Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Archy's heart raced uncontrollably as he struggled to remain calm and asked, "What do you need from me?"

"Well, we heard you're a psychological consultant for the Bureau. Could you possibly conduct a psychological assessment for one of our members?" Gavrel asked. "Don't worry, it's just a simple test of their mental state, nothing too in-depth."

"Psychological assessments are inherently professional," Archy interrupted, displeased, "And I've heard your division has the most high-level psychologists. Why would you need my help as a mere consultant?"

Gavrel gave a wry smile, "Well, your research in psychology is renowned in the industry. Besides, our headquarters is currently short-staffed. The highest-level psychologist in Arkham City is you. What do you say?"

Archy, half-jokingly, yet with a serious matter pressing on his mind, pursed his lips, "Understood, send your person over. I happen to be free right now."

Assisting them now would add weight to his report about Lann later.

Grateful, Gavrel quickly sent Edmund to Archy's office.

Archy, organizing files in his office and contemplating reporting Lann to the Bureau, took out the previously hidden documents, thinking they might be useful later, or in case Lann impulsively acted against Albert, giving Archy some leverage.

Hearing a knock at the door of his office, Archy responded indifferently, "Come in."

He turned and observed the patient, following behind Benton. The person appeared young, probably in his early twenties, with brown hair, freckles on his face, a reserved expression, and sea-blue eyes that would unconsciously shift away during eye contact. He didn't walk alongside Benton but slightly behind, half a footstep's distance.

Sensitive, observant yet hesitant to make eye contact, underlying inferiority, lack of assertiveness, likely grew up in an environment devoid of love and attention.

The professional psychological analysis began the moment Edmund entered. Archy spun his pen and lifted his chin slightly, "Take a seat in the chair opposite me. I prefer not to have a third person around during the assessment."

The team captain shrugged, placing Edmund in the chair and comforting him with a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, it's just a routine reinstatement assessment. Since we're not at headquarters, we asked Dr. Archy to help. I believe you'll be fine."

Edmund, somewhat embarrassed, scratched his head, "Sorry for the trouble I caused before, I was just too nervous..."

"Haha, no problem. I was like you on my first assignment, everyone understands," Gavrel patted his shoulder, his demeanor filled with concern for his junior, "I'll leave you to Dr. Archy now."

Archy nodded.

The office door closed, leaving only Archie and Edmund inside.

Archie, uninterested in pleasantries with his patient, stated succinctly, "I'll use a psychological questionnaire to briefly assess your mental state. I ask, you answer, and try not to take more than 3 seconds to respond. I'm seeking answers from your subconscious. Understand?"

After receiving Edmund's reply, Archie went straight to the point: "You're stranded on a deserted island with three choices of refuge: the mountaintop, the forest, or the beach. Which do you choose?"

Edmund hesitated for a second: "The beach."

Archie glanced at him, "Where would you choose to gather food: the beach, riverside, or mountainside?"

"Riverside."

Archie's questions became increasingly rapid. Initially, Edmund could ponder a bit, but soon he was swept up by Archie's pace and stern expression, answering more quickly, sometimes without thinking, his responses slipping out spontaneously.

This question-and-answer session neared an hour, with Edmund eventually becoming bewildered, answering almost numbly. Meanwhile, Archie's initially casual demeanor gradually turned somber.

The initial questions were manageable, with Edmund's responses aligning closely with Archie's profile: a youth lacking in confidence and security, feeling inferior.

But as the session progressed, the answers grew more bizarre.

Edmund was particularly sensitive to colors close to blood, more so than to other colors.

He disliked small animals and lacked empathy for those around him, though he pretended to care.

He seemed to have long concealed his true nature, but recently decided against it. In minor details, he brazenly revealed his cold-blooded side, like a bloodthirsty beast gaining acknowledgment, baring dangerous fangs, testing his master's limits.

"Damn it, how did such a person get into the Inspection Bureau? Don't they check backgrounds during recruitment?"

Archie maintained his outward indifference. After an hour of questioning, both parties quietly sighed in relief.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

"Is Dr. Archie here? There's been an accident with the prisoner from the last interrogation."

"Hold on." Archie stood up, glancing at Edmund, who still seemed dazed in his chair. Subconsciously tightening his grip on his notebook, he said indifferently, "You may leave now."

"Oh, but the results..."

"I'll deliver the results directly to your captain. The psychological evaluation is over, and your presence is no longer required here," Archie said impatiently. Edmund shivered, his round blue eyes conveying something innocent, like a deer in the forest.

Archie wasn't fooled by this facade. Ultimately, without a word, Edmund left the office under Archie's watchful eye, and the two quickly went their separate ways at a corner.

After dealing with the matter at hand, Archie called Gavrel to his office, intending to discuss Edmund's issues face-to-face, and most importantly, matters regarding Laine.

He had just reached the office door, his hand on the doorknob, when his expression subtly changed.

He distinctly remembered locking the door before leaving.

Moreover, this was a police station. Who would dare to commit a crime here?

Gently pressing down, he pushed open the door, standing warily at the entrance, peering into the office. There was no one inside, and at first glance, all documents seemed to be in their proper places.

Archie stepped into the office without closing the door. Suddenly remembering something, he hurriedly walked a few steps forward to his desk, keenly noticing that the position of a certain document on the table had changed.

As the office door silently closed, Archie didn't turn around, his hand slowly reaching for the gun in the drawer.

Just as he was about to grasp the handle, a hand suddenly pressed down on his, with a force so strong he couldn't resist. Archie turned his head sharply, almost face-to-face with the brown-haired young man.

The brown-haired young man now looked completely contrary to Archie's initial profile of him. His lips curled, his skin deathly pale, and beneath those innocent blue eyes lay madness and bloodlust, like a harmless animal shedding its disguise to reveal a monstrous true form.

"Shh—Dr. Archie," Edmund said with a toothy smile, his complexion ghostly, his mouth almost stretching to his ears, and he spoke in a hoarse voice:

"Lord Laine sends his regards through me."

In the office, the air was stagnant, almost motionless.

Archie's mind went blank in an instant.

"Dr. Archie? Are you in there?" Gavrel's voice came from outside. Archie heard Edmund whisper in his ear, "I hope you're a smart man, Doctor."

The next second, the figure standing behind Archie disappeared.

Archie didn't even know how he did it. He stood still to calm himself for a moment, then realized that the document about Laine on his desk had indeed vanished.

But the document about Edmund was still there.

As if, he was waiting for Archie to make a choice.

The knocking outside continued. Gavrel, receiving no response after several knocks, hesitated, wondering if Archie had stepped out on urgent business. The next moment, the office door opened, and Archie stood at the doorway, looking indifferently as he turned and said, "Come in."

Gavrel hurried to follow Archie, oblivious to his sudden change in demeanor. Or perhaps, in his eyes, this highly professional psychologist had always been cold, a trait hardly notable among the eccentricities of the Inspection Bureau.

"How did the results turn out?"

Archie lifted his eyes and after a moment of silence, said, "He's normal, nothing seriously wrong."

Just a suspected case of advanced split personality, with one of the personalities being a high-intellect, anti-social individual who became a faithful mad dog under some malevolent deity.

"Oh, that's good then," Gavrel chuckled. "I knew that kid wouldn't go down easily. I had a good feeling about him from the start!"

Archie's mouth twitched slightly.

Yes, he hadn't been brought down, because he had very readily betrayed them.

"I really appreciate your help this time, Dr. Archie."

"It's nothing, just a small effort on my part," Archie replied, then fell silent, seemingly hesitant about something. Gavrel, perceptive as ever, sensed there might be more Archie wanted to say. "Is there anything else? If there's anything I can help with, just let me know. I'll do what I can."

"It's nothing much…" Archie rubbed his notebook, "I'm just a bit curious about how your Inspection Bureau selects its people."

"Are you interested in joining us?" Gavrel's eyes lit up eagerly.

The Inspection Bureau had a high demand for psychologists for certain reasons, especially for their front-line investigation teams. A capable psychologist was a dream teammate, and even if not a colleague, it was essential to maintain good relations, as they often needed help.

"No... I just wanted to understand a bit. If it's confidential, forget I asked."

"Haha, it's no secret," Gavrel responded candidly. "Our Inspection Bureau recruits through various channels. Ex-military and agents are, of course, our first choice. Beyond that, we look for exceptional talents from all fields, like you, Dr. Archie. If you're willing to join, you could immediately become an official investigator.

Psychologists directly affiliated with the Bureau have their own offices. Besides, we also recruit some special talents."

He lowered his voice: "I mean, those in the civilian population who can sense special things, what you might call witches or mediums. To us, they're just unfortunate souls... Well, I can't say much more than that."

Archie pretended to be very interested: "Do you not need to investigate the backgrounds of these civilian recruits?"

"Of course, we do. The recruitment of these talents is the most stringent because they're the most likely to stray. So, it's not just background checks, but also faith checks. We require these individuals to be atheists, or if religious, to follow a mainstream faith like Catholicism. That's why such talents are scarce, maybe just a few each year. Each one is treasured by the investigation teams, but despite this, their attrition rate remains high..."

Gavrel sighed, "That's why I value that kid so much. Even though he's as skittish as a rabbit, his character isn't prone to going astray. Most importantly, his employment test showed he has no religious beliefs, just a single-minded desire to rise above his humble beginnings.

I like such guys; in a crisis, I don't have to worry about them stabbing me in the back."

Archie almost couldn't maintain his expression of cold indifference.

"By the way, Dr. Archie, are you sure you won't consider joining us? The salary and benefits are unparalleled."

"No thanks, I'm not considering leaving my current position for now."

Archie, with a stern face, saw Gavrel out and closed the office door, finally allowing himself to inwardly scoff.

So this is the Inspection Bureau's rigorous recruitment result? Hah, what an eye-opener.

If it can be infiltrated so easily, then the Inspection Bureau is entirely untrustworthy.

It seems I'll have to figure out a way on my own now.

But how can I make Albert back off without revealing Laine's identity?

Archie was greatly troubled by this dilemma, unable to find an answer even by the end of the workday.

When Archie left for the day, he saw other officers still busy. However, this didn't affect his timely departure. His role as a psychological consultant generally involved interrogating criminals, conducting mental assessments of prisoners, and dealing with particularly challenging serial killers. The current bustle in the police station, mainly due to cult issues, didn't require him to work overtime.

However, as he reached the underground parking garage, he unexpectedly encountered Albert. Logically, Albert should be busiest at this time and unlikely to be leaving work so early.

Archie found this odd and, after hesitating for a moment, followed Albert, watching him drive out of the garage. Archie quietly followed in his car.

As he drove behind him for a while, Archie began to recognize the route.

According to his research, didn't this road lead to Laine's psychotherapy clinic?

Archie was somewhat incredulous. Was Albert actually skipping work to see Laine??

Archie and Albert grew up together, and Archie knew him better than anyone. Albert had always harbored a strong sense of duty and justice, never neglecting his responsibilities, let alone sneaking off to deal with personal matters during a busy time at the police station.

Shocked, Archie even forgot to maintain a safe distance between their cars. At the next traffic light, Albert's car turned into an alley, and Archie instinctively followed, only to find Albert's vehicle parked deep in the alley, with no one in the driver's seat.

"Click."

The dark muzzle of a gun pressed against the glass, aimed at the driver's seat. Archie slowly turned his head to face Albert, standing outside with a cold expression.

It was rare to see Albert without his sunny, goofy smile. For a moment, Archie was taken aback, inexplicably reminded of Edmund he had met earlier.

Of course, it was just an illusion. Upon recognizing Archie in the driver's seat, Albert's initially indifferent expression softened.

Albert tapped Archie's car window with the gun, signaling him to roll it down, and asked irritably, "Why are you following me? I almost thought you were some short-sighted gang member."

Archie, dismissing his earlier misperception, retorted coldly, "I should be asking you that. Everyone's busy at the station, and here you are, chasing someone during work hours?"

Albert was taken aback, "I wasn't. I was tracking Karrens. According to an informant, he's the rising figure in the Arkham underworld, likely to take over as the new head of Black Poker."

Archie didn't expect this answer but quickly noticed something amiss: "This road doesn't lead to the underground district. It's closer to Laine's psychotherapy clinic, isn't it?"

Albert's look turned even stranger, "I don't think I've ever taken you to Laine's clinic. How do you know about it?"

Archie's heart skipped a beat.

"Are you meeting him behind my back???" Albert blurted out loudly.

Archie's mouth twitched, his initial apprehension fading away as he inwardly scoffed at himself for being overly suspicious. Albert, perceptive? He's just a silly dog...

"I just heard that someone recently opened a popular psychology clinic around here, and apart from Laine, who can get criminals to talk, I don't know who else it could be... And haven't you heard? Don't answer a question with a question," Archie scoffed, his expression arrogant and scornful due to his facial structure. "In the end, you did go see him."

"Well, it's not exactly that, or at least not entirely. My reason for going to the Lann Psychology Clinic was actually to lie in wait. After the incident with the Arkham gang, Clarence's whereabouts became unpredictable. Recent intelligence suggests he's been frequently spotted around Lann..."

Under Archie's gaze, Albert's voice gradually faded to a murmur, ending with a shrug: "Okay, I admit I'm also a bit worried about Lann. Black Jack seeking him out can't be good. It's my fault he got involved; otherwise, he wouldn't have caught Black Jack's attention."

Archie said nothing more, walking to Albert's car and opening the door: "Then let's go."

"Huh?"

"To work, you're planning to lie in wait, aren't you."

"Oh! Right on!" Years of understanding made Albert instantly grasp Archie's intent. He hurried back to the driver's seat, grinning, "This reminds me of our early days at the police station. It's a pity you rarely appear on the scene. I still prefer working alongside you."

Archie hummed in response, his tone indifferent: "I prefer staying in the background."

"I know, your talents are better suited for behind-the-scenes work. Plus, if you also became a cop, Auntie would kill me. She was already upset about you joining the police force with me. She doesn’t even offer me cookies when I visit."

Albert continued to chatter from the driver's seat. Archie remained silent, but the frost on his face seemed to thaw a little.

"It's a pity about Uncle and Aunt if they were still alive..."

Albert suddenly stopped mid-sentence, awkwardly glancing at Archie: "Sorry."

"It's nothing."

Archie's face betrayed no negative emotion, but the atmosphere in the car wasn't as harmonious as before.

Fortunately, they arrived outside Lann's psychology clinic and began their stakeout. In less than an hour, they actually spotted their target.

Watching Clarence step out of a black sedan and head straight for Lann's clinic, Albert couldn’t contain himself. Before Archie could react, he got out of the car and confronted Clarence.

Clarence's henchman immediately drew a gun, but Clarence stopped him. He coldly eyed Albert blocking his path, his mouth twitching into a sneer: "Well, if it isn't our great Chief of Police. What brings you here to block my way, a small fry like me?"

"You're hardly a small fry now, Clarence. Both of us know exactly what you've been up to lately."

"Knowing that, how dare you show up in front of me?"

"I can't let you harm innocent people. Step aside, Clarence. Our grudge shouldn't involve others."

Clarence's mouth opened slightly, a look of surprise flashing across his face.

At this moment, Archie also arrived, looking helplessly at the confronting duo, with no choice but to stand behind Albert.

Their group effectively blocked the entrance to the psychology clinic, drawing the unavoidable attention of bystanders. Particularly as three of them were quite handsome, each with distinctive features. As is well-known, attractive characters are often important NPCs in games, since there's no need to finely craft the faces of background characters.

Meaning, the sudden appearance of three important NPCs made it impossible for the players to walk away. They turned to look, and some, loving a spectacle, even tried to sneak closer to eavesdrop.

Archie, sensitive to the surrounding gazes, didn't want to be the center of attention: "Excuse me, could you discuss this elsewhere?"

"Sure, let our esteemed Chief of Police go first. I have business inside," Clarence gestured towards the psychology clinic, blocked by Albert.

"You should be the one to leave first." Albert crossed his arms. "Protecting citizens from gang threats is one of the police's duties."

"Oh, really? Then why don't you think of a way to save those being threatened elsewhere?" Clarence sneered. "And don't get confused. The person inside doesn't need your protection."

At these words, Archie's expression changed instantly.

Albert frowned: "What do you mean?"

Clarence, observing his reaction and then glancing at Archie, suddenly understood something. A smirk curled his lips: "It seems you really don't know anything."

He had thought Albert was the first to know about Lann's identity, but now it seemed Albert was completely unaware, which pleased him. He wouldn't need to worry about getting along with new colleagues after joining Lann's side, especially not having to work with this hypocritical cop.

"What are you trying to say?" Albert pressed on, but Archie suddenly grabbed his arm. "Enough, Albert. Let's go back."

They couldn't stay here any longer! It dawned on Archie that Clarence knew about Lann's identity and seemed to be working for Lann.

Staying here was too dangerous.

"Archie, what's gotten into you today? Your attitude is so strange. You should be on my side." Albert was utterly confused.

Archie was almost breaking out in a sweat. Where had his astute and courageous friend gone? Could it be that falling in love actually has the side effect of lowering one's IQ?

"Don't come any closer to this place, Albert!"

He was genuinely worried for his dear friend. If Albert kept focusing on Lann, and one day stumbled upon something he shouldn’t know, he might not even realize how he ended up dead!

"Why? Don't you support me either?" Albert stared at Archie in shock, blurting out, "Could it be, you also have feelings for Lann?!"

This statement completely dumbfounded Archie.

He opened his mouth, glanced at Clarence who was enjoying the spectacle, and weakly retorted, "Can you just stop talking for a moment?"

Albert (on high alert): "Why are you telling me to stop talking? Did I guess right?"

Archie sighed in despair and rubbed his forehead.

The players stared in disbelief at the three men, their faces spelling out just two words.

— Gossip.