Chapter 308: The Devilish's Thoughts

In the study.

Takaki Murakami lay on the recliner at a ninety-degree angle, his right hand dangling on the desk, peacefully asleep.

On the injured side of his right hand, there was a light novel titled "The Heiress and the Famous Police Detective's Heart-Pounding Mystery Adventures."

Mizuko Shibakusa softly called out to the sleeping Mr. Murakami, but he didn't react because he was sleeping too deeply.

With a sigh of resignation, just as Mizuko Shibakusa was about to extinguish the fireplace as usual, at the moment her hand touched the switch button, a devilish thought suddenly erupted in her mind.

She glanced at Takaki Murakami lying on the recliner, and his once-admired face now seemed so obnoxious.

Mizuko Shibakusa realized that the current Takaki Murakami was no longer the object of her admiration but had become an obstacle to her progress.

However, she couldn't bring herself to kill Takaki Murakami; the conflict between her conscience and the urge to kill made her unable to choose.

But this opportunity before her was once in a lifetime.

So Mizuko Shibakusa, aware that this was very dangerous, she still chose to ignore it and did not wake up Takaki Murakami. She left the room on her own.

She disregarded everything that happened and left it to fate.

Whether the fireplace operated normally or Takaki Murakami was killed, it didn't matter.

This was Mizuko Shibakusa's final thought as she closed the door.

It was also the complete picture of the entire case.

If no one did anything, there would naturally be no evidence pointing to murder, and the more the investigation progresses, the more it would seem like an accident.

"No one... has approached me for submissions... even though I'm no longer unknown... and in these past three years, my several works have consistently topped the sales charts and even won awards..."

Tears welled up in Mizuko Shibakusa's eyes as she hoarsely continued, "But after Mr. Murakami's death, I now understand... maybe those were never truly my works, but Mr. Murakami's..."

At this point, Mizuko Shibakusa chuckled self-deprecatingly, her eyes filled with a bitter irony. "After all, I'm just an unknown ghostwriter. Even if I write good works... who would buy books from someone like me?"

"Blindly chasing fame and brand recognition, forgetting that content is the core...," Senichi sighed with a hint of melancholy, shaking his head. "People are often misled by external influences."

In his past life, Senichi had seen this happen far too often. When people were insignificant, anything they said was dismissed as the lamentations of losers, but successful individuals could casually utter profound truths.

Various marketing tactics flooded one's mind with ideas, and some utterly superficial things received mad acclaim while ignoring what was truly necessary.

"It's ironic," Mizuko Shibakusa choked out, "It's just a facade. I can't accept it..."

"True gold will always shine, and when the frenzy subsides, people will choose quality content."

Looking at Mizuko Shibakusa, Senichi extended an invitation as he stood before her. "If you haven't given up on writing, why not consider publishing your books with us?"

"Really...?" Mizuko Shibakusa raised her head with an incredulous expression, but then sighed bitterly, "Who would be willing to publish my books anyway?"

After all, she was a murderer, and which publishing house would take the risk of signing a deal with someone like her?

"This one," Senichi chuckled, picking up the light novel that had become Mizuko Shibakusa's only flaw. He waved it in front of her and said, "I'm the boss, so you can trust me. Your book will definitely be published."

Mizuko Shibakusa was taken aback by his words, her eyes filled with disbelief. "You..."

"In the meantime, you'll have a long time to atone. Use that time to both seek redemption and refine your works," Senichi suggested.

Senichi smiled and said, "The payment will be according to the standard rates. By the time you've atoned, this money should be enough for you to survive in this ever-changing society."

"Thank you..." Mizuko Shibakusa deeply bowed to Senichi, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes. "Thank you..."

Sato Miwako sighed and stepped forward to pat her on the shoulder, as if consoling her while reminding her that it was time to leave.

And thus, this unique case came to a close.

[The Mysterious Death of the Romance Novelist]

[Completion: Perfect]

[Evaluation: Suicide or accident? Is everything we see real?

You adhered to your usual calm and objective approach to the case, finding the truth from the smallest details and preventing a miscarriage of justice.]

[Congratulations to the host for acquiring the Kendo (2 years) skill.]

After checking the rewards on the panel, Senichi was quite satisfied with the randomly added skill this time.

The reward for completing this side case was not bad. The Kendo skill was one of his main close-combat skills, and its improvement, combined with the equipment, clearly elevated Senichi's strength.

As for signing Mizuko Shibakusa, this might be a minefield for other publishers. It was nearly impossible to avoid getting caught up in it. Even if she were to become a ghostwriter for another famous author or publish anonymously, if reporters were to sniff out any leads, the entire publishing house would be in trouble.

Not to mention, in the world of ex-convicts, employment discrimination was common and had always been a headache for the Metropolitan Police Department and related agencies.

After all, if they didn't have a means of survival, it wouldn't be long before they turned to crime again due to being desperate in the outside world.

However, this discrimination was unavoidable, and the contradiction between the two sides was irreconcilable.

But Senichi was different; he wasn't afraid of these things at all. He didn't even see any impact on publishing books under Mizuko Shibakusa's real name.

Because his identity was his shield.

For criminals after their release, the people who could truly help them were often limited to their family or perhaps the police detective who arrested them. It was a peculiar relationship.

But this kind of assistance didn't face discrimination; instead, it garnered respect from society.

Of course, with Senichi's identity, such actions were naturally interpreted as representing the stance of the Metropolitan Police Department.

And, convincing the Metropolitan Police Department to support him was actually quite simple because this is precisely what the Metropolitan Police Department wants to see.

Not only could it show the more lenient side of the police towards those seeking redemption, but it could also instill hope in arrested criminals, making them more cooperative in their penance behind bars and reducing the chances of unrest.

At the same time, it could also establish a more positive image in society. These benefits were all things the Metropolitan Police Department was happy to see.

So, regarding Senichi's actions, they wouldn't oppose them; instead, they would welcome them.

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