The Crime System

The Invisible Culprit

Around 5 PM that evening, the completion message suddenly activated in Luke's mind, informing him that today's adventure had concluded. The completion rate was eighty-seven percent, earning him another invisibility device.

Upon accessing the item and obtaining it, he saw it was yet another invisible tracking device, the same as the last one.

"What's this? Why couldn't it have been something new or exciting?" he thought to himself.

Despite feeling somewhat disappointed, Luke finally had time to ponder the Crime System. Up until now, he had used it three times. While he didn't fully understand the rules, he had learned certain things about it.

He pulled out his notebook and began analyzing the information he had recorded.

First, the Crime System could only be activated once a day, with the ending time unknown. He estimated the ending time was tied to the completion rate - the faster he finished the adventure, the sooner it ended.

Secondly, the adventure was random and didn't align with his wishes. Like today, he had hoped the Crime System would help him c***k the Maimed Case, but instead the main focus was meeting Angela and chasing down a thief on horseback.

Another point was that the complex words spoken when the Crime System engaged seemed to have meaning. The third time, they referenced destiny and the red string of fate, which appeared linked to Angela, and the mention of going up and down likely referred to his horse riding.

Could it be that the cryptic words were hinting at the adventure he would experience?

The words' themes also seemed significant. Luke recalled terms like Actus Reus, Mens Rea, Concurrence, Causation and Harm, all of which were components of the five-element crime system. He looked them up online and confirmed the connection.

Actus Reus (Guilty Act): The physical act or unlawful omission that constitutes a crime.

Mens Rea (Guilty Mind): The intent or mental state of the person committing the act.

Concurrence: The Actus Reus and Mens Rea must occur simultaneously.

Causation: Links the defendant's actions to the resulting harm or consequence.

Harm: The injury, damage, or loss that results from the crime.

Luke felt that if he could understand the theme and complex passages, he might be able to drastically improve his success when using the Crime System.

It seemed he would need to do more research to fully grasp the System. Once he did, he could leverage it to his advantage and achieve whatever he desired!

Putting the System aside, he had to redirect all his focus to the Maimed Case. Looking at it now, even if he had the Crime System, it might not help him solve this case at all. It might just add random adventures and waste his time.

"If that's the case..." he began to think.

After much consideration, Luke made a decision. From now on, he would rely on his own abilities and devote all his energy to solving the Maimed Case independently!

Losing the bet and paying $1800 wasn't a big deal, but the loss of face was unacceptable. He couldn't let scum like Vincent get the last laugh - he had to work hard.

Although he was mostly an amateur at crime-solving, having no formal training, in his old g**g he had caught many spies. Luke had confidence in his ability to catch criminals.

That night, he printed out more key records on the Maimed Case and brought them home to research further.

His current home lacked Wi-Fi, as James Dalton preferred to use his own phone data rather than the neighbor's network to prevent his daughter Jenna from playing on her phone and interfering with her studies. Unbeknownst to him, Jenna was a skilled hacker who had already obtained the password for the neighbor's Wi-Fi, allowing her to game without interference.

Luke had also managed to get the hacked password from Jenna the day he moved in, so the internet they used came from the apartment next door.

He laid out all the information and started researching again, determined to compile a comprehensive understanding of the case.

The first incident occurred on May 22nd last year in the underground tunnel of a fitness gym in New York City. The victim was Mary Nelson, an office worker for a foreign company who had come to New York to attend a music concert. According to Mary, after the concert she was following the crowd through the tunnel when she was knocked unconscious. When she came to, her right hand was missing.

Incredibly, despite the surveillance cameras in the gym, there was no evidence of the culprit. Mary had been incapacitated in a crowded area, and the lack of lighting and late hour meant there were no reliable witnesses.

Within five days, on May 26th, another Maimed Case struck. The victim this time was Yara, who Bella Lane and Luke had interviewed. Yara's circumstances were even more baffling - she was in her own bed when her hand was severed.

Despite the surveillance cameras in Yara's neighborhood, the police found no suspicious activity. Forensics revealed the door had not been forced, suggesting the culprit had a key.

Yara's husband was initially a suspect, but he had been out of town on a business trip at the time.

After Yara, the Maimed Case stopped for a full year. Then on May 22nd, the third victim emerged - Lisa Mendes, a housewife whose hand was cut off while she was in her own car, which had been parked in an alley. Again, the surveillance footage revealed nothing about the culprit.

"Unbelievable..." Luke muttered, reviewing the compiled information. Bella Lane was right - this assailant was truly elusive, like a ghost.

"Could it be...this case is unsolvable?"

When he woke up the next morning, the first thing Luke did was pull out a cigarette. He didn't want to smoke for pleasure—he had an alternative reason. Ever since the Crime System, he felt a lack of attraction towards smoking. If it weren't for getting to play the lottery, he didn't really want to smoke at all. He felt like he had been influenced at least somewhat by another version of himself.