Chapter 18 Police intervention

Inside Studio One, Matthew sprinted toward the connection pod, but just before he could reach it, a chilling sense of unease washed over him.

Dark red blood splatters marred both sides of the pod. Instantly, he halted in his tracks, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. Then, at the head of the pod, he spotted something even more grotesque—a severed human head, still dripping with fresh blood.

His eyes snapped back to the interior of the pod. Inside lay a headless corpse, clad in a neatly pressed suit, sprawled motionless on its back, blood still seeping from the exposed stump of its neck.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as the security team and Orion rushed in.

"Don't… move!" Matthew immediately raised a hand, his voice sharp and urgent. "We're too late. The killer has been silenced."

Everyone froze, their gazes fixed on the horrific scene before them. Even Choros, the battle-hardened AI instructor, let out a rare exclamation—

"Brutal. Absolutely ruthless."

"This is beyond us." Matthew turned to Orion, issuing commands without hesitation. "Alert the administration. Get law enforcement involved. No one approaches the scene. Someone hand me a pair of rubber gloves—I need to take a closer look."

…

Meanwhile, the moment the imposter Daniel vanished from Infinity Haven, Liam immediately logged out, his consciousness snapping back to reality inside the academy laboratory.

As soon as his eyes fluttered open, he scanned his surroundings, quickly noting the security personnel stationed at the door. It only took him a second to piece it all together—Matthew had understood his signal.

Without hesitation, Liam ripped off the neural interface, unfastened the restraints of the connection pod, and sprang to his feet. Darting toward the exit, he addressed one of the security officers in a clear and urgent voice—

"Have they locked him down?! Where's Matthew? Have they found the suspect?"

Since Liam was the direct victim in the case, the security officers didn't hinder him. Instead, one of them gave a curt but honest reply—

"They're at the studio in Green Office Building."

"Thanks!" Liam threw the words over his shoulder before bolting out the door, his feet pounding against the floor as he sprinted toward the studio.

As soon as Liam disappeared, the others inside the lab erupted into a chorus of protests.

"Why is he allowed to leave?!"

"What the hell is this? How long are you planning to keep us locked in here?!"

"This is ridiculous!"

Their voices overlapped in heated complaints, but the security officers remained unfazed. One of them raised his electro-baton and responded in a calm yet unwavering tone—

"He is the primary witness. He's free to leave. The rest of you—wait until further notice."

…

Liam pushed himself to his limit, sprinting at full speed through the lab complex. In less than ten minutes, he reached the studio.

The moment he stepped inside, he was met with a dense crowd, voices overlapping in chaotic discussion. A foreboding sense of dread settled in his chest. Without hesitation, he pushed past the outer ring of people, forcing his way forward until he could see what lay at the center of the commotion.

The security team had already cordoned off the area around the connection pod. Inside, a headless corpse lay motionless, its entire body drenched in blood, staining the sleek interior of the pod a sickening crimson.

Liam's face went deathly pale. His mind reeled in shock.

He wasn't a fool—he didn't need anyone to spell it out for him. The imposter who had masqueraded as Daniel in Infinity Haven had been silenced.

Decapitation.

The most effective way to force an immediate disconnection from the neural interface, ensuring an abrupt and irreversible logout.

Matthew had understood his signal. But even so, he had been a step too late. There was more than one person in this academy trying to erase him.

A surge of anger and fear roiled in Liam's chest.

From the front of the crowd, Daniel approached and placed a reassuring hand on Liam's shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

Liam turned to him, his expression blank, his voice hollow—

"They… silenced him?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes." His tone was steady, but there was an unmistakable weight behind it. "The victim's identity has been confirmed. He was a warehouse manager from the Institute of Scientific Research. He's worked here for over five years. It's highly likely that the AI enforcers that ambushed Matthew were under his manipulation."

Liam clenched his fists, his gaze locked onto the headless corpse, a chill creeping down the back of his neck.

Everything that had transpired recently—the night attack, the memory theft, the AI ambush, and now this brutal execution—it was too much, too overwhelming for someone who had just turned eighteen. Even with his sharp intellect, Liam lacked the real-world experience to process such ruthless schemes without the gnawing fear that he might be next.

Daniel observed the way Liam's expression shifted, how his thoughts raced silently behind his eyes. He could guess exactly what was going through his mind.

"Get some rest," Daniel advised, his voice calm yet firm. "This situation has escalated beyond the academy's jurisdiction. The Ravenwick Police Division and Velmora Metropolitan Task Force have already arrived. They'll be taking over the investigation."

Liam merely nodded, his movements stiff, his eyes never straying from the corpse.

The studio was located in the underground level, with no windows to the outside. The murmuring voices around him blurred into white noise as Matthew tuned them out, his attention drawn elsewhere. Silently, he positioned himself along the less conspicuous edges of the room, his sharp eyes scanning the area for anything unusual.

On the right side of the room, near the media storage rack, something caught his eye—a ventilation duct, positioned about half a meter from the ground.

Matthew crouched, reaching out his gloved hand to tug at the metal grating, only to find that it had been welded shut.

His gaze flicked back toward the studio's main entrance, his mind racing. If the door was the only known exit…

After a moment of contemplation, he activated the built-in flashlight on his wristwatch, angling the beam through the slats of the vent.

Something inside glimmered faintly in the depths of the duct—a small strip of blue fabric, catching the light with a subtle sheen.

Matthew's brow furrowed slightly. Without hesitation, he grabbed a thin metal rod from the nearby equipment rack, carefully reaching through the narrow opening, and hooked the fabric, slowly pulling it toward him.

…

Nightfall – Room 107

Liam sat in the reading area, his gaze fixed on the miniature holographic projector, scrolling through the latest news. The grisly events at Ravenwick Theological Seminary had already taken the Infinity Haven media platforms by storm, dominating the trending discussions.

It all started when an eager student uploaded footage of Choros' battle against the eight AI enforcers, along with the gruesome sight of the headless corpse. Given the massive user base of Infinity Haven's official media network, it took mere minutes for the topic to surge to the very top of the hotlist.

As Liam scrolled through the countless comments and debates, a deep sense of helplessness settled in his chest.

Since the murder of his parents, Liam had no true family left in this world. Confronted with the chaos and danger surrounding him, he realized that there was not a single person he could truly confide in.

Meanwhile, in the dormitory, Matthew sat comfortably, soaking his feet, a lazy grin stretching across his face as he turned to Andrew.

"You've got some serious guts, huh?"

Andrew blinked. "And what makes you say that?"

Matthew scoffed. "Are you an idiot? Look at Liam—he's clearly a walking disaster. You're sharing a dorm with him, and you actually feel safe?"

Andrew rolled his eyes and shot back, "Then tell me, oh wise coward—if you're so afraid, why are you still here?"

Matthew bared his teeth in a smug grin. "Well, I got paid, obviously." He leaned back, wiggling his toes in the warm water. "How about this—you pay me too, and I'll throw in some personal security on the side."

Andrew didn't even hesitate. "I'd rather throw my money to the dogs."

Having long grown accustomed to Matthew's shameless extortion attempts, Andrew dismissed him outright. He stood, poured himself a glass of water, and headed toward the reading area.

Matthew, still soaking his feet, turned his attention to Samuel, who was sprawled inside his hibernation pod, casually scrolling through his screen.

"And you?" Matthew asked. "Why haven't you applied for a dorm transfer yet?"

Samuel didn't even glance up. His voice was calm, indifferent.

"Talking to me isn't free."

"Wow." Matthew pursed his lips, clicking his tongue. He let his gaze sweep across the room before chuckling to himself.

"This dorm is something else." He stretched his arms above his head. "Everyone here knows there's a goddamn ticking time bomb in the room, but nobody wants to leave. Huh. Fascinating."

From within his pod, Samuel muttered a single word before sealing himself off from the world.

"Idiot."

Matthew shot a long, considering glance at Samuel's pod, then swiftly yanked his feet from the water, activated the quick-dry function, and shoved them back into his worn-out shoes.

Without another word, he hurried out of the dormitory.

Reading Room

Andrew placed a glass of water beside Liam, his voice gentle as he said, "The police department has officially taken over the case. I'm sure they'll have results soon, so try not to let the pressure get to you."

Liam turned his head slightly. "Andrew… if you ever feel unsafe in this dorm, you can apply for a transfer. There's no need to feel obligated to stay."

Andrew let out a chuckle, flashing a grin. "The skybridge was obliterated, Liam. Who the hell knows where danger will show up next? I'll be fine. And if it ever gets to be too much, trust me, I'll know when to leave."

That night, Liam remained in the reading room until the early hours of the morning before finally retreating to his hibernation pod. Meanwhile, the academy's security division had significantly increased patrols around their dormitory, deploying mobile surveillance units across the campus.

The Next Morning

Just as Liam was waking up, Lillian, a senior member of the student council, arrived at the dormitory.

"Liam, do you have a moment?" she asked from the doorway. "The student council would like to speak with you."

"Alright, give me a few minutes to change, and I'll be there." Liam nodded.

"I'll wait outside," Lillian replied before turning to leave.

Five minutes later, just as Liam was about to step out of the dorm, Matthew's arm slung itself around his shoulders in a rather questionable manner.

"Relax, kid. Have faith in my professional expertise," Matthew murmured with an exaggerated smirk.

Liam cast him a skeptical glance. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Matthew lowered his voice, eyes darting around cautiously before he whispered, "I found something." He led Liam a few steps away from the dorm and continued in a hushed tone, "Think carefully—do you remember seeing anyone wearing a blue outfit?"

Liam froze for a moment, confused. "I… I don't quite follow."

"No, just think back. Go through everyone you've encountered on campus. Who was wearing blue?" Matthew grinned, his expression thoroughly smug.

Liam sifted through his memories, his mind racing. "I see… It's not a coat, is it?"

Matthew's oily grin widened into something borderline perverse. "Go to your meeting with the student council first. When you're back, we'll talk."

Liam narrowed his eyes, his curiosity thoroughly piqued. "What exactly did you find?"

…

Academy Administration Building

Blaze, the Chief Inspector of Criminal Investigations from the Velmora Metropolitan Police Department, had officially stationed himself at Ravenwick Theological Seminary the night before, leading a specialized task force to investigate the chain of homicides linked to Liam's enigmatic memories.

At the break of dawn, a swarm of media personnel had descended upon the Theological Seminary, eager to report on the unfolding case. The one assigned to handle them—was Blaze.

In a compact conference room, Blaze observed the twenty assembled journalists, his demeanor refined yet firm as he addressed them. "I hope that until the investigation reaches a concrete conclusion, the media will exercise restraint in reporting on this case. Given that the incident involves students, AI entities, and automatons, the subject matter is undoubtedly sensitive."

"Are you asking us to limit our coverage, or are you outright forbidding us from reporting on it?" someone questioned.

Blaze smiled faintly. "What I mean is—please leave."

"Inspector Blaze, the press has the right to freely pursue and report on any event. I don't quite understand—"

"Indeed." Blaze interjected smoothly, his smile unwavering. "But freedom, my friend, must always be exercised within the bounds of guidance and regulation."

The room fell into a stunned silence.

"Allow me to remind you—the case is still ongoing. If excessive media coverage fuels speculation, interferes with our investigation, and hinders progress, I will hold you accountable." Rising from his seat, Blaze concluded curtly, "Meeting adjourned."

Meanwhile…

Liam arrived at the Student Council Chamber, only to find himself standing before a group of students around his age—yet each exuded an air of seasoned composure and maturity. Their postures were upright, their gazes sharp, and they regarded him with an unreadable intensity.