**Chapter 14: Conclusion**

  **12:58 PM – Inside the Abandoned House**

  The air inside the old house felt heavy, like it was pressing down on Rei’s shoulders. Dust floated in the dim light, and a faint smell of mold clung to everything. He leaned against a cold, crumbling wall in a small room, the plaster cracking under his weight.

  Tiny bits fell to the floor, like dry snow piling up around his boots. His breathing was slow, steady, almost silent. His dark eyes moved quickly, alive with thought, as he planned his next step.

  “Hmmm… what should I do?” he whispered, his voice so soft it barely stirred the air.

  Rei had learned a lot about the criminals’ operation. He knew about the trafficking ring, the guards who patrolled the house, and the layout of every room and hallway. It was all locked tight in his mind, clear as a map. But there was a problem—a big one.

  The guard he’d knocked out and left in the storage room was like a bomb waiting to explode. If the others found him, the whole house would turn into chaos. Alarms would ring, guards would swarm, and Rei’s careful plan could fall apart.

  Things could get messy. Very messy.

  Rei’s finger tapped against his knee. Tap. Tap. Tap. Each tap was slow and deliberate, matching the rhythm of his thoughts. His mind worked like a machine, turning over every option, every path he could take. He didn’t rush. He never rushed. That’s how mistakes happened, and Rei didn’t make mistakes.

  **Possibility 1: Wait and observe.**

  He could stay where he was, hidden in the shadows of the crumbling house. He could watch and listen, maybe catch a new piece of information—a name, a plan, something useful. Staying still felt safe for now, but it wasn’t perfect.

  If the criminals found the unconscious guard, everything would change. Guards would search every corner, every dark hallway. They’d tear the place apart, looking for anyone who didn’t belong. Rei was good at hiding, but even he couldn’t stay invisible forever. If they trapped him, he’d have to fight or run, and neither option sounded good.

  Not ideal.

  **Possibility 2: Escape immediately.**

  Another choice was to leave right now. He could slip out the back door and disappear into the bright afternoon. He’d be safe, no question about it.

  But leaving meant walking away from something bigger. Rei didn’t just want to escape—he wanted to hurt the criminals, to make them feel afraid. Not with punches or guns, but with something deeper. He wanted to plant a seed of fear in their minds, something that would grow and make them doubt everything. That kind of blow would last longer than any fight.

  That idea pulled at him, tempting him.

  **Possibility 3: Use his weapon—his words.**

  Rei knew words could be more dangerous than anything else. They were sharper than knives, deadlier than bullets. He could send a message, something small but precise, like a dart hitting a target. The right words could spread panic, make the criminals turn on each other, or make them slip up.

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  It was a clean move—no blood, no fingerprints, no proof he was ever there. The risk was low, but the reward was huge. He could strike from the shadows and walk away, leaving them to fall apart on their own. It was like a perfect kill, one that no one could trace back to him.

  A slow smirk spread across his face, curling like smoke in the dim light.

  “Let’s test it,” he said softly, his voice steady.

  The decision was made. He knew what to do.

  ---

  **1:05 PM – The Message**

  Rei shifted against the wall, his back pressed against the rough plaster. The room was quiet except for the faint creak of the floorboards under his boots. Thin beams of afternoon light slipped through a cracked window, painting golden stripes across the dusty floor.

  The air felt warm now, heavy with the heat of the day. Rei reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up, its faint glow cutting through the gloom of the room.

  His fingers moved fast, tapping the screen with precision. He wrote the message quickly, knowing exactly what to say. He chose a target—one of the criminals inside, someone careless, someone who wouldn’t think twice about a strange text.

  The words were simple but sharp, designed to dig into their mind like a splinter. They weren’t loud or obvious, but they didn’t need to be. A few well-chosen words could do more damage than a shout.

  Rei didn’t need to read the message again. He knew it was perfect. It would unsettle the criminal, make them nervous, make them act without thinking. That was all he needed—a mistake, a crack in their armor. He pressed send, and the phone vibrated softly in his hand, a small buzz that felt like victory.

  The message was gone, sent out into the world like an arrow.

  Rei slipped the phone back into his pocket and tilted his head, listening. The house was still quiet, but he could feel something changing. It was like the air before a storm, heavy and tense, waiting to break. His plan was in motion now, and there was no stopping it.

  He leaned back against the wall, his smirk still there, faint but sharp. All he had to do was wait.

  ---

  **1:10 PM – The Result**

  The silence stretched on, thick and heavy. Rei stood still, his back against the wall, his body blending with the shadows. His eyes were half-closed, but his senses were wide awake.

  He heard every sound—the faint drip of a leak somewhere, the creak of the old house settling. He felt the air shift, warm and dusty, as the afternoon sun sank lower. Outside, the world moved on, but in here, time seemed to slow.

  Then—

  **BANG!**

  A loud noise ripped through the house, sharp and sudden. It echoed off the walls, shaking loose more plaster from the ceiling. Shouts came next, rough and full of panic. Heavy footsteps pounded across the wooden floors, boots stomping in a rush. Voices mixed together, yelling, cursing, sounding desperate and confused.

  Rei’s smirk grew wider, slow and deliberate. His eyes gleamed in the dim light, sharp and alive.

  “It worked,” he said under his breath, his voice calm but satisfied.

  The chaos was exactly what he wanted. The criminals were falling apart, their confidence breaking like glass. His message had done its job—planted doubt, sparked fear, pushed them into mistakes. Now security would rush in, distracted and sloppy, their focus scattered. This was his moment, his chance to move.

  Perfect.

  ---

  **1:14 PM – Escape**

  The house was alive now, buzzing with noise and panic. Security guards stormed inside, their radios crackling with static and urgent voices. Doors slammed open, banging against walls.

  Footsteps thundered through the halls, heavy and fast. The guards shouted orders, their words sharp but messy, like they didn’t know what they were looking for.

  Rei didn’t stay to watch the show. He moved through the shadows, his steps smooth and silent. Every move was planned, careful. He avoided the creaky boards, knowing exactly where to step.

  The dim light hid him, his black clothes blending with the dark corners of the house. He was a ghost, there and gone before anyone could notice.

  He didn’t run. Running was for people who were scared, people who lost control. Rei was never scared. He stayed calm, his heart steady, his breathing even.

  He walked with purpose, like he belonged in the house. His boots barely touched the floor, making no sound. He found a side door, half-hidden behind a pile of old boxes. With a gentle push, it opened, and he stepped outside.

  The afternoon heat hit him, bright and heavy, but it didn’t slow him down. The sun glared in his eyes, but he kept moving, crossing the street with an easy, unhurried stride. His hands stayed in his pockets, his posture relaxed.

  His destination was close—an abandoned house directly across from the criminals’ den. It was his safe spot now, his place to watch from. The building was old and broken, its windows covered with boards, its paint peeling off in long strips. He slipped inside, the door creaking softly as it closed behind him.

  Rei moved to a window, leaning against the rough wooden frame. Splinters poked at his fingers, but he didn’t care. From here, he could see everything.

  Across the street, the criminals’ house was a mess. Security guards swarmed around it, their faces tight with worry, their guns ready. Radios buzzed with voices, shouting orders that no one seemed to follow. It was all chaos—no plan, no control.

  That told Rei something important.

  Someone inside was dead.

  His fingers tapped against the wood, slow and steady. Tap. Tap. Tap. His smirk stayed, sharp and knowing, like a blade hidden in plain sight.

  “So… this is how it works,” he said softly, his voice low and smooth. “My words… kill naturally.”

  The thought sent a spark through him, exciting and dangerous. It wasn’t about fighting or spilling blood. It was about power, about shaping the world with nothing but a message. No one could trace it back to him. No one could prove he’d done anything at all.

  This was going… well.

  ---

  Thanks for reading.