"Guys, I think there's someone on the vents,” Gem said; there was some hesitation in his voice.

Before my mind could react, I had already started moving. I drew my sword. By then, my mind had caught up too, and I knew what to do.

I threw my sword at the vents like a spear.

Clang!... My sword pierced through the vents.

I was surprised by my own reaction. Had I been in so many battles that my body reacted almost subconsciously?

Gem's shadow wolf bursted the vents open, crashing through the walls and howling.

"Tch, he got away," Gem swore under his breath.

The shadow wolf bit on the handle of my sword and pulled it out. Then he brought my weapon back to me.

There was blood at the tip of my sword. Was there DNA analysis in this world? I don't remember there being any. "Paris, can you investigate who this blood belongs to?"

She shook her head. "We don't have anyone on board with that special ability."

Special abilities and talismans helped humans immensely. But they paved the way for a strange technological development.

Suppose there was a genius in this world who could develop something that did DNA analysis. Instead of going the regular route like in my last world, they would concentrate on making a talisman with DNA analysis rather than the machine itself.

It was the same with weapons of war. Why invent the grenade when there was a talisman with the same effects?

..

We went and investigated the second corpse. Unlike the last one, this had no nails stuck on its head. But its pinky finger was missing too. It was hard to tell if that was a coincidence or the link to both murders.

Paris stripped the corpse of its clothes. She opened the victim’s mouth and checked his teeth, tongue, and ears.

Gem approached me and whispered. "I smelled some medical herbs lingering on the vents."

What the hell was wrong with this guy? "And pray to tell, why aren't you saying that to the investigator here?"

He had the gall to look at me as if I was a dumb and ungrateful bastard. "Because you should go and tell her. Also, no need to thank me for being a good friend.”

Good friend? What the hell was that supposed to mean? We were dealing with dead people, and more could die if we didn’t get to the end of this.

I went to Paris and whispered. “So? Did you find anything?"

She sighed and looked a bit down. She showed me the victim's locket. "No, though this victim had a mother and sister he was helping financially. His sister had some eye condition that would leave her blind in a year or two without treatment. Soon his mother will also be too old to work."

He was the primary breadwinner, and with him now dead, there weren't many things his family could do.

These things reminded me why some people would dance with death. Because no matter how one put it, the average exorcist's job wasn't glorious, but it made a lot of money.

I felt sorry for him. He died a miserable death, killed by people instead of demons.

Paris opened his eyes, and a tear spilled out. "He died crying."

"What was his Special Ability?" A part of me didn't want to get to know the victims. It made it a bit too personal.

"His ability is unknown," she sighed.

There wasn't a lot to go on. We could only assume that they killed them due to their special abilities. "What about their teams?"

"They don't know anything either," Paris shook her head.

Oh? They don't? That was convenient. Almost too convenient. Also, why would she go and investigate the teams alone? What if they attacked?

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Sure, Paris was strong. But what if the other team had hidden their strength, and she was the target all along? Paris wasn't stupid enough to do something so reckless. So the only logical conclusion would be that she didn't want anyone else to be there.

That was suspicious as hell!

Was Paris using the 'serial killer' as a cover?

A couple of things didn't add up with her morals. She wouldn't kill someone innocent, even if she had to risk her life.

Maybe Paris made up that sob story to get any suspicion off herself? I wasn't 100% sure about that guess, but one thing was certain; she was hiding something from me.

…

After a couple of hours of snooping around, the investigation was over. My team and I returned to our room, and as soon as we closed the door behind us, I turned toward them. "Okay, guys. I want you to stay here, and if anyone comes to ask about me. Just tell them I went out to take a shit since the bathroom we have was occupied by one of you."

"That sounds like a bad excuse," Gem was blunt like always.

I appreciated that side of him; he would always tell it how it was. "Well, come up with something better, then. Because I have to go and investigate some shit."

I walked out and rushed toward the infirmary. Carpy followed me in his water ball.

Once there, I opened the door slowly. Rows of people were on hospital beds. At least thirty people were in the same room, with only curtains and some weak barrier talismans to separate them.

Why did it feel like this place might explode with violence in a split second? I better not stay here too long, or I might get involved in some annoying situation.

"Shit!" Came a yell from one of the beds that had sheets around it. The voice was familiar.

"Hey! Shut the fuck up! Some of us are trying to sleep here!" Someone else yelled out from a different tent.

I planned to search through every hospital bed, but I no longer needed that.

Carpy’s water ball floated to the ceiling and stayed there. He was growing to be quite the big fish, and hiding him was getting difficult.

I pulled aside one of the covers, revealing Agon, Sei, and Anika sitting on a bed and playing cards.

Anika had a smile on her face, Sei was frowning, and Agon had tears running down his cheeks. He used the sleeve of his hospital gown to swipe at his runny nose. "No, how could I lose so badly? That's like half my life savings?"

What the hell had I walked into?

I had grown accustomed to Agon's tendencies, so my brain automatically stopped me from thinking about what could have transpired before I came in. "Hey, I have a question to ask you guys?"

Agon's eyes lit up when he saw me. "Kwon, I mwiszed so mush!"

He charged at me with his arms wide open and snot running down his face and sleeves.

I pulled out my sword and pointed it at him. "If you come any closer, I'm poking new holes in you."

"Hey, Kon, do you have any money you could lend me? C'mon, it's for old-time's sake! I just need some cash, and I feel like I’m about to win the next game!" Agon cried out loud.

"Shut the fuck up!" Yelled out the guy from the bed next to theirs. But no one paid attention to him.

"I don't have any money on me," that was a lie. I had a lot of money on me. "You know, I would help if I could. Anyways, have there been any new patients?"

"No. But wanna play a game? We will play truth or dare with poker?" Anika smirked. Her eyes had a scheming glint in them. "A beautiful girl like me, willing to truth or dare, this is the chance of a lifetime! Also, make sure to put in a lot of your money. Any bet you put up, I will match up with my own. This is a chance to double your money in one lucky win!"

Yeah, she was definitely cheating. No reasonable person would have such confidence in their gambling skills. "No, thanks. I'm not a gambling man. I don't even know how to play poker."

"You're such a spoilsport," Anika sighed. She didn't bother hiding her disappointment.

"What're you guys even doing here? You all seem healed up?" It was a bit weird that they were still in the infirmary.

Anika shrugged. "We checked our room, and we were next to some psychos. One was the silver-haired team, and the other was this guy with a coffin. In comparison, the infirmary's security is way safer."

Those who had come later in the race to the ship got bad rooms like that. But with so many participants, for them to end next to two of the worst teams. Was it a coincidence due to some weird protagonist halo, or was this whole thing predetermined?

Honestly, I was a bit doubtful of the whole fate schtick. Or maybe I was biased because these people were no longer just manga characters in my eyes.

For example, as a character, Agon was a bit annoying. He was loud, reckless, and kinda dumb. The side characters and the world were more interesting. I didn't necessarily hate him as a character, but I didn't like him either.

But now, that was no longer the case. After Bets and Gem, Agon was my best friend. Well, I didn't have a lot of friends in this world. So it was pretty easy to become my 3rd friend.

Who wouldn't want a friend who would risk his life and everything to come and help you when you were in trouble? Also, he was entertaining to be around. He was very easy to rile up.

"Hey? Why are you looking at me?" Anika woke me up from my thoughts.

Oh? Was I staring? "Sorry, just thinking about the future of this bloody exam. Also, it was a bit of a disappointment that no new patient was here."

What were the chances of the stalker having some special ability that would nullify the poison?

"You're one weird guy," Anika huffed. "No one new has come. But someone's condition did worsen."

The electrons in my brain went crazy, and relief washed over my body when I realized what had happened. The stalker had been in the hospital room already.

Fucking jackpot! "Really? Who is it?"