PFC Chapter 4128 When the Pumpkin Ripens ( )
Chapter 4128 When the Pumpkin Ripens ( )
Chapter 4128 When the Pumpkin Ripens (Part 10)
It was another night of howling winds. Those sheltered in their warm homes only remembered the exceptionally piercing sound of the wind that night. It wasn't until they woke up in the morning that they realized those sharp cries weren't just from the wind, but also from the sirens of police cars that drifted through the night.
When Arrogance awoke, he saw the dazzling bright yellow of the police tape through his bedroom window, cutting the dust and mist rising from the lake in half, as if it were something from another world.
When he got up, Greed had already added firewood to the fireplace. As he walked down the stairs, he asked, "What happened last night?"
"You just woke up?" Greed said, somewhat surprised. "The police came in the middle of the night last night. I heard the kidnappers were hiding in that house with the chestnut tree. The children have been rescued. However, of the three kidnappers, only one is still here; the other two are missing. They will definitely commit another crime."
Arrogance walked to the phone and said, "I need to call Victor and Ron; they both have children. We have to be careful."
"It's probably going to be difficult, after all, Halloween is just around the corner. The kids have been looking forward to this day for a long time. You can't stop them from going out trick-or-treating."
“Then send some people to follow them. We can’t just let them walk into streets where kidnappers might be hiding. Many kids these days don’t even know what crime is.”
Arrogance sighed somewhat helplessly: "Brainiac has basically eradicated global crime. This has indeed provided a good living environment for children, but it has also inevitably made them lose their vigilance."
It's hard to imagine that in Gotham City, children would be born who think it's okay to wander the streets after dark. Yet, in just one year, they've become so adventurous that they dare to dress in outlandish costumes, knock on strangers' doors in groups, and ask for candy. Even more bizarrely, the people being asked to open their doors are surprisingly willing to do so, and some even have candy ready.
Arrogance made the call, inevitably adding a few extra words of advice. Although Victor and Ron both understood the importance of the matter, their children were polar opposites—one too energetic, the other too introverted. It would be troublesome if either of them were in danger.
Arrogance put on his coat and went to the door, wanting to take the newspaper delivered that morning from the mailbox. A strong wind had blew away all the clouds that night, leaving the sky cloudless. The sun had just risen, and the distant sky looked like a solid block of pale blue jelly, transparent, slightly cool, and with a hint of sweetness flowing through it.
The street not far away was bustling with noise; the police seemed intent on turning that house upside down. After watching for a moment, Arrogance decided to walk over, just in time to see Gordon leaning against a police car, drinking coffee.
“Good morning, Professor.” Gordon smiled at him and said, “It’s a nice morning. The children are home safely. You’ll probably be going to the thank-you performance tonight, won’t you?”
"Yes. Bruce gave me the tickets. We plan to have dinner at a restaurant near the theater first, and then go see the show."
"Barbara and I are also planning to go."
"Where's your daughter? I heard she had a fever a while ago?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, she caught the flu, but it's not a big deal. She's at her grandparents' house in Chicago now. They sent me videos of her playing ball, and she runs like a tornado."
"Children always grow up so fast. The fact that the victim is safe and sound is the best news I've heard recently. Is there any other news about the killer?"
Gordon shook his head and said, "From what we understand, they hid here because there are few people around. And that house happens to have two basement levels. They're hiding on the bottom floor, so no matter what noise they make, it's hard for anyone to notice."
Do you think they found this place by chance?
"Is not it?"
Arrogance shook his head and said, "That chestnut tree didn't just grow this big yesterday."
"Do you think they planned this all along?" Gordon asked tentatively.
"It might have been earlier than you think. Using chestnuts to lure small animals, and then using the animals' cries to cover up strange noises coming from inside the house. Even in Gotham, this method of crime can be considered sophisticated."
Gordon thought for a moment and then asked, "Were there chestnut trees here before you moved here?"
“I think so. This proves that their idea was good, they were just unlucky. They just happened to run into me and become their neighbor.”
"Are you admitting that you were involved in solving the case?"
“I can only say that it has nothing to do with the person standing in front of you,” Arrogance said, shaking his head. “If I hadn’t happened to move here, this would have been their perfect crime base. With the sounds of animals as cover, it would have been almost impossible for anyone to notice that they were hiding kidnapped children in the basement.”
"But this is seasonal. What if there are no animals in winter?"
"It's too cold in winter, so animals hide away. What about people?"
Gordon slapped his head. He didn't quite grasp it for a moment. Indeed, this trick only worked in seasons other than winter. Because when winter came, although animals hid away, humans also stayed indoors, making them even harder to spot.
"And if that's their intention, then their initial target is children, specifically children before puberty," Arrogance continued. "Before puberty, both boys and girls have relatively high-pitched voices. This makes them less likely to be detected."
Gordon thought it made sense, so he nodded, but still said, "We didn't find any tools in the basement. The children were taken to the hospital for a checkup, and the injury reports haven't arrived yet. But from what I can see, they didn't seem to have been abused. So why were they screaming?"
“It could also be psychological abuse,” Arrogance said after thinking for a moment. “If you can find the culprit, you might know what they’re trying to do with these kids.”
"The only suspect we caught has been sent for questioning. But honestly, he doesn't look like a murderer at all. If he were walking down the street, I would never believe he would kidnap three children."
"What kind of person is he?"
"He looks like an ordinary office worker. He has a kind face. His specific identity information is still being verified and investigated. However, if we can't get any more clues from him, we'll probably have to ask you to step in again."
"This matter is probably not that simple. But regardless, we must catch the escaped murderer as soon as possible. The children want to trick-or-treat for Halloween. By the way, whose house is this?"
"You mean the house where the killer was hiding? It originally belonged to a real estate developer from the West Coast. But he moved to the Otherworld. The house has now been taken over by Brainiac. There are no security cameras inside the house. However, from now on, the entire community should have a surveillance system installed."
Arrogance nodded, then said, "And what about this tree?"
Gordon looked back at the huge chestnut tree in the yard. He said, "This must have been bought and planted in the yard by that real estate developer. We're not sure if he was in cahoots with the killer. If he was, then this tree is also evidence."
"You're taking it with you?"
"Yes, it's an invasive species and not on the local tree protection list. It will probably be cut down."
“I think it’s a bit of a shame. If possible, I would like to transplant this tree into my yard.”
Gordon raised an eyebrow in surprise and said, "You want this tree?"
"Yes. This tree produces a pretty good yield of chestnuts, doesn't it?"
“That’s true. When I was a child, there was a chestnut tree in my grandmother’s yard, and every time I visited, she would bake chestnut cakes for me. But there are fewer and fewer chestnut trees on the East Coast. It’s really rare for this one to grow so big. I’ll send a report to Brainiac.”
He exchanged a few more pleasantries with Gordon, then arrogantly returned to his front door and took a newspaper from the mailbox. A rich aroma wafted from the kitchen as he opened the door.
“I have good news.” Arrogance took off his gloves and placed them on the cabinet next to him, then said, “The house with the chestnut tree is not private property, but is managed by Brainiac, and so far there are no surveillance devices.”
"You're not thinking of stealing chestnuts, are you?"
"It's not me, it's us. The gray fog is following you. All you have to do is go over and collect the chestnuts from the tree."
“This is exploiting Brainiac. I don’t want to get arrested.”
"Don't worry, he won't. He's busy catching the murderer. Besides, you also contributed to uncovering the murderer this time. He shouldn't mind if you get a few pats on the back."
"Okay, I'll go take a walk around later."
Are you baking a cake?
"Yes. You don't want to go to the thank-you performance empty-handed, do you?"
"I will bring black tea and wine."
“An old-fashioned choice.” Greedy adjusted the oven temperature, then grabbed the measuring tape, and said, “The East Coast community has always valued community and family. For this kind of formal occasion, which isn’t exclusive to the upper class, bringing some small desserts to enjoy while watching the show is perfect.”
"Then you should definitely get some chestnuts. I think chestnut cake would be great. What are you making now?"
"White chocolate shell with lemon ganache, cream cheese and crispy wafers."
"I asked about the name, not the ingredients."
"That's the name of the dessert. Aren't Western desserts usually just named dishes?" Greed paused for a moment before saying, "But you're right. Maybe I can put some more chestnut puree in it. This dessert does lack a bit of texture. I was originally thinking of using a nut brownie."
"Okay. Maybe I can help you fold the wrapping paper."
"The finished product will be shaped like a chocolate ball. There are ready-made paper cups, but I do need a cardboard box to hold the cups in place and a basket to hold the contents. The materials package is next to the coffee table."
Arrogantly, he walked over and sat down on the sofa, glancing at the materials package. It seemed to have been brought entirely by Greed; such a complete set of materials couldn't be bought in the local community stores.
Arrogance first took out the cardboard, then found the paper tray in the kitchen. He cut out a round hole in the cardboard according to the size of the paper tray so that he could put the paper tray in.
How many do you plan to make?
"Maybe a hundred or so. I bet most people will bring their kids. There's more than enough to eat, maybe not even enough."
Greed had already started packing. He put away his belongings, then transformed into a cloud of gray mist and flew out from behind the window. A few dozen seconds later, Arrogance's phone rang.
"Reminder: Do not steal public property. To reiterate: Do not steal..."
Arrogantly, he didn't even look at the phone and just turned it upside down.
A minute later, Greed flew back, found a large box in the backyard, and dumped the chestnuts into it.
"You picked all the chestnuts?"
"No, I saved some for the small animals."
"And what about Brainiac?"
"He doesn't eat chestnuts. Who cares?"