[We investigators are either dead or insane.]

Warning: This chapter contains scenes of violence that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

“Eden? Sinners?” Archie stared at the words in the notebook, frowning deeply.

“It’s probably just some religious organization’s terminology,” A-Long stammered, guessing. “Isn’t it similar to those myths? God created humans, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were expelled from Eden, and now all humans carry original sin or something like that.”

“Local manifestation theory? Mythological fusion?” Ranen glanced at the notes and made a connection, but quickly shook his head. He had a feeling that this wasn’t just a simple legend. The mention of ‘the place where the gods exist’ gave him a strange sense of familiarity, similar to the Dream World.

At least, in this game, the Dream World existed for real. In his past life, he had been there, but it was full of danger.

Almost no player who entered had returned intact. They either died there or left their character cards behind forever in that Dream World.

The group continued reading.

[November 6th. What a terrible day. I think someone saw me during the exchange. Was it… the apartment manager? That guy’s shady, greedy to no end. I hope the hush money I gave him is enough to keep him quiet.]

There were also scattered bits of information, such as the members of the Outsider organization, events they held, and a complete list of their members. Archie even recognized several names of senators or high-society figures. If these names were made public, it would cause a massive stir throughout Arkham City.

As the entries went on, the notebook became more casual, mixing in some lighthearted daily anecdotes alongside the important intel. It seemed Charlie used his diary as a way to release the stress weighing on him.

From the looks of the information in the notebook, Archie’s father was doing quite well, making waves within the Outsider organization and establishing connections with some influential figures.

But later entries showed a sharp turn in his fortunes.

[Frank’s been blackmailing me again. Damn it, his greed is getting worse. I need to find a way to shut him up for good.]

[The leader met with me today. It seems my work has finally been acknowledged. To win me over, he taught me how to open the Dream Rift, but it sent a chill from my head down to the soles of my feet.]

[Why is this method almost identical to what’s taught inside the Investigation Bureau? Is there a traitor within the bureau? Does the Outsider organization have their own source of intel? No, if the Outsider really have a mole in the bureau, this is way too dangerous. I need to find out the truth.]

[I successfully broke through the first level of the Dream Rift, but the second level… the second level is an impossible trial! ‘Abandon reason, embrace madness.’ He wants me to become a madman first. What if I fail? Will I be trapped in insanity for the rest of my life? Who could ever complete this? Just attempting to go deeper into the second level’s stairway already threw my emotions out of balance. I actually started thinking, wouldn’t it be great if I could just kill that greedy manager? Solve the problem once and for all.]

[No, maybe I really did think that way. After all, he’s just a piece of scum. Even if he died, no one would shed a single tear for him!]

This line was crossed out in red, the handwriting noticeably heavier.

[No! How could I think like that? Charlie, Charlie, have you forgotten the oath you took when you joined the Inspection Bureau? The people are the ones you’re supposed to protect!]

Reading this, A-Long couldn’t help but kick Frank again. “Hey, you dared to blackmail someone?”

Frank stayed silent, his eyes filled with deep pleading. “I know I was wrong, I’m paying the price now. Just let me go, please. I swear I’ll turn myself in at the police station!”

Archie ignored Frank’s begging and kept flipping through the pages. While everyone’s attention was still on the notebook, Frank tried to crawl out of the room but was dragged back by A-Long and Matcha Green Milk.

[Recently, Frank, who’s been suffocating me with pressure, suddenly backed off. But I don’t think it’s a good sign. I have an awful suspicion that he realized I wouldn’t pay him any more money. I might have to give up my undercover identity. Luke also told me this is getting too dangerous. But my investigation is only halfway through. It feels like I’ve hooked a really big fish, and I just can’t pull out now.]

[Maybe the Investigation Bureau…]

Half of the next page had been torn out, leaving the contents incomplete. The following notes were clearly written in a rush.

[I found out some critical information. The Outsider organization is planning something unimaginably evil, and this plan has been ongoing for over ten years. They might be nearing the end. Their goal is to open the gate to the Land of the Gods! But I can’t investigate further. I’ve moved too hastily, and I think someone is starting to suspect me…]

[No matter what, I have to get out. I need to leave this organization. Luke says he’s arranged everything for me: faking my death, using his Origin ability, so my wife and child won’t be in danger. But I won’t be able to see them for a while. I have to see them one last time. Tomorrow is Archie’s birthday. He’s wanted to see me for a long time… and I want to see him too.]

Archie’s hands started shaking again. He pressed his forehead, veins bulging, his face flushing with blood. The voice in his head grew louder, as if something was desperately trying to suppress the memory. But Archie fought back, struggling with all his might to recall what really happened that day.

The notebook slipped from Archie’s hands, and a photo fell out, quickly caught by Ranen. The two players looked at Archie’s sudden change in confusion, while Matcha Green Milk stammered, “Sh-should we perform first aid?”

A-Long, who had almost been killed by her treatment earlier, stared at her in disbelief, “What? With you, a quack?”

The two nearly started fighting, while Archie stood there, swaying. Ranen reached out to support him, and the young man collapsed into Ranen’s arms. His usual cold, black eyes were now filled with mist and confusion, as past memories resurfaced, pulling him back to that fateful night.

Archie’s mother had prepared candy, cupcakes, and a lavish dinner. Little Archie sat at the table, staring at the door, running toward it at the first sound of the lock turning.

“Oh, my little prince.” Charlie lifted him high. “Did you miss Dad?”

The next scene was of him leaving home.

“Don’t… don’t go.”

Archie instinctively reached out, waving his hand blindly in the air. Ranen grabbed his hand, reassuring him, “I won’t leave.”

He remembered.

Little Archie had been frustrated with his father’s constant coming and going, so after the birthday celebration, he secretly followed Charlie. He saw his father talking to a man in a black coat at the end of an alley.

Little Archie remembered the neighborhood gossip, about how Charlie had abandoned his wife and son for his beliefs, mingling with unsavory people all day. Fueled by rage, he rushed out and shouted at the man in the black coat, telling him to stay away from Charlie.

For the first time, Charlie’s expression shifted, and he told Archie to go home quickly. The man in the black coat grew nervous as well, urging them to follow him and leave immediately.

But it was already too late.

The drunkard, who had always been annoying, came with his men to block their way.

“It’s him! Caught red-handed. I saw them whispering last time, they’re definitely up to no good!” Frank said obsequiously to the man standing at the front, who had a head of silver hair, something only the elderly would have.

“They’re probably police officers or reporters, those annoying people who are always after a big scoop!” Frank continued to ramble on, but the silver-haired man stopped him, looking calmly at Charlie and the man in the black coat. “I’m sorry. I thought we shared the same ideals.”

“Luke! Take Archie and run! You don’t have combat abilities—I’ll cover the rear!”

Then came the sound of wind and the constantly shifting scenery. Little Archie was carried in the arms of the man in the black coat as they fled, the surroundings flashing by rapidly. All he could do was stare at Charlie’s back.

Until the blood completely covered the figure.

“I’m sorry, but I have to seal this part of your memory. This is the price of my ability—no one will remember this, and no one will remember you. Only then will you be safe.”

“I’m sorry, Archie.”

The person’s face in the memory was blurry. Archie could only recall the last thing he said:

—This person does not exist.

Now, that sentence shattered in his mind.

Archie stood up woodenly. Ranen, seeing that Archie no longer seemed to be in pain, finally let go of his hand.

Archie stood up, picked up the notebook that had fallen to the ground, and it automatically flipped to the last two pages.

The second-to-last page had nothing to do with the Outsider.

[The only people I’ve wronged are my child and my wife. I’m very sorry that in the eyes of those around them, their father is a mad heretic. I wasn’t a good father, nor a good husband.]

Both players and Ranen saw this sentence. From these few words, they seemed to have pieced together the entire story.

—-

[What a sad story…]

[This is the fate of becoming an investigator (just kidding).]

[So it’s all Frank’s fault!]

—-

It wasn’t just the chat that thought this, but also the two players. Especially the more emotional one, Matcha Green Milk, who grabbed Frank tightly as he tried to escape: “What do you say, Dr. Archie? Let’s give him a good beating!”

Archie stared coldly at Frank. “Let him go.”

Matcha Green Milk didn’t understand but reluctantly complied.

Frank immediately crawled over and hugged Archie’s leg eagerly. “I really know I was wrong! I won’t do it again, I swear! I can even pay back the money I extorted from you!”

Archie looked at him calmly. “Because of your extortion, my childhood wasn’t great. My mother got sick but didn’t tell my father, and she refused to go to the hospital. It wasn’t until I was in college that I found out she had late-stage lung cancer. She passed away.”

“Alright, open your mouth.”

Sensing something was wrong, a deep fear flashed in Frank’s eyes. He tried to lean back, but Archie grabbed him with one hand, forcing his mouth open. The gun barrel was roughly shoved inside.

*Bang!

Red and white liquid splattered onto the wall, almost reaching A-Long. But A-Long didn’t react, too shocked by Archie’s swift and decisive execution of Frank.

“Sorry, I’m no champion of justice,” Archie said with a self-deprecating smirk. “Just a mere lapdog of the evil god.”

Ranen’s expression: =口=

Wait, wait a second.

He doesn’t exactly oppose killing Frank, since it’s Archie’s personal revenge, but why add that last part?!

Ranen vaguely remembered that A-Long might still be streaming… right?

Ranen started to feel a bit relieved—at least he couldn’t see the chat.

As for the forums… well, let’s pretend not to hear anything for now and deal with it later.

Archie’s handgun had a silencer, and since this floor of the apartment building was uninhabited, Matcha Green Milk stared at Frank’s corpse with some hesitation. “What do we do with this?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll have someone come take care of it.” At this moment, Ranen felt grateful for Karens’s connections.

Wait, since when did he get so used to accepting these things? This shouldn’t be normal!

Archie, unfazed by the body on the floor, casually pulled a white cloth meant for covering furniture and used it to clean the gun until both his fingers and the gun were spotless. Only then did he carefully pick up the notebook that had fallen onto the floor.

He lowered his head, gently rubbing the last page of the book.

“What’s wrong?”

Archie looked up, meeting Ranen’s gaze. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “There’s something odd about this paper.”

He handed the notebook to Ranen and then wandered around the room, returning with a lighter in his hand.

A-Long immediately got excited. “Is it one of those tricks from TV shows?”

Archie gave him a confused look. “I’ve never watched that kind of show, but I did this experiment at home with Charlie when I was a kid. You use lemon juice or vinegar, and through a chemical reaction, the parts of the paper with writing turn into something similar to celluloid. Their ignition point is lower than the paper itself, so when you heat it, the written parts burn first.”

With that, he carefully tore the page from the notebook, took a picture of the contents with his phone, and then held the page over the flame.

Brown-black scorch marks gradually appeared on the paper. The color lightened, and under the flickering flame, the marks deepened into a blood-red hue, as if every word had been written in blood.

[Watch out for the Inspection Bureau!]

A-Long immediately looked up, glancing at the expressions of everyone present. He saw that Matcha Green Milk, Archie, and he himself wore looks of disbelief and shock, while Ranen’s expression seemed much calmer, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, which were deep as a chasm.

—-

[You see Ranen’s expression; he’s not surprised at all.]

[Sure enough, he knew there was something wrong with the Inspection Bureau!]

[Maybe this problem is related to Ranen.]

[Very likely.]

—-

“This matter ends here,” Ranen said after a pause. “It’s not safe to stay here; we should head back.”

The players and Archie snapped back to reality. Archie’s face darkened, while the players couldn’t contain their excitement.

This is big news!

Combined with the thrilling events they had experienced along the way, they sensed that the player forum was about to explode!

Ranen called Karens to come clean up the scene, and then the three of them left in Archie’s car.

A notification popped up indicating the task was complete. A-Long and Matcha Green Milk weren’t surprised, happily clicking to accept, and then continued to give Ranen puppy-dog eyes.

Ranen said, “…I’ll call you next time there’s a task.”

But there probably won’t be a next time.

“Yay~” the two players cheered joyfully.

Then, at the players’ request, Archie dropped them off by the roadside before heading to Ranen’s psychological clinic.

Before getting out of the car, Ranen suddenly remembered something. He took out the photo he had picked up earlier and handed it to Archie.

It was a picture of three people, and the moment Archie received it, his fingers trembled slightly.

In the photo was Archie’s father, who, like Archie, had a head of black hair, but his brows and eyes appeared softer. He had a five o’clock shadow, and his sea-blue eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled at the camera.

The woman in the photo was someone Archie knew well—his mother, who had passed away while he was in university. In the picture, her gentle face lacked the hardships and exhaustion that would later accumulate, radiating a smile filled with happiness as she held a tiny baby in her arms.

As Ranen got out of the car, he heard a soft yet heavy voice from the driver’s seat:

“…Thank you.”

—-

At this moment, in the player forum:

When Ranen returned to the psychological clinic and logged into the player forum, he found, as expected, that countless hot threads had already been opened, all discussing the “plot” that had occurred today.

“So Handsome! Today’s Epic Battle Scene!”

Ranen couldn’t recall ever seeing something like this before. He stared at the title for a while and couldn’t help but click on it.

The video captured was from A-Long’s livestream. When Ranen entered, the video started from the sound of hurried footsteps.

Then the video showed a group of fierce-looking men charging forward with weapons, firing as they came. The camera spun wildly as A-Long was kicked ruthlessly into the room by Ranen.

The next part of the video was shot from A-Long’s perspective. Due to the angle, it only showed the doorway, capturing the moment when Ranen crouched down to cleverly evade the enemies that were rushing at him.

The Soul-Eating Butterfly, disguised as decorative items, fluttered up and lightly touched the attacking enemies. Ranen didn’t look back, as if he already knew the outcome. Calm and precise like a scalpel, he took a few steps down the narrow corridor, grabbed another enemy’s gun, and diverted the bullet’s trajectory, causing them to hit their own teammates. He then snatched the gun and effortlessly knocked the shooter to the ground.

At this moment, the butterfly had already dealt with the remaining enemies, gracefully landing back on Ranen’s shoulder.

The players had never seen such an easy fight.

It was as effortless as picking fruits from trees during a leisurely walk in the park.

[So handsome! My husband is so handsome!]

[Wuwuwuwuwu, I’m crying because he’s so handsome!]

[I initially thought my wife couldn’t fight, so I stayed back. I was wrong—he can clearly take on five people!]

[Wake up, upstairs! Ten of you wouldn’t be a problem.]

[Are you underestimating the combat power of the evil god? Let me put it this way: the population of a city.]

[Although he’s undeniably handsome, is this really how an evil god should fight?]

—-

Ranen saw the doubts but didn’t take them to heart. However, his expression darkened as he finally realized the reason the players had been so easily captured during the livestream.

These two players had been so focused on watching him fight that they hadn’t noticed anything happening around them. They only reacted in a panic when the sound of shattering glass reached them, and that was how Matcha Green Milk was taken hostage.

The developments afterward were similar to before, and Ranen thought there wouldn’t be much to see. Just as he was about to skip this part to look at the forum analysis, he suddenly noticed a massive surge in the number of bullet comments at a certain moment.

Ranen: …A sense of impending doom.

Then, his premonition came true.

Archie collapsed into Ranen’s arms, holding his forehead. Ranen knew this was a reaction triggered by the memories he had sealed away, but the players were unaware of it.

[What happened to Archie, meow?]

[This reaction… emmmm PTSD? Or is he cursed or something?]

[Weak cat! It’s a weak cat! A cat pouncing into the embrace of the evil god!]

[Ah, wait, my wife’s embrace is mine, draw your sword!]

[Seriously, what’s going on? Archie even said, “Don’t go.”]

[I don’t know. Heh, just a man’s trick to win favor. Honestly, I still prefer the black-bellied Albert.]

[Those are all enemies; can you still ship them?]

[Enemies are more exciting! White lotus blackened mad dog, teasing, faith transfer, evil duo hehehehehe.]

[Wow, saying that really is thrilling.]

Then, Archie broke free from the psychological suggestion, calmly stood up, and shot Frank.

A splash of blood hit Archie’s pale cheek, which he casually wiped away, pulling out a white cloth to clean the gun, as naturally as swatting away an annoying fly.

“Sorry, I’m no champion of justice. Just a mere lapdog of the evil god.”

[Thanks, I feel great.]

[Honestly, so cool (murmuring). Wiping the gun gives off such a cleanliness obsession vibe, it’s just too perfect.]

[Archie, my my my, woo woo woo, my new husband!]

[It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an NPC act so decisively. I was fuming while reading the notes just now, but now I finally feel relieved.]

[Thank you, Archie +1. If he really let Frank go, I would probably die from disgust.]

[No one cares about what Archie just said? He’s definitely a servant of the evil god!]

[What, you’re just realizing that now?]

[No! I oppose this. Baby, you’re not a servant of the evil god; you’re clearly the evil god’s cat! Woo woo woo, mommy won’t allow you to call yourself a dog (dog emoji).]

[The competition in the dog faction is too fierce, but cats are exclusively favored!]

[Cats are exclusively favored! + ID number]

Ranen wiped his face and quickly closed the video. He couldn’t take it anymore; if he watched any longer, he would die of embarrassment.

It’s better to check the players’ analyses. This storyline reveals so much information, and the forum’s theorists will surely not miss it.

As expected, the forum has already opened several serious analysis threads, especially the one by Black Cat, which is trending on the homepage.

“Investigator’s Notes — A Buried Past!”

Black Cat: Hello again, everyone! It’s me, the analysis enthusiast Black Cat! First, let me take a second to cry—why am I always just analyzing after the fact? I want to be part of the storyline too! (throws down)

Black Cat: Alright, I’ve calmed down. Next, let’s congratulate the two lucky players! (lemon emoji)

Black Cat: Remember the last bloody banquet? That was probably the debut of a hostile force against Ranen, but we knew nothing about their existence before. Now this mysterious organization has finally surfaced, and it’s called the Outsider.

From the notes, it appears that the purpose of the Outsider is to return to the “Land of the Gods.” I’m sure seasoned tabletop role-playing players like me have made a connection to something. That’s right—it’s the Dream World, a place sealed with many ancient deities. I wonder if this “Land of the Gods” has a similar setting.

This organization believes that this place is the Garden of Eden, where humanity was born. Currently, the world where humans live is considered foreign to them. They want to return to that place, and to do so, they need to open the door on Earth leading to the “Land of the Gods.” This is the purpose of the Outsider.

How should I put it? It’s quite innovative—much more unique than simply summoning an evil god.

Black Cat: So now the question arises: why are they targeting Ranen? According to this storyline, their objective seems to be to capture and seal Ranen. I boldly speculate that Ranen may actually come from the “Land of the Gods,” and his arrival is closely related to the Outsider. That’s why the Outsider want to capture him after learning of his existence; Ranen is likely something akin to a “coordinate” or a sacrifice in their plans.

1st Commenter: Is this organization really that powerful? Are they treating the evil god as a sacrifice?

Black Cat: That’s why they want to test him. It’s possible that something went wrong when Ranen arrived, so he’s now trapped in this body or sealed in some way. That’s why they dare to act against him.

Black Cat: Our previous guesses weren’t wrong; Ranen is indeed the center of this version of events. He is at the vortex of this enormous conspiracy. I suspect the main quest is likely about stopping the Outsider’s plot, and Ranen must have significant clues to lead the main quest!

Black Cat: I even suspect that the main quest is the conflict between Ranen’s faction and the Outsider.

5th Commenter: It definitely sounds very plausible.

6th Commenter: Damn, Black Cat is impressive! I believe you; you’ve been right in your predictions before qwq. I’m following the big shot.

Black Cat: Additionally, aside from the main quest, the notes expose the Inspection Bureau—tch, it’s clear that this organization has problems! However, this organization hasn’t shown up yet; it should appear in the later storyline, and it might be related to the upcoming main quest.

Congratulations to me for being correct once again! But I’m really worried about this world—how can even the investigator organization be like this? Is everything okay? You’re not planning to rely on an evil god to save the world, are you?

A-Long: What a mess.

7th Commenter: Black Cat, what do you think about the “Dream Rift” mentioned in the notes? Ranen and Archie discussed it in the car.

Black Cat: I think this might be a unique power system for NPCs, similar to how monster levels are measured from C to S rank. There may be special ability rankings among NPCs as well.

I wonder if it will be open to players later on, especially since they mentioned the second level of the Dream Rift, which seems to involve overcoming madness? Hhhhh, it sounds like a test of one’s “state of mind.” If it becomes available to players, I’m curious about how we would navigate it; it feels like it would be very special and interesting!

Black Cat: Finally, please allow me to get a bit sentimental. I really admire the investigator who wrote this note. Truly, he embodies the image of an investigator in my mind: silent, persistent, tirelessly pursuing the truth, with a sense of justice and never losing hope.

No one is more deserving of the title “Light of Humanity” than he is. Though he has been knocked down by life, he has never wavered in his principles, always adhering to his humanity.

In the end, the spirit of the investigator lives on! The anthem of humanity is the anthem of courage!

Druid: Of course, there’s also the possibility of either death or madness (dog head).

Black Cat: (laughing and crying) Yes, it seems like our investigators never have a good ending.

Black Cat: But ironically, the investigator’s offspring have also joined the ranks of the evil gods (sigh). I don’t know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Druid: It might not necessarily be a bad thing. Since the inspection bureau has issues, why can’t the evil gods save the world? (dog head)

Black Cat: Let’s see how the plot unfolds. The identities of the recently appearing NPCs are quite complicated. Since the inspection bureau has problems, Albert’s identity feels shrouded in mystery. Does he even know about the issues with the bureau? Which side will he stand on next? And who is that mysterious black-haired man? It seems Ranen is quite wary of him.

Black Cat: In any case, let’s look forward to the upcoming main storyline! This time, I’ll definitely stick by Ranen’s side, never leaving his side! qwq