The incident caused a huge uproar at the time, yet after being reported layer by layer, it ended up like a stone sinking into the sea, with no conclusion.

There was no clear result or response from the higher-ups, but the workers below were whispering among themselves.

Some claimed that those dead workers were usually tyrannical bullies, and their deaths were due to angering the holy spirit, a punishment from above, a judgment upon evildoers.

Since the senior officer also said so, Slater immediately felt that this matter might not be as simple as some cult killing; there could be deeper reasons hidden behind it.

Regardless of the cause, the lack of response from above already proved that this was not something a mere sheriff like him could touch.

As Slater was lost in thought, he didn't notice that some bold workers on the outskirts, driven by curiosity, were stealthily peeking their heads into the dormitory room.

"I've seen this, I've seen this scene!"

A sharp scream suddenly erupted from the crowd at the door, breaking the heavy silence at the scene.

Slater was startled and quickly turned around, his sharp gaze locking onto the worker who had screamed.

He sternly demanded, "Where have you seen this scene?"

The young worker was intimidated by the officer's presence, stammering as he spoke: "I... I dreamt of it last night..."

"Nonsense!"

At this moment, the factory owner also squeezed in, getting even more infuriated upon hearing this, pointing at the worker and angrily scolding, "You're bringing your dreams here? What on earth are you babbling about?"

However, what happened next was beyond everyone's expectations.

As the young worker's voice faded, voices of agreement started echoing one after another among the surrounding workers:

"Yes! I dreamt of it too! Just like this!"

"I also saw them in my dream... They were lying in bed, eyes wide open!"

"They were villains! Scoundrels! They were punished by the holy spirit!"

"That dream was real! There really is a holy spirit watching us!"

"The holy spirit has brought us equality, given us a better work environment and security. Some scoundrels who received the holy spirit's blessings are oppressing the weak and destroying our current good environment, so the holy spirit has descended judgment to punish these evildoers!"

"Praise the holy spirit!"

For a time, the crowd's emotions were ignited, a mixture of fear, awe, and a certain fervent belief intertwining, and the noisy discussions rose again, carrying an almost devout tone.

Officer Slater and the old officer exchanged glances, seeing deep shock and confusion mirror in each other's eyes.

This case seemed to be developing in a direction they could not have anticipated.

However, in the bustling crowd, not all eyes focused on the tragic scene in the dormitory or the discussions about the holy spirit.

On the relatively sparse outer edge of the crowd, a police officer who had arrived slightly later, dressed in the same uniform, was watching the scene with an expression that was entirely out of place with the surroundings.

His gaze was sharp and deep, sweeping over the terrified or devout faces, finally fixing on the three bodies, where a barely noticeable trace of greed flashed silently in his eyes.

As the factory whistle blared, the start of work finally arrived.

Even though their hearts were filled with awe and curiosity about the holy spirit's punishment, the workers gathered in front of the dormitory still gradually dispersed like a tide, trickling towards their respective posts.

Yet, the whispers and heated discussions about the appearance of the holy spirit and the punishment of scoundrels, like seeds, took root in their hearts, spreading throughout the entire Orn Steel Factory.

The factory owner, who had been like a startled bird, relaxed deeply when Officer Slater declared the incident an unfortunate accident and stated clearly that the preliminary investigation would not directly implicate factory management or involve the Union, letting his anxious heart settle heavily back into his stomach.

He breathed a long sigh of relief, his face instantly breaking into a satisfied smile, dexterously pulling out several gold pounds from his pocket, and without a word, stuffing them into the hands of Slater and the other main police officers as he repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

He earnestly asked them to help handle the follow-up matters properly, especially the removal of the bodies and the unification of external statements.

As for what the real cause of death of those three workers was?

The factory owner did not care, as long as the trouble didn't fall on him, the truth seemed insignificant.

...

The noise of the day gradually faded, and the night descended silently over the city like a giant black curtain.

In a cold morgue at the police station in the industrial district, the officer who had appeared at the Orn Steel Factory scene during the day, with greed flashing in his eyes, stood alone before the cold metal corpse platform.

He reached out, skillfully uncovering the white cloth over one of the factory workers' bodies.

The deathly pale, stiff face was once again exposed under the dim light, the eyes wide open still retained extreme terror.

The officer didn't show any emotion; he slowly lifted his right hand, using his fingernail to make a cut on his right index finger's tip, a tiny wound split open, and bright red blood instantly oozed out.

He suspended the bleeding finger above the body's chest, allowing the blood to drip down.

The blood didn't scatter; instead, it flowed on the skin of the body as if it had a life of its own, outlining and in an instant, forming a complex and eerie crimson rune.

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