At the critical moment, Roy swiftly drew his gun and fired.
With a draw-and-shoot speed of just 0.21 seconds—faster than the human eye could track—he unloaded all six rounds in under a second, hitting the exact same spot every time.
Even though the police car's windshield was bulletproof, it couldn't withstand six consecutive shots to the same point.
The Ghostface Killer's head exploded instantly. But even in death, his foot remained pressed against the gas pedal, and the police car continued barreling toward Roy at full speed.
Luckily, Roy's reflexes were fast enough. Just before impact, he leaped into the air.
The police car crashed into the station's outer wall, while Roy landed safely on the hood, narrowly escaping disaster.
"Game over."
Roy yanked open the car door and pulled off the Ghostface mask. As expected, the face beneath it belonged to Billy.
Billy still had a smug grin frozen on his face, as if he had been convinced of his victory—right up until he took a bullet to the head.
Roy had been so fast that Billy didn't even have time to change expressions before he died, still smiling.
A truly ironic way to go.
**[Ding! You have obtained the Fate Chest of the Ghostface Killer! Would you like to open it?]**
Now wasn't the time for loot. Roy decided to call for an ambulance first.
The town had a hospital nearby, so the emergency response was quick. Within minutes, an ambulance arrived on the scene.
At the same time, another sheriff rushed over after hearing the commotion—only to find the police station in ruins.
As the only person still standing, Roy was once again mistaken for a suspect and thrown into a "luxury" holding cell. He was speechless.
Fortunately, by the next day, he was cleared of suspicion.
Sheriff Hughes was still alive, proving Roy's innocence. The real murderer was Billy.
Hughes had been knocked out and tied up as bait. Then, ironically, he had been shot multiple times by his own officers.
Luckily, police-issued handguns had small calibers, and Hughes had been turned sideways when he was shot, avoiding fatal wounds. He survived.
However, the three officers who entered through the back door weren't as fortunate. None of them made it out alive. Meanwhile, the three who had come through the front door only suffered varying degrees of injuries—escaping death by a hair.
Four people died that night. For a small town like Falls Creek, it was a huge incident.
Someone had to take responsibility. But since Sheriff Hughes was gravely injured—barely escaping death—it was hard to place blame on him.
So, in a classic bureaucratic move, the town officials decided to spin the story. Instead of focusing on the tragedy, they turned Roy into a hero to cover up the negative fallout.
And thanks to Roy's striking looks, coupled with the media's efforts, the town's PR stunt was a resounding success.
Sure, he was being used by politicians, but at least he received a hefty reward for his troubles.
What he really wanted, though, was a concealed carry permit. But those were only available to people 21 and older, and he was still in high school.
Without a permit, Roy could still carry a gun—but it had to be unloaded, locked, and stored separately from the ammo. Carrying it loaded? That would be illegal.
Absolutely ridiculous. Luckily, Roy had an inventory system.
Then again, this was a country where you could buy a rifle at 18 but had to wait until 21 to drink. Pure absurdity.
The only real downside? His so-called "vacationing" parents had rushed back upon hearing the news. Roy had barely walked out of the police station before they arrived—his house still a mess.
The result? A thorough scolding from his parents.
Good thing Hughes had already taken the corpse out of the cupboard. If his parents found out someone had died in the house...
Shoutout to American laws—parents can't hit their kids, but everyone else can.
"System, open the Ghostface Killer's Fate Chest."
**[Opening the Ghostface Killer's Fate Chest...]**
**[You have received +4 Agility points!]**
**[You have received the Ghostface Mask!]**
Billy had been a star running back on the football team. Agility was his strongest stat—so it made sense that Roy gained 4 agility points from his loot.
With this boost, agility became Roy's highest stat, significantly enhancing his running speed and punching power.
Even his draw speed seemed to improve slightly.
Unfortunately, Bob Munden's quick-draw speed was already at the limits of human capability. No matter how high Roy's agility got, his draw speed wouldn't increase by much.
As for the Ghostface Mask? It was the same exaggerated mask Billy had worn.
**[Ghostface Mask: A signature mask from the Ghostface Killer. When worn, you become unnoticeable while standing still in dark environments.]**
The problem? This mask was way too recognizable. If he walked around wearing it, people would definitely mistake him for a deranged killer.
And he had just been cleared of suspicion!
**[Ding!]**
**[The Host has acquired their first piece of equipment. The Equipment System has been unlocked!]**
Roy checked the system log. The new Equipment System introduced a separate character equipment panel, allowing him to equip system-generated gear—or unique items from the real world—without them being physically visible.
Essentially, it worked like those MMORPGs where you could wear armor but keep your character's appearance unchanged.
That was a game-changer. Now, Roy didn't have to walk around visibly wearing the Ghostface Mask.
After all, Billy had just killed four people. The whole town was on edge about that mask. If anyone saw him with it, there'd be no explaining his way out of it.
And below the Equipment Panel? The Inventory System. Any equipment he didn't need could be stored there.
Roy decided to test it out. He equipped the Ghostface Mask and stood inside his closet.
A few seconds later, his body blended seamlessly into the shadows. Unless someone was staring directly at him, he'd be nearly impossible to notice.
But the moment he stepped into the light, he became visible again.
In this state, he also noticed his hearing had sharpened. He could clearly make out his parents' conversation downstairs—even the faint sound of a heartbeat in the corner.
Ah, just Jerry the mouse going for a stroll.
All in all, the Ghostface Mask had its uses, but those 4 agility points were much more practical.
Just as Roy finished testing his new gear, his mom called from downstairs.
"Roy, there's a call for you!"
"Coming!"
He bounded down the stairs, only to see his mom looking at him with an odd expression.
"What's up, Mom?"
"It's a girl. Her voice is really nice. Are you dating someone?"
"Mom, with genes as good as yours, is it that surprising? But no, not yet. We're still in the 'push and pull' phase."
His flattery made his mother beam, though she still gave him a word of caution.
"Regardless, make sure you take proper precautions. Unless you're planning to get married right after high school!"
"Got it!"
(End of Chapter)