"I was never told about this," I said, looking at Michael through the window.\
The beautiful engineering memories I had experienced earlier were now slowly changing their form in my mind.
It wasn't Susan's hand that reached up and grabbed my neck, it was Michael's. He was trying to strangle me and make me out of breath.
What a crazy psychopath!
I stared at Elena with unbearable irritation. I felt so betrayed. "You said I was your valued partner!"
"You are and always will be."
"So? Who's that?" I exclaimed, pointing at Michael.
Elena looked over, sighed, and nodded. "We apologise for the inconvenience and misunderstanding that occurred between the two of you. However, for the record, from the beginning, we never said that the only partner we had was you."
That's a valid point, but that's not what I meant. "I thought we were co-operating and mutually beneficial here."
"That's right. You give us information, and we give you money. Nothing less, nothing more," Elena said, this time more calm and controlled. "Once again, we are truly sorry the two of you had to meet like this. However, you need not worry, Mr Hughes is a friend and completely harmless."
So harmless that he almost killed me with his bare hands, huh?
I mean, okay, I know what he used to distort my perspective was a Skill, but what kind of skill? That's too perfect an illusion!
Speaking of abilities, I think he has another Skill. A shapeshifting ability. The very thing he did to trick me and Fletcher!
If you learn from what I have experienced, like almost everything in the world, this skill does not come without restrictions.
There are taboos that must be practised, conditions that must be met, or limitations that need to be observed.
This is just a wild scenario, if that man can transform himself as Liz, and (hopefully my assumption is not correct) the restrictions are related to killing, that means Liz is already...
"You seem to have a lot of questions," Elena said, breaking the silence.
I looked up. Of course I do. Why should I speculate when I can ask them myself. "Sure. First of all---"
"However, once again, I apologise, Mr McKane. If you've read all the points of the contract, it says we don't have the authority to disseminate even the slightest partner information to anyone, so... if you have any questions, you can ask the person over there yourself."
*#*
I was hit by my own words and it felt ironic.
It was bitter, irritating, and definitely not a sensation you want to remember.
In the end, I; Elena; and Luminova were a group of professional colleagues who had their own boundaries and authority. While I was willing to help, I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.
Relying too much on others would only make me useless anyway.
That's why, when I found her sipping alcohol at one of the tender tables, I immediately said. "Did you killed her?"
The casino was crowded at the time. Just where I was standing now, there were five other people sitting around the table doing their own thing.
My loud words got some attention, but it didn't faze me.
Michael looked at me, then at the people watching us (it didn't take long for them to become interested again), and then nodded silently. "If you were like me, you would understand."
Of course not. I'm not a murderer, and have no intention of becoming one. Let alone doing it to someone like Liz. "So what? Yours is a System that makes someone to become a madman? A cold-blooded killer?"
"Be careful what you say," Michael said, turning away from me.
"And what if I don't?" It's a stupid challenge, I know. But, again, as before, my body acted faster than I thought it would.
There was a long, puzzling pause. Michael sighed, then patted the empty seat next to him.
I frowned, not wanting to comply. Michael seemed to realise this and started talking again, "Are you her boyfriend?"
"No, I'm not. He's..." Just a colleague. Yes, he is. Again, I reminded myself that, after all, Liz is just a colleague. Why am I this angry?
No, I'm not. I don't think it's that. It's the uncomfortable feeling when someone you've known for a while suddenly disappears due to a tragic incident. While the perpetrator of the incident is right in front of you.
This is not a subjective emotion, but a rational thought.
So... in the end, is this all fear?
My throat constricted again and my goosebumps bristled. I shouldn't be here.
"I apologise," Michael said again.
I looked up, more alert than before. "What?"
"For all the mess I caused. It won't happen again."
I looked into his eyes, which were not as cruel as I had imagined. Those blue pupils may seem heartless at first, but if you look at them, you'll realise that they're not.
I looked into his eyes, which were not as cruel as I had imagined. Those blue pupils may seem heartless at first, but if you look closely, there are emotions that are hard to interpret there. "If you're so sorry, don't ever do that again. That cursed skill."
"Skill?"
"Yes, the one you did to trick us. That..." I shook my head and hissed. "That's disgusting. Let her go in peace!"
"Sure."
Surprisingly, right after that, there was a notification that echoed in my head.
[DETECTIVE EXPERINECE] COMPLETED!
"What?"
[As a token of appreciation for completing impressive missions and using the Calculative Skill to its full potential, you can now open the <Skill> Menu to manage your Skills]
You've got to be kidding me.
*#*
That's not a joke. There is a new menu besides <Inventory>, <Profile>, <Shop> that appears.
When clicked, a text appeared, similar to when I first got this power.
<Skill>
[Welcome to the Skill Menu. Here you can adjust the projection of the Skills you have as you wish to be more efficient][Do you want to go through Guide Mode?]
[Yes] [No]
<Guide I>
[Skills can be obtained in two ways: buying them in the Shop Menu or being exclusively gifted after doing certain activities both on and off missions]I knew about this from the beginning. Is this a repetition? Therefore, without paying further attention, I immediately pressed the Continue button.
<Guide II>
[Skill Management. Skills that have been acquired will be displayed through the Profile Menu, and can be viewed in detail in this Menu. Skills obtained can also be maximised through the Evolution and Enchance methods]This is new.
<Guide III>
[Evolution is to encourage the continuation of existing Skills. So, when doing Evolution, the Skill you have can be upgraded to add new effects; amount of damage; durability, etc. without removing the previous effects that already exist].<Guide IV>
[Enhance is combining two or more Skills that are still related to each other into one new Skill. There will be changes in effects, damage, durability, etc. The attributes of the previous Skills will not be removed].<Rules>
[1.Enhance and Evolution require predetermined Skill Points.2.Skills that have evolved cannot be downgraded3.Skills that have been Enhanced can be 'split' again, but the Skill will return to its pre-evolution form (if the Skill has already been evolved). In the process of breaking, Skill Points will not be returned4.Skills obtained from and or outside of missions are exclusively Permanent and cannot be removed under any circumstances. Skills purchased through the Shop can be removed].There are some confusing things, but I feel like I understand most of it. So it's like crafting in an RPG world?
After the troublesome guide was over, I found the Skill column that I could 'manage'.
{Skill}
CalcualtiveBody ControlThere are only two.
It's sad, and it's even sadder when you look at the description.
So, instead of fretting and crying over what had happened, I chose to apply what I had learnt.
{Calculative}
[Evolution] [Enhance]We all know what I'm doing with this.
[You want to Evolve the Calcuative? This requires 100 SP.]
Ah, right. I also read about Skill Points earlier, but do I have any? It feels like it's also a foreign term to me. I never saw it on the Profile Menu.
And if it's also part of the payment method, then it should be alongside Gold and Charisma.
But, then again, I don't think I've ever seen...
Ah! Here it is!
Apparently, it was only displayed in the Skill Menu.
It says here that I only have 100 SP.
Wait, that means, if I do this, it's an all in?
Risking it all in one uncertain endeavour left me with a dilemma. What if the effect is not what I expected?
What if [Enhance] is a better choice.
Then I'll try it first.
[The system did not find a match between the two proposed Skills!]
Huh? In that case, everything already clear. I just have only one choice
However, is this the right decision?
Should I upgrade Body Control instead? Or buy another Skill at the <Shop>?
That's when my phone rang.
It was an alarm notification. A reminder that it's almost six o'clock at night. What the hell is six o'clock at night today?
Akh!
Akh!
How could I forget?
I have a date with Susan Becker!
OK, OK, OK. Okay. Let's get this over with quickly, and start thinking about which outfit I should choose to at least appear non-embarrassing.
Eeny, meeny, miny
I'll take this!

Latest Chapter
59
I chose to let it pass until it ended on its own.I gulped. I had thought that this relationship ended when they broke up with me during these weeks, so what was she trying to do now?Could it be that one of them saw me caught red-handed by Detective Werner and concluded that I was someone who couldn't be trusted with responsibility, and wanted to collect a fine?Or did they know my intention to spill the beans, and thought to get rid of me?Okay.I know my mind has been very paranoid lately, but it's certainly a plausible option.Michael told them everything about my betrayal, and they decided that I had to go.It makes even more sense that David's death was part of their plan.They made it an ultimatum of sorts.It was as if they were saying, "It's your turn next!"My phone vibrated again.[Elena is calling...]I gulped and started to feel uncomfortable.Why isn't Eva back yet, anyway? How many hours has she been in the bathroom?And why did it get so hot in here?The third call cam
58
I was turning the door knob and was already anticipating another surprise attack.My eyes darted behind me to see who might be the troublemaker now. Because if there was, he'd better show up or he'd really ruin my night.The last time I looked at my watch, the short hand was already showing eleven o'clock. Normally, I'd have gone to bed an hour earlier.But, because of an oversight, and a legal regulation that was rigged as well, I had to stay up like this.Yes... the rigged laws. If the tension of this whole situation starts to drop, maybe I'll teach Detective Werner a... lesson.Not the harmful kind of revenge. I can see that he's an honest and firm law enforcer (and because of that firmness, I'm sure one or two suspects ended up confessing before even getting to the interrogation room), but I think that sometimes there's a line that shouldn't be crossed, and everyone should start respecting that line.Ah... what the hell was I thinking. It must all be because of the [Logical Reasoni
57
Right from the start, it was a mess.And I'm starting to not care.What? You think, when I leaked almost everything to Detective Werner, I had a clever scheme that went one step further?Yes, and no.I might use Detective Werner to find Michael for me, but then what?His existence can't even be controlled by someone like Eva, what can an ordinary cop do?And as for Eva, I had considered it too. In the last fight, I think she was just holding back.I mean, okay, I'm nothing compared to the two of them (Michael and Eva), but at the very least, the person who defeated you in less than five seconds must be a very dangerous person..., right?My original plan was to investigate Michael's whereabouts first, cut ties with Elena's people, and cooperate fully with Eva.That sounded brilliant.I hate to admit it, but Eva is the equivalent of an army. No matter how many opponents I had, if Eva was by my side, I would most likely win.But, I ended up thinking it was stupid. Because even though Eva
[THE DETECTIVE VI]
"What?""There are no anomalies like you said," Amy said indifferently. The woman downed her half-empty coffee cup. "I mean, anomalies?""Do you think this is all a joke?"Amy shrugged. "Life is a joke, isn't it?" She frowned when I didn't break eye contact, then sighed. "Everyone takes this job as seriously as you do, okay. And, no. These are all preliminary test results.""So what does it say?""Do I have to repeat it ten times?" snapped Amy, in a more sarcastic tone this time. "I don't think so, really. If you want to go through a more intensive examination, I can refer you to the city centre's more adequate research agency. That is, if they believe your alibi.""What does 'if they believe' mean."Amy frowned, again. "You're sure you're not drunk, right?"I growled, stomped my feet repeatedly, and prepared to leave. What a bunch of corrupt people who like to manipulate facts.Were they this pathetic to begin with? Were they already beyond help.I went to the interrogation room agai
56
"I said you saw it wrong," I insisted. Although I looked calm, my mind was in turmoil.Of course, this wasn't my first time at the police station. The first time was when I had to see Shane. It wasn't an experience I remembered. I still remember how intense it was, even chatting here. Even then I was just a visitor, but now I'm being brought in as a suspect.My hands were handcuffed to the table, and Detective Werner, the man who had prejudged me at school, was sitting in front with a meaningful grin. "Look at you. Don't you realise your position? You've been cornered, and you can still make excuses?""I don't know what you mean--"That's when the detective handed me a mobile phone displaying a video.The video of my fight with the slimes earlier. It didn't show the slimes (as Eva said, the eyes of ordinary people wouldn't be able to catch it. It seemed to apply to the camera as well).But, it captured the image of me suddenly disappearing and bringing fire out of nothing like an unp
55
I bit my lower lip rather hard. Half annoyed, half regretful.Indeed, Eva had previously warned about the appearance of an extra act, and the possibility of a monster attack. But, I thought that it was only limited to zombies, not other monstersNot like the one I was facing now. Because now, just as I was about to step into the house and turn the door knob, my steps had to stop in front of the porch because two greenish slime figures were bouncing in front of me.No, no, no. Not just two, but three, four, five. Ambushing me from all directions.I've seen these, not only in games and films, but also in souvenir shops. They're often played with by small children, and even eaten by some with slightly retarded brains.But, of course, they would never think that the slime would become this big; alive; and come at them with murderous intensity.I looked around and held a vigilant stance. The last monster I fought had unexpected movements and abilities. If zombies, which are usually synonym
54
I parked the car in front of a small local pharmacy near the street. Ever since returning from the casino, my head had been in severe pain.I didn't know if it was because I'd been awake for almost 48 hours or because of the string of tangled facts I'd just discovered.I approached the pharmacist, handing over the prescription I'd been holding onto for a while. It's something I got long before I moved here, I think.Lately, my head had been hurting, but I couldn't sleep. I guess that's why there's a sleeping potion in there that I need to take.However, after receiving a plastic bag of what I wanted, I quickly threw the sleeping pills in the bin, and took some energy-boosting vitamins.I don't need sleep right now! I just need answers!"Ah, that strange Mr Strange from earlier," said an unfamiliar voice... next to me.I turned my gaze to the side and found a face that was... can I call it familiar?I did feel like I had met her, but that's also how I feel when I meet new people.The g
53
"First of all, was it really an accident?" I asked while taking out a small note.I asked us to go outside to make the atmosphere more conducive (as well as to keep him awake. Learning from past investigative experiences, it's much more effective to question people who aren't high).Instead, this Becker stole a bottle of alcohol to drink outside.His eyes were now wide open, and if he fell further (and he would), then things would be even more troublesome."No pleasantries first?""We don't have the time, do we, sir?"Becker chuckled. A chuckle that slowly faded and was replaced by a heavy-handed reply. "You've heard the rumours, and you know the answers, why ask again?""I need confirmation."Becker shrugged. "Fair enough." He took a swig, sighed, and burped. "She was murdered. I don't know by whom. Some sane people suspect those two little bastards. Although they have innocent looks, but after all, they were the only ones there. Tell me, is it possible for someone to be found decapi
52
Does he know? "Oh, really?" Remember. Don't make assumptions beforehand. Next time, I'll make the same mistake as before."Why did you do that? Sara... you... why are you that heartless, anyway?"Hah, it was just that calm. "I..." From the romances, I must look sympathetic anyway. "It was a mistake, Miss Irene, really. It was a mistake. I ... if I could have stopped Silas that time, it would have been Sara now ..." Come on... tears, come out. Just a little bit."So why didn't you do it?" Irene was so frustrated.Oh my goodness. Is someone like Sara really worth missing? "I... I was late."What I heard next was a surprise: it was a snicker. She's crazy, isn't she? Or has she realised? "You're right. It's all my fault." His laugh ended with a bitter smile and eyes that were fixed in an enigmatic direction. "I shouldn't be here."She looked away without speaking again.What the hell?Do you think this is some kind of reenactment of a sad film scene? My mind is full, you know.Hopefully,
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