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Chapter 2 - Case File I: Keys and Backpacks (2)

The robotic voice vanished, leaving us in a thick darkness accompanied only by the faint light from the projector screen. I scratched my head; the riddle was truly baffling me. A cracked mirror? True reflection? What in the world was this?

"Okay, Arez," Rose whispered, approaching me. "We need to focus. This riddle is the key."

I scoffed. "Focus? I can't even focus when I'm doing homework. This is different!"

"If you don't think, we won't be able to get out of here," Rose suddenly switched on a small flashlight from her wrist. The light danced across the dusty warehouse walls. "Now, try to look around. Maybe there are visual clues."

At this rate, I wouldn't be able to meet my pillow again; perhaps a little thinking was necessary. I followed the direction of Rose's flashlight. The warehouse was indeed empty, but there were several broken mirrors scattered on the floor and hanging on the walls. Some of them looked freshly broken, while others were dull with age.

"Cracked mirror... hidden light..." I murmured, trying to digest the riddle. "What only exists when you look at it, yet vanishes when you turn away?"

"See, you're starting to realize it! That's the most important part," she said enthusiastically.

I couldn't imagine what that phrase meant, but was there really nothing here that could be used as a clue? I started glancing around; nothing seemed to have a connection to that phrase. No! Wait, it seems there is one; one thing caught my eye—there was a large cracked mirror at the far end of the warehouse.

Hesitantly, I stepped closer to the large mirror. Its surface was shattered into pieces, reflecting my distorted image. Wait, did Rose just smile? I couldn't look away for a moment; I felt like I was engrossed in my thoughts. But then, I realized something when I saw my reflection in the mirror.

I squinted. Among the mirror fragments, my reflection seemed to shift, distorted by the cracks. But when I tried to look beyond my reflection, it was as if something was hidden.

"Me... my reflection," I said plainly. "And behind it is just a wall."

Rose smiled faintly. "Try to focus more. Think about the riddle. 'True reflection, hinting at direction'."

I thought hard. Reflection... something that only exists when I look at it... but disappears when I turn away... Hidden light... Suddenly, a flash of an idea sparked in my mind.

"Light!" I exclaimed. "If we shine a light on the mirror, won't a shadow form somewhere else? And that shadow will change if we turn away!"

Rose's eyes widened. "Exactly, Arez! You're a genius!"

Genius? This was more like lazy luck. But this was the first time I'd been called a genius; was I blushing?

Rose immediately grabbed her flashlight again and shined it towards the mirror we had approached. Our two reflections bounced off the mirror, and from the cracks, light reflected onto the wall opposite us, forming a strange pattern. In one corner of the wall, the light pattern faintly formed an arrow pointing towards a pile of used burlap sacks.

"There it is!" Rose exclaimed. We quickly approached the pile of burlap sacks. After moving a few sacks, we found a small, worn wooden box. Rose carefully opened it. Inside, lay her house key, and also a small piece of paper that read: "Guess the next location:Behind a deadly smile, a bitter truth is hidden."

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from a distance. Lupin! They emerged from behind a pile of empty boxes—the tall Leve, the agile Alefen, and the silent, mysterious Zenith.

"Good job, Detective and lazy boy," Leve mocked. "But don't worry, your opponents aren't just riddles."

Rose immediately tensed up. From inside her jacket, she pulled out a gleaming silver pistol. At the same time, she also drew a long, metal-tipped chain from her waist, wrapping it around her wrist. "You won't get away so easily this time!"

The fight broke out. Rose fired her pistol towards Leve, who deftly dodged. Alefen lunged at Rose, trying to attack her with a spinning kick. However, Rose swiftly dodged and swung her chain, forcing Alefen to jump back. Zenith merely stood behind, calmly observing, as if waiting for the right moment.

I, of course, immediately hid behind the pile of burlap sacks. I was not a fighter. I couldn't even run a marathon without running out of breath. Seeing Rose so agile and brave both amazed and terrified me. She slid, dodged, and attacked with precise movements.

Rose fired a few more shots, forcing Leve and Alefen to keep moving. Her chain whizzed through the air, becoming a deadly extension of her arm. She managed to wrap her chain around Alefen's leg, making him stumble. But Leve came to help, kicking the chain until it slipped from Rose's grip.

Close combat was inevitable. Rose faced Leve and Alefen alone. She delivered punches and kicks, but the Lupin members were no ordinary opponents. They were trained, agile, and worked well together. Rose tried to attack with a combination of punches and chain swings, but they outnumbered her.

Rose was thrown backward after receiving a hard kick from Leve. Her pistol slipped from her grasp, flying into a dark corner of the warehouse. Alefen immediately approached, ready to deliver the final blow.

"This is the end of your adventure, Detective!" Alefen exclaimed, a wicked grin on his face.

I saw Rose lying on the floor, trying to get up, but she was clearly in pain. My heart pounded. I hated violence, hated trouble, but seeing Rose in danger... I couldn't just stand by.

With a determination that came from nowhere, I crawled out of my hiding place. My eyes fixed on Rose's pistol lying not far from me. I knew I couldn't shoot, but maybe I could create a diversion.

"Hey! Lupin!" I yelled as loud as I could, my voice slightly trembling.

The three Lupin members turned to look at me, startled. Alefen, who was about to attack Rose, now focused on me. That gave me an opportunity. I grabbed Rose's pistol, raised it with slightly trembling hands, and aimed it at the ceiling.

BANG!

The gunshot echoed deafeningly in the warehouse. Dust and plaster debris fell from the ceiling. The Lupin members were surprised and a little confused.

I swallowed hard; I knew I wouldn't shoot them, but at least this gave them a pause.

Leve grinned. "Well, well, this lazy one actually has guts."

Seeing me helpless but reckless, Rose immediately got up. She swiftly moved towards Alefen and delivered a solid punch to his face. Alefen staggered. Leve tried to attack Rose from behind, but Rose nimbly turned around and hit him with her elbow.

The Lupin members were pushed back. They didn't expect a lazy student like me to interfere. Zenith, who had only been observing, now whispered to Leve and Alefen. His face remained calm, but there was a flicker of panic in his eyes.

"Our time is up," Leve said, understanding Zenith's signal.

"See you again, Detective Rose and brave lazy boy," Alefen called out, holding his swollen cheek.

With incredibly fast and unexpected movements, the three of them leaped towards a large ventilation shaft high on the warehouse wall. The opening seemed too small for adult humans, but with acrobatic agility, they disappeared one by one into the darkness. Only the faint echo of their laughter lingered before completely vanishing.

Rose immediately got up and retrieved her pistol. She looked at the ventilation shaft with an annoyed expression. "Damn it, they got away again."

I sighed in relief, slumping to the floor. Cold sweat soaked my back. My feelings were mixed: scared, relieved, and a little proud that I could help Rose. Rose looked at me with a faint smile.

"Not bad, Arez. You have a savior's instinct too," she said.

I could only give a wry smile. "Savior's instinct? I just didn't want my backpack to go missing. And I hate violence."

Rose chuckled. "Oh, I know that. But, whether you like it or not, you're involved now. And it seems we have a new riddle to solve." She pointed to the small piece of paper we had found with the key. "Behind a deadly smile, a bitter truth is hidden."

It seems this adventure has just begun. And I, Arez Redzel, the true lazy one, had unknowingly fallen into it.

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