Crazy Detective: I Have The System To Change The World.

Kai nodded, his jaw tightening.

"He shot me, Chief. Left me for dead. I've been lying low, trying to figure out what to do. I only came back now because I knew he wouldn't be here today—he always goes on patrol this time of the month. That's the only reason I had the courage to come forward and report him."

Harris stared at Kai for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned forward again, his hands clasped tightly together on the desk. "So you're telling me the truth? Leo shot you, inside the underground tunnel."

Kai met his gaze head-on.

"Yes, sir. Every word."

Kai however was just playing mind games with chief, acting normal and pretending not to know anything.

At that moment Chief Harris stared at Kai, his expression shifting from disbelief to simmering rage.

The office was tense, the air heavy with unspoken accusations. For a moment, the only sound was the distant hum of the precinct outside the closed office door.

Then, without warning, Harris slammed his fist on the desk.

The impact rattled the papers and coffee mug sitting precariously on the edge.

"Damn it, Kai!" he bellowed, his voice echoing in the small office. "You're a goddamn asshole!"

Kai flinched at the outburst but held his ground, his jaw tightening.

"Why the hell didn't you come yesterday? Or a week ago?"

Harris demanded, his face red with fury.

"Do you have any idea what's happened while you've been skulking around, deciding whether or not to grow a spine and step forward?"

Kai clenched his fists but didn't respond. He knew Harris wasn't done.

Harris leaned forward, jabbing a finger toward him.

"Leo's been under our noses this whole time! And yesterday—yesterday, my best detective working undercover was killed! Murdered!"

His voice cracked slightly, but he pressed on.

"And that damn child trafficker and his hiding place you've been tracking for God knows how long? It got raided yesterday. Everyone inside was killed—everyone."

At that moment Kai's pretends chest tightened. The words hit harder than he expected, but he kept his expression neutral, hearing the chief saying an undercover detective was in the warehouse yesterday made him curious, he then decided to play his pretend game.

However Harris ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.

"If you'd come forward sooner, we could've stopped it, Kai. We could've arrested that bastard and your partner before it turned into a bloodbath. But you didn't."

His voice dropped, heavy with disappointment.

"You waited too long."

Kai's eyes flicked to the desk, fake guilt creeping in despite the cold resolve he'd carried since walking in.

At that moment Kai stood up.

"I thought—"

"No, Kai,"

Harris cut him off, his tone sharp as a knife.

"You didn't think well enough. And now people are dead because of it."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Harris stared at him, his anger palpable, while Kai stood motionless, the weight of the words sinking in.

However he pretend continued.

Kai furrowed his brow, feigning confusion as he leaned slightly forward in his chair.

"What do you mean? What happened at the mansion?"

he asked, his tone measured, but with just enough curiosity to sell the act.

At that moment Chief Harris exhaled sharply knowing Kai might not have heard the news of what went down yesterday, he started rubbing his temples.

"It's a damn mess," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "The place was torn apart yesterday. Blood everywhere, bodies scattered like some twisted battlefield."

Kai tilted his head, keeping his expression neutral.

"Who do you think did it?"

Harris shook his head, frustration etched across his face. "We're not sure. Looks like some kind of turf war, maybe thugs fighting over territory. But this wasn't your average gang. These people were highly trained. Every shot was precise, every move calculated, no trace, no finger print, nothing."

Kai's heartbeat quickened, but he masked his reaction.

"Highly trained gang?" he echoed, his voice steady. "You think it was professionals?"

"That's the thing,"

Harris said, leaning forward, his elbows on the desk.

"It wasn't just the killing. however before or after the killing Someone hacked into the mansion's security system. Manipulated every camera feed, erased everything. We don't even have a single frame of footage. It's like the place was swept clean by ghosts."

Upon hearing what the chief just said Kai blinked, pretending to process the information. Inside, though, he felt a surge of satisfaction.

'I didn't touch the cameras. The system must've handled that on its own. So that's what it meant by leaving no trace.'

Harris leaned back, running a hand through his hair again.

"I've been doing this job for thirty years, and I've never seen anything like it. Whoever they were, they didn't just kill those men. They sent a message, a clear message."

Kai nodded slowly, his lips pressing into a thin line to hide the faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Inside, though, he was elated.

'Perfect. They're chasing shadows.'

Chief Harris's gaze dropped to the desk, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight of the conversation. His fingers absently traced the edge of a report, the sorrow etched into his features betraying the burden he carried.

Kai stood to attention and saluted sharply, his voice firm.

"Sir, when should I report back to duty?"

Harris's head snapped up, his brow furrowing into a deep frown.

"What the hell are you talking about, Kai?" he barked, his voice filled with incredulity.

"Report back to duty? Your name's already been removed from the books. You're supposed to be dead. Don't you remember?"

Kai straightened, his jaw tightening.

"I know, Chief. But I'm here now. Give me a chance to prove myself. I can still be an asset to the department."

Harris shook his head, his expression hard.

"No, Kai. Absolutely not. It's not even possible. You've been declared dead and you didn't show your face in weeks. The department's moved on. This isn't some action movie where people come back from the grave and pick up where they left off."

Immediately Kai's voice softened, almost pleading.

"Please, sir. I'm asking for one chance. Let me show you—"

"Enough!" Harris cut him off, his tone final.

"It's not happening, Kai. End of discussion."

Before Kai could respond, the door burst open, and the fat woman from the front desk hurried inside, her face pale with panic.

"Chief!"

she exclaimed, her voice breathless. "There's a mess shooting downtown! Two officers are down, and they're calling for backup!"

Harris shot to his feet, his hand already reaching for his radio. "Where's the location?"