.
"Stop this. And you—get started with your investigation. We still have to fix this place."
As for me, I remained in my spot, enjoying my cigar and watching the scene unfold.
It seemed this wasn't their first meeting.
"Who attacked you, and why?".
Narco scoffed at the empty question, sticking his pinky finger in his ear.
"Why do you always want us to answer questions that are literally your job to figure out, huh?"
"I don't know. Maybe because you always seem to know the answers?"
Seconds passed as they stared at each other. It didn't take much effort to see they despised one another.
I'd sat with them before, and neither had shown this level of animosity toward me. To be fair, my dislike for Null might match Narco's hatred of him. A shared sentiment, perhaps.
One of the officers broke the tense silence, approaching Null.
"Sir, we found this."
Null glanced at the half-burned piece of fabric, focusing on the insignia embroidered on it.
"The Faceless Mark,".
Turning back to Narco, Null gave him a rare smile—a smirk so full of mockery that even I was surprised. Just how much did he hate him?
"Didn't you run around boasting that you'd eliminated him?"
Narco scowled.
"I cut off his head, but apparently, the tail is still wagging."
Unlike before, when he had confidently made similar claims, this time the irritation in his voice was unmistakable.
"Of course, of course," Null said, brushing off the comment and turning his attention to the handgun and small submachine gun laid out nearby.
"Naturally, these weapons are unlicensed,".
The nurse finished tending to Mopheus' wound, and the old man replied in a tired voice.
"I think the fact that they have access to heavy weapons is a bit more concerning than these small toys, wouldn't you agree, Deputy Chief?"
So far, Mopheus' replies were sharp and to the point. I couldn't understand how a man like him claimed that his character hadn't gotten him anywhere.
Maybe he was referring to his readiness to sacrifice lives without hesitation. It was unfortunate because, with his mind, he could have achieved something great.
"What exactly is your connection to Mr. Emiric?"
The Scum was deliberately trying not to confront me directly, knowing full well he wouldn't get anything valuable out of me.
"My grandson was in financial trouble, and thanks to Mr. Emiric's generosity, I was able to help him. I was in the middle of discussing repayment terms,".
"Of course, of course. What about the drugs? Did he help you with addition and subtraction?"
Holding a file in his hand, Null flipped through the pages, clearly uninterested in Mopheus' answers. The gesture made the veins on Narco's forehead bulge with anger. He couldn't hold back any longer and stepped close to Null, until their faces were nearly touching.
Why does he always invade people's personal space like that? I was starting to question his preferences.
The officers moved to intervene, but Null raised a hand to stop them.
"We were planning how to overthrow the Kingdom," Narco sneered. "We even held a session specifically about you. I personally suggested we enslave you and sell you to old women as a toy."
For once, Null seemed to take the bait, throwing the file aside and raising his voice for all to hear.
"Do you admit that you are planning a coup"
The madman, Narco, was about to speak when Mopheus intervened once more.
"Stop throwing accusations around. And you, fool, keep your mouth shut."
Unfortunately, my cigar burned out along with my patience. If I didn't end this now, the lunatic would drag me into his mess, and the Scum wouldn't miss an opportunity to exploit it.
"Let's stop here. I don't have time to play with either of you. You—start your investigation and stop trying to provoke me. Haven't you learned your lesson yet?"
turned his attention to me.
"Strange to hear those words from you, Mr. Emiric. I keep finding you tied to everything, one way or another—your partners' deaths, the bomb planted in my car, and now a broad daylight attack with heavy weapons. Ever since your arrival, the Kingdom has been drowning in chaos."
I smirked arrogantly, allowing a faint smile to creep onto my face.
"Chaos, chaos, chaos," I repeated mockingly.
Taking a deep breath, I began pacing the room. Casting a theatrical glance around, I turned back to him and continued.
"I don't like it. I avoid it. But chaos loves me."
I stretched out my arms, lifting my shoulders in mock surrender.
"In fact, it adores me. I can't avoid it."
The sound of applause broke out beside me. Who else could it be but Dexter, clapping with enthusiasm, his eyes shining as if he had just witnessed a grand theatrical performance.
The Scum Null approached me with the same cold expression on his face. Dexter stopped clapping, clearly intending to interrupt him, but I raised my hand to stop him, allowing the scene to play out once more.
"Here we have the lunatic Narco, who calls himself the King, on one side. And on the other, we have the Faceless One, whose power you've barely tasted, and whom we know nothing about. Not to mention my pursuit of you and the Four Families. Do you really think you'll survive all of this?"
Damn it. I had nothing to say. I had the serum, sure, but I didn't fully understand it yet. I refused to give in to him, though. I was about to come up with something, but fortunately for him, one of the officers approached us, cutting in.
"Sir, we've collected all the evidence and the bodies. All that's left are their testimonies. Should we take them in?"
Without so much as a flicker of emotion crossing his face, Null replied,
"There's no need. Just write in their statements: 'I don't know. We didn't see anything. The place was in chaos; we couldn't notice anything.'"
He finished his sentence and, with a level of arrogance I couldn't understand, turned and walked out of the house.
Narco yelled after him, clearly trying to make sure the Scum could hear him.
"Look at this show-off! Just wait for the day I come and crush that empty skull of yours."
I walked past him on my way to the exit.
"You'll have to wait your turn."
The day had been long, and my work was finally done. Before leaving, I gave one last look to Mopheus.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Mopheus,".
"The feeling is mutual, Mr. Emiric,".
And with that, I stepped out of the house. Dexter rushed ahead to get the car, leaving me waiting. Suddenly, Narco appeared at my side, staring at me with a strange expression.
I tried to ignore him, my gaze fixed on the horizon. But it seemed like his tactic wasn't working, so he decided to finally open that sewer of a mouth.
"All my cars exploded," .
I gave him no response, waiting for him to feel even the slightest hint of embarrassment. He didn't. Unfazed, he continued.
"My house isn't far from here."
I couldn't take it anymore. I turned to him.
"Don't you feel ashamed asking a stranger to give you a ride?"
"We've known each other for about an hour. We're no longer strangers,".
He truly had no sense of shame or decency.
"There's only room for one more," I said, trying to put an end to this.
"Heh, don't worry. I was only talking about myself."
His words seemed to break the heart of the servant whose name I still didn't know. As if that wasn't enough, Narco turned to the poor man and, with a shameless grin, added,
"You can run."
My car arrived. We got in and quickly left the burned-out street behind us. The servant ran after us with all the energy he could muster.
The entire ride, the lunatic kept staring at me. His gaze made me uneasy. I couldn't take it anymore.
"What do you want?" I finally snapped.
"You haven't answered my offer."
"What offer?"
"The partnership offer,".
"Are you serious?"
"Of course."
I turned my gaze back to the window.
"Why should I trust you when you lied to me in our very first meeting?"
Uncertainty and confusion spread across his face.
"When did I lie to you?"
"You said you killed the Faceless One,".
He raised an eyebrow and, in a voice that grated on my nerves, said,
"I did kill him. Why does no one believe me?"
I studied his expression, trying to read him. I saw nothing. Was he telling the truth?
"How did you kill him?" .
He raised his arm, forming a mock pistol with his fingers.
"I shot him with a gun. Bam!"
"And his body? Where is it now?"
"Who knows? Maybe a shark ate it or something," .
Suddenly, his face was clouded with an unfamiliar expression—sadness. I couldn't make sense of it. Was he actually mourning?
I pushed past his expression, focusing instead on the fact that the body had been dumped into the unknown.
"That means he could've survived, right?" .
"Impossible. I shot him right in the heart."
That didn't erase the doubt gnawing at me.
"Ugh, damn it!".
"What now?" .
"I'm sick of this car,".
"You're welcome to get out and continue on foot. Your legs are still intact,".
For once, embarrassment crept across his face, and finally, silence filled the car.
The car stopped at the location he had specified. I glanced out the window and saw where we were—a brothel. Of course. What else was I expecting from him?
He got out and stood by the window, leaning close.
"You didn't answer me. Are we partners or enemies?"
I took a deep breath. What was with his sudden obsession with me? Was he plotting something? If I thought about it, I could probably benefit a little from working with him, but I didn't know his nature beyond his madness, which could easily drag me into trouble.
"For now, my focus is entirely on the Deputy Chief and the office. Once I'm done with him, maybe we'll talk about your proposal."
I gave the first excuse that came to mind.
"Forget it, then. That Scum is mine. I won't let anyone else toy with him. I've sworn that I'd take him down, even if it means starting a war with you."
What had Null done to him to make him hate him as much as I did? I was genuinely curious now.
I smiled as I said,
"Good. I was looking forward to carrying out our agreement anyway."
My words clearly left him confused. It seemed I needed to remind him.
"Did you forget? I'm going to try bribing one of your men. Anyway, let's not meet again anytime soon. Let me start missing you, though I'm sure that's impossible."
I rolled up the car window, and it drove off, leaving him standing there like the lamppost beside him.
Finally, the servant—whose name I still didn't know—caught up to him, panting heavily and leaning on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
"Now that you've finally arrived, you lazy fool, move quickly. I want a full report on all my men. Bring me anyone who might be capable of betraying me."
I closed my eyes, smiling to myself. At last, this day was coming to an end.
Ah, the cliché protagonist's habit of opening his mouth only to be cut off by the author—it seemed that fate was no different for me.
Suddenly, a noise, sharp and intrusive, like a ringing phone, filled the air. A frown creased my forehead.
I waited for Hank to answer it, but no matter how long I waited, the ringing didn't stop. Finally, I opened my eyes.
"Why aren't you answering the phone, Hank?" .
He turned to me, visibly confused.
"Forgive me, sir, but what phone?"
His confusion mirrored my own. I looked around. Maybe that lunatic forgot his phone somewhere, but there was nothing. And yet, I could still hear the ringing.
What was happening? I placed my hands over my ears, but the sound persisted. In fact, it grew louder. A wild thought formed in my mind.
As soon as I considered answering the call, the ringing stopped abruptly. A few seconds passed, and then a voice spoke.
"Sir,".
I looked over at Dexter and Hank, noticing that they seemed completely unaware of what was happening.
Thinking the words in my mind, I responded:
"Speak."
As if the first surprise wasn't enough, the voice replied.
"Sir, I've sent you the address of Mr. Dahi. Has it arrived?"
Hearing the voice for a moment longer, I recognized it—it was the doctor I'd met at the animal shelter. I had told him to send me the address of his master.
I wanted to ask him more but held back as a particular thought crossed my mind.
"Good… Well done,".
"Thank you, sir."
The call ended, and everything returned to normal.
As soon as the car arrived, I didn't wait for Dexter. I opened the door and headed to my room as fast as I could, aware of everyone's eyes on me.
"I don't want anyone to disturb me," I said, shutting the door behind me.
Standing in the center of the room, I suddenly recalled the cold draft I had felt before, no matter how tightly I had shut the windows.
Looking around carefully, I remembered the strange sense of dissonance I had felt when I first entered the room.
Seconds later, my eyes stopped on the bookshelf. Moving closer, I began removing all the books, stacking them neatly on the floor.
Running my hands along the surface of what I thought was wood, I noticed something strange. It looked like wood, but its texture reminded me of the palace doors after they had been coated in nano-technology—following the same design principles Hank had taught me.
the sound of something shifting echoed through the room, accompanied by a red glow.
In an instant, the shelves vanished, revealing a large black box, roughly the size of a person.
I stepped into it, watching as a beam of light scanned me, seemingly confirming my identity. A faint hiss followed, and the door behind me shut tightly.
The sound of machinery moving filled the space, and I felt as though I were in an elevator.
The destination was obvious—beneath the mansion, deeper than even the prison.
Finally, the descent came to a halt, and the door opened before me.
I took one step, then another, then a third. Suddenly, the darkness gave way to a blinding light.
"HOLY SHIT. WHAT IS THIS? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"
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