Peter was left in awe after seeing the familiar figure in an unfamiliar place.

  The silence was broken when the figure spoke again.

  "Why are you here? I literally anticipated our championship match but you didn't show up."

  The figure said with a grin on his face.

  Yes, the figure appearing right now is Peter's supposed to be opponent for his middleweight championship.

  Peter couldn't hide the fact that he's extremely pissed on the figure's statement because it's a bad memory but he still chose to be rational.

  "I should ask you the same thing, why are you here? And why are you in this room particularly?" Peter asked.

  Given this strange occurrence, it's normal for Peter to question the connection between his boxer opponent and the guy who lives in 16B.

  "Well, I understand your suspicion, a champion like me shouldn't even be staying at this ruined city after all," the figure responded.

  "However, I have my reasons too. But of course, I won't tell you. Who the f*ck are you for me to obey?" the figure said mockingly.

  Hearing this, Peter's patience snapped.

  Without hesitation, he shoved the figure against the wall, grabbing him by the collar.

  "Do you think I have time to joke around with you? Answer me before I give you the beating you deserve!" Peter growled, his voice laced with fury.

  "How scary! Do you really think you can take me on?" the figure retorted confidently, a smirk playing on his lips.

  Peter tightened his grip. "Just answer me this, what's your connection to the man who lives in this room?"

  The figure let out a menacing chuckle. "This isn't going to work," he said with a sigh, his expression darkening. "In fact, I think you should be the one answering that question. What’s your connection to the person who lives here?"

  Peter froze for a moment, stunned. "Huh?"

  The figure leaned in closer, his grin widening. "Someone sent me this address. I’m assuming that person is the guy who lives here. So tell me, Peter, why the hell are you here?"

  Peter’s mind raced. The questions only grew. The fact that his former opponent was here, the mysterious man who lived in this room, and the recent appearance of the serial killer—all of it felt like an elaborate web of confusion.

  "Hey, are you telling the truth?!" Peter demanded, his voice rising as his grip on the figure’s collar tightened.

  The figure just stared back, calm and collected, as if Peter's anger amused him.

  Realizing he wasn’t getting anywhere, Peter finally released the figure’s collar with a frustrated shove.

  "That’s a good boy," the figure taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.

  "Shut your mouth and prove to me that someone actually asked you to be here, Klaus," Peter shot back, his eyes narrowing.

  Klaus Evans—the middleweight champion and the man who was supposed to fight Peter Lee before tragedy struck. His sudden appearance here only deepened the mystery.

  "Fine, but let’s take turns asking questions. After I answer yours, you answer mine," Klaus proposed, his tone casual but calculated.

  Peter hesitated for a moment, weighing the risk. "Well, I don’t trust this guy, but this much should be fine if I want to figure out what’s really going on," he thought.

  "Fine by me," Peter finally said.

  Klaus grinned.

  "Just a moment, though. I need to use the restroom first. Nearly burst from holding it in after seeing you."

  Peter’s eyes narrowed, knowing this was his chance to step outside and communicate with the officers.

  "Go ahead, but don’t take too long," Klaus replied, keeping his tone neutral.

  As he walked toward the door, Klaus called out with a smirk. "You should just admit it—you were about to pee yourself because you’re scared of me."

  Peter stopped briefly, glancing back with a cold stare. "Don’t go anywhere. If you try anything, I’ll make sure you don’t live to see another day," he warned before stepping out.

  Klaus waved dismissively, laughing softly to himself. "Go on, Little Monster. I’ll be right here."

  This situation was far from what they had imagined, leaving them momentarily stunned.

  "Klaus, huh? Another unexpected variable," Zed remarked, his tone thoughtful.

  "For your information, I don’t like Klaus that much. I was actually rooting for you, Peter!" Raze said, attempting to lighten the mood.

  However, Peter and Zed remained as serious as ever, their expressions unchanged.

  Seeing their reactions, Raze immediately apologized. "I’m sorry!"

  "What’s the plan now that it’s come to this?" Peter asked, breaking the brief silence.

  "Be cautious when answering his questions. We still don’t know how deeply he’s tied to this situation," Zed advised firmly.

  "That’s a given. That guy’s personality is as unlikeable as it gets. Even in the boxing world, his reputation is awful," Peter remarked, his disdain evident.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  "True, he’s notorious for being overly violent toward his opponents during matches." Raze chimed in.

  "Keep it natural when talking to him. We need to figure out if he’s an ally or a threat" Zed instructed. threat."

  "Exactly! Don’t worry, we’ll jump in the moment anything suspicious happens," Raze assured with confidence.

  Peter allowed a faint smile, reassured by the competence of the two officers standing with him.

  After three minutes, Peter returned to the door. But what awaited him on the other side was something he didn’t expect.

  A sudden punch.

  Whack!

  A powerful punch was thrown at Peter's face, but his reflexes allowed him to block it just in time.

  "Oh? So you still got the skills, Litter Monster," Klaus taunted, then laughed menacingly.

  Hearing this, Peter immediately shouted, "What the hell are you doing?!"

  "Don't be a crybaby. It's just payback for earlier. You held my collar pretty tightly, you know," Klaus responded with a grin.

  Due to the tension, Peter almost swung back but held himself in check, prioritizing the need for information.

  Peter then lowered his guard, sat on the couch, and warned, "Try that again, and I'll break your skull."

  "Hehehehehehe," Klaus just immediately laughed it off then proceeded to sit down too.

  "Let's get down to business. My first question is, when did you come here in Mechiv?" Peter seriously asked.

  "Today, I just got here because of someone's threat," Klaus replied.

  "Threat huh? Do you know anything about the person who threatened you?" Peter immediately followed up.

  "Easy there, Little Monster. I already answered your first question, so don’t get so worked up," Klaus mockingly said.

  Peter sighed, realizing he was getting worked up.

  "So, what's your next question?" Peter asked.

  "Why are you here in Mechiv?" Klaus asked, looking back at Peter.

  This was a question Peter expected to hear, but he still hesitated, unsure how deeply Klaus was involved.

  "Looks like you're being careful. Let me rephrase the question then."

  "Answer with a yes or no. Are you here because of the news from a few days ago? The one about the Korean Women Killer appearing here?" Klaus asked.

  "So he knows about it too," Peter thought.

  After a minute of silence, Peter finally responded, "Yes, I am. I'm here to get my revenge on that serial killer."

  Seeing Peter's serious expression, Klaus knew he was telling the truth.

  "It's my turn now. Who sent you that threat, and how?" Peter immediately asked.

  "I don't know the person's identity, but they messaged me privately, asking me to be here. They threatened to expose my secret if I didn't," Klaus answered.

  "My turn again. Are you sure the person who killed your sister is really here? What if this guy is just a copycat?" Klaus asked, fully maximizing his turn.

  "It's highly likely that they're the same person. Whether he's a copycat or not, I'm sure he's connected somehow, since he's trying to lure me."

  "I might've said too much, but this is necessary to gauge Klaus's involvement here," Peter thought.

  "My turn again," Peter said.

  "You mentioned something about exposing your secret earlier. What exactly is that secret, that you came here so abruptly?" Peter asked, his expression serious.

  Hearing this, Klaus’s face darkened, and he showed a cold expression.

  "You might need to ask me another question, Peter," Klaus coldly replied.

  "Hey, I answered your questions truthfully. Why can’t you answer this one?" Peter pressed.

  "That’s a rather personal question, Little Monster," Klaus replied.

  "I know that secret may not be directly related to this, but I need to know if it's true in order to figure out if you're an ally or an enemy," Peter said, his face full of seriousness.

  Seeing this, Klaus reluctantly spoke, "It’s about our championship match. That anonymous person threatened to expose me for using drugs before our fight," Klaus admitted without batting an eye.

  Peter’s face twisted in disgust at Klaus’s confession.

  Seeing this, Klaus simply said, "Don't be like that. The result is the only thing that matters; the process doesn't."

  "Bastard! How can you have no remorse? I almost fought you, and you're telling me you were planning to cheat in our match?" Peter asked angrily.

  "Does it really matter? We didn’t have a fight to begin with," Klaus said, grinning.

  "And for your information, that’s the last question you’ll ask me. I’ve already given you too much," Klaus added, staring at Peter’s furious face.

  "That’s probably fine for me. Based on our conversation, I might actually have more information to offer than he does," Peter thought.

  "My last question is about the person who lives here. I got this address with no information, and I assume you know something about the person who lives here. Who is he, and how is he connected to this case?" Peter asked, making it clear this would be his final question.

  "If I remember correctly, his name is Jade. He’s in his early twenties and has a good build. I don’t know how deeply involved he is, but I suspect he’s at least an accomplice. Now, I’m more certain, especially since you’re here in his room," Peter responded.

  "Is that so?" Klaus asked.

  Peter simply nodded in response.

  A minute of silence filled the room after they agreed to stop asking questions. Both were wary of each other. However, Klaus broke the silence and said, "I actually find it funny that I got invited here. If the person behind this has a grudge against you, they might have invited me to ensure you get beaten just like you were supposed to in our match." Klaus said mockingly.

  "Shut up, junkie. If that’s really the reason you were invited, then you should leave. You can’t possibly beat me," Peter coldly replied to the taunt.

  "Also, don’t get too comfortable. Your role in this is still unclear to me, and I warn you, once I confirm you’re part of this scheme, your belt will be vacated forever. I’ll erase you from this world," Peter said menacingly, his cold gaze locking onto Klaus.

  "Hearing that makes me want to stay even more. I’m too curious about Peter Lee’s dark side. A boxer who’s unbeatable, suddenly turned into a vengeful soul... you’re actually so interesting, HAHAHAHAHA!" Klaus laughed, taunting Peter.

  Amid the high tension between the two boxers, a loud noise outside distracted them.

  Bang!

  Hearing this, both boxers glanced at each other before rushing outside to find out what caused the sound.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  The consecutive loud noises echoed through the hallway. It was a shootout involving the two police officers.

  Peter immediately saw that someone was shooting at the officers.

  "Take cover!" Zed shouted, trying to get close to the masked figure who had just opened fire.

  "Roger that!" Raze responded.

  Peter, confused about what was happening, tried to close the distance to the officers. Curious about the situation, Klaus followed him.

  "Hey, Little Monster, is the real reason you retired from boxing because you're into crazy things like this?" Klaus mockingly asked.

  "Can you shut up? This isn’t the time for that. That masked figure could be the key to everything that's happening right now," Peter said, brushing off Klaus’s teasing.

  Klaus just laughed and replied, "Maybe I should join in. I have a fetish for crazy things too," he said with a strange smile.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  The shooting continued between the masked figure and the officers. Once Peter and Klaus closed the distance to Officer Raze, Peter immediately asked, "What’s happening, Officer? Is that the culprit?"

  "We don't know yet," Raze explained. "We just saw someone suspicious lurking around the corridor. When we tried to stop him, he immediately ran off and started firing at us. Fortunately, we reacted quickly and managed to dodge."

  Thud!

  A loud sound echoed as Zed slammed the suspicious figure against the wall after closing the distance between them.

  Zed sustained a graze on his shoulder as the price for his bold move. Without hesitation, he pulled out his handcuffs and secured the figure to prevent any further retaliation.

  "You're under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder and endangerment. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, an attorney will be appointed for you," Zed firmly stated to the masked figure.

  Peter, Klaus, and Raze quickly approached the scene.

  "Are you okay, Senior?" Raze asked worriedly, noticing the wound on Zed's shoulder.

  "Don't worry. It's just a graze," Zed reassured her.

  Driven by curiosity, Peter stepped forward and removed the mask from the figure's face.

  To their surprise, the face beneath the mask was shockingly ordinary. It was the face of someone heavily under the influence of drugs—a face typical of the petty criminals often found in Mechiv City.

  "He's not the guy from 16B," Peter said with a disappointment in his face.