It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived at the club, and now it was almost dusk. In the mist, the carriage slowly set off. Xia De was thinking about his next spending and repayment plan, and Miss Bei Yasi was probably thinking about what she had gained after reporting important intelligence. So the two sat opposite each other in the carriage, but they only chatted casually.
Once they talked about certain sensitive topics, such as Lake View Manor and the small-scale earthquake in southern Nolan, or the operation of the detective agency, Shad would immediately mention the other party's identity as a "nominal police officer", forcing Miss Bei Yasi to take the initiative to prepare new topics.
The detective was in a good mood and even planned to take Mia out for a big meal tonight. He had never had so much money since he came into this world, and although he knew he had to save money, it was still okay to celebrate occasionally.
"But don't forget the 'pick up the goods' mission tomorrow night."
Xia De thought to himself and looked out of the carriage window. Because he had memorized the map of Tobesk recently, the stranger knew that the street he was passing was called Hammerhead Street.
From the way the street is named, we can tell that this street is not a main street in the city. In fact, it is close to the Tobysk East District slum. If it is at night, even the coachmen are unwilling to take this road.
The appearance of the steam age was displayed in front of Shad through this small window, and the air with a burning smell rushed into his lungs, reminding him of the characteristics of this civilization.
Metal pipes were hanging all over the walls of the not-so-wide street. The shops on the street connected branches from the pipes to their own houses, while the apartment buildings directly drew steam and gas from the main pipes underground.
Barefoot children were playing on the street, and a decadent beggar was lying on a straw mat against the wall without a care in the world, but there was nothing in the wooden bowl in front of him.
Occasionally, a middle-aged gentleman would pass by this street, holding his nose and walking hurriedly with a disgusted expression. The driver's voice reminded the people in front to pay attention and avoid, and the sound of the horse's hooves stepping on the uneven ground seemed particularly rhythmic.
Although the impact of this scene was not as shocking as when Xia De first stepped out of the house and saw the era, it also gave him a different feeling.
"I noticed you were looking at those kids on the street."
Miss Beatrice, who was extremely bored during the carriage journey, asked this question, holding down her skirt with both hands, which was a very ladylike sitting posture.
“Sometimes I wonder, some people don’t have to worry about hunger from the moment they are born, but some people have to spend their entire lives...”
“Get rid of hunger?”
Miss Beas asked, and Shade did not move his eyes away from the window:
“Poor people cannot escape from hunger in their lifetime. They can only use their lifetime to help the next generation and even the next generation to get rid of hunger.”
Miss Bei Yasi didn't expect that Shade would say such a thing. She didn't know what to say next, but she also understood what Shade meant:
"Detective, instead of thinking about this kind of thing, why not do something practical? For example, I volunteer at the Sun Church every week so that I can help these children."
“But if you can help one or two, or dozens, what about the remaining children?”
"But we are only mortals, we are not gods, we can only do what we can do."
Miss Beas obviously has her own opinion on this matter:
"If the goal is too far away, it is better to just look at the ground below. Even if you cannot reach that distant goal in your lifetime, at least you are always moving forward and driving others forward. In this way, one day, someone will be able to reach the end. Detective, what is that look in your eyes?"
Xia De looked at her in surprise:
"Nothing, I just didn't expect to get such an answer from a young girl. This kind of thinking is amazing."
Perhaps this was the chosen one that Miss Anat was looking for, the one who was qualified to stand in front of the final door. If before Shade was only in awe of her because of her identity, now he sincerely admired her ideas.
It takes an outsider who has seen so many things to understand this truth, but this young girl from a relatively ignorant world actually has such awareness before she is even eighteen years old.
"Really? That's just my own opinion. It's nothing special... Detective, your opinion is actually quite good."
Such compliments made Miss Beatrice feel a little embarrassed.
This era seems prosperous, but society needs change. The beauty of the steam age, whether in my hometown or here, is built on a certain foundation.
The stranger has seen more and understands more things. Of course, he will not speak out his thoughts for the time being, as that will only make others look at him with strange eyes.
Miss Beatrice’s idea is actually quite good, but in this world of mystery and supernatural existence, although the power of mortals is insufficient, the power of God may be enough.
After the carriage left Hammerhead Street, it continued to head west. On this boring summer Wednesday evening, under the hazy mist, it seemed that even the city was about to fall into a coma.
Perhaps because he had experienced too many things at the Lucky Southern Cross Club, Shad felt a little sleepy in the silence between the conversations. Miss Bei Yasi, who was sitting opposite him, seemed to be in the same situation, so before they knew it, they both fell into a coma.
In his dream, Xia De once again stood on the ridge of the field under the sea of stars and looked up at the silver moon. He thought of how there was only one silver moon in the night sky in the illusion created by the innocent creator. He was about to express his opinion in his dream, but a voice in his ear forced him to wake up:
There is danger.
The "other self" of a ringmaster is the price of contact with the mystery. There is another voice in the head, which is a sign that they are different from ordinary people. The "other self" does not need sleep. It is difficult to define what kind of existence they are. Most people think that it is the other side of the soul. But in short, ringmasters do not need to worry about encountering accidents during sleep, because there will always be "another pair of eyes" to keep watch for them.
Although the mumbling in Xia De's head was strange, it also had all the functions that "another me" should have. Therefore, when the warning of danger appeared in his ears, Xia De got rid of the strange state of sleep as the life ring in his soul turned.
"Ha! I knew we would run into trouble on this trip!"
Far from being surprised, he was rather happy that his expectation had come true.
When he opened his eyes, he was still sitting in the carriage, but Miss Beas was gone, leaving only the women's handbag on the seat. The carriage stopped moving, and looking out from the half-open window, it seemed to be parked in a remote alley. The light of dusk could only barely shine into the narrow alley, and the pungent smell in the alley choked him and almost made him make a sound.
Shad probably didn't sleep for very long.
"What happened?"
You and your companions were affected by the spell, and about 10 seconds ago, she was taken away.
"What is going on here?"
There was no response to the murmuring voice, but instead there was a conversation between two men outside the window:
"Were they the ones who entered the room in the club and searched it?"
The voice was rough and powerful, and the accent was obviously not from a local.
"Yes, I saw it with my magic. The man in the car is an ordinary detective, and this woman is a ring sorcerer from the Orthodox Church. I saw her when I was at Lakeview Manor to pick up the Silver Eyed Man and leave."
The voice had a local accent and seemed to be that of the coachman.