A heavy silence filled the room as Chris, Leo, and Ray sat on bed, carefully examining the documents they had recovered from Helen's bag. What they had expected to be a few scattered clues had instead revealed something far more disturbing. Chris's eyes remained fixed on the papers in his hands, but his mind struggled to accept what he was reading. Page after page was filled with names, dates and locations . Each entry represented another person who had either disappeared without a trace or been murdered under mysterious circumstances. The sheer number of victims was enough to make his stomach turn.
What shocked him even more was the fact that nobody seemed to know about any of it. There had been no public warnings, no city-wide panic, and no reports serious enough to suggest that something this terrible was happening inside Morveth. It was as if hundreds of lives had simply vanished into the darkness while the rest of the city continued living normally. Chris found it difficult to believe. The more he read, the more impossible everything seemed.
As his eyes moved across another page of names, a troubling thought slowly formed in his mind. If so many people had disappeared in past few months, then surely someone in power should have known about it. The King governed these lands. The Emperor ruled an even larger territory. Was it really possible that neither of them had discovered anything? Or was there another explanation? Perhaps someone was deliberately hiding the truth. Perhaps the reports were being suppressed before they could ever reach the authorities. The idea sounded absurd, yet the evidence sitting in front of him made it difficult to dismiss.
Across the table, Leo and Ray looked just as shocked. Their expressions mirrored the disbelief that Chris himself was feeling. Neither of them spoke for several moments as they continued reading through the documents. The room remained completely silent except for the occasional sound of paper being turned.
Eventually, Leo lowered the papers in his hands and looked toward Chris.
"This is much worse than we expected," he said quietly. "The number of victims is unbelievable. I thought we'd find a few suspicious cases, but this..." He shook his head. "So many people have already been murdered."
Chris nodded slowly. He pointed toward several names that had been marked with red ink.
"Yeah. Look at these."
Leo and Ray leaned closer.
"From what I can tell, everyone marked in red is either confirmed dead or has disappeared completely. Whoever created this list wasn't just collecting information. They were tracking victims."
Ray studied the marked names carefully before his attention shifted to another section of the document.
"Then what about these people?" he asked while pointing at a different column. "Most of them don't have any marks beside their names."
Chris frowned.
It was a question he had already been asking himself.
He looked over the list once more before answering.
"Honestly, I don't know."
His eyes remained fixed on the paper.
"But if I had to guess, the people marked in red are probably the victims whose deaths have already been confirmed."
He paused briefly.
"And the others..."
The room seemed to grow quieter.
"The others might be future victims."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The possibility was horrifying.
If Chris was right, then somewhere in Morveth there were innocent people walking through their daily lives without knowing that their names had already appeared on a list connected to murder and disappearance cases. The thought alone was enough to send a chill down Ray's spine.
"You really think that's possible?" Ray asked.
Chris rubbed his forehead.
"I don't know. It's only a theory."
"But it makes sense," Leo admitted. "Why else would someone separate the names like this?"
Chris nodded.
"Exactly. Whoever made these documents clearly had a reason for organizing them this way. The problem is that we don't know what that reason is."
The three of them returned to the documents once again, searching for anything they might have missed. Every page raised new questions while providing very few answers. Some entries contained dates but no details. Others listed names without any explanation at all. A few even had symbols written beside them that none of the three could identify.
The deeper they looked, the more confusing everything became.
Chris leaned back in his chair and let out a slow breath.
"We're missing something."
Leo looked up.
"What do you mean?"
"We have the evidence, but we don't have the context behind it."
Chris tapped the stack of papers resting on the table.
"These documents tell us that people disappeared. They tell us that people died. But they don't tell us who is responsible, why it happened, or how someone gathered all this information in the first place."
Ray folded his arms.
"So we're basically stuck."
"Not completely."
Chris glanced toward the bag resting on the table.
"At least now we know one thing."
Both Leo and Ray looked at him.
"What?"
"Helen wasn't exaggerating."
The room fell silent again.
When they had first met Helen, many of her claims had sounded difficult to believe. Stories of disappearances, hidden victims, and ignored investigations seemed almost impossible at the time.
But now?
Now they were holding proof in their hands.
Proof that something terrible had been happening in Morveth for far longer than any of them had imagined.
And that realization was perhaps the most unsettling discovery of all.
For the first time since this investigation had begun, Chris felt as though they were standing at the edge of something far larger than a simple murder case. Hidden beneath the surface of Morveth was a darkness that nobody wanted to acknowledge.
The only question remaining was how deep that darkness truly went.
The room fell silent after Chris's words. If his theory was correct, then somewhere in Morveth there were people whose names had already been placed on a list before they had even become victims. The thought alone was enough to send a chill through the room.
As everyone continued examining the documents, Leo suddenly noticed a folded paper hidden inside Helen's bag. Curious, he pulled it out and unfolded it. The moment he read its contents, his expression darkened.
"What is it?" Ray asked.
Leo looked up slowly. "This is worse than everything we've seen so far."
Chris frowned. "What do you mean?"
"It's a list of children."
The atmosphere instantly became heavier.
"A list of children who have either disappeared or been murdered."
Chris placed a hand on his forehead. Missing adults were horrifying enough, but children becoming victims made the situation feel even darker.
"What is happening in this world?" he muttered quietly.
Leo continued reading through the list before suddenly noticing something unusual.
"Wait."
Chris looked at him. "What?"
"Most of these names don't have red marks."
Ray immediately leaned closer. "What do you mean?"
Leo pointed toward the paper. "Only a few names have red circles around them. The majority don't."
A small spark of hope appeared on Ray's face.
"So the others might still be alive?"
"Maybe," Leo replied. "If the red marks represent confirmed deaths, then the children without marks could still be alive somewhere. The problem is that nobody knows where they are."
Chris remained silent for a few moments before speaking.
"Leo's theory might be correct, but right now we're only making assumptions. We don't have enough information to know what's true and what's not. At the moment, we're standing in darkness and firing arrows toward a target we can't even see."
The room became quiet once again.
"If we want real answers," Leo finally said, "then we need to speak with the person who investigated all of this."
"Helen," Ray replied immediately.
Leo nodded. "She's our best lead."
Chris agreed, but another problem remained.
"That's fine, but where do we find her?"
Neither Chris nor Leo had an answer.
Then Ray smiled confidently.
"I know exactly where she'll be."
Both of them looked at him.
"Where?"
"Berkyo's most expensive bar."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "And how are you so sure?"
"Because I met her there." Ray leaned back . "Helen loves investigations, mysteries, and hidden stories. She spends hours listening to conversations and gathering information. She also values her safety, which is why she prefers expensive bar instead of ordinary bar."
Chris frowned. "But doesn't she have money problems?"
"She does," Ray replied with a laugh. "The first time I met her, she spent hours there with only a single beer.
The explanation finally made sense.
Ray glanced toward the window where the evening sun was slowly disappearing behind the rooftops of Berkyo.
"If we leave now, we'll probably find her there."
Chris looked outside before standing up from his chair.
"Then let's go. The sooner we find her, the sooner we get answers."
Without wasting another second, Chris, Leo, and Ray gathered the documents and left the building. As they stepped into the streets of Berkyo, countless questions continued to race through Chris's mind. The missing children, the murders, and the mysterious lists all pointed toward a truth far darker than they had imagined. And somehow, he felt that Helen possessed the answers they were searching for.
The streets of Berkyo gradually changed as Chris, Leo, and Ray continued walking through the city. The crowded markets and ordinary shops slowly disappeared behind them, replaced by wide stone roads lined with elegant buildings. Expensive clothing stores displayed luxurious outfits behind crystal-clear windows, while high-end restaurants filled the air with the aroma of freshly prepared meals. Even the people walking through this part of the city looked different. Their clothes were cleaner, their posture more confident, and their purses undoubtedly heavier.
As they moved deeper into the district, one building quickly drew their attention above all the others.
Berkyo Bar.
It stood proudly at the end of the street like a symbol of wealth itself. The exterior was built from polished marble that reflected the warm glow of the evening lanterns. Massive wooden doors crafted from expensive dark stood at the entrance, their surfaces decorated with intricate carvings that spoke of skilled craftsmanship. Above the doorway hung an elegant golden signboard engraved with the bar's name, while two large lanterns on either side cast a rich amber light across the marble walls. Even from outside, the place radiated luxury.
Chris stopped for a brief moment to admire the building.
"Now I understand why this place is so expensive," he muttered.
Without wasting any more time, the three of them pushed open the massive doors and stepped inside.
The moment they entered, a pleasant sweetness filled their senses.
Rows upon rows of shelves covered the walls, each displaying countless bottles of expensive wine and rare alcohol. Soft golden lights illuminated the room, reflecting beautifully against polished wooden surfaces and crystal bottles. The furniture alone looked more expensive than some houses Chris had seen during his travels. Every table had been carefully crafted from fine wood, while comfortable chairs surrounded wealthy customers who enjoyed their evenings in quiet conversation.
The atmosphere was surprisingly calm. Instead of loud shouting and drunken brawls, the room was filled with soft chatter, occasional laughter, and the gentle clinking of glasses. Well-dressed waiters moved smoothly between tables, delivering drinks with practiced professionalism.
Chris took a slow breath.
"The smell alone makes this place feel expensive."
Leo nodded in agreement while Ray simply smiled, already familiar with the establishment.
Chris allowed his gaze to wander across the bar, searching for a familiar face. However, before he could spot anyone, a young woman approached them with a professional smile. She wore a neat uniform and carried herself with the confidence of someone accustomed to dealing with wealthy customers.
"Good evening," she said politely. "How may I help you?"
Chris stepped forward.
"We're looking for someone."
The waitress nodded.
"Could you describe her?"
Chris thought for a moment.
"Curly hair. Middle-aged. Beautiful. And she used to work for Morveth Times."
The smile on the waitress's face instantly disappeared.
Her expression turned noticeably annoyed.
Chris immediately realized she probably knew exactly who they were talking about.
"Helen?" she asked.
"Yeah," Chris replied.
The waitress sighed and pointed toward a distant corner of the bar.
"She's over there."
All three of them followed her finger.
Sure enough, Helen was sitting alone at a table in the corner.
Or at least she had been sitting.
Now she was completely passed out, her head resting on the table while her curly hair covered most of her face.
Chris couldn't help but stare.
For someone investigating murders and conspiracies, Helen certainly had a unique way of spending her evenings.
"Thanks," Chris said.
The three of them immediately started walking toward her table.
"Wait."
The waitress's voice stopped them.
Chris turned around.
"What?"
The woman crossed her arms.
"Who's paying her bill?"
Chris froze.
A bad feeling instantly appeared in his chest.
"How much?"
"Thirteen gold coins."
Chris nearly choked.
"Thirteen?!"
"She ordered expensive wine."
The waitress pointed toward Helen.
"And a lot of it."
Chris looked at the sleeping woman, then at the waitress, then back at the sleeping woman again.
For several seconds he seriously considered leaving.
Unfortunately, they needed answers.
With a defeated sigh, Chris reached into his pocket and handed over thirteen gold coins.
"There."
The waitress immediately smiled again.
"Thank you."
Chris felt as though part of his soul had just left his body.
Ray struggled to hide his laughter while Leo looked away, pretending not to find the situation amusing.
The three of them finally reached Helen's table. Empty wine bottles were scattered across its surface like trophies from a battle she had clearly won. A small scented candle burned at the center of the table, filling the surrounding air with a pleasant fragrance. Judging by the number of bottles alone, it was obvious that Helen was completely drunk.
Chris pulled out a chair and sat down across from her.
Leo and Ray did the same.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Chris simply stared at Helen as countless questions continued to race through his mind. The missing children. The murders. The secret lists. The names marked in red.
Every answer they needed seemed to be sitting right in front of them.