Chapter 3 - Hearing Voices? Initiating Trial!

“They already want to catch whoever helped catch these criminals. Isn’t this too much? If they had the ability, why didn’t they catch the two themselves?”

The store owner spoke in an annoyed voice. As a person who lived in the same city, he was worried for his safety with such a dangerous criminal on the loose, now that someone managed to catch him, why were they switching the target to him instead of thanking him?

“No need to be so angry uncle… If someone managed to neutralize people like the ‘Slasher’ then it’s obvious that he is quite dangerous as well. Besides, he is practically destroying the order of society by acting on his own beliefs.”

That was exactly the reason why Leo found this hobby unsustainable. In order to catch this ‘Slasher’, he had to break a few rules by sneaking into a few crime scenes and some private property.

Moreover, the method he used to deal with the criminal in the confrontation was enough to define him as a dangerous criminal as well. Even though he only used an air gun that was based within his glove, he had made use of it to shoot a thin needle full of a neuromuscular blocking drug into the guy’s artery.

While such a drug was used in some surgeries, it could be considered very dangerous in its own way. As long as artificial breathing wasn’t applied during the surgery, the patient would die as his breathing muscles stopped working.

“Hmmm, I guess that makes sense, but I still feel gratitude towards this mysterious ‘Smiling Cat’. I’m also not the only one, some people even made an online fan club for him!”

“Hahaha.”

‘Eh?’

Feeling somewhat shocked, Leo scratched the back of his head as he laughed, he didn’t think his escapades would result in something like that this quickly.

However, he recognized that what he did wasn’t normal. Starting from tracking evidence, finding the killer by analyzing him, to the point of catching him, all that was only possible thanks to the various skills that he had acquired from reading.

For example, Sherlock’s deduction had allowed him to know that the criminal liked to watch the crime scene from afar. A few realistic hunting novels made it possible for him to customize a proper air gun within his glove as well as aim and distract his target so he wouldn’t realize he already fell into a trap. Lastly, a few medical research papers allowed him to accurately know how to use a NMB drug and maintain the life of the criminal. One could say that it was a widely cast web that the criminal had little chance to escape from.

“Seems like you were lucky today, you actually found something new.”

Seeing that Leo didn’t seem to be keen on discussing the ‘Smiling Cat’, the store owner looked at the book in his hand and gave him a congratulating smile.

“It’s thanks to your bookstore, I will come by sometime later to help.”

Leo smiled back as he put the small book in his pocket, although he still had a lot of novels he could read online, he enjoyed reading physical books more, he was quite satisfied with his catch.

“You should just take over my spot, you would definitely be a better bookstore owner than me.”

The store owner liked Leo quite a bit, he hadn't seen someone more passionate about reading than him, not to mention that his personality was quite amiable. If not for his daughter going abroad to study, he would have wanted to pair him with her.

“Haha, school is about to start soon, I probably won’t have enough time, maybe we can discuss this in the next summer break…”

Leo could only continue laughing and scratching his head, he was someone that went as far as chasing psychos to relieve his boredom, it would be pure torture if he was asked to look over a bookstore that he had already ‘swept’ clean!

“Alright, off you go, maybe you will change your mind when the next batch of new books arrives.”

“You must be joking uncle, I’m really starting to get busy.”

He had just hunted the ‘Slasher’ two hours ago, he even had a fan club of his own, how could he simply submit to the temptation of some new books?

‘He probably made that up to tease me! But…’

As Leo’s determination and addiction fought, the battle ended with the winner being his addiction as always. He would come back in a few weeks to check if the store owner’s words are true. If so, he could consider working here… only part-time though!

Feeling proud that he didn’t completely submit this time, Leo left in quick steps and walked along the sidewalk. He lived only a few buildings away from the bookstore, which was why he was so familiar with the store owner. After all, this was his favorite store as a kid.

Thud!

Taking his keys out of the door and going in, Leo closed the door as he announced his arrival, “I’m home.”

Leo was surprised to find his mother wearing her shoes and getting ready to leave, it was already 2 PM. Didn't she usually start making lunch at this time?

His family’s financial situation was quite well off, especially his mother’s family, so his mother didn’t work, so it was rare for her to leave the house this early.

“Oh, you are back already Leo?”

Mia, Leo’s mother, was also slightly surprised.

“Didn’t you say that you planned to search a few stores for new books?”

Knowing Leo’s ‘habit’, Mia knew that Leo’s ‘book hunting’ usually lasted till evening, he had returned too early…

“I managed to find a new book in uncle Krey’s store, so I returned early.”

“That’s good, I have an errand to make for your father, you can have a snack till I return for lunch.”

“Alright.”

Leo simply nodded as he put away his shoes, he wasn’t really that hungry. He was more excited to read his new novel.

Quickly taking a quick shower before lying in bed, Leo opened the small but thick book and flipped the pages with zest, this novel wasn’t bad at all!

‘Sigh.’

He was more satisfied with his catch after he finished it, it was just that he was sad about how quickly he finished it, it didn’t even last an hour!

However, just as he was lamenting his inability to suppress his reading speed, Leo felt as if something had broken into his head as he heard a strange voice.

[ The energy threshold of the ‘Reader’ has been reached. ]

[ Initiating trial ‘True Reading’... ]