Chapter 47: The Impatient Investigator
Angelia’s eyes narrowed, and her hand clenched around her arms tightly. Seeing the look on Officer Chen’s face, she knew there was no falsehood in Jinn’s words.
"Why?" The words unknowingly left her mouth, making the two of them turn to her. She pressed her lips and turned silent again.
"After staying in the room for a long time, I got bored and decided to walk around for a bit, but the others insisted on coming along too..." Jinn continued to tell everything that happened since they left the room.
He told them how Geralt stopped him on their way out. "He seemed adamant that I had killed those three and I was going to kill Sally and Kyle for some reason."
"Then, what did you do?" Officer Chen asked while taking notes on a pad rapidly.
"I just ignored him and walked out; there was no need for me to stoop to his level and argue. but he kept following us."
The story went on to describe how they went to the church, and Geralt sneaked in the back.
"You did not follow after him?"
Jinn scoffed at his question and replied lightly, "We just wanted to get rid of his constant surveillance. He was a total creep, like a stalker. So we left him the first chance we got."
Officer Chen’s face twitched; he found it difficult to keep a straight face.
"I see, then what did you do?"
Jinn continued; he narrated his encounter with the matron and how she helped him warm up and gave them the tea laced with the sedative.
Throughout it all, Jinn did not lie; there was no need for him to.
"When I woke up again, I was in that place. I was not sure how I got there, but I saw everyone lying there, including Geralt."
"And he was alive at this point." Officer Chen asked, to which Jinn nodded before continuing.
"Then I noticed her... Sister Agnes was drawing..." Jinn’s gaze drifted away as if he were reliving the past.
His voice cracked with emotion as he said, "She had not even tied me properly like the others."
Officer Chen was surprised to hear how Jinn stayed calm and talked to the matron even when he was in such a situation.
Even Angelia had to narrow her eyes as they gleamed with something akin to recognition.
But soon both of their expressions turned into shock when they all heard that the matron had revealed to him the reason why she killed.
After that, every word he spoke sounded like a thunderclap, immobilizing their bodies.
Officer Chen even stopped asking things, but Jinn went on.
"She said she took us all so you wouldn’t think I was involved."
Officer opened his mouth, but words could not even appear in his mind.
"We did not realize it at that time, but Geralt had somehow woken up and gotten out of his binds." A flash of rage flickered in his eyes. "He said that he finally caught us in the act and that we were both responsible for the deaths."
Jinn lowered his head; his gaze drifted to his bandages, which were now covering his wounds.
The other two also followed his gaze and started forming several theories in their minds out of habit.
"He picked up some piece of a broken chair and came at us with intent to kill, so I had no choice but to fight back, and in the end..." His voice drifted away, leaving the rest to the imagination of the two investigators.
"The wound took a lot out of me; I don’t even recall what happened after I got this wound and when I fell unconscious."
"The next thing I knew was waking up here a moment ago."
Angelia frowned; she wanted to ask something, but she paused and signaled at Officer Chen, who understood it and asked.
"Do you have any idea where Agnes is? We are looking for him, and we have no other clue about her whereabouts."
His voice turned soft as he said, "I know you two have a deep bond, and you care about her a lot, but despite her circumstance... Agnes made a deal with the devil."
Angelia finally broke her forced silence and added,
"The pentagon you saw was one method to contact a demonic force for assistance, and I believe the reason she could not explain how she received help in these killings is that she had already sold her soul."
Officer Chen nodded along with her, "She is no longer the same woman you once knew. She is corrupted by a demonic being."
He tried his best to make Jinn see how Agnes had turned away from the path of light and chosen her damnation.
"Now she is just a slave of a devil’s will. I know you don’t want to accept it, but—"
"Officer Chen." Jinn called out to the man sternly. The man paused and looked at him as he shook his head and said, "The last time I saw her, she was still present there. I have no clue about what happened after."
"Wha—"
Angelia almost lost her cool; she stepped toward Jinn with a glare, thinking that he was lying or refusing to cooperate, but officer Chen suddenly stood up and blocked her way.
"He is telling the truth." He whispered in her ear. The enraged woman finally deflated. She looked at Jinn with a complicated look in her eyes and turned her head away.
"Tch."
Officer Chen turned around to face Jinn, who was now looking out of the window with a lost look on his face.
"Here." He reached into his pockets and passed a vial to Jinn. "Spread this on your wounds, and this will help you heal."
The glass vial with a metallic cork was filled with a red liquid glistening with golden streaks of light swimming around in it.
’This looks oddly closer to the Blood of Gods.’ Jinn thought to himself while taking the vial.
"Take some rest; we will check on you from time to time." After bidding his farewell, officer Chen left with Angelia storming after him.
Once they were gone, the sleepy look on his face vanished, replaced by a solemn look.
"You really are a devil master." Jinn lowered his gaze and saw the imp appearing on the edge of his mattress, kneeling on it. "They did not even realize that you lied to them while telling the truth."
"How is she?" Jinn ignored its glazing and asked back. The imp raised its head and grinned, revealing a set of spiky black teeth.
"Eager to meet you, master~"