"It only takes a little while to stamp out the parts you want, and the precision is extremely high! Apart from a few rich fools with money to burn, nobody is willing to spend ten times or even more money for a model that looks no different to the untrained eye. That's why, despite the exquisite craftsmanship, such models don't fetch a high price in the eyes of laypeople."

"So these models may look like they have many parts, but in fact, the time spent making them isn't as long as we might think?"

"Long?"

Raphael carefully touched the parts of the model and shook his head. "These parts are all stamped out by small workshops, nothing extraordinary, and very hard to trace. I estimate that the killer took no more than one day to make them."

Upon receiving this answer, Dean finally smiled.

The money was well spent! He knew what message the killer had left on the model!

「...」

After seeing Raphael off, Dean, along with Harry and the others, temporarily borrowed the forensic science department's conference room.

"Dean, do you have any findings?" Daisy seemed very happy because Raphael was someone she had found.

Dean nodded and tapped on the clipboard. "Guys, we don't have much information on this case. You must have read New York's report, right?"

Harry and the others nodded. Although Dean had assigned them tasks, reading the case report in their spare time was a matter of basic professionalism, though whether they could glean any insights from it was another question.

"This case is almost certainly the work of the Model Murderer from New York a few years ago. My initial approach to solving it focused on three main points!" Dean took out a pen and wrote numbers one, two, and three on the clipboard.

"First, at each murder scene, besides the model, the most crucial piece of information is the identical note left behind. So, how does the killer select his victims?"

The victims, aside from all being somewhat famous, must have shared some commonality before they rose to prominence. Discovering this commonality could lead to a vital clue. This was also why Dean, despite being almost certain Johnny Dennison wasn't killed by someone close to him, still had Harry investigate the victim's life and the people around him.

"Second," Dean continued, "the killer leaves a model at every crime scene that perfectly matches its environment, without any discrepancies. Yet, in some cases, the entire process, from the victim's murder to the discovery of the body, takes only a little over ten minutes! How does the killer achieve this?"

This point was what Dean found most puzzling. It was difficult to find a suitable explanation other than the victim cooperating, but judging from the crime scene, that didn't fit at all. Dean was certain that the victims were completely taken aback and unprepared for what happened to them.

"The third point concerns the models: how does the killer get them!" This point, Dean had already figured out thanks to Raphael.

「...」

Harry raised his hand. "Dean, does this mean there's a breakthrough regarding the third point now?"

Dean nodded. "I was inspired by what Raphael said. The killer actually left us a hint on the note; he's longing for someone to understand his creations!"

Daisy was thoroughly confused. She asked in bewilderment, "What hint?"

Dean did not reply, but instead first looked at Carlo, then asked Harry, "Harry, how's your investigation going?"

Harry shrugged. "I had limited time, so I only managed to gather some information about the victim Johnny Dennison's life. I haven't had a chance to look into his ex-wife or current wife yet."

"Let's hear it!" Dean prompted.

After gathering his thoughts, Harry began, "Before Johnny Dennison started writing lesbian-themed works, he wrote heterosexual romance stories. Although he had some readers, he was nowhere near as famous as he is now. In fact, what little fame he had back then was essentially bought with his own money!"

Daisy immediately countered, "Harry, how is that possible? Mr. Johnny Dennison had many readers buying his books even before he started writing lesbian-themed works!"

"That's marketing," Harry rolled his eyes. "I found out from a friend that Johnny Dennison actually comes from a wealthy family. To fulfill his dream of being a writer, he often hired fake readers to attend his book signings, creating an illusion of popularity. But think about it, had you heard of his name before he started writing lesbian-themed works?"

Daisy was stupefied.

It seemed she too had been hooked by Johnny Dennison's first lesbian-themed book!

What's fake is fake. A product lacking genuine quality, even with paid marketing, will mostly just be self-satisfying and won't win public approval.

Dean snapped his fingers!

Excellent. The key point was right there!

Dean said immediately, "Harry, go talk to Johnny Dennison's ex-wife and son. I want you to find out the exact time and the catalyst for his shift in writing direction! It would be best to have an answer by tomorrow!"

"Dean, that's a bit difficult..."

Dean gave him a glance and said coldly, "Johnny Dennison's ex-wife is a wealthy divorcee, and she's not bad-looking either!"

THUMP!

Harry's eyes lit up, and he thumped his chest with enthusiasm. "No problem, Dean, you'll have the answer you want by tomorrow!"

Everybody: "..."

Dean understood Harry.

Dean continued, looking at Daisy, "Daisy, I need you to confirm if the victims in all seven of New York's Model Murderer cases experienced a similar transformation!"

Daisy nodded.

"As for Carlo... you follow Harry."

Before Carlo had a chance to speak, Harry interjected hastily, "Dean, I can handle it myself!"

"What if Johnny Dennison's ex-wife doesn't like Black men, or what if she isn't interested in dealing with two men?" Dean retorted.

Harry spread his hands, at a loss for words.

Carlo simply looked up silently at the overhead light, speechless. He thought he had found a good boss, but it turned out the boss was making him use his body to solve a case...

「...」

After assigning tasks to everyone, Dean walked back outside the evidence room. Through the glass, he watched the model and silently lit a cigarette.

With Raphael's help, he finally understood the message the Model Murderer left on those models: "I'm incredible, and I'm aloof. My methods are formidable, so I despise those who compromise for money and fame. Thus, they become pieces of my artwork."

Contract complete? Heh.

You're nothing more than a puppet, satisfying your exhibitionism through serial murder. Why do you think people who abandon their principles for their dreams deserve to be mere embellishments for your 'creations'?

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