Revealing the person behind the scenes.
Revealing the person behind the scenes.
Lu Li did not leave the Avitanis immediately.
He found the first mate of the cruise, a man with sparse hair and a hooked nose, who resembled the sailor that had delivered the two letters to him.
The first mate told Lu Li that there was no sailor on board that matched the description he provided, and he suspected that someone had been disguised as a crew member, intending to report this to the captain.
This was unrelated to Lu Li, who had already left the Avitanis and set foot on the land of Belfast again.
He rented a carriage at the port’s rental service and it carried Lu Li, Anna, and their luggage out of Rhodest Port.
“Was the letter you received sent by Daisy?” Anna asked, wanting to know the reason why Lu Li had canceled their departure at the last moment.
Lu Li did not answer, taking out the letter and handing it to Anna.
“Seekers of tranquility sink here, unaware that life springs from blood and darkness…
The lost lambs seek a place of peace, not knowing the darkest hours have already come…
Ominous clouds shadow the world, as the flames called civilization fade…”
Anne read the contents of the letter in a low voice; the first part reflected reality, but it was unrelated to Lu Li.
“The stars descend upon Tillage Garden, indescribable entities writhe in readiness, strange beings crawl from the abyss, and whispers from the void grow ever clearer.”
“The flames shall dwindle, their glow dimming.”
“Beings that slumber in the deep sea are about to awaken, the cursed individuals who stole flesh from the nameless entities, tentacles within the clouds guide it, the seawater is its embodiment.”
“But when the flames extinguish, the Ashes remain.”
“The earth protects those who are cursed.”
“Stay on land, this is the only salvation for the cursed.”
The contents ended here.
“I thought it was still sent by Daisy, just that our choices were different…” Anna folded the letter, handing it back to Lu Li along with the one she had received.
“Is the sender warning you not to venture into the sea?”
Lu Li opened Daisy’s letter and read the content.
The writer pleaded for Anna’s help in Daisy’s voice, describing how “her” mentor had turned into a monster and killed many, and now the monster was hunting “her.”
“It seems more like someone doesn’t want me to leave this place.” Lu Li silently answered Anna while looking at the letter.
The former might have good intentions, while the latter did not.
“Is this related to the letter sent to me?” Anna asked, noting that both letters had been delivered by a sailor that didn’t exist.
Lu Li lifted his head, guiding the reins to avoid a slow-moving carriage ahead: “They are from the same hand.”
“They don’t want me to leave, don’t want me to know the purpose, so they send the letter in Daisy’s voice to get us off the ship.
However, they misjudged, and now they have to continue hindering us, risking exposure by sending a second letter.”
“Who wants you to stay?”
Who knew of his existence and also knew about the Blood-Colored Tentacles?
Considering the smallest scope, Anna speculated: “Is it Tesla…
And most importantly: Were the contents of the letter true?
Lu Li had once gone to sea to investigate Disc Reef and during that adventure, he did not encounter “beings that slumber in the deep sea”—but he indeed almost died there.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have disembarked so quickly,” Lu Li said.
“If we had waited a moment longer, the being behind all this might have appeared a third time.”
“The gaze from the shadows is hard to notice, and it’s normal not to be aware of it,” Anna replied.
“What do we do next?”
The street ahead was cordoned off by policemen, and night watchmen could still be seen.
Skirting around the blocked district, Lu Li continued: “We leave Ailen Peninsula by land.”
The Marsh Road leading to the Main Affinity Continent.
If the being behind did not want Lu Lili to leave, he would appear again.
“However, before that, let’s first verify Daisy’s situation.”
A moment later, a hesitant hum from Anna resonated softly in the carriage.
Lu Li did not plan to investigate personally, although Oliver and Jojo, who were available for commission, had already left, he still had another candidate.
Returning to the much emptier Detective Agency, Lu Li picked up the telephone and dialed the rotary, then fell into a hushed silence as he waited to be connected.
Anna lit the oil lamp, its dim yellow glow filling the living room with warmth amid the chill and emptiness.
Familiar voices and tones came through the noisy background.
“Of course, of course, the only one who would call me, aside from the damn switchboard operator, is you—I mean, do you need something from me?”
“The strange incident at the Belved Music Academy, where an instructor turned into a monster and chased his own students, I need to know the authenticity of this matter, as well as the situation of a female student named Daisy.”
you should know that it’s usually me finding commissions for you to handle, not the other way around…”
Lu Li spoke calmly, “Double the commission fee.”
“I’ll have news for you within thirty minutes!”
Before hanging up, Marcus whispered mysteriously into the other end of the phone to Lu Li, “I’ll tell you a secret…
this world is doomed!”
it sounds like you already know?
Right, you’re an Exorcist, haha…
I plan to save up some money and find a place to hide in a while.
Still staying in Belfast?”
With downcast eyes, Lu Li replied, “The Main Affinity Continent, I will leave Belfast after you give me the news later.”
“Oh, that’s a pity, the Main Affinity Continent is not within the scope of my business…
Alright, I’ll handle your commission.
Don’t forget double fee!”
The phone call ended, and Lu Li dialed the investigator’s base again.
The Alliance Personnel who answered told Lu Li that Tesla had still not arrived at the base, nor had he left any messages for him.
After replacing the receiver, Lu Li sat behind the desk waiting for the phone to ring again.
“Are we still going to the Lennon Islands?”
The tranquil flow of the Detective Agency was disrupted by Anna’s soft voice.
“Before the Blood-Colored Tentacles issue is resolved, it’s better to stay here.”
Lu Li could not prove the authenticity of the content of the letter, nor could he prove its falseness.
Venturing into the deep sea before the truth was unveiled would be a gamble staking their very lives.
Fortunately, Lu Li did not have to wait too long.
After Marcus brought the news, he would set off for Marsh Road, drawing out the existence that was thwarting him from the shadows.
The sky began to darken, and as the alarm clock taken out of the suitcase pointed to 5:20 pm, the telephone rang at the seventeenth minute after the call was disconnected.
“I went through a lot of trouble to find out, and just as you said, there was an instructor at the music academy who turned into a monster and then chased the students.
Now your exorcist organization has taken over the investigation there.”
“About the girl named Daisy you mentioned, uh…
I’m not sure what she is to you, but don’t take it too hard when you hear what I’m about to say next.
She was found to have died yesterday.”
Lu Li looked up at Anna, who had also heard the news.
Her crimson pupils flickered for an instant before steadying.
“How do you want to be paid?”
“Place it under the brick next to the second blue trash bin in Whistle District.
You’ll pass right by there when you leave Belfast.”