Chapter 40 - Earth Intermission - 7
'I need a forensic team,'
Kamper's expression is a mix of frustration and longing. He wishes that the country had a proper forensic team for investigations like this.
"Sir," Kamper turns to Vesper, "What are these stains?"
Vesper smirks, "They've been here since I moved in. Probably spilled paint."
"But the paint looks too fresh, don't you think?"
"Maybe it's high-quality paint," Vesper chuckles.
Kamper nods slowly, mentally noting to dig into Vesper's background later. Dismissing the gold stains for now, Kamper inspects the room's furniture and condition. He notices a fancy computer case and a live stream desk.
"What do you do for a living, sir?" Kamper inquires.
"I'm a live-streamer. Well, I play games for a living."
Kamper gives him a meaningful look as Vesper doesn't look like a typical thin gamer. "You seem fit for a gamer. Do you work out?"
Vesper frowns and avoids the question. "I've been through a lot recently if you count that as a workout."
"What kind of trouble were you in?"
Vesper laughs. "Ever seen the Saw movies?"
"Yes, I'm a fan. How does that relate to you? Were you part of something similar?"
Vesper shrugs. "Would you believe me if I said yes? I was in a death game."
Kamper laughs. "You've got a good sense of humor."
After some questioning, Kamper thanks Vesper and leaves to arrange for Peter's truck to be towed to the station and to review local CCTV footage.
…
Back in his car, Kamper opens his notebook and starts jotting down details for his report. He takes note of Vesper's odd answers and sketches a rough depiction of Vesper's face, underlining keywords for further investigation.
- The break-in appears illogical. No gun shells or evidence of gunshots, yet witnesses heard multiple shots from the room.
- Peter and his gang are missing, leaving behind Peter's truck. Was this deliberate misdirection or an unexpected turn of events?
- Victim: Vesper Pallas, a live-streamer, claims the intruders left after breaking in. However, the sounds of gunshots raise questions about what transpired inside. Was it from his game? Why did Vesper lie or cover for Peter?
- There are no signs of combat or blood at the scene.
- Unusual gold marks on the walls and floor emit a scent similar to blood. Are these marks fake gold, an eccentric design choice, or a deliberate cover-up? What could be concealed under a layer of gold?
- Reference to the Saw movies and abduction scenarios: Did Vesper genuinely confess or was it a prank?
Even inexperienced officers can sense that Vesper is concealing information. However, given the focus on gunshots and Peter's involvement, Vesper's role in this incident appears irrelevant.
"I wish we had the forensic capabilities of Western countries to analyze fingerprints and gunpowder. Damn third-world country," Kamper mutters in frustration.
While his intuition prompts him to keep Vesper under surveillance, Kamper prioritizes locating Peter and his associates. Without substantial leads, he returns to the police station and awaits updates from the CCTV investigators.
.
.
The police officers persist in the neighborhood, knocking on doors and searching for the missing suspects. Meanwhile, Vesper diligently continues to tidy his room.
Fortunately, his seemingly trivial spell, Gold Enchantment, proves invaluable as it transforms all bloodstains into gold. Even the bullet holes, remnants of stray gunfire, are sealed with gold liquid. As for other hard evidence, such as firearms and empty cartridges, Vesper puts them in an invisible Elite Chest.
Lastly, Vesper owes his survival to an object from another realm. He opens a box and retrieves one of the 12 remaining blue orbs.
.
Rare 3rd Grade Reward Rune
This default reward of the hunter's missions grants one of the three choices upon usage:
- Increase a random status attribute by 1.1.
- Heal all wounds.
- Grant one rune skill - Time-Killing. Upon activation, this skill summons a phantom of the opposite gender to assist you in "Killing Time". (Can only be equipped at the crotch socket).
.
Vesper had used two of the blue orbs earlier - one to heal the gunshot wounds on his shoulder and grazes on his limbs, and another for his daily ritual. His old clothes had already been stowed away in the box, ensuring that Kamper couldn't find any incriminating evidence.
Despite the exhaustion of cleaning up a crime scene, Vesper remains awake into the night. After all, his room is filled with valuable items like a gaming PC, monitors, and streaming equipment.
"I need a new bed, too," Vesper muses as he gazes at the worn-out airbed, reminiscing about the fancy spring beds of his youth. With a list of things to purchase tomorrow, he opens his computer to compile a shopping list:
- A new house for himself and his daughter, complete with a backyard and a swimming pool.
- Rico's doll room and her toys.
- Furniture: Bed, TV, Sofas, Refrigerator, Air Conditioner, Washing Machine, Dryer, and more.
- An EV car, perhaps a Tesla?
- Solar Grid System.
Making a wishlist is fun. However, realizing the financial strain of his dreams, Vesper shifts his focus to the gold bars and his remaining credit points. With some extra funds available, he decides to secure more money for future endeavors.
Vesper examines a broken SMG, noticing that a portion of it has already transformed into gold. This observation sparks an idea.
To avoid prying eyes, Vesper covers the broken door with a bed sheet, ensuring his activities remain hidden from curious onlookers. Once concealed, he repeats the spellcasting process, applying his Gold Enchantment spell to the weapon.
With practiced precision, Vesper uses the spell on it for the second time, causing 20% of the gun's components to solidify into round, gleaming pieces under a yellow light. He waits for ten seconds before applying the spell for the third, fourth, fifth, tenth, twentieth, and hundredth try.
After an hour of focused effort, Vesper successfully molds the useless SMG into a round ball of gold. However, upon closer inspection, he realizes the impracticality of selling it in this form.
"Oh no, I should transform it into a block like a gold bar. I can't present it to someone else like this!" Vesper mutters to himself and continues working.
Ten minutes later, the round golden ball transforms into a thick gold bar, surpassing the size of those obtained from tutorial rewards. Admiring his creation, Vesper can't help but feel excited at the prospect of this newfound money-making method.
"I guess I have to call that woman... Also, I need to ask her if she knows Alanna…"
.
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The next day, Vesper arranges for repairmen to fix his front door, a task that consumes six hours due to their lack of expertise. In the afternoon, he dials the number from the black business card provided by Mary Sue and makes the call.
*BEEP*
Mary Sue answers promptly, addressing Vesper by name as though anticipating his call.
"Vesper Pallas," she greets.
Taken aback, Vesper inquires, "How do you know my name? And how did you know I would call?"
"It's the nature of my work. Anyway, what do you need? Sell me gold or ask me questions?" Mary Sue responds.
Vesper gets straight to the point. "I'm interested in selling more gold bars to you. Can we talk?"
"How many?" Mary Sue asks.
Vesper glances at the growing pile of gold bars on his gaming table, estimating their weight.
"About 30 to 40 kilos," he replies.
"…"