2025-01-16 03:25:15Mr Richard Langley led Manchester to the security room and asked the butler to wait outside while the detective did his job. Manchester could see a glint of anxiety in the butler's eyes and he took a mental note of that. As a detective, all kinds of reactions were important to him.
With the doors closed Manchester was faced with two large monitors hanging on the walls, a desk with a keyboard and mouse, along with two chairs. He sat down and Mr. Langley did the same, watching the young detective skillfully scroll through the visual images on the screen. //Transferring security footage via wireless network// //Transfer complete // // You may select footage Vid_123 // Manchester scrolled down the screen and as soon as he spotted the videos, he clicked on it. It was a two hours long footage so he put it on fast-forward until he spotted someone in it. This footage was from a surveillance camera in the garden, and it was ten minutes to the hour of theft, it captured someone lurking behind the bushes in the garden, wearing a black hoodie. Richards's eyes widened in shock, this footage wasn't there when they checked earlier, so where had it come from and who could it be? "Do you know who this person might be sir?" Manchester asked. He couldn't quite match the figure on the screen with the servant he had met, but Mr. Richard Langley should know better. Unfortunately, the elderly man shook his head from side to side, "I don't know who this is. Do you think it might be the thief?" He said, overemphasising his British accent for a second... "I can't say," Manchester replied "I need images from another angle." // System Notifications! // //Analyzing Footage from the third surveillance camera// // Retrieving footage... complete !// // Transferring security footage via wireless network// //Transfer complete !// //You may select footage Vid_126// "Just a second let me attempt to retrieve other footage," Manchester muttered, acting like some technical wizard at work. "Got it!" He exclaimed and opened the footage, only to be left speechless by what he saw. "Emma?" Mr. Richard Langley's jaws dropped in astonishment, "Emma stole the necklace? What for?" "I cannot be so sure, sir," Manchester interjected, the footage has only told them who was lurking in the bushes but not who stole the necklace. "I'd like to bring Emma in here please." Mr. Richard Langley sprang to his feet like a servant and headed for the door, he instructed the butler to call Emma to the security room. The butler nodded and did as he was told to, and in no time Emma was standing next to Manchester, her eyes glued to the screen with her eyes wide open. "I'd like to ask you a few questions," Manchester began, "Starting with why you were lurking in the bushes?" "I...I can explain." As she tried to speak, Mr. Langley cut her off with a loud voice. "Oh, you better start explaining!"He thundered, his voice echoing off the walls, "Explain why you stole it ... "Mr. Langley please," Manchester chimed in, "Allow me to handle this." "Miss Emma, can you explain this footage because I know you were at the garden, and you claimed to have seen Atkinson there right? So what is this about?" He folded his arm after pausing the video and locked eyes with the lady. "Yes I was in the garden," Emma began, "And this was me lurking in the bushes in a hoodie, but I put on the hoodie because I was cold... "In the middle of summer? You liar!" My Langley thundered, but Manchester tried to calm him down once again, "Go on, Miss Emma." "I swear on my name, Detective that all I was doing was eavesdropping on someone's conversation, and uhm... it was Atkinson. I was listening to Atkinson's conversation with someone in the garden." "And did you know who it was and what they were saying?" Manchester asked, but Emma shook her head from side to side. "I could barely hear anything because he was whispering on the phone but that is just it. I didn't hear anything that would be useful to you sir." "Oh please, these cock and bull stories will not save you or Atki...Atkinson!" Mr. Langley started again, this time he stood up and called for the butler, asking him to bring Atkinson to the room immediately. "Emma, the problem here is that you are the only maid with access to the computer room, and all the footage from yesterday till this morning has mysteriously vanished. You keep pointing to Atkinsons but all the evidence points to you. So even if you didn't steal the necklace yourself then you had a hand in it." //+ 300 Exp // //Two potential suspects: Emma (Chief maid at the manor). Atkinson (Cheif guard at the manor)// "I can promise you, sir. I have nothing to do with it." Just then, Atkinson entered the room, he knew by the look on their faces that a bombshell had been dropped, but what was it? "You sent for me?" He said. "Yes, Mr. Atkinsons. I have a question and I don't want to start beating around the Bush. Just answer me yes or no." Atkinson nodded his head in agreement so Manchester proceeded. "Did you make a call at the garden around the time the necklace went missing?" "Yes." "With whom?" The room was thrown into silence as Atkinson just stared at Manchester without saying a word. "With who!" Mr. Langley thundered, "Didn't you hear the question? Answer him!" "With a friend," Atkinson answered briskly, "It has nothing to do with the stolen necklace I swear, it was just a random conversation. " "A conversation that was so interesting, that Emma had to hide in the bushes to listen?" At Manchester's words, Atkinson and Emma cast nervous glances at each other. "I don't believe the both of you," Manchester stood up briskly, his voice dripped with disdain. "And I have enough evidence to arrest the both of you as potential suspects, we will settle the rest at the station." "Please sir, " Emma fell to her knees in front of Mr Richard Langley, "I promise that I have nothing to do with the theft, please. Okay if you want to know what I overheard him saying on the phone I will tell you, but please do not arrest me I beg you." "What did you hear?" Manchester asked, his voice was firm and he showed no sign of empathy towards the pleading maid, "Tell me everything you heard."
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I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 8. I- begged him
"I still don't believe you," Manchester's voice echoed off the walls after listening to Emma's seemingly made-up explanation."This is all nonsense especially after you said that you didn't hear anything and now you are saying that Atkinson was speaking with someone about a business deal ... we will settle all this at the station.//Do you wish to arrest the suspects?//"Yes."// Sending in the team //Within a minute, a knock was heard on the door and Manchester opened it to let the team of three cops into the room, and he pointed the suspects out to them. Emma continued to beg, and swear that she was saying the truth while Atkinson willingly offered himself to be taken away."Don't worry Mr. Langley I will get to the bottom of this before the end of the day..."Please do," Mr. Richard Langley uttered before Manchester could finish speaking,"In the meantime, I'd search for something similar in case I don't find it today." "Very well," Manchester nodded before walking out of the roo
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 9. I- know who it is
"When I was in the garden, I caught her listening to my conversation, and I had no choice but to tell her the truth. However, she was scared of getting into trouble too and wanted to tell Mr Langley. So... I threatened her... or rather I blackmailed her with something I'd rather not talk about if that's okay with you sir."Manchester shrugged, he couldn't care less about the blackmail."This is what I am going to do." He said,"You will remain detained until we find the necklace, since we have your phone coupled with what you just told me, this case would be easier to solve. If what you have just said is the truth, then the necklace must be in the manor somewhere."Manchester was about to leave the room when he remembered something and turned to ask him,"Is there anyone in the manor that you suspect? Someone that holds something against you enough to want to get you fired."Atkinson thought about this question for a while, but he shook his head when he couldn't think of anyone. "I
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 10. I- am sorry sir
Back at the Bellvue Manor, Mr. Langley was anxiously anticipating Manchester's return. "Does he have answers, has he found the the thief?", these questions ran through his mind and it was impossible to sit down. "Ah, Mr. Detective," he exclaimed the second the butler ushered Manchester into the living room. Mr Langley couldn't help but notice that both Emma and Atkinson came in along with him, and he started to question if they were innocent all along, or perhaps they had come to confess. "Do you have answers?" He asked, "Please tell me that you have answers. My wife's plane would land in an hour, and I'd have to go pick her up soon, so if you don't have answers yet, you can leave it while I... "We have answers, Mr. Langley, " Manchester interjected, his tone was firm and certain. He felt that it was rude to cut the man off while he was still speaking, but knowing Mr Richard Langley's loquacious nature, it was for the best. "So?" Mr. Langley asked, still standing. "Well, sir." M
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 11. I- can win you back home, Mel
Now alone in the living room with the detective, Mr. Langley took a deep breath and stared at the young man in the eyes. "Is it true?" He asked, gesturing for Manchester to sit on the couch opposite him. "She left without a reason?" "Oh, that!" Manchester let out a faint smile. This isn't a subject he'd love to discuss with anyone, and the only reason he mentioned it in the first place was to prove to the butler that he could relate to the hurt he felt on the inside. "I'd rather not bother you with it, sir," He added before taking his seat and stapling both fingers together, "And your son?" Asked Mr. Langley, "Where is he?" Now, Manchester doesn't mind the show of concern, but he wishes that Langley would read his body language and end this conversation or at least change the subject. "I left him at the daycare," he lied "I'll pick him up on my way home." Mr. Langley soon noticed that Manchester had no interest in proceeding with this conversation, and he understood. It was
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 12. I-need an overview of the area
Just as he has said to Mr. Langley, Manchester headed for the hospital first to complete the payment from Nelson's treatment and words couldn't describe the wave of relief that washed over him when all that was cleared. Nelson's health was a priority to him because losing his child just after his wife had left would eventually cause him to end up at a rehabilitation centre. "We are doing everything we can, and he will be fine." The doctor assured him with a firm nod, before taking him to Nelson's ward for a few minutes. The one-year-old was yet to awaken, so Manchester did what always made him feel relieved, and that was to take Nelson's tiny hand in his, and talk to him as though he was awake and listening. "Don't worry, I'll get mummy back home." These were Manchester's last words to his unconscious child before leaving the hospital to rest. However, Manchester's depression worsened as soon as walked through the front door. He wasn't coming home to his family as usual, but
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 13. I- might have use for Mr. Langley's party afterall
Manchester gazes at the wall, the building itself was a single-story structure, with a faded sign that read 'Research facility' in peeling letters. Maybe it was due to Sophia Patel's disappearance, but the environment gave off an eerie feeling as they walked further into it.When they entered her laboratory, Manchester was greeted by a middle-aged woman who was taking pictures of the area before their arrival. Her name is Kim and she is the lab director whom the security officer had talked about."Thank you for coming, detective," she said, shaking hands with the Manchester, she could tell by the ID hanging from his neck and the box in his hand. Plus, she had also requested one a few hours ago."We are worried sick about Sophia," she began, her voice dripped with sadness,"It has been three days and we have no idea what happened to her."Manchester nodded sympathetically, dropped his box on the floor and opened it up to take out his notepad. "Can you tell me more about Dr. Patel's re
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 14. I- will have the wine instead
// Exp 1200/ 1000 ////Congratulations! Case 3, unlocked! //// Earn 600 Exp to unlock the next case////Exp 0 / 600 //Manchester knew that he couldn't proceed with this task until he had gotten some Intel from the Everglow company, so he put the case on pause and headed for the hospital to spend the rest of his day with Nelson.At past 5pm the same day, in a part of the city, the halls and decorations were all set up for Mr Langley's wife's birthday celebrations.It was her fiftieth birthday, so it is no surprise that he made it so elaborate and grand.From 5:30 pm, cars were already at the parking lot, and the chairs in the hall slowly got occupied until Mr. Langley and his wife arrived, marking the commencement of the occasion.He had hired a stand-up comedian to anchor the celebrations. As expected of him, the event kicked off with a few laughs, sarcastic roasts, and recognition of some important guests.At this time, Manchester showed up at the entrance, he wasn't bothered by th
I-Mode: Becoming A Famous Detective With A System 15. I- need your help with an investigation
The party stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, and Manchester just couldn't wait for it to come to an end. He stole a glance at his wife now and then, but Mel didn't seem to do the same or notice him. It hurts so much how she appears to have forgotten about him entirely to the point that she acts uninterested even in his presence. Or was he overthinking the situation? Three hours passed and it was 8:45, the celebrations were officially over, but as expected, not everyone would leave immediately. A number of them wanted to see Langley and congratulate his wife, while others just sat back to enjoy a few drinks before leaving. The whole time, Manchester had been tracking his wife and Aiden Lamar's movement simultaneously, it was a difficult task but he was up for it. As soon as he got a chance, seeing that Aiden Lamar was less crowded by people, he approached the elderly man with a humble and polite greeting. "Good evening, sir." He stretched forth his hand with a war
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53. I- haven't fought like this in a while
With a deep breath, Manchester dashed into the grand hallway, the echo of gunfire behind him fading beneath the pounding of his own heartbeat. His mind was locked. Every inch of this place screamed luxury, from the paintings in gilded frames to the marble floors, even a chandelier. But Manchester knew could smell the criminal acts that purchased them all.// System Notification: Six remaining hostiles detected. Two on the ground floor and four in the basement.//“System, keep me updated. I don’t want any surprises.” Manchester muttered, bracing himself for the fight he was about to experience. He had faith in the system's strength, but at Level 1, he believed that most of his efforts would be required.As if in response to his statement, the system highlighted a figure moving around the corner just ahead, so Manchester lowered his body and silently advanced. The man stepped out with a silenced pistol, but Manchester was faster. He grabbed a bronze statue from a side table and slammed
52. I- will take all of them
"Number thirteen, Haven Crescent," Manchester muttered as he peeped through the partially rolled-down car window. His eyes glance at the apartment, and the house number that hung near the gate. The apartment was magnificent, simple and classic from the outside, it was obvious that whoever lived there wasn't struggling, and then it occurred to him that Alex had said that it wasn't their home. With a long sigh, Manchester rolled up the tinted glass and walked out of the car. He wasn't alone; two cops were with him, and there were four others on standby in case of emergency. Manchester tapped the doorbell sign on the gate and waited; the gateman, a man in a white shirt and pants, stepped out and asked. "Who are you looking for?" Manchester flashed his ID immediately and replied, "Detective Duke, I would love to speak with the house owner immediately. If he delays or declines, we have a permit to search the house and wouldn't hesitate to do so." At his words, the gateman sneered, s
51. I- fought with a suspect
“So can I,” Alex replied, the menacing grin on his face along with his messed-up brunette hair made him appear fierce, but Manchester wasn’t impressed. Before now, he was a well-trained military personnel, and the only reason he deviated into the investigation department was that Mel didn’t want to be married to him if he was going to constantly put his life at risk in the military.Manchester inched closer to Alex, his fist itching to release yet another punch, but he had to be careful to avoid killing him.“Why did you do it?” He asked, now standing only a few feet away from Alex.“I didn’t...“Lie!” Manchester cut him off and delivered yet another punch that Alex couldn’t dodge.“You are only this powerful because my hands aren’t free,” Alex yelled, groaning in pain as he tried to grab onto his hurting stomach.“If only I were free, you would have been dead by now.”“You are truly violent,” Manchester said and let out a broad smile. He found Alex’s words very useful and immediat
50. I- can do this all day and not be tired.
The same day, after dropping Valerie off at her parent's apartment, Manchester returned home with Nelson and stayed with him for a while, hitting long enough for the Nanny to show up so that he could leave. He couldn't help but worry about his child and what they might go through, he feared for his safety and wished he could shield him from all this drama. If only Mel had not left him the way she did, if only she hadn't gone to be with Cain behind his back, he wouldn't be trapped I'm this mess. In the end, he is grateful for the system, because it has given him a glimpse of hope, he doesn't care what else wants to happen, because as long as he completes his task, he will be rewarded and he will be wealthy in no time. As soon as the Nanny showed up, Manchester left without any trouble. The good thing about Nelson is that he gets familiar with anyone who takes care of him very quickly, so even in his father's absence, he's comfortable in the hands of another person. It took nearly
49. I- want the result to favour me
"Manchester!" Valerie snapped. "I think a peaceful negotiation with him might be a lot better. You could lose everything if you chose to fight with him. I don't mean this in a bad way but you can not match up with him in that level even if you know the law." Manchester's face fell, her words hurt but she was right, he wasn't as wealthy as Cain, nor as powerful. But he wasn't going to fold his arm and do nothing about it, and he also wasn't going to waste his time negotiating with a man who didn't seem interested. "I'm sorry," Valerie apologised, wishing that she never let those words off her lips. It isn't her intention to mock anyone of lower status and it has never been. "You are right," Manchester replied, "I can not match up to him, but at least I can keep my son safe, even if it is the last thing I do. Please, Valerie, I will hire a nanny, two nannies if you want me to, they'll take care of him while he's with you. You don't have to lift a finger, I just don't want him to b
48. I- am going to do this the hard way.
After the samples from Manchester and Cain were taken, the young detective left immediately along with Valerie and Nelson. Valerie had a driver, but she asked him to go back, stating that Manchester would drop her back home after everything was complete. But the true reason she waited behind was because of what that mysterious lady had told her about this case. She just couldn't get it off her mind and needed to communicate it with Manchester, but not in front of all these people."Thank you so much Valerie for waiting, I'm sure you had a lot of things to do today that you gave up to be here." Manchester acknowledged her as soon as they got into the car. "It's okay," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, Nelson was peacefully sleeping in her arms and she didn't want to risk waking him up."I'm off today, so it doesn't matter. And by the way, I needed to talk to you about something, I just needed us to speak privately."At those words, Manchester's heart skipped a beat."i
47. I- fear he might rig the test result
"I don't like this guy," Valerie commented after Cain had walked away, she stared at him suspiciously while keeping Nelson closer to herself like a child in danger. "Neither do I," Manchester replied, "I just fear that he might do something to make this whole thing work in his favour... "Like tamper with the result?" Valerie took the words right out of his mouth, "I thought as much. Is there any way to avoid that?" Manchester shook his head from side to side, "If he is going to do it then I just don't think there's anything I can do to stop him, I can only prove that he tampers with the result after it is out. I trust the law, but not entirely." "Would you like me to get my father involved, if it gets out of hand?" Valerie offered, she felt so sorry for Manchester because so far, she hadn't seen anything wrong with this man to make her friend dumped for some wealthier. "He is not that powerful," She continued, "But there is something he can do to help out in this si
46. I- want a DNA test
Another day passed within the blink of an eye, and Manchester wasn’t able to accomplish anything regarding his task. He completely neglected it in preparation for the court case, at least he still had fifteen days left, which to him, was more than enough. Manchester barely slept through the night as the words on the paper continued to haunt him. Nelson wasn’t just a name on a birth certificate but his son, one that he held on the night he was born, kissed on the cheek and soothed through his fever. He frequently reminded himself that those he met with Nelson all complimented together and that Nelson looked like him. Even at that, he was still restless. He had called a trusted lawyer whom he had worked with before on a family case. The man had never lost a law case in his career which makes him the perfect lawyer for the job. After reading through the letter, the lawyer sighed, “This is going to be messy.” He adjusted his glasses and sat back for a moment. “These kinds o
45. I- can't call my mom
"I unblocked you for one night, and you are already blowing up my phone!" Mel's came through the line, her tone indicated that she was annoyed, and Manchester already suspected that she might hang up. But before letting her do that, he posed a simple question to her. "Who is Nelson's dad, Mel?" Silence stretched on for a while on both ends, to the point where Manchester thought that Mel had hung up, but she hadn't. Rather, she was processing the question thrown at her unexpectedly. This incident fueled Manchester's anxiety, it would truly break his heart to find out that Nelson wasn't his son. Because at this point in his life, he felt that Nelson was the only thing he could hold onto and be proud of. To him, Nelson is a whole family, and to have him taken away by someone else would be a traumatic experience. "I don't know." Mel finally replied with a nonchalant tone. "What the hell do you mean you don't know?" Manchester fired back, his temper immediately taking over, a
