"..."
Furina gently patted her thigh, then stepped out of the driver's seat with graceful indifference. She circled the car and settled into the passenger side.
Chen Lin took the wheel, her movements fluid and practiced—clutch, brake, gear shift, handbrake release. Furina watched intently, her expression serious… though two glowing question marks practically hovered above her head.
As the car jolted forward, Chen Lin shifted gears with ease. The patrol car surged onto the road, smooth as water flowing through Fontaine's aqueducts.
Furina's eyes widened.
"Wah wah wah~"
"When I return to Fontaine, I must bring this marvelous creature with me. As a nation of elegance and innovation, we cannot be without such advanced technology!"
But the novelty soon wore off.
Her stomach churned. The excitement gave way to nausea.
Motion sickness.
Furina clutched her mouth and nose, glancing uneasily at Chen Lin.
"We… how much farther?"
"Almost there. About a kilometer," Chen Lin replied, glancing at her. "Captain, are you carsick?"
"No." Furina immediately dropped her hand, straightened her back, and forced a confident smirk. "I am a divine being. The concept of vomiting is beneath me."
She turned her head toward the window, trying to look composed. But her pale face betrayed her.
She clenched her fingers tightly, fighting the urge to retch.
"Why aren't we there yet…"
Chen Lin glanced at her again, then pressed the window button.
A gust of wind rushed in, calming Furina's stomach.
She gripped the brim of her hat, letting the wind whip through her silver hair, her expression blank.
"Hehe…"
"This feels amazing."
"That was awful, but thanks to my divine willpower, I overcame it. I'm incredible."
Just as she was basking in her self-praise, the car pulled up to a luxurious apartment complex.
"Captain, we're here."
"Mm."
Furina stepped out and walked alongside Chen Lin into Fengxiang Apartments.
On the second floor, a crowd had gathered outside Unit 204, murmuring and speculating.
"Police, please make way," Chen Lin called out.
The crowd parted instinctively.
They stared at Furina as she passed, whispering again.
"Is that Barbie-looking girl a cop too?"
"Her hair's glowing at the ends!"
"Probably some kind of fluorescent dye."
"Cops can dye their hair white?"
"Maybe she's just prematurely gray…"
Ignoring the chatter, Furina and Chen Lin entered the apartment.
Two male officers approached.
"Captain, you're here."
"Mm." Furina nodded, then scanned the room with practiced poise. "Any leads?"
Both officers shook their heads. "No clues about the suspect yet."
"Which room is the victim in?" Chen Lin asked.
One officer pointed to the room near the entrance. "That one."
"Captain, here." Another officer handed Furina shoe covers and gloves.
"Mm." She accepted them and put them on.
Even she knew enough to avoid contaminating the crime scene.
Furina glanced at a frightened young woman sitting on the couch, then stepped into the victim's room.
The moment she entered, a pungent, sour stench hit her nose.
On the bed lay a naked female corpse.
"What in the Archons—?!"
Furina's face remained composed, but her heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't the gore—it was the expression.
The victim's face was twisted in agony, eyes wide like bronze bells, staring blankly at the ceiling.
As if… she were still alive.