Chapter 493 Everyone’s Discovery
"Are you German Sparrow?"
The brown-haired man in front of Klein held up a wooden wine glass, covering the lower half of his face with a drinking gesture, and looked over here with sharp eyes.
"Us Kent?"
Klein, who didn't order any wine, was still dressed like an adventurer. He sat at a table by the window in the Fragrant Leaf Bar, looking at the other person coldly and answering with a rhetorical question.
"Oh, Ireland said you were difficult to deal with, but it seems I was being conservative." Us Kent chuckled and put down his glass. "Of course, I won't reject capable people, even if they're not so... sociable."
"I've heard about some of your actions since arriving in Bayam, but I still want to remind you: avoid provoking pirates with bounties on their lists. I mean, avoid direct confrontation, as they're all desperate criminals. Give me the information, and we'll handle it. You'll get the lion's share of the bounty while also avoiding revealing your identity."
Doesn't he know that I already have the lives of several pirates on my hands...Irlan didn't tell him?
Klein thought about it and nodded expressionlessly.
In the days since returning to Bayam, Angel, having learned of his "world" identity, had entered a state of cold war with him. He still returned to the Azure Wind every day, but slept in the second bedroom. He was nowhere to be seen during the day, and their encounters were only brief greetings. If he hadn't learned through divination that Angel had been busy with Elaine and the Dominican Federation to form the "Redheaded Girl" sailor team, he would have thought something even more unacceptable had happened...
I wonder how long Darkwill's medicine will last... No, Klein, you need to focus on your work, look for acting opportunities, and save money as quickly as possible to prepare for a promotion. Only then will you be able to protect her... Sighing inwardly, Klein looked coldly at the military intelligence officer across the table, waiting for him to continue explaining the "rules" here.
Whether I obey or not is my business...
"There were many young men like you in the past, um, in their prime. Every year when I visit their graves, I regret not making it clear in advance: Never reveal your identity to those pirates. They have no mercy, let alone chivalry. If they can't deal with you, they'll spy on you, target your family, kidnap, assassinate, poison, whatever."
My family… His eyes dimmed for a moment, and Klein used the Faceless Man's ability to conceal the change.
"I have no family."
Kent paused as if choking, and took a sip of his beer.
"Or attack your companions or friends. You always have companions, right? Ellan said so. You don't want her to be put in danger, do you?"
The adventurer opposite him suddenly sneered.
"I don't think she would refuse money."
Give money?
Us Kent was stunned for several seconds before he understood what the other party meant. He subconsciously looked around and felt that the pirates in this room who were not even worthy of the bounty were like gold pounds that would be delivered to his door on their own.
What a lunatic, I shouldn't have let Ireland bring him to see me... Kent muttered, his gaze returning to German Sparrow across the table.
"Anyway, I hope you'll report to us first if you see any dangerous pirates, rather than...what are you looking at?"
Klein stared behind Kent. A tall man with short eyebrows and deep eyes walked out of the basement exit and looked over here with a searching look.
It was "Trickster" Mithor King, the one who sent me to the Black Death when I was disguised as Elaine. Why was he here, observing me? Was it Vice Admiral Tracy, the "Disease," who was trying to track down the person who destroyed her flagship that day, but didn't dare to provoke Mr. Azik, so she started with the rebels and Danitz, and finally found me?
Klein quickly analyzed the situation. His first reaction was to pretend he hadn't seen it and then tell his military contact later, or to track him through divination and disguise, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
This is consistent with his habit of "never fighting a battle without preparation" during his magician phase, but...
But the person before me is a pirate with a bounty of 5,400 pounds, and I am the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow!
With a cold smile on his face, Klein pulled out a huge revolver from his windbreaker under Us Kent's horrified gaze and aimed it at the Wormtongue.
"Bang--"
The loud sound of gunfire rang in the ears of Kent and the bar guests. At this moment, he released the depression that had been accumulating in his chest for the past few days, and regained the joy of just arriving at sea and beating up the "Sea Eagle" Logan and the guards in Damir Port with Angel.
————
"Bang!"
A gunshot was heard not far away, and the three men in front of Angel shrank their necks together. This is the sensitivity necessary for survival at sea. Those who did not know how to avoid stray bullets would have died in the corner of a bar or in a dark alley.
"Don't worry, the gunshots are far away. There are at least four or five walls between us, so they won't hit you." Angel chuckled and shook his fingers. The invisible silk thread trembled, causing the three men hanging upside down to move down a few centimeters. "But if you don't answer my questions, you will soon experience something far more terrifying than being hit by a bullet."
The three people in front of her showed no intention of speaking. She sighed and looked at the Dominican Federation beside her. After the other party nodded, she loosened her fingers.
Splash, splash, three consecutive sounds of falling into the water, the heads of the three "hanged men" were immersed in the wooden barrel filled with water below. The sudden coldness and panic of entering the water made them unable to hold their breath. Strings of bubbles floated to the surface of the water, accompanied by gurgling sounds. Their bound limbs struggled desperately, and the silk threads left bloody marks on their skin, but they could not move at all.
After a moment, Angel mentioned one of them. After he coughed and vomited violently, spitting out the water in his lungs and stomach, he asked:
"Recruit?"
"Pooh--"
Angel's answer was a mouthful of angry spit, which turned into ice particles and fell to the ground before flying to her.
With a splash, she put the stubborn pirate back into the water and picked up the other one.
"What about you? Are you going to recruit?"
"I really don't know..."
Disappointedly, Angel stuffed the pirate with a bad memory back into the barrel, then fished out the first stubborn guy. He pretended to be stunned for a moment as he gasped with relief, then smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I forgot you didn't want to talk about it."
She was about to send the pirate back into the water when he yelled in panic:
"Don't! Don't! I'll tell you everything!"
A moment later, Angel walked out of the basement and sat on the sofa in the living room of the private house, waiting for the Dominican Federation to complete the rest of the interrogation.
If it weren't for the need to digest the "pain" potion, I could have solved the problem directly through psychic communication or divination... She sighed tiredly and curled up in the soft sofa.
Although the targets of the Dominican Commonwealth were all pirates and wanted criminals who had committed many crimes, Angel still felt a little uncomfortable with this interrogation method that tortured them physically and mentally.
However, in the process of helping the intelligence dealer solve the "tough target" in the past few days, she could feel that the digestion progress of the potion had been significantly improved. This once again verified her role-playing rules. Inflicting physical and mental pain on the opponent is an effective means, and it is not limited to combat.
But the acting seems to be missing a big piece... Is there some rule that I haven't found?
Angel was thinking, and suddenly remembered the conversation between the "immortal" witch Katarina and Tracy on the Black Death.
"Remember this pain, it will make you grow..."
She murmured repeatedly, as if she had caught a clue.
Do I need to feel the pain myself? Something like the burning at the stake during promotion, or perhaps some psychological effect... Or, try leaving Klein alone for a few days. He seems to have sensed my "cold war" these days, but it won't help him digest the potion...
Thoughts flashed through his mind, and listening to the rustling sounds coming from the basement, Angel sighed again, grabbed the "News" on the coffee table beside him, which was from a few days ago, and came to kill time.
The interview time for the 1350 government employee unified examination has been announced!
Loen's government employee exam?
Her eyes stayed on the report, but her mind flew back to the Northern Continent, thinking of Melissa and Benson.
Did Mr. Benson pass his exam?
————
"Are you sure you passed the second round?"
Melissa asked with a deliberately stern face, stirring the cream of mushroom soup in front of her with a spoon.
"It's basically confirmed," Benson replied with a smile, wearing a newly bought silk hat that hid his receding hairline. "After the first round of exams, I met a few examiners from Tingen. Although they won't tell me the questions, I can still find out some information after the exam. I should prepare for the interview at the end of the month."
"I asked you to prepare a long time ago, including buying new clothes and learning interview conversation skills in advance..."
Although she was still complaining, a smile broke out on Melissa's face.
While chatting, the waiter brought today's main course, braised Dilisi beef short ribs, to their table next to the floor-to-ceiling window.
This newly opened Intis restaurant on Williams Street in the West District specializes in authentic Intis cuisine. The menu disdains any modification to suit the tastes of the Loen people. Even the waiters, chefs, and even the apparently redundant guards at the door are all easily recognizable Intis people, wearing bright and exaggerated clothing and speaking in a pretentious accent.
The authentic service comes with high prices. If it weren't for the many discounts on the opening of the new store, the brother and sister would not have been willing to have a meal here even to celebrate passing the second round of exams.
Melissa clumsily cut the steak and suddenly said:
"Benson, now that you're two-thirds through the exams, you should also consider settling down in Backlund and your future lifelong plans."
"What?"
Benson, who was chewing a mouthful of beef and using wine to help him swallow it, was stunned.
"I mean our neighbor, the blonde lady!" Melissa couldn't help but give her brother a light kick under the table, ruining his pretense of stupidity. "I've noticed you've been secretly observing her multiple times. You need to adapt to the pace of the big city and be brave. You're almost 30!"
"I, I just think she looks a bit like Miss Granger..."
Benson flatly denied his intentions and hurriedly drank two sips of the complimentary low-alcohol drink. His cheeks flushed and his eyes shifted.
But this answer seemed to trigger Melissa's memories. She lost interest in teasing, put down her knife and fork, and looked at the floor-to-ceiling window that was covered with a layer of fog in the winter.
“I think they look alike…”
She spoke softly as she looked at the carriage slowly passing by on the street.
————
After getting off the carriage, Fors Wall tightened the scarf around her neck to keep out the cold winter wind, took a deep breath, and walked along Williams Street.
She was completing a mission entrusted by Mr. World through the Tarot Club, observing abnormalities on this street.
The last time she came here, she didn't find any problems except for the Feysac people and Intis people filling the streets. As the largest city in the Kingdom of Loen and even the entire Northern Continent, it was not strange at all that there were some foreigners wandering around here.
"Even Intis has a few more restaurants... They seem to be having a sale. Once I get my pay from Mr. World, do you want to bring Quinn over for a feast at Intis?"
With difficulty, she shifted her gaze from the warm restaurant behind the floor-to-ceiling windows, the steaming steaks, and the siblings wolfing down their food. Determined to fulfill her duty and justify her pay, Fors carefully observed the street.
Soon, she came to the middle of the street. There was a small church that had been abandoned for a long time and was covered with weeds and vines. Because she had walked through it briefly last time and did not explore it, this time she carefully avoided the feces of unknown creatures and muddy puddles and went into the depths.
"This church has been abandoned for so long, why hasn't it been renovated or demolished? In Backlund, where every inch of land is valuable, this is considered an anomaly, right?"
Muttering to herself, Fors quickly scanned the surroundings, her gaze fixed as she discovered a real problem.
In a corner of the collapsed church, the exposed soil looked as if someone had dug it up. There was a lot of loose soil left around it, and there were even traces of fingers digging.
"This is... someone digging a hole, and without any tools, just digging with their hands?"
After noting this question, Fors left the church the same way he came, intending to hand over all his findings to the "world" through Mr. Fool later.
At the same time, her mind, full of writer's imagination, could not help but appear a scene in which a mysterious man knelt on the ground under the crimson moonlight, digging a hole with his hands like a groundhog.
————
Ince Zangwill raised his hands before his eyes and examined them carefully. Between each of his fingers were clumps of dark yellow dirt, as if he had been digging for tree roots in the fields like a groundhog.
But he remembered that he slept well in bed last night!
Looking out the window with a serious expression, he was relieved to find that he was still in this house in the North District, rather than in a warehouse on a farm in the countryside.
Zangwill turned his gaze to the desk. The quill pen he had carefully sealed in an expensive metal box last night appeared next to a tattered notebook.
The opened notebook contained lines of text describing his current situation. Even the wandering of his eyes and the doubts in his mind were written on the paper, as if they were destined to happen.
"...Ince Zangwill stared blankly into the mirror, trying to find some overlooked clues within himself. However, the man in the mirror had dark circles under his eyes and a pale complexion, as if he were about to die..."
He subconsciously looked at the full-length mirror on the other side of the room. His face in the mirror was ashen, just as described in the notes.
Cursing silently, the former archbishop, who had just woken up, walked to the table, picked up the quill, and looked at the last line of his notes, which read in eccentric words:
"…His worries grew stronger. Cautiously, he picked up his notebook and quill, packed his simple luggage, and decided to move to a new place today."
A moment later, a gloomy-faced Ince Zangwill, carrying his luggage, wearing a common thick windbreaker and covering his blind eye with a top hat, quickly left Pinster Street.
People were coming and going around him, and from time to time someone would squeeze past him but ignore him.
————
After squeezing past a middle-aged gentleman who was dressed strangely and walked hurriedly, Emlyn White stood outside the door of 7 Pinster Street.
He first carefully took out the metal bottle and drank the potion to fight the dream, and then knocked on the door.
A moment later, a man with black hair, green eyes, casual clothes and a free and easy temperament opened the door and looked at him puzzledly.
"Hello, Leonard Mitchell?"
Emlyn greeted him politely but arrogantly, looking at the young man whose appearance and temperament were no less than those of a vampire.
"I am. What do you want?"
Leonard frowned slightly and answered cautiously.
"I want to buy a magical item, an item that can steal other people's extraordinary abilities."
Emlyn said softly, and almost as soon as he finished speaking, he felt the light around him become quiet, and his body and mind seemed to fall into silence.
"Nice dream entry technique, but it doesn't work on me."
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he felt the pleasure of being well prepared and able to deal with others perfectly.
Seeing that the other party had a frown on his face and his limbs were tense, as if he was about to enter a combat state, he quickly took out the badge entrusted to him by the "world" and waved it in front of Leonard.
“So it’s one of their people…”
After seeing the badge symbolizing "fate" and "concealment," Leonard's expression noticeably calmed down. Without making any movement, the surrounding scene disappeared as if shattered, returning to a normal street.
Emlyn followed the other party into the room with a proud smile, and after a moment, he retreated in a slightly embarrassed manner.
Leonard Mitchell's bold asking price shocked the Tarot Club's "Moon."
With 7,000 pounds, how many new dolls and custom dresses could I buy for them?
Even though he didn't have to pay for it himself, Emlyn, who had experienced the importance of money at the Tarot Club, felt heartbroken and breathless.
He avoided the glaring sunlight, walked through the shadows on the street, and left Pinster Street.
————
Leonard emerged from the shadows on the roadside and watched the vampire enter the "Harvest Church" of the Mother Earth, his handsome eyebrows tightly furrowed.
It wasn't until he returned to his home in the North District and sat back on the sofa in the living room that he tilted his head and asked quietly:
"Old man, what do you think is going on?"
"I can't tell. He does have the 'Fated Hermit' badge, but it clearly doesn't belong to him," a slightly aged voice emerged from his mind. "You've already quoted a price. Just wait for his reaction. The people behind him will definitely send him to contact us further."
"By then, it will be your area of expertise..."
Leonard said, his brows gradually relaxed. Just as he was about to pick up the document on the table next to him to read, he suddenly tilted his head and asked doubtfully:
"Tell me, could it be that behind him there is a friend from your era, or an enemy?"
"You've been thinking a lot lately, which is a good thing, but you've also been making more and more useless guesses. It's just a waste of time." The "old man" chuckled, causing Leonard's expression to freeze. "If he had an enemy behind him, there would be no need to test him like this. I've been weak for many years, and exposing myself now would be tantamount to failure."
Changing the subject, the old voice continued with a hint of ridicule:
"If you want to play detective and find something to do, why not finish reading the document in your hand and find some useful clues to track down the person you want revenge on."
Leonard sat on the sofa in silence for a long time before he took the document and began to read it.
This is a case file he copied from Red Gloves based on his memory, about the death of Kapin, who was involved in human trafficking, and the "Tarot card" clues that appeared in it.
The page he turned to was the investigative report on Emily O'Neill, one of the rescued girls, and the bizarre death of the O'Neill family that was deliberately concealed by the bribed neighborhood police. Two names were circled in red pen on it.
"Erin Watson."
"Sherlock Moriarty."
He had an impression of the former name. In the "Hillston District Aurora Society Attack Case" where the "Black Emperor" had appeared, this "fortune teller" had been investigated by the Night Watchers, but there was no suspicion at the time, so it did not attract attention.
The latter had participated in the investigation of the Apostle of Desire in the "Assassination of Duke Negan".
"Tarot cards" appeared in all of these cases!
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