Arknight : The Rise of The Grand Detective

A dull ache.

A familiar ceiling.

Xiaolan blinked, her eyes adjusting to the soft, sterile light above her.

The scent of antiseptic filled her nose, mingling with the faintest trace of clean linen.

A hospital.

She turned her head, wincing as exhaustion settled deep in her bones. Tubes.

Monitors. The steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart rate monitor beside her bed.

The world outside her door hummed with distant movement—footsteps, hushed voices, the rustle of fabric.

She swallowed.

The door creaked open.

Her breath caught.

Howard.

He stepped inside, unhurried, hands in his overcoat pockets as if he had all the time in the world. His crimson eyes—calmer now, less haunting—met hers.

"You're awake." His tone was even, unreadable.

Xiaolan shifted slightly, her body protesting the movement.

"What… happened?"

Her voice was hoarse.

Howard studied her for a moment before replying.

"Baronsmith is now under arrest"

She didn't press further. Some things were

better left unknown.

"Your colleagues were rescued. They're safe."

A slow exhale.

Relief.

The weight she had been carrying, the one that had nearly crushed her, finally eased.

Her vision blurred.

She hadn't cried in years.

She forced herself to meet his gaze, her lips trembling as she whispered,

"Thank you."

Howard reached for the apple sitting idly on the bedside table.

It was firm beneath his fingers, its smooth surface cool to the touch. With practiced ease, he pulled out a small pocket knife, the blade glinting under the soft hospital lights.

"Would you like the good news first, or the bad?" he asked, his tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather.

Xiaolan, still propped against her pillows, regarded him warily.

She was exhausted, her limbs heavy, but she wasn't naive enough to believe things had neatly resolved themselves overnight.

"Bad news," she murmured.

"Let's get it over with."

Howard gave a small nod, as if he'd expected that answer.

The blade slid through the apple's skin with a crisp shhhk, a thin curl of red peeling away as he spoke.

"The courts have deemed you legally responsible for—let's see—'misappropriation of financial assets' and 'wilful destruction of city infrastructure.'"

He glanced up. "In layman's terms, theft and property damage. You did pull a heist, after all."

Xiaolan's fingers clenched around the blanket.

She had known this was coming, but hearing it aloud sent a cold weight settling in her stomach.

Howard continued, unfazed. "Which means you'll be taken to court for sentencing soon."

A pause. The blade flicked, severing a thin slice of fruit.

"Now, the good news."

Xiaolan exhaled through her nose, bracing herself.

"You won't be convicted as a high-risk offender. No life sentence, no maximum-security prison. Your case has… mitigating circumstances."

He finally looked at her then, something unreadable in those red eyes.

"In other words, you have a fighting chance."

She blinked at him, her mind sluggishly processing the words.

Howard, now finished with the apple, set the knife aside.

With surprising care, he plucked out a single piece and held it up for her to see.

It was carved into the shape of a rabbit.

"Here," he said, offering it.

"A little reward for making it this far."

Xiaolan stared at the small, intricate cut of fruit before hesitantly reaching out to take it.

The gesture was oddly… gentle.

"Why are you telling me all this?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.

Howard leaned back, slipping his knife away.

"Because I have a proposition."

She tensed.

"My firm will represent you in court," he said simply. "With me personally overseeing your case."

Xiaolan hesitated.

"Why would you do that?"

He tilted his head slightly, considering her.

"Let's just say I have an interest in making sure justice is served… properly."

The words lingered in the air, heavy with implication.

She swallowed. The thought of facing trial alone was daunting, and despite her instincts telling her to be wary, she knew this was likely her best—perhaps only—option.

After a long silence, she gave a small, reluctant nod.

"Alright."

For the first time since entering the room, Howard smiled. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there.

"Good choice," he murmured before standing.

Xiaolan watched him leave, her fingers still curled around the apple slice.

Outside the hospital room, Howard pulled out his phone, the device cool in his palm.

He pressed a number, bringing it to his ear.

A few rings. Then, a voice.

"Camelia speaking."

Howard's smile returned, this time sharper.

"I need your help with something."

A pause. Then, a quiet chuckle from the

other end.

"Understood."

The call ended.

Howard exhaled, tucking the phone away as he stepped into the dimly lit corridor.

It was time to put an end to everything properly.

**

The next day, the courtroom brimmed with tension.

Rows of onlookers, journalists, and officials filled the space, while the murmuring voices of various beings—some human, some not—rippled through the gallery.

At the center of it all, seated behind the defense table, was Xiaolan, hands folded neatly in her lap, her expression unreadable.

On the opposite end, the prosecution loomed with stacks of files and hard evidence.

A case of grand larceny and property destruction, normally an open-and-shut conviction.

But this was no ordinary defense.

Standing with the confidence of a seasoned barrister, Camelia adjusted her blazer and addressed the judge with measured authority.

"Your Honour, my client, Miss Xiaolan, is not a criminal by choice. She was placed in an impossible situation—her brother kidnapped, the system failing her at every turn. With no legal recourse, she did what she had to in order to survive."

She paced deliberately, letting the weight of her words settle.

"Moreover, let's consider the facts. No civilian casualties. No intentional harm. And—most crucially—not a single penny was taken for personal gain. Every last LMD she obtained was fully recovered, and the person who requested the money was arrested by the LPD, as they can attest. If she were truly the 'career criminal' the prosecution paints her to be, we wouldn't be standing here today discussing mitigating circumstances."

The prosecutor, a sharp-eyed man with a tone laced with skepticism, interjected.

"Miss Camelia, necessity does not excuse breaking the law. She willingly partook in theft and caused infrastructural damage to the city—"

"Which," Camelia cut in smoothly, "was a direct consequence of the system failing her. If the authorities weren't corrupt, we wouldn't be here arguing about a desperate woman forced into a crime to save her only family."

A murmur spread through the courtroom.

The judge rapped his gavel for silence, his lined face unreadable.

The deliberation was long and arduous, legal arguments volleyed back and forth like a game of chess.

But after an extended hearing, the final verdict was delivered.

"Miss Xiaolan, for the crimes of grand theft and destruction of public infrastructure, the original sentence of twenty years has been reduced. You will serve five years in penitentiary."

A hushed silence, then a collective exhale from Xiaolan's supporters.

She accepted the ruling with a quiet nod.

She had braced for worse. In some ways, this was leniency she hadn't expected.

As the officers moved to escort her out, she didn't resist.

She walked with measured grace, stepping into the police car, her mind surprisingly still.

But as the vehicle began moving, something felt off.

She knew the city's roads well—this wasn't the route to the penitentiary.

Her hands tensed slightly in the cuffs, but she remained silent, watching as they veered into a quieter, more isolated part of town.

The buildings here were worn, forgotten. The car slowed to a stop behind a nondescript warehouse.

The officer in the driver's seat stepped out, circling to her side. Without a word, he reached for the door, yanking it open.

Xiaolan stiffened.

Then, to her shock, he pulled out a key and unlocked her cuffs.

She jerked her head up, eyes flashing with confusion. "What…?"

The officer merely nodded toward the approaching figure.

Howard.

He strode toward them, clad in his signature double-breasted overcoat, a large sack slung over his shoulder.

He dropped it at the officer's feet without ceremony.

The officer bent down, unzipped it slightly, and peered inside.

A quiet grunt of approval followed.

Then, with a final nod, he turned on his heel, returning to the car without another word.

Xiaolan stared as the vehicle drove off, her pulse hammering.

"What… just happened?" she demanded, her voice hoarse.

Howard, ever the picture of nonchalance, dusted off his coat. "

Nothing to worry about," he said with a small, knowing smile.

Then, he pulled three items from his coat—two recorders and a sealed letter. He handed them to her with deliberate ease.

"Consider this a head start," he said.

Xiaolan eyed the items warily.

"And these are…?"

"A gift, and you are out." Howard nodded toward the letter.

"Penguin Logistics. One of their HQs is expecting you. If you want a fresh start, that's where you'll find it."

She swallowed, gripping the letter tightly.

Howard's gaze lingered for a moment before he turned to leave, his steps quiet against the cold pavement.

"Take care , Xiaolan."

And just like that, he disappeared into the city's shadows.

Thus the case came to a conclusion.