Grayson continued, "Based on Mr. Harper's description and further investigation, we speculate that the garment may have been used as a medium for a ' Corpse-Wrapping Curse Transfer Technique.'"
" Corpse-Wrapping Curse Transfer Technique?"
"A ritual that uses a shroud to transfer the curse from a corpse," Grayson said. "The practitioner wraps the corpse in a shroud and, through a ritual, transfers the curse from the body to the shroud, at which point the shroud becomes a container for the curse."
"Anyone who touches this shroud will be affected by the curse and smell a stench of decay. This is a sign that the curse is eroding the Spirit Garment. The person most severely affected will become the target of the curse's transference."
"At this point, if the shroud is destroyed directly, the transfer will be completed immediately. If it is not destroyed, the erosion will continue to accumulate until another affected person lingers near the shroud for a long time, at which point the curse will change its target."
Isaac recalled how shop owner Harper handled the garment. After receiving the return, Harper kept it for a few days, but when the returner couldn't be found, he chose to burn it.
Therefore, it seems that the guy who refused to refund the returned goods may have chosen Harper, the clothing store owner, from the very beginning.
Buy a set of clothes to use as a shroud to transfer the curse, then return it on the grounds that it doesn't fit. Even if the shop refuses to accept the return, you can use the excuse of "helping to alter the size" to get the shopkeeper to accept the clothes, and then the person returning the clothes can leave.
After the shop owner accepts the clothes, they most likely won't destroy them immediately; they'll wait for the person returning the item to clarify things. During this several-day wait, the clothes will remain under the influence of the curse, gradually becoming the target of its transfer.
When the shop owner realizes the customer won't be returning and can't stand the stench, they'll choose to discard or burn the garment. But no matter how the garment is disposed of, the customer has already escaped the curse; the shop owner is the one who should be troubled.
"That's our deduction," Grayson said. "Members of the Ghoul Cult often use this method to dispose of contaminants from their experiments, shifting the danger to unsuspecting ordinary people. This case fits their style."
Good or bad... Isaac sighed silently, "This is exactly the kind of thing that evil forces do."
"After all, most ghouls don't have lofty ideals; they only pursue one thing—hehe, I must survive." Carlo pushed the plate aside. "Since we suspect it's the work of the Ghoul Cult, how does Section Two plan to investigate?"
"The leads we have so far are still very limited, but we have already notified all precincts of the characteristics of the person who returned the clothes, and we will strengthen surveillance, especially in cemeteries and hospitals. At the same time, we will also notify pawn shops, secondhand clothing stores, and other businesses that are likely to become targets for scapegoating, and to report to the Joint Investigation Bureau as soon as possible if anyone returns clothing or fabrics with a noticeable odor."
Grayson hesitated for a moment before continuing, "However, the Joint Investigation Bureau has limited manpower and is more inclined to handle specialized cases. For this kind of large-scale investigation and surveillance, well, we still need the assistance of the City Police Force."
"But recently, Schuster, as you know, the relationship between the City Police Force and the Joint Investigation Bureau... has become a bit tense."
"Is there some trouble again over there with Byrne?"
Grayson nodded. "At the last joint meeting, Chief Byrne directly accused the Joint Investigation Bureau of overstepping its authority. Since then, the handover with them has been a bit, well, difficult."
Isaac didn't know much about the City Police Force, but from Grayson's description, the City Police Force chief's hostility toward the Joint Investigation Bureau was quite evident.
This sentiment is not hard to understand. Before the Joint Investigation Bureau was established, the City Police Force were mainly responsible for law enforcement in Vista. Once the Joint Investigation Bureau was established, it directly took away a considerable number of cases, and the authority and influence of the City Police Force were naturally weakened.
As the chief of the City Police Force, Byrne was fully aware of the Grand Duke's will, but he was powerless to resist the situation. He could only vent his resentment on the Joint Investigation Bureau, putting on airs and venting his dissatisfaction on his own turf.
"So, if the Section Two wants the City Police Force to coordinate and cooperate in setting up a control operation, they might encounter resistance..." Grayson said, glancing at Carlo.
Carlo rested his chin on his hand. "So you came all this way to report, not just to tell us the Section Two's conclusions, right?"
Grayson, his intentions exposed, shifted his gaze. "Chief Rano asked me to come and talk to you, to see if you could put in a good word with the City Police Force."
Isaac nearly spilled the soup.
Is Carlo really capable of smoothing things over? He thought that given Carlo's reputation within the Joint Investigation Bureau, it would be a miracle if he wasn't stabbed in the back. Would dealing with the City Police Force really not have any negative consequences?
Carlo raised an eyebrow. "Your section chief certainly knows how to order people around. He doesn't want to deal with Byrne himself, so he pushes it onto me."
Grayson rubbed his hands nervously. "Chief Rano said that you still have some influence with Captain Byrne."
"Just because someone has a voice doesn't mean I have to speak up for you?"
"Well..."
Isaac felt like Grayson was about to disappear into the ground. Carlo picked up his plate and stood up. "Alright, stop being shy. I'm going to play cards with Byrne."
"Then I'll trouble you, Section Chief Schuster." Grayson was somewhat uneasy, hesitating about whether his request was appropriate, even though the offer had been accepted.
"Next time something like this happens, let Rano come and tell me himself. I won't laugh at him for having hemorrhoids."
Judging from the fact that he didn't even know Rano had hemorrhoids until he mentioned it, Isaac felt it was hard to say.
Grayson forced a smile, and Isaac picked up his plate and followed Carlo: "Boss, Section Two needed to coordinate with the City Police Force, how did it end up coming to you?"
"Because I'm popular with people."
Isaac looked at him with a "Are you kidding me?" expression.
After setting down their plates and leaving the cafeteria, Carlo said, "Usually, this kind of cross-departmental coordination is Parker's job—he just meets with the person in charge, has a drink, and the matter is settled."
"So, in this situation... there's a conflict between Chief of Staff Byrne and Chief Patrick?"
What do you want to eat?
"Rejected."
"Therefore, the Joint Investigation Bureau and the City Police Force can barely manage the handover of work in normal times, but when it comes to specific collaborations, they inevitably end up with a lot of wrangling."
"So, boss, you have influence because you hold a noble title?"
Of course not.
Isaac pondered why. The position of head of Section Nine was even lower than that of the director of the Joint Investigation Bureau, let alone a private detective. As for superhumans... Director Patrick was also a superhuman, so that shouldn't be the reason.