Chapter 41: The Amateur Copycat

The lotus pond in July was a sight to behold. Surrounded by a natural barrier of lush trees, the area buzzed with the sounds of insects and birds, while butterflies flitted gracefully among the foliage. Four ancient pavilions stood at the pond's edges, their intricate carvings adding to the serene atmosphere. The lotuses themselves were in full bloom, their delicate petals rising above the pristine green leaves, creating a scene straight out of a classical painting.

Victor Black stood there for a long time, captivated, before finally making his way to the eastern pavilion. Despite the beauty, the area was surprisingly empty, save for two middle-aged men playing chess in the western pavilion. Victor paid them little mind, settling onto a wooden bench to soak in the tranquility.

The two men noticed Victor but continued their game, engrossed in their conversation. If Sebastian had been there, he would have recognized one of them as Leo Williams, the mayor of London. The other man, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, exuded an air of scholarly elegance.

Victor stayed for hours, only leaving as the sun began to set. The two men, however, remained, their patience seemingly endless.

After Victor left, Leo chuckled. "That young man has remarkable composure. Rare to see these days."

His companion smiled. "Better than you were at his age."

Leo laughed heartily. "True enough."

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**Evening | Lakeside Retreat**

Victor ate dinner quickly and left the resort around seven, bidding farewell to Isabella and the others. Earlier in the afternoon, Sebastian had sent someone to return Victor's phone, which he had "accidentally" left in the car. By nine, Victor was back at his apartment. After a brief preparation, he headed out again, this time to the abandoned warehouse in the industrial district.

Around midnight, Victor drove to the location he had tracked earlier—the scene of the copycat crime. By the time he arrived, it was past one in the morning, and the area was deserted except for the police tape marking the second floor of a nearby building.

Victor didn't park immediately. Instead, he circled the area, eventually stopping in a shadowy spot. He donned a mask, gloves, and shoe covers before approaching the building. The copycat had likely entered through a side window, accessible by climbing. Victor easily scaled the air conditioning units and slipped inside.

The moment he entered, the metallic tang of blood hit him. He followed the scent to a bedroom, where the bed was drenched in blood. The body was gone, but the scene had been deliberately disturbed. Victor quickly lost interest. The copycat's work was sloppy, and it was obvious to anyone with experience that this wasn't the Phantom's handiwork.

Whoever had done this was an amateur, and Victor had no reason to intervene—unless the copycat became too convincing. For now, he would let the police handle it.

He left the way he had come, returning to his car and disappearing into the night.

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**Police Headquarters | Briefing Room**

"This wasn't the Phantom," Charles Brown stated firmly.

"Definitely not," Jack Wilson agreed.

"Same here," Sebastian added.

"So, do we hand this case off?" Thomas Wilson asked tentatively.

"Why would we?" Sebastian grinned. "We've been under pressure for not catching the Phantom. Now someone's handing us a win. Let's take it."

"Good point," Neil Baker chimed in.

"Alright," Commander James Morrison said, cutting through the chatter. "Even if it's not the Phantom, it's still a homicide. Let's focus and solve this quickly."

The team began presenting their findings.

"The victim was stabbed three times. The fatal wound was to the chest. The scene was... messy."

"The killer entered through a second-floor window. They tried to cover their tracks, but it was amateurish. I found sweat and hair on the AC unit. A DNA match will confirm the suspect."

"I checked the surveillance footage. No sign of the killer. They must know the camera locations. Probably used underground routes. Sloppy."

"Given the victim's profile and the scene, I'd say this was a crime of passion."

Sebastian leaned back, confident. "The killer's likely someone connected to law enforcement—either police or a local precinct. That's why they thought to mimic the Phantom. But they're not high-ranking; they don't know the Phantom's style. We just need to cross-reference the victim's connections and run DNA tests."

The team agreed. The copycat had been careful but not careful enough. While they had avoided leaving obvious evidence, their imitation of the Phantom was laughably bad. Victor's crimes were meticulous, almost artistic. This was crude and chaotic.

Sebastian estimated the case would be solved within a week. In reality, it took only two days. The killer, as predicted, was a low-ranking officer. He had killed his girlfriend in a fit of rage after discovering her infidelity and tried to frame the Phantom. The case was as straightforward as it was absurd, leaving the task force both amused and relieved.

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**The Calm Before the Storm**

As the days passed, summer vacation arrived. For Victor, this meant one thing: his next move. But this time, it wouldn't be like the previous four. A storm was brewing, and London would soon feel its full force.