At lunchtime, Medici was working his way through a synthetic protein steak with a side of nutritious vegetable puree. It was a "healthy meal" prepared by his AI assistant, Cortana, according to his physical data and taste preferences.
It was hardly delicious, but it provided all the energy he needed, allowing him to devote more time to continuously updating Battlefield: Warhammer 40k and creating deeper content for the game.
Just as he swallowed another mouthful of bland vegetable puree, Cortana's gentle synthetic voice, devoid of much emotional inflection, sounded through the quiet room.
"Master, there are visitors outside. Their identities have been verified. Shall I open the door?"
Medici paused with his utensils in hand, his brows drawing together slightly.
Visitors?
Now that was unusual.
The neighborhood he had chosen to live in placed great emphasis on privacy and quiet. Neighbors barely ever saw one another.
The original "Medici" had been an almost completely reclusive tech geek with a pitifully small social circle. After transmigrating into this world, Medici himself had devoted virtually all his energy to game development and the "Dawn Project" competition. Aside from necessary official contacts and tournament hosts like Charles, he had almost no interaction with the outside world.
Who would come looking for him?
And in person, no less?
"Cortana, who is it?" he asked, setting down his utensils.
"Visitor information: Ethan, First-Class Enforcement Officer of the Brightlight Road Enforcement Bureau; Daisy, Third-Class Enforcement Officer," Cortana replied without the slightest fluctuation in tone.
"Access records indicate that they submitted an appointment request through the public communications channel two days ago. At the time, you were connected to the deep-creation pod and did not receive the notification. The stated reason for the appointment was: official consultation."
The Enforcement Bureau?
The police?
Medici's confusion deepened.
He was a game developer who obeyed the law and paid his taxes on time. He had nothing whatsoever to do with crime.
Could something in the game have stirred up another social controversy, and now they wanted to invite him in for a "chat"?
He quickly ran through the potentially sensitive aspects of his recent work.
The grimdark setting?
The violence?
The religious symbolism?
Any of them might qualify, but under the Federation's "Dawn Project" framework, all of these fell under "artistic expression" and "emotional engagement," and had already received official approval.
Had some civilian organization applied pressure?
"Open the door," Medici ordered, feeling a mixture of caution and curiosity.
The alloy door silently slid apart.
Two people stood outside, one man and one woman. Both were young and dressed in sharply tailored dark-blue enforcement uniforms. Their shoulder insignia and armbands clearly displayed their identities and ranks.
The male officer was tall and straight-backed, his serious features carrying a faint, barely perceptible scrutiny. The female officer looked somewhat more capable and decisive, with sharp eyes and a thin electronic tablet in her hand.
Neither of them attempted to enter without permission. They remained politely at the doorway.
The male officer named Ethan spoke first, his tone formal but courteous.
"Mr. Medici, hello. We are officers from the Brightlight Road Enforcement Bureau. I'm Ethan, and this is my colleague, Daisy. Please forgive us for disturbing you without much notice."
"Officers, hello. Please, come in."
Medici rose and did his best to appear calm, gesturing toward the simple sofa in the living room.
"Have a seat. May I ask... what this is about?"
Ethan and Daisy entered.
Their eyes swept quickly and professionally across the interior. It was a typical home belonging to a single technical professional, tidy but lacking much sense of everyday life. The most conspicuous feature was the expensive-looking immersive creation pod that occupied an entire wall.
They sat down on the sofa, both maintaining perfectly upright postures.
Daisy placed the tablet on her knees, looked up at Medici, and carefully considered her words before speaking.
"Mr. Medici, we're not here to investigate or question you personally, nor are we investigating your work. Quite the opposite. We've come to... ask for your help."
"Help?"
Medici looked even more puzzled as he sat opposite them.
"What could I possibly help the Enforcement Bureau with?"
Ethan took over, his expression becoming solemn.
"You're a highly successful game designer. You've created an... extremely influential IP with remarkable depth and impact."
He had clearly heard of Battlefield: Warhammer 40k's reputation and might even have reviewed some of its material. The phrase "remarkable impact" was obviously a diplomatic way of putting it.
Medici nodded, indicating for him to continue.
"Our bureau is currently dealing with an extremely difficult case," Ethan continued, lowering his voice. "We have identified a highly suspicious suspect in a serial murder investigation. The individual possesses an exceptionally high IQ and an extremely strong awareness of investigative methods. As for his motive..."
He paused, apparently searching for the right description.
"Our preliminary assessment is that he pursues extreme 'novelty' and 'stimulation,' and possesses an extraordinarily arrogant personality. Over the past three years, there have been eleven unsolved cases involving highly similar methods and strongly correlated victim profiles. Expert analysis has determined with near certainty that he was responsible."
At the words "serial killer," "seeking novelty," and "extremely arrogant," Medici instinctively frowned.
No matter the era, criminals like that were among the most dangerous cancers in society.
"But," Ethan said gravely, "we have no direct evidence. The crime scenes were cleaned with exceptional professionalism, leaving virtually no biological traces or physical evidence sufficient for conviction.
Conventional interrogation methods are completely ineffective against him. He thoroughly enjoys sparring with interrogation specialists and even treats the process as an 'intellectual game.'"
Daisy added, "After psychological evaluation, experts concluded that his mental defenses are unusually strong. Conventional pressure, emotional appeals, and logical traps are unlikely to work. Their recommendation was that we find something capable of genuinely affecting him, breaking through the shell of his arrogance, or exploiting his obsession with 'stimulation.' Only then might we be able to extract useful information from him or get him to confess."
Ethan looked directly at Medici, his expression earnest.
"We searched extensively for a possible breakthrough until someone noticed your work, as well as your performance in the 'Dawn Project' competition. Mr. Medici, you're widely recognized as an expert at manipulating player emotions, designing complex psychological experiences, and constructing deeply immersive environments. The Warhammer 40k universe you've created is dark, contradictory, and filled with philosophical ideas. It can provoke deep reflection in players and even... challenge their values."
He took a deep breath.
"We wanted to consult you from the perspective of a 'top-tier game designer,' an 'architect of emotion and experience.' If you were dealing with someone who viewed crime as a 'game for pursuing novel experiences,' someone extraordinarily arrogant with powerful psychological defenses, would it be possible to design some kind of... 'scenario,' 'conversational strategy,' or 'psychological guidance method' capable of effectively breaking through those defenses?"
"We don't need you to participate directly in any operation. We only want professional suggestions and possible approaches."
Medici fell silent.
He had never expected the police to come knocking for this reason.
They were not investigating him because his game was too dark.
They wanted to use the psychology, narrative design, and immersive techniques he employed in game development against a genuinely dangerous criminal.
The feeling was... strange.
His skills could apparently be applied to something so real and so serious.
Images from Warhammer 40k flashed rapidly through his mind: dark stories of sacrifice, betrayal, temptation, despair, and the choices people made under extreme circumstances.
How could he construct a "scenario" capable of drawing the criminal in without his realizing it, exposing his weaknesses, perhaps even making him willingly "choose" to break down or confess?
His eyes gradually brightened with the professional excitement that came whenever he encountered an exceptionally challenging design problem.
"That sounds..."
Medici spoke slowly, the corner of his mouth curving into a complicated smile.
"...like a very interesting 'challenge.'"
He looked at the two officers, his tone becoming serious and filled with curiosity.
"Just from your description, there isn't enough information. Different criminals have different motives and behavioral patterns. If I'm going to design a targeted interrogation strategy, I need to understand this character better."
He stood up, his eyes gleaming with thought.
"If you two don't mind... could you take me to your bureau first? I'd like to review the detailed case files. And if possible, I'd also like to observe this... highly intelligent criminal through one-way glass."
Ethan and Daisy exchanged glances. Both saw surprise, and a trace of hope, in the other's eyes.
They had not expected Medici to be so proactive, much less volunteer to visit the bureau himself.
But wasn't that exactly what they had come here hoping for?
"Of course, Mr. Medici."
Ethan immediately stood, his tone solemn.
"If you're willing to assist us, we would be deeply grateful. We'll apply for the necessary access permissions at the bureau. Please come with us."