Chapter 4890

People once compared storms to countless creatures—monsters, gods. But raging storms are very much like humans. Especially as life nears its end, the world sinks into misty rain, like a vast being beginning to recall in its final stage. The outline of a house, the glow of streetlights, the silhouette of tree branches—all blur like distant memories, dark and damp.

As mist rose, speckles appeared in the light sources, swaying with the drifting fog. The room's tones grew like an old photo rubbed until full of creases and stains. Those murmurs, once thought to be the end of a mystery tale, were actually the beginning of another thriller.

"How could it be Brand?" Victor said incredulously, "How could he..."

Others' faces darkened. Ethan made a cross over his chest: "May he be called to heaven by the Lord's grace."

The atmosphere grew heavier. Alberto said: "I've heard of this doctor. He's your friend, right?"

Victor nodded heavily. Alberto continued: "My condolences. But if it was really Edward who killed him, perhaps we should..."

"Impossible." Victor said, "Impossible that Edward killed him."

The atmosphere in the room stalled again. Their earlier reasoning had already pinned Edward as the killer. The victim's identity should have increased Edward's suspicion, yet Victor suddenly changed his tone, making things confusing again.

"Why? Professor Fulisi?" Tim said, "Since Arkham Asylum moved, I haven't been there. What was the victim like? Why do you think Edward wouldn't kill him?"

Victor glanced at Shiler, but Shiler showed no intention to speak. This caused Victor's impending explanation to veer off his tongue, and he merely said briefly: "Edward couldn't have killed him."

"You mean he possesses supreme skill?" Tim immediately thought of something, "I remember he and the professor were friends, you played cards together. So that wouldn't be strange."

Victor nodded and said: "He indeed possesses supreme skill. But I still need to confirm again—are you certain the victim is him, and that he's already dead?"

Tim glanced again at the report from Brainiac and said: "You suspect that when we first saw the body, he might not have been dead yet, and the body disappeared because he ran away?"

"What kind of person is this Dr. Brand exactly?" Alberto looked at Victor and asked, "Does he have some ability to return from death?"

"He does have extraordinary abilities." Victor pondered, then said, "I don't think he could be killed by an ordinary person. Even if dead, it might be an illusion. The body disappearing might not mean it was stolen, but that he revived and walked away himself."

"Wait," Ethan said, "How did it suddenly become terrifying? Isn't this a murder case?"

Tim looked at Shiler. Shiler had clearly said this was a murder, emphasizing there was a killer and a corpse. But if the person wasn't dead then, it wouldn't count as a corpse. Was Shiler mistaken, or is there something else hidden?

Everyone was more inclined to believe the latter, since Shiler's judgment in this regard had never been wrong. Victor thought and said: "Perhaps he died then, and later revived."

"Could Edward be in danger?" Coppert frowned, "If Dr. Brand revived, would it be him who took Edward away?"

"We can't just guess," Tim reminded, "We must start from motive. Why would Edward kill his attending physician?"

This question is indeed difficult. Brand's long-term contact with Edward proves they could tolerate each other, especially Edward accepting Brand. He should have no reason to kill his own doctor unless, one of them underwent some change.

Victor immediately thought of it and said: "Could Edward's condition have worsened, originally able to get along with Brand, but after deterioration, no longer?"

"I think we've got it backwards," Coppert said, "It's Brand who underwent some change, causing Edward's condition to worsen."

Tim nearly had an epiphany: "Exactly. The problem is more likely to lie with Brand. He must have changed, been noticed by Edward, triggering his paranoia. He might believe Brand was replaced by something, thus distrusting anyone Brand has contacted, including you, Mr. Coppert."

Coppert also realized: "Exactly. Clearly I was fine seeing him yesterday, but after I consulted Dr. Brand about his condition, Edward's behavior became strange."

"What exactly happened to Brand?" Victor puzzled, "Why would he suddenly change? Where did he change?"

But suddenly he paused, as if thinking of something, then fell silent. Tim keenly caught his expression shift and asked: "What did you think of? Professor?"

"Nothing. Just I can be certain Brand didn't die, so our gathering here to reason is meaningless..."

"Of course it is," Coppert emphasized, "Edward is also missing now. Though he's a suspect and a mental patient, if he's in danger, we can't stand by and do nothing."

Tim didn't oppose this either, saying: "If Edward was stimulated by Brand's change, relapsed and killed him, then the revived Brand returning—how would he treat Edward?"

Coppert's face was somewhat pale, but Alberto said: "This matter certainly isn't as simple as revenge. Otherwise, Brand could have just killed Edward instead of taking him away. Their relationship must involve something we don't know. Someone among us isn't telling the truth."

That's natural—everyone knows. From the start of reasoning, each person had something hidden. Tim said: "All the clues I know are about the murder case, but prior information I know nothing of, while you should know better than I."

He looked at Coppert and Victor, these two being the ones who dealt most with suspect and victim. Coppert's worry didn't seem feigned, but Victor's attitude was strange.

Logically, he had no need to shield either Brand or Edward, and in prior reasoning he gave his all. But since learning the victim was Brand, his attitude completely changed—becoming eager to end reasoning and obviously hiding key information.

Victor looked at Shiler with a pleading gaze, while Shiler merely sat calmly, silently sipping whiskey, as if thinking of something, or as if not.

"Perhaps Edward wasn't having an episode," Shiler said, "In his long patient history, there have been too many misjudgments from paranoia, and this might be the only time it wasn't a hallucination."

"You mean Brand was indeed replaced?" Tim also showed some surprise, "Not a mud face?"

Though in their universe, mud faces have never appeared, it doesn't mean they don't exist, or that he certainly reformed. Maybe one day he'll just jump out. Tim also learned from another universe's Robin about such a miraculous being who can always disguise as others, sometimes even Batman can't detect. Upon hearing of replacement, Tim immediately thought of him.

"This isn't the key," Victor said, "Who replaced Brand doesn't matter; what matters is why Brand was replaced. I don't think anyone could kidnap or kill him and then take his place. This could only be..."

Saying this, Victor fell silent again. He sighed deeply, and just as he was about to speak, the manor's door was suddenly knocked.

Everyone looked up; outside, misty rain still hung. Tim, nearest the door, went to open it. Outside stood a thin figure, face somewhat pale but not wet. Tim instantly recognized him—it was Edward Nigma.

"Good heavens." He exhaled, quickly making space, letting Edward in. Coppert saw Edward and rushed over, stopped before him, examined him up and down, then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank heavens you're unharmed." Coppert said, "Where did you go?"

Edward seemed dazed. Coppert wanted to step forward, but Tim stopped him, shaking his head. At this moment Shiler rose, walked over, looked at Edward and said: "You must be tired. Go upstairs to rest."

Shiler looked at Alberto and said: "Can you prepare a room for him?"

Alberto nodded. Shiler led Edward to the guest room door; Edward entered and quickly lay down on the bed, falling asleep. Meanwhile, everyone outside remained utterly confused.

"He's unharmed," Shiler said, "No one wants to harm him."

"So what exactly is going on?" Tim couldn't help but ask, "Professor?"

"Let the person involved speak for himself." Shiler walked to the table, picked up the whiskey cup, drank the last drop, then said, "It's not early anymore; we should rest. Perhaps we'll have answers by morning."

Too many mysteries remain unsolved, but now clearly each step lacks key evidence to anchor facts. They very much want to figure it out immediately, but it's not realistic. After reasoning all night, they're tired, so each went to rest.

But this is destined not to be a peaceful night. Everyone slept only about two hours when Tim was awakened by a call. He rushed downstairs, also waking others. Victor, half-asleep, asked: "What's wrong? What happened now?"

"Someone called the police," Tim said, "Someone reported being hunted. I'm afraid I have to go."

"Hunting someone in this weather?" Victor glanced out the window. The storm had indeed lessened, but rain hadn't stopped. Northern flooding was manageable, but the ground was still pooled. Even the fiercest beast should be hiding from rain in its own territory. Who's so bold as to defy natural disaster just to seek revenge overnight?

"Go if you must," Alberto said dismissively, "Such things happen every day. Why make such a fuss?"

"But the reporter said his name is Brand."

"Ah?"

Tim hurried away. Until the police lights vanished, those inside remained immersed in shock. They even couldn't summarize the situation in words.

Dr. Brand's corpse appeared at Arkham Asylum. Then the corpse vanished, Edward became the prime suspect. Edward also vanished, then came to the manor, silent, and slept. Two hours later, Brand—who should already have been a corpse—showed up at Gotham Police Station to report being hunted.

Victor thought, then called Tim: "No matter what he says, don't believe him, Tim. Stay alert, stay safe."