The Serial Murder Case's Killer

Yesterday's and today's newspapers devoted extensive coverage to the "Serial Murder Case."

First, the reporters helped readers piece together the entire case. Starting several months ago, streetwalkers had continually been disemboweled and brutally murdered.

Recently, the killer's crimes had become increasingly frequent, causing enormous public panic.

The reports said that a detective had recently noticed the brutally mutilated corpses of many stray dogs and cats in garbage heaps. He connected this to the idea that the killer must have experimented on animals before murdering people, which was why the killer could disembowel victims so quickly and precisely.

Following this lead, the detectives ultimately found the killer and shot the fiercely resisting criminal dead during the arrest.

The attendees present had already received accurate intelligence at the previous gathering: this was a Beyonder case.

For cases involving Beyonders, there was no point expecting truthful reports in the newspapers.

A few seconds after Odys announced that startling news at the gathering, Peacock finally asked, "If it wasn't human, then what was it?"

"A supernatural creature," Odys said with certainty.

Hound, who also knew this information, said somewhat disappointedly, "I was planning to sell this news for a good price."

This was insider information known only to official Beyonders. Hound knew that Leader's "backer" was the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, so Hound was not surprised that Leader knew this.

Hound's words further confirmed the intelligence Leader had just revealed.

The other members fell silent again. This was completely beyond their imagination.

Even with masks on, Odys could tell from their body language how shocked everyone was.

A few seconds later, Peacock's tone changed completely. "H-how could a supernatural creature hide its tracks in Backlund?"

Wolverine, whose voice was deep, suddenly said, "Everyone, do you remember the task I issued before, asking for help finding a friend who disappeared in the sewers?

"He was a Beyonder, yet we couldn't even find his corpse."

Everyone was stunned again. Hound belatedly remarked, "The sewers really are a good place to hide a supernatural creature."

In fact, the official Beyonders had also found it rather strange. How had that Vicious Hound evaded search after search?

After discussing it like this, everyone had a clear picture of how the whole case had unfolded.

Several months ago, a supernatural creature had arrived in Backlund and brutally murdered more than a dozen streetwalkers. The official Beyonders had been misled into thinking a Beyonder was committing the crimes, so they had never found any clues.

Most likely, the official Beyonders had only recently found a lead, located that supernatural creature, and killed it.

Cheetah, whose voice was rather low, asked, "Can supernatural creatures advance too?"

In his impression, supernatural creatures had only one purpose: providing Beyonders with extraordinary materials.

But unexpectedly, they could actually advance as well?

Odys did not answer directly. He merely said, "Some supernatural creatures, due to the peculiarities of their Pathways, possess intelligence comparable to humans... or even greater than that of ordinary humans."

Cheetah sighed. "What a wondrous Beyonder world."

Odys added, "The information just now wasn't free."

Everyone looked toward Leader. Of course, they knew such Secrecy-related intelligence would not come free.

"Someone is purchasing Emperor Roselle's relics at high prices," Odys said. "If you have any, or can get in touch with such items, you can trade them to me. I guarantee the price will satisfy you."

With the Steam Church reimbursing him, he could naturally afford to be generous.

Giraffe slowly shook her head. "This must be the popularity brought by the Roselle Memorial Exhibition. Many of the Emperor's fans are buying memorabilia and relics related to him."

Odys added, "I don't want fakes."

Giraffe, who had once called herself a master antique appraiser, nodded repeatedly. "Of course I wouldn't dare offer you fakes."

After that, everyone initiated several trades involving high-grade spiritual materials. As usual, Odys bought almost all of them.

This gathering placed great importance on exchanging intelligence, so potion formulas and Beyonder materials were rarely traded.

After several more pieces of intelligence that were not particularly important to Odys were traded, the gathering ended.

As usual, Odys watched the attendees leave one by one. Then, while the attendant was tidying the living room, he went to the basement, took out a crystal key, and placed it against the wall where the Illusion passage had appeared earlier.

After he infused it with spirituality, an eight-pointed star Magic Formation flickering with Illusion light appeared on the wall. However, this Magic Formation contained neither diamonds nor the priceless Ahorna Crystal.

This was merely a secondary formation. Only with the crystal key in Odys's possession could it establish a connection with the Lord Formation and create an Illusion passage.

Odys stepped into the passage and, in an instant, appeared in a basement located beyond another district.

After he left, the secondary formation on the wall concealed itself and turned back into an ordinary wall.

No mistakes, no missing content—read it all here!

Returning to the basement of the house, Odys removed his cloak and mask, then put on a trench coat. In both attire and bearing, he was now completely different from Leader.

With this Magic Formation, unless a demigod had set their sights on him, he had no need to worry about his identity being exposed.

After taking a public carriage back to the herbal shop, Odys ate lunch and rested for a while. The lady sent by Queen Mystic, who had come last night, arrived as promised.

The lady had changed into clothes in a different color scheme today, yet still looked poised and elegant.

When she saw Odys's somewhat messy laboratory, she frowned slightly, but still reluctantly sat down in the chair beside the desk.

Odys took out pen and paper and asked, "How much do you know about Magic Formation?"

"I can draw all common Magic Formations. As for uncommon ones, I can draw them after seeing them once," the lady said. "If you're going to teach me how to draw Magic Formations, we can skip that part entirely."

Odys continued at his own pace. "Do you know the six applications of the flame symbol?"

The lady forced herself to endure it. "I know them very well!"

Odys asked his third question. "How do you control the direction and intensity of a flame's combustion within a Magic Formation?"

"The direction... and intensity..." The lady froze for a moment, then immediately smiled. "And what use is knowing that?"

Odys summarized without much emotion, "Your foundation in mysticism is very weak. There is a great deal to explain.

"I'll do my best to make it clear. Ask immediately if there is anything you don't understand."

The lady was stunned again. As an outstanding "Scroll Professor," this was the first time anyone had evaluated her as having "a very weak foundation in mysticism."

Odys took out his revolver, dismantled it into small components, and began explaining the Magic Formations used in the weapon.

The direction and intensity of flame combustion that Odys had mentioned earlier were crucial to this Magic Formation. Every time the weapon was maintained, it was essentially equivalent to redrawing the Magic Formation. If the flame was too strong, the chamber could easily explode; if it was too weak, it would be no different from an ordinary revolver.

If the combustion direction deviated, it could easily explode the instant the bullet left the barrel.

After listening for a while, the lady realized that what this herbal shop owner was explaining was an entirely new application of Magic Formation—an application enough to shock the entire Beyonder world!

With this Magic Formation, even an ordinary person with sufficient knowledge of mysticism could create a revolver with Beyonder effects!