Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 9 The Filthy Place in the Depths of Darkness
Industrial development is always accompanied by pollution.

This is especially true in an era where there is no concept of environmental protection.

Even though he was mentally prepared, Li Wei still looked disgusted when he came to the river again and saw the viscous river water.

Yes, it's viscous.

As a downstream area, and adjacent to the slums of the downtown area, the river here was far dirtier than imagined. Leaving aside the industrial and domestic wastewater discharge, all sorts of garbage floated on the surface, forming vast expanses of nauseating trash. Frankly, Li Wei thought it would be a miracle if anything were still alive in this water.

The river water looked like melted chocolate, thick and dark brown, with large amounts of rotting garbage visible in it. Swarms of flies danced on it, their buzzing so loud it couldn't drown out the clanging of metal from the nearby factories. Adding to the chaos were the corpses floating on and off the surface, some resembling humans, others something else entirely…

Li Wei stood by the river for less than a minute before making his decision.

give up.

Let whoever wants to go to this lousy place go; I'm not going down there.

Li Wei had originally planned to enter Doolittle's underground operating room through the river, like a detective, and look for any clues. However, the sewage-filled river completely deterred him. Thinking it over, even if he went, he wouldn't know how to pick locks; he didn't have any lock-picking skills. Was he supposed to just lie in wait in the stinking sewers?
Li Wei would never do such a thing.

The "lady" next to him was the same. Although the brim of her hat was pulled down so that Li Wei couldn't see her expression, he could tell from the fact that she kept covering her mouth and nose and that her right hand and body were trembling slightly that she could no longer stand the environment.

"Let's get out of here first."

Li Wei sighed helplessly and made a decision, while the girl nodded vigorously, almost causing her baseball cap to fly off her head.

After leaving the filthy riverbank, Li Wei looked at the girl again.

"Alright, miss, how long are you planning to keep following me?"

"Until you catch the killer."

"Don't you have to go to school? And your family... well, never mind."

Li Wei quickly changed the subject, because he had once again noticed those hidden gazes from the previous night. By now, Li Wei could pretty much guess what was going on. Clearly, those observing him in the shadows weren't members of the Black Panther gang, but rather this young lady's bodyguards.

"But it's dangerous for a girl like you to get involved in this kind of thing."

"Don't underestimate me!"

The girl gave a soft snort and clenched her little fist, gesturing at Li Wei.

"I'm a very strong fighter! And stop with the 'you, you, you' stuff, I have a name!"

"Oh? What's your name then?"

Then Li Wei realized that he didn't even know what this young lady's name was.

“I, my name is… well, you can just call me Katie.”

"So, Miss Katie, do you think it's appropriate for you to rush into danger like this? Your family will worry if you encounter any danger."

"They won't worry about it."

However, the girl snorted coldly and spoke angrily.

"They'd love for me to be dead."

"Well…………………"

It seems this young lady comes from a troubled family. But then again, it makes sense. How could a well-behaved girl with a happy, loving family be out in the lower city playing those kinds of social games? And judging from the bodyguards, they don't seem to intend to stop her. That's strange. A family that can afford so many bodyguards must be very wealthy and powerful. Putting aside the filth and disorder of the lower city, is it really reasonable for a well-mannered young lady to be running around in such a dirty place?
Many things here are not suitable for children, and even adults!

There's no other way; if all else fails, let's give it a try.

Li Wei stared at the skills on the skill bar, pondering for a moment.

It's decided, let's do it.

Levi was a man of action; he went to the police station again and found Inspector Lestrade.

"……………Call the police?"

Inspector Lestrade, sitting behind his desk, nearly ripped off his finely trimmed mustache when he heard Levi's words. Even Katie, sitting next to him, looked up at him in surprise.

“That’s right, Inspector Lestrade.”

Li Wei's expression was serious, earnest, and somber.

“As a subject of Her Majesty the Queen and a law-abiding citizen, I feel it is my duty and obligation to report illegal activities to you—I have discovered that someone at C921 Pine Street in Oak District is suspected of practicing medicine without a license and selling prohibited drugs. I believe this is an issue that your police should be handling.”

"………………………"

Lestrade blinked, then blinked again, staring with a puzzled look at the righteous-looking Levi and the bewildered Katie beside him, who was wearing a baseball cap but couldn't hide her confusion.

This isn't the detective I know.
If a detective discovers a clue, they will investigate it from beginning to end, and may even contact the police to close the case after directly identifying the murderer.

but……………

Have you found any clues?

"I have made a discovery."

understood.

Inspector Lestrade and Levi exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other's meaning.

"Do you have evidence?"

“I have a testimony.”

Li Wei took out the previous statement and sold the bespectacled man without hesitation.

"This testimony proves that the pharmacy used unapproved surgical instruments six months ago, which even caused injuries and deaths. This is a very serious medical accident."

"Um……………"

Inspector Lestrade picked up the statement, read it carefully, and then looked again at Livy, who was standing there, behaving like a law-abiding citizen who hated evil.

"If this is true, it is indeed a very serious accident."

As Lestrade spoke, he stood up, then picked up his hat and put it on.

"Fletcher! Get ready, we're going to investigate!"

That's right, that's Li Wei's idea. He doesn't have lock-picking skills, so sneaking in to investigate is impossible. But he can find a way to get in openly! Call the police, right? The police will definitely investigate after receiving a report. And more importantly, this way he can avoid requesting search rights.

In this era, people celebrate freedom and highly value privacy. While it hasn't reached the point where the wind and rain can enter but the king cannot, individuals still enjoy the right to privacy in their homes. If the police want to search someone's home, they must apply for a search warrant.

Therefore, Li Wei reported not Dr. Du Lide's home, but the pharmacy.

Because pharmacies are commercial establishments, they are obligated to accept searches and investigations. Just like the police don't need a search warrant to check someone at an internet cafe, but going to someone else's home is a different matter.

The empire's bureaucracy was deeply entrenched, and the various procedures were incredibly cumbersome. However, where there's a will, there's a way; as long as one's mindset doesn't falter, there's always more solution than problem.

Just like this time when Levi came to report the crime, Lestrade and Levi both knew that it was definitely related to the socialite killer. But even knowing this, they could only investigate it as a regular case of illegal surgery and drug trafficking.

Of course, if you "accidentally" encounter a socialite killer during the investigation... you can't exactly fill out another form and then go to arrest the person, can you?

Therefore, the most important thing is to follow the procedures.

Of course, another reason Li Wei chose to call the police was that with the police present, Miss Katie might be more restrained, and it would also be safer. If the other party was truly a ruthless killer, they might hesitate upon seeing the police. If he and Katie went over alone, even if they found something, they might all be caught in the process.

So the four of them took another car ride to Dr. Dolittle's pharmacy.

No one spoke the entire way. Inspector Lestrade didn't ask Levi how he knew about the pharmacy's connection to the socialite killer. Levi appeared calm, but he was actually quite nervous inside. If he were a competent detective, he would definitely wait until he had all the evidence and motive before calling the police.

The problem is that the abilities Li Wei has acquired don't actually help him achieve his goal. No matter how high Li Wei's psychological skills and charisma are, he can't make a prisoner readily confess. Right now, Li Wei just believes that this place might hold some clues, but... it would be best if he could find them.

Otherwise, Inspector Lestrade's level of trust in himself would inevitably decrease significantly.

But if I fail, I only have these few days left to live, so whether I trust them or not doesn't seem to matter.

Thinking of this, Li Wei closed his eyes and rested.

When Levi arrived at the pharmacy with Inspector Lestrade and Officer Fletcher, he clearly noticed a hint of annoyance in Dr. Doolittle's gaze.

Li Wei, with his high level of psychological expertise, naturally understood the meaning in his eyes.

You kid doesn't have martial ethics!
In fact, Dr. Dolittle is indeed very angry now.

He knew Levi was a detective and that he was investigating him. However, Dr. Dolittle wasn't initially too worried; he didn't believe Levi could uncover anything. Besides, the other man was a detective, not a policeman, and therefore unqualified to investigate… As long as he stayed there, the spy wouldn't be able to find anything.

But to his surprise, the other party called the police!
It's like two kids having a private argument, and instead of resolving it privately, you tell the teacher!
“I am Inspector George Lestrade.”

Inspector Lestrade flashed his badge.

“We received a report that someone claimed this pharmacy was suspected of practicing medicine illegally and selling prohibited drugs.”

"That's not true, sir."

Dr. Doolittle straightened his back and stared at Inspector Lestrade.

"These are all just rumors. I run a legitimate business!"

"Then you shouldn't mind letting me check it out."

Inspector Lestrade, a seasoned veteran, was not about to believe Dr. Doolittle's one-sided account. Dr. Doolittle, knowing he had no right to obstruct police enforcement, could only grimace and grit his teeth as he stepped aside. Inspector Lestrade and Officer Fletcher then entered the pharmacy to begin their investigation—naturally, Levi and Katie accompanied them.

Unlike the two policemen who were focused on the counter and warehouse, Li Wei was currently surveying the surrounding rooms. He believed that given Dr. Dolittle's cautious nature, he wouldn't have left any clues here. Therefore, he was more concerned about the so-called underground operating room. Clearly, finding that underground operating room would be half the battle won.

As he pondered, Li Wei looked around carefully, taking in his surroundings.

The layout behind the counter was quite simple: a bookcase, a narrow passage leading to a medicine warehouse, and next to it a small room containing only a single bed, a bedside table, and a stove. It seemed to be where Dr. Dolittle usually rested.

Levi paced around, seemingly searching for clues. In reality, he was secretly observing Dr. Dolittle's reaction. After all, Levi was still a novice when it came to investigations, and with so many random things, unlike those brightly lit displays in video games, finding useful clues was no easy task.

So Li Wei decided to have Dr. Dolittle tell him directly.

He entered the small room, casually rummaged through the items, then went to the counter, examined the cabinet in front of him, and then Levi went to the bookshelf—at this moment, he noticed that Dr. Dolittle's previously calm facial muscles suddenly stiffened and tightened. His hands gripped the hem of his clothes tightly, and his eyes were fixed on him without moving.

right here.

Li Wei immediately perked up and began to carefully examine the bookshelf. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. It was placed in a corner of the aisle behind the counter, and it contained books on alchemy, herbalism, and geography. However, Li Wei quickly discovered two problems through observation.

The first problem is that this passage is so narrow that it can only allow one person to walk through, yet a bookcase that takes up half the space is placed here, which is not quite normal.

The second question...

Li Wei glanced at the books in the bookcase, chuckled softly, and looked at Inspector Lestrade.

"Inspector Lestrade, please come here for a moment."

"Ok?"

Inspector Lestrade, who was investigating in the cabin, heard Levi's voice and came out of the room to his side. Levi then pointed to the second shelf of the bookshelf. Levi squinted, looked in that direction, then his gaze sharpened, and he nodded to Levi.

Then, Inspector Lestrade turned around.

“Officer Fletcher, please restrict Dr. Dolittle’s movements.”

"Oh? Yes, okay."

Although he didn't know what Lestrade meant, Officer Fletcher followed his orders and quickly went to Dr. Doolittle's side and handcuffed him.

"What do you mean by this, Inspector!"

However, Dr. Dolittle was clearly very dissatisfied with the treatment he received.

"I did nothing! You have no right to arrest me!"

"Not now, but maybe soon."

As he spoke, Li Wei opened the bookshelf, then reached out and placed his hand on the third book from the right in the second row, "On the Complexity of Alchemical Drugs," before pulling it outwards.

"Click."

As Li Wei moved, the stone wall beside him opened silently, revealing a dark passage.

Dr. Dolittle was stunned when he saw this.

"How...how did you know...?"

"Doctor, we are all men."

Li Wei released his grip and glanced at Dr. Du Lide.

“Men are naturally a bit lazy, and I rarely clean the nooks and crannies in the house that are usually out of sight. But I think if you want to hide something, it’s best to clean up the surrounding area first, at least… so that the traces left by the dust aren’t so obvious.”

As he spoke, Li Wei flicked the dust off his fingers. The answer was actually quite simple. After learning from Dr. Dolittle's attitude that there was something wrong with the bookshelf, Li Wei focused his investigation on it. He then noticed that there was no dust on the corners of the book, indicating that it had been tampered with recently.

Then the next step is easy.

Levi withdrew his gaze and exchanged a glance with Inspector Lestrade, who also drew his gun and picked up a gas lamp.

"I'll go ahead."

"Ok."

Li Wei silently drew his gun and followed Inspector Lestrade into the hidden door.

(End of this chapter)