Ghost of the Dannis Residence

“No need to look so surprised. I just happen to have a special method for discerning the number of mystery relics in your home,” Lynch sneered. “Do you not intend to explain?”

Randall's expression grew somewhat tense. “That is my business. I am under no obligation to inform you what relics I possess. As long as it is not uncontrolled, you have no right to pry.”

“Then we won't ask; we will find the answer ourselves.”

Turning to the lady officer, Lynch asked, “Officer Angel, could the reason they failed to find the target just now be that he used another mystery relic to conceal it?”

“That is indeed possible.” Officer Natalie looked at Lynch quizzically, but answered nonetheless, “Relics with similar functions are uncommon, but they do appear from time to time. However, a relic can only conceal visual aspects; the reaction of its filth cannot be hidden.”

“So the reaction is still from two relics. I see.” Lynch nodded. “Right now, I can be certain he is not carrying any relics on his person. Therefore, this relic either works from a distance, or he himself is not standing before us at all.”

Given the circumstances, it wasn't appropriate to press further, so Officer Natalie reined in her doubtful gaze. “Low-grade relics rarely function remotely. It is basically certain that he isn't standing before us; what's in front of us is merely a phantom.”

“Yet besides the statue, there is only one other relic.”

“Then we must consider both effects together: something that can conceal objects while projecting a phantom that moves about normally.” Officer Natalie shot Randall a cold smile. “I've already guessed what it is—Ghost of the Dannis Residence, a fear grade mystery relic. An oil painting. In its contained state, it remains functional as long as it hangs on a wall in the form of a painting. Once activated, the depiction on the canvas shifts according to its location, swapping the scenery within the painting with the external room while projecting an illusion of the user hidden inside it. The phantom cannot leave the structure as a whole, just like the ghost of a house.”

Randall's face instantly turned ghastly pale.

“Mike, search again! Find me an oil painting about half a meter wide and tall—the painting will depict the very room it hangs in. Randall, I gave you a chance to confess just now and you refused. Now, you had better pray we don't find what you're relying on, or else... heheh...”

As she spoke, the lady officer cracked her knuckles, clenching her fists.

“Do you really think you've won?” Randall completely cast aside his earlier gentlemanly poise, sneering viciously, “The plan is already in motion! Even if you know what to look for, it's far too late! Hahaha! Lynch Levive, you don't stand a chance!”

Reaching up to touch his chest, Lynch could already feel the withered blood vessels advancing toward his heart. The suffocating weight of death pressed in ever more clearly, but at the same time, fiery defiance surged from the depths of his soul. He sneered back, “Doesn't matter. Even if I die, I'll drag you out into the open first. Trying to kill me for no reason? Let's see who's faster. Officer Natalie, I'd like to join the search. Trust me, I can locate it far more accurately than those officers.”

“Are you sure you can do it?” Seeing Lynch's condition, Officer Angel couldn't help but frown, her tone tinged with a hint of concern. “All right. I'll go with you.”

Randall snarled, “Struggle all you like, it's pointless! The plan has begun, and your death is already sealed. There are hundreds of paintings hanging in this mansion—take your sweet time searching! Let's see how many rooms you can check in the time you have left!”

Knowing time was short and that he could collapse at any minute, Lynch merely cast a passing glance at Randall. He rose and swiftly headed for the stairs alongside Officer Natalie, intending to start the search on the first floor. Even as Randall's phantom clamored incessantly beside them, neither of them paid him any mind.

Yet, just as they reached the stairs, Lynch suddenly stopped and whipped his head around.

“What is it?” Officer Natalie asked, puzzled.

“Something's off. His reaction was too exaggerated, trying so desperately to provoke me... Almost as if he was terrified we wouldn't leave this place to go searching.” Lynch's gaze slowly shifted to Randall, whose expression had turned bizarre. “That made me realize... since entering this residence, no one has ever thoroughly searched this parlor, have they?”

“Hm?” Officer Natalie blinked, realizing he was right.

The two of them had followed Randall straight to the parlor from the beginning, so the police officers had avoided this area all along. With Randall constantly drawing their attention, neither of them had examined the surroundings closely.

The parlors in such wealthy residences were immense, easily spanning over a hundred square meters. Sitting on the central sofa, Lynch's three-meter perception range could never determine whether there was a relic along the perimeter walls.

If they had joined the search and left just now, no one would have paid attention to the parlor until the entire building had been turned upside down. From beginning to end, the parlor would have remained a blind spot.

“No wonder you ushered us straight into the parlor from the very start.”

A wave of lingering dread washed over Lynch. Fortunately, he had instinctively glanced back, or he truly would have fallen for it.

Hidden in plain sight—the classic blind spot right under their noses.

Randall's expression had contorted into something hideous. With veins bulging on his forehead and fists clenched, he suddenly stomped his foot hard and vanished into thin air before them.

“That's it. We struck a nerve. It's definitely in the parlor.”

Lynch and Officer Natalie exchanged a look, joy welling up in their hearts simultaneously.

“Start along the walls! My perception range is limited, and this room is too large.”

Since the officer had said it had to be 'hung on the wall in the form of a painting,' searching along the walls first was definitely the right approach.

Having made up his mind, Lynch sprinted to the wall at once. Under Officer Natalie's tense gaze, he dashed along the perimeter.

Instinctively clutching the moon pendant around his neck, Lynch took several quick strides, sweeping past one portrait after another.

When he reached the fourth portrait, he stopped abruptly, an expression between tears and laughter flashing across his face.

A strange scene finally flickered before his eyes.

It was an ancient, dilapidated building, with a pale phantom wandering aimlessly within.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited gentle female voice finally resonated within his consciousness.

【Mystery relic, Ghost of the Dannis Residence: My longing lingers in the memories of my old home, like a ghost.】

“You found it?” Officer Natalie caught up with him.

“Right here. It should be hidden behind this painting.”

Lynch suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to weep.

Racing against death for hours on an emotional roller coaster, now finally glimpsing a sliver of hope, he felt almost weak at the knees. Yet, bracing against the wall to force himself upright, he bit his lip hard to rein in his emotions. Wiping his eyes, he gritted his teeth and said, “Time to drag the rat out.”

A firm hand patted his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Officer Natalie giving him a thumbs-up with an apologetic look, her tone laced with disbelief: “You actually managed to pull this off... You... I—phew—I must apologize to you, Mr. Levive. My attitude when we first met was far too harsh. What you can do is far beyond my expectations. I am sorry. Please forgive my poor attitude.”

“Save it until I win that bet, Officer. We'll settle our scores properly then.” The gloom weighing on Lynch's chest vanished in an instant. Mimicking the lady officer's parting gesture from back at his apartment, he tipped his hat with a mischievous nod.

“Hmph, I'll be waiting.” Officer Natalie's expression stiffened. Gritting her teeth, she shook her fist, quickly looked away, and began barking orders at the blue uniforms who were being summoned up the stairs.

Soon, more than a dozen blue uniforms surrounded the entire parlor. Every officer drew their rapier, leveling it at the empty room.

Two other blue uniforms carried a chair over to the wall and roughly pulled down the oil painting.

Sure enough, beneath the massive frame hung a smaller one flush against the wall—a square precisely half a meter on each side.

“Ready!”

Officer Natalie raised her hand. The surrounding dozen-plus blue uniforms immediately tensed, prepared for combat at any second.

Taking a deep breath, the lady officer thrust her rapier forward with force, knocking the frame clean off the wall.

Its state of hanging on the wall in the form of a painting was broken.

Instantly, in a sizable open area of the parlor, a ring of figures materialized out of nowhere.

They were prostrated on the floor in a circle, and in the very center sat an eerie, palm-sized statue.

The sudden appearance of the crowd caught the officers off guard. Seizing this opening, one of the kneeling figures leaped up and bolted toward the window.

Formal suit, top hat, with a blue 'L' mark on the hat.

It was the vanished Randall.

Yet before he had even taken two steps, a fist smashed squarely into his face.

Lynch's fist.

Lynch had been waiting for this. The moment he spotted that outfit, he reacted faster than anyone else, instinctively throwing his punch.

The punch landed dead center on his eye socket.

With a shriek of agony, Randall clutched his face and stumbled back a few steps. Before another wail could escape his lips, a second fist slammed brutally into his face.

One punch, two punches, three punches.

The more he struck, the more exhilarating it felt. Lynch's eyes turned bloodshot with rage; only after delivering several consecutive blows did his onslaught slowly cease.

Because he noticed that something seemed terribly wrong with Randall's body.

They had only been apart for a few minutes, yet he had already become as grotesque as Granville from the antique shop. His body had withered like rotted wood, with only his head remaining somewhat normal; he no longer had the strength to twitch even a muscle.

“You couldn't have found it... Master said it was impossible to discover... Y-Y-You... how did you do it? Impossible... impossible...” Randall slumped on the floor, trembling all over. Groaning weakly, he mumbled incoherently, his voice steeped in remorse: “We shouldn't have chosen you... Master shouldn't have chosen you... or none of this trouble would have happened... Master's plan... Master's plan...”

Lynch's heart tightened. Seizing Randall by the collar, he hauled him upright. “Who is your master? Why target me? Tell me, quickly, there's still time!”

“Lynch... Lynch, don't celebrate too soon! You caused the relic to go out of control! You'll be joining us very soon, hahahaha! Even if you survive today, you won't escape a month from now! I'll be waiting for you... it will all be over soon, hahaha...”

Gathering strength from who knew where, Randall suddenly thrust his hand up and clamped down hard on Lynch's wrist.

“I've lived this long while you're the one dying, which means I can keep living. Not that you'll be around to see it,” Lynch sneered through gritted teeth. “Tell me who your master is and let me go find him. Who knows, maybe he can help you see me even sooner.”

“Hahaha, no need! He will come find you! Hahahaha!” Following a burst of hysterical laughter, Randall's body let out a soft poof.

Already on guard, Lynch violently shook off the grip and leaped back several steps. Sure enough, just like Granville, Randall's body quietly disintegrated into a heap of sand and dust. Only his severed head rolled off the pile of 'sand' to Lynch's feet, a pair of eerie eyes staring fixedly at Lynch, laden with venomous resentment that refused to rest in peace.

At the same time, the blue uniforms nearby erupted into shrill shrieks.

Following Officer Natalie's orders, they had lunged toward the kneeling group dressed as servants.

None of them resisted. Every kneeling figure allowed the officers to pin them to the ground. All eight wore identical, grotesque smiles, making guttural hissing sounds in their throats. In the next instant, with several soft thuds, their bodies shattered simultaneously, meeting the exact same fate as Randall.

Several blue uniforms were caught entirely unprepared and got showered in 'sand.' Their reactions were far more violent than Lynch's had been the first time. Terrified screams nearly shattered the windowpanes as they scrambled backward with deathly pale faces, a few even leaving wet trails on the floor.

“Damn it! Everyone get out! Right now!” Officer Natalie had already walked up beside the statue, staring at it as if facing a mortal enemy. “Without my order, no one is permitted inside! Damn it, the relic went out of control after all!”