Criminal Case: Shadows of Qyshin

Chapter 5: Yaminabe With A Touch Of Life

"Well, there goes the case." Dae said. He and William were on the station, taking a break.

"Honestly, that was a little disappointing." William turned his head to Dae. "I expected it to be anyone but Li. He's way too predictable."

"I agree, and he killed Céline just to keep his secret safe. Whatever that is."

"Must be related to how Next Level has something to do with the disappearance of Dorothy's mother."

Dae suddenly looked at William. "Did you say there's another disappearance?"

"Another? What do you mean?"

Dae sighed. "Truth be told, I'm looking for my best friend. He was a police officer, my inspiration. But then...he went missing, and nobody what happened to him. Since that day, my desire to be a police officer only grew stronger."

William gulped. "I feel you. I really do."

"How?"

"I know what it feels like to lose your loved ones." William looked above him, trying to hold back his tears. "I used to have a girlfriend back in Saint Paul, a loving one. We would text each other, all kinds of stuff couples would do. But one night when I texted her that I missed her, she didn't respond, and the next day the police came to my house to interrogate me, telling me that she went missing."

"Really?" Dae looked at William. "I'm sorry, William."

"It's okay. That's why I'm here in Qyshin, in fact. Dorothy once said to me that Next Level might have something to do with her mother's disappearance. Well, I couldn't waste the opportunity, since at that moment, as Birmingham's up-and-rising biomedical scientist, Next Level approached me and offered me a position in their Information Division. Maybe they also have something to do with my girlfriend's disappearance."

"Oh, so you're not dating Dorothy?"

"Absolutely not." William avoided eye contact with Dae, blushing slightly.

Dae grinned. "Why blushing?"

"Nothing. Forget it." William shook his head. "Now, call Ethan and pretty much everyone I met in this place, and Asami. I'm running a blood test on all of you."

"Blood test? On all of us?" Dae was shocked. "The only ones showing abnormality are me and Ethan, though!"

"Yeah, I know. But I suspected it from the beginning. I can feel it. Now go, call the others."

Dae nodded, walking away slowly.

"If my intuition is right, then I'm in the right place." William said in his mind. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

***

Everyone went to Ethan's morgue for William's blood test.

"Why am I in Ethan's morgue again?" Amber asked, looking confused.

"I- I have no idea. I was just taking a nap." Ethan massaged his head.

"Mr. Grayson, what in the name of Amaterasu is going on here?" Asami stared daggers at William.

"Alright, everyone, calm down." William said. "I'm gathering all of you to run a quick blood test. Where's Hayashi-sensei?"

Suddenly, a portal appeared near him, revealing Judge Yamato-now in a casual outfit. "Konnichiwa. Someone by the name of William Grayson called me to the station, precisely at the morgue-"

"Nice to meet you, Hayashi-sensei." William cut her off. "I'm running a blood test, and since you're the last to come, I'll be taking yours first. Sit down."