The moment the Ram-Judge swallowed the fetal hand, the acrid stench of a burned clinic assaulted our senses. Blue flames erupted from the zodiac engravings, warping our reflections into charcoal silhouettes from the arson scene.
"Forty-eight minutes remain." The Ram-Judge's voice crackled with static. "When identifying the arsonist, plunge the scalpel into their third rib."
My memory scalpel quivered as neural tendrils from its handle burrowed into my wrist. Fragmented visions flooded in—a nurse clutching medical records in smoke, infant wails echoing through burning hallways.
The gangster suddenly grabbed the lab-coated woman's collar. "Those coral growths on your neck... they're burn scars!"
"Nonsense!" She slapped his hand away, but ash began flaking from her lesions. The socialite's mechanical leeches swiveled toward her, emitting siren-like shrieks.
Clues Emerged:
The housewife's pregnancy test expired two years ago, but bore the clinic's logo
Gangster's dragon tattoo concealed burn scars
My scalpel projected "No Open Flame" warnings when near walls
When the countdown hit 30:00, the priest collapsed vomiting charred Bible pages. The Ram-Judge trembled with glee. "Confess, firestarter."
"Wait!" The socialite ripped off her last leech. "I implanted surveillance leeches that night!" She slammed the creature onto the table. Its eyes projected holograms:
Through smoke, a figure in a lab coat poured gasoline on medical files. But when they turned—a ram's skull mask covered their face.
"Impossible!" The lab-coated woman screamed. "I was on duty that..." Her voice died as coral growths exploded, revealing scorched windpipes.
I plunged my scalpel between her third ribs. Blood splattering the zodiac ignited memory torrents—the arsonist's ram-masked face, cross-shaped scar on their right hand.
The gangster clutched his own right hand too late. His dragon tattoo peeled away, exposing a vicious cruciform scar.
"Game concluded." The Ram-Judge clapped as a steel cage descended. "But rejoice! A new god-candidate is born—"
Bone-crunching echoed from the cage. When smoke cleared, we saw his body restructuring, follicles identical to the Ram-Judge's emerging beneath splitting skin.