Chapter 36: The Initiative

One hour later, the group dispersed. Sebastian Gray offered to drive Victor Black home, while Isabella Gray took Lily White back to her place.

On the road.

"Hey, Isabella," Lily said with a mischievous grin, "why don't you date Victor? I mean, look at him—handsome, intelligent, kind, and he can cook! What more could you want in a boyfriend?"

Isabella shot her a glare. "Don't be ridiculous!"

But deep down, she had entertained the idea before. However, Victor was like a shadow to her—elusive, intangible, and enigmatic. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but her intuition told her that he was someone she could never truly grasp or control.

Meanwhile, in the other car.

"Can I ask you something?" Sebastian suddenly spoke up.

"Go ahead," Victor replied.

"A criminal calls the police to notify them while committing a crime. Why would he do that?"

Victor pretended to think for a moment before answering, "Perhaps the criminal lacked affection growing up, leading to a twisted psyche. He might be seeking attention to fill the void in his heart."

Sebastian nodded. "That's quite insightful. I didn't know you were into psychology."

"Just something I read in a book," Victor said casually. "I like to read all kinds of things in my spare time."

"But what if that's not the reason? Could there be another explanation?"

"People always have motives for their actions. Even if something seems inexplicable on the surface, there's always a hidden purpose if you look closely enough."

Just then, they arrived at Dreamville Apartments. Sebastian dropped the subject and smiled. "My sister's birthday is coming up. You should definitely come."

He winked at Victor. "You know what they say—'A woman three years older is like a gold brick.' So, my friend, do you want gold or not?"

Victor got out of the car without answering, simply waving as he walked away. "I'll be there."

After Victor left, Sebastian's smile faded. Victor's words had sparked something in him, and now his mind was consumed with thoughts of the "Phantom."

"Victor's right. People always have motives, especially someone as intelligent as the Phantom. It's not about psychological distortion, nor is it for fun or to mock the police. So, what's the purpose behind the murder announcements?"

As he drove, Sebastian's thoughts raced. Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes, tires screeching against the pavement. His body lurched forward, but he quickly steadied himself, unharmed.

He barely registered the near-accident. Instead, he felt a surge of clarity.

"I get it now! The murder announcements, the taunting of the police—the Phantom's goal is to escalate the situation, to make it as big as possible. That way, the police will be furious, and they'll take it extremely seriously.

"And then, they'll investigate every detail he's left behind—the strange fingerprints, the twenty-year-old paint, the lethal poison. The Phantom's motive is clear: revenge. He's already killed four people, and he's not stopping. That means he has many enemies. But what if some of those enemies are unknown to him? What if he only has a few clues?

"Alone, his resources are limited. He can't investigate everything himself. So, he provokes us, forces us to escalate the case, and uses the full power of the state to uncover the enemies he can't find on his own.

"That's it. That has to be it. The Phantom has many enemies, but some are hidden, and he needs our help to find them. By provoking us, he's forcing us to do the legwork for him.

"Well, Phantom, if that's your game, then the initiative is now in *my* hands. Hahaha!"

Sebastian's laughter echoed in the car as he drove off, his mind already racing with plans to turn the tables on the elusive criminal.