Chapter 232: Evading the swirling storm
In one of the dark forests of the Storm Kingdom, Raylen stood with a grim expression on his face. Beside him stood Westley, displaying his usual expressionless demeanour. Their eyes were trained on the dead body found by one of the local residents only two hours prior.
"King Raylen," one of the officers in charge of the town reported, "We have finished questioning the man who discovered the body. He said that the dead woman’s hand was sticking out of the ground."
"And what was he doing out here so late in the night?" Westley inquired of the officer.
"He claimed he was returning from Deathfall when he stumbled in here to relieve himself," the man explained. "I don’t think he had anything to do with it."
"Detain him in a cell," Raylen instructed, and the officer’s eyebrows rose in question.
"Do you suspect he’s the culprit, My King?"
Raylen stepped forward and sat on his heels before the woman’s lifeless body. He said, "No, he isn’t." His blue eyes carefully examined the gruesome sight before him. The woman’s chest cavity had been opened up, her insides missing, leaving only an empty ribcage behind. Blood had mingled with the mud in which she was buried. In a composed tone, he continued, "Our perpetrator might not surface if we announce that we are searching for him. But then again, he might become more audacious with his next victim. Not to mention, this scene is something I have heard of and seen before."
Opened up chests... it looked exactly like what Emily had described. His hand moved to touch the woman’s exposed chest cavity, taking a closer look at the technique, which appeared similar to his father’s work.
"Should we warn the townsfolk?" the officer inquired, and Raylen pondered for a moment before responding with a hum.
"Yes, let’s do that before we find another woman’s lifeless body lying around the kingdom. Tell them there’s a curfew due to the incoming storm, and everyone needs to return home," Raylen declared, his thoughts dwelling on where the culprit might be hiding. The man approaching Emily felt like a warning, a reminder to be prepared for whatever had been planned.
When the officer bowed and departed, Westley remarked, "Master, there is a resemblance..."