The two arrived at the back of the prayer hall, which is the office area of the Great Cathedral. The Metropolitan manages the various church affairs of Dragon Capital and the secret incidents involving the Night Patrol. Generally speaking, such Metropolitans possess extremely powerful hidden powers.

"You want to look at the case files of Little Flayer from six years ago?" Lord Lei Qinglu asked.

"Yes, Lord Metropolitan, the investigation has encountered problems, the clues are broken, and I want to compare the previous files," Li Xin replied.

"Follow me." Lord Lei Qinglu nodded, did not ask further questions, and took Li Xin to the archive room of the Great Cathedral. "Go ahead, someone will guide you."

Li Xin saluted, initially expecting something special to happen, but unexpectedly, this Metropolitan was quite agreeable.

Li Xin entered the archive room. Seeing that he was brought personally by the Metropolitan, the priest inside treated him with utmost courtesy, almost to the point of sycophancy.

"Lord Li, here are all the case files of Little Flayer from back then. Although it’s been a while, we have always protected them well. Take your time to read them, call me if you need anything," the priest smiled.

"Thank you, Lord Zhou, I will need your guidance in the future," Li Xin replied with a beaming smile.

"Gladly, gladly, haha."

After the pleasantries, Li Xin did not entangle too much with the other party and took out the relevant case files. There was a dedicated reading table next to him. Apart from Li Xin, many other tables were occupied by people also reviewing the files. From their attire, they were likely Night Patrol from other departments, some glanced at him but quickly returned to their own tasks.

Li Xin started reading. The Night Patrol’s case file records are professionally trained, with a very clear format, clearly detailing the victim’s information, crime scene descriptions, and evidence accounts. These old files were even more detailed.

He had gone through quite a lot earlier; similar methods could be swiftly eliminated. Li Xin had once taken an elective forensic course in college. Although not professionally trained, his modern thinking was very organized and could easily identify the differences he wanted.

Soon Li Xin’s eyes brightened, occasionally furrowing his brow. Manager Zhou had already casually observed several times. Night Patrol who come to investigate archives usually tend to be older, more composed individuals; young people generally couldn’t sit for long, especially Night Patrol who are often like a group of unruly wild monkeys. Li Yinxiao was somewhat different; despite his young age, he was quite composed and courteous. Although he didn’t bring a meeting gift the first time, considering the presence of the Metropolitan, he didn’t hold it against him.

It’s naturally less free in the Great Cathedral compared to Shadow Owl. Li Xin hadn’t eaten since noon, read until evening, and almost finished the files, albeit quickly browsing through some parts. There were not enough factors in the crime methods and certain details to provide more insights, even though they were all flayer cases, but the ones from six years ago differed significantly from those six years later.

Li Xin stretched his body, then turned around to find the surroundings empty. Manager Zhou, who was in charge of the archive room, was also gone, leaving only a few staff who were looking at him somewhat disdainfully, seemingly hinting that he was delaying their off-work hours.

The archive files can’t be taken out freely; applications require formal procedures. Li Xin felt there was no need to take them out. What he gained this time was much more than anticipated. There were many unsettling aspects within this case.

Li Xin put the files back in place and left the archive room. The Great Cathedral was still brightly lit. As he walked, he saw a tall figure dressed in the Metropolitan’s long robe—Lord Lei Qinglu.

"Lord Metropolitan, you’re not off duty yet?" Running into him meant he couldn’t avoid greeting him, though Li Xin always found it somewhat awkward.

Lei Qinglu looked at Li Xin, his gaze warm, "Come sit with me."

?

Li Xin doubted whether there was something wrong with his hearing; the Metropolitan being so polite to a small Night Patrol like him was unexpected. But he could only follow.

The Metropolitan’s lounge was spacious and bright, with printed floor-to-ceiling windows and an extremely pleasant wooden scent. The wide, exquisitely carved bookshelf was filled with thick tomes, enticingly inviting one to delve into them. What caught Li Xin’s eye was a greatsword on the wall; its length and width reminded him of the Battle Angel he met in the Holy Land.

This was custom-made to the Angel’s stature.

Buzz~~~

The greatsword on the wall suddenly trembled slightly, emitting a sword hum.

Lei Qinglu chuckled, "This sword is called Thunder Punishment. It’s been with me for many years, cutting down demons and exorcising evils. It’s quite sentient. It likes you, sit down."

Li Xin originally planned to sit with half his buttocks out of respect but thought better of it. He wasn’t seeking promotion or raises, and besides, Lord Lei didn’t seem to care about that.

"You’ve been looking all day. Any harvest?" Lei Qinglu asked.

Li Xin thought for a moment, organizing his thoughts. To solve the case, support from above is definitely crucial; otherwise, investigations would meet with various obstacles. Lord Lei was undoubtedly the top leader; getting his approval would be the best support.

"The murderer from six years ago and the one six years later are different," Li Xin said decisively, looking at Lei Qinglu.

Lei Qinglu wasn’t surprised, "Oh, why do you say that?"

"Lord Metropolitan, comparing the archives has revealed several suspicions. Firstly, the rattles used by the murderer appeared only six years later. They weren’t seen six years ago."

"That’s nothing significant," Lei Qinglu said calmly.

"Secondly, the murderer’s targets have greatly shifted. The first murderer targeted those with good appearances, as described extensively in the archives; the victims looked good, including both Awakened and ordinary people. The later murderer targeted only Awakened. If worried about capture, he should have primarily targeted ordinary people."

"Isn’t it possible he is provoked by Night Patrol? Among murderers, there are often arrogant lunatics," Lei Qinglu suggested.

"That’s possible. Thirdly, the first murderer caused multiple eyewitness casualties during the crime period, while the later one didn’t create new victims even during pursuits," Li Xin said. "Meaning the latter murderer was more precise and cautious in his actions."

"The murderer became cautious after six years of intense pursuit?"

Li Xin shook his head, "Master, this has nothing to do with caution. The later murderer’s actions indicate he received rigorous training."

"Anything else?" Lei Qinglu nodded.

"Fourthly, the first murderer constantly used various disguises to escape capture, while the later murderer maintained a singular image of being short and fierce. As a Mask Maker, he clearly could adopt more effective evasive methods. His choices seem odd," Li Xin said. "I suspect the later murderer wasn’t a Mask Maker at all."

Lei Qinglu looked at Li Xin, "Your suspicions have some merit, but they’re your personal inferences without evidence. Even if there’s another murderer, how do we find him?"

"Master, there’s one more crucial suspicion that requires your explanation," Li Xin initially didn’t want to speak about it, but given how far the conversation had gone, he decided to discuss it openly.