114. Utab the Bouffalant has been murdered by the Stalkers.

Location: Outside Blackbridge Industrial Plant
Cause of Death: Slow-acting poison

Right outside the abandoned Blackbridge Industrial Plant, the body of Utab, a visiting Bouffalant, was found. Initially Ejub, the Piloswine who discovered his body, assumed he had simply fallen asleep on the footpath, but upon closer examination, it was clear he was, in fact, dead. His body was found donned in high-class attire and was near-perfectly preserved. Jewellery hung from his long horns and his afro was immaculately presented. His fur was neat, pristine, and there was no external trace of harm or struggle.


Sequintia shrugged, baffled by the Bouffalant's strange appearance. "It just...makes no sense. Why would a Stalker go to so much effort to dress up its victim? Just look at him, Pormalu..." She leaned down, examining him more closely. She felt intrigued, which she was clearing using to mask her disheartened feelings about a seventh nighttime murder in a row.

"I just can't believe...he's gone..." Lychee stepped in, pausing her work at the crime scene as she shook her magenta head. "His book series just took off." She turned to Pormalu, who was too devastated by yet another murder to take the lead this time. By his expression, she could tell he wasn't aware of Utab's status. Hesitantly she continued. "A few weeks ago, he published the first book in his trilogy, Restless Awakening, and it skyrocketed to fame... only eight days later, he released the second title in the series, but he still had one left." She shook her head. "Such a shame... He was in Silvercoal City to do book signings on his first tour. Maybe he was...targeted because he was famous? What better way to ruin morale than to off a public figure who brought hope and a sliver of light to a suffering city?"

Pormalu grimaced at the Scolipede's comment. A public figure. Fern. Last night's death had hit the entire police force hard, but Pormalu especially felt responsible. He was meant to protect his force, and he had proven that he was incapable of doing so. His inner turmoil was immense; he was almost convinced that if he wasn't targeted by a Stalker soon, the dissipation of his sanity would be his undoing.

"Porm?" Sequintia repeated, snapping the Arcanine from his thoughts. "Doesn't that sound suspicious to you?"

He cleared his throat, taking a few steps back from the body while the forensics team took over. He and Sequintia walked a few paces together as Lychee stayed behind. "W-what is?"

The Pyroar frowned a little. "He becomes famous out of nowhere... The guy was a politician two months ago, but quit after his big break. He publishes a massively successful book, happens to come to Silvercoal City doing book signings for the same book that made him famous, then gets killed? The Stalkers could have targeted us, but instead they went for some harmless author. He dies of poisoning in a pristine condition in a clean area, wearing dressy clothes. This is clearly a Stalker's doing, yet evidence doesn't necessarily point towards a Poison type. We haven't had a case like this one... Could this be another Stalker?"

Pormalu's heart sank. He shook his head, but he didn't have an actual answer. He was tired. Tired of the chase, tired of the guilt, and tired of the seemingly climbable mountain of solving this gargantuan case. "I don't know, Quen... All I know is, Utab's family needs to be contacted."

He ripped his mind away from the scene, mulling over what he would say to his family. He closed his eyes, hoping with all of his heart that this nightmare would be over soon.


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