Background noise was filled with all kinds of clamorous sounds, hinting at the local chaos. Then, the camera shifted, focusing on the reporter conducting a live interview at the scene.

The reporter explained the case with a solemn expression. He was supposed to remain impartial, but he could hardly suppress his righteous indignation.

“We just interviewed the victim in this case. She was tied up and threatened by Nancy Dawson on the second floor, and it was only after the police entered through the balcony that she was successfully rescued. Now the suspect has fled, and the police still have no representative willing to come forward and respond to our questions…”

“We can review the past life of Nancy Dawson… It’s clear that before today’s tragedy, Nancy Dawson was already a prime suspect in several murder cases. I don’t understand why the police would allow such a dangerous person to move freely in society. On what grounds did they decide not to monitor him? How are we, the public, supposed to feel safe?”

The reporter then showed a photo of Nancy Dawson’s face with a mosaic over it. However, unblurred images had already spread all over the internet and were still being circulated. Everyone already knew what Nancy Dawson looked like.

That photo was snapped not long after Nancy Dawson was released from prison. At the time, his face was covered in stubble, he looked unkempt, his hair was a tangled mess, and his face showed exhaustion and melancholy. He hunched his back, his gaze wandering, as if trying to disappear into the crowd and live like an ordinary nobody. Unfortunately, even so, the dark camera lens still followed him like a ghost.

The Vault opened her mouth, her Adam’s apple bobbing.

She was dressed in a white, traditional-style robe, her face heavily made up. Her tall, slender figure stood in place, exuding an ethereal and refined aura.

She wore a half-mask that softened the sharp lines of her face, and her eyes were long and bright, completely different from Nancy Dawson’s image on TV. Even up close, no one would suspect her identity.

If there’s anyone who can openly put on makeup and disguise themselves without arousing suspicion, it’s cosplayers.

The Vault had chosen a currently popular priest character from a game and rented a costume from a nearby photo studio. Now, she was watching the news in the shop.

Not far from her, two girls were also following the story. After hearing the reporter, they indignantly condemned:

“Oh my god, he even killed his own sister? He’s just inhuman!”

“Online sources say that after he got out of prison, he asked his sister for money. She refused, so he killed her. Someone downstairs happened to witness it, and he ran off immediately.”

“If you ask me, our criminal penalties are too lenient. People who show no remorse shouldn’t be released at all. It’s like the whole society is paying the price for one person!”

The Vault slowly turned her head to look at the two speaking.

The two girls, feeling her gaze, gradually lowered their voices and then awkwardly asked, “Is there something you need, mister?”

“Nothing.” The Vault smiled kindly. “I’m just surprised.”

The two echoed, “Yeah, right? How could this happen? The police are just too irresponsible!”

“If Nancy Dawson escapes again this time, I’ll start to suspect there’s a mole in the police force.”

The Vault lowered her head, went over to pick up the bundle by the counter, and prepared to leave.

Just as she stepped one foot out the door, a steady, powerful voice came from the TV behind her.

“The police cannot yet disclose the specific details of the case. We are mobilizing all personnel to search for Nancy Dawson’s whereabouts and hope she will come forward and cooperate with our investigation. If any citizens have relevant information, please contact the police promptly.”

The reporter responded sharply, “Just cooperate with the investigation? Isn’t the police being too irresponsible?”

The Vault turned around, looking at the man in uniform standing upright on the screen.

His gaze was clear, and he spoke firmly: “With all due respect, it’s your words that are irresponsible. As a reporter for a major media company, you should know what kind of person can be clearly called a criminal.”

Julian Grant carried the righteous air of a young police officer, his demeanor unflinching, making people instinctively trust his words.

“According to the time shown on the community surveillance footage, it’s already confirmed that when Nancy Dawson arrived at the scene, both victims were already dead. The results of the on-site investigation also indicate that it’s highly unlikely Nancy Dawson is the perpetrator. Once our colleagues finish examining the evidence, we will make an official announcement. Until then, we hope everyone can remain calm. If any citizens spot Nancy Dawson, please do not provoke or harm him. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Reporter: “But…”

Julian Grant answered first: “The victim interviewed earlier, Ms. Sun, actually did not see Nancy Dawson commit the murder. She only arrived at the scene a moment after Nancy Dawson. What she told the reporter differs somewhat from her statement to us. I can understand this as a result of emotional instability or the influence of the environment. I hope everyone will verify the authenticity of information before ensuring the public’s right to know. Thank you, and thank you for your hard work.”

The girls who had just been criticizing Nancy Dawson were left bewildered.

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

“Could it be true? The police have no reason to defend Nancy Dawson, right?”

“But if that’s the case, why did he kidnap someone? Why did he run…”

The Vault listened to Julian Grant’s statement, pursing her lips with an unreadable expression.

“What a pity…”

What a pity that back then, no one was willing to step up and speak for Harry Forrest under pressure. Missing the right moment is a mistake.

The Vault pressed her hand to her bundle and resolutely turned to leave.

Author’s note:

Nancy Dawson is a male character, but The Vault is a woman playing him. So the gendered pronouns will change.

Chapter 48: Testing

The viewers in the livestream felt even more complicated than the two bewildered girls.

Most of them had come today hoping to see a notorious villain exposed or brought to justice, to fulfill an ending reality had failed to deliver. But what they saw instead was a silent act of cruelty.

What does it feel like to be isolated by the whole world? There’s nothing heroic about it—only sorrow remains.

That sense of helplessness is like wandering on a thin-air mountaintop, looking around and seeing no one. Harry Forrest walked a road of endless escape in just such despair.

No one would ever hear his voice again; the shackles of justice sealed his mouth and imprisoned his life.

It’s been nearly half a year since Harry Forrest completely disappeared. Many of them had been part of that fervent campaign against him, and even now, they still didn’t know the truth. If not for this livestream, they might have almost forgotten—oh, this was someone they once hated so much, hated to the point of becoming vicious and cruel themselves.

“When I saw the media denouncing the authorities back then, I also thought the police statement sounded especially brainless, not even trying to be convincing. Looking back, I guess it was because emotions were running high, and the frenzied online atmosphere turned questioning and venting into a kind of political correctness, pushing many people’s thinking toward pessimism and extremism. crying emoji So I was wrong again, wasn’t I?”

“I was too angry to follow up, so is this what really happened? shocked emoji But I swallowed a lot of propaganda back then, and only joined in because it all seemed so logical and there was no chance of a twist.”

“Did Trident revise Harry Forrest’s story, or was he really such a tragic figure? web link I’ve gathered all the police announcements here, everyone can see for themselves.”

“Come to think of it, because of Harry Forrest, the person in charge of this case had their entire family history dragged through the mud—how could that be possible?”

“A moment of silence, I’ll be back next time. — The modern internet user’s ecosystem. shrug emoji”

·

The police cordon was already closing in on the commercial street in an orderly fashion, yet The Vault seemed to have forgotten her own identity, still aimlessly wandering from shop to shop.

During this time, she bought a set of car key models at a key shop in a small alley, picked up a dozen odd items at a hardware store, and bought herself an umbrella at an accessory shop, leaving the viewers completely unable to guess what she was thinking.

Online, people watched as the police officers steadily approached The Vault’s location, while The Vault strolled through the mall with her hands in her pockets, and their anxiety was almost unbearable—they wished they could give The Vault a push to make her run.

Isn’t this a game of escape? It’s not a game of tag.

Maybe geniuses just see things differently from ordinary people—they really can’t relate.

After The Vault had wandered around for a while, she finally stopped when she reached a coffee shop at the end of the commercial street.