The concrete road had turned dirty from prolonged rain. Two gas lamps, the height of an adult male, along the two sides of the road emitted a bright but misty light due to the moisture on the glass.
A rental carriage drove through the night as the surrounding pedestrians either wore hats or carried umbrellas.
Klein leaned against the wall, idly admiring the evening streets of Backlund.
At that moment, he suddenly felt the temperature inside the carriage drop significantly. A gloomy and cold wind was swirling about.
Klein jerked his head around and saw that Miss Bodyguard, dressed in a black Gothic regal dress, was sitting across from him without him even realizing it.
Her voice was ethereal and dreamy.
"That Eye of Wisdom sensed my presence."
As expected... Klein nodded, unsurprised. "He has several mystical items; perhaps he sensed you because of them. I even suspect that he has an organization behind him."
Otherwise, it's quite impossible for Eye of Wisdom to collect several relatively powerful mystical items in thirty years with his power alone. Previously, Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos only had a single Creeping Hunger despite being one of the seven great pirate admirals. Of course, it was possible that the latter had high standards and ordinary mystical items didn't catch his attention. After all, with Creeping Hunger, he could be more well-rounded and nearly be without any weaknesses.
Yes, for Eye of Wisdom himself to be rich there has to be a rather good explanation as well. He's organized so many gatherings, and once he finds a suitable mystical item, he would spare no expense to get it. Having a few in his collection isn't that unbelievable... Sigh, it's like he has a gold mine at home, or he runs a bank... Klein lampooned silently.
He didn't mention in detail that he had guessed that Eye of Wisdom was from the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, or from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, out of fear that he would expose to Miss Bodyguard that he wasn't someone who had just become a Beyonder.
The blonde Miss Bodyguard nodded slightly, as though agreeing with Klein's suspicions.
Suddenly, she frowned and looked at the window opposite her.
"A rich smell of blood."
There's a strong smell of blood...
Klein turned his head in puzzlement and looked out the window.
There was a secluded alley in the sparse drizzle.
Near the mouth of the alley, a woman wearing a gorgeous dress was on the ground.
At that moment, a pedestrian walked past and on careful inspection, let out a sudden scream.
The screams startled the horse slightly as the carriage driver quickly tightened the reins, slowing down the carriage.
Under the light of the gas lamp, Klein saw the pale face of the woman lying on the ground at the mouth of the alley. There was a deep gash in her stomach, and her internal organs seemed to have been hollowed out.
The blood on the ground around her was flowing slowly, crimson and thick.
This... As a qualified former Nighthawk, he quickly thought of many similar cases.
These were often related to devil worship!
And when it came to devil worship, it was almost always tied to ancient organizations. It was the Blood Sanctify Sect that first appeared in the Fourth Epoch!
According to the records, this was a loose alliance formed due to the worship of devils. It consisted of several so-called devil clans, such as the Nois, Andariel, and Beria clans. They weren't subordinate to each other.
In their bid to proselytize faith in the devil, they committed many murders. Back in Tingen, the accountant for the Nighthawks, Mrs. Orianna, was one such victim who was thankfully saved.
Of course, not all similar cases were committed by them. Many people felt that such acts were very cool and began to imitate them.
"It looks like it was done by the Blood Sanctify Sect," Miss Bodyguard whispered as her figure rapidly turned translucent before vanishing. She didn't care if Klein understood her or comprehended the situation.
At that moment, the carriage had already passed the scene of the crime. Klein also noticed that the patrolling police had arrived, so he held back his idea of getting off the carriage to observe and instead, chose to act as an ordinary citizen who was passing by.
Yes, Citizen Mr. Moriarty...
The Blood Sanctify Sect has the Criminal pathway, which is also known as the Devil pathway. It's said that after Sequence 7, the corresponding Beyonder would gradually turn demonic. However, they would only reveal those signs under certain circumstances...
Sequence 9 Criminals have strong bodies, keen instincts, and a variety of criminal abilities, but their conscience isn't gone yet... Sequence 8, known by its ancient name "Coldblooded," has the modern name "Unwinged Angel." It means that from that moment forth, they lose their conscience and revel in evil desires, with bodies that look even more inhuman. They would also obtain some of the magical powers of the devil. Sequence 7 Serial Killer grasps a good deal of knowledge and rituals regarding devil worship. They like to please the devil with special serial murders...
I don't know the Sequences after that...
The information regarding the Blood Sanctify Sect and the Devil pathway flashed past Klein's mind. The rain outside seemed to become heavier as the rain on the windows converged and fell, and the whole world became quiet and unclear.
What's the point of thinking so much? Such matters would definitely be taken over by a Beyonder squad. It might be the Mandated Punishers or Nighthawks. There's no need for me to worry.
Klein shook his head with a laugh as he muttered in his mind.
By the time he returned to 15 Minsk Street, he had forgotten about the murder case. He went next door and knocked on the Sammers' front door, asking Mrs. Stelyn to tell Mary that she could come for the evidence tomorrow afternoon. Following that, he washed up and read the newspapers, learning about the current situation and news in Backlund.
On Saturday morning the next day, Klein enjoyed his breakfast slowly and went out to pick up the freshly developed photographs. He chose the one with the best view of Doragu Gale's and Erica Taylor's face, one that brought out their passion the most.
After putting the photos away, he went to the Rice Police Station before Mrs. Mary arrived and successfully got the bail money that was worth ten pounds back.
In the process, he also saw the real Sergeant Faxine and felt a little uncomfortable.
After withdrawing the remaining 500 pounds in cash from his account, Klein was finally done with everything after having a busy morning.
Before he prepared lunch, he handed the remaining 600 pounds to Miss Bodyguard in one go, leaving 146 pounds 8 soli, and 5 pence on him. That was all his liquid funds.
Other than Miss Justice, I have no other debts... Klein cooked himself a T-bone steak and sprinkled it with black pepper sauce.
Just as he was enjoying the taste of the medium well steak whilst in a good mood, the doorbell suddenly rang and resounded through his house.
"Mrs. Mary? Isn't this too early?" Puzzled, Klein put down his fork and knife, and he walked to the door.
He paused for two seconds as the image of the visitor outside the door appeared in his mind.
It was an old-fashioned gentleman in a light gray overcoat, a silk top hat, and he held a black and gold cane. He had sharp blue eyes, and his temples were streaked with white. His wrinkles were deeply engraved in his face, causing his facial muscles to seemingly sag.
"May I know who you're looking for?" Klein asked after opening the door.
The old gentleman said in a thick Midseashire accent, "Are you Sherlock, Detective Moriarty?"
"Do you have something you wish to entrust to me?" Klein nodded and made way, leading the old gentleman into the living room.
He hesitated for two seconds, then asked, "Would you like coffee or tea?"
"A cup of hot water, please." The old gentleman had taken off his hat and sat down.
Very well, it's very simple... Maybe I should consider getting an assistant to serve tea and clean the place... As Klein's mind wandered, he turned to the kitchen and rinsed a glass.
After placing the hot water in front of the old gentleman, he walked to the sofa and sat down with his hands folded.
"How may I address you?"
"Millet Carter," the old gentleman answered simply.
"Mr. Carter, what would you like to entrust me with?" Klein asked directly without bothering to exchange pleasantries.
As he spoke, he quietly activated his Spirit Vision to observe Carter.
This old gentleman is in quite good health. There are some problems with the color of the joints of his left leg—probably arthritis... His emotions are mostly blue from calm thinking, with a hint of anxiety...
With just a glance, Klein had come to a general conclusion.
Millet Carter lifted the white porcelain cup and, while rubbing its surface, said, "The thing is... I've bought a house on Williams Street. Heh, I come from Midseashire and because of my business, I'll be living in Backlund permanently."
Williams Street... Where's that? Having been in Backlund for less than a month, Klein, who had to consult the map or rely on his intuition, tried his best to appear staid and reliable.
Millet Carter looked at him, and under his gaze, he continued, "Rumor has it that the house was originally owned by a bankrupt viscount. That was about two to three decades ago. After a few changes of hands, I finally bought it.
"I planned on doing some renovations that suited the modern style, but I discovered a hidden secret door in the basement which leads to a very large underground structure. Considering that it might not be safe inside, I temporarily stopped construction, and I prevented the workers and servants from rashly exploring it. I hope that you can help me confirm the situation inside the underground structure."
Underground structure... Ancient ruins? Secret treasure? Klein thought and said, "Why didn't you call the police?
"The resources that the police can mobilize are more than a hundred times that of a private detective like me can muster. The results of the exploration will definitely be better and more reliable."
Millet Carter rubbed his nose bridge.
"I don't want too many people to know about this, especially the government.
"If I confirm that there is no danger within the underground structure, then I intend to use it as part of the structure and re-purpose it.
"I know that this is a high risk for you, and I'm willing to pay 50 pounds for it. But you can't have more than three assistants, and I can make up for it later, depending on the circumstances."
50 pounds, that's quite a high price... If I were an ordinary detective, that would be equivalent to two or three months of my income... He's just arrived in Backlund and doesn't know any other detectives. He could only read the newspapers to look for hires and ended up coming to me... Klein hesitated for a few seconds.
"Let me think about it."
He suddenly revealed an apologetic smile, pointed behind him and said, "I'm need to use the bathroom."
Millet Carter nodded slightly and took a sip of hot water.
After entering the bathroom and closing the wooden door, Klein looked at the mirror and took out a copper penny.
Because he had Miss Bodyguard with him, he couldn't confirm it above the gray fog, so he could only rely on his own divination skills.
"I should accept this commission."
...
Klein chanted seven times and flicked the coin as he watched it tumble down.
Thud!
The copper coin fell into his palm, and the king's portrait faced up, indicating a positive response.
Klein slightly nodded, and whispered into the air, "What does your intuition tell you?"
Miss Bodyguard's figure quickly appeared in the mirror. She replied expressionlessly, "There's a certain amount of danger, but it's not great."
Very good... Klein put away the coin, washed his hands, and walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.
He looked at Millet Carter and said with a smile, "I'll take this commission."
