Ch. 17: Beginner's Luck

Heading to the victim's house, I turned my back on Charlotte while looking at the system in front of me.

I pressed the Inventory menu and found a crate with a question mark. Clicking it, I immediately got a crate with a purple border: Rare.

That's a Rare crate! How lucky I've been lately! Usually when it comes to gacha matters like this, I'm definitely out of luck!

I had a smile on my face. I wonder how Charlotte will react when she sees me like this, maybe she'll be surprised and she'll immediately interrogate me about this.

I mean, this strange behaviour of mine came out of the blue. Who wouldn't be suspicious?

As for Charlotte, she would have jumped up happily and thrown a lot of questions like a thirsty person.

Watching Charlotte's back, I pressed down on the crate and let it surface.

Charlotte hadn't looked back: at me. So this was my chance to open the crate and get the prize.

When I opened the crate, I was immediately surprised by the prize I got. My mouth dropped open as my eyes widened. Maybe I was really lucky this time!

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE GAINED A SKILL: INFORMATION IMAGINATION

CHECK THE SKILL IN THE SKILL MENU

I have gained a skill for the second time. What's more, this time the skill is practically a cheat!

[PASSIVE SKILL]

Information Imagination: Rare Rarity (Permanent)

The "Information Imagination" skill gives users the ability to explore quests in greater depth by simply pressing one of the available quests. Users can view detailed quest descriptions, giving them a better understanding of the objectives, challenges, and rewards associated with the quest. However, the use of this skill is limited, it can only be used twice a week. As for the side effects that need to be considered after using Information Imagination, that is, experiencing stomach pain after finishing using this skill.

I was transfixed when I read that. This skill is extremely helpful in doing a quest!

As soon as I finished reading, the quest menu was immediately opened by me. There were two quests that I had yet to complete.

[KILL OR BE KILLED]

[OPERATION OF SILENCE: SNEAKING IN THE SHADOWS]

Why is the quest name longer than before? I tilted my head.

After shaking my head due to dizzy thinking, I pressed the first quest.

In the quest "Kill or Be Killed," you will be faced with a situation full of oddities and unexpected threats. You have to survive while exploring an unstable and dangerous environment. The main challenge in this quest is to deal with various mysterious events that threaten the user's life. To complete the quest, the user must survive and escape in time for the strangeness they face to reach its peak and explode into a devastating disaster.

Reading that gave me goosebumps instantly. This meant that there was a time bomb planted near me? And from the description of this quest, I was trapped in the bomb and couldn't escape!

I can only run when the bomb explodes... I'm finished. Mum... I want to go home.

Grimacing silently, I immediately pressed the second quest. However, I couldn't do anything about the bomb. I just needed to find out when the time bomb reached its explosion time so that I could escape at the last second!

As soon as I pressed the second quest, my face was ordinary. I wasn't too surprised by this one.

The second quest was easier it seemed...

In the quest "Operation of Silence: Sneaking in the Shadows," you are faced with a task that requires precision, speed and accuracy in sneaking into someone's home without the occupants knowing. Your main task is to find out what secrets are hidden in the house within the limited time of 30 minutes before you are detected. To complete this quest, you must successfully infiltrate the house without leaving any suspicious traces or being noticed by the occupants. You must work quickly and carefully to avoid detection and gather the required information before the time expires.

When I finished reading, we arrived at the doorstep of the murder victim's husband.

Charlotte knocked on the door. "Excuse me. Is anyone inside?"

"Yes?" said someone from inside. His voice was so weak.

A grim-faced gentleman peered through the door. So he was the victim's husband.

The man, about 30, had a face that hinted at deep sadness.

The appearance of dark circles in his eyes indicated that he had trouble sleeping after losing his wife.

What a pity. I feel sorry for you man.

I witnessed how his blank look reflected a deep emptiness.

Losing someone most precious seemed to set him adrift on a wave of grief.

Eyeing Charlotte and me, he asked, "Can I help you, Miss Charlotte?" narrowing his eyes.

I wasn't surprised that Mr. Grim-Faced knew Charlotte. She was famous in Fontaine. It was strange that no one in the neighbourhood recognised her.

"And, sir..." he turned his gaze to me.

"Charles."

"Yes, Mr. Charles. What brings you here?" he said irritably. His expression implied that he was in a hurry.

He looked at me sharply without even saying a word. Then, he squinted. "Don't tell me this is about my wife. I don't want to talk about her. Please leave here."

Mr. Grim-Faced was about to close the door again. However, Charlotte's foot held the door open with ease, her gaze sinister as hell. I mean, her smile was already like a hungry person, the food had been served, all that was left was to eat.

"Sir, I understand that this is a difficult moment for you, but I need to understand what happened with your wife before this tragedy occurred. Was there anything that she might have done that could be a reason why someone might want to kill her?" Charlotte asked. She prepared a notebook. Then, her lips holding the pen.

Mr. Gloomy-Faced narrowed his eyes again. But this time they were not directed at me. His gaze was blank. "I don't know. She's a good woman and has never hurt anyone."

"In that case, is there a problem between you two? Anything that could be a motive for someone to commit murder," Charlotte asked.

"We had our problems, like any other couple."

"I understand that you want to try to protect your wife's reputation, but I'm just looking for the truth. Are you sure nothing could be a trigger for an act of murder?

Mr. Grim-Faced sighed. "I... I don't know."

Charlotte pulled her leg and after that, the door closed immediately. Sighing, we both turned to leave.

"Suspicious..." grumbled Charlotte "Grrr... I'm sure he's hiding something!"

"Are you still not satisfied with the answer?" I said, coincidentally looking at Charlotte's annoyed face.

"Of course! He's hiding something! I can feel a nagging feeling."

"Animal instinct?" I joked.

Charlotte looked at me, frowning.

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm being serious. Your jokes aren't funny you know!"

"Sorry. So what made you think that?"

"His gaze. He's avoiding my questions! The answers seem to be prepared in advance."

"And why do you think that?" I walked faster to get ahead of her. "Let me guess, next you'll come and want to confirm again. You wouldn't be satisfied with just a question, would you? Then you'll want to sneak in and investigate first-hand."

Charlotte's eyes widened.

I put on a cocky smile. You're predictable, you know.

"So?"

"I'll go!"

It's actually strange that she's not enthusiastic... if she stops here, I forget for a moment that she's actually a reporter.

"You don't care about danger. What an unyielding person."

"The closer we get, the clearer the truth becomes!"

I exhaled. "I'm not going this time." Peeking back.

"Why?" asked Charlotte confused. Her expression looked as if she had been betrayed by me.

"I'm not a reporter or a detective, okay?"

Charlotte's face contorted. Her beauty was gone leaving a clear annoyance directed at me. "It's not like what you said last night!"

"I was joking. I'll accompany you until you're satisfied." I exhaled

***

As promised, I added a description to the quest to make it less mysterious...

Please throw a power stone to keep me motivated!

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