"He won’t get away!" Dean smiled confidently. The murderer’s methods didn’t seem special, but the entire process was bound to arouse intense curiosity in anyone who came into contact with it. Because this might be the work of a signature serial killer, Dean didn’t waste any more time on the victim, Johnny Dennison, and immediately took Carlo and Daisy back to the precinct. By the time Dean returned to the office, Harry was still stationed in front of a printer, receiving a massive number of files transmitted from New York. Upon seeing Dean, Harry theatrically slid to one knee on the tiled floor, coming to a stop before Dean and hugging his thigh. "Boss Dean, I only realized today that you are like a lighthouse in the fog, guiding this lost lamb—me—towards the most righteous path in life! A true prophet!" Follow current novᴇls on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩 Daisy chuckled from the side. "Wow, Harry, are you finally unable to hold back? Planning to propose to Dean?" Harry, his face full of devotion, replied, "Daisy, you wouldn’t understand Boss Dean’s greatness. Every time you think you’ve grasped how incredible he is, Boss Dean will show you what ’omnipotence’ truly means!" Carlo couldn’t help but cover his mouth. So cheesy. And to think this guy used to be his senior partner! How embarrassing! Dean kicked Harry away with disdain. "Has the information from New York come through yet?" "The seven case reports are almost done printing. Also, they gave us a temporary account to log into the New York Police Department’s photo database to view detailed photos of the seven cases." Harry quickly scrambled up from the floor, his face alight with anticipation. "Boss Dean, could it be that the Miniature Model Killer who once shocked New York has come to Los Angeles?" Dean shook his head. "It’s not certain yet whether it’s a copycat. That’s why I need the New York case information for comparison. Alright, since everyone’s here, I’ll start assigning tasks!" The squad was short-handed. Dean could only assign tasks based on their individual strengths. "Harry, I want you to investigate the whereabouts of Johnny Dennison’s plumber and gardener this morning! Also, six months ago, Johnny Dennison hired the Termite Company for his house, and a conflict occurred. I need you to find out what happened! Let Carlo fill you in on the case details." Harry thumped his chest. "No problem, Boss!" After speaking, Dean looked at Daisy. "Daisy, I want you to find an expert in miniature models in Los Angeles and invite them to the precinct. Also, monitor the online social activity of Johnny Dennison’s family and ex-wife. Focus on anyone who likes to flaunt a superior lifestyle online!" "Do we need to use... unconventional methods?" Daisy batted her eyelashes at Dean. "As long as you get results!" Dean replied, then looked at Carlo. "Carlo, you’ll stay in the office for now, supporting Daisy and Harry. Also, keep an eye on other murder cases in Holz and the rest of Los Angeles. I have a feeling this case is just the beginning!" Carlo nodded without speaking. This guy is usually reserved, but he’s reliable and much more dependable than Harry. After giving these instructions, Dean returned to his office with the documents Harry had acquired. The physical files mainly consisted of investigation reports and findings from the seven murder cases. According to the reports, the Miniature Model Killer first appeared on Christmas Day, 1998. A moderately famous Magician was performing a Christmas show in public. He walked into a large shipping container and never came out. When the Magician’s assistant sensed something was wrong and had people open the container, they were horrified to find the Magician dead on the ground, having suffered four stab wounds. Right beside the Magician was a miniature model of the container, perfectly replicating every detail of the scene. Furthermore, the police found a note inside the model resembling a Demon’s contract. It bore a simple message: "The contract is fulfilled. It’s been a pleasure working with you!" This was the Miniature Model Killer’s first appearance before the world. Due to the large audience and the Christmas holiday, the case immediately attracted massive media attention in New York. A crowd of citizens, bored during their vacation, treated it like a juicy piece of gossip. A second, similar case occurred. This time, the victim was a somewhat famous female DJ. She entered the lounge during her mid-set break and never came out. 「Then, three days later.」 The third victim appeared. 「After that, every three days.」 Another victim would appear. Beside their bodies, there was always a miniature model replicating the scene. Inside each model was a small slip of paper with the same design and message. If it had been just one such case, one might say the killer had meticulously prepared for a long time, deliberately ensuring the victim died in a pre-arranged setting. But for seven consecutive cases to unfold this way was too unbelievable. Each victim was discovered quickly, yet crafting miniature models that perfectly matched the death scenes required considerable time. The killer must have prepared them in advance. And each victim was an independent individual. Even the killer couldn’t possibly control them to wear specific clothes, arrive at the location of the prepared miniature model, and die in a predetermined manner. It’s not scientific at all! But no other explanation fit the timeline. These victims shared another common trait. Each had a different profession—singer, Magician, DJ—but all possessed some degree of fame in their respective fields and circles. This, combined with the note in each miniature model stating, "The contract is fulfilled. It’s been a pleasure working with you!" led to unsettling theories. In the report, the detective in charge of the case had even written self-mockingly, "I almost believed the killer was a real Demon, one that had made a deal with each victim, granting them fame and fortune in their industries. When the contract expired, the Demon used the miniature model as a predestined script, and the victims, controlled by some mysterious force, performed their final curtain call according to that script!" Dean paused for a long time when he read this. Judging solely from the case report, this is incredible. It’s simply crime as an art form! Dean silently lit a cigarette. After a long moment, he crushed the cigarette butt out in the swirling smoke. The Miniature Model Killer had successfully piqued his interest. The more formidable the killer, the more valuable they are! Since they dared to commit crimes in my territory, slapping me in the face, this is perfect. I’ll use them as a stepping stone to earn the last bit of Experience Points and reach the peak of my current human form! Adjusting his mindset, Dean used the temporary account credentials from New York to log into their website. He searched the case numbers and found the crime scene photographs for all seven cases. The scenes of these seven cases were, in a way, both rudimentary and clean. Rudimentary, because many clues were left at each scene. Clean, because upon investigation, these clues yielded no information about the killer, not even enough to narrow down a direction. Even with this information, Dean could only ascertain the Miniature Model Killer’s modus operandi: First, select the targets at some unknown prior time. After all targets are chosen, begin creating the ’death scripts’—the miniature models. Then, through unknown means, carry out the final harvest. This is the classic three-act structure used in filmmaking! Act One: Introduce the story. Act Two: Suppress and build anticipation. Act Three: Detonate the anticipation—climax! The killer is treating each crime as a commercial film production! A hazy image of the killer began to form in Dean’s mind, pieced together from the seven cases. But this was not good news. Because if Dean’s deduction was correct, Johnny Dennison’s death signified that the killer had completed the preliminary stages and was now ready to begin the final, climactic performance. High-frequency murder cases, one every three days! The time left for Dean was rapidly running out.