Chapter 339: Display and Invite

"Maybe the outcome seems unfair to her, but the entire process involved a legal transaction with Tokumoto Atsuko's guardian. In this kind of situation, no one is necessarily at fault—it's just that everyone's circumstances are different."

Ren spoke with a trace of emotion, then added,

"Also, I want to remind you that the emotional state Tokumoto Atsuko was in was largely a result of her family environment. Her mother didn't lack understanding of her daughter's feelings, she just had no way to respond."

"A father addicted to gambling, alcoholic, and who died early. A mother suffering from depression, raising two daughters alone. An older daughter burdened with high expectations. A younger daughter still growing up."

"That kind of environment nurtured Atsuko's inferiority complex and her lack of social connection."

Ren seemed to see a reflection of himself in her. In some ways, he and Tokumoto Atsuko were alike.

It was just a pity... Tokumoto Atsuko had much worse luck than him. It was as if fate had been mocking her.

"As for her... I can only say that some of her actions were too extreme. From what I've investigated, her mother died from depression less than a year after Atsuko's death. Her younger sister was placed in an orphanage but was adopted two months ago. She's living a stable life now."

"..."

Upon hearing that, Sato Miwako could only sigh in helplessness.

Perhaps, as Ren said, there was no one person to blame. The mother had to support both daughters, and the cost of tuition and daily expenses weighed on her like a stone.

Selling the story may have been the only compromise the mother could make to survive.

Compared to dreams, staying alive is a far more pressing concern.

"So after her death, Tokumoto Atsuko turned into that... thing, and her resentment latched onto Takahashi Ryoichi, who was willing to avenge her. And that ultimately led to this kind of case?"

"Exactly."

Ren gave a small nod. That was the truth of the case.

"As for the two people who were killed, they were just ordinary people like Takahashi Ryoichi. It's just that he believed they had something to do with Atsuko's death, and so he killed them on his way to take revenge."

What a tragedy... Sato Miwako could only feel a deep sense of sorrow after hearing it all.

Most people in this case didn't even commit any clear wrongdoing. Yet because of their backgrounds, positions, and circumstances, a simple transaction spiraled into a complex murder case.

"By the way... is this kind of thing common?"

"Evil spirits?"

"Yeah."

"When someone dies with intense resentment or an obsession that refuses to fade, there's a chance they can become an evil spirit. And evil spirits... their actions are no longer bound by the person they once were. They act without ego, clinging to their obsession, haunting the site of their death, and killing anything that enters their domain."

"Such evil spirits are actually quite rare, but in this City, there are surprisingly many."

More than expected? Sato Miwako was surprised. She had never seen one herself, even after living in this city for 28 years.

"It's like Tsukikage Island."

Sato Miwako paused, remembering the corpses tied to research tables. The dead had looked horrifying. Just one glance was enough to know the cruelty they had suffered before death.

"Those people... they became evil spirits too?"

"Yes. Before we landed, I saw dozens of evil spirits floating over Tsukikage Island. Their resentment was thick, overflowing. But the people who conducted the experiments had already left, so those evil spirits could only roam the island aimlessly."

"Besides, Tsukikage Island is too vast. Their hatred couldn't harm the drug traffickers. At most, they could only haunt their dreams and mentally torment them."

Ren paused.

"But we wiped them out last time. In a way, it's better to remove them than let them roam endlessly. It's not salvation, but destruction."

Sato Miwako understood the reasoning behind it, though the topic was far too heavy for her taste.

"By the way, what method did you use?"

"Curious?"

"Mhm…"

"Then, are you ready?"

"...To be honest, not really. But after I learned what the top brass of the Metropolitan Police Department actually think, I knew I couldn't avoid it now that I've been promoted."

Before leaving home today, Sato Miwako had already prepared herself to face the truth.

Some things are hard to accept all at once, but she had to adapt and accept them sooner or later.

Besides, she had just been promoted to Deputy Inspector, and she was offered yet another opportunity for advancement.

If she hadn't entered the special task group, she never would've received such rapid promotions. This latest one wasn't just in recognition of her role in recovering the bombs—it also marked her as the bridge between the Metropolitan Police Department and Ren.

So, once that promotion came, she no longer had the option to run.

"Well, I think it's good that Officer Sato has that kind of awareness. Since you're ready, then it's okay to show you."

"Eh? Right here?"

Sato Miwako was a bit surprised. They were still in a public place. Was it really okay to reveal it here?

"Officer Sato, why don't you try calling the waiter?"

Seeing Ren's casual tone, Sato Miwako took a deep breath and raised her voice.

"Waiter!!!"

She shouted loudly, but in the family restaurant, not a single person reacted. No one even turned to look.

Sato Miwako was stunned. She knew about the existence of supernatural powers, but when did this ability take effect? Was this Ren's doing?

"This... is a superpower?"

"Yes. It's a type of extraordinary ability. But it's not the one I used to locate the bomber. This is just an ability meant for display."

An ability purely for display... but Sato Miwako already felt like it was far too much.

Controlling sound in a localized area so that others can't hear—frankly, this ability had a wide range of applications.

And yet it was only a display.

"So, Officer Sato... I'm inviting you. Do you want to become one of us?"

(To be continued.)