The detective is dead, I did it.

Chapter 8 The Age of Detectives

"So what are you going to do next?" Li Ang sheathed his knife and looked at the detective. "I want to rescue my sister first."

Charlotte walked to her desk and took out a piece of paper and a pen from the drawer.

"I'll write a letter and ask them to check on your sister's whereabouts." She unscrewed the cap of her pen, the nib dancing across the paper. "But before they arrive, I want to deal with these cultists in the hotel first."

"I have no objection."

Li Ang never showed mercy to these harmful cultists, especially since they had even resorted to sacrifices.

He recalled what Miss Charlotte had written in her letter about Norman being stabbed eighteen times and dying.

That's utterly inhuman! And for a sacrifice, it's impossible to stab a vital spot and let the victim bleed to death; it's simply killing for the sake of torture.

"However," Li Ang recalled something, his tone becoming cautious, "it seems one of them is an ability user. The specific ability is unclear, but it appears he can transfer the murder clues he left behind to another person."

Charlotte paused for a moment. "I see. No wonder I always felt something was off when I was investigating."

She put down her pen, crossed her hands to support her chin. It was a pity she wasn't wearing her glasses, otherwise she might have seen a sharp glint of light flash from the other person's eyes.

Although this may just be Li Ang's illusion.

"Mrs. Connie's alibi wasn't perfect, but it essentially ruled her out as a suspect. Yet all the clues left at the scene pointed to her. I've always felt something was amiss, but if there was a 'criminal' present, everything would make sense."

"Criminal?" Li Ang caught the sudden word.

"Since the gates of hell were first opened a hundred years ago, some people have been bewitched, began to worship evil gods, and gained all sorts of strange powers. These people are collectively known as 'criminals'."

"Criminals?" Li Ang repeated, feeling that the word didn't quite fit his understanding. "So, they're also superpowered?"

Li Ang felt that this thing sounded no different from a detective.

Or is it that the detective's abilities are awakened at birth, while the criminals' abilities are actually blessed by an evil god?

"Are you thinking that criminals and detectives can both be considered ability users? And that there's no difference between them?" Charlotte suddenly asked, her expression somewhat serious.

"I didn't." Although that's what he thought, Li Ang naturally couldn't say it so bluntly.

"That's good. Don't think like that, or you'll become the enemy of all detectives."

This is the age of detectives.

Since the Gates of Hell incident a century ago, detectives have replaced the traditional church and become the new ruling class in this country, with a status comparable to royalty.

If someone thinks there's no difference between detectives and criminals, and the old-school detectives find out, they'll think that person is questioning the legitimacy of the entire detective system.

In their eyes, detectives, as natural-born strongmen, should be superior to ordinary people.

These detectives never hesitate to punish anyone who dares to question their status.

After hearing the detective's explanation, Li Ang said, "I see."

"Yes. So you have to be careful what you say. The rules of this world are more complicated than you think."

"There is a red line that cannot be crossed between detectives and criminals."

"Detectives maintain order, criminals disrupt order. You can say a detective is incompetent, or you can say a detective is corrupt, but you can never say that 'detectives and criminals are no different.'"

"I see."

"Good girl." Charlotte withdrew her hand, walked back to her desk, picked up her pen, and said, "Let's continue."

She quickly scribbled a few lines on the letter, then folded it and took out a silver badge from her pocket. It had a scale pattern engraved on it, with a magnifying glass on one side and handcuffs on the other.

Then, under Li Ang's questioning gaze, he stamped the badge on the envelope and lit it.

Aren't you going to mail it?

"What era are we living in that we're still using traditional courier services? Detectives have their own methods of sending letters."

Li Ang noticed that the flames on the letter gradually changed from a dim yellow to a deep blue, until they burned completely without leaving any residue.

"Looks like they received the letter." Charlotte clapped her hands in satisfaction, her face regaining that infuriating smile. "Now, let's go fishing."

"fishing?"

"Yes." Charlotte walked to the bedside, lay down again, her long white hair spread across the pillow. "I'll continue to play dead. You use disposing of the body as an excuse to lure those cultists upstairs. When they get close to me..."

She stretched out her hand and made a throat-slitting gesture.

"A sneak attack from behind, a fatal blow."

Li Ang thought about it and felt that although the plan was simple and crude, its advantage lay in its unexpectedness.

"What about the one among them who has special abilities?"

"You're in charge of dealing with this! Remember to protect me!" Charlotte winked at Li Ang.

"...You want me, a novice who has just awakened my abilities, to protect a detective whose sequence abilities are superior to mine?"

Although he didn't know the detective's specific abilities or what rank she was, he was certain she was stronger than him, a newbie who had just awakened.

"Isn't this what you should do?" Charlotte said matter-of-factly. "After all, I'm just a weak detective specializing in deduction; what fighting ability do I have?"

"But what if that guy is stronger than me? Wouldn't we be doomed? Should we wait for those armed detectives to arrive before we make a move?" Li Ang tentatively suggested.

"Assistant, you need to understand that ability isn't the only factor determining victory or defeat. There's also luck, tactics, and..."

"And what?"

"And whether the other person is more afraid of death than you."

Li Ang was speechless.

You can resurrect every day, so of course you're not afraid of dying, but he can't. If he's killed, he's really dead.

"Alright, go ahead." Charlotte closed her eyes, folded her hands over her stomach, and indeed looked like a peaceful corpse. "Don't keep them waiting."

Li Ang could only open the door and go out.

The corridor was empty. He walked down the stairs to the lobby on the first floor, where the woman and two men in black robes were standing in a corner, talking in hushed tones.

Wearing a black robe in broad daylight—isn't that just blatantly telling others that you're abnormal?

Sure enough, those who become cult members are more or less mentally unstable.

"Why did it take so long?" The woman frowned when she saw him. "Is the body disposed of?"

"There's a problem." Li Ang's expression subtly revealed a hint of difficulty. "I can't move Miss Charlotte's body by myself."

"You..." The woman wanted to scold Li Ang for being useless, but considering that he had made a great contribution, she patiently looked at the two men in black robes beside her.

"You two, go up with him and help," she commanded. "Hurry up, we don't have much time."

The two men in black robes nodded and followed Li Ang up the stairs.

The woman hesitated for a moment, then followed.