Chapter 23: Chapter 23
At that moment Kai extended his hand, his expression neutral as he met the chief's gaze. The handshake was firm. The moment their hands connected, the familiar rush hit Kai—the vision pouring in like an unstoppable tide.
Immediately Flashes of the chief's past swirled in Kai's mind, vivid but fragmented. He saw the chief seated in closed restaurant, his face lined with tension. A shadowy figure loomed across the desk, speaking low and firm, though the voice was muffled in the vision.
However Kai strained to see more, but the figure's face remained obscured, blurred as if hidden by an unseen force.
"Send him to Apex Grove," the voice commanded, a tone dripping with quiet authority.
However the chief hesitated in the vision, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. He didn't speak—he simply nodded, his fingers curling tightly on the armrest. A sign of silent agreement.
Who's pulling his strings? Kai thought, his mind racing as the vision shifted.
But instead of diving deeper, the stream of images slowed, anchored by the chief's present thoughts—the unease of being confronted, the guarded walls he'd thrown up.
Kai's All Seeing ability was bound by intent; the past he glimpsed remained tethered to what the chief had been thinking in that very moment.
As the vision faded, Kai blinked, releasing the chief's hand. His expression remained unreadable,
Although he wanted to see more or at least see the man face, but he didn't which was so disappointing to him.
Now all his suspension were correct someone was behind his transfer, they don't want him him around.
At that moment Kai jaw tightened
though irritation flickered behind his eyes. He knows something—he's complicit. But who's the voice in the shadows?
At that moment the chief gave him a curt nod, completely unaware of what had just transpired.
"Good luck in Apex Grove," he said gruffly. "Make sure you don't stir up trouble there and do your job properly."
Kai studied him for a beat longer, as if searching for a crack in his composure. "I'll do my job," he said simply, his tone carrying a weight the chief seemed to feel but didn't question.
As Kai turned to leave, his thoughts churned like a rising storm. Someone gave the order, and the chief followed it without hesitation. Whoever this is, they're powerful—and careful enough to cover their tracks.
At that moment he paused at the doorway, glancing back at the chief, who was already buried in his paperwork.
'But careful or not, I'll find them.'
Kai walked was still standing at the doorway but the residual fragments of the vision lingering like faint echoes in his mind. The rush of seeing the chief's connection to the shadowy figure had left him with more questions than answers. The handshake, while powerful, was incomplete. It showed him glimpses—snapshots tied only to the present moment. If he didn't have a lead, it wouldn't let him go further back.
"There has to be more, I need to see more not something so little as that at least, see the man face or something, the vision is just too short and it's frustration." Kai said to himself, irritation tugging at the edges of his calm. I need to see everything, not just fragments. If this is all the system gives me, I need an upgrade… something that would make me see further.
At that moment the chief raised up his head, Seeing Kai still standing on the doorway, realizing he has been standing there for long, at that moment the realization hit him thinking Kai was going to beg about the transfer.
Immediately he cleared his throat, his voice clipped and authoritative. "That's enough standing their, the decision has been made. Pack your things and head home. You leave for Apex Grove first thing tomorrow."
However Kai didn't respond immediately. He turned and studied the chief's face—a well-practiced mask that revealed nothing. His mind still replayed the voice from the vision, the orders being given. Why send him there? The thought gnawed at him, but he knew pushing for answers now wouldn't get him anywhere.
"You're giving me the day off?" Kai finally asked, his voice calm but edged with subtle disbelief.
At that moment the chief gave a faint smirk, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Take it or leave it. Get some rest. You'll need it." His tone left no room for argument.
At that moment Kai wanted to protest, to stay and dig deeper, but he knew it would be pointless. Fighting the current wouldn't get him anywhere—yet. With a curt nod, he turned and walked toward his desk. The tension in the room followed him like a shadow.
As he packed his stuff, stuffing in the few files and essentials he'd need, his thoughts churned.
"Why Apex Grove of all places?"
The more he thought about it, the clearer it became—this wasn't random. Someone wanted him far from here, away from the truth he was starting to uncover.
"Heading out already?" a voice muttered nearby. One of the officers, half-sneering, half-curious, watched him.
However Kai didn't respond. He zipped up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the station without looking back.
Stepping outside, the cool evening air hit him, but it did little to clear his mind. The chief's words still echoing in his head. Take the day off. Go home.
But home wasn't where Kai wanted to be. Not when questions lingered unanswered, when every thread of this case led to another shadow. Still, he had no choice. Apex Grove awaited him, and for now, he would have to play along.
Kai's steps were steady as he walked down the street, his jaw tight with resolve.
"I'll leave tomorrow, but this isn't over. Whoever's behind this—I'll find you."
As Kai stepped out of the police station, the sharp click of shoes on concrete caught his attention. He glanced briefly toward the entrance but didn't linger. A man in a perfectly tailored black suit strode inside, his posture straight, his face unreadable beneath the pale glow of the station lights. The man moved with purpose, his polished shoes echoing through the otherwise quiet space.
Neither of them exchanged glances, as if they existed in separate worlds, but something about the stranger's presence set off an instinct in Kai's mind.