Roman Rhodes had been investigating Gene Young and Yvonne York. He believed the couple would be one of the keys to breaking the case. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

As the saying goes, most crimes in this world involve financial transactions. By pulling the account statements for Gene Young and Yvonne York, Roman had followed the trail to a number of suspicious individuals.

Unfortunately, a blizzard was raging outside, and the city was snowed in. Roman couldn’t leave The Nimbus Hotel and was unsure how to proceed with the investigation. He never expected that a man named Kevin Kent would deliver himself right to his doorstep.

Kevin Kent had been caught by hotel security earlier today for harassing someone at the auction hall. Roman happened to be passing by and casually glanced at the man’s file. The moment he saw Kevin Kent’s name, it rang a bell. He remembered a transfer of 1,888,888 between this man and Yvonne York.

The amount was extremely suspicious. It clearly wasn’t a gambling debt or a loan; it had to be a large transaction.

And so, Roman decided to start with Kevin Kent, hoping he could follow the trail and dig up some clues about The Advent Sect.

When Roman asked his question, Kevin Kent was slow to react—after all, he had long forgotten who Yvonne York was.

He waved his hands and replied, "Yvonne Pork? I-I don’t know anything about pork or beef or whatever... Director Rhodes, I saw that little hooker in the hall, and I thought she was still working. That’s why I went to talk to her, you know, to give her some business..."

As Kevin spoke, his beady little eyes darted toward Roman. Seeing the director’s expression darken, he quickly added, "I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! I swear it’ll never happen again. I’m willing to give her a public apology! From now on, I’ll go the other way if I see her! Please, sir, I’m begging you, just go easy on me and let me off the hook this one time!"

Roman ignored his rambling. He pulled up Yvonne York’s photo on his phone, held it in front of Kevin’s face, and asked, "Take a good look and think hard. Do you know the woman in this picture?"

With a trembling hand, Kevin Kent took the phone. The moment he saw the woman’s face, his pupils contracted.

He swallowed nervously, unable to meet Roman’s gaze. His eyes darted around as he stammered, "I... I... I can’t quite remember... I’m terrible with faces..."

Roman’s brow furrowed. "Kevin Kent," he said in a stern voice, "I suggest you tell the truth. The police have already concluded their investigation into the matter between you two. We’re just giving you a chance to confess."

"If you come clean yourself, you’ll be treated with leniency, and I can even help you get a reduced sentence. Otherwise... you’ll face the full extent of the law. You’d better think carefully about whether you want to tell the truth or not."

Hearing Roman’s words, Kevin’s face turned white as a sheet. He knew Roman wasn’t bluffing.

’If he’s come to me,’ he thought, ’he must have already found some evidence.’

Kevin looked at Roman’s severe gaze and felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

He knew he couldn’t escape and finally confessed, "I... I know her... She’s the owner of a club. I solicited prostitutes there a few times, and... and I also gambled..."

At this, Kevin started begging for forgiveness again. "Director Rhodes, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have gambled! I shouldn’t have solicited prostitutes! I swear it’ll never happen again. Please, I’m begging you, go easy on me, give me a break!..."

Roman’s brow tightened, and he cut off the man’s nonsense. "Enough! Don’t pull that act with me! You know that’s not what I’m asking about!"

Roman’s eyes were like a hawk’s, locked onto Kevin’s. "There were two transactions between your accounts and Yvonne York’s," he said in a low voice. "One for 888,888, and another for 1,888,888. That can’t be money from prostitution and gambling, can it? You’d better be honest about what was going on between you two. Don’t even think about hiding anything!"

Under the pressure of Roman’s stare, Kevin began to tremble uncontrollably. He hesitated for a few seconds before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "I... I went to her... to buy Divine Fortune... It’s... it’s sleeping with a pregnant woman, and then having her get an abortion, so you can absorb the fetus’s luck for this life..."

Roman frowned as he listened to Kevin’s halting confession, confirming that what he said was largely consistent with the information Melody Summers had provided.

It seemed this Kevin Kent had indeed made a deal with The Advent Sect to purchase "Divine Fortune."

After finishing, Kevin looked at Roman with pleading eyes. "Director Rhodes, I’ve told you everything I know. Please, just let me go! My wife and kids are here in the hotel. I really can’t get into trouble!"

Roman’s brow furrowed in disgust. He reprimanded him sharply, "You’re mixed up with a terrorist cult and you expect me to let you go? In your dreams! Now talk! How many times have you participated in The Advent Sect’s terrorist activities? Tell me the truth!"

"A cult?! Terrorist activities?!" Kevin’s eyes flew wide open. He looked like a cat whose tail had just been stepped on, nearly jumping out of his skin in surprise.

He shook his head frantically, denying it over and over. "No, I didn’t! President Rhodes, I’m just an honest businessman. The business environment here in Anworth is so good, I’m too busy making money to join some cult or get involved in terrorist activities! Am I out of my mind?! Th-there must be some kind of misunderstanding!"

Roman stared intently at Kevin, not missing a single flicker of expression on his face.

As Kevin watched him with growing anxiety, Roman said slowly, "The woman you were in contact with, Yvonne York, is a high-ranking member of the cult, The Advent Sect. The Divine Fortune you bought is just a scam they run to fool people. And now you’re telling me you don’t know about The Advent Sect?!"

At this, Kevin’s face flushed beet-red, and he looked like he was about to burst into tears.

He quickly explained, "I-I only bought that Divine Fortune once! They said my business would reach the next level if I did, so I bought it. I really had no idea they were a cult!"

With a miserable look on his face, Kevin added, "Director Rhodes, please, you have to believe me! I admit, I solicited prostitutes, I gambled, I made a pregnant woman have an abortion, but I’m really a good person! I’ve never been involved in any terrorist activities!"

Roman’s gaze remained fixed on Kevin, as if trying to judge the truth of his words.

After a long moment, Roman asked in a deep voice, "When you went to buy the Divine Fortune, where did you go, who did you meet, and what do you know about The Advent Sect... I want you to tell me everything, every last detail, right now!"

...

******

After breakfast, Melody Summers put on a thick padded jacket, a fur hat, and goggles, then headed out to apartment 1501.

The temperature outside was extremely low; the world seemed to have frozen solid.

Walking through the hallway, Melody felt as if she were in an icebox. Even in her thick down jacket, she couldn’t stop the bone-chilling cold from seeping through her skin and deep into her marrow.

She didn’t even dare to breathe deeply. Every breath she took felt like a thousand needles stabbing her respiratory tract and lungs, making her organs ache.

On her way downstairs, she also noticed that parts of the hallway walls had begun to peel and crack, likely from the freezing temperatures.

Arriving at the door to 1501, Melody knocked hard. The door seemed to be coated in a layer of frost, and she could faintly hear the sound of ice crackling under her knuckles.

On the other side of the door, Noelle Quillan heard the knock. Wrapped in a thick quilt, she tiptoed from her bedroom to the living room. Like a caterpillar, she clambered onto the sofa blocking the main door and carefully peeked through the peephole.

When she saw it was Melody Summers standing outside, she breathed a sigh of relief, quickly moved the sofa and cabinet blocking the entrance, and opened the door for her.