409 - 416

Chapter 409: December

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

What? Getting me to investigate myself again? Klein nearly suspected that this was a deliberate test.

An organization that uses tarot cards to represent itself really is interesting, and I think so, but I don't want to sell myself out… Right, Capim's matter is clearly not that simple. He had a total of four Beyonders protecting him, so there must be a powerful faction behind him. What's the difference between investigating this case and being involved in high society strife? Well, this isn't something Sherlock Moriarty should know… Klein revealed a thoughtful expression, and while weighing his options, he said, "It's not easy to find a mysterious organization. Besides, it's very dangerous."

Talim seemed to have expected his answer and chuckled.

"Sherlock, there's no need for you to take risks. The important figure's intention is for you to pay more attention and to gather the relevant information or rumors. Here's 5 pounds in cash, money for your activities. Even if you don't receive any valuable information, the money is yours. And once you gather any useful clues, he'll pay you per lead and reimburse you for your expenses throughout the process."

Such good conditions? That important figure has put a lot of his attention on this matter… Does he have connections with the forces behind Capim, or does he wish to find the mysterious organization that uses tarot cards as a code name to help him? Reimburse… It's been a long time since I've heard someone promise me something like this… Since he's already gone so far by promising me such perks, it would appear very suspicious if a private detective were to refuse the commission… Furthermore, the matter of investigating myself should clearly be left to me… Klein hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Alright. I'll do my best."

He didn't stand on ceremony, and he accepted the five one-pound notes that Talim handed him, intending to provide a vague clue every week or two.

Isn't the Aurora Order looking for The Fool? The Fool is obviously part of a tarot card! I hope that important figure will pursue this path all the way and get rid of Mr. A… A thought began to form in Klein's mind.

…

Under Saint Samuel Cathedral.

Soul Assurer Soest assembled his team together to discuss their subsequent actions.

He looked at the black-haired, green-eyed Leonard Mitchell and asked, half-asking and half-evaluating, "If I were to relegate this matter to you, how do you plan on investigating the two cases related to the tarot ritual?"

Leonard lifted his hand to comb his hair, smiled, and said, "First, I would go according to my train of thought from before. I would do a reverse search for the people or organizations seeking The Fool's believers. They might know something. Second, I would reinvestigate the first two cases and place all the people involved in a name list, regardless of if they were suspects or not! Then, I'll use the powers of a Nightmare to inquire and eliminate them one by one. The devil might be in the details, hidden in the person who's most improbable."

Soest let out a chuckle.

"I've read through the dossiers. These two cases involve a lot of people, each living in different places. Wanting to re-examine them is quite difficult, and some of them are already Beyonders who are secretly active beneath the surface. They know how to hide themselves very well, and we have no way of knowing where they are. If we were to perform an investigation according to your idea, then what we need wouldn't be a small team. The Church would have to inject at least five more Sequence 7 or above Nighthawks and the corresponding support personnel."

"The case we are in charge of is focused on the devil-summoning case," another Red Glove reminded Leonard.

Leonard didn't seem angry as he let out a soft laugh.

"I know. I'm only providing my point of view. As for whether or not it is used, or the extent to which it will be used will be decided by Captain Soest."

He paused for a moment and revealed a puzzled expression.

"I don't understand why the two cases related to the tarot rituals didn't have a high priority. The former involved an evil god's attempted descent, countless times more serious than a mere devil summoning."

Soest picked up his coffee and took a sip before leisurely answering, "The Nighthawks have limited manpower. All cases require a certain priority level. Up to now, the secret organization represented by tarot cards hasn't expressed any obvious malice towards us. Their actions, to a certain extent, have helped us. For example, they foiled the descent of the True Creator, as well as letting us know that the human trafficker, Capim, isn't a simple person. There must be some big secret underlying the matter."

After saying that, he smiled and said, "Perhaps they can help us discover even more unsavory matters.

"Of course, the necessary investigations must be carried out. No one can guarantee that a secret organization will not end up being our enemy in the future."

"I see, Captain Soest. Let's focus on the devil summoning case," Leonard said earnestly.

…

In a Backlund winter that was inseparable from fireplaces and fog, time flew by amidst these cold and gray sensations.

In the blink of an eye, there was only half a month left until the new year.

Klein extinguished the charcoal in the fireplace and put on a double-breasted frock coat over his dark red woolen vest.

Nearly three weeks ago, Leppard finally received the bike patent and began looking for suitable second-round investors. Steam power mogul, Framis Cage, ended up showing some interest in this.

After several meetings, the three parties agreed to conclude their final negotiations today.

During the past month or so, Klein led an uneventful life. Through his investigations, he slowly digested the potion by strictly following the principles. Now, he was just short of a relatively bigger performance that he needed to initiate to completely digest it.

If there are no urgent matters, I can avoid taking risks. It would take about another…As his mind wandered, Klein removed the half top hat from the coat rack and smoothed the folds with a brush and handkerchief, removing the dust.

The badge left behind by Lanevus indicated a 4th January gathering. He had no strong intentions on attending it.

During this time, the Tarot Club continued being held on a weekly basis. Klein obtained a few pages of Roselle's early diary entries, allowing him to witness how he went from a weakling, who only knew how to dream without taking actual action, to becoming a playboy who actively hunted.

Apart from this, he gained almost nothing. Although the Werewolf Beyonder characteristic was handed over to The Hanged Man for sale via The World, a sale involving more than a thousand pounds was obviously not easy to close. The Werewolf's unique trait of being cursed also caused many interested parties to shrink back from it.

However, a few days ago at a Tarot Gathering, The Hanged Man told The World that he had contacted an Artisan from the Church of the God of Steam, and the other party was clearly interested.

Let's hope the deal with be closed this week… There are still no clues to the Wind-blessed formula which Mr. Hanged Man wants… Klein packed his personal belongs, picked up his cane, wore his hat, and walked out the door. The Wind-blessed potion formula was a Sequence 6 formula. It wasn't that easy to encounter one. The Hanged Man, Alger, had waited for more than a month without receiving any good news.

Justice Audrey, after undergoing a long period of observation and testing, was finally accepted by the Psychology Alchemists. She reported to Mr. Fool that she should be officially joining the secret organization this week, hoping to be blessed ahead of time to prevent any accidents from happening. For this, she was prepared to plunder at least ten pages of Roselle's diary entries from the Psychology Alchemists for Mr. Fool without any compensation.

As for the dragon specimen in Duke Negan's treasury, she had already confirmed that it was a Thousand-faced Hunter. However, it was purely a sample that was without the corresponding Beyonder characteristic or flowing blood.

The 2,000 pounds she owed Mr. Fool's adorer wouldn't be repaid until February or March of next year. This was because, although she would officially come of age at the New Year's Ball and be able to take charge of a portion of her fortune, she would still be under the supervision of her parents and wouldn't be able to sell them at will. Furthermore, she was still short of Viscount Glaint's final payment, so she needed ample time to raise the money in secret.

The Magician Fors, with the help of The Hanged Man, finally obtained the blood of a Deep Sea Marlin. She paid him 320 pounds for it, which reduced her savings to 120 pounds.

In order to make up for her loss and for the stomach pouch of a Spirit Eater, she began to furiously rush to write her new book which quickly took shape. It told a story about adventure, love, traveling, storms, pirates, and many other elements fused into a whole.

Her and Dorian Gray's correspondence never stopped, and the other party had recently announced that they would be coming to Backlund to pay their respects to Aulisa, Laubero, and Lawrence.

The Sun Derrick, who was acting normally as suggested by The Hanged Man, continued his daily patrols, amassed merit points, and didn't attempt any rituals.

At every Tarot Gathering, he would skillfully pretend to be asleep, and he didn't reveal any problems for the time being. Usually, he would occasionally take a nap to prevent any regularities from being detected which would put him under suspicion.

According to him, Shepherd Elder Lovia, didn't leave the bottom of the spire seven days later and was still locked in there for unknown reasons.

With the Aurora Order's Mr. A searching for the followers and adorers of The Fool, they failed to receive any valuable clues with Klein's deliberate attempt to keep a low profile. And the Beyonders, who knew the honorific name of The Fool all understood that they should never chant such words carelessly. Unless they were in dire straits, and they definitely didn't have the courage to pray to an existence that was suspected of being an evil god.

Emlyn mentioned the last time that he had some clues for the corresponding ingredients and that he might be able to confirm it soon, but the problem is that I'm lacking the money now… With a silent grunt, Klein took his cane and walked to Lawyer Jurgen's door.

When the doorbell rang, he took the initiative and instinctively took two steps back.

Not long after, the door opened and old Mrs. Doris cheerfully opened her arms to give Klein a warm hug.

"Oh, the doctor you introduced last time was wonderful! My body hasn't been this healthy for almost ten years!" Doris, seeing that the detective was standing far away, could only fold her arms and express her delight and feelings in words.

Klein said in an amused and exasperated tone, "Mrs. Doris, you've already told me this for the ninth time."

He saw Brody, the black cat, sitting on top of the coat rack. Although it looked precarious, he was able to maintain his balance.

I can do that as well… Klein made a self-evaluation.

"Is that so?" Old Mrs. Doris asked, perplexed.

She immediately tossed the question to the back of her mind and said with a smile, "Are you here for Jurgen?"

Klein immediately revealed a smile.

"Yes."

Matters involving negotiations needed the help of a professional lawyer.

Chapter 410: Framis Cage

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

St. George Borough, Sird Street.

As soon as Klein and Jurgen alighted from the carriage, they saw a massive object parked in front of Inventor Leppard's door.

It was iron-black in color, with a dozen wheels in three groups, the top of which towered like a ship's chimney, and smoke was emitted from it.

It was a steam engine that Klein had seen in magazines and on the streets, often described by the public as an ironclad warship with a rather exaggerated body.

If the streets that hadn't been built or rebuilt in the last twenty or thirty years, then it would've filled the roads and left no room for horse carriages. Therefore, transportation vehicle such as this could only be seen in certain areas and places.

At this moment, the heavy glass window and door of the car opened, and two figures stepped out.

One of them was the steam power mogul, Framis Cage, whom Klein had met before. A quarter of his blood was of the Feysac Empire, and he had pale blue eyes and a tall, but bulging build. He had a pipe in his mouth.

The person beside him was wearing a heavy black coat with a gray scarf wrapped around his neck. His features were unremarkable. He looked common with his black hair and brown eyes; yet, he exuded an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

"Hi, Detective Moriarty, you're really punctual. This is my lawyer and partner, Pacheco Dwayne."

While they conversed, two burly men got out of the steam-powered vehicle. They were obviously Framis's bodyguards.

How unprofessional? Shouldn't they come down first and then open the door for their boss? Klein grunted, smiled in greeting, and introduced his lawyer, Jurgen.

While he was waiting for Leppard to open the door, he casually chatted with him.

"Mr. Cage, is this kind of steam-powered vehicle popular? Do a lot of people like it?"

Framis Cage laughed.

"Those who think that they're decent say that it's too barbaric and crude, and ordinary people can't afford it. Only I, an enthusiast of such machinery and steam, would be willing to buy it."

"It's mainly because many streets are too narrow," Klein said in consolation.

Framis Cage was the investor he found, and he had little to do with Leppard.

When he was playing cards at the Quelaag Club, he had deliberately mentioned it, and the equestrian teacher, Talim, immediately mentioned that Framis liked similar inventions, offering to introduce them to each other.

This made Klein sigh with emotion. The club really was a great place to develop connections, and the members who joined it were never really interested in the free food, drinks, and activity venues.

"Haha, this is indeed one of the reasons. As the population increases and the cities grow larger, the horse carriage will definitely be eliminated. It's just too slow. What this world is pursuing now is efficiency!" Framis said confidently.

He then revealed a smile.

"Also, I've already obtained an order from the military. They want me to make some improvements, just like it was mentioned in Roselle's manuscript; increase the armor's bulletproof plating, cover the tracks so that it can drive on a simple road. In addition, add a thick cannon barrel, and then this will be a brand-new weapon."

Roselle's manuscript… Klein sighed silently and for a moment he didn't know what to say until, finally, Leppard opened the door.

In the discussion that followed, the main people talking were Jurgen and Pacheco. The two lawyers would argue with each other and discuss the terms with their employers, while the completely unprepared Inventor Leppard sat there in a daze. Only when asked would he give his opinion.

Finally, the three parties agreed that Framis would invest a thousand pounds to take 20% of the shares, and the shares of Klein and Leppard would fall by an equal ratio, 28% and 52%.

At the same time, Framis agreed to buy a further 18% of Klein's shares at a premium, and this cost him a thousand pounds after taxes.

Similarly, he would buy a 9% stake in the company at a post-tax price for 500 pounds.

As a result of this deal, Framis became the largest shareholder in the newly established Backlund Bike Company, with a 47% share. He became responsible for the subsequent industrialization and marketing, while the company would be funded with the 1,000 pounds he invested as the initial capital.

Leppard was the second largest shareholder, with 43% of the shares. His job was to help in the setting up of the assembly line for mass production.

Mr. Klein, who only had the remaining 10% of the shares, became a purely financial investor.

And the 1,000 pounds he earned from selling his shares had sent his personal wealth skyrocketing to 2,235 pounds, almost enough for him to buy a main ingredient for a Faceless potion. As a private detective, he still continued accepting commissions in the past month or so, so his daily expenses didn't drain his savings.

I still have to pay 50 pounds to Lawyer Jurgen, leaving me with 2,185 pounds… I'll have to thank Talim when I see him… A thought flashed through Klein's mind. He signed and stamped the contract. Then, he stood up and shook hands with Framis and Leppard.

"I hope for a pleasant partnership."

Framis took out his golden pocket watch and looked at it before chuckling.

"Normally, we should have lunch together to celebrate the closing of a deal, but there's an important person waiting for me. I'm really sorry, but there will still be a lot of opportunities in the future."

An important figure, another one…. The one behind Talim? The one that I claimed reimbursement from using fake information that points to the Aurora Order? Klein suddenly felt a little guilty. He hurriedly smiled and said that he didn't mind.

After exiting the house and getting into a carriage, Jurgen suddenly frowned slightly.

"Sherlock, you agreed too readily."

"Why do you say that?" Klein asked curiously.

He didn't even know what Jurgen was talking about.

Jurgen said rather seriously, "When we were talking about the transfer of shares.

"Based on your description, and on Framis's performance, I can imagine a bright market prospect for bikes. Although it's just an invention at the moment, deflating the overall valuation, you should've kept more shares even though 5,000 pounds is a good price. That way you can get better returns in the future.

"I thought you were only going to sell 8% and have the confidence to haggle for 500 pounds, but you actually agreed to 18%. Even if it were only 500 pounds, you would have made a severalfold return on the investment. You shouldn't have been in such a hurry."

Because I'm in need of money… However, I did agree very readily without any hesitation. It was a huge transaction, so that does seem rather abnormal for me… As Klein thought back to the scene from before, he began to have some doubts deep down.

Was I unconsciously influenced by Framis or that Lawyer Pacheco? One of them is a Beyonder? Fortunately, the price was fairly reasonable… As he pondered over the matter, Klein said to Jurgen who was waiting for an answer, "The new year is coming soon…"

He had no idea how to explain it, so he randomly chose an opening.

If the other party was a smart person, then they would go along with the opening and perfect the explanation with their own reasoning. There was no need for Klein to describe it any further.

Of course, this was a move aimed at smart people. Ordinary people would end up pressing, "so" or "what exactly happened."

Lawyer Jurgen was obviously a smart man. Noticing Klein's brief silence, he nodded and said, "I understand.

What do you understand? I haven't even thought of what to say… Klein pointed to the steam metro station in front of them and said, "I'm getting off here. I need to meet an informant."

…

As the steam-powered vehicle roared forward, Framis, who was sitting in the front row, wound down the window and blew out a ring of smoke. He said to the inconspicuous Lawyer Pacheco, "Did you use your powers just now?"

"It was passively triggered," Pacheco said with a smile. "My powers aren't suitable for such situations. I prefer to face government or enterprise employees."

Framis nodded slightly.

"I just wanted to remind you.

"There's no need to use your powers in such situations. Do not let this affect what matters most."

"I understand," Pacheco replied in a low voice.

…

East Borough, in a cheap coffee shop.

When Klein arrived, Old Kohler was already waiting for him.

He removed his scarf, took off his hat, sat down across him, fished out a stack of one-soli notes, and handed it to him.

"For next week's expenses and a bonus for the information you provided me the last time. That's a total of one pound."

He was recently very generous with giving bonuses since he had already found a person to claim them from.

Old Kohler, whose face was clearly ruddier than before, received the cash, feeling a little embarrassed.

"The information I gave you previously didn't seem to be that important…"

"No, the importance depends on who wields it. There are a lot of things that you might find trivial, but it's how other people earn their money," Klein explained with a laugh. "What happened this week?"

Old Kohler took the stack of bills and stuffed it into his pocket. He said thoughtfully, "Just like before, many people are still looking for the believers of The Fool. Haha, how could anyone believe in The Fool? That isn't a good name."

… The corners of Klein's mouth slightly twitched.

"Are they making progress?"

The Aurora Order is really persistent… Klein thought helplessly.

"No, there's no such person." Old Kohler shook his head and then said, "There are a few people organizing strikes recently. They came to me a few times, claiming that they will be fighting for reasonable working hours and salaries."

It's a very normal thing in this era, but it can lead to quite serious consequences…Klein thoughtfully said, "Pay attention to the organizers of this matter. But don't be too anxious. Safety first."

"Alright." Old Kohler cleared his throat and said, "There have been a lot of gangsters and bounty hunters looking for a person these days. I don't know why, but I believe someone has offered a bounty."

"Who are they looking for?" Feeling the cold, Klein took a sip of his coffee.

The warm liquid ran down his esophagus and warmed his belly.

Old Kohler thought for a moment and said, "A man named Azik Eggers."

Azik Eggers… Azik Eggers? Klein looked up from his coffee cup and stared straight at Old Kohler, who was sitting across him.

Isn't that Mr. Azik's full name? Why would someone suddenly offer a bounty for him? Ince Zangwill? Relying on his Clown powers, Klein feigned indifference as he asked, "Did it say what kind of person he was?"

Old Kohler recalled and said, "He seems to be of Balam lineage and was once a university lecturer."

Chapter 411: Coming In Throngs

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Seems to be of Balam lineage… a university lecturer… It really is Mr. Azik, not someone sharing the same name… Using the information provided by Old Kohler, Klein basically confirmed that the person the bounty was aimed at was the suspected descendant of Death, Azik.

Here lies the problem. Who or what organization is looking for Mr. Azik?

The Numinous Episcopate whose ultimate goal is to revive Death? Ince Zangwill who likes to play the mastermind behind the scenes?

It's unlikely to be the latter. Ince Zangwill has Sealed Artifact 0-08, which allows a target to act according to his descriptions, and through a series of coincidences, he can achieve his desired objective. There's no need at all for him to use the gangs and bounty hunters to find Mr. Azik…

Wait, what if this is actually an arrangement by Sealed Artifact 0-08? Realizing that he's now the target of Mr. Azik but lacks the confidence to clinch victory in battle, Ince Zangwill is using 0-08 to instigate conflict between Mr. Azik and some particular faction, hoping to eliminate his enemy indirectly. And this reward was issued by that faction… It's very possible!

However, I can't rule out the Numinous Episcopate. To get revenge, Mr. Azik might have made contact with them. However, there were major differences between the two parties regarding the resurrection of Death, which eventually led to a falling out…

Klein instantly thought of two possibilities and the corresponding reasons.

He took a sip of his coffee and said to Old Kohler, "Help me find out who issued this bounty and its exact price. If it's appropriate, I'll take note of it while I'm at it."

"No problem." Old Kohler didn't feel that anything was amiss with Klein's request.

From a certain perspective, there were no essential differences between a private detective and a bounty hunter. The only difference was that the former would involve themselves in trivial matters such as catching adulterers in the act, finding cats, and helping others walk dogs, while they tended to use the powers of deduction more than brute force.

When Old Kohler finished describing what he had seen and heard, Klein briefly taught him some of the tricks of leading a conversation based on the Nighthawks' curriculum, as well as the contingency plans for specific scenarios.

"It's time for me to go to the docks. Thank you, Detective Moriarty, for allowing me to lead a good life once again!" Old Kohler picked up the old, worn-out hat on the table and thanked him sincerely.

The detective, in his view, not only provided him with a well-paid job, but he also taught him many useful things. Even if the detective no longer needed him as an informant, the skills he learned would allow him to barely survive in East Borough, especially since he was growing older and less capable of laborious work.

A good life? In my opinion, what you have now is the basics of what a person should have… After watching Old Kohler walk out the cheap coffee house, Klein sat there in a daze.

This was the first time that he had heard a friend's name from someone else since his arrival in Backlund, and it was also the first time that he might have grasped Ince Zangwill's whereabouts!

For the past three months, Klein's main goal had been to digest the potion and enhance himself, especially after he killed Lanevus.

That was because he knew very well that he and Ince Zangwill, who was most likely a High-Sequence Beyonder, had an unbridgeable gap. He couldn't be impatient for revenge, especially when it came to the chilling Sealed Artifact 0-08. He didn't even have the intention to approach and investigate it.

Scenes from the Blackthorn Security Company in Tingen replayed themselves in Klein's mind, and those bright polished shoes clearly appeared before his eyes.

Raising his head and slowly letting out a breath, Klein took his scarf and hat and walked out of the cheap coffee shop.

…

Hillston Borough, outside a rather old building.

Klein got off the carriage, pressed his hat, and went straight to the door.

It was Isengard Stanton's house.

The great detective had written to Klein a few days ago, inviting him to come over to discuss a murder case.

Mr. Klein, who has been busy with the financing of the bike project, tactfully replied that he had no time to spare as a form of rejection. To his surprise, Isengard Stanton didn't seem to mind and said that the case had hit a brick wall, making it unlikely that there would be any breakthroughs anytime soon. He was very willing to wait for Detective Sherlock Moriarty's visit and expressed how he looked forward to an exchange that ignited sparks of wisdom.

As such, Klein could only first divine a suitable date for the visit, picking the closest date after the negotiations, which happened to be this afternoon. With that, he wrote back and fixed an appointment.

Ding dong, ding dong.

Klein rang the bell twice and stepped back to wait.

More than ten seconds later, the door creaked open, and the assistant of the great detective, Isengard, said with a smile, "Good afternoon, Detective Moriarty. Mr. Stanton is waiting for you in the activity room. Would you like coffee or tea?"

The assistant was thin and wore gold-rimmed glasses. He looked both refined and professional.

Klein looked up at him and said, "Tea. Be sparing on the lemon slices."

"No problem." The assistant led Klein into the living room, pointed to the activity room and said, "Sorry, our servants are only temporary, and they just happened to be on their day off today, so I can only trouble you to go over alone."

Klein nodded and walked towards the activity room on the first floor.

As he lifted his hand to knock on the door, he suddenly felt that something was amiss.

I arranged a visit with Mr. Stanton a few days in advance. Why would I chance upon the temporary servants' day off?

Klein's eyes narrowed, and he pulled out a copper penny.

At this moment, the door to the activity room opened due to the knock, producing a tiny crack.

In the blink of an eye, as if some seal was lifted, the strong smell of fresh blood poured out and overwhelmed Klein's nose.

From what he could see, the reclining chair in the activity room was overturned and was stained with dark red blood. A book lay beside it, its cover facing up.

With just that one glance, Klein felt as if he was seeing a murder scene.

The name of the book caught his eye: "The Devil's Legend of Sivellaus Borough."

Devil… Klein was about to make a move when a strong wind suddenly blew in the activity room, quickly pulling the door back.

Creak!

Klein clearly saw the entire interior of the activity room.

The charcoal in the fireplace had long since burned out, and there was no longer any red embers glowing; the coffee table, the sofa, the chairs, the cupboard, and other items had either fallen or shattered. It appeared as if he witnessed an intense battle.

There was a lot of blood on the carpet and walls, and a lot of scorch marks, but there was no sign of a body at the scene, not even a stump limb.

Something happened to Detective Stanton? Klein suddenly took a step back, intending to first leave the place.

However, almost at the same time, he felt someone lock onto him.

Someone was staring at him with a cold and merciless gaze from an unknown location!

The moment he made a mistake in his response, he would immediately be met with a fatal blow!

How can this be a suitable day to visit Isengard Stanton? Was my interpretation of the revelation wrong? Klein didn't dare to act rashly.

However, he was neither too nervous or flustered. Having experienced many battles and "performances," he knew that he needed to stay calm during such moments.

Tap, tap, tap. Isengard Stanton's assistant walked over with a tray.

On the tray was a tin teapot and two white porcelain cups.

The assistant froze in place when he saw the scene in the activity room.

He looked at Klein, his face suddenly filled with fear as he stuttered, "You… killed… Mr… Stanton…"

Every time he said a word, a piece of flesh fell from his face as blood gushed out.

After he finished speaking, his body was torn to shreds, turning into a dismembered corpse. It was as if he had always been in that state, with everything preceding this being him in a state where he was stitched up.

Clang! Crack! The tin pot and white porcelain cup hit the ground at the same time, rolling or splashing, and the tea water quickly soaked the area.

Klein didn't move as he stood there watching everything that had happened. This was because he still felt like he was being watched.

The person who had caused this series of events appeared to be waiting for him to make a move before leaping onto his back and snapping his neck.

After an unknown period of time, in a silent and eerie stalemate, Klein saw the door to Isengard Stanton's house open up as a group of policemen in black and white checkered uniforms stormed in.

When they found the nauseating and dismembered corpses on the floor, they drew their revolvers and pointed them at Klein who stood at the doorway of the activity room.

Despite facing the black muzzles of the guns, Klein relaxed.

The wordless gaze that seemed to hold a gun to the back of his head disappeared at that instant!

Klein raised his hands and laughed helplessly.

"I won't say anything until I see my lawyer."

…

Backlund's Chissak Police Station.

Chained to a water pipe, Klein met Lawyer Jurgen once again.

"I will accompany you during the interrogation." There was nothing unusual about Jurgen's expression, as though Detective Moriarty belonged here.

Klein sighed and said, "What a tragedy. I should be considering what I will be eating tonight, not talking to a stone-faced police officer."

The thing he was most thankful for today was that due to the Aurora Order's investigation and the attention of the Rose School of Thought's High-Sequence Beyonder, he didn't bring any Beyonder items with him. His only revolver was easily concealed from the body search using a magic-like performance.

When he entered the interrogation room, he recounted the letter he received from Isengard Stanton about discussing a case without the police officer's questioning.

"Later, we'll go to your house with Mr. Jurgen to retrieve these letters. I hope they're still there." The officer in charge of the interrogation switched gears and asked, "How did you get to know Detective Isengard Stanton?"

Klein replied without hesitation, "Because of that serial murder case…"

At this point, he suddenly froze for a moment.

It reminded him of something. He had always suspected that there was a master behind the Devil dog, the person who had harrumphed when the Devil dog was killed.

Yes, the book Stanton was reading before the attack was "The Devil's Legend of Sivellaus Borough"… Could it be that the owner of the Devil dog is beginning to take revenge after lying low all this time? And Detective Stanton was the person in the police records who provided the main clues or ideas. Furthermore, he was the one who received the bounty reward! Klein quickly had a theory.

Chapter 412: Letter

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

When he thought about the possibility that the Devil dog's owner was involved, Klein changed his strategy and decided to recount his involvement with Isengard Stanton in great detail.

In addition, he took the initiative to mention Isengard Stanton's assembly of a team of detectives to investigate the serial murder and the portion of the bounty that they successfully obtained.

"In that commission, although I only gave some ideas, well—in the jargon of the private detective industry, I provided suggestions, but it was still considered the greatest contribution by Mr. Stanton, so I received the bulk of the bounty," Klein concluded.

The two officers in charge of the interrogation jotted down the information and asked if anyone could prove it. Klein gave them the names and addresses of Stuart, Kaslana, and the other private detectives.

"Very good, Mr. Moriarty. Your answer is detailed enough." A police officer stopped writing and asked, "How long did you spend in Isengard Stanton's home today? I mean, from the time you entered to the time we found you."

Klein thought for a moment and, without consulting Lawyer Jurgen, directly replied, "About two to three minutes."

What he said was based on what he truly felt.

Another police officer raised his eyebrows and said, "Many residents nearby were able to confirm that you entered Isengard Stanton's house around 2:10 p.m. We arrived at the scene at 2:28 p.m., which is to say, you were in the house for about eighteen minutes, not two or three minutes!

"What exactly were you doing during this lengthy period of time? Why didn't you leave and call the police?"

Eighteen minutes passed? Klein frowned suddenly.

He felt that the stalemate he had with the existence which silently watched him lasted for slightly more than a minute. How did it take a full eighteen minutes?

Was it the strange feeling of being watched that confused my grasp of time, or was it something else? Is it the Beyonder powers of the other party? If it really was the owner of the Devil dog, he would at least be at Sequence 6, with a high probability of being Sequence 5… While Klein pondered, Jurgen leaned forward, ready to accuse the police of being posing leading questions.

That was not a very good reason, but he simply wanted to use this method to interrupt the pace of the interrogation and delay the unfavorable question for his client.

At this moment, Klein raised his hand to rub his forehead.

"What I just said was the truth. Based on what I felt, only two or three minutes had passed after I entered Detective Isengard Stanton's house."

Upon saying that, he emphasized, "Yes, based on what I felt."

The two officers exchanged looks before writing the statement down.

After a moment of silence, the officer who had asked the question said, "During those eighteen minutes, a servant who came back from outside the house rang the doorbell, but no one answered, so he looked in through the oriel window and saw the floor full of corpses and that you were standing in the doorway of the activity room.

"He was terrified, running to the police station like a madman, and many passers-by and some residents had confirmed that."

Klein ignored the look in Lawyer Jurgen's eyes and shook his head.

"I didn't hear the doorbell."

The two officers exchanged looks again, but they made no comment. All they did was jot down what was said.

They asked questions about other details, and Klein, who had done nothing and was free from guilt, answered every question truthfully.

At the end, he couldn't help but ask, "Did you find Detective Isengard Stanton? It didn't seem like the activity room had a corpse. He's likely to be still alive, right…"

A police officer used a pen to tap on the table and said, "That's one of the things we're wondering about. Only the activity room in the house had signs of fighting, and the windows were closed, and they hadn't been opened for days. As you know, it's very normal to do so during Backlund's autumn and winter seasons.

"The attacker and Mr. Isengard Stanton left the room in a strange way, and we found no trace of him anywhere else in the house or in the neighborhood, not even blood."

Without waiting for Klein to speak, he questioned before answering his own question, "You definitely wish to mention the activity room's door and the door to the house, but many people have confirmed that there was no pursuit nearby, nor was there anyone taken hostage or a corpse being moved away."

Maybe it really happened in the middle of the night? Maybe they were able to go through walls? Klein silently offered other possibilities in his mind, and he silently prayed.

May the Goddess bless Detective Isengard Stanton and that he escaped the disaster—the Evernight Goddess was the Empress of Disaster and Horror.

When the interrogation was over, Klein was remanded in a small room, and the police sent someone to pick up the letter as evidence with Lawyer Jurgen at 15 Minsk Street.

It wasn't until the evening that Klein was finally admitted bail, posting a sum of fifty pounds.

"It's much more expensive than the last time. It's difficult for the average private detective to produce that much cash in a short period of time." After leaving the Chissak Police Station, Klein pulled up the collar of his tweed coat and complained to Jurgen.

Jurgen still wore a professional and staid expression.

"The situation was favorable towards you the last time, but this time, much of the evidence points to you."

He stopped a rental carriage, turned his head to the side, and looked at Klein.

"Sherlock, I'm your lawyer. Before you answer the policeman's questions, it's best that you communicate with me, even if it's just sending me a look.

"Do not speak carelessly even if you feel that there are no problems. Ordinary people who haven't been trained will easily say things that trip them up."

This… I'm used to fabricating my own stories and solving my own problems… Klein recalled what had just happened and gave a hollow laugh.

"Okay, I will keep that in mind."

Without another word, Jurgen boarded the carriage.

Klein sat down across him and thought about Detective Isengard Stanton's attack.

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard the rumbling sound of his stomach.

It's already past my normal dinner time… Klein took out his gold pocket watch and opened it.

He didn't want to waste any more energy preparing food, so he began to think about which restaurant was worth looking forward to.

At that moment, Jurgen raised his eyelids and said, "I've asked my grandmother to prepare dinner for three."

"How can I impose on you?" Klein was startled for a moment before he laughed. "Mrs. Doris's cooking skills are always something to look forward to."

…

By the time they got back to Minsk Street in Cherwood Borough, the sky was completely dark and the street lamps were even brighter than the indistinct red moon in the sky.

After having dinner at the Jurgen's house and having fun with the cat, Klein strolled back to Unit 15 in the cold, damp air.

He habitually rummaged through the letterbox and pulled out a copy of the Backlund Evening News that had just arrived.

Klein opened the door with the newspaper in hand and just as he put the cane away, he realized something was wrong.

His spiritual intuition as a Seer told him that a stranger had entered his house!

Was it the police who came to collect the evidence? Klein looked around warily and suddenly saw a letter on the coffee table.

There should have only been newspapers sitting there!

Klein entered the living room warily, in preparation for an attack. He moved closer to the coffee table, and during the entire process, the surroundings were completely silent without the slightest abnormality.

Glancing down at the letter, Klein first took out a pair of black gloves and wore them before opening the letter.

There was a thin piece of paper inside the envelope. After unfolding it, a dark red color was immediately reflected in Klein's eyes, and the faint smell of blood lingered around his nose.

Words were written on the piece of paper with coagulated blood: "All of you will die!"

This… Is it really the owner of the Devil dog? Is he taking revenge on the people who caused his subordinate's death? This is truly a case of bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Why not directly find the Nighthawks responsible for the clean-up operation? Klein's heart tightened, and many thoughts flashed through his mind.

But he quickly dismissed his complaint. It was very normal to exact vengeance on the person that one could handle. Just like his past few months in Backlund, he had never thought of finding Ince Zangwill, but he never gave up his pursuit of Lanevus.

After looking around again, Klein gradually found that this matter was a little confusing.

Isn't he afraid of being caught by the official Beyonders by using such an ostentatious method to exact revenge? Is this the "acting" requirement for his potion?

Or, rather, because Detective Isengard Stanton escaped, he knows that he can't get rid of his targets in secret, so he can only switch his methods. But what's the reason behind this method?

Also, when I was at Detective Stanton's house, he was clearly watching me. Why didn't he make a move? Was he apprehensive towards an ordinary private detective like me?

No, impossible… Does he know that I'm a Beyonder? Possible. Due to the side effect of me getting lost due to the Master Key, I had met with the Devil dog. It saw my body and how I looked like. Although I was disguised, I can't be certain that a Devil can see through it…

Perhaps, after that incident, it was able to present the scene to its owner in some way…

However, at that time, I couldn't even defeat the Devil dog, so I could only run away pathetically. What is there to be afraid of? Unless he's worried about something else, such as the injured Isengard Stanton who might be hiding nearby?

Did he write to me very openly, thinking that I, a wild Beyonder, wouldn't dare to seek help from the officials?

With his head filled with questions, Klein inspected the house and walked all the way to the second floor.

When he opened the bedroom door, another letter came into view.

The letter lay quietly on the desk, as though it had been waiting for him for a very long time.

Klein opened the letter and saw a line of dark red words that were drawn: "You're next."

Next… How arrogant… Klein couldn't help but sigh.

At this moment, he suddenly had a thought. He raised his head and looked outside the window.

Across him were a few two-story houses with their lights on.

The glow of the street lamps fell on their outer walls, forming a crisscrossing zone.

All of a sudden, the shadows in the areas squirmed and twisted, forming a black shadow in a tailcoat.

The shadow raised its right hand, gesturing in the shape of a gun, and pointed it at Klein.

Then, it retracted its arm and blew at the "gun's muzzle."

Immediately after, it silently fell back, transforming into countless disconnected shadows.

Chapter 413: Visitors

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Inside the Rice Police Station which was in charge of Minsk Street and the surrounding district.

Klein shook hands with the officer who escorted him out.

"This threatening letter must've had something to do with the previous serial murders. The organizer of the detective team, the great detective, Mr. Isengard Stanton, has already been attacked this afternoon!

"Please take it seriously."

The police officer retracted his hand and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Moriarty. We definitely won't ignore your suggestion and immediately report it to the higher-ups."

"Thank you so much." Klein put on his hat and walked out the door.

After seeing the two threatening letters and the provocation from the suspected Devil dog's master, Klein didn't hesitate to bring the evidence to the nearest police station to report the case. He secretly hoped that the matter would be transferred to the Mandated Punishers or the Machinery Hivemind Team as quickly as possible so that he could be placed under the protection of official Beyonders.

Although he no longer had any reason to keep his identity as a detective, being fully capable of giving up his residence at 15 Minsk Street and switching to another residence and identity, he suspected that this might have been the purpose of the author of that threatening letter.

Using the fear of wild Beyonders being exposed, the perpetrator was forcing him to flee under the cover of the night. Then, during this process, he could seize the opportunity to launch an attack.

Actually, it's quite a suitable time to attack me while I was heading over to the police station to report the incident… It's the same as when I was at home… That fellow has other plans… Confused and wary, Klein returned to Minsk Street.

As soon as he got out of the carriage, he saw a figure loitering in front of his house with the help of the street lamps amid the drizzle.

Klein's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately relaxed as he recognized the visitor.

It was Stuart, a slim private detective with a medium build, who adored him.

I can't be careless… What if the subsequent Sequences of Devil has a power similar to Faceless? Klein gripped his cane tight and slowly approached, then he gave a probing shout.

Detective Stuart abruptly turned his head and nervously said, "Mr. Moriarty, I received a threatening letter. It said: 'All of you will die!'"

"You received it as well?" Klein blurted out in surprise while also finding it understandable.

Stuart was also one of the detectives that Isengard Stanton had gathered for the investigation of the serial murders.

Stuart's eyes widened abruptly.

"You received it too?"

"Yes." Klein nodded seriously.

More than one actually… he added silently.

"What should I do? I first went to visit Mr. Stanton, but I heard that he was attacked, so I immediately came to you. Oh, thank God for His blessings. I was about to leave!" Stuart blurted out.

Klein pointed to the door.

"Let's talk inside."

After entering the living room, Klein excused himself to the bathroom and hurriedly went above the gray fog to perform two divinations. First, it was to confirm that the person was Stuart. And second, if there was any relatively serious danger that night. He received a revelation confirming both.

In other words, Stuart wasn't the enemy in disguise, and it would be a night of considerable danger.

Of course, that danger might not happen right in front of Klein, but someone might be wiped out in secret. That was the limitation of divination. All he could receive was a revelation of a certain degree, not the entire answer. He was unable to get a precise answer.

Furthermore, the limitations in mysticism couldn't be solved by techniques such as exclusion or dichotomy.

Returning to the real world, Klein pressed the mechanical button of the toilet bowl, and in the midst of the splashing water, he washed his hands and opened the door.

"Stuart, would you like coffee or tea?" Klein asked in a completely composed manner.

Stuart stood up and shook his head.

"No, we should discuss the problem first. Although I've received many threatening letters in the past, none of them can be compared to what I received today. He must've written them using fresh blood! My intuition tells me that he'll definitely take action, and that he has the ability to do so!

"By the way, Mr. Stanton was attacked by that same person, wasn't he?"

"I think so," Klein said stoically before sitting down. "This likely has something to do with the previous serial murders. The common thing that you, me, and Mr. Stanton share in common is that case."

Stuart's reaction is a little too extreme… Is he spooked out by the attack on Mr. Stanton? At the same time, Klein was carefully observing Stuart.

Being infected by his attitude, Stuart calmed down significantly. He sat down again and said while deep in thought, "It seems to be the case…"

Before he could finish his sentence, tinkling sounds suddenly echoed in the room.

Someone had rung the doorbell.

Stuart instantly jolted, like a frightened bird.

Klein frowned as he looked at him before getting up to head for the door.

As soon as he touched the handle, the scene outside appeared in his mind.

The visitors were Detective Kaslana in her gray tweed coat; her red-haired assistant, Lydia; and several other men who looked familiar.

They're all the private detectives who Mr. Stanton had assembled… As expected… As Klein recalled, he recognized the visitors.

He pulled open the door and took two steps back.

With bushy eyebrows and slightly drooping cheeks, Kaslana looked at Klein and Stuart who was behind him. Without exchanging pleasantries, she bluntly said, "We've all received the same threatening letter, so I believe you guys did too, right?"

"Yes," Klein replied solemnly.

Kaslana didn't shy away from exhaling a breath of white mist.

"We were all assembled by Mr. Stanton to participate in the investigation of the serial murders. That's the only thing we have in common."

"I think so too." Klein pointed inside his house. "Let's talk inside."

Watching the six private detectives enter, Klein quickly analyzed the intentions of the Devil dog's master.

To stir up such a huge commotion, this will soon attract the attention of the official Beyonder organizations. Who knows, there might be a demigod powerhouse guarding this area, so how would he take his revenge?

He's just being provocative, making the military and the Beyonders from the three Churches send people to protect all these private detectives. With the official Beyonders not daring to be negligent, it will scatter personnel and exhaust them by making them run around. Is all this to take revenge on the main target of the attack from back then?

In the process, he might even have a chance to kill some of the official Beyonders…

As for the private investigators, he will only take action much later, once their wariness has relaxed…

Of course, if probes such as this give an opening, then he definitely wouldn't let it go…

To Devils who can sense danger ahead of time, this is a method that plays on their strengths.

However, the three Churches, together with the military and the royal family, have many experts and Sealed Artifacts. They have no lack of demigods or Grade 0 and Grade 1 Sealed Artifacts. Is the master of the Devil dog so certain that there are no powers or items that can restrain this strength of his?

No, he definitely wouldn't dare.

The official powers, especially the Nighthawks, Mandated Punishers, and Machinery Hivemind, have been fighting Devils for who knows how many years. In the Fourth Epoch, even in the more ancient Third Epoch, there was no lack of similar deeds.

The master of the Devil dog is at most a Sequence 5. As long as anything goes wrong, to the point of nothing going wrong, he can be torn apart by a demigod or a terrifying Sealed Artifact. Why would he still dare to make such attempts?

Or it could be said that he's simply toying with the officials and that he wouldn't act, doing it time and time again…

Yes, there's another possibility. Using the threatening letter, he's able to get more than half the targets gathered together. Then, using the official Beyonder organizations' counterbalancing of each other and the procedural and bureaucratic tendencies, create a time delay…

The attack on Mr. Isengard Stanton must've been handed over to the Machinery Hivemind, who is in charge of supernatural affairs in Hillston Borough, but the ones who killed the Devil dog were mainly comprised of the Nighthawks. The two organizations definitely don't communicate in detail too much…

Well, it can also be assigned based on Mr. Stanton's faith… Which deity does he believe in… I don't seem to know, nor can I tell…

In short, with so many private investigators living in different districts and with different faiths, the division of jurisdiction is a troublesome matter, and joint operations aren't so easy to achieve.

At this moment, the ones protecting us should only be two or three groups of official Beyonders. At the very most, they would be at the level of deacons, and they wouldn't use Sealed Artifacts which are too powerful or dangerous. Even a demigod High-Sequence Beyonder wouldn't direct their gaze over to us that quickly.

This would give the Devil dog's master a chance.

Although three to four groups of official Beyonders can definitely kill one or even more than one Sequence 5, as long as he takes advantage of the situation, there's a good chance that he can successfully escape.

Klein was able to deduce two or three possibilities in just twenty to thirty seconds, and giving each of them a preliminary opinion.

Thinking of the divination outcome that indicated that there would be significant danger tonight, Klein thoughtfully nodded his head, closed the door, and entered the living room. He said to the sitting or standing detectives, "Have you called the police?"

There are almost half of the people, who were assembled back then, gathered here…he surveyed the detectives and muttered inwardly.

Representing the rest, Kaslana replied, "Some have called the police, while others have tried to find Mr. Stanton or familiar friends. Finally, all of us got together and discussed about visiting you, the great detective."

Klein gently nodded and deliberately said, "Everyone, don't be too nervous. The person who sent the letter should be trying to get revenge for that serial murder, but he's only one person, with at most one or two companions. As for us, we have a total of eight detectives, all skilled in combat and shooting, so why should we be afraid of him?

"Besides, we were not the only ones assembled by Mr. Stanton, and it must be the same for those who received the threatening letters. They just didn't end up meeting you or come to visit me."

Upon hearing his words, Kaslana and her assistant, Lydia, revealed doubtful expressions, as if they were unsure of something.

Another detective took a deep breath.

"Mr. Moriarty, perhaps it's as you say, we need not be afraid of him.

"But he's a sinister snake lurking in the dark. No one knows when he will launch an attack, and no one can guard against it in advance. Furthermore, he might even harm our family members."

"Family members?"

"Oh, my wife!"

"No, my little angel!"

The detectives were instantly overwhelmed by their emotions as they exhibited exaggerated reactions.

Standing behind Klein, Stuart was trembling with fear and anger.

"No, I don't want that…" he murmured, almost losing control of his emotions.

Just as Klein and Kaslana attempted to calm them down, Stuart suddenly drew his gun and aimed it at the back of Klein's head!

His eyes were glazed over, and his emotions seemed to have completely overwhelmed him.

Chapter 414: Desire Apostle

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

While Stuart was raising his gun to aim, Klein, who had long been on guard, had already detected it. He lunged forward at the same time as Stuart performed his series of actions.

Bang!

Stuart, who was clearly out of control, pulled the trigger, and the bullet grazed the side of a private detective's face as it hit the wall.

Instantly, the other detectives pulled out their revolvers as a result of the stress. It was as if they were looking at the enemy, turning the scene extremely chaotic.

Among them, Stuart and a private detective had flushed faces and bulging veins. Their eyes burned with a mixture of fear and anger, as though they had turned into so-called devils.

At this moment, Kaslana bellowed, "Stop!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was filled with awe. It made everyone's body tremble, and they subconsciously complied.

Although there was a brief moment of silence, everyone's mood didn't seem to improve. Klein had already rolled over to the other side and stood up with his revolver in his hand.

His mind raced, and he couldn't afford to hide his thoughts. He planned to rely on his hallucination ability to calm down the few visitors.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Ding dong, ding dong!

A few of the private detectives suddenly became alert, and their eyes revealed a hint of lucidity.

The tinkling of the doorbell was like a bucket of cold water that poured over their heads.

Stuart looked at the revolver in his hand and mumbled in a daze, "What was I doing just now…"

The official Beyonders have made their move? Klein breathed a sigh of relief, approaching the door as he held his revolver.

The moment he held the handle, the image of the person outside appeared in his mind.

It was a man in a black coat and a hunter's hat. He had gray temples, and a thin face—Isengard Stanton.

The detective's face was somewhat pale, and his left arm was propped up near the shoulder.

He really is alright! Klein was delighted at first, but then he became cautious—he remembered the day when Nimblewright Master Rosago had transformed into a constable to knock at his door.

Klein placed his finger on the trigger, pulled the door open, and took two steps back.

Isengard Stanton smiled and nodded at him.

"Thank you for your visit this afternoon; otherwise, I might not have been able to continue playing hide-and-seek with that devil.

"You saved my life."

This… Could it be that the correct interpretation of "a suitable date for visiting Isengard Stanton" is that by visiting him this afternoon, I was able to help him out of trouble? What about the next few days of "suitable dates for visiting?" By skirting around the murder scene, I wouldn't be suspected? Klein didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He didn't let his guard down as he made way.

"What exactly happened?"

"We'll talk later." Isengard suddenly lowered his voice and laughed. "Do you wish to discuss the subject of Beyonders in front of Stuart and the others?"

So here you are mentioning Beyonders to me so naturally? That's right, I was able to remain in a deadlock with the master of the Devil dog for more than ten minutes. That serves to prove that I'm no ordinary person… Besides, the suggestion I previously offered pointed straight at a Devil-turned animal… Klein quietly stayed behind Isengard Stanton by two steps.

Upon seeing this great detective, Kaslana and her assistant, Lydia, let out a sigh of relief. Stuart and the other private detectives also showed a look of relief.

"Are you alright, Mr. Stanton?" they asked.

Isengard slightly moved his left arm and said, "A little injured, but not too badly.

"Okay. Everyone, don't be nervous. This will be over soon. The police are waiting for that bastard in the darkness nearby."

"is it because of the serial murders?"

"Have you locked onto the suspect?"

"Will he hurt the innocent?"

…

The private detectives asked frantically.

Isengard pressed his right palm down.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you in detail in the time to come, but before that, I need to find out a few things from Sherlock and Kaslana. We'll head to the activity room for a few minutes."

His accumulated prestige made the detectives sit down without rebutting.

Although they were still worried, they no longer had the problem of fretting or suddenly losing control of their emotions.

After entering the activity room and closing the wooden door, Klein took a look at the enclosed room and suddenly thought of something.

This kind of environment is very suitable for using items like the Biological Poison Bottle!

Ahem… Klein cleared his throat, walked across the room, and opened the window.

He still didn't relax his wariness against Isengard Stanton, nor did he believe that Kaslana was absolutely trustworthy.

Isengard looked around, directly taking Klein's reclining chair before chuckling.

"Being old, I still like to sit like this."

Sitting on a single sofa, Klein asked again, "Mr. Stanton, what exactly happened?"

Isengard looked at Kaslana, who was standing behind a coffee table, and said, "We're all Beyonders, so I won't explain stuff pertaining to general knowledge."

"Beyonders?" Kaslana first looked at Klein, then at Isengard, slightly surprised but not all that shocked.

So it turns out that you're also a Beyonder… Why were you stumped by a weak ghost back then and unable to even discover the problem… Yes, perhaps she's from a Sequence that isn't good at dealing with shadows or wraiths… Klein responded to her gaze.

Isengard smiled and said, "I once went to the Lenburg for four years of studies, where I came into contact with the Beyonder world and became a believer of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

"After returning to Backlund, I gradually established a good relationship with the military, the Church of the Evernight Goddess, and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, but I didn't dare to reveal my true identity, because the Mandated Punishers would definitely eliminate me as a cult's heretic. On this matter, the other official organizations wouldn't help me directly, because that would be equivalent to starting a war with the Church of the Lord of Storms.

"As expected of the Tyrant's Church."

"Tyrant?" Klein asked in passing.

Isengard took out his pipe, but only sniffed the tobacco.

"This is what our Church internally calls the Lord of the Storms.

"Alright. Let me first return to what happened today. The person who attacked me and delivered threatening letters to you is the master of the serial murderer from before. Heh heh, you should know that the murderer is a black dog of the Devil Sequence, especially Sherlock. You were the first to point out that the Devil might be an animal."

Klein smiled, neither denying nor admitting it. Kaslana also just clasped her hands together, not saying a word.

Isengard shook his head and laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm not an enforcer, but as a believer of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, I can't preach in Backlund or officially establish an organization. I can only rely on you and others like you for help."

In other words, you can help us take the blame? Klein mocked inwardly.

Isengard continued, seeing that they were still not making any admission.

"The Devil dog's master is a Sequence 5 expert. Yes, according to what I know, the Devil pathway's Sequence 5 is Desire Apostle. They can use and control everyone's emotions and desires, enticing them to be corrupted.

"When facing a Desire Apostle, one mustn't have feelings that are too intense. One mustn't make or exhibit overt desires; otherwise, they'll immediately be remotely controlled by him. Otherwise, a seed might be planted in them or have it catalyze immediately.

"This will make people exhibit many problems as they gradually become corrupted. They might also lose control of their emotions at a critical moment and be unable to put up any resistance… This is a portion of the Beyonder powers a Desire Apostle has. I have confirmed these aspects from my battle with him."

Upon hearing this, Klein suddenly understood one of the reasons why the culprit had sent out threatening letters and made such provocative actions.

He wanted to anger us, making our emotions experience violent changes so that he could bury a corruption seed or catalyze our emotions, making it erupt out of control!

This would make his follow-up attacks simpler and easier!

Fortunately, I'm a Beyonder who has experienced many things. At that time, all I had was vigilance and caution… When Stuart and the others saw the threatening letter, their emotions clearly changed, so the Desire Apostle had planted a seed in them…

If we hadn't been able to stabilize them in time, the situation would've become chaotic with the internal strife, giving the surrounding official Beyonders little time to react, and thus, giving the Desire Apostle ample opportunity…

Back when I was in Isengard Stanton's house, I felt that time moved slowly. Was it a result of the magnification of my sudden increase in vigilance, tension, wariness, and other emotions?

Klein thought back and felt lucky.

"So that's how it is…" Kaslana seemed to gain an understanding of many things.

Isengard rubbed his temples and said, "I was almost manipulated by him, which resulted in my injuries. Afterward, I used a mystical item to play hide and seek in the house. It was only when Sherlock visited and the three sides came to a stalemate did I get a chance to have a breather.

"My poor assistant was looking forward to returning to Lenburg for Mass on New Year's Day."

At this point, he sighed.

"When the police arrived, I took the opportunity to escape and then used the river to escape the pursuit," Isengard added. He then asked, "Sherlock, Kaslana, how do you plan on handling this issue?"

After a moment of silence, Kaslana said, "Mr. Stanton, do you have any suggestions?"

Isengard said, "First, take the protection of the official Beyonders, preventing the Desire Apostle from daring to take action. While this is happening, we should hope that he's quickly caught or killed.

"If our hopes aren't met, it's impossible that the official Beyonders would allocate people to constantly protect us. Then, we only have two choices. First, it's to change our identity, including our families' and move to a different place with their help. However, no one can guarantee that the Desire Apostle won't discover this. Second, we can directly join a corresponding official organization and become an external member. That way, our identity and place of residence will change as well, but it's much safer."

Join a corresponding official organization? The Machinery Hivemind? Or go to places like Lenburg or Masin to join the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom? Wouldn't I then come to have three last names—no, a believer of three Churches? Klein felt an inexplicable sense of absurdity.

He thoughtfully asked for advice, "Are there no other solutions?"

At the same time, there was no change in Kaslana's expression. It was unknown what she was thinking.

Isengard Stanton rubbed his pipe and said, "Yes, that is that we join forces to create an opportunity so that we can quickly find and detain the Desire Apostle.

"Of course, the perfect outcome would be us killing him directly."

Chapter 415: The Ring

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Klein didn't have too big of a response in regards to Isengard Stanton's suggestion. He looked at the tightly-closed door of the activity room and said, "As far as I know, a Devil can predict danger before we take action, and they can even determine the source of the danger, thus providing an effective response.

"It's hard to find and restrain him."

Isengard nodded slightly and said, "Yes, that's indeed the case, but this doesn't mean that there are no solutions."

"What solutions?" Kaslana immediately asked.

Isengard smiled and said, "I fought him head-on and witnessed his Beyonder powers of predicting danger, so I have a rough idea of its strengths and weaknesses.

"A Devil can indeed detect danger before it happens, and it can be done so for quite a significant period of time prior to the danger. As long as we make any plans and take decisive action that targets him, he would receive the corresponding premonition. Of course, it has to be something that can really harm him."

No, the truth is that the strengths and weaknesses of different types of Devils are different. Some of them might only be capable of detecting danger ten to twenty minutes in advance… Klein silently retorted, but he didn't say it out loud.

Isengard continued, "The flaw of premonition powers is that it can only detect the person and location of the danger, but it doesn't know the specific details. This gives us an opportunity to take advantage of it."

"What opportunity? I don't think we can trap a Devil that can predict danger," Kaslana asked incredulously.

Klein also nodded in agreement.

Of course, I can use the gray fog to deceive the Desire Apostle, making him unable to detect danger ahead of time. But the problem is, how can I expose the secret of the gray fog in front of others… Klein silently added a few words.

Isengard chuckled.

"It's true that it won't work normally, but the Beyonder world is full of incredible things.

"I'm a Sequence 7 Knowledge Keeper of the Reader pathway, also known as Detective. By honestly telling you this, it's a way of showing my sincerity in cooperating.

"In this situation, I think honesty is more important than anything else."

Only Sequence 7? How could a Sequence 7 escape from a Desire Apostle? It seems like Mr. Stanton has a powerful mystical item… Enlightened, Klein shifted in his seat.

"Does a Knowledge Keeper have the ability to suppress a Devil's premonition powers?" Kaslana asked with her body leaning forward.

"No," Isengard said with a laugh. "However, I have a ring. It originates from a Sequence 6 Rampager of the Reader pathway. It allows me to differentiate, recognize, remember, and mimic all the Beyonder powers I've seen before. Of course, against more powerful Beyonder powers, the chance of failure is higher.

"Haha, there is a maxim in our Church, omniscience means omnipotence."

Why does it sound so familiar… Furthermore, the description of the item… Klein was about to run through his memories when he saw Isengard Stanton take out a gorgeous ring.

The ring was inlaid with many small diamonds. Together, they surrounded a beautiful emerald-green gem that looked like a human eye.

Just by looking at this ring, Klein felt dizzy, as if he had overworked his mind.

Isn't… Isn't this Sealed Artifact 2-081? Isengard Stanton is Old Mister Eye of Wisdom? Klein looked up in surprise at the detective sitting in the reclining chair.

That ring was the Sealed Artifact 2-081 which Eye of Wisdom had flaunted to him previously and had used several times in the Beyonder gathering!

Eye of Wisdom… This code name does sound like it's related to the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom… Klein, using his Clown's ability to control his expression as he looked quietly at Isengard Stanton.

In the end, he found that some of the outlines of the great detective did match Eye of Wisdom, but there were many details which were highly different.

His ability to disguise himself is very impressive… Was it done with the help of 2-081? Klein made a rough judgment.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of a scene.

If Mr. Stanton says, "Let all of us work together to resist the Desire Apostle, and the most important thing is honesty. I have already described my Sequence and mystical item. It's your turn." What should I say? Silently take out the Sun Brooch which he sold to me?

At that moment, wouldn't he be going, "Nice, so it's you, punk!"

While Klein was imagining things, Kaslana looked at the ring Isengard Stanton showed and asked in envy and puzzlement, "What power are you planning on mimicking to resist the Desire Apostle's ability to predict danger?"

Isengard curled the corner of his lips and chuckled.

"The premonition that Devils have towards danger."

At that moment, he looked like a hoary fox.

Ah? That actually works? Klein was instantly momentarily unable to figure out the intricacies.

Seeing Kaslana and Klein puzzled, Isengard laughed and explained, "First, which is what we're currently doing, draw up a plan that can actually harm the Desire Apostle and begin working on it.

"Second, the Desire Apostle will sense the danger and know that the danger comes from us and that it stems from this place.

"Third, as a Devil, without any advanced preparations, there are certain things that are instinctual to him that he cannot change. His first reaction is definitely to kill us or to exact revenge on us, and there will be certain changes to his body, after which he will consider whether the current situation is suitable for a counterattack or not, and whether he should choose to stay away from us.

"Fourth, by mimicking the Devil's premonition powers, I'll sense the threat of the Desire Apostle and grasp the source of danger, which is also his present location."

That's… some godly operation… Klein was quite surprised.

But what happens next? The Desire Apostle would run away as soon as he realizes that something is wrong. We won't even have time to chase after him… Doubts immediately arose in him.

Isengard looked at the two of them and smiled.

"According to my deductions, he must be hiding in our surroundings right now. No matter how good he is at remotely controlling the emotions of others, there must be a distance limit. And just now, he had led Stuart and the others to lose control of their emotions.

"After I escaped his pursuit, the reason why it took me so long to appear here was because I was discussing a plan with the Nighthawks, Machinery Hivemind, and the military. They will each send two to three squads who are in charge of monitoring the nearby districts. These districts all have their code names. Heh heh, this will all be within the Desire Apostle's expectations. Even if he senses the danger, he will only treat it as normal.

"As soon as I confirm his location, I will inform the official Beyonders, and they will rapidly seal off the corresponding areas and close in on him."

"But herein lies the problem. How are we to inform the official Beyonders? If we're unable to accomplish this within seconds, the Desire Apostle will escape. Of course, he might've fled when what he just did had failed," Klein said, in thought.

"If that's the case, we would be out of solutions as well. There's no plan that's absolutely perfect. We can only wait for a particular Sealed Artifact's activation process to complete. When the time comes, the Desire Apostle might've already left Backlund, but he might return at any time," Isengard explained.

He then took out a golden palm-sized item. It looked like a miniature telegraph, but it also had a trumpet on it.

"This is a Sealed Artifact; it can allow my voice to sound out simultaneously up to a range of five kilometers," Isengard smiled as he introduced it. "Its negative effect is that once it's activated, all sounds within five kilometers will be transmitted to the user's ears for an extended period of time. Of course, I can mimic a Beyonder power to mitigate this effect."

After listening carefully, Kaslana frowned slightly.

"Since there are official Beyonders involved, there doesn't seem to be any need for our cooperation?"

Isengard carefully put on Sealed Artifact 2-081 and earnestly said, "In order to not alarm the Desire Apostle ahead of time, there's a void of power in the nearby district. If the target is really here, the three of us need to help each other to retain him as best as we can."

"I have no problem." Klein pondered for a moment before agreeing.

Kaslana also nodded and said, "Mr. Stanton, there's no need for you to explain so much. After all, we'll cooperate for our own sake."

"Haha, an explanation is part of the plan, and an agreement means that the operation is about to begin…" Isengard half closed his eyes.

The emerald-green gem on the ring of his right hand began to glow with a dark blue light.

Suddenly, Isengard Stanton stood up, pointing upwards with a grim expression.

"He's right here, upstairs!"

Klein and Kaslana stood up at the same time, one ready to snap a finger and light a match on the second floor to jump up there directly, while the other followed Isengard towards the door.

None of them expected the Desire Apostle to be so bold as to remain in the vicinity after the failure of the previous machination, right in 15 Minsk Street!

Maybe he was upstairs watching it all with a cold gaze while we were discussing the plan to deal with him! This thought suddenly popped up in Klein's mind.

At that moment, he saw Kaslana's eyes suddenly turn red, and her right hand formed a fist as she punched out at Isengard Stanton's back where his heart was!

This… Klein's pupils contracted as he instantly came to a realization of many things.

The reason why the Desire Apostle didn't flee was because he still had other plans set up!

He still had a seed of corruption in someone's heart that he didn't catalyze.

That person was none other than Kaslana!

One of the only three Beyonders here!

The reason why the unsuccessful attempt at instigating them was so easily resolved was to let their guard down and wait for the critical moment to make Kaslana lose control of her emotions!

The Desire Apostle's biggest target was still Isengard Stanton.

How crafty… Klein snapped his fingers, but it was only an Air Bullet that was fired at Kaslana.

At the same time, he shouted, "Be careful!"

Isengard had a lot of experience too. He didn't care what the situation was as he threw himself forward.

However, Kaslana ignored the bullet, allowing it to strike her arm and allowing blood to splatter everywhere.

Bam!

She punched Isengard in the back, throwing her entire body forward.

Kacha!

Klein heard the sound of bones breaking, and the point of contact was the spine.

Chapter 416: Two Rights Make A Wrong

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Kacha!

When Klein saw Isengard Stanton's back cave in, even he felt a faint pain in his spine.

Isengard fell to the ground with a thud, seemingly instantly losing consciousness from the pain.

Kaslana, on the other hand, stood in her original spot, gasping for breath with a blank look in her eyes. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, and there was no follow-up attack.

It was as if she had just awoken from a long nightmare caused by her emotions. All the strength in her body had completely disappeared from her previous outburst.

Huff! Puff! Kaslana's body swayed, on the brink of collapsing.

Klein's eyes narrowed as he rushed up to Isengard Stanton in two steps.

He kneeled and tried to help him up.

Isengard, who was sprawled on the ground, cried out in pain, "Run!

"Don't worry about me!"

Obviously, he didn't think that a three-person group which instantly had one heavily injured member and another losing all her strength could retain the Desire Apostle. Thus, he told Klein to immediately escape and meet up with the official Beyonders; otherwise, all three of them would die there and then.

At the same time, Isengard raised his right hand with difficulty, attempting to use some of his Beyonder powers so as to attract the attention of the official Beyonders who were quite a distance away.

As for the tiny "telegraph" with the trumpet, it had long since flown to the wall because of Isengard's fall.

Klein showed hesitation and just as he was about to make a decision, he saw a thick black "liquid" flowing down from the ceiling, quickly forming a pitch-black figure.

The figure seemed to be completely wrapped in a black curtain, only exposing a pair of cold blue eyes.

At the sight of him, Klein felt as if he was seeing the most intense emotions and desires of a living creature: fear, wrath, greed, jealousy, hunger, lust, etc.

The Desire Apostle didn't waste the situation he painstakingly created, and he entered the activity room almost immediately.

At this moment, out of the three-person team of detectives, Kaslana was exhausted from the outburst of emotions, while Isengard Stanton's spine was severely injured, causing him to lose his ability to partake in combat. Only Klein was left unscathed.

However, other than his revolver and Beyonder bullets, all of his mystical items were above the gray fog. Besides, he was facing a Sequence 5 Desire Apostle, a powerhouse capable of nurturing a Devil dog!

At that moment, the corners of Klein's lips curled up slightly.

His right hand, which had been placed on the wound on Isengard's back, abruptly swiped, causing the obvious depression to shift to the side and onto a rib!

The Magician's most miraculous Beyonder power: Damage Transfer!

It allowed a wound to be transferred once on a body, turning a serious injury into a minor injury, but it was unable to transfer the damage to other people or items!

When Klein saw that Isengard Stanton was injured, he had already thought of the subsequent countermeasures.

By first acting as if they were out of solutions to make the Desire Apostle appear, and then transfer the great detective's wound to leave him with only a slight fracture in his ribs, Klein believed that Isengard would then be able to deal with the Desire Apostle with him. It was a struggle for survival that all humans on instinct.

In this way, even if the Desire Apostle realized that something was amiss, it would be too late for him to escape. Once Klein completed the "treatment" and joined forces with the great detective, they would be able to stall the target until the official Beyonders arrived!

Almost at the same time, the ring that Isengard had pointed outwards began to produce greenness that was filled with vitality. A faint glow soon enveloped Isengard's body, allowing his wounds to quickly heal.

The fracture on his ribs was instantly healed.

The great detective's pain was real, but his helplessness was just an act!

However, this overlapped with Klein's help.

When the Desire Apostle who was about to take action saw this scene, his eyes suddenly widened, and his body stopped abruptly.

Being free from any ensnarement, he turned around and ran towards the window.

During this process, his body quickly collapsed into a sticky black liquid.

The liquid seeped into the ground, penetrated the wall, and disappeared.

Klein raised his right hand just in time to snap his fingers.

The Air Bullet went through the open window and shot outside, sending sparks flying everywhere. However, the Desire Apostle had completely disappeared.

He ran really fast, without any hesitation at all… Are you a Devil or not?… This will only make things worse in the future… The corner of Klein's mouth twitched as he turned to look at Isengard Stanton who had rolled around and stood up.

The great detective happened to look at him.

"You're capable of healing wounds?"

"You're capable of healing wounds?"

The two of them opened their mouths at the same time and asked the same question.

After looking at each other, Isengard shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I never expected that the trap I set would allow him to escape."

As he spoke, his ring began to glow, and he looked around to confirm that the Desire Apostle had already left.

Isengard then gave a brief explanation.

"I didn't have the chance to mimic the healing ability this afternoon. Later, I believed that I could use this to set a trap and make the Desire Apostle appear by making him think that I'm injured. Therefore, I deliberately bundled my wound in an exaggerated manner."

He pointed to the cushion that elevated his left arm to his shoulder.

"Sure enough, it worked. But I didn't expect you to be able to deal with serious injuries, and…" Isengard sighed softly.

As a result, both of them putting "healing" the injuries as their top priority. No one held back the Desire Apostle, so the moment he realized that something was wrong, he immediately fled.

Both Stanton and I had trump cards that the Desire Apostle didn't know about, and we wanted to use that to trick him. Who knew that we would cancel each other out and allow him to flee… Is this the so-called two rights make a wrong? Klein helplessly laughed.

"This is because we don't know each other well enough, and we didn't have good teamwork."

"No, it's my fault," Isengard said sincerely. "When I saw that you didn't run away or defend yourself, and instead came over to help me, I should've deduced that you weren't flustered, that you had the confidence and means, but unfortunately while wearing this ring, my brain remained in a highly-taxed state. I wasn't able to consider anything else."

So Sealed Artifact 2-081 will passively reduce one's intelligence… Klein smiled and said, "Mr. Stanton, it's not the time to discuss who's responsible. The Desire Apostle has already fled. We should consider our subsequent actions."

Isengard took off his ring and turned to the door of the activity room.

"The official Beyonders are arriving soon. I'll go outside to calm Stuart and the others. After that, we can come up with a plan. Are you joining me, or do you plan on handling some of your matters?"

The official Beyonders… Mr. Stanton previously mentioned the Nighthawks, the Machinery Hivemind, and the military… Please don't be an acquaintance… Yes, my spiritual intuition hasn't warned me, so it's probably not… Mr. Stanton is giving me a chance to clean up and dispose of any sensitive items so that I don't get into trouble with the unfriendly official Beyonders… Many thoughts flashed through Klein's mind as he asked, "Mr. Stanton, when you grasped the Desire Apostle's location, where was he?"

Isengard thought and said, "Your bedroom. He was sitting in front of your desk."

… How arrogant… Klein pointed out the door and said, "I'll head over there to investigate. I'll see if he left behind any traces.

"If we can figure out what the Desire Apostle truly looks like, it'll definitely make apprehending him much simpler.

"I'll leave the rest to you."

"Alright." Isengard moved to the side and helped up the weak Kaslana.

Seeing this, Klein suddenly found it amusing.

Having discussed so much and made preparations to set up a trap, we still failed to retain the Desire Apostle and ended up in this state… There are always more accidents than preparations… That's why Magician is just a Sequence 7…

After leaving the room, Klein went straight to the second floor and entered his bedroom.

The arrangement inside remained unchanged, and even the distance between the chair and desk was no different from before. However, Klein seemed to see a figure wrapped in a pitch-black liquid.

He sat there, looking straight ahead, waiting patiently and calmly for a chance.

As expected of a Coldblooded… Klein looked at the glass panes of the oriel window and felt that he could divine if it had reflected something.

The Devil pathway is good at crime, so it wouldn't be so easy for him to leave clues behind… However, I can try going above the gray fog to give it a try… Klein inspected the area and began to burn some of the mysticism notebooks he wrote in passing.

Not long after he finished dealing with the items, he saw a few strangers coming up to the second floor.

The leader of the group was a man with a stiff face but a head of frizzled, messy, and stubborn brown hair.

In his hand was an ancient silver mirror with strange patterns. On both sides of the mirror there were black gems which were decorated as "eyes."

"Hello, Mr. Moriarty. I am Ikanser Bernard of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. Can I inspect this place?"

Klein immediately nodded and said, "No problem."

He then politely said, "Do you need me to follow you and answer any of the questions you might have?"

"Alright. Sorry for the trouble. Mr. Stanton has mentioned to me about your situation," Ikanser said with a smile.

Several of his team members followed behind him. They treated him differently—some ignoring him, some curious, some filled with hostility.

My situation? How exactly did Mr. Stanton introduce me and what story did he make up? As his thoughts raced, Klein followed Ikanser into the bedroom again, while the rest of the official Beyonders paired up, each responsible for a different zone on the second floor.

"This is where the Desire Apostle sat?" Ikanser pointed at the chair in front of the desk.

He had clearly asked Isengard Stanton.

"Yes," Klein answered frankly.

Without another word, Ikanser raised the silver mirror and stroked its surface three times with his right hand.

After a short pause, he said in a deep voice, "Honorable Arrodes, my question is: 'What did the Devil who was previously sitting here look like?'"

The lights around them suddenly turned dark, as if enshrouded by mist after a rainstorm. A strange aqueous glint appeared on the surface of the silver mirror, forming a scene: a man covered in a sticky black "liquid" sat on a chair with his back to the window while he faced the bed.

Immediately after, the scene changed. The mirror in the corner vaguely reflected the dark shadow's side profile which was similarly covered by the "pitch-blackness."

But he could vaguely make out an outline.

The Desire Apostle had very high cheekbones and a pair of cold-looking blue eyes.