Xion Island Zero's Thirty-Sixth Chapter

In the small, snow-covered town, the holiday season took a turn for the mysterious as Detective Nash found himself entangled in a web of cryptic messages and eerie clues.

It began with a chilling encounter in the bathroom mirror. Nash's dead friend, Max, appeared and warned him of another impending death. In the condensation on the mirror, Max had written, "Watch Out."

As the snow fell harder outside, Nash was standing at a window with a hum in his ears, pondering the ominous warning. The conifers in the view reminded him of being blocked by a forest during a chase, a memory that sent a shiver down his spine.

Meanwhile, in the station's kitchen, a recipe for Death by Chocolate dessert was found pinned to a cupboard door. The department's specialized software was used to bypass the phone's security, revealing a phone with the words "I see you, Nash" scratched into the case.

The phone's wallpaper showed a stick figure labeled "Mr. Death" with a full stop. This stick figure was a clue, Nash realized, as it matched the one Max had drawn before fading away.

As Nash delved deeper into the mystery, he obtained permission from his superior, Bronwyn, to bring the evidence out of holding. He also questioned a middle-aged lady, who was brought into Interview Room Three for questioning. She was grilled until they were sure she had no connection to Travis Bernstein, the prime suspect.

Nash's search led him to a Christmas card he had been looking for. The card depicted a rustic log cabin nestled in a snowy wood, reminiscent of the cabin shown in a new photo sent to his phone. The message read, I'm waiting. See you soon. -T.

Bernstein had also left a message on the card: Beneath the pines, the end begins. This phrase was a chilling reminder of the warning Max had given Nash.

As the holiday season continued, the town was gripped by a sense of unease, waiting to see if Nash could unravel the mystery before it was too late.