BXBX NOVEL Chapter 224 Taking Initiative
"So, which suspect among the five are we going to track this time around?" With the three of them now swiftly moving through the rooftops, making sure that their steps were as light as possible, Valyr sent a message to Tryndall through the party chat, a curious expression adorning his face.
"The same suspect as before. The butcher." In response, Tryndall looked back at Valyr for a bit before sending a reply through the party chat.
Reading the message he had received, Valyr looked at Tryndall for a bit as he pondered as to whether or not he should ask the question that had surfaced in his mind. Though, not long after, this question eventually disappeared as he pondered over the entire situation for a bit more.
Taking in a deep breath, he then refocused his attention to where they were heading, making sure to not lag behind the other two as they gradually made their way to where they first started to track the butcher back then.
\'We\'re finally here.\' Around ten minutes or so later, the trio stood on the rooftop opposite of the shop that the butcher owned, watching as the butcher double checked as to whether or not the entrance to the shop was securely locked. Nodding in satisfaction, the butcher then checked if he was missing any tools around his waist, thinking that he should check before he made his way back home.
Seeing that he had not missed anything, the butcher proceeded to make his way back home, leisurely walking through the sidewalk as a calm expression was plastered on the man\'s face. On the other hand, the trio started to follow where the butcher was heading, moving through the rooftops as they made sure that they did not lose sight of the man.
Similar to back then, the butcher made a few twists and turns here and there at certain intersections, prompting Douglas to send a message to the two through the party chat that the butcher was taking a long detour back to his home once more.
Being given a heads-up of what was about to come, Valyr and Tryndall looked at each other for a bit before taking in a deep breath, steeling themselves for what they were about to do. Letting out sighs soon after to calm themselves down, the three continued to follow the butcher wherever he went, with all of them wondering in their minds as to when the butcher was going to make a move.
Fortunately, it only took a bit more time for the question in the trio\'s minds to be answered, with the butcher\'s movements becoming more suspicious than usual, which was a sign for the three to be more vigilant of the butcher\'s actions. Noticing the seemingly paranoid movements of the butcher, the three felt that the butcher was going to kill someone any minute now, with only a passerby being the only thing he needed for him to continue.
However, just as a random passerby had passed by the butcher, rather than the trio witnessing the butcher silencing the passerby before proceeding to do what the Clossbay Killer did best, the man instead stared at the passerby in silence, watching as the passerby\'s silhouette disappeared from the man\'s field of vision before proceeding to continue making his way home.
Taking note of the butcher\'s actions, the three looked at each other for a bit in slight confusion, only for them to focus their attention back on the butcher as they wondered what the man was up to. Lightly shrugging their shoulders as they thought that they would find out eventually, the three continued to follow the butcher, watching the man do the same thing a couple more times with a few more random passerby.
Eventually, the butcher stopped after what the three counted was the fifth time, gazing at the fading silhouette of the passerby that had moved past him for a while before returning his gaze towards where he was walking. Though, just as the three thought that they would have to follow the butcher for a bit longer, the latter instead headed into the nearest alley before looking around to see if anyone was nearby.
"Come out." After he was certain no random passerby would appear out of nowhere, the butcher\'s voice soon bellowed throughout the alley, causing the three to look at each other for a bit before sending one another a couple messages through the party chat.
"How\'d they find out?" Valyr asked through the party chat, to which Tryndall and Douglas shrugged their shoulders in response.
"Someone helping the five probably found out that we informed the mayor about the Clossbay Killer actually being made up of five people." Sometime later, Tryndall sent a message through the party chat, just as the butcher told for them to come out once more. "The problem is that… we have no idea who that person is."
"Well, I guess there\'s only one way to find that out." As Douglas sent this message to the party chat, the three refocused their attention on the butcher, who continued to beckon for them to come out of hiding.
"I know you\'re following me," the butcher bellowed. "You better show yourself… or else."
"So, what\'s the plan?" Briefly activating [Analysis] to get a gauge of the butcher\'s stats, Valyr sent this information to the party chat as he initiated a conversation with the other two regarding what they were going to do in response to the butcher\'s taunting.
"Well, the butcher thinks that there\'s only one person following him, so how about we use that to our advantage?" Sending this suggestion to the party chat, Tryndall initiated a swift brainstorming session on their plan of action regarding on how they were going to apprehend the butcher. Fortunately, it only took them a minute or so to come to a consensus on what they were going to do, with Douglas eventually tossing a throwing dagger near where the butcher was.
Clang!
"I found you!" With a nefarious grin, the butcher retrieved one of the knives around his waist as he slashed in the direction of the sound. Unfortunately, the man hit nothing but thin air, his gaze soon focusing on the throwing dagger slightly embedded into the ground.
Though, just as he was about to exclaim once more for the person following him to come out, he swiftly felt a strong killing intent radiate behind him as a sharp air accompanied it.
"Right behind you."
Whoosh!