Knock! Knock! Knock!
A loud banging reverberated throughout the hallway, causing Peter's heart to race. With the recent incident fresh in his mind, he cautiously approached the door and opened it.
Before him stood a figure who towered at least six feet tall.
"Hello, I'm Jade. I live in Room 16B."
The stranger said with a friendly smile.
"Hi, I'm Peter Lee. May I ask what business you have with me?" Peter replied, his tone cautious.
Being in Mechiv City had taught him to be on his guard at all times, especially after the unsettling incident inside the hotel.
"I heard you're new here? I just wanted to welcome you." Jade said cheerfully.
"Thank you for your consideration," Peter responded, feeling a mix of suspicion and gratitude.
"I heard that there was an incident on this floor yesterday, but I was out," Jade continued, seeming genuinely interested in the situation.
"So, what can you say about this place?"
"He sure is chatty."
Peter thought to himself, not accustomed to such openness in Mechiv City.
"It's definitely not okay, living in this city. But I'll try to bare with it," Peter responded.
Jade's smile widened, "I heard that you're the one who saved that old woman. What a guy you are. If it were me, I would've definitely run for my life."
Peter couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at the compliment.
"What I did may not have been the best choice for everyone, but I couldn't let harm come to her."
As they exchanged pleasantries, Peter couldn't ignore the age gap between them. Jade appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties.
"Here, it's my gift for you," Jade said, offering a small paper bag.
Peter was taken aback.
"A gift? What's this for?"
"It's just a welcoming gift. Please take it," Jade insisted.
Not wanting to be impolite, Peter accepted the gift with gratitude.
"Thank you for the gesture. I appreciate it."
"It's nothing. You don't need to feel indebted to me," Jade replied, still smiling.
"Well then, that's enough greetings, I don't want to take too much of your time."
"Okay, it's pleasure to meet you."
Peter said with a bright expression because he didn't expect that a young man like him will live in Mechiv City.
Jade smiles back as he go back to his room.
"First step, done. I need to be friendly with him if I want to use him," Jade muttered.
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After Jade saw the incident yesterday, he immediately looked up Peter's information.
"Boxing Prodigy"
"A man without in his thirties have 30-0 record."
"Little Monster of Korea"
These were the common articles Jade found, but something else caught his attention.
"Peter Lee couldn't fight his title shot because his sister went missing a day before the match. She became one of the victims of 'Korea's Women Killer,' who is said to be a serial killer. The young boxer was forced to retire because of the incident."
"It's really interesting," Jade mused, his grin revealing a darker side.
"It looks like he's trying to catch his sister's killer. The recent incident here must have piqued his interest," Jade said to himself, connecting the dots.
"A vengeful yet, righteous guy? He's definitely similar to Officer Zed."
"Officer Zed is enough, he doesn't need to take the same path. He's a decent fighter, so he may become useful one day."
Jade's cold words hinted at a hidden agenda.
"Well, if it doesn't play out like I want to, I can just become his misfortune, the greatest one at that."
Jade said, revealing a chilling determination.
...
"So, your first case after cleaning up the incident before was easy?" Officer Raze asked, curious about Zed's recent encounter.
"Yeah, someone reported a crime inside the hotel, but when I got there, a man had already subdued them," Officer Zed responded.
"I heard they were armed? I'm surprised someone could take them all on," Raze said, impressed by Peter's skills.
"That's what I thought too. The guy also looked young. He must be a talented fighter."
"Did you ask him anything?" Raze inquired.
"No, I didn't feel the need to, especially after he had already done my duty."
Zed replied, feeling a mix of admiration and slight embarrassment.
"I see. Do you know his name?" Raze asked.
"It's Peter Lee, there's no way I would forget that young man," Zed delightfully responded.
!!!
"What?"
Raze asked with a surprised look on her face.
"Why? Do you know him?"
Zed asked because of Raze's strong reaction.
"What do you mean do I know him? If he's who I'm thinking, then how could you not know him?"
Raze responded with a loud voice.
"Cut the nonsense, just who is that guy for you to react like that?"
"He's Peter Lee, a well-known boxer. He was known for being an outstanding young boxer that attained thirty victories without losing. I can't believe you don't know someone like that."
"I apologize then. I don't have time to be aware of that kind of thing when I'm busy catching criminals."
Zed replied, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"I can't believe you don't know him."
Raze sighed, recalling Peter's downfall.
"That guy is actually pitiful. A day before his fight with the middleweight champion, his sister became a victim of a serial killer. That's what caused him to retire at such a young age."
Raze revealed, her tone tinged with sadness.
Zed's surprise grew when he heard about Peter's tragic past.
"A serial killer? The world is really unpredictable."
"If I remember correctly, they didn't even catch the culprit. I think it was the 'Korea's Women Killer," Raze said.
"What? His sister was killed by that serial killer?" Zed exclaimed, his interest suddenly piqued.
Raze was taken aback by Zed's sudden interest.
"Is there something wrong?"
Zed quickly composed himself.
"Looks like the tasks I gave you made you crazy, you don't even know what's going on."
"The signature of that serial killer was recently found here in Mechiv. The case is too identical, so the media is alarmed," Zed said, connecting the dots.
"Really? If that's the case, then do you think Peter is here to avenge his sister?" Raze asked, intrigued by the possibility.
"Hmm, it's highly possible, but we don't know if the culprit is the same. It could've been a copycat."
"That's true," Raze agreed.
Zed began to analyze the situation.
"Does he plan to take revenge on that guy? With his skills, he definitely has the ability to, but serial killers are different from professional boxers. They're psychopathic, so their actions don't usually make sense."
As Zed delved into his thoughts, Raze suddenly proposed something.
"Let's volunteer to solve this case."
Zed looked at Raze with seriousness.
"Why is that? Shouldn't we be focusing on identifying the notorious guy we've been after?"
Raze's eyes gleamed with determination.
"We could use this as a cover. By slightly reducing our investigation into the notorious guy, we can help in this case. The higher-ups won't be suspicious if we're partaking in solving a high-profile murder case."
Zed smiled, impressed by Raze's quick thinking.
"You're really reliable. Let's do that then."
"Okay! That's settled then."
Raze enthusiastically agreed.
As they continued discussing their plan, Zed's thoughts wandered back to Peter Lee.
"Peter Lee? Just what is your revenge? Does it end with that guy's death? If that's it, it will definitely be a waste."
Zed wondered, contemplating the nature of vengeance.
"I'm currently taking that path, and I don't know if I can even kill my objective, but I'm determined. A revenge where my enemy's death is the end, can that be called revenge? Just what is revenge?"