Long before the police called him a monster… Lucian Vale had been called a genius.
As a child, he was quiet. Not shy. Just observant. Teachers noticed it first. While other students struggled with mathematics or logic puzzles, Lucian solved them almost instantly. Sometimes he would finish assignments and then spend the rest of the class simply watching people. Watching how they spoke.
How they lied.
How they smiled when they didn't mean it.
By the time he was sixteen, Lucian already understood something most people never realized in their entire lives.
People were predictable.
Every choice, every reaction, every mistake followed patterns.
And once you understood those patterns…
You could predict everything.
Lucian went on to study psychology and behavioral analysis. Professors praised his research. His ability to understand human thinking was exceptional.
But there was something unsettling about him. He didn't just study behavior.
He studied fear.
The first time the police heard Lucian Vale's name was years later.
At first, the cases looked unrelated. Different victims. Different locations. No clear connection. But investigators eventually noticed something strange. Every crime scene was… precise.
Almost mathematical.
No chaos. No unnecessary harm. Just a perfectly executed plan. Each crime looked like someone had carefully studied the victim's life, movements, and routines for weeks. Sometimes months.
And then struck at the exact moment when the victim was most vulnerable.
By the time the pattern became clear…
It was already too late.
Lucian Vale had become one of the most difficult criminals the city had ever faced.
Not because he was violent. But because he was always ahead. Every investigation ended in dead ends. Every clue seemed intentional. As if someone was leaving puzzles behind.
Eventually, the police caught him. Not through evidence. But through patience.
A small mistake. Single pattern that repeated one too many times.
Lucian never resisted arrest.
When officers entered the apartment where he lived, they found him sitting quietly by the window. He simply looked at them and said:
"Ah… so you finally solved it."
Now he lives in a high-security prison on the edge of the city. A reinforced glass wall separated him from visitors. Security cameras watched his every movement.
Guards escorted anyone who entered the room. And yet…Even from behind bars…
Lucian Vale remained dangerous. Because his greatest weapon had never been violence. It was his mind.
Lucian sat calmly in the interview room.
A file rested on the table in front of him.
The guard outside the glass glanced at the clock. "Five minutes." Lucian didn't respond.
He simply turned a page in the file. A small smile appeared on his face. "Unique" he murmured.
Footsteps approached the room. Two investigators entered. Lucian didn't look up immediately. He already knew who they were. He had seen their reflection in the glass. One of them placed another document on the table.
"This is the case we mentioned," the investigator said. Lucian finally lifted his eyes. Calm. Sharp. Curious.
"A new killer?" he asked softly. The investigator hesitated.
"…Yes."
Lucian leaned back slightly in his chair. "How disappointing."
The man frowned. "What do you mean?
Lucian tapped the file gently. "This person isn't clever." Silence filled the room.
The investigator crossed his arms.
"You haven't even read the full report."
Lucian smiled faintly.
"I don't need to." His eyes drifted toward the glass wall. Toward the city beyond it.
Then he asked quietly:
"Tell me something first."
The investigator frowned. "What?"
Lucien's voice remained calm.
"Is the officer who shot Slovar… still suspended?" The room went still.
The investigators exchanged a quick glance.
"How do you know about that?" one of them asked.
Lucian's smile widened slightly. "Oh…"
"I keep track of interesting people."
He leaned forward slightly.
"And Officer Aren… is very interesting."
Outside the prison walls, the city continued its ordinary life. But inside the interview room…
Something had already begun moving.
A game. And Lucian Vale had just placed the first piece on the board.