Doll (Second Update)

"So Mr. Little Hattie really did stage his own disappearance and kidnapping, then had Miss Rachel help cover it up?" Officer Aitris finally caught on. After seriously considering Abner's explanation, she suddenly found it quite plausible.

"Whether it's true or not still needs to be investigated! What I said is only one possibility. Maybe my deduction was wrong? Besides, my previous speculation was based only on ordinary circumstances..." If Beyonders were involved, that would be another matter. Abner did not voice the latter half. He unconsciously shook his head, then asked the officer beside him, "What do you think?"

What did she think? She thought detectives really deserved a beating whenever she saw one! He had said both the favorable and unfavorable sides himself, so what was left for her to say?

Officer Aitris ground her teeth inwardly. In the end, she snorted and said, "I already contacted Mr. Hattie. You can go in and investigate now!"

"We can go in. Thank you!"

After the detective and officer bickered for a few more exchanges, they paid a visit to the Hattie residence together.

Mr. Hattie's expression was somewhat strange. He seemed to have something to say, yet hesitated. Mrs. Hattie, meanwhile, showed no welcome at all and said bluntly:

"I'll find my little Beck myself. I don't need useless officers like you! Leave at once!"

Abner and Officer Aitris exchanged a glance, both thinking of a certain possibility. The possibility the detective had just deduced.

Ignoring Mrs. Hattie's rude words, Officer Aitris sternly asked Mr. Hattie, "You've received word demanding ransom money, haven't you?"

Mr. Hattie was startled and asked in return, "How did you know?"

Abner interjected at that moment, "Your attitudes changed too quickly... And from what I observed, although Mrs. Hattie still showed traces of concern, she seemed much more relaxed. That means you already have a lead." Of course, the part about her being more relaxed was a guess, purely a probing tactic.

"So what if you guessed it? We can get my little Beck back by paying money. We don't need you meddling!" Mrs. Hattie cried out again.

Such excessive indulgence—it was no wonder their son... Abner could not help shaking his head. Ignoring Mrs. Hattie's clamor, he said only to Mr. Hattie, "Sir, if my guess is correct, the so-called kidnapper is likely a notorious bandit?"

"That's right. The letter was signed by 'Red Ghost' Tannick. He wants a hundred pounds in ransom..." Mr. Hattie considered it for a moment before deciding to report the matter to the police, as he did not trust a bandit's promises.

I heard from my teacher that 'Red Ghost' Tannick was an undercover operative planted in Backlund by the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun. He was Sequence 7 of the Sun Pathway, and only got branded 'Red Ghost' after the Mandated Punishers of the Church of Storms discovered his identity... Would someone like that kidnap a child? And ask for only a hundred pounds? Heh, Mr. Little Hattie had probably only heard the bandit's name and used it directly, hadn't he?

After all, while a hundred pounds was an enormous sum for ordinary people, even middle-class families, for a Beyonder, it was only enough to buy ten Demon-Hunting Bullets!

Aitris also shook her head as she listened. Though she did not know Red Ghost was a Beyonder, she understood that a "bandit" with a three-thousand-pound bounty from the Church of Storms would never commit a trivial kidnapping for a mere hundred pounds. It seemed the detective had truly guessed right.

"Dear, how could you tell them the details?! What if that person harms our little Beck because of it?" Mrs. Hattie shrieked again.

Unable to endure her "soprano" any longer, Abner heavily struck the floor several times with his cane. Waves of thud, thud shook even the chandelier in the room! Everyone inside stared at Abner in shock, and even Mrs. Hattie, with her shrill voice, fell silent.

This cane's negative effect can be used for Intimidation too... Abner thought with bitter amusement. Heaven knew, he had only wanted to draw the Hatties' attention. He had not intended to create an earthquake.

At that moment, Miss Rachel, who had been hiding in an upstairs room, hurried down in panic and shouted, "Father, Mother, was that an earthquake?"

Hearing this, the others all turned their eyes toward Abner again. He coughed awkwardly and changed the subject. "Perfect. I have a few questions for Miss Rachel..."

"Eh? Me?" Miss Rachel asked blankly.

"I want to ask why you helped your younger brother lie and helped him swindle money from his own parents!" As Abner spoke, he rapidly blinked and activated the Pure White Eye. Using its inherent suppressive effect from its higher status, he made Miss Rachel even more nervous.

"B-because he found out that Dickert and I were seeing each other... So he threatened..." Just as expected, under the double pressure of Abner's words and bearing, Rachel's body began to tremble slightly, and her mental defenses were instantly breached. This was not a Beyonder Ability, but rather the loss of composure people experienced when suddenly confronted with something terrifying. Anyone with firm willpower or broad experience would not be so greatly affected, but Miss Rachel clearly had neither.

However, as soon as Abner deactivated the Pure White Eye, she quickly recovered. Yet her face had turned deathly pale; she had clearly said something she should not have.

"Rachel! What exactly is going on? Explain yourself!" Mr. Hattie had also understood something from the conversation between Abner and his daughter, and he demanded sternly, "And where exactly is Beck now?"

Mrs. Hattie's attention, however, was elsewhere. She cried loudly, "Rachel, how could you be seeing that poor boy Dickert?"

Rachel's face went even paler. Unable to face her mother, she stammered to her father, "Beck... He should have gone to find a friend named Emlyn... He said that if he couldn't get money from you, he would trade those... those dolls he didn't like anymore with that friend for money, then go buy..." Her words glossed over the important parts, completely omitting how she had helped her brother lie.

"So it really was for those dolls? That bastard!" Mr. Hattie's face showed obvious disgust. He had always ignored his son's so-called hobby, never expecting it to cause such trouble. However, the newspaper shareholder quickly controlled his emotions. Turning to Abner and Aitris, he said politely, "I'm deeply grateful for the help of you two officers. After this is over, I'll definitely write an article in my newspaper commending you! But there's one more thing I must trouble you with. Could you help me find out where this Emlyn lives?"

If nothing unexpected happened, it was Riverbay Avenue 48 in Bridge South Borough... Abner answered inwardly but did not say it aloud. After all, that would be far too oracle-like.

"Still, I never expected the future Mr. Moon to have a fellow enthusiast? No, that doesn't seem right either. Emlyn treasured his darlings dearly. He wouldn't sell them off just because he stopped liking them, like Mr. Little Hattie." While Abner's thoughts wandered, Aitris had already agreed to investigate Emlyn's residence.

Afterward, they briefly took Miss Rachel's statement before bidding the Hattie family farewell and leaving.

While waiting for a public carriage at the intersection, Aitris gave Abner's cane a strange look and mocked, "I was wondering why the carriage on the way here was so slow. Turns out your cane was causing trouble. I think the driver really should have charged you several people's fares! What is it made of? It's a wonder you can even carry it!"

Abner turned a deaf ear to her provocation. What he was thinking was that while this cane was usually quite heavy, it had never been heavy enough to shake a house... Its weight only surged when he used it to strike a target.

"So that female Artisan's Agent meant this when she said the negative effect was 'heavy'... The act of striking increased its weight to that extent. Then it has no possibility of functioning as a weapon while in cane form, because it can't be swung at all... Heh, not entirely. When striking downward, the effect is unexpectedly good... Could its true name be 'Destroyer of Vehicles and Buildings Above the Second Floor'?"

Just as Abner was silently complaining, he suddenly saw the Hattie family's servants walking past them while carrying dolls of all shapes and sizes toward an open area by the street. It was an incineration site, often used to burn unwanted belongings from nearby homes.

"Is Mr. Hattie venting his anger on his son's hobby because he's humiliated, planning to lay hands on those 'little darlings' of his?"

Abner looked regretfully at the dolls. Quite a few of them were delicate and adorable, and destroying them like this was truly wasteful.

At that moment, a half-body-sized cat-eared doll carried by a maid stirred Abner's Spirituality. He instinctively looked over, but discovered nothing unusual, only a very strange feeling—as if that thing were very important to his future development.

"Was my Spirituality stirred by some existence? Or is that thing truly connected to my future Fate?"

With absolutely no clue, Abner could not help activating the Pure White Eye, intending to use Analysis and see whether he could understand its essence.

Then, after only a single glance, a splitting headache overwhelmed him. He collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness!

Before he completely lost awareness, only one phrase remained in Abner's mind: Gray Fog!

He had seen the Gray Fog!

Happy Lantern Festival, everyone! And please send recommendations and add this to your collections.

(End of Chapter)