Dean approached the model again, examining it closely. The material of this model, as identified by the forensics team, was confirmed to be some commonly available materials on the market. But according to Raphael, the essence of the model lay in its hidden parts. Not many people in reality possessed such craftsmanship. Although this could narrow the range of suspicion regarding the killer’s identity, the problem was that those with such skills were either well-known within certain circles or remained obscure, hidden from the public eye. Dean did not believe that this case was perpetrated by a famous, publicly known miniature model master. The FBI isn’t foolish. If that were the case, the killer would have probably been caught back when he was in New York. It seems this case, if I want to solve it, must be considered from other angles! Just as Dean pondered alternative directions for the investigation, Raphael, who had been lost in his own world, snapped back to reality and apologized, "Detective Dean, sorry. I tend to lose myself in my own world because I’m often alone. You probably called me here to identify the special aspects of this model, right?" Although Dean no longer harbored much hope of identifying the killer through the model, since the money had already been spent, he nodded. "Yes, this involves a serial murder case. The killer has a strong anti-social personality and poses a significant threat to the safety of Los Angeles citizens." Under Dean’s surprised gaze, Raphael sighed softly. "Actually, when I heard the police department wanted me to examine the miniature model, I guessed it might be the miniature model killer from New York a few years ago, now in Los Angeles!" "Mr. Raphael, you’ve been following this matter as well?" Raphael nodded. "Although I’m quite oblivious to outside news, this case made big waves in model-making circles. I heard about it from my clients, and I’ve also collected information about the models left at the crime scenes and done some research." To Dean’s surprise, Raphael nodded affirmatively. His one eye showed a hint of regret. "I surmise that the killer wanted to use the serial murders to attract a lot of attention, to showcase his work!" "Showcasing his work?" "Yes!" Raphael nodded confidently. "Every craftsman hopes their work will be appreciated by an audience. But in our industry, the ones who really make money are generally those of us with mediocre skills who are willing to compromise for money and cater to clients. Conversely, those with very high skill levels often don’t make much money because of their pride. Only a few find their client base and gain recognition while also having their work appreciated by those who truly understand its value. I suspect the New York model killer was such a person. Unable to gain the market recognition his craftsmanship deserved, he resorted to murder as a means to demonstrate the value and prowess of his skills." Perhaps worried Dean wouldn’t understand, Raphael added, "It’s like painters who enjoy holding exhibitions; we’re the same, really." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩 This old fellow’s words are logically flawed, leaving one rather confused. Fortunately, I’m sharp-witted. Raphael’s words, summed up, mean the killer possesses a ’dragon-slaying skill’ but has no opportunity to display it, so he chose such an extreme method to gratify himself. Upon hearing this theory, a lightbulb went off in my mind. Previously, I had felt that the killer treated his crimes like the production of a commercial film, performing his criminal acts. If what Raphael speculated is correct, and the killer indeed views his crimes as an exhibition of his craft, then everything makes sense! If that’s the case... the killer would certainly leave hints for those in the know! Otherwise, an ’exhibition’ without an appreciative audience—without connoisseurs—would be too dull, wouldn’t it? With this thought, Dean quickly turned to Raphael. "Mr. Raphael, is there anything else unique about these miniature models?" "Unique?" Raphael stroked his beard and said hesitantly, "These models, designed to keep the technique secret, once assembled, can’t be dismantled by anyone except the original maker. Furthermore, once dismantled, outsiders definitely can’t reassemble them. Previously, in New York, some of my colleagues tried to dismantle the models. They managed to take the pieces apart with high-tech tools, but ultimately found they couldn’t reassemble them. The pieces were all intact, but no one knew how the maker had connected and fitted them; once disassembled, they simply couldn’t be put back together!" Dean suddenly understood. No wonder I found no analysis of the models in the case reports. It seems the New York detectives and FBI agents deemed it a fruitless endeavor, so the reports merely recorded a simple account of the models and left it at that. After a pause, Raphael seemed to recall something else and continued, "There’s one more thing! These models don’t require adhesives or other external materials for assembly. They’re like building blocks; as long as you have the parts, they are easy to construct and don’t require extensive sanding. In the past, all parts needed manual sanding, which was a real test of a craftsman’s skill. But this is the industrial age. As long as you can provide the specifications for the parts..."