Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

An hour ago.

A black Honda drove into a high-end neighborhood, traveled a bit along the community road, turned on the right signal, and stopped near a luxurious villa.

The car window on the right side rolled down, and inside the driver's seat sat a Black man—it was Filippo Carter, the lover of the first victim, Grace Bloomberg, and a witness to the case.

Filippo Carter stared at the villa across the street, his expression changing unpredictably, his thoughts unknown.

After waiting for about half an hour, the door of the villa opened, and a fashionably dressed, forty-something white woman walked out of the villa with a handbag.

Filippo Carter got out of the car, flipped over the fence, startling the white woman walking toward the garage. She took a few steps back.

"Filippo Carter, why are you here?"

Filippo Carter snorted, "Good morning, Ms. Salas, it's really not easy to see you.

Used to call me your little baby, now you're addressing me by my full name?"

Karen Salas glanced at her watch, "I don't know what you need, but I have to go to work now. Let's talk later."

"Feeling guilty?"

"What?" Karen Salas crossed her arms over her chest.

"You agreed to let me stay at your place temporarily, so why did you betray me?"

"I didn't betray you.

The FBI came to me, I didn't tell them anything. I just felt my home was no longer safe, so I asked you to leave.

It's better for both of us this way."

"Bullshit!

If you didn't betray me, why did the FBI catch me as soon as I stepped out?

Should I assume that you're in cahoots with them?"

Karen Salas mocked, "Do you think the FBI is as stupid as you?

I did say you weren't there, but they might not have believed it."

"Stupid? Are you looking down on me?"

"No, you look down on yourself."

Filippo Carter realized, "So, you knew they might be waiting outside and still forced me to leave?"

"No, I didn't know. I figured it out afterward.

I didn't deliberately sell you out, and I didn't have to. Doing so doesn't benefit me at all."

"That's right, there's indeed no benefit for you.

You just feared I'd implicate you, so you mercilessly kicked me out." Filippo Carter shouted, "What do you see me as? A stray dog?

Take me in when you like, discard me when you don't.

You're truly a heartless bitch."

Karen Salas lowered her voice, "Yes, it was this bitch who took you in when you were most helpless."

"You just wanted me to serve you for free, and I didn't take your money.

But when I was most helpless, you kicked me out like a dog."

Karen Salas opened her bag, took out a wad of cash, "I don't want to argue or dispute with you anymore. Take this money, leave my house immediately."

Filippo Carter didn't accept the money, a self-mocking smile appeared on his face, "I thought you were different from them."

"You overthought, it was just a transaction."

"A transaction?"

"What else do you expect? Marry me?" Karen Salas sneered, threw the wad of cash to the ground, turned and got into the garage, driving out in a white Porsche, "I don't want to see you again, or else, you know the consequences."

"Woo woo..."

The white Porsche sped away.

"Bitch, really think money can represent everything." Filippo Carter flipped a middle finger at the car, then glanced at the hundred-dollar bills scattered on the ground.

His eyes scanned the surroundings, crouched down to pick up the money, and put it into his pocket, then jogged back to the car.

Women are foul, money is fragrant, who would have a grudge against money.

"Bang!"

As soon as Filippo Carter ran to the car, he accidentally bumped into an old white man, "Fuck..."

Filippo Carter instinctively swore, but seeing the old man fall to the ground, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Filippo Carter looked at the old man lying on the ground, and said, "Hey, buddy, you were really careless.

You clearly bumped into me, but fell yourself, you're too frail, you should eat more."

The white man wasn't very old, appearing to be around fifty, just looking a bit haggard and somewhat frail. Supporting himself with his right hand on the ground, he slowly sat up, his face showing a pained expression, "Young man, could you help me up?"

Filippo Carter curled his lips, seeming somewhat disdainful, hesitated for a moment, then stooped down to help the white man up, "Are you hurt badly? Need to go to the hospital?"

"Not badly, don't need to go to the hospital.

Just need to find a place to rest." After saying that, the white man took something from his pocket and jabbed it into Filippo Carter's waist.

"Ah..." Filippo Carter screamed, his whole body trembling, his body went limp, and he sat on the ground.

The white man opened the car door, pulled Filippo Carter up, pushed him into the back seat of the car, and handcuffed him.

After doing all this, the white man was sweating and looked a bit drained, "That wore me out. Quite a strong lad."

He sat in the driver's seat, rested for a while, and then drove away.

...

After an unknown period, Filippo Carter slowly woke up. The light was dim, making it hard to see the surroundings, "Uh…" He let out a slight groan, "Where is this… what happened?"

"You're awake?" A voice sounded from not far away, and the light suddenly turned on.

Filippo Carter's eyes were too dazzled to open them. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes and saw a white man in his fifties standing not far away, "I remember, I've seen you.

You fell, and I helped you up.

Where are we?"

Filippo Carter tried to stand up but felt his hands and feet were restrained. He looked down, saw himself naked, and exclaimed, "Why am I tied up? Where are my clothes?

Hey, let me go, you damn pervert."

"Heh, don't be nervous, and don't shout.

There's no one else here, just the two of us.

If you shout loudly again, I'll gag you, and then you won't even have the right to speak." The white man gestured for silence.

"Who are you? What do you want to do?"

"Haha, you ask so many questions at once, I don't know which to answer." The white man pulled a chair and sat down, "But, it's time for an introduction.

We are going to become one sooner or later, so it'd be better to get to know each other in advance, at least you should know who I am?

"What are you talking about?" Filippo Carter's voice trembled.

"I am Leonard Hogan.

A most faithful follower of the Eternal Sect, and soon, I will be your master."

Filippo Carter's tone rose, looking enraged, feeling offended, "Are you kidding? It's already 2023, I don't need a master."

"Sorry, I was inaccurate with my words.

It shouldn't be called master." Leonard Hogan pointed to his head, "It should be called the main consciousness."

"What the hell do you want? Bullshit main consciousness, I don't even know you, are we filming a sci-fi movie?" Filippo Carter became increasingly flustered.

"Uh... maybe you don't know me.

But I've seen you," Leonard Hogan laughed, "To be precise, on the night of October 3rd, I saw your performance.

You are as strong as an ox, even the mayor's wife adored it.

It's truly enviable." Leonard Hogan reached out and patted Filippo Carter's strong shoulder.

"How do you know about that night? Could it be... it was you…" Filippo Carter's eyes widened.

"Wow, you figured it out, turns out you're not stupid?

Then I certainly can't let you go.

After saying so much, it's time to get to work." Leonard Hogan moved to the side.

Filippo Carter's gaze followed Leonard Hogan's figure, and only then did he see the surroundings clearly. It was a room, about thirty to forty square meters, without windows, likely a basement.

Leonard Hogan walked to the corner of the basement, picked up a saw from the ground.

Filippo Carter was so scared his teeth were chattering, "No no no, what are you doing? Don't come near me."

"Tap tap tap…" There was the sound of liquid running onto the floor.

"You peed!" Leonard Hogan chuckled and reassured, "Don't be afraid, I'll cut your throat first, soon you won't feel the pain." Leonard Hogan fired up the electric saw, emitting a terrifying "zzz" sound.

"No, please don't do this, I beg you to let me go." Watching Leonard Hogan approach with the electric saw, Filippo screamed with all his might.

"It's useless, the best soundproofing materials were used here." Leonard Hogan, holding the electric saw, aimed at Filippo's neck but suddenly sniffed a foul odor, "Fuck, you filthy bastard, you've dirtied my house."

Leonard Hogan's face showed a hint of maliciousness, seemingly changing his mind. He gagged Filippo Carter and began sawing down at Filippo Carter's arm.

"Mmm…" Filippo Carter let out a painful wail.

"Boom!"

A loud bang came from the door.

The basement door was kicked open.

"FBI!" Several agents in FBI uniforms burst in.

"Don't move!"

"Raise your hands!"

"Bang bang."

After a burst of chaos, Filippo Carter was shot twice and fell to the ground, the saw dropped as well.

Michael led his team into the basement, handcuffing Leonard Hogan and arresting him.

Louise went beside Filippo, checking his wounds and breathing, "His arm was sawn, but he's not in life-threatening danger, although he's passed out."

Amir covered his nose, "This poor devil, he must've fainted from fright."

Luke looked over at the apprehended Leonard Hogan, who also suffered two gunshots, one in the arm and one in the shoulder, neither were fatal wounds.

Leonard Hogan looked at the suddenly invading FBI agents, exclaiming in disbelief, "How did you find me?"

Luke didn't answer but asked in return, "Why choose Filippo Carter?"