"That's right." Holly nodded, her voice trembling with fear.
"Someone definitely used it secretly."
As she spoke, she walked over to the windowsill and looked at the lush, vibrant green plant.
"Did you water the flowers before you went out?" she asked.
"No... I didn't." Holly shook her head, then, as if realizing something, she jerked her head to look at it.
"Then you don't need to," Charlotte said.
"That kind Mr. Ghost has already watered them for you."
These words made the blood drain from Holly's face instantly.
"He... where is he?"
Holly looked around frantically, shouting:
"What exactly do you want? Come out! Why are you doing this..."
She paced around the room as if losing control, constantly shouting and cursing.
"Why are you doing this? What on earth do you see in me!"
"Uh... please calm down, Ms. Davey," Russell said.
"I can't calm down, sir, I can't do it!"
Holly turned her head to look at Russell.
"My home was visited by a pervert half an hour ago, and he might even be hiding somewhere in this room right now. I can't calm down!"
As she spoke, she ran to the bedroom and yanked open the sheets she had made.
Naturally, there was no one there.
"Who exactly are you?! Come out!"
Holly's voice echoed in the small apartment, carrying a trace of hysteria.
She rushed to the wardrobe and yanked the doors open; inside were only a few neatly hung clothes.
She squatted down again, lifting the bedsheets to look underneath. Apart from a dusty suitcase, there was nothing.
"I know you're right here! I know it!"
She muttered, then ran to pull open the curtains, but outside was only the grey sky of London.
The entire apartment had been turned into a mess by her rummaging; the original warmth and elegance were completely gone.
All that remained was the despair of a woman on the verge of a breakdown.
Russell stood to the side, watching this scene, unsure of what to say.
Charlotte, on the other hand, continued to walk around the room unhurriedly, inspecting, completely indifferent to Holly's hysteria.
"Stop hiding! You coward! Pervert!"
Holly's screams became increasingly shrill.
Just then—
Bang, bang, bang!
A series of faint knocks rang out, interrupting Holly's breakdown.
All three froze simultaneously, looking toward the door in unison.
Russell subconsciously stepped forward and opened the door.
At the door stood an old lady with a furrowed brow.
"Sir, could you please keep it down a little?" the old lady said softly. "We are old and need our rest."
"Apologies, Madam..." Russell said in a low voice, smiling apologetically. "Ms. Davey has encountered some... rather unacceptable matters, so she is currently having a bit of a breakdown."
"Oh..." The old lady glanced at Holly inside the room, who was nearly collapsing, her expression revealing a bit of sympathy.
"Although I don't know what happened, it's going to be alright, my dear," she comforted. "It will get better, okay?"
"Thank you," Russell said with a smile. "And, I am very sorry to have disturbed your rest."
"It's fine, it's fine."
The old lady waved her hand, looking into the room once more with the kind, experienced gaze of someone who had seen much of life, before slowly turning around and returning to the room opposite.
Russell gently closed the door, cutting off the view from the outside.
He looked back. After that outburst and the neighbor's interruption, Holly's emotions seemed to have settled slightly.
At this moment, she was sitting limply on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor.
Charlotte, meanwhile, was like a wandering spirit, continuing to drift around the apartment.
Russell sighed.
It seemed his rare day off wasn't going to be leisurely after all.
He rolled up his sleeves, deciding to join this ghost-hunting game.
Although he had no clue about this ghost's modus operandi, as a professional Phantom Thief, he still had some confidence in finding things.
After all, his profession was finding things others had hidden, and then hiding them in his own pockets.
The logic held up.
"Ms. Davey, do you mind if I check the bathroom?"
"Please, go ahead, sir," Holly said feebly.
So, Russell pushed open the bathroom door and walked in.
Then, he pulled up his System interface.
"Let's consider it... cracking down on perverts is everyone's responsibility," he muttered to himself, followed by a slight shift of his will.
[Skill: Investigation C+ — Upgraded, Current Level C++, Malice Points -600]
[Malice Points required for next level: 1200]
[Malice Points Balance: 900]
"Tch..." Russell frowned.
Leveling up was so expensive.
Russell felt a pang of heartache, but soon, an indescribable sensation washed over his entire body.
He felt as if he could see things more clearly.
The whole world seemed to be imbued with new meaning in his eyes.
The residual dust particles in the air, the imperceptible mold in the crevices of the corner tiles, the water stains on the faucet that hadn't completely dried...
Many details he hadn't noticed before now shone in his eyes like stars in the night sky.
He carefully inspected every corner of the bathroom.
From the condensation marks on the mirror to the few strands of long hair entangled in the floor drain, and even the toothpaste foam residue on the toothbrush.
However, even with the upgraded [Investigation], Russell did not find any suspicious traces.
Everything pointed to one conclusion—apart from Holly Davey herself, no second person had used this place recently.
Unless that guy's ability to clean up his tracks far exceeded his own, this was the only correct conclusion.
He walked out of the bathroom and shook his head.
On the other side, Charlotte also hadn't let go of any place that might conceal clues.
She inspected the fireplace chimney; apart from old soot, there was nothing inside.
Russell knocked on every panel of the wainscoting; the sound was solid, with no secret compartments.
He moved the heavy cabinets to check the walls and floor behind them, yet still found nothing.
Under the bed, the wardrobe, the sofa crevices, the lampshade on the ceiling... every conceivable and inconceivable hiding place was turned upside down by them.
The result was—nothing.
This ghost, just like his name, came without a shadow and left without a trace.
"Any discoveries, assistant?" Charlotte's voice came from the bedroom.
"Aside from discovering that the shampoo Ms. Davey uses is rose-scented, nothing. How about you?" Russell said.
"And I'll say it again, I am not your assistant."
"If only your investigative skills were as tough as your mouth—I have nothing here either," Charlotte said.
Time passed minute by minute. The originally warm and elegant apartment had now become even more chaotic than Charlotte's room.
The two had even considered the possibility of the ghost living in the apartment, but the food in Holly Davey's home hadn't shown any abnormal decrease.
The only thing the ghost had taken was her used coffee cup.
Holly Davey curled up in the corner of the sofa, watching these two people who had turned her home upside down. The fire of hope in her eyes was gradually extinguishing as time went on.
"Is there... nothing at all?" she asked, her voice sounding full of despair and helplessness.
"Obviously." Charlotte finally straightened up, brushing non-existent dust off her hands.
"Our Mr. Ghost is very clean."
"I'm sorry." Russell looked at Holly and shook his head gently.
"We tried our best, Ms. Davey."
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