Chapter 29: Confront 1

Today was the fourth day when I had undertaken the missing children case.

In Punnia Plaus' small mansion, I was sitting on a sofa with Chief Rugal. Shin was standing behind me as my police guard.

In front of me was sitting a man of 6'4 height, with a dark silver mustache and hair, looking intensely at me.

"Looks like the meeting occurred sooner than I had expected," Punnia said, breaking off the silence.

"That appeared to be the case. I have said that we will be meeting again when I have some lead on the case, don't I? So here I am." I said and smiled.

Rugal had been glaring daggers at me for quite some time since Punnia, and I hadn't said anything for ten minutes. He just wanted to arrest Punnia and be done with it. After all, it was already midnight.

I only brought him with me so that I won't have to answer everything to the court and get myself involved in the case deeper than expected. For the time being, I ignored him.

"It seems like you aren't here for the case but me. Didn't I insist on my help in this case?" Punnia said calmly, but I felt the aggression in his tone.

"You were indeed a great help, and I got the case done because of you. But before I get into the story, let me tell you that I have taken many other cases while finding the clues about the missing case."

"I see. Well, I am interested in what Mr. Ivanna has to say." Punnia put his elbows on his knees, supporting his chin with his fingers crossed and smiled.

"So, for the story's simplicity, I will name the MC as Mr. P.

Mr. P used to be an honourable knight and has displayed his service to the empire for many years. He was a justice-loving person, but he was displeased by the injustice in society. However, he couldn't do anything since he was a knight working under the same corrupt noble. In the end, he decided to leave the knightship and become a journalist.

What a timely and correct decision he made. Within months, he became an idol for commoners in Sailcoat city. In a few years, he was like a hero for the empire, constantly raising his voice for the injustice and crime in the society. Several nobles and merchants became his enemies, and even after he lost his family, his resolve remained unshakable.

However, it was all but a façade.

Evil doesn't take long before emerging on the surface of a wicked. Although Mr. P supported justice at the start, the fame got in his skull, becoming greedy. He started bribing criminals and police altogether and created fake news to earn more fame by providing information about the crime to the general public before the police statement.

He acts like a hero of justice and equality, but he is just a hypocrite scrum taking advantage of the same people he swears to protect under that mask. This is the end of the story."

I finished the story and raised my finger, "Doesn't this Mr. P resembles you, Mr. Punnia Plaus?"

"I knew this face of the so-called hero of justice was nothing but a farce! Humph, your time is over, Punnia." Rugal also broke his silence and taunted Punnia.

I raised my brow, thinking why he was acting like he was the one solving the case. I brought him here to avoid future explanations to court and Marquess Sailcoat.

Punnia remained calm before a smile crept on his face.

"I have expected Mr. Ivanna to be a talented teen, but I never thought you would join them and frame me like this. Not that this is happening to me the first time." Punnia replied with a satisfied smile on his face.

My eyes twitched at this fu*ker's SSS Level acting. How the hell did he become a knight in the first place?!

However, I came prepared. I took out a document from my bag and threw some pictures in front of him.

Pointing at the middle-aged man in the picture, I asked, "This is Cazzo, a gangster involved in numerous crimes. Do you know him?"

"Of course, I know this scrum. I am the one who helped the police to throw him behind bars three times. He was a jewelry merchant involved in a lot of crimes."

"Yes, but how come he could escape all three times? Not only that but each time, the crime occurred in a different state, yet you were coincidently found in the same place and coincidently found information about him." I explained and smiled, "I think Mr. Punnia Plaus stop playing stupid and give up on his act because this man is in our custody and has already admitted his contract with you. We also summed up a lot of testimonies, proofs and witnesses against you."

"Humph, do you think I don't know how to forge out shreds of evidence? Brat, you were in your mommy's belly when I served under the Emperor!" Punnia smirked and looked at me with a cunning smile, "Go on and arrest me. I don't mind being hanged since I would die for justice and equality I swore to fight for!"

"This motherfu*ker is still playing this!!" Rugal growled and stood. He was about to jump and attack Punnia, but I stopped him.

Every ounce of my body was itching with fatigue. For three days straight, except for an hour of sleep, not once did I rest find clues and evidence against Punnia. Although I was also mad and ready to kill him, I was waiting for the main course.

I signalled Shin, who stepped forward and handcuffed Punnia, but to Punnia's and Rugal's surprise, Shin walked back and stood in the same position.

"I am not finished. Although these crimes were noteworthy to solve, my main purpose for coming here was to solve the missing children and women case." I said, and before confused Rugal and Punnia could say something, I put a circular device on the table between us, displaying a video on a holographic screen.

---

Punnia was returning after giving a speech against injustice when he found his wife's body, dyed in blood.

The world went silent for him when Punnia found his wife's dead body. He ran towards her and took her in his arms. He tried calling her name several times, but she was already cold.

Tears started to fall from Punnia's eyes, and he cried that day. He loved his wife more than anything in the world, but now she was dead. Who killed her?

He then realized why the greedy merchant he was writing against had smiles on their faces. It must be them!!

"Yes, they are the ones who killed your wife."

"Who?!"

Just then, Punnia heard someone. Turning around with his guard up, he found a black cat with glowing red eyes.

"I am Porona, a higher being. I came here for a business."

"Porona? Business?"

"I will skip the introduction and give you my first share of goodwill. You should see your children upstairs in the small room."

Realizing he still had his family left, Punnia bolted towards the room and found his children.

"Papa!"

A 9 years old girl and a six-year-old boy called their father. They ran and fell in his embrace.

"My children!"

Punnia smiled brightly and hugged his children. They were in tears, scared of being locked in the dark and noise outside the room, but they were safe.

After that, he put them in bed and came out of the bedroom. He was about to run towards the police when the same cat came and spoke to him.

"Do you think they would help you when they were the ones who killed your wife?"

"You…" Punnia gritted his teeth but realized what that cat was saying was true.

For him, everyone was his enemy. From police to knights, from nobles to merchants, everyone hated him. Though he had some 'goo deals' with some nobles and merchants, most of the corrupted individuals loathe Punnia for raising his voice against them.

Punnia looked at the cat and asked, "What do you want?"

"As I said, I am here for business," Porona said, and a paper appeared on Punnia's hand. It seemed to be a blood contract. "I will aid you to get stronger and take revenge on your enemies, but you will have to perform certain tasks in return. Caution, it involves some dirty works~."

Punnia nodded, and without even a flinch, he sighed the contract.

"You believe in me."

"No, but I am tired of fighting against my enemies with a pen. I want to kill all of them!"

"Hehe, very good~! Now, I shall tell you the first phase of the ritual." Porona said and explained the next step, but Punnia immediately refused Porona.

"No way! You want me to sacrifice my children?! Do you think I am an idiot to kill my own family after my wife is dead?!"

"Calm down and think about it. You can revive your family after you get strong enough to protect them. Raising a dead to life is child's play for me."

"…what are you saying is true?"

"You should still have a contract. It clearly states that I can't lie to you."

In the end, Punnia agreed. It was a hard decision, but it was all for the greater good. He opened the bedroom door where his children were sleeping and walked towards them.

"I am sorry, my children. Papa still loves you, but you guys gotta go for now." He said, raising his hand and then…

A few minutes later, Punnia can be seen sitting in the center of a magic circle drawn with the blood of his late wife.

There were also two parents on either side. One had his wife's dead body, while the other contained his children that he ruthlessly strangled to death before chopping them enough to fit them in a barrel.

When he was ready, he nodded at the cat that jumped on his head and started chanting some spells. Soon the blood began to rush out of those barrels, fusing with the magic circle and emitting a crimson glow.

Before Punnia knew it, his body was jolted with pain; however, he endured it. Soon everything died down, and Punnia felt immense strength like never before. He became a lot taller and more robust at the moment. In his palms, he felt raging dark energy. Punnia thought he could rule the world.

"Don't worry. The time isn't far when we triumph over others and rule the over the top." A voice came from inside. It was Porona now residing in his body.

"Yes! I will kill all of them. All my enemies will know the pain I have suffered today!" Punnia spoke with an evil smile followed by tails of countless innocent blood.