Mystery: A Spark

After Meursault left, Arthas, who was hiding in the shadows, glanced at Klein, who was preparing to return to his house. After thinking for a moment, he stepped forward and followed Meursault's retreating figure.

After closing the door, Klein first threw a gold coin to make sure that no one else was watching him.

Then, he quickly took four steps in reverse, silently chanted an incantation, and entered the gray fog.

Upon arriving at the ancient and majestic palace, Klein looked up and noticed that the core of the newly added crimson star was tinged with a golden hue reminiscent of sunlight.

"Is this the source of the warmth I just felt?" Klein spread his spirituality, carefully touching upon the past in a way that was like a plea for remembrance.

As the light and shadow shifted, a blurry scene quickly appeared before his eyes.

Late last night, Klein attempted to pull a petite girl who had recited his name onto the gray fog, and then quickly sent her back to reality.

Thus, Klein determined that anyone who had recited his name would be connected to this gray mist and could be drawn into the palace above it.

Now, Klein saw the petite girl he had tried to pull into the gray fog sitting side by side on the sofa with a woman with slightly curly brown hair.

A blond man with an indistinct face placed a salamander on the petite girl's shoulder, creating a warm and pure light.

Is this an exorcism? Klein almost laughed.

Wait, no, Salamani!?

Klein was stunned. He carefully observed the blond man's figure and found that he was very similar to Arthur.

Could the person who performed the exorcism on them be Arthur? Good heavens, I, the mastermind behind the Tarot Club, was actually exorcised by a member of the Tarot Club... Klein's expression was incredibly strange at this moment.

This could be considered, in a sense, a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple.

However, this petite girl should be the one Miss Justice wants to guide into joining the Tarot Club... I never expected that she would know Arthur. Should I say that the world is really small... Or perhaps, she is not actually a member that Miss Justice is guiding, but a new member that Arthur wants to bring in... Klein felt a little confused.

At this moment, Klein finally understood the reason for the previous situation; it wasn't that someone had penetrated the gray fog and locked onto him.

Instead, just as people like "Justice" chanted their names in prayer, the gray fog would naturally and instinctively respond to him after receiving the message.

However, because it was not a prayer, the illusory, layered sounds became a warm current.

“This is a hint, not harm or impact…” Klein made a clear judgment.

At the same time, he also roughly confirmed one thing.

That is the way that the mysterious space above the gray fog established contact with Miss "Justice" and her group. It is not absolutely bizarre, nor is it within the rules of this world.

It will still be subject to certain constraints and will be affected to some extent in specific ways.

Klein continued watching the scene before him and listening to the voices, and was astonished to find that it lasted longer than ever before.

Before this, he was unable to actively spy on the target corresponding to the Crimson Star unless the other party made a request, in which case he could receive the corresponding scene.

Another scenario is that when he provides feedback, he can see the scene and hear the synchronized audio, but once the response ends, he can no longer obtain any additional information.

Now, it's like watching a video, a reality show video that's been censored for a long time.

He witnessed the petite woman chatting with Arthur and heard her companion call her Hugh.

At the same time, Klein also overheard a transaction between Arthur and her companion worth a thousand pounds.

A deal worth a thousand pounds... Klein sniffed, feeling as if he'd just eaten a lemon.

The video recording ended when the two women returned home, and Klein regretted not being able to see their house numbers clearly.

Gazing at the gradually fading golden sunlight, he nodded thoughtfully, vaguely understanding why this anomaly had occurred.

In other words, the power of purification helped me maintain the corresponding passage? Hugh's exorcism fee was well worth it... I wonder when I'll be able to maintain it myself... Klein shook his head and smiled, his body falling back to reality.

As soon as he regained consciousness, Klein heard the bell on the door ring again.

Who will it be this time? Could it be that guy named Meursault again...? Klein frowned and walked towards the door.

As Klein walked to the door, his mind naturally conjuring up the image of the visitor outside, even without looking through the peephole:

An ill-fitting old coat, a round brown hat, a tattered satchel, bright red eyes, a handsome face, and a calm demeanor—this was Ian, the young man who had come to ask for a task yesterday.

Ian must be here to finish his job. Should I remind him that he's being watched by gang members...? Klein thought to himself as he opened the door.

"Good morning, Detective Moriarty," Ian greeted, glancing around before asking, "Any results? Hmm... I was just passing by and wanted to ask."

Klein nodded solemnly and said:

"Have."

"..." Ian seemed startled and couldn't speak for a long time.

After a while, he murmured, his lips trembling, and asked in astonishment:

"Have you confirmed Mr. Zeryl's condition?"

“Yes.” Klein paused, then said seriously, “I found Zeril’s body.”

“The corpse…” Ian’s pupils contracted, and he repeated in a low voice.

He didn't seem overtly surprised, as if he had anticipated this worst-case scenario.

Klein watched quietly without saying a word.

“Phew…” Ian exhaled, glancing around warily. “Your efficiency is astonishing. Could you take me to see Mr. Zeril’s body?”

“No problem, in fact, that’s what I’m planning to do.” Klein thought for a moment and said, “I hope you won’t mention me when you call the police, just say you found it yourself. I think you know how to make up a reason.”

Ian was not surprised at all. He knew very well that not every detective liked dealing with the police. In fact, apart from the famous detectives who often provided advice and assistance to the police department, everyone else was discriminated against, ostracized, and even blackmailed by the police.

This is the current state of the Kingdom of Rune.

“Okay,” Ian readily agreed.

“Also, I need to remind you that a gang member came to me this morning, wanting to know your whereabouts, but I did not agree to his request,” Klein said calmly.

Ian's eyes widened instantly, and he stood there stunned.

After a while, he finally came to his senses and said:

“Mr. Moriarty, thank you for your reminder. You are a respectable detective. However, if anyone comes to ask me about my whereabouts again, you can just tell me the truth to avoid getting into trouble.”

“I will,” Klein said with a smile.

He then took Ian to the sewers where he had found Zeryl the day before, and learned from Ian where it was possible to obtain guns and ammunition without a full range of weapons licenses.

Klein didn't linger in the sewers to observe Ian's subsequent movements, because he had realized the matter was too complicated and didn't want to get involved any further.

After lunch, Klein left home, boarded a carriage, and headed to the Backlund Bridge area, intending to find Caspars Kanlinin at the Brave Ones' Bar on Iron Gate Street.

This is the place Ian told Klein about before, the place where you can get guns and ammunition without a license.

......

In the evening, Klein, who had already bought a gun and bullets from Caspars, finally returned to Minsk Street in the Joewood district.

Klein did not ask Arthur for help with firearms.

He believed that Arthur was a member of the Church of God, and that the weapons he carried were likely provided by the church.

Just like Klein, who used to be a night watchman, guns were issued to him, and bullets could be collected weekly.

Therefore, for Klein, whose identity is currently hidden from public view, he still feels that a black market merchant like Caspass is more suitable for him.

Of course, if it weren't for Ian's request, Klein would have eventually asked Arthur if he really couldn't find a place to get guns.

After entering the house, Klein went straight to the bathroom on the first floor and comfortably relieved his bloated stomach.

Crash.

As the sound of water echoed, Klein bent down to wash his hands.

Just then, a scene suddenly appeared in his mind:

The mirror reflected his head down, the dim lighting, and a pair of eyes positioned to the side.

Almost instinctively, Klein bent his knees, twisted his back to the side, and rolled in another direction, towards the bathroom door.

Whoosh!

A small black-feathered arrow was stuck on the washstand. The arrowhead seemed to be made of bone and had a bluish tint, making it quite beautiful.

The arrow was poisoned... Klein, who had rolled to the side, saw this and felt a chill run down his spine.

He reached into his pocket, trying to take out the gun he had just bought, which was already loaded with bullets.

Just then, Klein felt a gust of wind rush towards him, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a black figure rapidly approaching, closing in with superhuman speed, and kicking him.

Knowing he couldn't dodge, Klein used his left hand to block in front of him.

With a bang, he felt his left arm go numb instantly, and his body was pulled out uncontrollably.

What immense power! Klein's heart tightened, but he remained calm and composed, maintaining his balance in mid-air like a circus performer.

Just as he was about to steady himself to deal with the subsequent attacks, another image suddenly flashed through his mind:

The enemy, dressed in black, moved faster than he had imagined, arriving much faster than he expected. He lowered his waist, swung his arm, and punched him in the chest.

In an instant, Klein's body curled up again, spinning half a circle more, like a small ball that kept falling and being tossed around.

Snapped!

Before he could even assess the enemy, the black figure leaned to the side, creating a strong gust of wind.

"Such a quick reaction!" Klein quickly raised his arms to shield himself.

With a muffled thud, it felt as if he had been hit by a black bear. Unable to withstand the immense force, he could only stagger backward, his arms nearly losing all feeling.

At the same time, Klein finally recognized who the attacker was.

He had dark skin, was lean and wiry, and had deep-set eyes; he was Meursault, the gangster executioner who had come to see him that morning.

Clap clap clap! Meursault's eyes flashed with ferocity as he pressed on, his arms swinging wildly, hooking to the left and swinging to the right, unleashing a storm of attacks.

Klein's strength was significantly inferior to his opponent's, making it impossible for him to defend himself head-on. He only managed to dodge the combination of punches thanks to his agility and intuition.

No! I must play to my strengths! With this thought in mind, Klein stopped trying to fight, lowered his body, stopped with his legs, and rolled to the side.

Crack! A chair was kicked to pieces by Meursault.

Klein braced himself with his hands and used his back and waist to continue rolling, looking for an opportunity to take out the tarot cards and his homemade talisman.

However, Meursault's subsequent attacks forced him to continue dodging, unable to achieve his goal.

Just as Klein was dodging and struggling to deal with Meursault's attacks, Meursault suddenly slipped for some reason and lost his balance while moving at high speed.

good chance!