Niskala Metropolitan Police Department
The relentless ticking of the clock echoed through the room, adding to the tension that had filled the investigation space for hours. The weight of their thoughts grew heavier with each passing second of the night. Fatigue, both physical and mental, gnawed at everyone sitting around the table. Their eyes were fixed on a board in front of them, covered with photos, notes, and pieces of information related to the case. Red strings crisscrossed, connecting the dots between clues pinned on the board.
Several detectives and forensic experts listened intently to the lieutenant, who had been presenting for a while. "We've established the perpetrator's modus operandi," Derian began, turning to a photograph of a yellow thread and the victims' palms displayed on the board. "Since there are no fingerprints left behind at the crime scenes and no DNA found under the victims' nails, we can conclude that the perpetrator wore gloves and long sleeves during the attacks."
He gestured toward photos of the two victims' severely beaten faces. "The perpetrator used the same method for both murders. He specifically targeted the victims' faces, aiming to destroy them. This indicates he attacked them head-on," Derian explained. He then pointed to another photo showing the victims' crumpled collars. "He grabbed them by the collars to limit their movement, ensuring they had no chance to escape, and then brutally assaulted them with a blunt weapon."
Derian's intense, dark eyes shifted to one of the forensic experts sitting at the table. "Have we identified the murder weapon?"
"Yes. The small metallic particles found in the first victim's wounds were consistent with materials from a hammer. This matches the initial assessment based on the pattern of the injuries on the victim's face," replied the forensic expert responsible for determining the weapon used in the attacks.
Derian nodded, letting out a small sigh of relief. "Good," he said. "But we still need to dig deeper into the reasoning behind the perpetrator's signature behavior."
A forensic psychologist raised her hand immediately. "Lieutenant, if I may, I'd like to explain my analysis," she said.
"Go ahead," Derian replied with a brief nod.
Doctor Rania stepped forward, moving closer to the investigation board as Derian leaned back into his chair. Her hand pointed to the photo of lipstick smeared across the victim's disfigured face. "I've analyzed the behavioral patterns, and as the lieutenant suggested earlier, the act of defacing the victims with lipstick is no random action. It's a symbol of humiliation," she explained.
The forensic psychologist's sharp eyes scanned the room, locking briefly with each person who was intently listening. "It's clear that the perpetrator acted on strong psychological and emotional impulses. This behavior stems from trauma—specifically, trauma related to his physical appearance. In this case, the perpetrator's target was the face, because that's where his own insecurities lie. He harbors an inferiority complex about his own looks, likely because the victims made fun of him for it. By disfiguring their faces, he's projecting that same discomfort onto them."
"His intent to make the victims 'ugly' mirrors the insults and cruel remarks he endured about his own appearance," she continued. "Defacing the victims brings him a sense of twisted satisfaction—an outlet for the pain and humiliation he has carried with him from the past."
A young detective, listening intently, spoke up. "So, you're saying the victims were likely people from the perpetrator's past who inflicted deep emotional wounds through ridicule... and he's seeking revenge for the torment they caused?"
Dr. Rania nodded. "Exactly."
"What about the ball?" Candrasa said.
"The ball is another symbol of the trauma, something that once linked the perpetrator to his victims. It's likely tied to painful memories, possibly an object they used to bully him—perhaps throwing it at him, using it as a tool of torment," she explained.
The room fell into a heavy silence as everyone processed the analysis, each trying to connect the dots in their minds. Meanwhile, Derian remained deep in thought, focused not only on the discussion but also on the rapid notifications flashing from the Code of Death system, visible only to him.
Ping!
[System]: Accessing the perpetrator's profile...
Name: -
Gender: Male
Background with the victims: old acquaintance
Modus operandi:
• Wore gloves and long-sleeved clothes during the attacks.
• Confronted the victims head-on.
• Grabbed the victims by the collar during the assault.
• Struck the victims repeatedly with a hammer.
• targeted the victims' faces, seemingly enjoying the act.
Signature behavior:
• Smeared the victims' faces with lipstick (likely intended as a symbol of the perpetrator's contempt for the victims).
• Left a ball at each crime scene (the ball is likely linked to the perpetrator's past relationship with the victims and may represent a source of trauma).
Psychological condition:
• Likely suffers from past trauma related to appearance and self-confidence.
• Harbored a long-standing grudge.
Murder weapon: Hammer
Motive: Revenge
Profile completion: 60% / 100%
[System]: Accessing the profile of the first victim...
Name: Nando
Gender: Male
Age: 35 years old
Victim-perpetrator relationship: old acquaintance
Likely reason for becoming a victim: committed a past wrong that traumatized the perpetrator, fueling their grudge.
[System]: Accessing the profile of the second victim...
Name: Rian Fernando
Gender: Male
Age: 36 years old
Victim-perpetrator relationship: old acquaintance
Likely reason for becoming a victim: committed a past wrong that traumatized the perpetrator, leading to the grudge.
The man's dark eyes stayed fixed on the holographic screen, frustration building inside him. "This system is nothing more than a glorified notepad so far... Completely useless..."
"Lieutenant, I have something to report," Doctor Arif suddenly said, breaking the silence as something came to mind.
"Go on," Derian replied with a weary sigh.
"During the autopsy, I found burn marks on Rian's leg. They seem to have been there for years, likely dating back to his childhood," the elderly forensic pathologist explained. "Those scars might be connected to the fire at the old orphanage, Lieutenant," he added, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Derian's mind immediately started racing. He quickly turned to Ali. "What do we know about the two orphanages?" he asked.
"As far as I can tell, the Mother's Love orphanage is still running today. But the Happy Smile orphanage shut down right after the fire," the lead detective responded.
Derian nodded, his decision forming quickly. "We need to investigate both orphanages. Ali and Ronald, you two head to Mother's Love to gather information. Candrasa and Rona, I want you to track down anyone once associated with Happy Smile—former staff or administrators. Understood?"
"Yes, Lieutenant!" his team answered in unison.
Derian swiftly gathered the files scattered across the table. "Alright, meeting adjourned. Let's move."