14.story

"Tomorrow," Lynn didn't intend to discuss the newspaper's issues with Arthur overnight as there had already been enough happenings today, and it would be difficult to explain to Matt. "Our house will be empty during the day, you can come over to discuss it."

"No problem."

After giving the address, Lynn went home with his younger brother.

"Brother, do you think today's events will affect us?" It was late, and after lying down to rest, Matt still felt uneasy."We didn't kill anyone, so why worry?" Lynn closed his eyes, but he wasn't sleepy.

"But it seems that Sheriff Arthur hasn't caught the killer yet. Will the killer come looking for us to silence us?"

"If they have that much time, they should be packing their bags and leaving Zward City in the middle of the night," Lynn said without any concern.

Dean, who killed the Bazel brothers, was a compulsive gambler, but he wasn't stupid.

Unless they inexplicably want to die together...Unless they're completely insane, there's no reason for them to waste time on us instead of leaving Zward City immediately and starting a new life under a different name somewhere else.

Matt still felt uneasy and turned to look at Lynn on the lower bunk. "Brother, how about we take turns keeping watch tonight?"

"They don't know where we live," Lynn said, a bit amused by Matt's anxiety.

Matt was good in every way, except that he was a bit timid.

Actually, it was normal. When most people encounter a murder case and have some intersection with the killer, they can't help but feel fearful and anxious for a while.Today's series of events had already shaken Matt enough.

He decided to wait a bit longer regarding his leg.

Matt was exhausted, and seeing Lynn head to the desk, he didn't insist any further: "Alright, brother, if you're tired, just tell me, and I'll take over the watch."

"Mm-hmm." Lynn didn't intend to actually do that and responded noncommittally. He then spread out his manuscript paper and prepared to revise the first short story in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" once again.

Within a minute, the sound of Matt's gentle snoring could be heard.It was already past midnight, and not just their humble abode but the entire city had fallen into a cold silence.

Lynn filled his pen with ink but hesitated before putting it to paper.

He felt a sense of disorientation, a sense of unreality about the events of the night.

Did he really go to the tavern where a murder took place? Did the curator in that mysterious space really heal his leg to a significant extent?

It all seemed like a dream.

Lynn tried pinching his thigh, and the distinct pain confirmed that everything was indeed very real.So, what exactly is going on in this world?

Mystical forces creating clean-up missions, selecting them as Awakened Ones, pushing them to constantly grow stronger – what is the ultimate goal behind all this?

The curator's silence didn't deter Lynn from speculating.

As he slowly wrote the words "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" on the manuscript paper, he realized that he must accept all the differences of this world and use them to become stronger.Only in this way, no matter how bizarre or inexplicable things happen in the future, he can calmly deal with them and uncover the truth step by step.

After a period of contemplation, Lynn no longer wasted time and earnestly polished his novel.

---

December 25th, Thursday, dawn

Matt's unwavering biological clock, which had been the same for years, woke him up on time, even though he hadn't gotten enough sleep.

Just like the day before, Lynn seemed to have stayed up all night, still buried in front of his desk."Writing the script again, huh?"

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep." Lynn turned his head and smiled at Matt before continuing to focus on his writing.

"You could always rest at night and write during the day. It's not just about saving candles, it's better for your eyes, and it's a healthier routine." Matt admonished gently.

Lynn didn't say much more, just replied, "I'll adjust."

"I'll go prepare breakfast. After eating, you should rest immediately." Matt got out of bed."Oh, by the way, brother, did anything happen last night...?"

"Of course not, don't be so nervous."

"That's good to hear." Matt's heart finally settled.

Lynn smiled without saying a word, put his script aside to make room for breakfast.

In the evening, he spent half of his time polishing his first short story, and the rest of the time writing the first draft of his second short story.

It's always better to submit more pieces when submitting for publication.Editors are generally familiar with writers who have a flash of inspiration and can write a brilliant story purely by luck, but when asked to write another one of the same quality, most often fail to deliver.

Therefore, preparing two high-quality pieces is necessary to dispel the editor's doubts and fully demonstrate one's capabilities.

After breakfast, just before leaving, Matt's cautious nature reemerged. "Brother, make sure you lock the door, and try not to go out until I get back. I'm afraid those people might come."

"They didn't even come to harm us last night, so they're even less likely to do so during the day." Lynn put the manuscript aside...He smoothed out the paper again, intending to finish the first draft of his second short story in one go.

"Don't be so dismissive. Who can really predict what those kinds of people will do? What if something happens?" Matt was a bit angry at Lynn's seemingly irresponsible attitude.

"Alright, I'll lock the door." Lynn quickly compromised.

"Make sure it's locked tight, and keep that dinner knife in the drawer nearby. If need be, it's best to be able to –"

"Yes, yes, just hurry up and go to work." Lynn found himself still unable to tolerate too much fussiness and repetition.Matt reluctantly left.

The house fell silent once again.

Half an hour later, the unpleasant singing and a few retching noises could be heard outside once more.

The alcoholic neighbor was back.

Lynn recognized him by the sound alone.

He quickly put away his manuscript and lay down on the bed, pretending to be asleep.

When dealing with such a troublemaker who's unhappy with his own life and tries to make others miserable as well, the best approach is...The only option available to Lynn, who still wasn't fully recovered from his leg injury, was the former.

"Bang bang bang!"

Barely seconds after he laid down, the sound of vigorous tapping came from the window.

The force behind it seemed intent on shattering the glass.

"Dead cripple! Still sleeping? Your brother works hard day and night, how can you have the conscience to sleep like a log here?!" The drunkard shouted.Lynn ignored him.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, just go die! Dying would be a relief for everyone! A waste like you doesn't deserve to live in this world!" The drunkard sneered.

He, who was submissive at work, took immense pleasure in humiliating others.

"Stop pretending to sleep! Why don't you come out and shine my shoes! I'll give you half a copper coin for each time, and that way, your life would have some meaning, hahaha!"

"Hold your laughter for a moment, do you know where Lynn's home is?""Who are you?" The drunkard looked at the tall man who stopped him from laughing with confusion.

Arthur flashed his sheriff's badge: "Answer my question, do you know where Lynn's home is?"

Lynn, who had been pretending to sleep inside the room, heard the familiar voice and opened his eyes, twisting his head to look out the window.

The drunkard couldn't read the words on the badge, but based on Arthur's demeanor, he quickly judged that the man was not there with good intentions and was most likely here to cause trouble for Lynn.

Time for some entertainment?

The alcohol in the drunkard's system dissipated significantly, and he retreated, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.He took a half-step back, pointing to the house in front of him and said, "This is his home! He's pretending to sleep inside! You can just kick the door down and go in!"

"This... is his home?" Arthur squinted, taking in the unremarkable shabby house in front of him.

In his opinion, Lynn was a capable person, and with his intelligence, he shouldn't be living in such destitution.

"Yes! Look, he's still pretending to sleep! I just cursed him for half a day and he didn't dare to respond!" The drunkard led Arthur to the window.

Arthur peered inside through the window and indeed saw Lynn.

However, Lynn was not pretending to sleep as the drunkard had said, but sat up, staring at Arthur with a half-smirk.

"He's a cripple! If you're too good for this, I'll kick the door down for you." The drunkard volunteered, attempting to vent more of his discontent by borrowing someone else's momentum.

"Wait." Arthur casually grabbed the drunkard and pinned him to the spot, "You just said you were cursing at him?"