Chapter 697: Chapter 515: Apartment_1 Chapter 697: Chapter 515: Apartment_1 The Royal Academy, located on Queen Street, is an educational and research institution governed and operated by the royal family. Those who have the chance to study here are considered to be the future elites of the nation. Perhaps this is why the serial killings have thrown Scotland Yard into a frenzy, as the students here not only hold esteemed social standings, but are also elite talents. With several of them murdered one after another, it can easily be perceived as hostile action from foreign nations.
Thus, the case needs to be solved urgently. Otherwise, the head of Scotland Yard will face more than just a loss of face…
So far, the victims have varied in age and field of study, and share no personal connections–they did not know each other.
However…if you were to probe further, this isn’t entirely true.
In truth, within a school, even the most sociable students could not possibly be acquainted with everyone.
But there is one group of individuals that everyone must know.
For teachers, obtaining student records and information is more than convenient. Dig a bit deeper, and the places they visit and their home addresses can easily be discovered.
Scotland Yard did consider this possibility, but… their inquiry could only go so far.
For a simple reason–this is the Royal Academy, where the nation’s future elite are cultivated. Consider the teachers who educate these students. Not only do they possess esteemed identities, but their social standing and influence surpass those of ordinary school teachers. Those who teach here are basically the top figures in various research fields, capable of publishing papers in top-tier journals without breaking a sweat. If Scotland Yard were to arrest and interrogate these figures without any evidence, true trouble would ensue.
The police can’t do it, and naturally, Duanmu Huai doesn’t have that authority either. But he has his ways!
If something can’t be done openly, why not do it secretly?
Duanmu Huai knows well that students love a good piece of gossip. They often discuss their favourite and disliked teachers. He only has to utilize the techniques of the Shadow Crow Guard to lurk in the school’s shadows and eavesdrop on students’ conversations, from which he may gain plenty of information.
Of course, only Duanmu Huai can pull this off. Students are cautious and alert. No matter how carefree they may be when they chat with each other, they immediately become cautious when a stranger is nearby. Only Duanmu Huai can hide himself effectively enough to eavesdrop unnoticed.
Others couldn’t possibly do this.
Hmm, but if you think about it, this tactic can be used in other places as well.
As he listened to the students chatting nearby, Duanmu Huai looked out onto the courtyard before him. The majority of the Royal Academy’s students are young, beautiful girls, either nobles or members of the middle class. Unlike the open-mindedness of the New Continent, perhaps due to tradition or social status, these students mostly wear vintage-style dresses. At first glance, it’s like being transported back to the 19th century–a refreshing sight.
I wonder if there’s a bathing facility or similar around here…following the girls in for a peek…cough cough, forget it.
So, Duanmu Huai wandered around the Royal Academy for a day, obtaining a lot of information from the students’ casual chatter. However, it’s not yet clear which pieces of information might be useful.
When evening fell, he didn’t rest, but let Lorena go out to lure the snake out of the hole. Since the perpetrator’s targets were young and pretty girls, Lorena could certainly fit within their hunting scope, right?
Lorena was quite enthusiastic, but she wandered around the city all night without encountering that rumored monster…
Thus, for the following week, Duanmu Huai focused his mornings on gathering information from the conversations at the Royal Academy. In the evenings, he would accompany Lorena on walks around the city, hoping to bait out the murderer. However, after investing so much time without seeing any results, he grew exasperated.
Compared to their lack of progress in the investigation, finding a place to live was actually much simpler. Duanmu Huai had a clear vision of his ideal house–spacious, comfortable, and brightly lit. The luxurious suites at the Ritz Hotel were undoubtedly nice, but for someone like him, it was a different story.
Fortunately, any problem that money can solve doesn’t pose a problem at all. On the morning of the eighth day, while Duanmu Huai was having breakfast, he received a knock on the door from the excited hotel manager.
“Ah, honorable sir, you may never guess what excellent news I bring you! By God’s blessing, I’ve finally found an apartment that matches your requirements.”
Upon seeing the neatly-dressed hotel manager with his neat moustache, Duanmu Huai set down his eating utensils.
“Are you sure? My requirements are not low.”
Indeed, Duanmu Huai’s requirements weren’t excessive, but it depended on who you compared him with. A house big enough for his physique is not easy to find. What’s more, his height meant he couldn’t travel by car. As such, he required his accommodation to be located on a bustling street for the sake of convenience. As commonly known, the closer a place is to the city centre, the more valuable it is–rooms are simply offered compacted to the size of matchboxes…