Chapter 53: March 4, 1458

“Recently, the public security bureau arrested Mr. Amos Morrison, a famous artist and painter of Freezing Water Port, for consecutive homicides.”

“According to an anonymous letter, there were a large number of dead bodies hidden in His Excellency Amos Morrison’s gallery. Although the sheriff, His Excellency Hiram, thought this might be a prank, our respectable Sergeant Hiram still brought his security team and police with the assistance of several people relevant in the field to inspect Morrison’s gallery last night.”

Eh?

Gallery?

Annan saw this and came into deep thought.

He looked up and saw that this newspaper was called “Recent Events in the North Sea,” which seemed to be a monthly newspaper.

After noting down the name, Annan unfolded the already somewhat easily torn newspaper and read carefully:

“Earlier, His Excellency Amos Morrison reported to the Freezing Water Port Police Station, claiming that his daughter Elle Morrison was missing inexplicably. Because of Mr. Amos’s outstanding artwork, this caused an uproar.

“Our beloved Viscount Alvin Barber and honorable Count Geraint also inspected this matter for a while. The Freezing Water Port police bureau joined hands with the public security bureau in Roseburg, Whiteland, High Cliff Castle, and other places to jointly handle the case. They recruited many well-known detectives and those in the same field. Elle Morrison’s whereabouts were not found in the end, albeit with the assistance of relevant personnel in the industry.

“This incident was once introduced to the capital as a case proving the North Sea Territory’s weak governing power. Count Geraint severely criticized the incident. The former Freezing Water Port Police Chief, Job Boro resigned because of the unfavorable handling of the case.

“At 2:15 on March 4, Sergeant Hiram’s investigation team was attacked in Morrison’s gallery. Three police officers died, unfortunately. The two police officers also went crazy on the spot because the scene was too cruel, and they suffered a substantial mental shock. They then died of injuries a few days later.

“The perpetrator was killed on the spot. The police station recovered the dead bodies. The identity was reported to be a mercenary from the swamp. More details, including the number of perpetrators, were still under confidentiality.

“According to the testimony of a drinker who had just left Rotten Fish Bar, he heard a roar at about 2:30 in the morning. After he rushed to Morrison’s gallery, he found that the police officers were talking to a burning person with flames all over his body. He was stunned in shock during the police’s battle with a Giant Ball made of flesh. He shouted, attracting the attention of the Meatball emitting colorful light. Then, he was knocked out from the back.

“Later, Sergeant Hiram found multiple Elle Morrison’s body pieces in Morrison’s gallery. They were hidden inside the frame with the police dogs sniffing them out. Before that, Morrison’s gallery had always prohibited pets from entering.

“Elle Morrison was originally named Elle Buckel. When she was seven, her biological father died. Her mother, Clara Buckel, remarried Amos Morrison, who was five years younger than her. Elle also changed her surname to Morrison at this time.

“When she was fourteen years old, her mother Clara died of illness for unknown reasons. In Morrison’s gallery basement, a six-month-old stillbirth that had just been made into a specimen was found. The relevant personnel in security confirmed that the mother was Elle Morrison while the father was Amos Morrison. We have reason to suspect that there is an improper and unhealthy relationship between them.”

Below, there was a “Note: This specimen has been recovered by the relevant department” in a line of small letters.

A six-month stillbirth?

Annan paused.

If the year Elle died, and Amos was arrested, it was the second year of the nightmare.

He roughly calculated it. The month Elle was pregnant. It was almost the month when Amos’s second plotline appeared in the ritual.

Annan felt a crippling horror crawling on his back.

But he didn’t realize where this uneasy feeling came from.

He continued to read:

“Elle Morrison’s body was confirmed to have died half a month ago by the relevant police and security team. It was exactly ten days after Mr. Amos Morrison reported the case.

“In addition, in the underground warehouse of Morrison’s gallery, many corpses were also found. Most of them were vagrants, but the famous art critic Absalom Flagg was there too. He was a critic of Morrison’s paintings in the past. But half a year ago, he became Morrison’s fanatical supporter. Three months ago, he went to Freezing Water Port to participate in Mr. Morrison’s painting exhibition, but he disappeared halfway.

“We have reason to suspect that Amos killed Absalom Flagg. His Excellency Amos confessed to this fact.”

“When asked about the other details in the gallery and the so-called Colored Meatball, His Excellency Sheriff Hiram said:

“‘Undoubtedly, the mercenaries from the swamp are fighting us. The police officers on the scene can attest to this. The reason for the abstract monster to appear on the scene can only be the effect of alcohol. We have nothing to comment on about what happened in the gallery related to confidentiality regulations. Mr. reporter, I sincerely tell you that it’s a great blessing that you did not show up at the scene. I think anyone with a conscience and sound morals will cry for the tragedy in the basement.’

“At present, the public security team will lock down Morrison’s gallery. The relevant persons involved are being interrogated one after another. His Excellency Morrison is under strict imprisonment control. It is reported that the feudal lord intends to dismantle Morrison’s gallery shortly.”

Is this the end of Amos?

Annan wrote down all the other newspaper contents in the same period and then slowly closed the newspaper back.

Count Geraint.

Which Geraint forty-five years ago?

Is it Don Juan’s father or his grandfather?

Also, is the Roseburg viscount mentioned in the nightmare – Alvin Barber?

Elle’s previous last name, “Buckel.”

If Annan remembered correctly, in the cutscene cinematic graphics of the nightmare, Amos yelled, “Don’t…Buckel…”

Who is he talking to?

Annan vaguely realized that these old news were connected. It was even possible that not just because of the prohibition of trade exports with Chilly Austere Dukedom, other reasons were contributing to the Freezing Water Port being abandoned decades ago.

So, Don Juan coming to this land might be more than simply because of “the harms in the capital.”

“Forty-five years ago.”

Annan murmured.

He silently wrote down this number.

In any case, something must have happened forty-five years ago.

“How is it?”

Salvatore on the side looked at Annan, looking solemnly at the newspaper, and couldn’t help asking, “Are there any gains?”

“Yes. Do you still have the newspaper this year?”

Annan replied immediately, “I want the news on the previous year too.”

The current time was December 1503 in the new calendar. The Cold-Blooded Lady and the strict Old Grandmother protected the last month of the year. It would soon be 1504.

Then, it was 1458 forty-five years ago.

At this time, something must have happened.

“Such old newspapers are not easy to find. Their circulation is small.”

Salvatore scratched his head in trouble, “I only brought the newspapers related to Gerant family and Black Tower this time, mainly for fear of taboos. It may not be possible to find all of them. I will try my best.”

“Thank you, senior.”

Annan nodded.

It was better to let Salvatore help with the investigation than to run in like a headless fly.

Annan urgently needed to deal with another issue personally.

“My guards, what’s the situation now?”