Chapter 80: Investigation Visit
The place where the victim was found was not on the road, but in a pile of straw near the poultry house.
“We found Fraser right here at that ti.”
The hunter pointed at the straw pile.
“We suspected he might have drunk too much and ca out to relieve himself.”
“Hmm……………”
Levi stared at the ground beside the straw pile.
It was obvious that the villagers here had no awareness of protecting a cri scene.
The footprints on the ground were a complete ss—who knew how many people had stepped through.
“Do you often have people co here drunk to relieve themselves?”
“Most of the ti.”
The hunter shrugged.
“After all, that’s how the village is. We’re used to it.”
Actually, what he said wasn’t wrong.
Levi fixed his gaze on the straw pile.
With the help of 【Trace Inspection】 and the wounds on the back of the corpse, he could almost imagine what had happened here.
In the dead of night, a drunk staggered out of the tavern, swaying as he ca here, perhaps even humming a tune.
Then he planned to relieve himself.
Suddenly, a shadow leapt out from behind him like a beast.
With one strike of its claws, it pierced the drunkard’s body as easily as slicing butter, ripping through skin, bone, and organs.
The drunk fell to the ground without a sound, and the shadow vanished without a trace.
It was almost instantaneous—it hadn’t even touched the ground.
But that didn’t an it had left no trace.
Levi lifted his head and soon spotted a large footprint on the roof of the poultry house.
It had leapt across, struck the drunk in passing, landed on the poultry house, then quickly bounded forward, vaulted over the two-ter-high wooden wall, and vanished into the forest.
As for its arrival, it was the sa.
Levi saw its footprints on the roof on the other side, as if it had leapt over the wooden wall from the forest, paused on the roof, perhaps planning to steal chickens—only to encounter a drunkard by chance, whom it killed in passing before leaving.
Hmm, that seed logical enough.
But not entirely logical.
“Hmm………………”
Levi pondered for a mont, then turned toward the hunter.
“Why are you so sure it’s a werewolf? Couldn’t it have just been so beast that ran in, killed him, and ran out again?”
Levi wasn’t nitpicking.
From what he had so far, all the evidence suggested this was more like the work of a beast.
Of course, an ordinary beast might not have such ability, but the beasts in the mountains weren’t exactly reasonable creatures.
Weren’t there plenty of movies like this? Things like King Cobra, Crocodile King—always stories of huge, strong creatures in the wild with a bit of cunning.
“Heh, Detective, do you know why our village is called Wolf Head Village?”
“I’m listening.”
“Because this isn’t the first ti we’ve encountered such a monster!”
Soon, the hunter launched into an animated retelling of Wolf Head Village’s history.
According to him, the village’s original na was Wolf God Village.
Legend said a strong, intelligent giant wolf lived nearby.
The villagers worshiped it as a god, offering a lamb each year so it would protect the village—and also so it wouldn’t eat them.
This custom had continued for nearly a century.
But as tis changed, more people saw it as re superstition.
Thirty years ago, a few drunk young n bet each other to go to the offering site to see what this Wolf God really looked like.
The next day, their mutilated corpses were found at the altar.
This caused a huge uproar.
The villagers split into two factions: the elders believed the young n had offended the Wolf God and deserved their fate.
But the grieving families did not agree.
And unlike the past, people now had guns—and courage.
Finally, the vengeful villagers ford a squad, followed the tracks deep into the mountains, and hunted the Wolf God.
They found it in a cave, and to their surprise, the Wolf God was not only massive but could also walk upright like a human—and even wore a cloak, dressed almost like a man!
The two sides fought fiercely, and in the end, the humans slew the Wolf God and cut off its head.
“This is it.”
The hunter pushed open a door and proudly showed Levi the village’s most treasured trophy, kept in the church.
A giant wolf’s head.
It was several tis larger than a human head.
Though preserved as a specin, its fierce, glaring expression remained terrifying.
Levi circled it.
Judging from the skull, the wolf’s size would have been between two and three ters.
If it could walk upright, then… hmm, that was indeed frightening.
“After that, Wolf God Village was renad Wolf Head Village, to prove our courage and strength!”
“Impressive, but that still doesn’t solve our problem.”
Levi glanced at the wolf head, then quickly returned to the matter at hand.
“As you said, this wolf is as dead as it can be. How could it possibly co back to attack villagers?”
“Because they didn’t finish the job.”
The hunter’s face darkened with resentnt.
“My father was part of the wolf-hunting team. He said there was also a she-wolf and cubs. They killed the Wolf God and the she-wolf, but the cub escaped. They wanted to chase it, but due to bad weather and many wounded, they had to retreat.”
Now the hunter grew more agitated.
“Thirty years have passed. That cub has returned! It must have co back for revenge!”
Strange as it sounded, the reasoning couldn’t be dismissed outright.
After all, the victim had been killed with a single claw strike, without any signs of being eaten.
Even if it was an animal, it clearly wasn’t hunting for food—this looked more like a targeted attack and killing.
Still, investigation was necessary.
Levi thanked the hunter and went to the tavern—the last place the victim had been before his death.
He found the tavern’s owner and waiter, and asked about the events of last night.
“Nothing major, Detective.”
The owner, behind the bar, absentmindedly wiped glasses as he answered Levi’s questions.
“Fraser was always like that. After a few drinks, he dared say and do anything. Last night he did quarrel with a few people, but it wasn’t anything serious.”
“If he weren’t dead, then yes, it wouldn’t be serious.”
Levi wasn’t about to let him brush it off.
“If you won’t tell , perhaps you’d prefer to explain to a judge in court?”
“Why would I… alright, alright, I’ll talk. Last night Fraser was drinking with Roger, Charlie, and Tommy. The four of them got into an argunt. I don’t know what started it, but Fraser was furious. He cursed at Charlie and the others, calling them disgusting beasts, damned bastards…”
The owner spread his hands.
“Crude country talk. My apologies.”
“What was his relationship with the other three? What did they do for a living?”
“Roger was Fraser’s brother. Charlie and Tommy were brothers too. Roger worked on a farm, Charlie and Tommy were blacksmiths.”
“And Fraser?”
“He used to be a hunter.”
“You an he no longer hunted?”
“One year he broke his leg chasing ga. Even after healing, he never went back. That’s when he started drinking heavily.”
“So why were they arguing?”
“I don’t really know. They argued every ti they drank. People do that, don’t they? Drink too much and fights break out. I don’t know about the city, but here, when people drink and talk, it’s easy for soone to smash a cup over another’s head.”
The owner lifted the wooden cup in his hand.
“That’s why I only use these now.”
Hearing this, Levi thought for a mont.
“One last question.”
“Alright, Detective, what else?”
“If Fraser didn’t work, where did he get money? At the very least, he had to pay for his drinks.”
“Now that you ntion it, I never saw him pay.”
The owner frowned.
“Sotis Roger paid, sotis Charlie or Tommy. He only cared about drinking.”
“Thank you.”
Having gotten the information he needed, Levi rose from the bar, put on his hat, and nodded to the owner.
“Won’t you have a drink, Detective? Our gin here is quite good.”
“No, thank you.
I don’t drink—it’s bad for the health.”
Levi said this, then turned and left the tavern.
Next, the natural targets for investigation were the victim’s drinking companions.
Levi soon found Charlie and Tommy, the blacksmith brothers, at their smithy, and asked about the tavern bills.
To him, no matter how good friends were, it made little sense for soone to keep paying endlessly.
After all, money didn’t fall from the sky.
Yet the brothers’ answer surprised him.
“Card gas?”
“That’s right.”
Tommy struck his hamr on the anvil as he fixed his eyes on Levi.
“We often played cards together.
Whoever lost had to pay for drinks.
That’s all.”
“You two must have lost a lot, then.”
“Tell about it!”
Charlie joined in the complaint.
“You wouldn’t believe it. Fraser’s luck was unbelievable. Dead drunk, yet always drew good cards. And Roger tead up with him, so it was basically two against two. We lost more often than not. Though sotis we did win, and usually Roger would pay for him then. If you ask , Fraser should’ve gone to the city casinos—he might have made a fortune.”
If he dared, more likely he’d have ended up dead in the street, forgotten.
Levi closed his notebook and studied the two brothers.
Though they tried to remain calm, his 【Investigation】 easily revealed they were hiding sothing.
Charlie, though minding the shop, kept glancing at Tommy, while the latter hamred uneasily, his movents lacking rhythm.
“Ah, Detective!”
Just then, the shop door opened and a lively voice rang out.
Levi turned his head—and saw a flash of red in his vision.
“What is it?”
“My grandmother would like to invite you for dinner. And since it’s already late, would you like to stay in the village tonight? The tavern has rooms for guests. Not luxurious, but comfortable enough.”
At Little Red Riding Hood’s appearance, Levi noticed both brothers’ eyes light up.
Clearly, she was well-liked in the village.
But seeing her speak only to him, ignoring them completely, their eyes dimd with disappointnt.
“Well then……………”
“Awooooooooo———!”
Before Levi could answer, a sharp wolf howl suddenly echoed outside, long and unbroken.
Everyone was startled.
They hurried outside to see where it ca from.
But the village was surrounded by mountains, making it impossible to pinpoint the exact location.
Then, urgent bells rang out.
“DANG DANG DANG DANG———!”
“It’s an ergency summons!”
Little Red Riding Hood’s face turned pale.
She quickly explained to Levi.
“The bells are only rung when sothing major happens—calling everyone to gather at the church! Let’s go, Detective.”
“Alright.”
Levi thought for a mont and agreed to her suggestion.
Hopefully, nothing troubleso would happen.
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