Life in North America, you call this an autopsy officer?!

Brian hadn't expected, upon hearing that little girl Alli was safe, to somewhat clumsily complete the deceased's obsession.

Surprisingly relaxed.

But, what about the reward?

The moment that thought crossed his mind.

The numerous red specks that had just merged into Brian's body immediately transformed into fine streams of warmth, flowing throughout his body, and eventually concentrated on his kidneys, spongy complex, and other seriously depleted areas.

It felt like countless warm little hands massaging him, so comfortable that Brian subconsciously squinted his eyes.

Tom, nearby, stared at Brian peculiarly as he suddenly squinted.

Not sure if it was an illusion.

He thought his pretty-boy colleague's expression was somewhat… provocative.

"Provocative?"

Seeing the tall and sturdy Brian, Tom couldn't help but shudder and said uncomfortably, "Buddy, what's wrong with you?"

"Huh~"

Brian reopened his eyes, exhaling a cloudy breath of relish.

That look was just like a man expelling his first puff of post-coital smoke after the deed.

99% similarity in the posture!

Tom's gaze toward Brian got even weirder.

Realizing that Tom was staring at him with a strange expression, Brian quickly made an excuse,

"Nothing.

I was just thinking.

Why would the killer brutally murder a mother, yet spare the child upstairs?"

"I don't know, it needs investigation, but that's none of our business," Tom urged, "Alright, it's getting late, you should head home and rest."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Brian didn't stand on ceremony and left the small room.

However, he didn't rush home.

First, Brian returned to the morgue, pulling out several bodies from the freezer, trying to gain new obsessions from them.

Unfortunately.

More than twenty bodies, some fresh and others stored for half a month.

No orbs of obsession were found hovering above them.

Recalling the red orbs slowly releasing smoke earlier.

Brian speculated.

There might be a time limit for obsessions to remain on corpses.

The specific duration.

Would require further study.

…

Leaving the Forensic Bureau.

Brian didn't rush back.

He parked his car on the roadside, pulled open his shirt, nostalgically stroking his less-than-solid abs, his expression shifting from joy to twisted...

They were back!

For the first time in three to four years,

his abs, which had disappeared, had come back!

The Gift from the dead was freaking awesome!

After merging those blood-red specks, Brian found himself not only full of vigor, but his chronically aching lower back and sore spongy complexes also felt much more relaxed.

He guessed this Gift must be an Enhancement of his body.

How much Enhancement?

That was still unsure.

All Brian knew was that the debilitating weakness that always seemed to threaten sudden death had vanished from his body.

His health, although not fully recovered, had improved a lot!

This experience of completing an obsession also gave Brian some insights about his "Golden Finger."

The obsessions of the corpses.

Most likely derived from what the deceased cared about most while alive.

For instance, the corpse on the left, Emmaline Keller, was certainly very worried about her daughter Alli's safety before her death; hence, the obsession was about that.

The exact principle of completing an obsession.

Brian was still unsure.

It could be rulessly idealistic.

Or it might be determined by his own vision, seeing whether the obsession was truly fulfilled.

After all, it's difficult to lie to oneself.

But Brian didn't want to delve into it.

Ever since his Spirit sustained issues, he never inwardly drained himself.

As for the Gift after fulfilling an obsession.

That process lasted a very brief time.

Just a few seconds.

Without prior mental preparation, it was easy to become mentally absent while receiving the Gift.

Normally, it was okay.

But in dangerous situations, a few seconds of distraction could be fatal.

That must be guarded against.

…

"Right, I still have another obsession to complete."

Brian remembered another corpse's obsession: "Kill Andres, that bastard raised by a bitch!"

Andres was the husband of another deceased, Carolina.

If his earlier guess was correct: the obsession on a deceased's remains is the thing they most wanted to do before death.

So, Andres, who had reported the case himself, was a major suspect as the murderer.

If that was truly the case.

Wouldn't that mean, in future cases, he could gather important clues through his obsession, and even directly pinpoint the murderer?

Thinking of this.

Brian lit a cigarette, his eyes squinting.

Earlier, when he was looking through the files, he had deliberately noted down Andres' address.

If Andres was the murderer.

To obtain the Gift of the corpse.

Then he must act before the Detective Bureau.

Although Los Angeles has the death penalty, it leans towards formalism.

Once Andres was arrested by the detectives of the Detective Bureau.

It would be hard for him to fulfill this obsession.

After finishing a cigarette.

Brian, imitating his uncle's habit, pinched out the cigarette with his fingers and placed the butt in his pocket, then restarted his car and vanished into the night.

...

Is there such a thing as a perfect crime?

Brian didn't know.

But with over two years of experience at the Forensic Bureau and having conducted autopsies on more than a thousand bodies.

Brian could stab someone eighteen times and still have it classified as a minor injury, and he knew how to leave no trace that could help detectives identify him.

Autopsy work.

His forensic ability might be average.

But if he wanted to commit a crime.

Sorry.

Brian, who had been exposed and knowledgeable for over two years.

Had deep professional knowledge from the beginning.

Half an hour later.

Brian parked his car, reversed his clothing, put on shoe covers, a head cover, and a mask, checked his surroundings, walked down the middle of the street, avoiding conspicuous road surveillance, crossed three streets in succession, and finally stopped in front of a two-story house surrounded by police tape.

It was a typical standalone house in an American community with a small yard separated from the neighboring houses by hedges.

The lawn in front of the door was neatly maintained.

This indicated that the community was managed by a property company, not independent housing.

Certain public areas within the community were likely equipped with surveillance devices.

A dim streetlight nearby cast the only significant light source in the surroundings.

Brian glanced next door and noticed the same police tape.

The address was correct.

This was where his target, Andres, lived.

Brian didn't come to seek Andres.

Because Andres definitely wasn't here now.

For such in-house homicides.

The police usually seal off the crime scene and arrange for officers, either openly or secretly, to guard the site.

Besides preventing anyone from entering and tampering with the scene.

To some extent, it was like laying in wait.

...

Although from what he could see.

Brian saw no guarding officers.

But familiar with the police workflow, he was certain an officer was hidden somewhere.

This was the confidence professionalism brought him.

If there were other residents in the house, they would be temporarily accommodated in inns or designated places by the police until the blockade was lifted.

To ensure timely reception of things like mails.

A note was usually left by the homeowner on the mailbox outside the house before they left.

That was Brian's real aim.

Brian didn't glance around.

Using the dim surroundings to guide him, he pretended to be a late-returning passerby, walked from inside the community, then quickly glanced at the mailbox next to Andres' door as he passed.

There was indeed a post-it note left.

Brian swiftly read the content, "If there are any mails, please forward them to room 304 at the Little Sparrow Inn. I will pay twenty US dollars as compensation."

He memorized the inn's name.

Brian didn't linger and disappeared at the end of the street.

...

Back in his car.

Brian breathed a sigh of relief.

He was thankful that no officer had suddenly appeared to stop him and ask for his identity.

Otherwise, he would likely have given up on completing this obsession.

The reception places arranged by the police are usually cooperative apartments, not inns.

Thus, the Little Sparrow Inn must be Andres' own choice.

It stirred something in Brian.

It was nearly three in the morning now.

Most small inns' front desks were also asleep by then.

As for surveillance.

Easy to handle.

Brian had previously assisted at scenes and seen how criminals dealt with such matters.

"Better to get it done early for peace of mind!"

Brian contemplated briefly and decided to fulfill his obsession tonight!