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Chapter 2 The Visiting Elder

"O man, I know you well; you have always been hypocritical." — The Count of Monte Cristo.

Eighteen years later, on a wild and stormy night, a man in his fifties woke up to the sound of thunder and lightning.

The whole hall smelled damp and musty, and there was a puddle of water on the floor.

The old man fumbled for the light switch, but slipped and fell.

Luckily, he landed on something soft, which cushioned his fall.

He felt around, and the cold touch made him shiver.

A flash of lightning lit up the living room, revealing a twisted head and a ghastly, pale face.

At 8 AM, it was still drizzling. A woman in a black trench coat walked down the asphalt road, holding a big umbrella.

She had short hair, light makeup, one hand in her pocket, and walked with a quick, agile step.

She crossed the road, stopped in front of a storefront, entered the door code, and went inside. Then she hung an "Open for Business" sign on the door.

This was the Mystery Detective Agency, and the woman was Sophia Brown, the new detective.

It was her first day on the job.

Sophia tried to dress efficiently and decisively, hoping to make a good impression on her boss.

But the boss wasn't there. She had been recommended by a friend and hadn't met the boss yet.

Sophia had studied criminal investigation at Crescent Moon University.

The boss of the Mystery Detective Agency didn't schedule a proper interview; they just had a brief phone call, and the boss sent her the door code, letting her start work on her own.

The whole agency wasn't very big; a quick glance could take in the entire place.

In the middle was a couch, next to it a marble table, which was a bit messy with leftover food. Against the wall was a filing cabinet, filled with files, neatly labeled: the Rape Case on July 12th, the Home Invasion Murder Case on May 16th, the Missing Person Case on March 18th...

Unfortunately, the filing cabinet was locked, otherwise, she would have liked to look through the files.

At the far end was a counter with a few adjustable chairs.

On the counter were a computer, printer, candies, drinks, a kettle, a microwave, and an automatic coffee machine.

Sophia made herself a cup of coffee and had just taken a sip when someone came to the door.

Sophia looked up.

It was a man in slippers and shorts, with messy hair and a scruffy beard, about fifty years old. Without an umbrella, his clothes were soaked by the rain, and raindrops kept falling from his head. He wiped his face, shook his hands, and then looked up and asked, "Do you investigate cases here?"

Sophia put down her coffee and gave a polite smile. "Yes, is there something you need help with?"

The man looked at her and said in a deep voice, "My sister is dead."

Sophia asked, "And then?"

The man's face immediately turned serious. "I suspect she didn't commit suicide but was murdered, but I have no evidence."

Sophia understood his intention and curiously asked, "What was the cause of her death?"

The man wiped his face again, sending raindrops flying from his long hair. "Her husband said she fell down the stairs, broke her neck, and smashed her head."

He looked up, grabbed his hair, and said painfully, "And then she died."

When he lifted his hair, Sophia noticed an ugly scar on his forehead. It was deep and looked pretty horrifying under the light. Thankfully, he quickly let his hair fall back down, which made Sophia feel a bit more at ease.

Seeing Sophia stay silent, the man's eyes narrowed, and his voice grew louder, "Can you really help with the investigation?"

Sophia tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. Soon she stopped and said, "Yes, but you need to tell me the specifics of the case."

The man patted his clothes and sat down on the nearby couch. His name was Daniel Wilson, a butcher living near Harmony Farmers Market. He had a sister named Bianca Wilson.

Bianca had married a guy named Matthew Moore, who ran a pig farm. When they got married, the farm was small, but as the economy grew and demand increased, it became the largest pork distributor in Emerald City. With their newfound wealth, they bought a villa and a luxury car, and life seemed to be getting better. But Matthew wanted a divorce, claiming Bianca couldn't have kids. He became reckless, often staying out late, and even abused Bianca.

Bianca didn't want a divorce and endured it for ten years. Just a few days ago, she found Daniel, pulled him into the house, and frantically said, "Daniel, that bastard Matthew wants to kill me. What should I do?"

Daniel, hearing this, grabbed a butcher knife and shouted, "If he dares to touch you, I'll kill him."

Bianca trembled. "I feel like he's about to make a move. He can't wait any longer."

Daniel, being hot-tempered, wanted to confront Matthew immediately, but Bianca stopped him. "Daniel, don't waste your energy. I've thought it through. I'll get a divorce."

Then Bianca left in despair. No one expected that this would be their final farewell.

Sophia, holding her coffee, looked at the sorrowful Daniel and comforted him, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly. If your sister was indeed murdered, I will find the evidence."

"Thank you so much." Daniel stood up, wiped his tears, and choked, "Please investigate quickly. My sister will be buried in four days."

Sophia nodded, "Do you know our fee structure?"

Daniel was about to leave but turned back and said, "I'll pay you double after it's done."

'After it's done,' Sophia thought as she touched her chin, 'Why do I feel like it's a transaction?'

She watched Daniel leave and noticed that he was actually limping. He walked slowly, and when the wind blew, his shorts lifted, revealing a large patch on his knee.

Meanwhile, in a villa far away, a pair of large hands pressed on a picture frame on the wall, pulling it down. In the photo, two people looked at each other lovingly. But those large hands mercilessly tore the photo in half, separating the two people in the picture.

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