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Chapter 1 Newcomer Reporting

Emerald City Ironclad Penitentiary.

John Smith's monotone voice shattered the silence in the reception room.

"So, I was drunk, right? And I saw this little girl dancing by the window downstairs. She was so beautiful, it gave me a thrill. Thanks to the booze, I broke into her house."

He went on, "They wouldn't let me near the girl, so I killed them all. When she cried under me, I felt this crazy joy I'd never felt before."

John laughed like an idiot, his face blank, like he was in a trance.

A clear voice nudged him to keep talking. "You killed the little girl too, left her house, and then..."

John tilted his head and grinned. "I bought a bouquet of roses from a flower shop and headed to the Garcia place on Maple Avenue. There was piano music coming from their house. I walked in, pushed open the door, and I saw..."

His voice trailed off, and his brows knitted together.

Sienna Taylor asked softly, "What did you see? Take your time."

He hesitated. The scenes from that night kept flashing in John's mind, and the bloody memories jolted him awake.

Realizing what he had said, he looked at Sienna in horror. "Who are you? Why can't I control my memories?"

Sienna clenched her hand and didn't answer. She just thought the hypnosis session was too short; it broke off at the worst time.

She took a deep breath and asked, "What happened to the Garcia family afterward?"

John kicked the table hard. "It's been five years. How would I remember?"

Sienna's gaze was steady, like still water.

John, a death row inmate, was actually scared by her look.

The prison guard hesitated and said, "Sienna, time's up. He has to go."

Sienna stood up and stared at John. "If you remember anything, you can contact me through the guard."

John's tone was nasty. "I won't remember."

"No, you will," Sienna said simply.

After leaving Ironclad Penitentiary, the bright sunlight hit Sienna. She exhaled deeply; some memories were forever engraved in her soul.

Her phone kept vibrating in her pocket. Sienna took it out and glanced at it. It was a call from Ruben Thomas.

She answered, "Mr. Thomas, I understand. I'll report for my first day right away."

A few minutes earlier, Kelvin Brown stumbled out of his house in pajamas, his hair a mess and stubble on his chin. Several days of nonstop investigation had left him no time to clean up.

He had just gotten home and slept for less than an hour.

It had rained last night. To avoid messing up the crime scene, he put on shoe covers and walked in, his tone cold. "What's missing from the victim this time?"

This was already the fourth similar yet unrelated murder case this month.

On October 3rd, someone reported a case in a gallery where the victim's ears were cut off, and the victim was hanged from the ceiling.

On the 10th, a victim was found in a villa area. Her face was skinned, and she was hanged on the door, bloody and mutilated.

On the 17th, the victim's nose was cut off, and she was hanged.

Today was the 24th; another week had passed.

The only similarities in the cases were that all the victims were women, certain body parts were cut off, and they were hanged.

The medical examiner said the victims were all alive when their body parts were brutally cut off, showing the brutality of the killer.

What really got under Kelvin's skin was how the killer seemed to be one step ahead, always dodging their efforts. They'd been at this for ages, and the body count just kept climbing.

Travis Jackson's face was grim. "This one lost her eyes and was hanged from a tree."

Kelvin frowned and walked over slowly. The victim's eye sockets were empty, and bright red blood dripped down.

With no progress and pressure from above, he was especially irritable. "Where's the medical examiner? Why aren't they here yet?"

Travis shook his head, clueless.

Just then, Kelvin's phone rang. It was his immediate superior, Ruben. Suppressing his anger, he answered, "Mr. Thomas, how can I assist you?"

Kelvin ran a hand through his messy hair, leaning against the tree where the victim was hanged, listening quietly.

"The new medical examiner will be there soon. She's from the State Police Department and solved the 319 dismemberment case. She's a bit timid, so be gentle and treat her well, got it?"

Kelvin frowned slightly, half-jokingly said, "Mr. Thomas, you know how critical our case is right now. Who's going to train a newcomer? And if she gets scared and cries, no one will comfort her."

"The State Police Department is willing to promote her. That's their business. Don't let her come here and cause trouble."

Ruben's voice was stern. "She is nationally..."

Kelvin heard someone calling him, lifted his eyelids, and said to Ruben, "Mr. Thomas, there's a new lead. I'll go check it out."

The forensic and technical team members walked in. Leroy White looked worried, his young face not quite fitting the cop image.

He said, "Kelvin, it rained last night, and the footprints are too messy. It'll take some time to find clues."

Arnold Harris, a technical expert with a buzz cut, holding a computer, said awkwardly, "There are no cameras in this park's forest. Many people have been here lately, so it'll take time to investigate."

Leroy sighed. "This is the fourth person. If the case spreads, the whole country will be shocked. Is the killer a pervert?"

Kelvin pressed his tongue against his cheek and looked at the victim. The medical examiner hadn't arrived, so they didn't dare to take the body down for fear of missing any clues.

A dark look flashed in Kelvin's eyes. He said, "Even if the killer is a ghost, I'll drag him out of hell!"

Greenwood Park was the largest park in Emerald City. By now, a crowd had gathered outside the police line. The person who reported the case, an elderly sanitation worker, was being questioned by the police.

Kelvin surveyed the surroundings. Except for this small forest, Greenwood Park was covered with surveillance.

The first three victims were killed in secluded locations, but this time the killer chose a more conspicuous spot. Could this be a taunt directed at the police?

At that moment, Travis hurriedly ran over. "Kelvin, the medical examiner is here, but..."

Before Travis could finish, Sienna had already appeared in everyone's sight.

Standing 5 feet 3 inches tall, with shoulder-length hair and a face still showing some baby fat, she looked very young. However, she had a strikingly mature figure and a pair of beautiful, captivating eyes.

Kelvin frowned and said directly, "Send her away, and get a experienced medical examiner."

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