Chapter 22: Better at Solving Cases Than We Cops

There is no doubt that the killer in *Se7en* is even more perverted than Stan or the sniper in the phone booth.

Stan had a touch of manic-depressive neurosis and was a bit unhinged. While the phone booth killer was also mentally unstable and murdered random passersby, he at least used a sniper rifle—killing with a single shot, clean and efficient, without torture.

But the killer in *Se7en* is a pure psychopath. He turns murder into a ritual, torturing and killing his victims one by one according to the seven deadly sins. Once finished, he uses the media to broadcast his actions, showcasing his "artistic" methods to the world. In the end, he even sacrifices his own life, dragging the policeman David into the fray to complete the final sins of Envy and Wrath. With that, his masterpiece of *Se7en* is complete.

What the hell!

A sick freak like this isn't just someone the police won't let off; even Luca won't let him go. He must be eliminated to uphold the peace. Taking down such a pervert will surely yield quite a few rewards from the system. Plus, he can build a good relationship with David and William and learn the skills they possess. It’s a move that kills two birds with one stone!

...

The crime scene was an apartment in the Bronx. By the time Luca arrived, the police had already cordoned off the area, forbidding unauthorized personnel from approaching. Seeing Luca approach, many officers who knew him greeted him, while the rookies who didn't recognize him looked on with confusion.

The veterans explained to the newcomers: "This guy is Luca the Pigeon, from the Lucchese family. He’s pretty famous here in the Bronx; everyone knows he advocates for peace and harmony..."

The Mafia? Peace and harmony? That sounds absolutely ridiculous—even more ridiculous than the victim being fed to death.

The rookie exclaimed, "I remember now! He's that 'helpful citizen'!"

"That's right, that's him," the veteran continued. "Over the past year, the crime rate in his territory has indeed been lower than in other areas... If you're looking for someone here, asking him is the right way to go—provided that what you're asking about has nothing to do with the Lucchese family."

Luca was already chatting with a few familiar officers, asking about the sequence of events and the victim's identity. Then he asked, "Who are the detectives in charge of this case?"

"David Mills and William Somerset."

It seems the butterfly effect didn't change things; this case still fell to this pair of unlucky partners... Luca thought to himself. If he didn't intervene, David’s fate would likely be miserable.

With these thoughts tucked away, Luca stepped forward. "Can I go in and take a look?"

"This..." The officers looked troubled.

Luca smiled. "Such a major case in the Bronx has become city-wide news. Many people think this place is chaotic, which is a slander! It's not something I want to see... You know my rules; I'm happy to help you catch the killer as soon as possible and return peace to the Bronx."

"Do you know the victim?"

"You have to let me look first. At the very least, I know more people in the Bronx than you do."

"Fine, follow me."

The veteran officers led Luca inside, leaving a group of baffled rookies behind. The Mafia helping the police solve a case... it sounded magical, yet it somehow seemed harmonious.

...

The officers didn't want to go past the doorway because the stench inside was nauseating and extreme.

"Mills and Somerset are inside. Go ahead."

"Thanks." Luca pulled out a few bills and handed them to the officers. "Thanks for your hard work, officers. Buy yourselves a cup of coffee."

The officers smiled knowingly. Luca swaggered into the crime scene. As soon as he stepped inside, he was hit by a thick, putrid stench.

The room was pitch black. Cockroaches scurried through food scraps on the floor. In the center of the room, a massive, obese man lay slumped over a table, his head buried in a bowl of pasta. He had been dead for quite some time; the corpse was bruised, and lividity had already appeared on his skin.

A medical examiner was nearby examining the body, while two officers—David and William—were shining flashlights around the room. Luca's sudden appearance caught them both off guard. Why was it this guy again?

"Greco?"

"Detective Somerset." Luca greeted them with a smile. To avoid misunderstandings, he quickly explained his intentions.

After hearing him out, David and William fell silent. A mobster more concerned about solving a case than the police?

The short-tempered and impulsive David clearly didn't believe Luca, nor did he think a mobster could provide much help to the police—he was quite confident in his own investigative abilities; otherwise, how could he have been transferred to New York? He wanted to solve this high-profile case on his own merit, get a promotion, and reach the pinnacle of his career.

"Hey, get out!" David said bluntly. "I don't care if you're Luca the Pigeon or Luca the Crow, get out of here! Don't interfere with our investigation, or I'll have grounds to arrest you as a suspect!"

"Calm down, man. I'm just here to help."

"Don't think that just because you helped the police last time, you can boss us around!"

Beside him, William finally couldn't watch anymore. "Mills, don't be impulsive. Let's hear what he has to say."

The more tactful veteran, William, blocked David and asked Luca politely, "Greco, you said you could provide clues. Please tell me what you know."

He and David hadn't found any useful clues in the room, only that the killer had forced the fat man to eat a large amount of food and had left the room once to go to a nearby supermarket for more, returning to continue feeding the victim.

"I need to confirm the victim's identity first." Luca thought to himself that he didn't have a damn clue; he just knew what the killer was trying to do. But he couldn't tell the police directly, as he couldn't explain how he knew so much—was he an accomplice?

Luca said, "I know quite a few people in the Bronx. Finding someone here, I'm definitely faster than you police."

William thought for a moment and selectively shared some personal information about the victim.

After hearing it, Luca bluffed, "I've heard of this guy. After all, there aren't many people in the world this fat; he could apply for a Guinness World Record."

David retorted, "Can you say something useful?"

Luca continued bluffing: "Listen, with his size, it's hard for him to move. He rarely leaves the house; he usually orders takeout and has it delivered. As far as I know, he has almost no social life and no enemies. He only knows how to eat. Who would go through such trouble to kill such an innocent fat man? And use such a cruel method, forcing him to eat to death?"

This actually made some sense. The two officers subconsciously felt Luca’s words were credible and didn't argue, instead starting to ponder the killer's motives. Why use such a method to kill the victim?

Luca smiled. The [Shameless] skill was truly useful.

While the two detectives were thinking, Luca walked around the room a few times and finally crouched down in front of the refrigerator. "Detectives, come look at this."

The two walked over. Luca pointed to scratches on the floor caused by dragging. "These marks are still fresh."

William squinted at the scratches for a few seconds, suddenly remembering something. He took out the evidence collected—some debris—and compared it; it matched the scratches perfectly.

David realized, "The fridge was moved!"

William: "Let's pull it out and see."

They worked together to pull the fridge away. On the wall behind it, there was a word written in body fat: GLUTTONY!

Beneath the word was a note that read: "The long and arduous path to hell, and upon leaving, comes the light." A line from the classic *Paradise Lost*.

Luca shrugged. "See? Isn't that a clue?"

The two detectives: "..."

*Shit! We spent so long looking for something and found nothing, and you walk around and find it? Are you some kind of genius? This mobster is better at investigating than we are!*

...

The two had to admit that Luca's appearance had, at the very least, helped them discover new clues. David's attitude toward Luca had improved, but he remained suspicious, unsure of Luca's true motives.

Before parting ways, Luca gave them a friendly reminder: "The words on the note are from *Paradise Lost*, and Gluttony is a sin in Catholicism. Since the killer went to such lengths to leave such obvious clues, he clearly has a purpose... Detectives, I suggest you investigate from the angle of religious-motivated murders."

This made sense. William took it to heart and nodded. "It seems you know a lot about Catholicism. Are you a believer?" He had heard that Mafia families liked to use religious symbols and rituals to unify their members.

But Luca was clearly "not a believer."

"The Mafia only believes in the Family."

"..."

"If there are any further clues, I will contact you. If you need my assistance, you are always welcome to come to me." Luca extended his hand in a friendly manner. "For the peace of New York, I am willing to contribute my humble efforts."

The two: "..."

Cooperating with gang members wasn't uncommon—plenty of criminals provided information to the police in exchange for reduced sentences—but that was out of necessity. They had never met someone like Luca, who volunteered his help so proactively. Was he some kind of peace ambassador?

With a strange feeling, they both shook Luca's hand.

[David Mills: B]
[Sin of Wrath: The higher the anger, the stronger the combat power, up to a 20% increase.]
[Learning condition: Bond must reach 'Friend' or higher; requires 50 skill shards.]
[Bond: Attention]

[William Somerset: B]
[Crime Reconstruction: Increases the probability of finding clues by 15% during investigations.]
[Learning condition: Bond must reach 'Friend' or higher; requires 50 skill shards.]
[Bond: Attention]

Both skills were quite good. However, the "Sin of Wrath" had a side effect: it required increasing anger to gain combat power, and people often acted irrationally when angry. Although there were side effects, it was still a great skill. It wasn't necessary to max out the anger, was it? Any increase would be a bonus. As long as he didn't lose his mind like David, it would be fine.

In the original story, the killer decapitated David's wife, sending David into a blind rage. In his extreme grief and loss of control, he became the "Sin of Wrath," shooting and killing the killer, who represented the "Sin of Envy," thereby helping the killer complete his "Se7en" art.

It was a carefully planned ending by the killer, who had even factored his own life into the calculation. But that was not an ending William wanted to see. And it certainly wasn't an ending Luca wanted to see.

David, I'll help you escape the abyss of the Sin of Wrath. It wouldn't be too much to become friends, would it?