THE MASK OF PERFECTION

  Episode 3: Nice Try, Luke!

  *The News*

  A reporter speaks excitedly about the latest developments.

  “More and more murders and violent crimes are being reported around Horizon, and the situation is beginning to spread to other parts of the country. The perpetrators’ behavior is highly unusual: they show clear signs of mental instability, as if some external influence had turned them into killers…”

  Kvinn sits on the couch, carefully watching the news on television. A calm smile rests on his face.

  Lori stands quietly in the background, glancing at her brother with concern.

  “Kvinn… these news reports… aren’t you scared? This place is becoming more and more dangerous.”

  “Don’t worry, Lori. As long as you’re with me, nothing can hurt you,” Kvinn replies calmly.

  *At School*

  Kvinn, Mattheus, and Martina are having lunch together in the school courtyard.

  Mattheus, in his usual energetic way, tries to entertain the group.

  “Watch this! This is my best trick!” he says, tossing an apple into the air—only for it to fall awkwardly onto the ground.

  Martina laughs and helps him pick it up.

  “Mattheus, you’re the worst magician I’ve ever seen.”

  Kvinn watches them with a faint smile, though his thoughts are somewhere else entirely.

  Meanwhile, Martina keeps trying to get closer to him. Kvinn masterfully maintains a certain distance while making her believe he truly cares about her.

  “Kvinn, why are you always so quiet? Sometimes I feel like I’ll never really get to know you,” Martina says.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Maybe I’m not as interesting as you think,” Kvinn replies softly, with a charismatic smile.

  *Luke’s Investigation: The Prisoner’s Testimony*

  Inside the police interrogation room, Luke sits across from a man who recently attempted to murder a passerby.

  The man looks disturbed, twitching slightly and struggling to speak clearly.

  “What did they do to you?” Luke asks, trying to look directly into his eyes.

  “He… locked me… in a room… a white room… everything was white… I couldn’t… I couldn’t get out…” the man stammers, his voice trembling.

  Luke’s heartbeat quickens.

  “Who locked you in there? Did you see his face? Do you know who it was?”

  “No… I didn’t see his face… he hid it well… but his voice… it was so calm…”

  Luke writes down the details, but the last sentence catches his attention.

  “Horizon… it happened there. In a warehouse… or maybe a basement… I don’t know where… but I’m sure I was there…”

  *Kvinn’s Nightly Activities*

  In the silence of the night, Kvinn sets out once again.

  He carefully plans the abduction of his next victim: a local drug dealer who has long been on the police’s radar.

  Inside the white room, Kvinn approaches the captive with his usual calmness, a notebook in his hand and his face hidden behind a mask.

  “Do you know why you’re here?” Kvinn asks coldly.

  The victim shakes his head, trembling.

  “So you can understand what real fear means. People never appreciate freedom… until it is taken from them.”

  *Luke Is Getting Closer*

  Luke returns to Horizon and begins searching through abandoned buildings in the area based on the interrogation.

  Although he still has no concrete lead, he becomes more certain that the culprit is nearby.

  Meanwhile, a journalist who has been reporting on the murders arrives in Horizon to investigate the story more deeply.

  Kvinn notices him near the school and realizes that the media’s attention could soon turn toward him.

  He begins refining his plans even further, making sure to eliminate every possible trace that could lead back to him.

  *At School: Nicolas Tries Again*

  Nicolas continues plotting revenge against Kvinn.

  One day in the classroom, he tries to humiliate him in front of everyone with a carefully planned prank.

  However, Kvinn sees right through the trap and ruins it before anyone else can fall for it.

  “You know, Nicolas, I’ve always admired your courage,” Kvinn says with a smile.

  “But maybe it’s time you started holding back… before someone gets hurt.”

  Although Kvinn’s tone is calm, there is a clear threat in his words.

  Nicolas becomes uneasy. For some reason, Kvinn fills him with a strange sense of fear—but he cannot explain why.

  The rest of the students, however, admire Kvinn for seeing through the trap so easily and preventing others from falling for it. In their eyes, he once again appears to be someone who protects others.

  *Later*

  Kvinn sits in his room at home, watching the news.

  On the screen, a reporter talks about how Detective Luke may soon make a breakthrough in the White Room mystery.

  For a moment, Kvinn freezes.

  Then he calmly smiles and turns off the television.

  “Nice try, Luke. Very nice…”

  “But unfortunately… with that, you just dug your own grave.”

  Kvinn writes Luke’s name into his notebook and begins developing his next plan.

  To be continued…