A large contingent would need at least half an hour to arrive.
Dean nodded. "Just enough time to kill."
From Mrs. Haas’s narrative, Dean learned what evils power could bring. Due to her background, Mrs. Haas experienced various betrayals from an early age. She witnessed all kinds of worldly realities, which eventually led her to set her sights on the social security funds of the elderly.
Through these social security funds, she became a prominent figure of her time, funded many promising individuals, and gained a certain social status.
If you walk the night road often enough, you’re bound to encounter ghosts.
Some seniors discovered their social security funds had diminished, and the matter came to light.
It seemed she was doomed.
However, a high-ranking individual intervened, helping her suppress the issue.
The influential figure helped Mrs. Haas resolve her troubles. This allowed her ’enterprise’ to grow even more robust, leaving her without any worries for the future...
Once people died, the elderly could no longer expose the issue with the social security funds.
Wasn’t that the ultimate peace of mind!
Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Haas owned a lush garden and green woods, plus several senior apartment buildings with frequently rotating elderly residents. The food also improved significantly. Stewed meat often appeared on the menu...
"I’m very distressed that things have developed to this point," the kindly-looking old lady said, lighting a slim cigarette. "I knew that when everything was exposed, I would be the perfect scapegoat to ignite the news and cover up those deeper, darker secrets.
"But for Darren and the others, I had no other choice."
After listening to the lengthy story, Dean was silent.
He had always thought he had seen the depths of darkness, but he was continually proven wrong.
The darkness beneath human desire far exceeded the limits of imagination.
Mrs. Haas tapped her finger, flicking off ash. Her once-rosy cheeks were now pale. "COUGH... Go out. If you continue to stay here, you’ll pose a safety risk to your family."
Dean’s gaze sharpened.
He realized there was something wrong with her cigarette!
The big shot behind all this represented a huge amount of Experience Points, and Dean wasn’t willing to let that go!
The key point was, Mrs. Haas was right.
Regarding that inhumane person, now that he had intervened, it would be a problem whether or not they suspected he knew the truth.
In that case, better to strike first and eliminate the threat!
He leaned into Mrs. Haas’s ear and whispered, "Name the person, or I swear I’ll send your family members down to join you."
Mrs. Haas was stunned.
Her pale face grew even whiter.
Mrs. Haas couldn’t believe these were the words of a young detective who had listened to her story and then fallen silent!
He was threatening an old lady who was about to kick the bucket!
Dean stood up and straightened his clothes. "Speak. Are you sure he won’t eliminate your family to prevent leaks? Arthur must be the one he arranged, right? Besides, think about the restless souls beneath your feet. Don’t you want to atone for your sins before you die?"
His words, like knives, pierced Mrs. Haas’s heart.
Black blood spilled from the corners of her mouth. She collapsed onto the sofa and, with a barely audible voice, uttered a name.
Dean’s ears twitched. Memorizing the name, he left the house without looking back.
The next moment, a message flashed in his mind: [Attempted Murder at the Station case solved. Experience Points +300]
All the culprits involved in the attack on Howard had been eliminated, and the case was solved.
It took Dean two days to solve this case. He’d been running back and forth and had lost quite a few brain cells in the process.
All he got in the end were three hundred Experience Points.
But Dean didn’t care.
It was just an appetizer.
The main course was tonight.
These words are free and not part of the Chapter’s word count.
To avoid anyone saying I’m padding the story, I’ve placed the detailed story Mrs. Haas recounted in the ’Related Works’ section, specifically at the top of the novel’s , titled ’Mrs. Haas – Character Profile’.
It’s a total of two thousand words.
The title of that note also reveals Mrs. Haas’s true form.
Interested readers can go check it out.