73: Chapter 73 Goodbye Linda

"Broken through?"

Shaun looked down at his hands.

They looked no different from before, but he knew they were different.

He could feel magic flowing through his fingertips, like an electric current, like body heat, like something that had always been part of him.

In his mind, the golden book opened automatically.

The pages rustled and stopped at a specific page.

[Congratulations Host: Primary Magic → Intermediate Magic]

[Intermediate Magic]

Type: Basic Passive / Active Toggle

Effect: The host's perception of magical energy is significantly enhanced. Can clearly feel the existence of "anomalies," including: residual psychokinesis, hidden magical fluctuations, and traces of spirits.

Active Activation: Consumes mental power to enhance perception for a short time. Can "see" things invisible to the naked eye, including spirits, magical traces, and energy flows.

Current Maximum Duration: 3 minutes (previously 3 seconds)

Cooldown: 12 hours (previously 24 hours)

New Ability: Spirit Communication. When the host actively activates Intermediate Magic, they can have brief communication with residual spirits.

Note: Three minutes is enough for you to do a lot of things. As for Spirit Communication, please don't abuse it. Not all ghosts want to talk to people. Some ghosts, it's better not to talk to them at all.

Shaun stared at those lines, especially the part where "3 seconds became 3 minutes."

From today on, he was no longer just able to "feel" it; he could also see it!

The golden book flipped to another page.

[Current Ability List]

Bullshit (Primary) Sharp Tongue (Primary) Optimism (Primary) Fighting (Primary) Survival (Primary) Self-Healing (Primary) Psychokinesis (Primary)

Magic (Intermediate) — New

Shaun closed the book and looked up.

Cordelia had already stood up and was tidying up the candlesticks and incense burner on the floor.

Seeing Shaun looking at her, she smiled and said: "How does it feel?"

Shaun thought for a moment, trying to find an appropriate description: "It's like wearing glasses for a long time and suddenly wiping them clean."

Cordelia nodded: "Your magic is stable now. The path ahead must be walked by you alone."

She put the candlestick back on the shelf, turned around, and looked at Shaun: "How is the situation on your end?"

Shaun knew what Cordelia was referring to and replied: "There are some leads. Now that my magic has broken through, it might be easier to handle."

Cordelia listened, nodded, and didn't ask further.

And Shaun certainly didn't stay any longer!

He knew clearly in his heart that he needed to seize every moment.

After all...

The Supreme Witch didn't have much time left.

His time, naturally, was running out too...

...

Leaving Robichaux Manor, Shaun didn't go straight home.

He parked the car by the side of the road, sat in the driver's seat, and stared blankly out the windshield.

Intermediate Magic flowed slowly within him, like a stream that had just had its channel dug, unhurried but moving steadily forward.

He could feel things around him that he couldn't feel before...

There was the humming of electric current in the streetlights, the roots of the old oak tree by the road spreading underground, and someone frying fish in a kitchen nearby; the fumes drifted out from the exhaust fan, mixed with a hint of burnt smell.

Right now, Shaun had a kind of clairvoyance and clairaudience ability...

Three minutes.

He closed his eyes and opened them again.

Three minutes was enough for him to do a lot of things.

He thought of Joseph White.

The case was closed; the real culprit was the Bat Monster, which had been killed.

Ballard submitted the report, the Fifth Precinct approved it, and Deputy Chief Brown even sent a letter of appreciation.

The case was closed, but... why was Joseph White looking for treasure?

How did he know about that thing?

What was his relationship with the Colombians?

These questions weren't in the report, and no one was asking.

But...

Joseph White knew!

Shaun started the engine and drove toward Joseph White's house.

The small house was still the same.

Quiet, tidy, with the leaves of the oak tree at the door scattered all over the ground, unswept.

Shaun parked the car, got out, and stood at the door.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

After waiting for about half a minute, the door opened.

Linda stood at the door.

She was wearing gray loungewear, her hair tied up casually. Her complexion was better than the last time he saw her, but there were still faint dark circles under her eyes.

Seeing Shaun, she froze for a moment. Her expression was complex, filled with surprise and confusion.

"Officer Sean?" Linda held onto the door frame, making no move to step aside. "Isn't the case closed?"

Shaun looked at her: "It is."

Linda waited for the rest.

Shaun thought for a moment and brought out the script he had prepared on the way.

"I'm here to check on things regarding Joseph White. Although the case is closed, I know that for the family, closing the case doesn't mean it's over. I happened to be passing by and wanted to see if you needed any help."

Linda listened, stunned. She looked at Shaun's "sincere" eyes and finally stepped aside.

"Come in."

Shaun walked inside.

The living room was still the same: simple, clean, with an unfinished cup of coffee on the coffee table and a family photo of Joseph White and his children hanging on the wall.

Sunlight shone in from the window, illuminating the photo. Joseph White was wearing his police uniform, smiling happily.

"Sit," Linda said. "Would you like some water?"

"No, thank you."

Linda sat down opposite him, hands on her knees, looking at him.

"Officer Sean," she began, "you're here for Joseph, right?"

Shaun didn't hesitate: "Yes."

Linda nodded, as if she had known all along: "What do you want to ask?"

Shaun looked at her.

He could use his Bullshit skill to make up an excuse, saying the police department was doing a follow-up visit, saying he needed to confirm the family had no other requests, saying anything.

But when Shaun looked into Linda's eyes, those eyes revealed the exhaustion of someone who had been tormented by the truth for too long.

Shaun didn't beat around the bush and asked directly: "What was Joseph White looking for?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Linda's fingers tightened slightly.

After a long while, she let out a long sigh and told Shaun a long story.

"Joseph White and I... we have two children, plus a mortgage, car loans, and insurance. The salary of a police officer, you're a police officer too, you know..."

"He told me he wanted to give the children a better life. Not in a greedy way, just ordinary things—he wanted our daughter to learn piano, wanted our son to go to a good university."

She lowered her head, her fingers twisting together: "Later, he met some people. I didn't ask who they were, and he didn't say. But he started having money. He bought our daughter a new piano, got our son a new computer, and even said he would take us to Disney."

"Then he changed." Linda's voice dropped lower. "He started working overtime, coming home late, sometimes not coming home at all. I asked him, and he said he was working on cases. I thought he was having an affair."

She looked up at Shaun.

Her eyes were red, but she didn't cry: "Later, he died. You all said he was working on a case and was killed by a murderer. I believed it."

"But then it was said the murderer was some... unknown creature. I don't understand, why would Joseph investigate something like that?"

The final question, it seemed, was the knot in Linda's heart!

Shaun was silent for a long time before answering: "Joseph White... he didn't know it was a dangerous thing."

Linda looked at him: "Officer Sean... you know what he was investigating, right?"