II. Stay in the Light
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Scratch, scratch, sizzle—
The match kindled a feeble flame, which flickered as it was brought near the kerosene lamp, igniting the cotton wick. The dim light gradually spread outward, dispelling the darkness around.
The figure in front of the lamp snuffed out the match and placed the glass cover back on.
The newly lit wick steadied, the figure briefly left the range of the oil lamp, and then the sound of the door closing followed.
Rustle—
The keychain followed a parabolic arc and landed on the sofa. Lu Li scanned the now-familiar Detective Agency, adjusting the oil lamp to illuminate the entire room.
Darkness had nowhere to hide, lurking in the corners, waiting for an opportunity to stir.
Lu Li settled into the padded chair behind the desk, half of his face hidden in the shadows where the light from the oil lamp could not reach, quietly contemplating.
The last trace of twilight was about to dissipate in the sky, and every inhabited house in Rodest Port had already lit their oil lamps. Even rarer electric lights only glowed around government buildings and in the mansions of nobility.
Today marked Lu Li's third day of sudden appearance in this world.
After realizing this world was not Earth and that it was in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, Lu Li dismantled his cell phone to sell to merchants or artists who liked to collect special items. In exchange, he gained this property, a few shillings, and the freedom to move around.
To gather information about this world, he initially went to taverns to listen to conversations, gleaning a key piece of information, "Stay in well-lit places after dark."
Every resident knew this, and even the most dedicated drunkards, staggering out of taverns in a stupor, would carry an oil lamp on their way home.
Everyone made sure to stay under bright light after dark, even homeless people would move toward government facilities as night fell, seeking rest under the electric lamps.
Yet the reason was unknown.
This matter from start to finish was shrouded in an air of mystery.
Initially, Lu Li suspected this advice was a capitalist operation by the kerosene companies seeking higher profits, but after the daytime ghost incident, things seemed not to be so simple.
After some progress in the tavern, Lu Li's next stop was the local library, only to learn that the Belfast Library had suffered a fire several months prior and now only a neglected ruin remained.
Lu Li turned to listening to passersby as a secondary option, trying to understand a part of the world view. Strangely enough, everyone was deeply averse to discussing it, not wanting to talk too much for fear of attracting misfortune.
Thus, The Weird And Multicolored Detective Agency was established. What role could be more fitting than a detective's for wandering everywhere and inquiring at will?
The result was that Lu Li searched far and wide, resolving several cases of supposed hauntings that turned out not to involve ghosts at all, until today when he finally caught a glimpse of a corner of this world—whether it was real or fake was still unclear.
Perhaps Lu Li should venture away from the light at night to uncover the deeper secrets of this world, but the risk would be too great.
Even if the result might just be a rumor spread by the Belfast City government to prevent citizens from going out at night.
The quartz clock on the desk showed it was 6:25, and due to the persistent fog in the air, the sky darkened earlier than usual.
Lu Li's gaze fell outside the window where the light from each household's windows sparkled like stars, scattered across Rhodest Port.
He remembered the last words of his psychiatrist before he left the house.
"If you didn't tell the second story, then there's a high chance you've been haunted by a ghost. But even now, the probability isn't small. Just in case, stay with friends more in the next few days, or being in a crowded place will do. Ghosts rarely attack when there are many people around, or you could seek a real Exorcist. And remember one thing: always stay in well-lit areas."
Here, the advice to stay in well-lit areas was a cure-all, much like how 'drink more hot water' is on Earth.
Bringing his focus back, Lu Li picked up the phone, intending to call a friend over to add some liveliness.
His finger paused just as it was about to touch the dial, then slowly retracted.
He remembered that he still had no friends.
Leaning back into his chair, Lu Li closed his eyes for a brief respite.
Tick-tock—tick-tock—
The quartz clock on the desk steadily ticked away, time slipping by with each second.
Lu Li on the chair gradually relaxed, drifting into sleep…
"You think it's someone else, but actually, it's me, Mu Susu da!"
```
A clap of thunderous noise suddenly erupted in his mind.
Lu Li awoke with a start, his dark pupils contracting to pinpoints. It took him a while to come to his senses before he exhaled a murky breath.
The clock on the desk read 8:00.
The lights outside the window had become more numerous, not fewer.
Faintly, he could hear the sound of a ship's horn as it docked, echoing distantly through the night sky.
His gaze fell upon the desk, where another case awaited his attention. It involved a lumberjack named John, who was being haunted by a ghost.
Lifting his hand, Lu Li was about to pick up the information on the case.
Drip drop drop—
In the quiet, almost sinister Detective Agency, the sound of a marble rolling suddenly pierced the silence.
His arm paused mid-air, then slowly retracted. Lu Li raised his head, staring at the yellowed, aging white ceiling, his eyes following the rolling sound.
Was it a ghost? Or merely a coincidence?
A few seconds later, the rolling noise ceased, and Lu Li watched intently, waiting.
Clatter clatter—
Lu Li abruptly shifted his gaze to the corner of the living room where the sofa stood.
A transparent glass marble rolled out from under the sofa, like an eyeball, as if it were part of some child's mischievous prank, rolling its way to Lu Li's feet.
He had no time to bend down to examine the glass marble or pick it up, because the next moment, a sudden wail of a baby erupted from outside the window.
Wah wah wah—
The baby's piercing cries in the quiet night were extremely penetrating, causing an unsettling commotion.
Lu Li frowned, hesitating whether to approach the window for a better look, when the crying abruptly stopped.
Was this a repeat performance of what he heard during the day?
As this thought crossed his mind, the curtains fluttered gently as if a breeze had sprung up—but the window was closed.
Lu Li maintained his silence, motionless, quietly observing everything that was happening.
After half a minute, the curtains settled down.
First the glass marble, then the baby's cries, followed by the strange incident with the curtain. Next would be...
Rustle rustle—
A peculiar rustling sound arose from the kitchen.
Lu Li remained unaffected, and the strange noises showed no signs of stopping. After several minutes of eerie standoff, Lu Li finally stood up and walked towards the kitchen.
The old house, which he had acquired in exchange, was bound to have rats, no surprise there.
Lu Li took off his black coat, hung it on the coat rack by the door, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and headed for the kitchen.
When he passed by the dining table, he casually picked up the kitchen knife from the fruit bowl, holding it in his hand.
Just as he approached the kitchen, the strange sounds abruptly ceased.
Lu Li, whose emotions showed no sign of change, stood in the doorway, scanning the kitchen. He then shifted his gaze back, walked over to the sink, placed the knife beside it, and turned on the faucet.
Whoosh.
The sound of water resonated, its flow and the clear stream bringing a sense of coolness.
Yet Lu Li stood motionless, staring at the sink.
A ghastly pale face, twisting and distorting like latte art, oozed thickly from the flowing water.