Afterword: End of This Volume

If you have read up to this point, you are probably surprised. The story has not yet progressed to the actual "end of everything" that is needed, and there are still several foreshadowed cases that haven't been addressed (it's been so long that some of you might have forgotten). Unless I forced them all together, a single volume simply couldn't explain everything clearly.

First, a brief summary to avoid misunderstanding: after the next volume ends, the content will transition directly into a new book and continue updating, but it will be a continuous sequel, much like Part One and Part Two.

I will ensure both the freshness required of a new book and the continuity of a sequel. Seriously speaking, my specialty is "wanting it all."

But as this volume ends, the beginning and the end perfectly echo each other—some of you might have noticed the short snippets in the odd chapters integrated into each volume. This was actually a plotline I buried long ago, and it came in handy just at the right time. To be honest, it was quite a clever setup.

Let me clarify once again: I am not trying to rush the pacing, nor am I abandoning this story. It is mainly due to the unique circumstances of this book. Having missed the new book promotion period, and because of this, it is basically equivalent to not having signed a contract for updates for all these years. It is indeed time to change the method to continue writing.

(Actually, the contract was signed back in 2017 when only two or three chapters were updated. Since it was never put up for sale, it wasn't obvious, but the fact that monthly tickets could be cast proves that this volume was contracted. It wasn't because it didn't meet the standards or because the editor rejected it; I simply felt that putting it up for sale at this word count was meaningless, wouldn't make a difference, and was unnecessary.)

I don't plan on changing this aspect of the book not being put up for sale. However, it has already reached one million words, and keeping it this way forever isn't a viable solution. Therefore, only after finishing the next volume will I open a new book to continue the plot.

I've already decided on the title of the sequel, but I can't reveal it yet. I can, however, tease a little: the timeline of the plot will fast-forward two years—the main characters will naturally remain the same, the plot structure will be similar, and the tag elements will basically remain unchanged, but their character profiles will be expanded a bit more...

Quite a few aspects.

Reading the synopsis will show you exactly which direction the expansion will take. When this volume first started, I was a complete novice, and my ability to build a stable plot was indeed very poor. Otherwise, how could those issues have happened...

On another note, a quick reminder: anyone paying attention to certain key information might have noticed some slightly sci-fi plot elements in this volume. To avoid misunderstanding, let me clarify first that this is not a case of the characters "deliberately acting mysterious."

Sci-fi elements do indeed exist in this book. Although they are few, they are linked to a relatively important premise—so let me emphasize the synopsis once more: the background of this book is fictional. Although it takes the form of a criminal investigation, it has absolutely no connection to reality.