Chapter 24

【At noon, witnesses reported seeing a pitch-black shadow floating beneath the surface of the Duwamish River at the southern end of Duwamish River Park. Its shape is unlike any fish—ugly and terrifying. Investigators are urged to locate it as soon as possible.】

【Reward upon investigation: Physical Function +1, Ancient God's Bronze Coin ×1, $50】

This was the first time Roger had ever seen numerical rewards.

But from the other rewards, it was clear this investigation task wasn't difficult.

"Since it happened at noon, I'll go over tomorrow." Roger planned to get a good night's sleep first.

That night, Xin Yidunweier Shequ was noticeably noisier than usual.

Because neighbors' TV volumes were louder than ever.

Apparently, learning about yesterday's incident had left them feeling unsafe.

The next morning, Roger woke from his dream.

Thanks to the title's effect, his nightmares were no longer as terrifying as in previous days—at least they no longer jolted him awake suddenly.

Roger took advantage of the early morning to jog around the garage and perform a series of exercises.

【Physical Function +0.1】

When he returned, Natasha was waiting at the door with a tray of bread and fried chicken.

"Fiona made you breakfast. Eat it while it's hot."

"Thank Fiona for me," Roger said, picking up the tray, entering the garage, and placing it on the table.

Natasha followed him in, pretending not to care.

"Don't you have school?" Roger asked.

Natasha wore a white shirt with a patterned tie around her neck, a plaid short skirt, and black thigh-high socks—a lively, vibrant high school girl.

"Of course I have school. I'm just waiting for Fiona to finish up."

Natasha, her small backpack slung over her shoulder, watched Roger eat as she spoke: "Fiona said you used to be homeless?"

"That's right," Roger bit into a runny fried egg: "My credit cards were maxed out. I couldn't pay my mortgage or car loan, so I ended up homeless."

"What about your girlfriend?"

"Hmm," Roger tilted his head: "She broke up with me the moment she heard I was bankrupt—and took every appliance in the house."

"What? How could she do that? Bitch!" Natasha gritted her teeth, angrier than Roger himself.

"Calling her a bitch is accurate enough." Roger didn't understand what the original owner had seen in her—she had some looks, but was domineering, jealous, and forbade him any normal social interaction.

As a result, when he went bankrupt, not a single friend lifted a hand to help.

"Do you hate her?" Natasha asked again.

Roger shook his head: "I hated her before, but life goes on. Still, if I ever see her again, I hope our roles are reversed."

"I think making her homeless is too kind."

"Fiona's waiting for you at the door. Go to school."

"You're lying again. I'm not falling for that," Natasha leaned back against the table, her long, straight legs crossed in front of Roger.

Then, the next second.

"Natasha!" Fiona's voice rang out, startling the girl.

"I'm coming, Mom!"

Watching the girl scramble away in panic, Roger smiled, then went back to eating.

When it reached 11 a. m., he slowly cycled toward Duwamish River Park.

The Du Wa Mi Shi He is the most important river within Seattle's urban area, flowing through southern Seattle, with parts of its course already channelized and industrialized.

Only within the park could one find viewing spots near the riverbank.

There were no homeless people here, because police patrolled constantly, and every bench had three armrests installed.

Normally, benches had one armrest on each side and a long wooden seat in the middle.

But the benches in Duwamish River Park had an armrest in the center too—officially called "human-centered design," but viewed differently, it was clearly a malicious design targeting the homeless.

As a result, homeless people who camped in the park without tents often had to sleep on the ground.

Roger rode his bicycle along the bike path to the riverbank, scanning the glittering water surface for the floating shadow.

If he was right, it would be a scene straight out of hell.

Yet after searching for a long while, he found nothing unusual.

"Could it be farther south than the southernmost point?"

Further south meant entering the industrial stretch—no longer accessible by bicycle. He'd have to climb industrial structures to observe.

Fortunately, Duwamish River Park was nearly empty at noon, so Roger parked his bike and walked toward the industrial section.

After about twenty minutes, he found a spot where he could climb to an elevated position.

Following steps and slopes, after some effort, Roger finally reached the height and looked down.

The noon sun shone unobstructed on the river, yet the water was unusually murky, making it impossible to see fish beneath the surface.

After observing for several minutes, Roger suddenly noticed an out-of-place "bulge."

It drifted downstream with the current, yet its rhythm didn't fully match the water's flow.

As if some unseen will dragged it, slowly pulling it toward the shore.

Roger initially thought it was a black leather suitcase—but as it drew closer, his pupils dilated sharply.

Because he realized it wasn't floating debris. It was a corpse.

The corpse had long lost its human form; days of submersion had swollen it to nearly absurd proportions. Its skin stretched taut and glossy, as if under immense internal pressure not meant for a human body.

Its facial structure had completely collapsed, features fused into an unrecognizable mound. Even sunlight falling on that "face" failed to define its contours, instead creating an illusion—that this corpse hadn't been carried by the river, but was the river's own failed attempt to mimic human form.

"God!"

It was Roger's first time seeing a real giant's corpse, and its horrifying appearance utterly exceeded his imagination.

It was even more terrifying than the death scene he had witnessed.

"Shit! Shit!"

Roger quickly left the high ground, gazed up at the blue sky and white clouds, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

After taking several deep breaths, he finally calmed down.

"Damn it."

He cursed under his breath, then quickly dialed Vanessa's number.

"Hello? My wandering great detective, are you calling to press me for your investigation fee?" A woman's cheerful and relaxed voice came through the receiver.

But Roger had absolutely no mood for banter at the moment. In a dry, hoarse voice he said: "I found a floating corpse in the Du Wa Mi Shi He."

"What!"