ã€ŠThe Bizarre Detective Agencyã€‹


 Chapter 1

    A fountain pen, stained with ink, was held in a hand and paused on the paper.

    ¡°Mr. Lu Li, you can start now.¡±

    The psychologist looked up, signaling to the ck-haired man sitting across from him.

    Outside the window was a view of the harbor, its outline barely visible under the gray and gloomy weather shrouding Rodster Port.

    The chimneys in the industrial district had been silent for days, yet the eerie mist still lingered over Belfast.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± the ck-haired man, called Lu Li, said.

    The psychologist didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Take your time. There¡¯s still plenty of time before nightfall.¡±

    The man nodded and, after a brief silence, spoke slowly.

    ¡°I am an exorcist.¡±On the cobblestone street in the morning, Lu Li spoke to an elderly couple inside the doorway.

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s a ghost in your house?¡±

    The two elderly people examined Lu Li from head to toe, their cloudy eyes filled with a sense of wariness.

    The man standing across from them was dressed very formally. What mostmoners would wear only for festivals or evening events¡ªwhite shirt, ck tie, and a ck coat¡ªwas his everyday attire. However, hecked a walking cane or a top hat.

    His ck hair and eyes were rare in Rodster Port, even more so across all of Belfast. His calm, deep ck eyes seemed like an abyss, as if one might fall into them without realizing it.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The couple¡¯s wariness began to fade slightly. They didn¡¯t believe that someone so neatly dressed and strikingly handsome could be a troublemaker.

    ¡°The Bizarre Detective Agency, Exorcist Lu Li.¡±

    Lu Li took out a crisp, new business card and handed it to the elderly couple.

    Wrinkled, weathered hands epted the card. A hint of confusion flickered in their eyes until they noticed the words ¡°Detective Agency¡± and the address printed on it. Only then did they begin to understand its purpose.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to drive the ghost away? Oh, please,e in¡­¡±

    Hastily, they moved aside to make way for him.

    Lu Li stepped through the doorway, his figure swallowed by the dimness of the house.

    The outside sky was overcast, and the room itself was dark.

    A damp, musty smell hung in the air.

    Taking a quick nce around the modest and simple home, Lu Li shifted his gaze to meet the expectant eyes of the couple. ¡°Can you tell me the details? What happened exactly?¡±

    The elderly man spoke mysteriously. ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    Lu Li shook his head lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense anything, which is why I¡¯m asking you.¡±

    Disappointment was clear on their faces, but they still began recounting their experiences.

    They spoke of marbles rolling across the floor at night, the cries of a baby in the middle of the night, a fleeting white shadow outside the window, and strange noises from the kitchen. ?

    Lu Li listened quietly until they finished. ¡°These might not necessarily be caused by a ghost. There are scientific exnations for such things¡­ Do you know about science?¡±

    The elderly couple exchanged nces. ¡°We¡¯ve heard of it¡­ Steam cars and iron ships are made with science, right?¡±

    Lu Li didn¡¯t bother correcting their misconceptions. Most people here only had a limited understanding of science. ¡°Close enough. Let me exin. The sound of marbles rolling is caused by the building materials expanding and contracting with temperature changes. As for the baby crying, well, it¡¯s summer now. On my way here, I saw a stray cat, and cats make cries during mating season that sound very simr to a baby. The white shadow outside your window is likely just someone walking by on the street.¡±

    ¡°And the noises from the kitchen¡­¡± Lu Li didn¡¯t even nce in its direction. He didn¡¯t need to. ¡°You should probably set up a mousetrap.¡±

    ¡°We¡­ we¡¯re not lying! We really saw a ghost! If you don¡¯t believe me, ask my wife!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes! That night¡­¡±

    The elderly couple eagerly defended themselves, trying to convince Lu Li of what they had witnessed.

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s calm expression interrupted the couple¡¯s exnation. He had heard plenty of simr ims over the past few days.

    ¡°I can¡¯t find the ghost for now, so I¡¯ll set up an exorcism ritual in the house. Would you mind waiting outside for a while?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± The pair hesitated, exchanging uneasy looks.

    Ghosts were terrifying, but leaving their home in the hands of a stranger¡­

    Understanding their hesitation, Lu Li added, ¡°You can stand outside the door. I have nowhere to run.¡±

    Reluctantly, the couple allowed themselves to be ushered out of the house. Standing on the street, they watched as Lu Li closed the door behind them.

    ng¡ª

    The bolt slid into ce.

    Hearing the sound, the elderly couple tensed. Then came the low, obscure chants from behind the door¡ªanguage they couldn¡¯t understand, with strange,plicated pronunciations.

    After a while, the chanting stopped, and the house fell into silence.

    Suddenly, there was a muffled bang from inside. The door shuddered, and patches of peeling paint fell from the wall.

    The couple jumped in fright, nearly backing into the middle of the street.

    Inside, the sounds of violent struggle and furious growling erupted, creating a vivid image of a battle between an exorcist and a ghost.

    But in reality, just on the other side of the wall, the scene couldn¡¯t be more different.

    Lu Li sat peacefully at the dining table. Every now and then, he kicked a wooden chair or tapped the table, letting out the asional muffled grunt.

    After a few dozen seconds, Lu Li decided enough time had passed. He stood up, kicked over the chair, and mmed his shoulder into the wall.

    Thud.

    The wall shuddered.

    Then, silence.

    The elderly couple held their breath, as seconds dragged into minutes¡­

    Finally, the door opened, and a figure appeared in the doorway.

    Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes were calm. Dampness clung to his forehead, resembling sweat, and his breathing was steady. ¡°It¡¯s done. Now, let¡¯s talk about my fee.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Wait a moment. You said you¡¯re an ¡®exorcist¡¯?¡± The psychologist interrupted Lu Li¡¯s ount, emphasizing the word ¡°exorcist.¡±

    Lu Li asked back, ¡°Did you think I¡¯m the kind of exorcist who grabs a ghost by the neck and shouts, ¡®In the name of God, I banish you¡¯?¡±

    The psychologist remained silent, gesturing for him to continue.

    ¡­

    ¡°The ghost is already¡­¡± The elderly couple poked their heads inside, trying to spot any traces left behind.

    ¡°Taken care of.¡± Lu Li stepped aside, signaling them it was safe to enter.

    The couple wasn¡¯t wealthy, so Lu Li, almost like doing charity work, charged only 10 shillings as his fee before leaving.

    ¡°I¡¯lle back for you.¡±

    The moment he stepped onto the street, a whisper suddenly sounded by his ear, unnervingly close.

    Lu Li turned sharply, only to see the elderly couple casually closing their door.

    A breeze stirred, ruffling his hair. Despite it being daytime, the chill was sharp and piercing.

    ¡­

    ¡°So your concern is¡­ you encountered a ghost, and you suspect it¡¯s a psychological problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The psychologist¡¯s expression turned strange as he studied Lu Li from head to toe. ¡°Are you from out of town? Or maybe a noble who rarely leaves their estate?¡±

    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Lu Li neither confirmed nor denied.

    The psychologist spread his hands. ¡°Everyone knows ghosts are real. Instead of worrying about mental illness, you should be more concerned about the trouble of being haunted¡ªespecially since you¡¯re not a real exorcist.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡± Lu Li gave a nomittal reply. ¡°Let me change the story, then. What if I told you I came from another world?¡±

    ¡°Care to borate?¡± The psychologist shifted in his seat, intrigued.

    Lu Li briefly described Earth.

    ¡°Wow¡­ Metal machines weighing dozens of tons that can fly? Buildings hundreds of floors tall? Talking face-to-face across thousands of kilometers?¡± The psychologist chuckled involuntarily but quickly regained hisposure, suppressing the unprofessional reaction. He cleared his throat and said seriously, ¡°Mr. Lu Li, this is a severe case of hysteria. Your condition is worse than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for treatment, just asking.¡± Lu Li replied calmly.

    What was false had be real, and what was real had turned false. In this world, ghosts were more believable than machines flying in the sky.

    ¡°Well¡­ suit yourself. You¡¯ve already paid the consultation fee, after all.¡± The psychologist shrugged and ced the paper and fountain pen back on the table. He nced out the window. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. If your ce is far from here, you should hurry.¡±

    The sky outside had grown dimmer since their conversation began.

    ¡°Thanks for the reminder.¡±

    Lu Li stood, shook hands with the psychologist, and left the clinic.

    In Belfast, there was a saying:

    After nightfall, stay where there¡¯s light.

 Chapter 2

    Scratch, scratch, hiss¡ª

    A match was struck, producing a faint me. It wavered slightly as it was brought closer to a kerosenemp. The wick caught fire, and dim light began to spread outward, gradually pushing back the surrounding darkness.

    The figure in front of themp shook the match to extinguish it and ced the ss cover over the me.

    The burning wick steadied, and the figure briefly stepped out of themp¡¯s glow. Shortly after, the sound of the door closing echoed.

    tter¡ª

    A set of keys traced an arc in the air beforending on the sofa. Lu Li nced around at the now-familiar detective agency. He adjusted the kerosenemp to ensure its light could reach every corner of the room.

    The darkness receded, leaving nowhere to hide, lurking only in the corners, waiting for a chance to strike.

    Lu Li sank into the padded chair behind the desk. Half of his face rested in the shadows where themp¡¯s light didn¡¯t reach, as he sat in quiet contemtion.

    Thest embers of daylight were fading in the sky. In Rodster Port, every inhabited home had already lit their kerosenemps. The rarer electricmps illuminated only the areas around government buildings and the estates of nobles.Today marked Lu Li¡¯s third day in this world.

    After confirming that this ce was not Earth and realizing that its technology was at the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, Lu Li dismantled his phone and sold its parts to collectors or artists interested in unique artifacts. With the money, he purchased this property, acquired some shillings, and secured a legal identity that allowed him to move freely.

    To gather information about this world, he initially visited a tavern, listening to the patrons¡¯ conversations. That¡¯s where he picked up a crucial piece of advice: ¡°After nightfall, stay where there¡¯s light.¡±

    Every resident knew this. Even the most devoted drunkards would take an oilmp with them when staggering home from the tavern.

    People made every effort to ensure they remained in the light after sundown. Even homeless vagrants would move toward government buildings at night, resting under the glow of electricmps.

    As for why¡ªno one could exin.

    The whole situation carried an unsettling aura from beginning to end.

    Lu Li had initially suspected this saying was a marketing ploy by kerosenepanies to boost profits. However, after the ghost incident earlier in the day, he realized it wasn¡¯t so simple.

    Having gathered some useful tidbits at the tavern, Lu Li¡¯s next destination had been the local library. However, he soon learned that Belfast¡¯s library had been destroyed in a fire months ago, leaving nothing but ruins that no one had bothered to clear.

    Forced to adjust his ns, he tried asking the locals for information about the world. Strangely, everyone was deeply reluctant to talk about it, as if afraid that discussing it might bring some kind of misfortune upon themselves.

    Thus, the Bizarre Detective Agency was born. After all, what better identity could there be for someone who needed an excuse to wander everywhere and ask questions?

    So far, his investigations had led him to resolve several supposed hauntings that turned out to be nothing more than misunderstandings. Only today had he caught a glimpse of this world¡¯s true nature¡ªthough it remained unclear whether it was real or an illusion.

    Perhaps Lu Li should take a risk, stepping into the darkness at night to uncover the deeper secrets of this world. But the potential danger was too high.

    Even if it turned out to be nothing more than a rumor spread by Belfast¡¯s municipal authorities to keep citizens indoors at night, it wasn¡¯t worth the gamble.

    The quartz clock on the desk showed 6:25. Due to the persistent fog in the sky, night had fallen earlier than usual.

    Lu Li¡¯s gaze shifted to the window. The lights shining from each household resembled a sky full of stars scattered across Rodster Port.

    He recalled thest thing the psychologist had said before he left.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me that second story, I would¡¯ve thought it highly likely that a ghost hadtched onto you. Even now, the odds aren¡¯t small. Just in case, I¡¯d suggest spending more time with friends or staying in crowds. Ghosts rarely attack when there are a lot of people around. Or, better still, find a real exorcist. And one more thing: always remember¡ªstay where there¡¯s light.¡±

    The phrase ¡°stay where there¡¯s light¡± here is like Earth¡¯s ¡°drink more hot water¡±¡ªa cure-all for everything.

    His focus returned, and he picked up the telephone. He thought about inviting a friend over to add some life to the ce.

    Just as his fingers were about to touch the rotary dial, he stopped and slowly withdrew his hand.

    He remembered he didn¡¯t have any friends.

    Leaning back into the chair, Lu Li closed his eyes, intending to rest for a moment.

    Tick-tock¡ªtick-tock¡ª

    The quartz clock on the desk continued its steady rhythm, the ticking marking the passage of time.

    Gradually, Lu Li¡¯s body rxed, and he drifted into sleep¡­

    ¡°You thought it was someone else, but it was me, Mu Susu da!¡±

    A thunderous voice suddenly boomed in his mind.

    Lu Li jolted awake. His dark eyes shrank to pinpoints. After a long moment, he exhaled softly, releasing a held breath.

    The time on the desk clock read 8:00.

    Outside, the glow of lights had increased rather than diminished.

    In the distance, the faint sound of a ship¡¯s horn could be heard, echoing across the night sky.

    Lu Li¡¯s gaze fell onto the desk. A case file sat there, waiting to be addressed¡ªa report about a lumberjack named John, who imed to be haunted by a ghost.

    Raising his hand, Lu Li reached for the file.

    ck-ck-ck¡ª

    The sound of marbles rolling suddenly echoed through the eerily quiet detective agency.

    His arm froze mid-reach before retreating slightly. Raising his head, Lu Li stared at the yellowed, aged white ceiling, his eyes following the direction of the rolling sound.

    Was it a ghost? Or just a coincidence?

    After a few seconds, the rolling stopped, and Lu Li waited, listening intently.

    Rattle-rattle¡ª

    Lu Li suddenly shifted his gaze toward the corner of the living room. His eyes locked onto the sofa.

    A single clear ss marble rolled out from beneath the sofa, as if it were an eyeball. Like a mischievous prank by a child, the marble rolled all the way to Lu Li¡¯s feet.

    There was no time for Lu Li to bend down to examine or pick up the marble. In the next moment, a sharp, piercing sound of a baby crying echoed from outside the window.

    Waaah¡ªwaaah¡ªwaaah¡ª

    The shrill cry of the baby cut through the quiet night, unsettling the nerves with its intensity.

    Lu Li frowned, debating whether to approach the window, but before he could decide, the crying stopped abruptly.

    Were these events simply repeating what he had been told earlier in the day?

    As this thought crossed his mind, the curtain by the window fluttered gently, as if stirred by the wind¡ªthough the window was firmly shut.

    Lu Li remained silent and still, observing everything carefully.

    After about thirty seconds, the curtains settled back down.

    First the ss marble, then the baby¡¯s crying, and now the curtains¡­ What woulde next?

    tter¡ª

    A strange rustling sound came from the kitchen.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t react, and the sound showed no sign of stopping. The eerie stalemate continued for a few minutes until Lu Li finally stood up and headed toward the kitchen.

    This old house, which he had traded for, might simply have a rodent problem. That wouldn¡¯t be surprising.

    Lu Li removed his ck coat and hung it on the rack by the door. He rolled up his shirt sleeves as he walked toward the kitchen.

    Passing the dining table, Lu Li grabbed the kitchen knife from the fruit tray, holding it in a reverse grip.

    But as he approached the kitchen, the noise stopped abruptly.

    His expression unchanged, Lu Li paused at the doorway. His gaze swept across the kitchen before he turned his attention to the sink. He ced the knife beside it and turned on the faucet.

    tter.

    The sound of running water echoed, the flowing stream bringing a cool and refreshing sensation.

    Yet Lu Li remainedpletely still, staring at the sink.

    A pale, ghastly face, twisted and distorted like the swirling patterns on the surface of coffee, oozed thickly out from the flowing water.

 Chapter 3

    A face as calm as a deep pool revealed the faintest trace of disgust. The sight of a face flowing out of the faucet was far more nauseating than if blood had been pouring out instead.

    Lu Li frowned and stepped back half a step, watching as the pale, sticky, and twisted face slid out from the faucet and washed down the drain.

    Ssh¡ª

    In the stillness of the night, only the sound of running water echoed endlessly.

    The clear, transparent stream of water continued for some time before Lu Li stepped closer to shut off the faucet.

    Drip, drip, drip¡ª

    The water stopped, and silence returned to the room like before.

    Lu Li backed out to the kitchen doorway. The closed door blocked the light, plunging the kitchen into darkness.

    Returning to the living room, Lu Li ignored the single bed in the bedroom and chose to spend the night resting in the chair behind the desk.Perhaps it was his calm demeanor or the firm grip he had on the kitchen knife, but nothing unusual happened that night.

    The night passed without incident.

    ¡­

    The next morning, a little earlier than usual.

    A thin morning mist nketed every corner of Rodster Port. The sky remained overcast, the gloom lingering without lifting.

    Contrary to what one might expect, the morning here wasn¡¯t quiet or cold. Instead, it was lively and bustling.

    After a night of silence, the residents seemed eager to make up for the stillness of the past several hours. Smoke rose from the chimneys of rows of houses, dried fish hung from windows, workers preparing for their day exchanged farewells with their families, the distant sound of ship horns echoed from the harbor, and the smell of breakfast filled every cobblestone-paved street.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Lu Li.¡±

    ¡°Hello, great detective!¡±

    ¡°Why are your eyes ck?¡±

    As a new face on Sailors¡¯ Street, Lu Li was warmly weed by the residents, especially the children.

    Even though no one had ever seen Lu Li show any emotion.

    Lu Li nodded in response to the greetings and continued walking until he arrived at a carriage parked at the end of the street. He stepped aboard.

    The carriage wasn¡¯t an enclosed one but an open-top vehicle, more like a rickshaw.

    ¡°To the nearest church or an exorcist¡¯s agency.¡±

    ¡°Three shillings, sir,¡± the coachman, who had been squatting by the roadside eating a piece of ck bread, quickly stuffed the rest into his mouth and mumbled. ?

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Li leaned back in his seat, cing a ck bowler hat over his head and letting its shadow conceal his dark eyes.

    His ck hair and eyes were unique in this ce, and Lu Li preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.

    The coachman hopped aboard and urged the horse forward, leaving Sailors¡¯ Street behind.

    He swallowed the coarse, dry bread with difficulty, coughed lightly a few times, and turned his head to strike up a conversation. ¡°Did you encounter a ghost?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then I rmend visiting Mr. Hades¡¯ agency.¡±

    Only half of Lu Li¡¯s face was visible as he asked, ¡°Why not a church or another agency?¡±

    ¡°You must be from another town, right? Churches in Belfast stopped handling exorcisms a long time ago. Most exorcists have strange tempers or only serve the nobles. But Mr. Hades will help anyone, as long as they can pay.¡±

    It seemed everyone except Lu Li knew that ghosts existed in this world.

    After a short silence, Lu Li replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from somewhere else. This is my first time encountering a ghost.¡±

    ¡°Then your hometown must be a very safe ce.¡± The coachman¡¯s tone carried a hint of envy.

    ¡°Can you tell me more about ghosts?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, sir. I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    The coachman hesitated before shaking his head in refusal, just like the others Lu Li had asked before.

    ¡°Why? Is it because I¡¯ve been targeted by a ghost?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes. If we talk too much about it, it might change its target. Even if you aren¡¯t haunted yet, discussing it too often could still¡­¡±

    The coachman abruptly cut himself off.

    This seemed to exin why, after exorcising the ghost for the elderly couple, it hadtched onto Lu Li instead.

    With the topic dropped, the carriage fell into silence.

    The carriage continued down the street. The houses on the left side of the road disappeared, revealing a clear view of the surroundings.

    Turning his head, Lu Li looked out. Without the buildings blocking his sight, he could see the rooftops of the streets below and, further off, the harbor where sailboats and cruise liners were docked. Fishing boats that had already left the port dotted the dark sea.

    Unfortunately, there was no morning sun. What should have been a shimmering, glistening sea was instead gray and lifeless,pletely still.

    After staring at the harbor for a while, Lu Li withdrew his gaze, his face entirely hidden beneath the shadow of his hat brim.

    Ten minutester, the carriage stopped in front of a small two-story building with white walls.

    The street was quiet and clean, and the passersby were dressed modestly but neatly, a stark contrast to the noise and chaos of Sailors¡¯ Street.

    Lu Li handed the coachman three coins, then entered the building.

    As he pushed open the door, dim light and silence wrapped around him.

    The spacious first floor was scattered with round tables, and behind the counter at the far end, a figure was polishing an oilmp.

    Faint rays of light streamed through the windows, falling onto the wooden floor.

    If not for the sign outsidebeling it as a detective agency, the interior looked more like a tavern that wasn¡¯t yet open for business.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªtap¡ª

    The sound of leather boots against the floor echoed as Lu Li approached the counter.

    ¡°Do you have something you¡¯d like to entrust to me?¡± The slightly plump figure behind the counter put down the oilmp and cloth, shing a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s about a ghost.¡±

    Over the next few minutes, Lu Li briefly recounted the events of the previous night, omitting the part about his supposed identity as an exorcist.

    ¡°You handled it well. Fear feeds ghosts, making them stronger. This one is still weak and can¡¯t harm anyone yet. But if it absorbs more emotions, that might change.¡±

    The plump man, who resembled a waiter, grinned. In the dim light, something seemed to glimmer between his teeth as he extended his hand toward Lu Li. ¡°I¡¯m Hades, the exorcist you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Lu Li extended his hand, brushing it briefly against Hades¡¯. ¡°Before I hire you, I have a question. Is there any way to get rid of a ghost without an exorcist?¡±

    Hades¡¯ intrigued gaze fell on Lu Li. ¡°You want to deal with it yourself?¡±

    ¡°If possible, yes.¡± Removing his hat to clear his vision, Lu Li didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°You¡¯vee to the right person. Most exorcists would yell at you not to even think about it. But I happen to be one of the few who¡¯ll entertain the idea.¡± Hades crouched down and retrieved an object from beneath the counter, pping it onto the desk and sliding it toward Lu Li.

    It was a short flintlock pistol.

    Lu Li reached out to take it, but before his fingers could touch it, another hand mmed down on the pistol.

    Thud!

    Hades¡¯ hand covered the flintlock pistol, causing the counter to shake slightly. Grinning with a razor-sharp smile, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not free.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°2,300 shillings.¡±

    ¡°2,000.¡±

    ¡°Deal. Consider it a wee gift for a neer.¡±

    The transaction was settled in just a few sentences. Lu Li pulled out four 500-shilling notes and handed them to Hades. Thetter epted them with the same hand covering the pistol and began counting the money, over and over again.

    Lu Li picked up the flintlock pistol lying on the counter. A faint glow suddenly appeared in front of him.

    Lu Li nced briefly at Hades, who had lit the oilmp, then turned his attention back to the pistol.

    The flintlock¡¯s barrel was intricately engraved. Under the light, the carved roses seemed toe alive, slowly blooming. The streamlined design of the pistol was so elegant, it looked more like a work of art than a weapon.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°The Spirit Gun. Wooden handle, silver-ted barrel, the bestpanion for a novice exorcist. As its name suggests, it allows its wielder to sense ghosts and even hurt them.¡±

    Hades¡¯ deep voice echoed softly, his rows of golden teeth gleaming under the dim oilmp light, casting a mesmerizing glow.

    But in that moment, a chill crawled up Lu Li¡¯s spine.

    As soon as he picked up the flintlock pistol, the entire tavern seemed to fill with an oppressive, sinister malice. Every shadowed corner felt as if venomous eyes were watching him, and the previously empty seats were now faintly crowded with eerie figures.

    The glow of the oilmp and the light filtering through the window dimmed visibly, consumed by the encroaching darkness. An overwhelming abyssal shadow surged forward¡ª

    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t keep holding it.¡±

    Hades¡¯ abrupt voice snapped Lu Li out of the illusion.

    Lu Li¡¯s pupils tightened. He lifted his gaze and silently looked around. The me in the oilmp was steady and upright, the light from the window remained a soft haze, and the first-floor seating was still empty and vacant.

    ¡°Why,¡± Lu Li asked as he ced the flintlock pistol back on the counter, casting a shadow over it.¡°You already felt the reason,¡± Hades chuckled lightly, his toneced with mocking amusement.

    Lu Li paused briefly. ¡°¡­What was that?¡±

    ¡°The truth of this world.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s pupils narrowed into sharp pinpoints.

    Hades continued nonchntly, ¡°Or rather, the firstyer of truth.¡±

    Lu Li felt he was getting closer to understanding the true nature of this world. He pulled a high stool closer and sat down. ¡°Can you exin in detail?¡±

    ¡°Sure, just because you only bargained once,¡± Hades said, pocketing the shillings and dragging a chair over to sit as well. However, due to his short stature, he could only lean awkwardly against the counter. ¡°You¡¯re veryposed, sost night, when the ghost appeared, you probably noticed that once it vanished, you couldn¡¯t find it again. Am I right? That¡¯s because that ghost doesn¡¯t even exist in this world!¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s expression remained calm, and he said nothing.

    Hades, hoping to see shock on Lu Li¡¯s face, was disappointed and continued, ¡°While most ghosts originate from the dead, they belong to another world entirely. What manifests in our world is just their projection. That¡¯s also why we can¡¯t touch most ghosts.¡±

    ¡°The Spirit Gun is an exception. The runes engraved on it allow the wielder to enter the world where the malevolent spirits exist, enabling you to hurt their true form. Does that exnation make sense? Sorry, this is my first time exining it. No one¡¯s ever asked before.¡±

    ¡°More or less,¡± Lu Li nodded slightly.

    It was surprising that people in an industrial-revolution-era world already had a concept of dimensions.

    To Hades, however, Lu Li¡¯s response sounded dismissive, as if ¡°more or less¡± meant ¡°not really.¡± It left a sour taste in his mouth.

    Fidgeting, Hades adjusted his posture, considering how to better articte what he meant. His gazended on the kerosenemp nearby.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Look at thismp!¡± Hades grabbed the handle and ced the oilmp between them.

    ¡°Think of thempshade as the world where ghosts exist, and the me as the ghost itself,¡± Hades said as he adjusted themp¡¯s brightness, dimming the light on Lu Li¡¯s side until it was no longer illuminated. ¡°Now, the ghost is hidden in its world. You can¡¯t see it, and it can¡¯t see you.¡±

    As he spoke, Hades adjusted the brightness back to its original state.

    The flickering light cast shifting shadows across their faces. Hades continued, ¡°Now the ghost projects itself into our world. We can see it, and it can see us.¡±

    He ced his hand over thempshade.

    The uneven light filtered through his fingers, and Hades¡¯ face was full of smug satisfaction for solving the exnation. ¡°But because of the barrier, we can¡¯t hurt the ghost inside, though it can still affect us. The stronger the ghost, the stronger its projection. You can feel the heat if you touch the ss.¡±

    Lu Li said nothing and didn¡¯t reach out. He frowned slightly, absorbing the information in Hades¡¯ exnation.

    ¡°And when you pick up the Spirit Gun, it¡¯s like this¡ª¡± Hades abruptly removed thempshade, causing the me to flicker. He brought his hand closer to the exposed me, inch by inch. ¡°¡ªthe barrier between you and the ghost is gone. Now, you can hurt it, and it can hurt you.¡±

    ¡°But at the same time, the others in that world can now sense you as well.¡±

    Hades whispered, emphasizing the word others.

    ¡°Ah, damn, it¡¯s hot!¡± Hades suddenly yanked his hand back, shaking it quickly after the burn.

    Lu Li lowered his eyes, remaining silent.

    ¡°That¡¯s why being an exorcist is such a dangerous job, especially when you¡¯ve made up your mind to take down a particr ghost,¡± Hades said, covering themp again and moving it aside. He continued speaking to himself, ¡°It¡¯s even riskier than going out to sea. Statistics show that seventy-three percent of exorcists die because of ghosts.¡±

    ¡°And the other twenty-seven percent?¡± a voice asked from the side. It seemed Lu Li had finished processing all the information.

    ¡°They were taken by the Night Watchers,¡± Hades replied with a shrug.

    ¡°What are the Night Watchers?¡±

    ¡°Hey, buddy, the freebie from your one-time bargaining is over,¡± Hadesined, tapping the table with his fingers, annoyed at Lu Li¡¯s persistence.

    Lu Li shifted his gaze back to the Spirit Gun, its elegant yet dangerous aura radiating from the counter. ¡°How can I be sure it actually works?¡±

    ¡°Go test it. You¡¯ll find out. Assuming you survive if it doesn¡¯t,¡± Hades leaned forward, reaching over the counter to pat Lu Li on the shoulder. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work, feel free to return it, my friend.¡±

    ¡°What about the bullets?¡±

    Hades, as if expecting the question, pulled a silver-ted bullet engraved with runes from beneath the counter and ced it upright on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll throw in one for free. The rest you¡¯ll have to buy. You can get them from me or other exorcists.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Fifty shillings each.¡±

    ¡°Expensive.¡±

    Lu Li frowned slightly.

    A freshly baked three-pound loaf of ck bread cost just two shillings, and a full day of hardbor in Belfast earned only ten shillings.

    ¡°This is a breech-loading rifled flintlock. It doesn¡¯t use lead bullets or require gunpowder. Just load the bullet, cock the hammer, and pull the trigger. The silver-ted bullet will pierce anything¡ªman or ghost¡ªwithin fifty yards.¡±

    Hades rattled off a set of specs, clearly unbothered by the possibility of Lu Li turning down the price.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then fifty shillings is fair.¡±

    Lu Li nodded. Coming from Earth, he understood better than anyone else the value of faster reloading.

    ¡°So, how many bullets do you want?¡± Hades grinned, his golden teeth shining in his signature merchant-like smile.

    He seemed more like a vendor than an exorcist.

    Lu Li picked up the bullet. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell me more about this ce, I might be interested in buying more bullets from you¡ªand even bing a regr customer.¡±

    As expected, Hades looked intrigued.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

 Chapter 5

    ¡°What are the Night Watchers?¡±

    ¡°Ha, I knew you¡¯d ask that.¡± Hades had a look of certainty as he turned his back to Lu Li, tiptoeing to grab a square-shaped wine bottle from the top shelf of the liquor cab.

    He pulled out two wine sses from beneath the counter, gave the bottle a slight shake, and with a soft ¡°pop,¡± removed the cork.

    A dark red stream flowed gracefully into the sses, rippling slightly as it filled.

    ¡°Want some?¡± Hades tilted the bottle, gesturing toward Lu Li.

    ¡°If it¡¯s free.¡±

    ¡°Then forget it.¡±

    Hades capped the bottle, casually took away the empty ss in front of Lu Li, and sipped his drink while lightly shaking his head. ¡°The Night Watchers are like you and me¡ªthey deal with ghosts and other strange things. The only difference is, they¡¯re officially backed. If you gain some fameter on, they might try to recruit you.¡±

    ¡°Strange things?¡±Lu Li caught onto the unfamiliar term.

    ¡°Yeah, things even those frauds in the church can¡¯t exin. Their forms can be bizarre¡ªmaybe a building, maybe a creature, maybe even a story¡­ Basically, things that don¡¯t follow any logic. Shut up! Don¡¯t ask me more! I don¡¯t know how to describe it!¡±

    ¡°Are there many strange things?¡±

    ¡°Fewer than ghosts. Most ordinary people will only encounter one or two in their lifetime.¡±

    ¡°How do you deal with them?¡±

    ¡°Run. Run as far as you can. Don¡¯t even think about fighting them. That¡¯s absolutely beyond what we can handle. If you encounter one, contact the Night Watchers to deal with it.¡± Hades seemed to assume Lu Li intended to be an exorcist and didn¡¯t hold back on sharing some critical information. ¡°I know what you want to ask¡ªhow to recognize a strange thing, right? I don¡¯t know either. All I can tell you is, when you meet one, you¡¯ll know.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever encountered one?¡±

    ¡°Once. Barely escaped.¡±

    ¡°Can you talk about it?¡±

    Hades swirled his wine ss gently. ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know; it won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my business. Just tell me.¡± Lu Li¡¯s calm insistence didn¡¯t waver.

    ¡°And what if I told you that saying it aloud would cause trouble for me?¡±

    Lu Li fell silent.

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing topensate me for my loss, I might identally let something slip.¡± Hades emphasized the word identally and rubbed his fingers together in a clear gesture.

    He was practically demanding payment outright.

    Lu Li said nothing, his dark eyes quietly fixed on Hades. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡±

    ¡°Tch¡­¡± Hades made a sour face, annoyed that his ploy had failed.

    ¡°You said exorcists face more danger than sailors. Is going out to sea dangerous, too?¡± Lu Li doubted that Hades was talking about ordinary risks like weather or sharks.

    Hades froze mid-sip, his expression turning strange. ¡°You really don¡¯t know anything, do you?¡±

    As Lu Li started to speak, Hades raised a hand to stop him. ¡°Forget it. Keep whatever lie you¡¯ve prepared to yourself. I only care about your money, not where you¡¯re from or what you¡¯re here for.¡±

    So Lu Li returned to silent observation, quietly listening as Hades began to exin.

    ¡°If the world were a flower in full bloom, then that flower is now withering.¡±

    In this world, the oceans were dominant, with mostnd existing as inds.

    Belfast was located in the Duchy of Allen Penins. Thend had long been settled and developed by humans, but due to technological limitations, exploration of the oceans hadrgely been confined to coastal areas.

    Many explorers had attempted long voyages in search of new inds or continents, but few ever returned.

    The greatest discovery was made by the legendary explorer Ssivia Sim, who, three centuries ago, found a new continent: Ssim. Although named after him, people preferred to call it the ¡°Farnd¡± or the ¡°Land of Hope.¡±

    This was one of humanity¡¯s most significant discoveries in its maritime history, but for the next century, explorers could only find small inds or even coral reefs¡ªhardly significant.

    At that time, the farthest voyages reached only a few hundred nautical miles.

    Then, fifty years ago, the invention of the steam engine revolutionized sea travel. Boats were no longer at the mercy of sails, and humans were finally able to venture into the deeper parts of the ocean¡ª

    And they paid a steep price.

    Humanity lives on an ind called ¡°Ignorance¡± in the vast, dark sea. The ocean is boundless and full of mysteries, but we were never meant to sail too far or dive too deep.

    What happened back then remains unknown. All we know is that after those voyages, no one¡ªno individual or group¡ªdared to venture far fromnd or explore the deep seas again.

    But it didn¡¯t end there. Those early expeditions may have opened a Pandora¡¯s box of dangers. Over the past few decades, the oceans have be increasingly treacherous. Fog, strange phenomena, and underwater shadows are now frequently seen in the deep sea.

    And they are spreading toward thend.

    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you can find books about this in any library¡­ Oh, right. I forgot. Belfast¡¯s library burned down.¡± Hades shrugged, his expression showing a hint of satisfaction at someone else¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Coming to Belfast at this time was probably the worst decision you could¡¯ve made.¡±

    Lu Li mentally noted all the details and continued asking, ¡°What¡¯s in the darkness?¡±

    ¡°Thates at a price.¡± Hades raised an eyebrow, hinting at something.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep buying bullets from you in the future.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough. You¡¯ll need to offer a bit more.¡± Hades tapped the table.

    Lu Li shook his head slightly. ¡°Most of my money was spent on buying the Spirit Gun.¡±

    Hades¡¯ smile vanished, and his golden teeth no longer gleamed. He coldly dismissed Lu Li. ¡°Come back when you¡¯ve saved up a thousand shillings.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Do others know about these things?¡±

    ¡°No one would risk telling you these things. And even if they did, it wouldn¡¯t be for money.¡± Hades leaned forward, narrowing the distance between them. ¡°So, rookie exorcist, how many bullets are you nning to buy?¡±

    ¡°Ten,¡± Lu Li replied.

    ¡°Alright¡­ Wait, what did you say? Ten?! You actually¡ªno way! After everything I¡¯ve told you, you¡¯re buying at least twenty!¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Only then did Hades¡¯ expression soften. As he retrieved the bullets for Lu Li, he asked, ¡°I¡¯ve got a question too.¡±

    Before Lu Li could agree or refuse, Hades cut in, ¡°Why do you want to know all this? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s just out of curiosity.¡±

    ¡°¡­To go home,¡± Lu Li said after a brief pause.

    To return, Lu Li first needed to know where he was and why he had ended up here.

    Hades misunderstood, assuming Lu Li had somehow ended up stranded in this ce. He took out a box of bullets, pushed it in front of Lu Li, and said with a trace of sympathy in his eyes, ¡°Here¡¯s a free piece of advice. You must remember this.¡±

    ¡°Stay where there¡¯s light?¡±

    ¡°No, another one.¡±

    For the first time, Hades¡¯ expression turned serious. He leaned in and whispered slowly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever try to learn too much. The more you know, the faster you¡¯ll die.¡±

 Chapter 6

    Leaving the dim and quiet tav¡ªdetective agency, the cobblestone street stretched out before him, and the bustling passersby helped dispel the heavy feeling lingering inside.

    Though the sky was still veiled in ayer of unshakable fog.

    Lu Li adjusted his hat, his calm ck eyes, hidden under its shadow, scanning the sides of the street.

    There wasn¡¯t a single bright orange-painted carriage in sight.

    Abandoning the idea of taking a carriage back, Lu Li identified the direction he hade from, pressed the brim of his hat lower, and stepped forward, blending into the crowd as just another passerby.

    Most of the men wore ck waistcoats over their shirts, with clothing predominantly in shades of ck and gray. Some, seeking to disy their status and wealth, wore polished leather shoes and carried walking canes. The suspendersmonly seen on Sailors¡¯ Street were almost nonexistent here¡ªclothing marked social ss, and onlyborers and manual workers would wear something practical like suspenders, which were easy to clean and less likely to slip off.

    The women wore brightly coloredce dresses, their hems nearly brushing the ground. Theyered folds made the skirts re out in volume. To match the men¡¯s shoes and canes, the women drapedce veils over their faces and donned wide-brimmed feathered hats so extravagant they made the streets feel crowded. They also wore expensive perfumes.

    Most of the carriages passing by were enclosed, but asionally, a steam-powered automobile with a peculiar design would rumble down the street, venting steam.

    The houses along the street were two to three stories high, painted in vibrant or dark colors, with either pointed or rounded roofs.Everything carried a distinct Victorian aesthetic¡ª

    In the distance, a beggar was being shoved and driven away by a patrolling policeman.

    ¡ªand a touch of ignorance.

    There was no doubt that the street where Hades¡¯ agency was located was one of Belfast¡¯s neighborhoods of upper-ss residents. Most who lived here were merchants, doctors,wyers, government officials, or fallen nobles¡ªand, of course, a certain exorcist who valued money above all else.

    Lu Li¡¯s calm gaze swept across his surroundings as he recalled the conversation he¡¯d had with Hades before leaving.

    ¡°How should I carry it?¡±

    Lu Li hadn¡¯t touched the flintlock pistol, which was so exquisite it could be mistaken for a piece of art. He epted the box, where 20 silver-ted bullets engraved with runes were neatly ced in a 4¡Á5 arrangement. Including theplimentary one, there were a total of 21 bullets.

    ¡°Carry it like this.¡± Hades pulled a leather holster from beneath his seemingly all-inclusive counter and tossed it to Lu Li. ¡°Slide the gun into the holster, and you won¡¯t have to face those damned things anymore.¡±

    Lu Li didn¡¯t bother asking pointless questions like, ¡°Would you have given me the holster if I hadn¡¯t asked?¡± Instead, he silently adjusted the holster, slid the flintlock into it, and tucked it into the inner pocket of his coat.

    His hand only made contact with the gun for a few seconds, but even so, that brief interaction with the object affected him, filling him with a faint sense of heaviness and gloom.

    ¡°A friendly reminder¡ªdon¡¯t use it too much.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes focused on Hades. ¡°Why.¡±

    ¡°As I said before, to extinguish the me in themp, you first have to break through thempshade. But when you ce yourself in the same space as them, you essentially be one of them. When you stare into the abyss, the abyss also stares back at you.¡±

    ¡°So the more I use it, the closer I¡¯ll get to bing like a ghost?¡±

    ¡°Worse than that. You¡¯ll still be alive, but you¡¯ll carry so much of their world¡¯s aura that even without the Spirit Gun, you¡¯ll remain in that space permanently¡ªa living human trapped in the ghost world. Tsk, tsk. And that¡¯s not even the worst part. The truly terrifying thing is, you won¡¯t be able to avoid them.¡±

    Lu Li stopped at a newsstand by the street. Behind the stand, an elderly man with graying hair and a ck waistcoat greeted him politely, ¡°What can I get you, sir?¡±

    ¡°A newspaper.¡±

    ¡°Would you like the local Belfast edition?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.¡±

    The old man turned to retrieve the paper, and Lu Li stood straight, waiting in front of the stand.

    ¡°Besides the Spirit Gun, is there any other way to deal with ghosts?¡± Lu Li asked. After a moment of thought, he added, ¡°A method with no side effects.¡±

    ¡°Of course there is.¡±

    The familiar glint of Hades¡¯ golden teeth reappeared in his mind. ¡°You could hire Exorcist Hades. Other than shillings, you won¡¯t lose anything.¡±

    ¡°How much does it cost?¡±

    ¡°It depends on the ghost¡¯s strength. If it¡¯s just an ordinary ghost, it¡¯s 300 shillings.¡±

    ¡°Strength? Ghosts have levels?¡±

    ¡°Humans have the poor, themoners, and the nobles. Why wouldn¡¯t ghosts have their own hierarchy?¡±

    Hades scoffed, mocking Lu Li¡¯s naivety.

    ¡°This one¡¯s on the house: Ghosts are ssified into three levels of strength¡ªGhosts, Vengeful Spirits, and Evil Spirits. However, most people just refer to them all as ghosts.¡±

    ¡°Why did you say, ¡®The more you know, the faster you¡¯ll die?¡¯ This is myst question.¡±

    Noticing signs that Hades was eager to send him off, Lu Li asked his final question.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your paper, sir. That¡¯ll be one shilling,¡± the elderly man said, handing over a pristine, neatly folded newspaper.

    Lu Li handed over a coin, unfolded the paper, and the smell of fresh ink wafted up.

    [The Parliament of the Duchy of Allen Penins has passed the ¡°Wine Act¡± with 8 votes in favor, 3 against, and 1 abstention. The act limits the nting area for grapes, disallowing any increase from the previous year in order to preserve farnd.]

    [A Baron¡¯s Scandal! Last night, Baron Joshua hosted dozens of young men for a wild all-night party in his manor garden¡ª]

    [Councilman Oliver proposes increasing daily working hours from 10 to 12 without raising wages. The proposal has sparked criticism from other councilmembers¡ª]

    Hades¡¯ final two sentences echoed in Lu Li¡¯s mind.

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand. Time will give you the answers.¡± And, ¡°If you want to ask more questions, make sure to bring money next time! If you take too long, I¡¯ll raise my prices!¡±

    Skimming through a few headlines, Lu Li folded the newspaper and asked the elderly vendor, ¡°Do you have papers from a few days ago?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday¡¯s is sold out, but I have issues from the past seven days, except for the day before yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Give me one.¡±

    Lu Li searched his pocket but couldn¡¯t find a five-shilling coin, so he handed over a ten-shilling note instead.

    At that moment, amotion erupted from the corner of the street.

    A group of sandy boys came running from around the corner, shouting as they ran.

    ¡°The Rodder had an ident!¡±

    ¡°A fishing boat ran into something weird! It¡¯s at the harbor now!¡±

    ¡°Several people are dead!¡±

    The three shouting boys ran past Lu Li, bringing with them a gust of damp sea breeze.

    People on the street, shopkeepers and passersby alike, exchanged uneasy nces. Panic began to spread, first visible in the hurried steps of the crowd, and soon in the disorder overtaking the previously orderly street.

    The idle patrol officers snapped out of their daze and shouted as they gave chase to the boys.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your newspaper and change, sir.¡±

    Lu Li epted the small stack of papers and coins, then asked, ¡°How long does it take to walk to the harbor from here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about twenty minutes. A carriage would be faster, sir, if you¡¯d like¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Lu Li nodded politely, cutting off the old man mid-sentence. Without waiting any longer, he turned and headed toward the harbor.

 Chapter 7

    Rodster Port, once one of the most renowned harbors on the Allen Penins.

    The steam-powered battleship Azazel, built andunched here, was once seen as the backbone of human civilization¡ªback when humanity¡¯s backbone had not yet been broken.

    That fateful expedition not only brought disaster to the entire world but also caused the battleship to vanish, never returning from the depths of the sea to the embrace of human civilization.

    From that point on, humanity abandoned its exploration of the ocean, confining its activities to the coastal waters near home. The once-bustling scenes of fishing boats filling the nearshore waters can now only be glimpsed in the pages of history.

    Despite the copse of the maritime industry, Rodster Port remains one of the major harbors on the Allen Penins.

    The coastline stretches into a crescent-shaped bay, with Rodster Port nestled at its heart.

    Belfast is built upon low hills, its streets and housesyered in a terraced arrangement that stretches from the mountaintop to the hillside, and from there to the foot of the mountain.

    Throat Street, the closest street in Belfast to the coastline.

    Lu Li stood by the railings, removing his hat.The sea breeze rushed past, carrying a faint salty smell mixed with the mor carried by the wind.

    Lu Li arrived at just the right time.

    The fishing boat named Rodder was easy to spot. It was docked at the edge of the harbor, with the surrounding fishing boats retreating to other areas as if avoiding a gue.

    By the railings, a crowd of onlookers, much like Lu Li, had gathered to watch the scene. Curious children were quickly carried home by their frightened mothers.

    Several police officers had arrived at the harbor to maintain order, but they clearly didn¡¯t know how to handle such a situation. All they could do was disperse the idle crowd and instruct the crew of the Rodder to stay put.

    The noise carried by the sea breeze was too jumbled to make sense of, and the tiny, pea-sized figures of the crew made it impossible to discern their current state. Lu Li could only focus on the docked Rodder.

    The Rodder was a three-masted sailing ship, about fifty meters in length. After the disaster that marked the end of deep-sea fishing, these medium-sized, non-powered vessels were used for nearshore fishing. Their instability and slow speed made them unsuitable for venturing into the deep sea, where returning before nightfall was a necessity.

    Once night fell, the dangers in the ocean were far more terrifying than those onnd¡ªeven light would be of no help.

    The Rodder showed no visible damage or abnormalitiespared to other vessels. Under Lu Li¡¯s prolonged gaze, there were no low murmurs or strange illusions that arose.

    Everything appeared normal.

    The number of spectators by the shore continued to grow. While many were afraid of such things, just as many were curious¡ªespecially the fearless youth.

    Amid the noise and chatter, amotion arose at the other end of the street.

    Two steam-powered vehicles drove into Throat Street, the crowd parting for them as they made their way to the wooden bridge leading to the harbor.

    Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, the two vehicles stopped in front of the harbor. Several doors opened, and ck leather boots stepped out onto the ground.

    The group that emerged was sleek and mysterious, d in matching ck uniforms with armbands featuring a fully open eye. At the sight of them, Lu Li couldn¡¯t help but connect them to the ¡°Night Watchers¡± Hades had mentioned. ?

    After stepping out, they made their way toward the harbor. One figure stopped in ce, suddenly turning to scan the crowd on Throat Street.

    That pair of scrutinizing eyes swept over the crowd, pausing briefly on Lu Li before pulling away and following the rest of the group.

    ¡°Are those cops idiots? Getting so close to the ship!¡± Matthew walked briskly at the front of the group, practically charging ahead, eager to kick away the reckless officers.

    ¡°They¡¯re just civilians. It¡¯s normal that they don¡¯t know better,¡± Joel turned his head and called to the figuregging behind. ¡°Boss, could you walk any slower?¡±

    ¡°No rush,¡± Pulis replied, catching up to the group at a steady pace. He began issuing orders. ¡°Team One, board the ship. Team Two, assist the police in evacuating the workers¡ªmake sure they stay far from the crew and the boat. Then, support Team One.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The reply was scattered and disorganized as seven team members dispersed to carry out their tasks.

    Pulis stayed where he was, quietly waiting for his subordinates to report back with their findings.

    A few minutester, Matthew poked her head out from the Rodder¡¯s deck, her ponytail hanging down as she waved and shouted, ¡°Boss! We¡¯ve found contaminants! This ship definitely ran into trouble.¡±

    Pulis looked up. ¡°Do you know which type?¡±

    ¡°Some of the crew said a fog drifted over the sea while they were sailing, and then those things showed up.¡±

    ¡°Fog¡­¡± Pulis murmured softly before nodding. ¡°Understood. Bring the entire crew back for quarantine and observation. Tow that thing and the Rodder to the sea burial site and sink them. Keep an eye on the workers¡ªdon¡¯t let them pocket anything.¡±

    ¡°Got it! We won¡¯t make the same mistake twice!¡± Matthewughed loudly in response.

    Pulis didn¡¯tugh. A vague sense of unease lingered in his mind.

    Something urred to him, and he called up to the ship, ¡°Ask the crew where they encountered the fog.¡±

    The current time was 10 a.m. The Rodder couldn¡¯t have spent the night in the deep sea, which meant they must have set sail at dawn¡­ and it had only been five hours since then.

    Five hours. Factoring in the return trip, how far could they have gone?

    Matthew seemed to realize this as well; her face turned pale, and her head disappeared from the edge of the deck. A few secondster, her loud shouting could be heard, followed by her reappearance.

    ¡°They said it was 35 nautical miles from the harbor!¡± Matthew¡¯s expression turned grim. A ne slipped out from her shirt, swaying in midair. ¡°Damn it, those cursed things are getting closer to the coastline!¡±

    Thirty-five nautical miles¡ªright on the edge of the nearshore waters, dangerously close to home.

    Pulis fell silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Go tell Joel toe here.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Matthew responded and disappeared again. Not long after, Joel appeared at the edge of the deck.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Matthew?¡± Pulis frowned.

    ¡°She called me over and then went searching for contaminants herself.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Pulis let out a barely audible sigh, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Go bring Matthew back. Youe down too.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Unlike the brash and impulsive Matthew, Joel was far more rational. He nodded and walked away. A momentter, Matthew¡¯s sharp voice echoed from the deck.

    ¡°Anything else, boss?!¡±

    ¡°No other boats have reported issues. This might just be a one-off encounter. But just in case¡ªJoel, stay here to wrap things up. Matthew, you¡¯reing with me back to the station to see the chief.¡±

    By the time Matthew ran down, Pulis and she left the harbor, heading toward the steam-powered vehicle parked in front of the docks.

    The crowd on Throat Street had not yet dispersed. For some reason, a pair of calm, pitch-ck eyes surfaced in Pulis¡¯ mind. He instinctively nced toward a certain spot beyond the railings.

    Faintly, a tall figure wearing a bowler hat disappeared into the crowd.

    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Matthew asked curiously.

    Pulis withdrew his gaze and shook his head lightly.

    ¡°Nothing, just spotted an unfamiliar face.¡±

 Chapter 8

    Click.

    Closing the door, Lu Li took off his hat and hung it on the rack by the door.

    The noise from the street was shut out, leaving the quiet detective agency shrouded in a veil of faint, hazy stillness.

    Both the ocean and the Night Watchers were things far too distant for Lu Li to involve himself in. After gathering some basic information, he had turned away and left.

    Limited light spilled into the agency from the window, even though it was daytime.

    But Lu Li didn¡¯t mind. This was only a temporary residence; sooner orter, he would find a new ce to live.

    It wasn¡¯t just because Sailors¡¯ Street had no electricity, but also because of the view. After learning from Hades about the dangers of the deep sea, Lu Li couldn¡¯t help but adopt a sense of vignce toward the ocean. A ce where he could directly overlook the harbor had be a necessity.

    Sitting back in the chair behind the desk, Lu Li loosened his tie and pulled out a piece of paper from the drawer, tucked between the pages of a book.

    A line of text was written on it:[Important: Understand where I am.]

    Lu Li picked up the pen on the desk, added more to the line, and wrote a new section below it.

    [Important: Understand where I am (Completed)¡ªSave 1,000 shillings and trade with Hades for more information.]

    [Important: Resolve the ghost haunting me.]

    [Secondary: Find a new ce to live.]

    This was a habit of Lu Li¡¯s¡ªsummarizing his current tasks into a list. Each time hepleted one, he would record it and then extend the list further.

    This method allowed Lu Li to clearly see what he was doing, what he needed to do, and what he should do next.

    The second and fourth points ovepped to some extent, as both required saving money.

    But the fact that Lu Li had marked the second point as ¡°important¡± meant it had a higher priority.

    Lu Li wasn¡¯t worried that Hades might deceive him or suddenly raise his prices. Information like this¡ªtrade secrets within their line of work¡ªwas rarely shared by exorcists, especially since disclosing it mighte with its own risks.

    From every angle, Hades seemed like a very suitable partner¡ªaside from being overly greedy.

    After finishing his notes, Lu Li read through them a few times. Seeing no further need for additions, he put down the pen and waited for the ink to dry before tucking the paper back into the book and returning it to the drawer.

    Once he had done all this, Lu Li stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and walked into the kitchen. The sound of running water echoed for several dozen seconds before the room fell silent again.

    When Lu Li emerged from the kitchen, droplets of water slid down his sharp, defined face, clinging to his chin before trembling and falling.

    It was still early morning, with a long time to go before nightfall. After some thought, Lu Li picked up the phone and slowly turned the rotary dial to ce a call.

    Beep¡ª

    After a long wait, the phone was finally answered. A loud, sharp voice came through the receiver: ¡°This is Madame v¡¯s Apartments. Who are you looking for?¡±

    Just from the voice alone, one could almost picture a barrel-shaped woman in a nightgown, one hand on her hip as she took the call.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Oliver.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with that brat? Do you know he owes me two weeks¡¯ rent! If you don¡¯t want him kicked out onto the street, you¡¯d better¡ª¡± The woman on the other end began ranting non-stop.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t interrupt, quietly waiting for her to finish. When she finally paused, he calmly said, ¡°Then please hand the phone to him. I¡¯ll talk to him about it. Also, there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll try to avoid you by not opening the door. You can tell him his new boss is looking for him.¡±

    The woman opened her mouth but suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say. With an irritated grunt, she left the phone hanging and stomped upstairs in her slippers.

    Lu Li could hear the sound of her footsteps fading into the distance. Eventually, it disappeared entirely. Faintly, he thought he heard the sound of pounding on a door. He listened closely, but the noise didn¡¯te again.

    ¡­

    ¡°Oliver! You bastard! I know you¡¯re in there! Stop hiding and pretending you¡¯re not home! You owe me two weeks of rent!¡±

    Bang bang bang bang bang!

    ¡°Oliver! Get out here right now!¡±

    The door shook under the force of her pounding, causing dust to fall from the frame. Tenants in nearby rooms peeked out through cracked doors, nervously watching the enraged lioness rampaging in the hallway.

    As the door was her property, Madame v, despite her anger, couldn¡¯t actually break it down. When her efforts yielded no results, she snorted in frustration. Recalling the man¡¯s words on the phone, she decided to give it a try.

    ¡°Oliver, there¡¯s a man who called himself your new boss. He says he has something important to discuss with you.¡±

    Madame v pressed her ear to the door. Faintly, there seemed to be some movement inside, but no one came out.

    Drawing out her words, she said, ¡°Alright then, it looks like our little Oliver isn¡¯t home. I guess I¡¯ll just have to tell his new boss that his employee has decided to qui¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    A sudden exmation came from behind the door, followed by hurried footsteps. The door swung open.

    ¡°Hang on, Madame v¡ª¡±

    The voice abruptly cut off. A scrawny figure, barely reaching Madame v¡¯s chest, was shoved back inside with one hand. What followed was a scream so chilling it made the other tenants recoil in fear.

    After a noisy scuffle, Oliver reappeared, his brown hair sticking up like a bird¡¯s nest, a bruise forming around one eye, and one shoe missing. Limping forward, he led the way downstairs.

    Behind him, Madame v cracked her knuckles, her wrists as thick as Oliver¡¯s thighs.

    Once on the first floor, Oliver grabbed the phone and, as if by reflex, began to wail, ¡°Boss, are you trying to get me killed¡­?¡±

    ¡°Or were you nning to hide forever? She¡¯s a good woman, the kind who lets her tenants dy rent for two weeks,¡± Lu Li¡¯s voice came calmly through the receiver.

    Lu Li was well aware of how chaotic things were in an early industrial society, where capitalism was just beginning to take root.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Standing nearby with her arms crossed, Madame v snorted, a puff of warm air escaping her nose. She thought to herself, Finally, someone understands the kindness in my heart.

    Oliver was at a loss for words. Instead, he asked, ¡°So what do you need from me, boss?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any new cases?¡±

    ¡°There are quite a few. Are you still looking for well-off clients? I think I remember a few names.¡± Surprised that his new boss was interested in wealthy clients, Oliver hesitated briefly before listing some cases he¡¯d jotted down mentally.

    One of them involved a child possessed by a ghost.

    ¡°Possessed¡­¡±

    Lu Li murmured the word, his fingers lightly tapping on the desk.

    He had initially nned to take on cases like the ¡°marbles rolling¡± incident that didn¡¯t actually involve ghosts, allowing him to earn amission with no risk. However, such cases typically came with low pay, whereas higher-paying cases often had a higher chance of being genuine hauntings.

    The tapping of his fingers stopped. Lu Li decided to give it a try.

    If it turned out to be a real ghost, he could always leave before ittched onto him.

    After arranging to meet Oliver near the client¡¯s home, Lu Li hung up.

    ¡°What¡¯s your new boss¡¯s name?¡± A heavy voice sounded above Oliver.

    ¡°Lu Li. His name is Lu Li,¡± Oliver blurted without hesitation, throwing his boss under the bus.

    ¡°Is he good-looking?¡±

    Oliver¡¯s small frame shuddered. Guessing where this was going, he dryly replied, ¡°I assure you, there¡¯s no man in all of Belfast more unique than him.¡±

    Madame v¡¯s eyes began to glow faintly green with an eerie light.

 Chapter 9

    Oliver, a native of Belfast. Like most orphans, he had only a first name and no surname. Like most residents, he had never left the ce where he was born.

    Not because it was his home¡ªhe was an orphan, and the idea of ¡°home¡± was a distant, unattainable concept for him.

    ¡°Alright, maybe it is because of home. I have a sister¡­ uh, not by blood. I picked her up from a trash bin. In fact, just a few days before I found her, I¡¯d decided to try my luck out there in the wider world.¡±

    This was Oliver¡¯s response when questioned by Lu Li on the day they met.

    Lu Li knew Oliver was pulling a sob story, trying to elicit sympathy to get hired. Oliver imed he had just turned 20 and that his sister still had four years until adulthood.

    This meant that Oliver had found her when he was only four.

    A four-year-old nning to venture out into the world.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t expose Oliver¡¯s harmless lie. He simply listened silently as Oliver recounted his background.

    Regardless of whether Oliver had really wanted to leave Belfast to explore the outside world, he stayed. He took on the responsibilities of an older brother, caring for the sister he had found.Oliver briefly summarized the struggles he and his sister faced growing up. His words were concise but carried enough weight to move the listener¡ªclearly, he¡¯d told this story many times before.

    Because of years of irregr meals, Oliver was small and thin, standing just over 160 cm. He had spent a long time as a gang member, earning the nickname ¡°Skinny Monkey¡± during that period.

    As expected.

    Oliver spent several years working under the gang¡¯s boss. But after realizing he would never make it as a leader¡ªor even a minor boss¡ªhe snuck away, determined not to let his sister follow in his footsteps.

    No one wants to stay at the bottom¡ªexcept for those who were born at the top.

    Oliver decided to send his sister to school. Taking a significant risk, he managed to scrape together enough money to pay her tuition, sessfully enrolling her in a school in Belfast.

    Of course, tuition wasn¡¯t a one-time thing, and his sister¡¯s food, clothing, and other needs also required funds. Until this little sapling grew into a towering tree capable of sheltering her older brother, Oliver would have to keep supporting her.

    Oliver did any job he could find¡ªfishing, manualbor, gang work, begging, pickpocketing, and even selling himself twice. He didn¡¯t go into detail, but his face showed clear regret as he insisted he would never do it again. The second time, in particr, left him with a deep psychological scar¡ªunless, he joked weakly, he could choose his clients next time.

    Three days ago, relying on hiswork of contacts, Oliver learned about a new detective agency on Sailors¡¯ Street. Uninvited, he showed up at the door, enthusiastically promoting his skills and iming he was well-connected. He even boasted that, if Lu Li wanted, he could find out what color Baron Joshua¡¯s underwear was that day.

    Lu Li had no interest in the baron¡¯s underwear, but he was very interested in learning about the world he had found himself in¡ªand why people insisted on staying in the light after dark.

    ¡°Can you exin in detail?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Please close the door on your way out.¡±

    ¡°Wait! My sister is really beautiful!¡± Oliver pleaded loudly,unching into a heartfelt exnation of how difficult it was to care for her.

    Lu Li decided to give him a chance.

    There was no formalbor contract. Rather than calling it employment, their rtionship was more of a transaction.

    Oliver helped Lu Li find cases, and Oliver would receive ten percent of the earnings frompletedmissions. Additionally, if Lu Li needed to look into something or investigate someone, he would pay Oliver a separate fee. ??

    Judging from the past few days, Oliver was doing a decent job.

    What Lu Li didn¡¯t know was that Oliver was working at a loss.

    On the first day of Lu Li¡¯s arrival in this world, he first determined where he was, then dismantled his phone and sold it to collectors. The proceeds were used to secure a house, an identity, and some money. Once he had established his direction, he set up a detective agency, giving himself a legitimate excuse to investigate. All of this was aplished in just one morning. By noon, Oliver showed up, and the two struck a deal. Oliver then left to find cases.

    Today marked the fourth day. In that time, Oliver had run around making use of his connections to secure fifteen cases. Lu Li hadpleted four, earning 30 shillings¡ªalthough one client was too poor to afford themission, so Lu Li waived the fee.

    At first nce, it didn¡¯t seem too bad¡ªroughly on par with the daily wages of a worker putting in 10-hour shifts.

    But Oliver¡¯s earnings amounted to just 3 shillings.

    Three shillings in four days. Even begging would have earned him more. The reason Oliver continued was simple: investment.

    Oliver had met countless people¡ªvagrants, sailors, nobles, professors, and even the near-extinct bards. He¡¯d even boast that he knew half the residents of Rodster Port by name. But he had never encountered anyone with eyes the color of the deep sea.

    He believed Lu Li was destined to be someone extraordinary.

    So Oliver was determined to do everything in his power to prove his value to Lu Li.

    ¡°Is this why you¡¯re dressed like that?¡±

    The agreed-upon meeting spot. Lu Li frowned slightly.

    In front of him, Oliver was heavily made up and wearing a dress he¡¯d probably stolen from somewhere. Surprisingly, it fit him well. But it looked far too strange¡ªOliver¡¯s dark, rough skin made him resemble a monkey ying dress-up in human clothing.

    ¡°As an informant, it¡¯s necessary to have many identities,¡± Oliver said with a delicateugh, covering his mouth.

    ¡°Or you just enjoy crossdressing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so mean~!¡± Oliver stomped lightly, pretending to pout.

    The pedestrians on the street scattered, keeping their distance.

    ¡°Tell me about the client,¡± Lu Li said calmly, unwilling to waste more time discussing Oliver¡¯s attire.

    In an exaggeratedly sweet voice, Oliver said, ¡°The client¡¯s name is Braaadley Tolkin~!¡±

    ¡°Speak normally.¡±

    ¡°The client¡¯s name is Bradley Tolkin,¡± Oliver returned to his usual tone, reporting the details to Lu Li. ¡°Tolkin is the second mate on a fishing boat. A few days ago, his youngest son suddenly stopped eating and began muttering to himself all day. Tolkin consulted other exorcists, who concluded that the child might be possessed by a ghost. But their fees were too high, so Tolkin is still hesitating. If yourmission fee doesn¡¯t exceed 300 shillings, there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll hire you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion?¡± Lu Li asked. Based on just a few sentences, he couldn¡¯t determine whether this was a supernatural case or a simple illness.

    Oliver adjusted the slipping strap of his dress. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not going in there.¡±

    38 Ward Street, Bradley Tolkin¡¯s residence. Tolkin was visibly pleased by Lu Li¡¯s arrival¡ªnot just because it meant his son might be saved, but also because it could save him a significant amount of money.

    With a mix of enthusiasm and worry, Tolkin led Lu Li to his son¡¯s room and opened the door.

    A malevolent aura filled the air, and faint whispers echoed in every corner of the room.

    On the bed, Tolkin¡¯s youngest son, Henry,y pale and motionless, his cold gaze locking onto Lu Li.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Without a second thought, Lu Li turned and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°Exorcist! Exorcist, please¡ª¡±

    Tolkin shouted loudly, chasing after Lu Li and blocking his way in the living room.

    ¡°400 shillings! Please, you must save my son.¡±

    Lu Li stopped in his tracks, his expression serious. ¡°Mr. Tolkin, the ghost possessing Henry is far too strong for me to handle. I rmend hiring a more experienced exorcist.¡±

    Tolkin pleaded desperately, ¡°But I don¡¯t have that much money¡­ 500 shillings! I¡¯ll give you 500 shillings, just please save Henry¡­¡±

    Lu Li had no intention of taking unnecessary risks. He moved to walk around Tolkin and leave. However, just then, a strange feeling of being watched crept into his mind. He turned his head instinctively.

    At the end of the hallway, near Henry¡¯s room, a shadow slipped back behind the door, its edge disappearing.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s thoughts stirred.¡°Exorcist?¡± Tolkin¡¯s voice was filled with hope, thinking Lu Li had changed his mind.

    And he had. Lu Li hesitated briefly before speaking. ¡°I can give it a try, but I can¡¯t guarantee it will work.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Apanied by Tolkin, Lu Li made his way back to Henry¡¯s room.

    The figure lying on the bed remainedpletely motionless, as if the shadow Lu Li had seen earlier was just an illusion. Henry¡¯s pale lips moved faintly, as if muttering something, blending with the whispers that echoed in the room.

    ¡°Henry¡­ Henry¡­¡± Tolkin called softly to his son, but Henry gave no response. His lifeless eyes stared nkly at the ceiling.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t rush into the room. He stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over every corner.

    He quickly located the source of the whispers. The low, prayer-like murmurs were emanating from a cab at the foot of the bed.

    Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Lu Li stepped cautiously into the room under Tolkin¡¯s worried gaze.

    Approaching the cab at the foot of the bed, Lu Li split his attention¡ªpart of it focused on the figure lying on the bed, part on the cab where the whispers originated, and part on the curtained window.

    If anything supernatural happened, Lu Li was ready to jump out of the window without hesitation.

    Yet, even as Lu Li reached the cab, Henry showed no signs of reacting to the ¡°intruder.¡±

    The whispers grew clearer as Lu Li knelt down. Suddenly, the sound became much louder, almost as if it were echoing directly in his ears.

    Inside the depths of the cab, something was covered with a piece of linen. That was where the sound wasing from. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Lu Li reached in and pulled up a corner of the cloth.

    The item beneath was revealed, and the whispers in his ears were like voices emanating from a dark forest, radiating an unsettling and malevolent energy.

    The object had ck, strand-like shapes at its top, resembling some kind of unknown creature¡¯s tendrils. Its sharp, dark-brown surface spread out grotesquely, with a deep, abyssal crack running through its center, exuding an air of dread.

    It was a tube radio, currently broadcasting.

    The channel was tuned to the Kelsas Cathedral station, which broadcasted daily masses and prayers at noon.

    So that¡¯s what it was¡­

    Lu Li let the cloth fall back into ce, covering the radio again. Then, he stood and opened the cab drawer.

    Inside, a stack of envelopesy quietly.

    ¡°Exorcist?¡± Tolkin asked in a lowered voice from the doorway, clearly confused by Lu Li¡¯s actions.

    ¡°I need to understand why Henry is possessed by a ghost. Was it through some medium, or was it a direct possession?¡±

    Lu Li picked up the stack of envelopes, his gaze drifting to the bed.

    A pair of eyes was watching him silently from the bed.

    ¡°Mr. Tolkin, has Henry shown any unusual behavior recently? For example¡­¡± Lu Li casually opened one of the envelopes and unfolded the letter inside. The handwriting was elegant, and Henry¡¯s name appeared in the midst of confessions of affection.

    ¡°¡­being overly involved with someone of the opposite sex?¡±

    Tolkin froze for a moment as if something hade to mind, but before he could speak, a hysterical, maniacalugh suddenly erupted in the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re all going to die! Hahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!¡±

    Henry cackled sharply, his eyes rolling back to reveal ghastly whites. His body convulsed on the bed like someone in the throes of epilepsy.

    ¡°Exorcist! My son¡­ my son!¡± Tolkin cried out in shock, pleading with Lu Li.

    ¡°I see it.¡± Lu Li closed the drawer but kept the stack of envelopes in hand. He spoke calmly toward the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to start the exorcism now, Mr. Tolkin. Please wait in the living room.¡±

    With visible worry, Tolkin closed the door and left. Lu Li stood still for several seconds, waiting for Henry¡¯s convulsions to subside before speaking.

    ¡°Alright. Tell me. Why are you pretending to be possessed?¡±

    The room fell silent.

    ¡°Hehehehehe¡­ You will die! All of you will die!¡± Henry screamed, his mouth twisted into a grin.

    Crash¡ª

    A stack of envelopes was thrown by Lu Li,nding on Henry. One of them smacked him right in the face.

    ¡°Is it because Tolkin disapproves of your rtionship with Evelyn?¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s casual question froze Henry in ce. After a few seconds of silence, Henry removed the envelope from his face with a dazed expression. ¡°How¡­ how did you know?¡±

    ¡°Tell me everything. Maybe I¡¯ll be convinced not to tell your father.¡±

    The once-wild and menacing Henry now resembled a timid young boy. Hesitating, he exined the situation to Lu Li.

    Henry had met Evelyn by the sea. Like many young men and women, they were drawn to each other and quickly fell in love. But trouble soon followed. Before Henry could tell his father about his girlfriend, his father announced an arranged marriage for him.

    Of course, Henry refused. But Tolkin was a domineering figure in the household, and as the youngest son, Henry had no say in the matter. After discussing it with Evelyn, he decided to fake being possessed by a ghost.

    ¡°Why pretend to be possessed?¡± Lu Li asked.

    ¡°That way, my fianc¨¦e might be scared and cancel the engagement¡­¡±

    ¡°And the result?¡±

    ¡°I seeded!¡± A hint of joy appeared on Henry¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t think about what to do next, which is why Tolkin ended up calling me here.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s words left Henry speechless.

    After a moment of silence, Henry looked up and pleaded, ¡°Will you tell my father?¡±

    ¡°Will you do something like this again?¡± Lu Li asked.

    ¡°Never again, I swear!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret,¡± Lu Li replied.

    This oue was beneficial for everyone. Lu Li received the promised 500 shillings, and Henry avoided his father¡¯s arranged marriage.

    Everyone except Tolkin.

    If Tolkin ever found out that his youngest son had faked possession, causing him to lose 500 shillings, he might ensure Henry became his only son.

    With the case resolved, Lu Li had no reason to stay. After turning off the radio in the cab, he headed for the door.

    As the door slowly closed, a sly smirk crept across Henry¡¯s face¡ª

    The door swung open again. Lu Li stood in the doorway, returning.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Exorcist?¡± Henry asked, startled.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Thank you so much, Exorcist. If something happened to my poor Henry¡­¡± Tolkin kept expressing his gratitude, and if not for Lu Li¡¯s overly calm demeanor, he might have hugged him to show his relief.

    ¡°500 shillings.¡±

    Lu Li interrupted Tolkin mid-sentence.

    A few minutester, Lu Li left the house with the 500 shillings Tolkin had paid.

    A small, dark figure in a dress stood outside the door, throwing flirtatious nces at passing pedestrians. Hearing the door open, Oliver turned around with delight.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been standing here this whole time?¡±

    ¡°Did you see a ghost?¡±

    Both spoke at the same time.

    ¡°Sort of,¡± Lu Li replied. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t tell Oliver, someone who made a living selling information, the real story.¡°I wonder if themission fee¡­¡± Oliver hinted with a grin, his thin legs fidgeting and rubbing against each other.

    A 50-shilling note was handed to him as Lu Li¡¯s even tone came through. ¡°500 shillings. This is your share.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Oliver cheered, jumping in ce. A few passersby instinctively nced under his skirt, then quickly turned pale and hurried away.

    Holding the 50 shillings, Oliver gave it an exaggerated kiss before staring at Lu Li with an almost fanatical gaze.

    Lu Li stood there motionless, his voice cold and distant. ¡°If you dare to jump on me, I¡¯ll make sure you walk home naked.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to show you Rodster Port¡¯s customs. If you don¡¯t like it, fine.¡± Oliver pouted in disappointment, tucking the money into his chest and patting the spot with his hand.

    ¡°Great, now I can afford beans with stew tonight.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pay off your overdue rent?¡± Lu Li adjusted his hat and walked down the steps toward the street.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Trailing behind, Oliver froze for a moment before remembering Madame v¡¯s warning before he¡¯d left the house.

    ¡°Bo¡­ boss! Do you have some time right now?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Li kept walking without turning around.

    ¡°Well¡­ I still have a lot ofmissions back at my ce. Would you like toe with me to get them?¡± Oliver hesitated but ultimately chose Madame v over his boss. ?

    ¡°Just bring them to me.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Oliver, running out of ideas, decided to try telling the truth. ¡°It¡¯s because Madame v wants to meet you!¡±

    ¡°Madame v?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the owner of our apartment. She¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°I know who she is. I meant, why does she want to meet me?¡±

    Oliver¡¯s thoughts raced, and he quickly made something up. ¡°She wants to check what kind of boss I¡¯ve got. You know, she¡¯s looking out for me.¡±

    Walking ahead, Lu Li stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at Oliver with his rare, unique ck eyes.

    Even though there was no emotion in those eyes, Oliver felt an almost unbearable weight of pressure, as if he couldn¡¯t hold back the truth any longer.

    But before Oliver could respond, Lu Li shifted his gaze away and continued walking.

    ¡°Not today.¡±

    It was already past noon. When leaving earlier, the clock on the wall had shown 1:30. For most locals, afternoons meant ¡°don¡¯t go too far from home,¡± to avoid being caught outside after dark.

    Lu Li followed this custom as well.

    Madame v¡¯s apartment was in the ck Gold District, and a round trip by foot would take a long time¡ªespecially since Lu Li had more important matters to tend to.

    ¡°Not today¡­¡± Oliver muttered under his breath. His eyes lit up. ¡°Does that mean you might tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. If I¡¯m still in one piece tomorrow¡­¡±

    The final words, whispered almost to himself, were too quiet for Oliver to hear.

    At the end of the street, the two parted ways, heading in different directions.

    ¡­

    Back on Sailors¡¯ Street, some food stalls had already opened their doors, and the scent of cooking wafted through the air, carried by the sea breeze.

    People here typically only ate two meals a day¡ªone in the morning and one in the afternoon.

    They rarely ate dinner.

    The morning meal provided enough energy for work, while the afternoon meal ensured they wouldn¡¯t go to bed hungry. Dinner? It was unnecessary and pointless, something only the wealthy or nobles indulged in with their three meals a day.

    At Mrs. Felin¡¯s bakery, freshly baked bread was being ced in the disy window by workers. Most of it was coarse bran bread, hard and unrefined, with a small portion made from fine flour, soft and light.

    A few poorly dressed children with pale, malnourished faces gathered around the window, greedily inhaling the scent wafting from the bakery and swallowing their saliva.

    It was still a bit early for the afternoon meal, and the bakery staff were busy preparing bread for sale.

    A tall figure in a ck coat stepped into the bakery, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his face and blocking some of the light from outside.

    One of the workers near the disy turned their head. Upon seeing the figure remove his hat, their expression brightened. They walked over enthusiastically. ¡°Mr. Lu Li, what can I get for you today?¡±

    ¡°Two pounds of soft bread,¡± Lu Li said. He paused and added, ¡°Do you have beans with stew here?¡±

    ¡°We only bake bread here, but Mrs. Felin can make beans with stew if you¡¯d like. Shall I ask her to prepare some for you?¡±

    ¡°That would be helpful.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem. Please wait a moment.¡± The worker disappeared into the back kitchen to speak to Mrs. Felin before returning to the disy. They pulled out some freshly baked soft bread, still steaming, and ced it into a paper bag.

    ¡°Mrs. Felin will get started right away. Once it¡¯s ready, we¡¯ll deliver it to your detective agency. The bread is 8 shillings, and the beans with stew is 23 shillings. Just 30 shillings altogether.¡±

    Lu Li handed over the money, took the paper bag, and stepped out of the bakery.

    The children stared at him with wide eyes, their fingers tugging at the dirty fabric of their trousers, as if waiting for something.

    Standing in front of the bakery, Lu Li waved at the children and opened the steaming paper bag.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    A cheer went up as the children gathered around him. Yet, they were careful not to get too close or dirty his expensive clothes. They cautiously took therge pieces of bread Lu Li broke off for them, expressing their thanks in cheerful, crisp voices.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lu Li!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so kind!¡±

    Some passing adults smiled at the sight, while a few neighbors who had met Lu Li before teasingly remarked on his generosity.

    The residents of Sailors¡¯ Street were warm and polite.

    This wasn¡¯t just because of Lu Li¡¯s unusual eyes and hair, but also his profession.

    He was the only exorcist on Sailors¡¯ Street, and like doctors or schrs, it was a profession everyone might need at some point.

    As for the children, their enthusiasm had a much simpler reason: Lu Li was kind to them.

    After giving half the bread to the children, Lu Li returned to the detective agency amidst a chorus of greetings.

    Not long after, a worker from the bakery delivered the beans with stew. To Lu Li¡¯s surprise, it had a hint of spice.

    It was clear that Mrs. Felin had put a lot of effort into preparing the dish.

    Lu Li finished the meal of beans and bread, washed the dishes, and returned the container to the bakery before heading back to his desk at the detective agency.

    Sitting in his chair, he remained motionless, like a statue, silently waiting for nightfall.

 Chapter 12

    Lu Li didn¡¯t know much about ghosts.

    One of the few things he did know came from Hades: ghosts grow stronger by feeding on human fear and other negative emotions¡ªat least, the ghost haunting Lu Li seemed to work that way.

    That was why,st night, the ghost had tried various ways to frighten Lu Li.

    But none of its attempts had seeded. Lu Li remained unshaken, and the ghost failed to draw any negative emotions from him. This meant it would likely return tonight, trying once again to scare him.

    And that would be Lu Li¡¯s chance to act.

    This ghost wasn¡¯t particrly strong¡ªit might not even be capable of directly harming Lu Li¡ªbut if it decided to flee, he¡¯d have no way to track it. In other words, Lu Li might only get one chance. If he failed, the ghost would probably escape.

    While the ghost leaving on its own would spare Lu Li further harassment, it was still better to eliminate the threat entirely.

    As the afternoon approached six o¡¯clock, the sky began to darken, and lights lit up across the harbor district. In the quiet detective agency, the glow of an oilmp pushed back the surrounding darkness.

    Lu Li sat in his chair, fully dressed. The candlelight on the desk stretched his shadow across the entire wall behind him.He waited silently for the ghost to appear.

    Tick-tock¡ªtick-tock¡ªtick-tock¡ª

    In the stillness, every sound was amplified, and time crept forward, second by second.

    Ssh¡ª

    Suddenly, the sound of running water echoed from the kitchen.

    Lu Li waited a moment behind the desk, but the sound didn¡¯t stop. Finally, he moved, getting up and heading toward the kitchen.

    Rushing water gushed forcefully from the faucet, crashing into the sink before draining into the pipes.

    The water meter on the pipe spun rapidly,pleting one full rotation approximately every five seconds¡ªeach rotation costing one shilling.

    The scene was unsettling in every possible way.

    Lu Li reached out to turn the faucet off, but it didn¡¯t respond. He then moved to shut the pipeline valve, and this time it worked. The water pressure decreased until the flow stopped, leaving only a few drops falling steadily into the sink.

    He returned to the faucet and sessfully tightened it.

    After resolving the issue, Lu Li lifted his eyes, his pupils narrowing slightly.

    Reflected in the mirror above the sink was an unfamiliar, pale face staring back at him.

    Lu Li stood motionless, his gaze calm as he observed the figure in the mirror. After a few seconds, he frowned slightly.

    It wasn¡¯t because of any new changes in the reflection. Instead, he realized something: his overly calm demeanor might be discouraging the ghost from fully revealing itself.

    If that was the case¡­

    ¡°Ah, who are you? How terrifying. I¡¯m so scared I might die.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s tone was t, almost like he was narrating a story. His voice had no change in tone, and his face remainedpletely expressionless.

    He waited quietly for a few seconds, but the figure in the mirror didn¡¯t react.

    Lu Li gave up on this awkward and ineffective performance, deciding it was a waste of time.

    At that moment, the face in the mirror suddenly twisted into a chilling smile. Its head snapped back violently, mming into the ss as if trying to break through.

    Bang!

    The mirror shattered into a web of cracks, the fractured surface rippling across the entire mirror.

    The reflection became distorted, showing a fragmented, stretched shape before the shattered mirror somehow pieced itself back together.

    Lu Li raised a hand and touched the mirror¡¯s surface. When he pulled his hand back, a bead of blood appeared on his fingertip.

    The cracks had been real. This ghost could affect the physical world.

    ncing around the kitchen, Lu Li found no trace of the ghost. He returned to the living room.

    Knock-knock-knock¡ª

    A knock echoed through the quiet living room.

    Lu Li nced at the door. No light seeped in through the gap beneath it from the hallway beyond.

    No one would stand in the dark at night, far from any light.

    Bang-bang-bang¡ª

    The knocking came again, more urgent this time.

    Lu Li changed direction, moving toward the door.

    Thud-thud-thud¡ª

    The door shook violently, dust falling from the frame. The noise was loud enough to reach the neighbors, but no one came out to investigate.

    Silent as a shadow, Lu Li approached the door, carefully noting the rhythm of each knock. When the next knock was about to sound, he suddenly yanked the door open.

    Bang¡ª

    The knocking stopped abruptly as the door swung open.

    The sound echoed faintly along the hallway, but behind the door, where Lu Li¡¯s shadow fell, there was no one.

    Typically, in stories like this, the protagonist would find nothing outside the door, close it, and then the ghost would appear behind them as they turned around.

    Lu Li closed the door and, as if expecting something, immediately turned to look behind him¡ª

    Only to find nothing there.

    This ghost wasn¡¯t ying by the usual rules.

    The me inside themp remained steady. Lu Li returned to his chair and sat down. The clock on the wall showed it was now nine o¡¯clock at night.

    For a while, the detective agency fell into a calm stillness. The ghost, hidden in the darkness, waited and gathered its strength for another attempt.

    Lu Li sat motionless in his chair, his eyes lowered. asionally, the flickering me caused his shadow to waver slightly.

    Time passed, second by second.

    Suddenly, something happened. The music box sitting in the corner of the desk shot into the air, smashing against the wall and shattering into pieces.

    Lu Li lifted his eyes, their depth resembling the night itself.

    The music box hadn¡¯t been expensive, but he had been fond of it.

    His cold voice broke the silence in the room. ¡°If this is all you can do, leave now. These tricks won¡¯t work on me.¡±

    Perhaps unable to endure any longer¡ªor perhaps angered by Lu Li¡¯s blunt words¡ªthe ghost finally made itself visible. A faint outline began to materialize in front of the desk.

    The semi-transparent figure floated in midair, its hair covering half of its face. The single visible eye stared at Lu Li coldly.

    The ghost had appeared.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t hesitate. He reached into his coat, flipped open the holster, and drew the flintlock pistol.

    The moment the pistol left the holster, the runes engraved on it seemed to activate, sending a sense of heightened awareness coursing through Lu Li¡¯s body.

    The detective agency suddenly became lively.

    Figures crowded the bedroom, the kitchen, under the dining table, beneath the sofa, and even on the ceiling. Malicious presences swarmed everywhere, their cold gazes fixated on Lu Li.

    The ghost¡¯s voice was low and eerie. ¡°Did you know? Everyone who sees me ends up¡ª¡±

    Click. Lu Li pressed down the hammer and raised the pistol, aiming it at the ghost¡¯s head.

    ¡°¡ªw-wishing you good luck¡­¡±

    The ghost stammered, raising its hands in surrender.

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    Lu Li hesitated for a moment, his finger pausing on the trigger.

    Common sense told him ghosts didn¡¯t behave like this.

    Before he could react further, the ghost made its move. It darted away from the barrel, but instead of attacking Lu Li, it turned into a ball of white light and disappeared into the wall.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t immediately lower his pistol. His sharp eyes scanned the room cautiously.

    The ghost was no longer nearby. However, the longer Lu Li held the pistol, the more he felt the cold, malicious gazes of other entities bearing down on him.

    Without dy, Lu Li holstered the pistol. The oppressive feeling vanished instantly, though a faint residue of negativity lingered in his chest.

    He tucked the holster back into his coat.

    It probably won¡¯t dare toe back again.

 Chapter 13

    Early the next morning.

    Ding-ling¡ªding-ling¡ª

    The wind chime above the door rang crisply, its pleasant tone echoing through the empty, quiet hall.

    Lu Li nced at the wind chime, which hadn¡¯t been there the day before, before stepping into the dimly lit hall.

    The oilmp on the counter illuminated a small area, and the figure behind it seemed to be counting something. Upon hearing footsteps, the figure quickly stashed the items on the desk.

    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here? I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you. You managed to save up the money so quickly! You¡¯re truly the rising star of exorcists¡­ I mean, the gold digger¡­ no, I mean, rising star.¡±

    Exaggerated words of admiration came from Hades¡¯ mouth. His gold teeth gleamed as he spread his arms wide, as if weing an old friend he hadn¡¯t seen in years.

    Lu Li approached the counter. The same wooden chair from yesterday was still there. He sat down and said, ¡°I only have 500 shillings.¡±

    The exaggerated enthusiasm visibly faded, his outstretched arms dropping to rest on the counter.¡°That¡¯s not enough, and you know it.¡± In the faint glow of the oilmp, Hades¡¯ expression turned uncertain.

    ¡°I have some other questions, about the ghostst night.¡±

    The golden gleam returned to Hades¡¯ teeth as he grinned. ¡°That¡¯ll do. What do you want to know?¡±

    Ignoring Hades¡¯ obvious greed, Lu Li recounted the events of the previous night.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your question?¡±

    ¡°Can ghostsmunicate?¡±

    Instead of answering, Hades posed a question of his own: ¡°What¡¯s your understanding of ghosts?¡±

    ¡°Shapeless, intangible forms.¡±

    ¡°Not like that. I mean, what were ghosts before they became ghosts?¡±

    The answer was practically spelled out for him.

    Lu Li understood what Hades was implying. ¡°So, ghosts canmunicate?¡±

    ¡°They were once human, so of course they can. But it depends on whether they¡¯re willing to talk to you. If you¡¯re brave and have some personal charm, you can absolutely trymunicating with them.¡± Hades opened up a new perspective for Lu Li.

    ¡°It¡¯s notmon, but it happens from time to time.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°But¡­ but do I really have to do this?¡± Oliver was shoved forward, stumbling toward the telephone, looking weak, helpless, and pitiful as he raised his head to meet the massive figure looming over him.

    In the dark of night, those eyes, as steady as a lighthouse, looked down on Oliver. The voice was gentle. ¡°Dear Oliver, go ahead and make the call.¡±

    Oliver had never heard Madame v speak so softly before and instinctively asked, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m talking to the painting on the wall behind you¡­ Hurry up and call your boss!¡±

    The wind howled violently past his ears. Startled and trembling, Oliver threw himself at the phone and began dialing his boss.

    As the phone dial turned, Oliver kept nervously ncing at the robust figure standing beside him, her hands on her hips. After a minute, he forced a sheepish smile and held up the receiver. ¡°He¡¯s not answering. Maybe he went out for breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Oh, poor Mr. Lu Li, with no one to take care of him. How could you, as his employee, bear to see him like this?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I

    ¡°Good. Call again in half an hour.¡±

    Madame v turned and walked away. Oliver, feeling drained, swayed like a leaf before letting out a long sigh of relief.

    ¡­

    After hearing Hades¡¯ exnation, Lu Li fell into silence.

    It deviated somewhat frommon folklore about ghosts but was logical. Ghosts were once human, so they naturally retained human emotions, reasoning, and intelligence.

    This matched the ghost Lu Li had encountered.

    After some thought, Lu Li spoke. ¡°But it¡¯s not that simple, is it?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. After all, even humans can¡¯t always be reasoned with¡ªlet alone ghosts. I can see you¡¯re tempted, but remember my warning: our rtionship with ghosts is not an equal one. The stronger the ghost, the less you can rely on what little rationality they might have. They¡¯re hunters, and we¡¯re prey. Don¡¯t ce your safety in their potential reason. If you¡¯re not vignt¡­ the graveyard outside Kelsas Cathedral is full of careless exorcists.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s humility pleased Hades, who waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Still, it¡¯s not always that severe. Ghosts weaker than vengeful spirits have limited abilities. You can safely listen to what they have to say. There might even be some unexpected rewards.¡±

    ¡°Like an inheritance or a valuable final request.¡±

    ¡°And what about vengeful spirits and evil spirits?¡±

    ¡°Ghosts grow stronger at a cost. The stronger they are, the deeper their connection to that other realm, and the more twisted their minds be. You can trymunicating with a vengeful spirit, but my advice is to either deal with them or run.¡±

    ¡°You skipped over evil spirits.¡±

    Hades fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. ¡°That¡¯s a core secret of exorcists.¡±

    In other words, it wasn¡¯t free information.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Ritualistic behavior,¡± Hades said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered an evil spirit myself, but I¡¯ve heard stories from older exorcists¡ªmost of whom are dead now. If you¡¯re being targeted by an evil spirit, you¡¯re almost certainly doomed. But before it kills its target, it often demonstrates a peculiar sense of ritual. If you can disrupt that pattern, there¡¯s a slim chance of escaping. This is something you have to experience firsthand to fully understand.¡±

    Hades seemed unwilling to discuss evil spirits further, as if doing so might bring misfortune upon him.

    But he didn¡¯t forget the real business at hand. Stretching out his palm, he demanded, ¡°500 shillings. Pleasure doing business.¡±

    ¡°100.¡±

    ¡°Pay up.¡±

    Afterpleting the consultation, Lu Li stood up from his seat.

    ¡°Not staying for a bit longer?¡±

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t cost extra.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t let the door hit you on the way out.¡±

    Adjusting his hat as he exited the detective agency, Lu Li climbed into a waiting yellow carriage.

    ¡°To the nearest detective agency.¡±

    The carriage began to move, heading toward their destination.

    In this world, ¡°detective agencies¡± were synonymous with exorcists, a tradition that could be traced back three centuries.

    Ten minutester, the carriage arrived at a new detective agency. This one was arranged more traditionally, at least not resembling a tavern.

    Pretending to be an ordinary person troubled by ghosts, Lu Li asked the exorcist inside some general questions. Their answers aligned closely with what Hades had said.

    But when the topic turned to Hades, the exorcist disyed a brief moment of disdain and agitation.

    ¡°That guy is a disgrace to all exorcists!¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Lu Li asked.

    ¡°He has no professional ethics! Once, he exorcised a ghost for a poor nobleman, splitting the process into five sessions and charging over a thousand shillings!¡±

    That did sound like something Hades would do.

    Lu Li said he¡¯d consider whether to hire the exorcist and then turned to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever hire Hades! That guy would do anything for money!¡± the exorcist shouted from behind.

    What they didn¡¯t know was that this was precisely why Lu Li worked with Hades.

    Trading money for knowledge¡ªLu Li found it worthwhile, and so did Hades.

    Returning to the carriage, Lu Li didn¡¯t make any more stops and went straight back to his detective agency.

    Shortly after arriving at the quiet agency, the phone rang.

    Lu Li picked up, and Oliver¡¯s voice came through. It was about the same issue as yesterday: Madame v wanted to meet him.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in about an hour.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Thud, thud, thud¡ª

    A pair of thick legs, d in dark red plush slippers, stepped down the wooden stairs.

    Holding the phone receiver, Oliver¡¯s gaze cautiously shifted upward. He saw Madame v, dressed in a floral nightgown, descending the stairs. Her slippers tapped impatiently against the wooden floor.

    A heavy, beast-like breathing echoed above him.

    Oliver forced a smile, avoiding eye contact with the thick, arm-sized forearms crossed over her chest. ¡°Madame v, my boss said he¡¯ll be here in an hour.¡±

    The sound of rushing wind whipped past his ears, followed by thending of a handrge enough to cover a doorframe, apanied by a low grunt.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡±

    For a moment, Oliver thought she was about to crush his skull. Time seemed to slow, and his life shed before his eyes in a series of fleeting memories.

    But the massive hand gentlynded on Oliver¡¯s tangled, nest-like brown hair.The towering figure turned and ascended the stairs. The creaking wood trembled under her weight as she vanished upstairs.

    Oliver¡¯s tense body slumped, leaning against the table to keep himself from copsing.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, boss¡­¡±

    A pang of guilt and unease struck Oliver as he tried to convince himself otherwise. Perhaps if Madame v seeded, his boss wouldn¡¯t have to risk his life exorcising ghosts for money anymore.

    Hopefully, his boss wouldn¡¯t hate him.

    Oliver thought to himself.

    ¡­

    The ck Gold District, a slightly ¡°higher-end¡± areapared to Sailors¡¯ Street.

    Most residents here had stable, non-dangerous jobs, unlike Sailors¡¯ Street residents, who, as the name suggested, were primarily sailors and dockworkers.

    This difference made the ck Gold District feel more refined¡ªthere was no lingering stench of fish in the air, no poorly dressed paupers, and no malnourished children ying in the streets.

    asionally, one might even spot a noble dressed in luxurious attire¡ªa sight rarely seen on Sailors¡¯ Street.

    In front of Madame v¡¯s apartment stood a three-story house covering an area about the size of a basketball court. Its nearly 10-meter height made it stand out like a giant among the other buildings on the street.

    When Lu Li arrived at the entrance, he saw Oliver pacing back and forth at the bottom of the steps, hands in his pockets, preupied and unaware of Lu Li¡¯s approach.

    ¡°Something on your mind?¡±

    A familiar voice startled Oliver, who looked up with surprise to see the tall figure of his boss. ¡°Bo-boss!¡±

    His flustered demeanor puzzled Lu Li. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, nothing! Please,e with me.¡±

    Oliver avoided eye contact, keeping his head low as he turned and entered the apartment. He was so nervous that he tripped on the steps and nearly mmed into the door.

    Lu Li stood silently, watching everything unfold without a word, then followed him inside.

    The lighting in the lobby was dim. Most buildings in Belfastcked many windows; on sunny days, this wasn¡¯t an issue, but during overcast weather, the interiors became oppressively dark.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to meet Madame v.¡± Oliver ascended the stairs, not daring to look back, afraid his expression might give him away.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Lu Li followed behind, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

    The second floor of the apartment had a long corridor stretching forward. On either side were tightly shut doors, with windows only at the far ends. This left the hallway so dim that one could barely make out their surroundings. Muffled beams of light filtered in, highlighting the fine dust particles floating above the faded wooden floorboards.

    As Lu Li followed behind, Oliver suddenly seemed to remember something. ¡°Ah, boss, why don¡¯t you go ahead to Madame v¡¯s room? It¡¯s at the end of the hallway, on the right. I¡¯ll head to my room to grab the othermissions for you.¡±

    With that, Oliver opened the door to a nearby room.

    ¡°I can wait here for you,¡± Lu Li said.

    Oliver froze, then turned with a forcedugh. ¡°That¡¯s not very polite¡­¡±

    Lu Li stared at him for a few moments before nodding slightly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, great! I¡¯ll be right there after I grab the papers!¡± Oliver promised hurriedly.

    Lu Li turned and continued down the hallway. Behind him, he heard the sound of a door opening and closing.

    Oliver¡¯s odd behavior was so tant that Lu Li didn¡¯t need to think twice to notice something was off.

    Though Oliver had no reason to harm him, Lu Li never relied on others¡¯ goodwill for his safety. His hand slipped inside his coat, gripping the handle of the flintlock pistol.

    After about ten seconds, Lu Li reached the end of the hallway. The door was slightly ajar, and a faint fragrance wafted out from the crack.

    ¡°Madame v, are you there?¡±

    Lu Li rapped lightly on the door. The knock was gentle, yet the door creaked open further.

    The room beyond was revealed.

    It was brightly lit, likely because of the fourrge windows. Sunlight filtered through sheer curtains, blending with the pastel pink decor to create a dreamy, girlish aesthetic.

    As Lu Li stepped in, the scent of perfume grew stronger, making his heartbeat quicken involuntarily. His gaze fell on a framed photograph on the bedside table. In the picture was a cheerful girl with twin braids, her delicate features dotted with freckles that gave her a lively charm. She hugged a teddy bear muchrger than herself.

    The teddy bear now sat against the wall, faded and worn, suggesting the photo had been taken many years ago.

    After a brief nce, Lu Li averted his eyes and turned to leave the room.

    Entering someone¡¯s bedroom without permission was impolite.

    But as he turned, a pale, meaty face with thick features appeared behind the door.

    Lu Li¡¯s ck pupils contracted sharply as he stepped back, quickly loosening the holster on his gun. His voice rang out coldly. ¡°Evil spirit, begone!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lu Li, you¡¯ve finally arrived!¡±

    A delighted voice called out.

    Lu Li lowered his hand slightly, frowning. ¡°Madame v?¡±

    The figure behind the door was broad-shouldered and sturdy, with neatly tied blonde hair in a ponytail. Her floral nightgown stretched tightly over her frame, and two thick legs extended from beneath the hem.

    She was a woman whose presence was overwhelming in every sense, especially her pale face and vivid red lips.

    ¡°My name is Nova v. Mr. Lu Li, you can call me Nova,¡± Madame v said, batting her eyes rapidly as her gaze hungrily fixed on Lu Li¡¯s face.

    It was the kind of look a bear might give upon finding honey.

    Lu Li let his hand fall naturally to his side. ¡°Alright, Ms. v.¡±

    Madame v reached out to close the door behind her. ¡°Oliver has told me about you. You¡¯re even more handsome and¡­ unique than he described.¡±

    She unconsciously stepped closer to Lu Li, her focus lost in his abyss-like eyes.

    Sensing something was amiss, Lu Li frowned and spoke. ¡°Ms. v, please behave yourself¡ª¡±

    His sentence cut off abruptly as he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding Madame v¡¯s sudden attempt to hug him.

    Before he could regain his footing, therge figure lunged again. Forced to retreat, Lu Li jumped onto the bed, rolling to the side just as Madame v crashed forward.

    Bang!

    A heavy thud resounded as her weight hit the floor, causing the wooden boards to tremble.

    Taking advantage of the moment, Lu Li flung the door open and dashed out of the room.

    He sprinted down the long hallway, quickly descending to the first-floor lobby, only to find the entrance door tightly shut.

    The main door of the apartment had been locked.

 Chapter 15

    The metallic lock on the door blocked Lu Li¡¯s path.

    There was no time to think. Heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed from upstairs, slowly approaching.

    ¡°Mr. Lu Li, where are you? Don¡¯t hide;e out now.¡±

    Scanning the living room quickly, Lu Li quietly moved behind the desk and crouched down to hide.

    Thud. Thud. Thud.

    The heavy, dragging steps resembled the tolling of a death knell, each step resolutely drawing closer to the living room.

    Dust fell from the edges of the staircase as the tremors shook loose particles, and thick legs d in a floral nightgown appeared between the railings.

    Madame v had entered the living room.

    The woman, as wild and imposing as a beast, walked to the center of the room. Her thunderous voice rumbled, ¡°Oh, so Mr. Lu Li enjoys this kind of game? You really are an interesting man.¡±Thud. Thud. Thud.

    Her slippers dragged against the wooden floor as Madame v moved again, heading toward the desk, each step bringing her closer.

    Lu Li could now hear herbored, excited breathing.

    ck¡ª

    As Madame v was about to reach the desk, a faint sound came from the stairs above¡ªa pebble rolling, or perhaps a foot identally stepping on a creaking floorboard.

    The footsteps halted, and from behind the desk came Madame v¡¯s boomingughter. ¡°Mr. Lu Li, I¡¯ve found you!¡±

    Boom, boom, boom¡ª

    Madame v¡¯s thunderous running sounded like a battering ram, shaking the entire hall.

    Lu Li stood up from his hiding spot, his calm, inscrutable gaze turning toward the corner of the staircase on the second floor.

    ¡­

    Weak, helpless, and pitiful, Oliver curled up at the side of his bed. His heart mirrored his outward appearance¡ªfilled with guilt and worry for Lu Li.

    He didn¡¯t even want to imagine the image of Madame v pinning Lu Li beneath her.

    Should I help my boss? But Madame v could snap my neck with one hand¡­

    Caught in an internal struggle, Oliver suddenly noticed the door creak open. A figure that shouldn¡¯t have been there appeared in the doorway.

    ¡°Exin what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Under Oliver¡¯s shocked gaze, Lu Li spoke in his usual calm tone, closing the door behind him with slow, deliberate movements.

    Voices echoed faintly from outside; some tenants had realized the apartment¡¯s front door was locked and were questioning Madame v.

    Already consumed by indecision, Oliver didn¡¯t hide anything. He confessed the entire series of events to Lu Li.

    ¡°So, because Iplimented Madame v once, she thought I liked her and used you to lure me here?¡±

    ¡°Sort¡­ sort of,¡± Oliver stammered, unable to think of another exnation. Besides, Madame v had indeed shown signs of infatuation with Lu Li.

    Lu Li fell silent, and Oliver trembled nervously.

    ¡°The front door is locked. Do you have a way to get us out?¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s voice broke the silence, showing no intention of dwelling further on Oliver¡¯s betrayal.

    Oliver¡¯s head shot up, his eyes lighting with hope. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the sound of Madame v¡¯s footsteps echoed once more in the hallway.

    Oliver¡¯s face went pale. He spoke quickly, ¡°Boss, you need to hide! Madame v ising!¡±

    Lu Li gave Oliver a long, steady look before moving to hide behind the bed.

    Thud. Thud. Thud.

    The approaching footsteps stopped outside the door. The doorknob began to turn slowly.

    Creak¡ª

    The door opened with a grating noise that set teeth on edge, and Madame v¡¯s massive form filled the doorway.

    Oliver quickly stered on a surprised expression and stepped forward. ¡°Madame v, why are you here? Did you already meet my boss?¡±

    ¡°Did Mr. Lu Lie by?¡± Her piercing, lighthouse-like gaze fixed on Oliver.

    Unable to meet her eyes, Oliver lowered his head. Then, as if making a sudden decision, he raised it and stammered, ¡°Y-yes, he was here¡­¡±

    ¡°He said he was heading to the third floor to hide. He just left!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, little Oliver.¡± Madame v seemed pleased with his response. ¡°If Mr. Lu Li bes your boss, you might not have to pay rent anymore.¡±

    ¡°I wish you sess, Mrs. Lu Li,¡± Oliver said with a respectful bow.

    Only after Madame v left did Oliver straighten up and close the door.

    Leaning back against it, he let out a deep sigh of relief. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Lu Li, who was rising from behind the bed. ¡°Boss, you can escape through the window!¡±

    Oliver rushed to the window and flung it open. A breeze blew in, rustling the edge of the curtains.

    ¡°What about themission papers?¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s calm voice froze Oliver mid-movement. Oliver suddenly remembered and darted to the table, hastily gathering a stack of papers near an unwashed te before handing them to Lu Li with excitement.

    He thought this was the end of his job, but Lu Li¡¯s words suggested he still intended to employ him.

    ¡°Boss, I had no choice! If I die, please take care of my sister, Joanna!¡± Strength surged from Oliver¡¯s frail body as he gave Lu Li a determined look. ¡°Now, go quickly.¡±

    Oliver flung the door open and shouted with all his might, ¡°Madame v! My boss is here!¡±

    Without looking back at Lu Li, he mmed his forehead against the doorframe.

    Thud!

    With a dull sound, Oliver¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he copsed to the floor unconscious.

    Lu Li, who had been silently watching the entire scene, shifted his gaze away. ncing at the hallway where approaching footsteps grew louder, he turned and headed for the window.

    Outside on ck Gold Street, pedestrians moved along their way.

    A figure descending from above drew gasps from the crowd. Onlookers¡¯ eyes darted between the falling figure and the second-floor window, filled with astonishment.

    Lu Li, as if entirely removed from the situation, brushed the dust from his coat, adjusted his hat, and walked off down the street.

    ¡­

    ¡°Why would Mr. Lu Li run away?¡±

    Madame v¡¯s voice carried a hint of sadness. If one didn¡¯t look at her, it might even sound like thement of a woman scorned by love.

    ¡°Hiss¡­ M-maybe you scared him, Madame v¡­¡± Oliver winced as he touched the lump on his forehead.

    The terrifying gaze fell on him, and Oliver quickly added, ¡°My boss is a very reserved person. You might¡¯ve been too¡­ enthusiastic.¡±

    ¡°Little Oliver, do you have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ write him a love letter¡­?¡±

    ¡­

    Bang¡ª

    The door mmed shut with the force of the wind.

    Lu Li¡¯s hat hung on the rack as he returned to his quiet detective agency. He moved behind the desk and sat down, unfolding that day¡¯s newspaper.

    There was no mention of the events at the harbor involving the Rodder.

    It seemed safe to conclude that the ship had encountered something from the depths of the sea.

    Finishing the paper, including the advertisements, Lu Li opened a drawer and pulled out a book, removing a sheet of paper tucked within.

    [Important: Resolve the ghost haunting me (Completed)]

    He added a note in parentheses, then set the pen down and began considering his next steps.

    Lu Li hadn¡¯t yet decided whether he wanted to be an exorcist.

    This world was already riddled with dangers, and exorcists, who faced ghosts head-on, bore the worst of it. That didn¡¯t align with Lu Li¡¯s goal of quietly learning about this world.

    For now, it seemed best to focus on earning the 1,000 shillings throughmissions.

 Chapter 16

    [Haunted House]

    ¨C Location: Simpson Park

    ¨C Description: Belfast has never been a paradise for children. It constantly faces the corrosion of sea winds and the deadly smog from the industrial district, though conditions have improved slightly in recent times. Simpson Park, a representative of the city¡¯s dreary environment, offers little more than a circus, a creaking carousel, and some shrubs and flowers. The newly constructed, meticulously designed haunted house, with its earnest staff, has been open for less than a month, and it severely shes with the park¡¯s overall atmosphere.

    ¨C Honestly, who would even pay to see such ghostly nonsense?

    ¨C Answer: Apparently, a lot of fools (pardon my bluntness) have spent money to see the staff dressed as ghosts, iming that the performances feel incredibly real¡­ Bute on, why pay to see fake ghosts when you can encounter real ones for free?

    ¨C Backstory: This informationes from someone who was either curious or frightened by the haunted house. After visiting, the client had nightmares for several days and now suspects that the ghosts in the haunted house are real and not just actors. They are considering hiring a detective agency to investigate.

    ¨C Payment Offered: 50¨C200 shillings. The client is a modestly wealthymoner and cannot afford to pay much.

    ¨C Note: A contact of mine at Simpson Park confirmed that aside from the haunted house¡¯s opening, no other strange events have been reported in the park.

    ¡ª[Madame Anlef¡¯s Art Gallery]

    ¨C Location: 23 Da Vinci District

    ¨C Description: Rumors suggest that sculptures move around the gallery at night and paintingse to life. In a ce like Belfast, which has no real appreciation for art, it¡¯s not surprising that people are scared of sculptures and paintings¡ªdecades ago, they were even afraid of cameras¡­ Am I rambling?

    ¨C Anyway, several night-shift employees have quit, iming that the gallery bes terrifying at night, more despair-inducing than the ocean at midnight.

    ¨C Backstory: This information was obtained through private inquiries. It¡¯s said that the gallery owner isn¡¯t nning to hire an exorcist unless customers are attacked. However, they are currently hiring night guards, offering 20 shillings per night. Boss, you could give it a try¡ªif you manage to catch a ghost, you¡¯d have leverage to negotiate a higher fee. I hear the gallery owner, who¡¯s new to town, is very wealthy.

    ¨C Payment Offered: Unknown. The gallery owner is reportedly stingy, especially since they haven¡¯t seen a ghost themselves.

    ¨C Note: A contact in the Da Vinci District says the gallery¡¯s business is struggling, unsurprisingly.

    ¡ª

    [Forest Phantom]

    ¨C Location: Stoffer Lumberyard

    ¨C Description: Thismissiones from a group of lumberjacks who im to see moving figures and hear strange voices in the forest every evening. They¡¯ve observed from a distance several times, only to find that the apparitions remain even after nightfall. The lumberjacks hope someone can uncover the truth and drive away the ghosts. ??

    ¨C Backstory: Thismission has been posted on the notice board for weeks but has been ignored. Those who can handle it don¡¯t consider the payment worth their time, and those who need the money don¡¯t have the skills to take it on. After asking around, I learned that the lumberyard is still shipping out several loads of timber daily, and the workers don¡¯t seem to be in any trouble. Could it be someone ying tricks?

    ¨C Payment Offered: 180 shillings. Six lumberjacks are contributing 30 shillings each.

    ¨C Note: I don¡¯t have contacts living in that area.

    ¡ª

    [Abandoned Asylum]

    ¨C Location: Outskirts of Rodster Port

    ¨C Description: Asylum, mental hospital¡ªcall it whatever you like. It reportedly closed down three years ago due to poor management. Since it was privately owned, the property has remained unsold and abandoned. Nearby residents im to hear screamsing from the asylum at night.

    ¨C Backstory: After the asylum¡¯s closure, all medical staff left, but some patients who were under supervision were allegedly forgotten inside.

    ¨C The client is a rtive of one such patient¡ªa cousin, to be precise. His cousin, Edward, was reportedly sent to the asylum after losing his sanity and hasn¡¯t been heard from since. Too afraid to investigate himself, the client has postedmissions across several streets, looking for someone to enter the asylum and find his cousin.

    ¨C Payment Offered: 100 shillings. The client believes the asylum is merely eerie, with no actual paranormal activity.

    ¨C Note: A contact in the suburbs confirmed that the part about the patients being left behind is true. When the asylum was evacuated, some poor, homeless patients were abandoned. Hopefully, none of them were left locked in cages.

    ¡ª

    [Library Ruins]

    ¨C Location: Belfast Library

    ¨C Description: The ruins of Belfast Library remain untouched, a sad testament to the failures of both the government and its citizens. Fortunately, this has little to do with us.

    ¨C Backstory: This isn¡¯t amission in the traditional sense. The library¡¯s former head librarian believes some books may have survived the fire and has advertised in the newspaper, asking residents to search the ruins for intact books (a copy of the ad is included). For every book recovered, the librarian is offering 5 shillings.

    ¨C Personal Note: I tried this myself. Aside from exhausting myself and nearly getting hit by charred debris, I found nothing. I¡¯m listing it here only because I think you might find it interesting. If you¡¯re really strapped for cash, you could try your luck¡ªbut don¡¯t get your hopes up.

    ¨C Payment Offered: 5 shillings per book.

    ¨C Note: A contact near the library mentioned the possibility of wandering spirits in the ruins. People have reported seeing figures moving through the rubble at night without any lights.

    ¡ª

    Oliver hadpiled a long list ofmissions. After ruling out some with low pay and a high likelihood of encountering ghosts, Lu Li spread out the remaining options on the desk and ranked them by priority.

    After reviewing the fivemissions for the third time, Lu Li decided to make the haunted house his primary target.

    Simply investigating whether ghosts were present could earn a decent sum of shillings¡ªan opportunity Lu Li wasn¡¯t about to pass up.

    However, ns shifted when Oliver informed him that the haunted housemission had already been taken.

    Lu Li moved on to his second choice: Madame Anlef¡¯s Art Gallery.

    While 20 shillings per night wasn¡¯t much more than a shopkeeper¡¯s wage, working the night shift meant Lu Li could only take on tasks after dark. However, he was well aware of one thing: earning money was never easy.

    Cases like Henry¡¯s, where someone duped their own father, were rare exceptions. With just a single Spirit Gun, Lu Li wasn¡¯t yet capable of eptingmissions to eliminate ghosts like a true exorcist.

    He still had much to learn.

    The upper ss likely had plenty of money, but Lu Li wasn¡¯t ready to interact with them too much.

    In the early stages of capitalism, businessmen and nobles were akin to a mix of vampires and hyenas¡ªinsatiably greedy and endlessly demanding.

    Lu Li didn¡¯t think he could handle negotiating with them on his own.

    To avoid someone else taking the gallerymission first, Lu Li decided to visit Madame Anlef¡¯s Art Gallery in the Da Vinci District that very afternoon.

 Chapter 17

    Benjamin Allen was a slightly overweight, balding middle-aged man. His unexpected warmth and friendliness were likely due to his knowledge of Lu Li¡¯s profession.

    ¡°Are you really going to stay overnight at the gallery? With Mr. Lu Li here, it seems the gallery¡¯s nights will be much more peaceful.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about the hauntings.¡±

    Apanied by the gallery owner, the two walked through the sparse and quiet gallery with only a handful of visitors.

    Benjamin¡¯s body visibly tensed. ¡°Mr. Lu Li, you¡¯re quite the joker. This gallery has never¡ª¡±

    ¡°If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t be so eager to wee me.¡± Lu Li¡¯s calm voice cut Benjamin off mercilessly.

    ¡°¡­Fine. There may be some strange phenomena at night, but they¡¯re harmless.¡±

    That was the reason for Lu Li¡¯s presence here.

    The night staff who had quit their jobs were unharmed and showed no signs of physical issues even now. This meant that, even if the gallery was haunted, the ghosts weren¡¯t particrly dangerous.For a novice exorcist like Lu Li, it was an ideal opportunity to practice.

    With a sigh, Benjamin reluctantly described the eerie events that urred at night. He spoke of the ghost of a former female employee wandering the gallery, asking if anyone had seen her child. There was also the ghost of a female employee with empty eye sockets, as well as some sculptures and paintings that came to life after dark.

    ¡°When did these incidents start?¡±

    ¡°After we arrived in Belfast.¡±

    ¡°You mean these things happened long ago, but they only began manifesting after moving to Belfast?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    The gallery¡¯s open area was only on the first floor. The second floor, used for storage, employee break rooms, and other facilities, was not essible to visitors.

    After viewing dozens of exhibits, Lu Li, without touching his Spirit Gun, couldn¡¯t detect anything unusual about them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t enough. I need more details.¡±

    After a brief nce at the second floor, the two returned downstairs, retracing their steps.

    Benjamin sighed bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you everything I know. What else does Mr. Lu Li want to know?¡±

    ¡°You could contact the former night staff. They might know more.¡±

    Benjamin thought of someone and called out, ¡°Franklin! Franklin must know something!¡±

    Franklin was a local who had been the gallery¡¯s first night guard after it opened in Belfast. He was also the longest-serving employee, working nights for nearly two weeks. The rumors about paranormal activity began during his time working there.

    ¡°And why did he resign?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I only offered 8 shillings a day back then.¡±

    Lu Li said nothing, his gaze shifting between the paintings and sculptures on the walls.

    ¡°What do night guards usually do?¡±

    ¡°They ensure the safety of the exhibits at night, preventing theft or fires.¡±

    Fires weremon in Belfast, perhaps rted to the necessity of having light during the night.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay tonight to keep watch, but I need to learn more. While there¡¯s still time before nightfall, contact Franklin and ask him about all the phenomena he¡¯s encountered.¡± ?

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, not with you here¡ª¡±

    Once again, Lu Li interrupted Benjamin. ¡°For now, these are just harmless paranormal incidents. Can you guarantee they won¡¯t escte into ghosts harming people? Guestse to the gallery to appreciate art, not to be haunted.¡±

    Nothing terrifies a capitalist more than the prospect of losing money. Hearing Lu Li¡¯s warning about a potentially disastrous future, Benjamin wasted no time. He instructed an employee to give Lu Li a tour while he left to contact Franklin.

    Time marched steadily toward dusk, the sound of ship horns drifting continuously from the harbor.

    The already overcast sky grew darker, and the streets began to empty. The sound of shop doors closing echoed through the surrounding area.

    Shortly after thest visitor left, Benjamin finally returned, carrying a sealed envelope.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave things to you tonight. If there really are ghosts¡ª¡±

    ¡°I hope mymission won¡¯t be short.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, certainly¡­¡±

    With Benjamin and the gallery staff gone, the noise faded.

    The quiet gallery was left with only Lu Li.

    Silence and darkness enveloped him, pushed back only by the glow of the oilmp, which lit a radius of a few meters around him.

    The designated night-watch area was just behind the front door, where a desk and chair were ced. During the day, this spot served as the gallery¡¯s ticket counter.

    Lu Li opened the envelope and began reading its contents under the oilmp¡¯s glow.

    [Hi, the stingy boss told me he hired an exorcist for the night shift. Unbelievable, right? Whether or not it¡¯s true, brother, you¡¯ve taken on a real mess here. If you¡¯re not an exorcist, let me give you some advice: quit while you still can. The gallery is definitely haunted.]

    Lu Li nced up at the dimly lit hallway ahead before continuing.

    [If you are an exorcist, then after handling the ghosts, make sure to squeeze as much money as you can out of that balding cheapskate.]

    [No more nonsense. The boss is hovering nearby, waiting for me.]

    [There are two ghosts in the gallery. They were former employees who died for¡­ reasons, and now they haunt the gallery every night. It¡¯s the same routine every night.]

    [You¡¯ll see one ghost with a bloodstained dress. She died during childbirth. She¡¯ll wander around aimlessly and ask, ¡°Have you seen my child?¡± repeatedly throughout the night. Just answer, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± and you¡¯ll be fine.]

    [You¡¯ll also encounter a ghost with no eyes. She was murdered. If you notice her nearby, just stay silent and don¡¯t make a sound. If you identally make noise¡­ well, you¡¯re an exorcist, so you should be fine.]

    [Aside from the two wandering ghosts, there are also some problematic paintings and sculptures. Let¡¯s start with the sculpture. It¡¯s probably near the wheat field painting or somewhere nearby¡ªI can¡¯t quite remember.]

    At this point, Lu Li picked up the oilmp and walked down the hallway. At the midpoint, he found the sculpture mentioned in the letter: a gray, stone statue of a woman.

    [This mischievous thing might wander around when no one¡¯s watching. Once, I saw it almost jump out of a second-floor window. I had to quickly put it back in ce. If you find it somewhere it shouldn¡¯t be, just move it back. If you want to exorcise it, pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.]

    [Next is the painting. The girl in the painting is named Anna. You might not recognize her, but if I tell you she¡¯s Madame Anlef¡¯s daughter, that might ring a bell. She¡¯ll move within the painting after nightfall.]

    Holding the oilmp, Lu Li moved forward. About ten meters from the sculpture, he found the painting described in the letter. It depicted a beautiful, doll-like girl in a gothic white dress.

    By now, night had fully fallen.

    From the darkness behind him came the unsettling sound of stone scraping against the wooden floor.

    [That¡¯s basically it.]

    [Finally,]

    [Have a pleasant night.]

 Chapter 18

    The more bustling a ce once was, the more deste and eerie it bes after being abandoned. The gallery served as a perfect example.

    In the oppressive silence, where even the sound of a heartbeat seemed amplified, a scraping noise echoed clearly in the distance.

    Lu Li raised the oilmp higher, extending its light slightly farther, yet he still couldn¡¯t pinpoint the source of the unsettling noise.

    Temporarily ignoring the painting, Lu Li lowered themp and turned back the way he came.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ª

    His footsteps echoed through the vast, empty, pitch-ck hallway, disappearing into the darkness.

    Shadows shifted and flickered with the movement of the oilmp. After walking a short distance, a strange glint appeared at the edge of the illuminated area ahead.

    It was on the path Lu Li had just walked. He was sure there had been no obstacles there earlier.

    Taking a few more steps forward, he brought the glint fully within the oilmp¡¯s range.His dark eyes narrowed slightly.

    A statue stood in the middle of the hallway, its cold, rigid face directly facing Lu Li. One stone leg was extended forward, frozen mid-step, as if it had been walking toward him.

    An inexplicable chill seeped into the air around him.

    Lu Li hadn¡¯t anticipated the supernatural phenomena to manifest so soon after nightfall. He thought he¡¯d have more time before they began.

    The letter had mentioned that the statue would wander around and that it should simply be returned to its original position. If that was the solution¡­

    Holding the oilmp, Lu Li began walking toward the statue, his dark eyes unblinking as he stared at it. Nothing happened, even as he approached it.

    The statue was life-sized, standing nearly at Lu Li¡¯s chin. Its surface was limestone gray, left uncolored¡ªperhaps intentionally. Unlike the sharp, angr features of male statues, this female statue exuded a soft elegance and beauty. The only ¡°w¡± was itsck of clothing.

    But, after all, it was just a statue. No matter how exquisite its features, there was no hiding the stiff lifelessness in its expression.

    Lu Li silently observed the statue before tilting his head slightly to nce two meters behind it, at its base.

    The statue had moved from there¡­ using an inexplicable method.

    However, it seemed incapable of moving while under observation.

    The slight movement of the oilmp caused its light to flicker. In the shifting illumination, the dull gray eyes of the statue seemed toe alive, subtly shifting their gaze toward Lu Li.

    For a fleeting moment, Lu Li felt as if he were being watched. He immediately turned his gaze back, locking onto the statue¡¯s lifeless eyes.

    Nothing had changed. The sensation of being watched seemed to have been an illusion.

    Following the instructions in the letter, Lu Li set the oilmp on the floor and reached out to grasp the statue¡¯s waist. Its smooth, icy surface felt strange to the touch, yet it was solid and firm.

    Lifting the statue, Lu Li estimated it to weigh about 50 pounds¡ªlight for a stone sculpture.

    He ced the statue back on its base. However, there was an issue. The statue, originally positioned in a neutral standing pose, was now frozen mid-step.

    Perhaps it would return to its original state by morning.

    Lu Li thought to himself, stepping backward and bending down to retrieve the oilmp.

    Because he never took his eyes off the statue, there was no hair-raising moment where he looked back up to find it suddenly looming over him.

    Holding the oilmp, Lu Li walked past the statue, then turned to face it again, backing away until it was at the edge of themp¡¯s illumination, about five or six meters away. Only then did he turn around.

    Ssshh¡ª

    The eerie sound of scraping immediately followed the motion of his turning away.

    Sensing something, Lu Li turned his head to see the statue¡¯s delicate right leg stepping off the base. Previously, the left leg had been in front.

    The moment his gaze left it, it had moved again.

    Lu Li¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.

    The letter only mentioned returning the statue to its original position, but it didn¡¯t say what to do if the statue kept moving.

    He couldn¡¯t allow himself to focus on resolving other paranormal events while the statue roamed freely down the hallway¡­ Then again, maybe he could.

    Lu Li wasn¡¯t a genuine night guard and had no obligation to work tirelessly for the 20-shilling nightly wage. On the contrary, he was here to resolve the paranormal phenomena.

    There was no doubt¡ªthe statue was one of those phenomena.

    If the statue were to disappear, the paranormal activity in the gallery would lessen.

    In other words, if Lu Li allowed the statue to be damaged or removed, Benjamin would owe him a fee for resolving the paranormal issue.

    Assuming, of course, that the statue didn¡¯t somehow repair itself or return.

    Having decided what to do, Lu Li no longer felt the need to force the statue back onto its base. He let it wander freely through the hallway.

    For now, he wouldn¡¯t deliberately destroy it. But if the statue, as the letter suggested, tried to jump out of a second-floor window, he wouldn¡¯t stop it.

    Ignoring the scraping and shifting sounds behind him, Lu Li made his way back to the desk near the entrance.

    He set the oilmp on the corner of the desk, its flickering me gradually stabilizing.

    Sitting down on the cold wooden chair, he had barely settled when the constant scraping sound abruptly stopped.

    At the edge of the oilmp¡¯s light, a shadow stood at the boundary between light and darkness, its form wavering between the two.

    The statue had followed Lu Li all the way back.

    It was unexpectedly clingy.

    For the moment, Lu Li ignored it. Lowering his gaze, he began contemting how to deal with the other three paranormal phenomena.

    Aside from the painting, the two ghostly former employees were undoubtedly spirits. Their lingering presence in the gallery might have a reason¡ªperhaps this was where they had died. Or maybe¡­ the person responsible for their deaths was connected to the gallery.

    Benjamin¡¯s face involuntarily surfaced in Lu Li¡¯s mind.

    His fingers lightly tapped the desk. If that were the case, investigating the circumstances of their deaths and checking the second floor became essential.

    If Benjamin were the culprit, Lu Li could demand a substantial confidentiality fee along with hismission, then have Oliver report him to the authorities.

    Or Oliver could take the fee, and Lu Li would report him.

    At that moment, the desk suddenly trembled slightly.

    Sensing something, Lu Li looked up to find a rigid face filling his entire field of vision, so close that his breath hit it and bounced back coldly.

    The statue clung to the edge of the desk, its feet nted on the surface,pletely motionless.

    It seemed he would have to deal with the statue before handling anything else.

    The letter hadn¡¯t mentioned what would happen if he ignored the statue, but the oue was likely one of two things: nothing would change, or things would get worse.

    His gaze briefly flicked between the statue¡¯s legs. Without taking the oilmp, Lu Li left his seat, circled around the statue, and walked to the door. Unlocking the bolt, he pulled one of the doors open.

    An unsettling stillness hung over the dim, silent street outside.

    At some point, a thinyer of fog had settled over the area. The windows of nearby houses glowed faintly with warm light.

    Turning back, Lu Li saw that the statue had resumed a neutral standing pose and was stepping toward him, its back to the foggy street.

    Lifting the statue, Lu Li carried it outside and set it down in front of the gallery¡¯s entrance. ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do. Go have some fun.¡±

    Stepping back into the gallery, he quietly locked the door from the inside with a soft click.

    It had been banished.

    Or, to put it more kindly: it had been set free.

 Chapter 19

    If possible, Lu Li preferred to settle things quickly.

    However, he couldn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t sure if the statue was a ghost or something else entirely. Using the Spirit Gun came with significant side effects¡ªit was like an irreversible progress bar. Every moment spent holding it pushed the bar forward one notch.

    Overusing it would drag Lu Li closer to that realm of malevolent spirits.

    So, as Hades had advised, he chose to ¡°talk¡± with the ghosts. As long as the ghosts didn¡¯t disy hostility, Lu Li wouldn¡¯t make the first move either.

    Knock, knock, knock¡ª

    Knock, knock, knock!

    Suddenly, a rapid and forceful knocking echoed from the entrance.

    Seated behind the desk, Lu Li nced sideways, listening quietly.

    Knock, knock, knock¡ªKnock, knock, knock!

    The knocking echoed down the vast and silent gallery hallway.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Lu Li asked toward the door, his tone casual, as if addressing a neighbor.

    He waited for a long moment, but no reply came from outside.

    In the following silence, an eerie tension began to grow.

    Lu Li scanned his surroundings, confirming that nothing unusual had appeared, then stepped toward the door.

    Knock, knock, knock¡ª

    Knock, knock, knock!

    The door began to shake again, visibly trembling and shedding dust.

    As soon as the knocking ceased, Lu Li reached the door. He ced his hand on the knob and pulled it open¡ª

    With the barrier removed, the light from the oilmp on the desk spilled out into the dimness, illuminating a figure standing at the threshold.

    The statue had returned¡ªor perhaps it had never left. One of its arms was raised mid-knock, frozen in ce.

    Lu Li remained silent for a few seconds, then stepped aside to clear a path.

    The statue didn¡¯t move.

    He remembered that it couldn¡¯t move while being watched. So, he picked up the statue from outside and carried it back into the gallery, shutting the door behind him.

    In the brief moment before the door closed, Lu Li noticed something outside¡ªa vague presence seemed to stir in the gray, murky fog that nketed the street.

    Perhaps that was the reason for Belfast¡¯s infamous rule to stay in the light after dark?

    Bang.

    With the door closed, the outside world was sealed away, and tranquility reimed the space around him.

    Lu Li walked past the statue, which had shifted slightly when he wasn¡¯t looking, and picked up the oilmp. He then headed deeper into the gallery.

    He now intended to investigate the second floor of the building.

    The paintings hanging on the walls were mostly portraits, each exuding an uncanny aura. As Lu Li passed with the oilmp, the eyes in the paintings seemed to follow him, only to revert to lifeless stillness whenever his gazended on them.

    The statue trailed behind him, keeping a subtle distance.

    The constant sound of shuffling movements behind him made the journey feel a little less lonely.

    Passing the empty pedestal where the statue had originally stood and walking by the still-unchanged painting of the girl, Lu Li reached the end of the hallway, where a staircase appeared before him.

    The staircase ascended for a short distance before turning at a corner six meters ahead, then continuing upward.

    Notably, directly facing the staircase was arge portrait of a medieval figure from Europe.

    Lu Li stepped onto the stairs, inevitably drawing closer to the portrait. It wasrger than he had expected, depicting a half-length figure in period clothing, with proportions matching those of a real person. Up close, the unsettling details of the painting became even more apparent.

    The figure wasn¡¯t mentioned in the letter as one of the paranormal phenomena, so Lu Li paid it little mind and turned to ascend the stairs.

    Behind him, in the sudden darkness, the eyes within the painting slowly turned to follow him.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ª

    The sounds of his footsteps echoed through the empty, deste hallway, fading into the darkness.

    Dust particles floated in the glow of the oilmp, swirling into tiny whirls as Lu Li passed through.

    He casually opened the door closest to the stairs, stepping into what appeared to be an office. The arrangement led Lu Li to realize it was Benjamin¡¯s personal space.

    Unless Benjamin had unwavering trust in his employees, this likely meant the office contained no money or valuables.

    Lu Li entered the office and closed the door behind him, though he chose not to lock it.

    His gaze swept over the bookshelves before he approached the desk, picking up a staff ledger lying casually on its surface.

    The ledger listed all current and past employees of the gallery:

    Athena Leslie

    re Joyce

    Vera Griffin

    Daphne Garcia

    Smith Duncan

    Chaplin George

    James Campbell

    Dewey Raphael

    Powell Taylor

    Edith Bell

    Joan Joyce

    Leona Murphy

    The names of the two female employees who had be ghosts were likely among them.

    Creak¡ª

    A faint sound of the door opening reached Lu Li¡¯s ears. He looked up to see a familiar figure in the doorway.

    The statue, which had been trailing behind him, had caught up.

    Choosing to ignore it for now, Lu Li flipped to thest page of the ledger, memorizing the dozens of names before cing the book back on the desk. He picked up another book to browse.

    This one recorded the gallery¡¯s daily visitor numbers, which fluctuated between a few dozen and a hundred each day.

    After a moment of quiet reading, Lu Li suddenly recalled something and looked up.

    The statue had stepped inside the room.

    Retracting his gaze, Lu Li sat down at the desk, holding the ledger as he resumed reading.

    A few secondster, the ledger slipped from his hands, revealing his deep, dark eyes.

    The corner of his gaze caught the statue, now closer than it had been before, though still motionless.

    After skimming through a few more books on the desk and confirming that there were no useful clues, Lu Li returned to the door, unlocking it as he left.

    The office door closed slowly behind him.

    Click.

    The subtle sound of the door locking from the inside echoed faintly.

    Lu Li stepped away and turned toward the hallway to explore other rooms.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ª

    His footsteps echoed down the empty corridor.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªclick¡ªtap¡ª

    A barely perceptible sound mixed with his footsteps.

    Lu Li paused, turning toward the source of the noise.

    Not far from the office, the door was slightly ajar. From behind it, a rigid, expressionless face peeked out, staring at him with an eerie calm.

    Dong¡ªdong¡ªdong¡ª

    Somewhere, a distant clock began to chime, piercing the stillness of the night.

    Lu Li stopped mid-step, his gaze shifting to a window on the opposite side of the hallway. His eyes narrowed slightly.

    The street stretched toward the coastline, where a crescent-shaped bay met the sea. At the far end of the bay, a lighthouse surrounded by rocky outcrops emitted a clear beam of light, scanning the open waters.

    In that moment, an almost tangible darkness seemed to surge from the depths of the ocean, spreading toward the harbor.

    The clock chimed five times before falling silent, though its resonance lingered, manifesting in the surrounding environment.

    The lights within nearby homes grew brighter, as if the residents had added more sources of illumination. Faint screams and cries could be heard in the distance.

    Sensing that something was amiss, Lu Li halted his exploration and retreated to the office.

    Carrying the statue blocking the doorway inside, Lu Li followed and locked the door behind him.

    He lit the wall-mounted candbra and the oilmp on the desk. The additional sources of light banished the room¡¯s dimness, filling it with a brightness that instilled a sense of safety.

    Sitting at the desk, Lu Li silently waited for the indescribable, iprehensible darkness from the deep sea to reach the gallery.<hr>

    We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Trantors/MTLers are wee!

    Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw

 Chapter 20

    The deathly silent room offered safety only through the bright glow of three lights and the scattered illumination from the windows, like stars speckling the darkness.

    The windows of the office faced the hillside, leaving the harbor out of view. Lu Li couldn¡¯t tell when the encroaching darkness would reach this ce. Time ticked by, second by second, until, suddenly, the lights in the room flickered.

    All three sources of light flickered simultaneously. Before Lu Li could discern the cause, the room visibly began to darken.

    The mes of the candbra and oilmp remained steady, but they no longer emitted warmth. Their illumination started to shrink, growing smaller and smaller until it barely extended a meter. The weakest me on the candbra quietly extinguished.

    Dimness reasserted itself as the room¡¯s dominant tone, the air thick with a murky, oppressive presence.

    Lu Li understood: the darkness had reached this ce.

    Grabbing the oilmp at his side, Lu Li approached the window.

    In the ss, his calm face and pitch-ck eyes, dark as the night, were reflected back at him.

    A veil of mist seemed to shroud the outside world, as though something tangible was stirring beyond the walls. It was fog.An eerie mist had engulfed the entire harbor and Belfast.

    It seemed to dim the lights even further, but due to the mysterious bell that had rung over the city, every household had increased their illumination, preventing the darkness from swallowing thempletely.

    The hazy view of Belfast Harbor resembled a starfield, faint and flickering. asionally, a scream pierced the night, echoing from an unknown location.

    Lu Li stepped back from the window, putting some distance between himself and the ss.

    He had an uncanny sense that something had emerged on the streets below, moving within the mist.

    On his fifth day here, Lu Li was finally face-to-face with the eerie and bizarre nature of this world.

    He silently debated whether to call off tonight¡¯s ns, but before the thought could settle, the room suddenly grew brighter.

    Momentarily stunned, Lu Li shifted his gaze to the oilmp. After observing it for a few seconds, he confirmed it wasn¡¯t an illusion. The me regained its warmth, and the light expanded outward once more.

    Realizing something, Lu Li looked out the window. The hazy fog had vanished, and the buildings on the hillside became clear and illuminated once more.

    From the ck mist¡¯s arrival to its departure, not even a minute had passed. The mysterious fog had risen from the deep sea and now retreated just as bizarrely¡ªor perhaps it had simply moved elsewhere.

    Did the six chimes of the bell correspond to sixty seconds? Lu Li couldn¡¯t say, nor could he dwell on the thought, as new disturbances arose within the gallery.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªtap¡ª

    Wet, sticky footsteps echoed from the neighboring room, just a wall away.

    The wooden walls were poorly soundproofed¡ªvery poorly. A few secondster, the footsteps ceased. Listening carefully, Lu Li counted the seconds: one, two, three¡­ ???

    Bang¡ª

    The deafening sound of a door being kicked open reverberated down the corridor.

    The impact shook the office, the source unmistakablying from the neighboring room.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªtap¡ª

    The footsteps resumed, and Lu Li could distinctly hear the soggy, muffled sound of bare, wet feet on the wooden floorboards.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªtap¡ª

    The wet, sticky footsteps moved from the adjacent room into the hallway.

    It was clear: in a matter of seconds, this door would meet the same fate as the others on this floor, mming open with a thunderous crash.

    Rustle¡ª

    A faint sound to his side drew Lu Li¡¯s attention. Turning his head, he saw the statue still standing in the corner, though now one of its arms was raised, pointing toward the cab along the wall.

    The implication was clear.

    Oddly enough, the statue had been unusually quiet since the mist appeared.

    ¡°No thanks.¡±

    Lu Li declined politely. Hiding until he was discovered wasn¡¯t his style.

    Besides, the ghost was already at the door.

    Tap¡ªtap¡ªtap¡ª

    The wet footsteps were now directly outside. Even without touching the pistol grip, Lu Li could feel the chilling presence seeping through the door.

    Suddenly, a cold sensation spread from his calf.

    Looking down, Lu Li saw a dark red fetus, its underdeveloped face devoid of features and its body still attached to an umbilical cord, clutching tightly to his pant leg.

    The leg it held was already numb from the cold.

    Realizing he had noticed it, the fetus opened its mouth, revealing a full set of sharp teeth, preparing to let out a scream.

    A hand moved faster than the fetus could. Lu Li covered its mouth, stifling the sound and forcing it back into its throat.

    Tap¡ª

    The footsteps outside the door abruptly stopped.

    Lu Li looked down at the fetus. A thought crossed his mind. Swiftly, he scooped it up, stepped to the window, opened it, and flung the creature out. He wiped the blood off his hands with the curtain before closing the window.

    The sequence of actions was executed seamlessly.

    Bang!

    A thunderous crash echoed through the floor as the office door burst open, splintering into fragments and swaying precariously on its hinges.

    A figure in a white dress floated in the doorway. Her reddish-brown hair obscured her face, but a sh of hatred gleamed in her eyes before vanishing.

    A swollen intestine extended from beneath her dress, dragging along the floor.

    Her voice, chilling enough to drop the surrounding temperature, echoed through the room. ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes didn¡¯t waver as he met her gaze with calmposure.

    He had shifted the pistol holster to his back, his hand firmly gripping the gun¡¯s handle.

    ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child¡­?¡± the ghostly woman repeated in the same hollow tone.

    ¡°No.¡± Lu Li¡¯s voice remained steady, his expression unchanging.

    His gaze briefly flicked over her dress. A white gown like that didn¡¯t seem practical for work, but it fit the aesthetic of a ghost. Understandable.

    ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child¡­?¡± she rasped again.

    Lu Li¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line, his brow furrowing slightly.

    The letter hadn¡¯t mentioned that this ghost would repeat the same question like a broken record. In fact, it hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about encountering a ghostly infant, either.

    Was the situation deviating from what had been described?

    ¡°I have,¡± Lu Li suddenly said, nodding. ¡°Isn¡¯t your child about this tall, this big, with dark red skin and an umbilical cord?¡±

    As he described the ghostly infant he had thrown out the window, the woman¡¯s eyes glowed brighter with crimson light.

    Lu Li pointed toward the door, maintaining his calm tone. ¡°Go out, turn right, and walk straight for two blocks. I saw your child there not long ago.¡±

    Before taking thismission, Lu Li had memorized the location of the nearest police station, just in case.

    The ghost stared nkly for a moment before turning away. Ignoring Lu Li, she vanished from the doorway, her wet footsteps receding into the distance.

    He hoped she wouldn¡¯t return.

    Lu Li exhaled softly, then nced to the side to find the statue cowering in the corner, facing inward,pletely motionless.

    He opened his mouth to ask it something, but his expression shifted as his dark eyes snapped toward the door.

    A nauseating wave of malice and cold radiated into the office. Standing in the doorway was another ghost¡ªa girl in a pale greence dress, her eye sockets hollow and empty.

    Herce dress was stained with blood, a pungent metallic scent wafting from the fabric.

    There was no doubt about it¡ªanother one hade.

    Holding his breath, Lu Li remained silent, hoping that, as the letter suggested, this ghost still couldn¡¯t see.

    Surely his luck wouldn¡¯t be that bad.

    Right?

    Probably.<hr>

    We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Trantors/MTLers are wee!

    Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw

 Chapter 21

    Holding his breath, Lu Li¡¯s gaze followed the ghost¡¯s movements.

    But it seemed that the more you hoped something wouldn¡¯t happen, the more likely it was to ur.

    The hollow eye sockets of the girl¡¯s ghost turned toward Lu Li, and augh echoed through the room.

    ¡°Did you see my eyes?¡±

    There was no way she was talking to herself.

    So, the ghost had changed again. Simply staying silent was no longer enough to evade her perception.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t see them,¡± Lu Li replied.

    The ghost¡¯s aura shifted, growing more malicious. Lu Li didn¡¯t want to resort to violence. After a brief hesitation, he spoke slowly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯ve lost your eyes. I¡¯m willing to be your eyes.¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression twisted into something more vicious, as if she had seen a ghost herself. In an instant, her demeanor turnedpletely hostile, herughter cold and mocking. ¡°Hah¡­ Fool!¡±¡°Guess there¡¯s no reasoning with you,¡± Lu Li murmured softly. He suddenly raised the gun and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

    Bang!

    To be honest, Lu Li had indeed contemted silencing her.

    The thunderous gunshot echoed like a dragon¡¯s roar. mes and ck smoke erupted from the barrel as the ck powder ignited, filling the air with acrid fumes. The st shattered the mist clinging to the window and reverberated throughout the gallery.

    Hearing the ghost¡¯s piercing scream, Lu Li didn¡¯t bother to check the results. Wasting no time, he loaded another silver-ted bullet into the chamber.

    He could feel a trace of energy merging into the flintlock pistol, making it stronger.

    Was it because he had fired the gun? Or because he had hit the ghost?

    By the fourth second after the shot, Lu Li had reloaded the bullet and closed the chamber, his hand leaving the gun¡¯s grip.

    The countless malicious presences that had been stirring around him vanishedpletely.

    ¡°Are you done?¡±

    A chillingugh broke the silence, transforming into a venomous hiss. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn!¡±

    Suddenly, Lu Li¡¯s vision was forcibly drawn to the ghost. The next moment, an all-epassing darkness enveloped him. A searing pain shot through his eyes, and he felt something cold and wet trickling down his cheeks¡ª ?

    Instinctively, Lu Li reached for the warmth of the oilmp. The steady heat of the ss cover reassured him.

    The me was still burning. The light hadn¡¯t gone out¡­ Forcing himself to ignore the pain in his skull, Lu Li steadied his thoughts and touched his eyes¡ªthey were still there.

    Was this some kind of ability to block his vision?

    ¡°Did you take my eyes?¡± Lu Li asked calmly, trying to provoke the ghost into speaking and revealing her location.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your life next,¡± came the venomousugh, this time from directly in front of him.

    With her position confirmed, Lu Li gripped the gun and prepared to raise it. But before he could, a gust of wind rushed toward him.

    Rolling to the side, Lu Li evaded the attack, crashing into a table and chair.

    ¡°That trick won¡¯t work on me a second time!¡± The ghost cackled, sending a barrage of objects flying toward Lu Li.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lu Li responded as he dodged, his hand gripping the flintlock pistol tightly.

    The malicious energy surrounding him grew stronger, but it also helped him sense the ghost¡¯s location without needing to rely on sight. However, just as he was about to fire, he detected another presence outside the door.

    At the same time, a familiar, eerie voice drifted in from the hallway.

    ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child¡­?¡±

    The ghost Lu Li had tricked earlier had returned, now standing outside the door.

    The attacking ghost froze,pletely still.

    Lu Li noticed this immediately.

    It seemed their rtionship was less than amicable¡ªor perhaps the ghost feared the woman searching for her child.

    Realizing this, Lu Li released his grip on the pistol and spoke up. ¡°I saw your child.¡±

    Both sets of ghostly eyes turned toward him.

    ¡°Your child is about this tall, this big, dark red in color, and still has an umbilical cord, right?¡±

    Lu Li repeated the description he had used earlier, then pointed at the attacking ghost. ¡°I saw her holding your child, giving it to a stranger. That person paid her a hundred shillings¡ªit seemed like she sold your child.¡±

    The ghost¡¯s furious eyes burned with hatred as she red at Lu Li. But before she could respond, the woman searching for her child spoke again in a haunting voice near his ear.

    ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child¡­?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± The attacking ghost recoiled in fear, while the grieving mother ghost clung to her relentlessly.

    ¡°Get away from me! I don¡¯t have your child!¡± The ghost¡¯s shrill scream erupted as a wave of energy sted through the office, scattering objects everywhere.

    Lu Li, standing on the edge of the chaos, simply observed the scene unfold.

    ¡°Then¡­ give me¡­ your child!¡± The mother ghost¡¯s icy voice hissed. Her hands, wed with razor-sharp nails the length of a finger, plunged into the other ghost¡¯s lower back.

    ¡°Get off me! I don¡¯t have a child!¡± The enraged ghost struggled to break free from the mother ghost¡¯s grip. The force of their sh sent debris flying through the room, and amidst the chaos, Lu Li¡¯s vision finally cleared.

    ¡°Ahhh! Let me go!!!¡± The ghost¡¯s angry roars quickly turned into agonized screams, echoing through the entire gallery.

    Her struggles were futile. Before Lu Li¡¯s eyes, the ghost¡¯s presence visibly weakened, while the mother ghost¡¯s aura grew stronger.

    The mother ghost was consuming her.

    The screams gradually faded, and the once-solid figure of the ghost became translucent. Her face was filled with panic and terror, helpless against the mother ghost, just as ordinary humans were helpless against ghosts.

    Lu Li watched thoughtfully. So, there were power hierarchies even among ghosts.

    p¡ª

    At that moment, a book flew through the air, passing harmlessly through both ghosts beforending on the floor, its pages spreading open.

    Though it caused no damage, the book seeded in diverting the attention of the two ghosts.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in targeting her anymore,¡± Lu Li said, retrieving the flintlock pistol with a smooth motion and tucking it into his waistband. ¡°You should focus on finding the person who bought your child and saving them instead.¡±

    ¡°He probably hasn¡¯t gone far. If you leave now, you might still catch up.¡±

    The mother ghost¡¯s blood-red eyes flickered before she slowly withdrew her hands from the other ghost¡¯s back.

    ¡°Child¡­ my child¡­¡± The mother ghost muttered, dragging her intestine as she stepped out of the office.

    The remaining ghost copsed to the floor, panting heavily, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

    A pair of ck leather boots appeared in front of her. The ghost froze, looking up at the man who had crouched down before her.

    Her voice carried a hint ofplex emotion. ¡°Why¡­ did you save me¡­?¡±

    Does he like me? she wondered. Stories about humans falling in love with ghosts weremon, after all. Could he be one of those people? I mean, even though I¡¯m a ghost, I still look quite good. Surely there are some who¡¯d find me attractive. Maybe I could stay with him for now and wait for the chance to¡ª

    Her thoughts were abruptly cut off by an explosion of mes and the roar of the pistol.

    Lu Li answered her question with action: he saved her to im the kill.

    The ghost¡¯s incorporeal form seemed to solidify as the silver-ted bullet lodged itself between her brows. Blood-red bubbles spread from the wound, rapidly consuming her entire form.

    ¡°You¡­ bastard¡­¡± she managed to sputter, her voice muffled as the bubbles overtook her. They quickly enveloped herpletely, causing her spectral body to dissolve as if it were boiling away.

    Clink¡ª

    The bullet fell to the ground, bouncing lightly.

    The only sound left in the now-empty office was her faint, lingering curse.

    ¡°Bastard¡­¡±

    The floating debris in the office fell to the ground, lifeless.

    Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes held a hint of confusion.

    What did she mean by calling me a bastard before she died?<hr>

    We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Trantors/MTLers are wee!

    Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw

 Chapter 22

    No matter what¡­

    Lu Li grabbed the flintlock pistol, got to his feet, and surveyed the chaos around him, with debris strewn across the floor.

    ¡­One ghost had been dealt with.

    A leather holster separated his hand from the engraved patterns on the gun. The sensation of the gun bing stronger wasn¡¯t an illusion. With an evil spirit vanquished under its barrel, the rose patterns etched into the flintlock¡¯s body had blossomed slightly.

    Perhaps, after resolving the gallery incident, he could ask Hades about it.

    Rustle rustle¡ª

    A strange sound faintly emanated from downstairs. Deciding not to clean up Benjamin¡¯s office, Lu Li stepped over the shattered mess on the floor, picked up the oilmp left in the corner, and nced at the statue in the opposite corner before heading out.

    Bang.

    The door closed softly behind him, cutting off thest bit of light and plunging the disordered room into pitch-ck silence.In the now-quiet room, the statue remained surprisingly still¡ªperhaps it had been frightened?

    Having shaken off the statue¡¯s pursuit, Lu Li returned to the ground floor, where the strange noise wasing from the darkness ahead. Holding the oilmp, he made his way toward the source of the sound.

    As he approached, the silhouette of a figure emerging from a painting came into view.

    Madame Anlef¡¯s Daughter.

    This was the painting mentioned in the letter, and also its title.

    Predictably, the letter had gotten something wrong again. It had only mentioned that the girl in the painting woulde to life after nightfall¡ªit hadn¡¯t said she could climb out of the painting.

    Half of the body emerging from the painting looked eerily alive. Her gothic dress was pure white, pristine, unlike the dull, grayish tones of the painting. She seemed stuck in the frame, panting and struggling as though trying to climb out of the canvas.

    Lu Li quietly observed her, his right hand slowly lifting his coat and reaching behind him. He had repositioned the gun holster to his lower back for better essibility and concealment.

    After having sessfully dealt with one ghost and tangibly benefitting from it, Lu Li was no longer as reluctant to interact with ghosts.

    As his hand gripped the pistol, the struggling girl finally noticed him. She raised her head, her gaze meeting Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes.

    A faint blush crept up her pale neck, spreading to her delicate features. Even under the dim light of the oilmp, it was unmistakable.

    Leaning against the frame, the girl brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and gave a deliberately graceful smile. ¡°Hi, could you help me?¡±

    If one ignored the fact that she was stuck in a painting, with her face flushed red, she might have passed for an elegant, aristocratic youngdy.

    Before Lu Li could respond, the painting suddenly wobbled, as though unable to bear its weight, and fell from the wall.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Smack¡ª

    Her exmation was abruptly cut off as the painting crashed to the floor with a sharp, oddly painful thud.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lu Li remained silent.

    Under his watchful gaze, the paintingy still for several seconds before suddenly rising upright.

    Yes, rising upright. A pair of pale, delicate feet appeared at the bottom of the frame, followed by a snow-whitece pleated dress.

    Two hands emerged from either side of the frame, gripping it like someone pulling off a sweater. The girl stood in ce, extracting herself from the painting by pulling it off over her head. R?

    ¡°Phew~¡±

    Her hair spilled from the edges of the frame, falling loosely around her doll-like, flushed face.

    The girl let out a soft sigh, then casually tossed the painting aside as if discarding trash. She floated over to stand in front of Lu Li.

    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you for not helping me~ Huh? A new face. What happened to Leona, that little girl? Did she quit out of fear? Just call me Anna.¡±

    Without giving Lu Li a chance to say a word, the girl began chattering with a clear, lively voice.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the new night guard,¡± Lu Li said, finally speaking up.

    He chose not to reveal his upation. This ghost¡ªif she could be called that¡ªseemed easy to get along with, but revealing himself as an exorcist wouldplicate matters.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look scared at all. Did Leona tell you about me? Or was it that fat Benjamin?¡±

    ¡°You know Benjamin?¡±

    ¡°He bought this gallery from my mother. Of course I know him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Madame Anlef¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    Anna tilted her head proudly, revealing her smooth, pale chin.

    Things were moreplicated than he had expected. Almost instinctively, Lu Li began connecting the dots, mentally sketching out a potential conspiracy.

    ¡°How did you die?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone teach you not to ask ghosts how they died?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lu Li replied.

    All he¡¯d been told was not to ask women their age.

    ¡°Well, now you know.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Lu Li nodded and didn¡¯t press further. After all, it wasn¡¯t relevant to his investigation.

    Returning to his thoughts, he suddenly realized Anna¡¯s face was now very close to his. Her pale cheeks, tinged with pink, made it nearly impossible to associate her charming smile with anything undead.

    ¡°Hey, are you really not afraid at all?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. Under the oilmp¡¯s glow, her clear, sparkling eyes were hard to discern.

    ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Lu Li tilted his head slightly, genuinely puzzled.

    ¡°I¡¯m a ghost!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re very cute.¡±

    Anna recoiled as if shocked, floating backward. Her gaze shifted evasively, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. ¡°W-what the heck¡­ Has the gallery really fallen so far that they¡¯re hiring guys like you, all smooth-talking and shameless?¡±

    ¡°Hmph¡­ Don¡¯t think you can get away with ttery. I¡ª¡±

    Her rambling was interrupted by an ill-timed voice in her ear.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, carry on. I have things to deal with,¡± Lu Li said, cutting her off. Confirming that this ghost had no ill intentions, he turned to leave.

    ¡°Eh? What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Investigate something.¡±

    ¡°What kind of something?¡±

    ¡°Something about the other two ghosts in the gallery.¡±

    A sudden silence fell behind him.

    As Lu Li took a few steps, a hesitant voice called out softly.

    ¡°Can we not provoke them¡­?¡±

    Even ghosts could fear other ghosts, it seemed.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I said I¡¯m going¡ªI didn¡¯t say I was bringing you.¡± Lu Li kept walking without looking back.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve already lured the two ghosts away. The upstairs is empty.¡±

    Anna instinctively floated after him, eximing, ¡°L-lured them away?!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Her gaze on Lu Li¡¯s back grew increasingly odd. ¡°Do you have some kind of n? Stealing something? Setting a fire?¡±

    Her tone carried no hostility or suspicion, only curiosity. It seemed that even if Lu Li were nning such things, she wouldn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m just curious, trying to figure out how they died,¡± Lu Li replied.

    ¡°Ohhh~~~¡±

    ¡°Do you know their names?¡± he asked. If Anna knew, it would save him a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Athena Leslie, and I think the other one¡¯s named Ruth¡­? I don¡¯t know herst name.¡±

    Mentally cross-referencing the employee ledger, Lu Li confirmed the first name matched, but the second didn¡¯t ring any bells¡ªit hadn¡¯t appeared in the records.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall anyone named Ruth ever working here.¡±

    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t an employee.¡±

    Lu Li stopped in his tracks, turning to Anna with a slight frown. ¡°She wasn¡¯t an employee?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    ¡°Then why is she here?¡±

    ¡°Because she was killed by someone who used to work here.¡±

    Anna tilted her head thoughtfully.

    ¡°That person¡¯s name was James Campbell.¡±<hr>

    We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Trantors/MTLers are wee!

    Discord Server: .gg/HGaByvmVuw

 Chapter 23

    Second floor of the gallery.

    Lu Li bypassed the office and walked toward the break room, with Anna floating behind him.

    The scene was strange¡ªa human and a ghost getting along rtively well. Lu Li began to understand what Hades meant bymunicating with ghosts.

    Ghosts were once human. While some might undergo drastic personality changes after death, most retained aspects of their human thought processes.

    Like Anna.

    The other two ghosts might be simr, but Lu Li hadn¡¯t yet figured out how to deal with the eyeless ghost. Physical intervention seemed to be the only solution for now.

    The door to the break room had already been forced open, exposing the contents of the room.

    A few single beds, some cabs, and a dining table. Nothing particrly noteworthy.

    ¡°Do you remember which bed Campbell used?¡± Lu Li asked as he stepped into the room.Anna floated over to sit on the windowsill, lightly swinging her legs. ¡°How would I know?¡±

    Lu Li walked to the bed closest to the door and lightly pressed on it with his hand. Suddenly, he lifted the nket.

    A notebook appeared beneath it.

    Anna looked stunned.

    Lu Li picked up the notebook, brushed off the dust, and brought it to the oilmp. Without lifting his gaze, he exined, ¡°Men tend to hide their secrets under their beds.¡±

    The notebook was signed ¡°James Campbell.¡± Lu Li had effortlessly acquired a key clue.

    ¡°Girls do that too,¡± Anna muttered under her breath, ceasing to swing her legs.

    ¡°True. But you also hide things in cabs, under rugs, behind mirrors, and inside stuffed toys,¡± Lu Li replied, flipping open the notebook as his gaze fell on the first page.

    [March 6, Sunny]

    A familiar format greeted him.

    On the other side, Anna pouted, unable to refute his point, and let out a dissatisfied hum.

    The saying ¡°diaries are unreliable¡± only applied to celebrities. Most ordinary people who kept diaries tended to record their most genuine thoughts.

    At least, in Lu Li¡¯s experience from his time on Earth assisting the police, it wasn¡¯t umon for murderers to outline their motives and methods in their journals. ??

    Clearing his mind, Lu Li focused on the diary before him.

    [March 6, Sunny]

    ¡°Damn this weather. The factory chimneys are choking the life out of us. The nobles in Parliament are talking about shutting them down. As if that could actually happen.¡±

    ¡ª

    [March 10, Overcast]

    ¡°Where is this foging from? The sea? The industrial district?¡±

    ¡ª

    [March 8, Overcast]

    ¡°Good news. I heard the factories are shutting down. It seems the nobles have finally grown a conscience.¡±

    ¡ª

    [March 10, Cloudy]

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the fog cleared yet? At least it¡¯s not suffocating anymore.¡±

    ¡ª

    [March 12, Overcast]

    ¡°I forgot to write yesterday, but nothing happened anyway. The weather¡¯s still gloomy, like the fog has risen to the sky.¡±

    Lu Li flipped through the pages quickly, skipping over the short, insignificant entries. He also noticed that every subsequent day¡¯s weather was listed as overcast.

    [March 26, Overcast]

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why does it feel like there¡¯s something in the dark? When I woke up this morning, I saw another family on the next street dead in their home¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡ª

    [April 1, Overcast]

    ¡°I¡­ I killed someone¡­ Haha, just kidding.¡±

    ¡ª

    [April 15, Overcast]

    ¡°Is this the apocalypse the church has been preaching about? So many people have died recently. The clouds haven¡¯t lifted, and Parliament has issued a decree requiring every household to lightmps at night¡­ What¡¯s happening here?¡±

    ¡ª

    [April 21, Overcast]

    ¡°What Parliament said is true! Disaster hase to Belfast! Everyone is saying to stay in the light. Some people, trying to save money, didn¡¯t light theirmps at night. When they were found in their homes, their bodies were already rotting¡­ What¡¯s in the darkness?¡±

    ¡ª

    [April 24, Overcast]

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s terrified. Duncan even quit his job. Poor Duncan¡ªhow will he afford kerosene now without work?¡±

    ¡ª

    [April 25, Overcast]

    ¡°Thank goodness, the price of kerosene has dropped. The homeless scavengers can now huddle under streetmps.¡±

    ¡ª

    [May 1, Overcast]

    ¡°Those who had left Belfast have returned. They say the journey was dangerous and that other cities are the same now. But¡­ not all of them came back. Where did the rest go? Or¡­¡±

    ¡ª

    [May 5, Overcast]

    ¡°She came for me¡­ How could this be? She¡¯s supposed to be dead¡­ I understand now. That was her ghost. She¡¯s back for revenge!¡±

    The diary ended abruptly here. Lu Li unconsciously flipped through the nk pages.

    It was clear now: Campbell¡¯s ¡°I killed someone¡± on April 1 was no joke.

    Rustle¡ª

    The sound of flipping pages suddenly stopped.

    New content appeared in thetter half of the diary.

    It was no longer written in the diary format, but the handwriting seemed to belong to the same person.

    ¡°She did it on purpose¡­ She threw me into it. She¡¯s getting her revenge¡­ She¡¯s haunting me for killing her, for gouging out her eyes¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening!? Why is everything and everyone twisting and distorting? Is it me? Or is it because of it?¡±

    As Lu Li turned to the next page, he noticed the handwriting bing increasingly erratic.

    ¡°They heard me! They¡¯re searching for me¡­ They see me! They want to touch me¡­ I must hide. I can¡¯t let them touch me. If they touch me¡­¡±

    From here, his sanity began to unravel. Just as he described the distorted world around him, the words on the page twisted into grotesque shapes, limbs seeming to reach out from the letters, groping toward the reader.

    Lu Li frowned, ignoring the unsettling visuals and focusing intently on deciphering the text.

    ¡°It must be¡­ It¡¯s doing this. When I get closer, everything calms down¡­ I understand now¡­ It¡¯s urging me¡­ It¡¯s calling me¡­ It¡¯s behind all of this¡­ It wants me back¡­¡±

    ¡°I know those are houses¡ªthey¡¯re made of wood. I¡¯m sure of that. But when the massive, pulsating flesh mounds lining the streets grow limbs and start writhing and waving¡­ I keep moving closer to it. Only by getting closer can I think clearly¡­ Father, Mother, what should I do¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m barely holding onto my thoughts. I need money. I can¡¯t lose this job. Benjamin and my coworkers look like writhing masses of flesh to me¡­ I¡¯m doing my best to hide my disgust and revulsion.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold on any longer¡­ I have to stick to it to stay sane¡­ This is thest entry. I¡¯m going in. If anyone reads this, remember¡ªstay away from it. When you hear it, it can see you. When you see it, it can touch you. Never let it touch you¡­ Never¡­ The door is opening.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯sing for me.¡±

    The handwriting stopped abruptly here.

    What followed was a string of nonsensical, jumbled English words.

    From these words, Lu Li managed to piece together a phic sound: ¡°¡­

    But he didn¡¯t say it aloud. In horror movies, speaking unknown words tended to lead to bad oues¡ªsomething Lu Li was keenly aware of.

 Chapter 24

    The diary had filled in some gaps in Lu Li¡¯s understanding of this world. At the very least, he now knew when the phrase ¡°stay in the light¡± originated and what had prompted it.

    Closing the diary, Lu Li thought for a moment before tucking it into his coat. Since the diary could affect those who read it, it might as well be considered a supernatural object.

    Lu Li had no intention of pursuing this lead further. The eyeless ghost, Ruth, had already been dealt with physically, and the ¡°it¡± described in the diary was beyond his ability to confront. At most, he would hand the diary over to the police or the Night Watchers at an appropriate time.

    Next, Lu Li checked the other two beds but, unfortunately, found no clues rted to the ghost Athena Leslie.

    Lu Li turned to the ghostly girl on the windowsill. ¡°Do you know anything about Athena Leslie?¡±

    Anna shook her head. ¡°I only got to know her after she became a ghost. Before that, I¡¯d only seen her a few times.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense where she is?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ she¡¯s not nearby.¡±

    Lu Li nodded and left the break room. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±The other two rooms on the second floor¡ªa studio and a storage room¡ªweren¡¯t likely to hold any clues.

    It was nearing midnight. The dim, silent hallway was illuminated only by the oilmp in Lu Li¡¯s hand. Beside him floated a slightly translucent girl in a white dress, chattering nonstop.

    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Lu Li.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re different from the other night guards. They were all so scared of us. Why aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±

    ¡°Because fear and impulsiveness are useless. They only cloud your judgment and hinder your actions.¡±

    Returning to the first-floor hallway, they encountered Athena¡¯s ghost again.

    ¡°¡­My¡­

    Dragging the intestine that extended from beneath her dress, Athena murmured the same words as she floated aimlessly down the hallway.

    She had absorbed part of Ruth¡¯s ghostly essence, and her aura had grown even stronger. A shadowy silhouette loomed faintly behind her, with indescribable, twisted tendrils gently writhing around its edges.

    This dispelled Lu Li¡¯s thoughts of taking her on directly. Athena was no ordinary ghost; she might have already reached the level of a vengeful spirit, far beyond what a novice exorcist like him could handle.

    Fortunately, unlike Ruth, she hadn¡¯t shown any overt hostility.

    Lu Li pressed his back against the wall, remaining silent as he waited for Athena to pass. When she floated into the circle of light cast by the oilmp, she vanished.

    ¡°You cane out now. She¡¯s gone.¡± Lu Li turned his head and addressed Anna, who was hiding behind him. ¡°Are you afraid of ghosts too?¡±

    Anna put her hands on her hips and stubbornly retorted, ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t ghosts be allowed to fear other ghosts?¡±

    Lu Li couldn¡¯t find a logical counter to such a statement, so he chose silence.

    Back at the desk by the door, Lu Li set down the oilmp and sat in the wooden chair.

    ¡°Why were you in the painting?¡± he asked.

    Anna floated in the air, darting yfully from side to side like a sprite. Her voice was clear and cheerful. ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I woke up, I was already in the painting.¡±

    ¡°So, are you Anna? Or are you a painting named Anna?¡±

    Anna rolled her eyes and floated down in front of him. ¡°What kind of nonsense is that? If I were just a painting, how could I have memories from when I was alive?¡±

    Lu Li asked a few more questions. Though Anna kept making snarky remarks, she still answered earnestly and even seemed a bit excited.

    Perhaps she had been alone in the painting for too long. Every night guard before Lu Li had been terrified of ghosts, let alone willing to talk to her. Anna seemed to genuinely enjoy their conversation.

    Lu Li¡¯s thoughts drifted to the statue. Perhaps it had been following him for the same reason?

    Madame Anlef, or Anlef Bessie, was the founder of Madame Anlef¡¯s Art Gallery. The gallery originally resided in Schimfast, a city about 200 miles from Belfast on the Allen Penins.

    Schimfast was known as the ¡°Art Capital¡± of the Allen Penins, renowned for its rich artistic atmosphere. Evenmoners there had some level of art appreciation. However, after the ¡°Nightly Cmity¡± Anna described, no one had the time or capacity to care about art anymore. Galleries and museums fell into decline, and Madame Anlef and her daughter Anna sumbed to illness during the chaos.

    On her deathbed, Madame Anlef entrusted the gallery to Benjamin, a man passionate about art. To his credit, he honored her trust by relocating the gallery to Belfast¡ªa harbor city utterly devoid of an artistic atmosphere¡ªrather than selling it.

    Some employees chose to follow the gallery to Belfast, including James Campbell, who had both killed Ruth and been killed by her in turn.

    Anna Bessie had gained consciousness, or ¡°awoken,¡± only after the gallery moved to Belfast. She was the first ghost to appear in the gallery, followed by the statue, and then Ruth and Athena.

    ¡°Was Athena a local?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Benjamin hired her after he moved here. I saw her a few times. She always workedte into the night and only left with her oilmp. She was such a hardworking girl¡­ what a pity¡­¡±

    Anna was shy and timid. For a long time after her awakening, she had hidden in the painting, peeking out at the outside world.

    ¡°You can only appear after dark?¡±

    ¡°I need to rest during the day.¡± Anna turned to look back, then tilted her head. ¡°But I think I coulde out during the day too?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never tried?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I thought ghosts could onlye out at night¡­¡± Anna admitted sheepishly. Her habit of resting during the day and appearing at night hade from ghost stories she¡¯d read, where ¡°ghosts usually haunt at night.¡±

    After her exnation, Anna began urging Lu Li to share his own story. Floating across from him, she rested her chin in her hands, staring at him expectantly.

    Lu Li briefly recounted some of his experiences since arriving in Belfast, omitting his identity as an exorcist.

    ¡°And before that?¡± Anna pressed, like a little girl eager for a bedtime story.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lu Li remained silent.

    In the end, he didn¡¯t share more. Though Anna seemed a bit disappointed, she hid it well. She didn¡¯t want to risk losing Lu Li, her first friend since bing a ghost¡ªand the first one she¡¯d ever had.

    As Lu Li and Anna continued talking, time quietly slipped away.

    A faint light began to spread across the horizon beyond the harbor. Dawn was breaking.

    Anna yawned, then froze mid-yawn, realizing that Lu Li was watching her. Embarrassed, she quickly covered her mouth, her cheeks flushing slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going back to rest.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Rubbing his temples, Lu Li stood and escorted Anna back to her painting.

    Hovering in front of the frame, Anna hesitated, then shyly asked, ¡°Will youe back tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Lu Li nodded. By day, he nned to investigate Athena¡¯s background and find a targeted solution. Dealing with just one ghost wouldn¡¯t be enough to extract a propermission from the stingy Benjamin.

    ¡°Hehe.¡± Anna let out a silly giggle before covering her face in embarrassment and retreating into the painting.

    She resumed her original pose, her body and eyes freezing in ce, melding seamlessly with the painted background.

    Lu Li extinguished the oilmp, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

    Pale light filtered faintly into the quiet hallway through the window.

 Chapter 25

    Before dawn fully broke, Lu Li carried the statue from the second-floor office back to its original position.

    The abnormalities of the night gradually subsided with the growing light from the windows.

    In the misty morning, with a thinyer of fog covering the air, pedestrians began to appear on the cobblestone streets.

    To his slight surprise, the first person to arrive at the gallery was Benjamin. Spotting Lu Li safe and sound standing at the entrance, Benjamin spread his arms wide in delight. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you, Mr. Lu Li.¡±

    Lu Li stepped back to avoid Benjamin¡¯s embrace and got straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯ve identified four ghosts, one of which I¡¯ve already dealt with. There are some issues with the other three. Perhaps you know something about them.¡±

    Benjamin lowered his arms withoutint, removed his hat, and stepped into the gallery, closing the door behind him.

    The wooden door shut out the noise of the cobblestone street.

    ¡°What would Mr. Lu Li like to know?¡± The obese man shed his previously shifty demeanor, instead exuding a sincerity that had been absent the day before.

    Perhaps it was because Lu Li had proven with his actions that he could handle the matter.¡°Do you remember Athena?¡± Lu Li asked.

    ¡°Athena¡­¡± A nostalgic look crossed Benjamin¡¯s face. ¡°Of course I remember her. Poor girl. She died in childbirth after being abandoned by her fianc¨¦. Her vengeful spirit lingers in the gallery, refusing to leave.¡±

    ¡°You knew about this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she was one of my employees. Of course I knew.¡± Benjamin lowered his head, letting out a faint sigh. In the dim, silent gallery, his face was hard to make out. ¡°I know about all the supernatural things you¡¯ve encountered here.¡±

    Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°And yet you continued hiring regr night guards.¡±

    ¡°Because they only appear at night, and they didn¡¯t seem to want to harm anyone,¡± Benjamin exined briefly before sighing again. ¡°At least, not until a few days ago, when the previous night guard was attacked and scared away.¡±

    ¡°And then you wavered, unsure whether to spend arge sum on hiring an exorcist to deal with the four ghosts, eventually deciding to hire another guard instead, hoping it was all just a misunderstanding by thest employee. After all, hiring an exorcist isn¡¯t cheap, especially since you¡¯re dealing with more than one ghost.¡±

    Benjamin didn¡¯t speak but nodded silently.

    ¡°Allow me to be blunt. The four ghosts in this gallery have already grown quite powerful. You may not realize that the girl in the painting can now freely leave her frame, the statue follows people¡¯s footsteps at night, Athena has shown signs of attacking humans, and Ruth¡­¡±

    Here, Lu Li paused briefly, his dark eyes fixed on Benjamin.

    ¡°She attacked me. I killed her.¡±

    Benjamin seemed toe to a decision. Smiling bitterly, he said, ¡°I understand the situation now. Well then, Exorcist, I officiallymission your services. How much do you want?¡±

    ¡°How much can you pay?¡± Lu Li countered.

    He was still unfamiliar with the local rates for exorcism.

    ¡°1,000 shillings.¡±

    That seemed a bit low¡ª250 shillings per ghost.

    But Anna and the statue weren¡¯t actively harmful. The real threats were Athena and Ruth¡ªof which thetter had already been dealt with.

    ¡°Agreed.¡± Lu Li nodded calmly, not bothering to haggle over the price. ¡°What else do you know about Athena?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything I know.¡±

    ¡°What about the painting of Anna and the statue?¡±

    ¡°The painting was here before I took over the gallery. Madame Anlef once said it was a gift for Anna¡¯s 16th birthday, painted by a renowned artist. The statue, I bought cheaply from a bankrupt art museum in Schimfast. You know, the Nightly Cmity destroyed people¡¯s interest in art.¡±

    ¡°The ghost in the painting ims to be Anna.¡±

    Benjamin dismissed the notion immediately, as though hearing a joke. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Anna is dead. She and her mother died in the gue. Perhaps there¡¯s something wrong with the painting, and it just thinks it¡¯s Anna.¡±

    Lu Li didn¡¯t argue the point, letting that topic drop.

    ¡°Are you starting the exorcism tonight, Mr. Lu Li?¡±

    ¡°I need to investigate something about Athena first,¡± Lu Li replied.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t a genuine exorcist. His only means of dealing with ghosts was the Spirit Gun, which likely wouldn¡¯t be very effective against Athena. He needed to find another approach to deal with her.

    ¡°And for today¡­¡±

    ¡°None of them will appear during the day. If you¡¯re concerned, you can close the gallery for the day.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Benjamin let out a long breath, though it was unclear whether it was in response to the former or thetter¡ªlikely the former.

    As Lu Li left, Benjamin opened the door and hung up the ¡°Open¡± sign.

    Adjusting the cor of his coat and pulling up his hood, Lu Li stepped into the morning mist. His destination wasn¡¯t his detective agency¡ªit was Hades¡¯ ce.

    ¡­

    Ding-ling¡ªding-ling¡ª

    The bell above the wooden door rang as it opened.

    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here! I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you. So quickly saving up the money¡ªyou really are the gold digger¡­ I mean, rising star of exorcists.¡±

    Exaggerated exmations spilled from Hades¡¯ mouth. His gold teeth gleamed as he spread his arms wide.

    Just likest time.

    Lu Li approached the counter and took a seat. ¡°I just have a few questions.¡±

    Hades¡¯ enthusiasm visibly waned, his outstretched arms dropping to rest on the counter.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m running a charity?¡± Beneath the oilmp¡¯s glow, Hades¡¯ expression turned unreadable.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll answer my questions, themission fee I earn from this job will be enough to pay for the information.¡±

    Hades¡¯ gold teeth reappeared. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    Just likest time.

    On the way over, Lu Li had prepared his questions. He got straight to the point. ¡°Can the Spirit Gun grow stronger? I dealt with a ghost, and part of the floral pattern on the gun bloomed.¡±

    Lu Li ced the Spirit Gun, still in its holster, on the counter and slid it toward Hades.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it? That¡¯s part of its dangerous allure. It has the potential to grow stronger, but the longer you use it, the greater disaster it brings to its owner¡­¡± Under the warm glow of the oilmp, Hades admired the rose patterns on the gun, noting that one of the buds had partially bloomed.

    ¡°But be careful. Don¡¯t let this power go to your head.¡±

    Hades tossed the gun back to Lu Li, who caught it and returned it to his holster.

    ¡°Second question: I encountered a ghost. She had a strange shadowy figure behind her¡­¡± Lu Li described the phantom-like silhouette he had seen with Athena.

    ¡°That sounds familiar¡­¡± Hades paused, as though the answer had just urred to him. ¡°But this one¡¯s gonna cost you.¡±

    Lu Li didn¡¯t fall for his ploy. ¡°I¡¯m sure other exorcists wouldn¡¯t mind answering this for free.¡±

    ¡°Tch¡­¡± Hades grumbled in disappointment, visibly losing interest. ¡°That¡¯s an unformed wraith.¡±

    ¡°What are the writhing tendrils about?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know either. If I did, that information would be worth at least 1,000 shillings.¡±

    ¡°Could I deal with it? This unformed wraith?¡±

    ¡°Deal with it? If I were you¡­¡± Hades scoffed, leaning forward slightly. His narrowed eyes gleamed with a dangerous chill, and his whisper echoed through the empty tavern.

    ¡°I¡¯d demand more payment.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Lu Li didn¡¯t respond, silently staring at Hades.

    Hades leaned back behind the counter, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. If you want to deal with it, you might need several shots.¡±

    ¡°What are the real methods used by exorcists?¡±

    The Spirit Gun was just one tool, not the only one.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    ¡°I want to know.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good.¡±

    ¡°I think it might be very useful.¡±

    ¡°¡­Come back with 1,000 shillings, and we¡¯ll talk.¡±The conversation ended on a sour note. It was clear that Hades didn¡¯t want to share, though it was unclear whether he was trying to protect Lu Li from getting involved or had other reasons.

    Leaving Hades¡¯ detective agency, Lu Li took a carriage back to Sailors¡¯ Street.

    The street was entering its busiest time of day as sailors finished breakfast and headed to the harbor.

    At Mrs. Felin¡¯s bakery, Lu Li bought two loaves of white bread, giving one to the children gathered outside and eating the other with hot water. Afterward, he called Oliver.

    ¡°Hey, boss.¡±

    ¡°Athena Leslie, a former employee of Madame Anlef¡¯s Art Gallery. She¡¯s deceased. Gather all information about her by this afternoon. Focus on her personality and the circumstances of her death.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    After giving these instructions, Lu Li took off his coat, hung it on the back of his chair, rolled up his sleeves, and went into the kitchen.

    Shortly after, the sound of running water echoed, continuing for some time before ceasing. A few momentster, Lu Li emerged from the kitchen, his face damp as he wiped it with a towel.

    Returning to his seat behind the desk, Lu Li rested his head on the table.

    Time ticked by, and the figure at the desk gradually stilled. The detective agency returned to its usual cold and lonely silence.

    This time, the experience of falling asleep wasn¡¯t pleasant. Lu Li felt his consciousness sinking, piercing through the floor, through soil and rock.

    The surrounding moisture grew heavier, clinging to his awareness and pulling him further downward.

    He couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed. The increasinglypact rocks around him suddenly gave way, and he found himself submerged in the silent depths of the ocean.

    Faintly, a light seemed to shine above him, but as his consciousness continued to sink toward the vast abyss, the light grew farther and farther away until it was blockedpletely by the unfathomable depth of the sea.

    Light had no ce in the abyssal depths. The suffocating pressure pressed in from all sides, though it didn¡¯t intensify further.

    Lu Li thought he would continue to sink endlessly until he lightly settled into the silt at the bottom of the sea. Perhaps he would see an ancient, seaweed-covered ruin in the eternal darkness.

    But then, something changed.

    The water surrounding him suddenly became a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors. They shifted and blended likeyers of paint, intertwining and twisting together.

    This was nothing like the abyss. It seemed more like¡­ he had been intercepted by some indescribable presence.

    Unable to think, Lu Li¡¯s consciousness could only observe, watching quietly.

    The swirling, chaotic colors¡ªwhether by chance or inevitability¡ªformed into a door.

    An ordinary, old wooden door.

    The colors continued to shift, causing the door to change its form every moment. A metal door, an ornately carved grand door, a gate made of iron bars, a bronze door¡­

    But without exception, every door had a lock with a key inserted into it.

    Knock, knock, knock¡ª

    A familiar knocking sound suddenly echoed deep within Lu Li¡¯s consciousness.

    In that instant, the previously passive awareness gained the ability to think. He recognized the source of the sound.

    Is someone knocking on the door?

    As soon as this thought emerged, an irresistible force appeared from somewhere far above, pulling Lu Li¡¯s consciousness upward at a speed that seemed to twist the space around him.

    For a brief moment, Lu Li saw dazzling white light filling his vision, and then¡­

    Bang!

    He instinctively stood up, his knee striking the chair behind him, which toppled over with a moderate thud.

    Like a fish stranded on the shore, Lu Li gasped for breath. Yet he quickly suppressed the reaction, his dark, cold eyes lifting to nce at the door.

    ¡­

    Click.

    The door opened a crack.

    Oliver peeked in, ncing at Lu Li. Shrinking his neck slightly, he muttered, ¡°Boss, you don¡¯t look like you slept well¡­¡±

    The edges of Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes were streaked with bloodshot veins.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Lu Li turned and walked back to his desk, sitting down and rubbing his temples.

    The clock showed it was already afternoon.

    ¡°This is what I found,¡± Oliver said, handing a few sheets of parchment to Lu Li.

    Lu Li epted them, his gaze falling on the pages.

    Though he recognized every word, when strung together into phrases and sentences, they suddenly seemed iprehensible to him.

    The problem wasn¡¯t with the content; it was Lu Li himself.

    He still felt exhausted. The bizarre dream he¡¯d just experienced hadn¡¯t alleviated his fatigue¡ªin fact, it had worsened it.

    Perplexed, Oliver watched as Lu Li set the parchment aside for now and stood, heading into the kitchen.

    The sound of running water continued for a long while before Lu Li reemerged, drying his damp ck hair with a towel.

    He looked better now¡ªnot as drained and lifeless as before.

    Returning to his seat behind the desk, Lu Li exhaled deeply and picked up the parchment again. This time, the words no longer felt alien.

    Athena Leslie lived in the ckwater District near the industrial zone. Before working at the gallery, she had spent a long time as a textile worker. It was there that she met Bill Eddy¡ªthe man who got her pregnant.

    Their rtionship had progressed quickly, moving from meeting to falling in love to living together. Then Athena became pregnant.

    The textile factory wasn¡¯t a suitable environment for a pregnant woman, so Athena quit her job. With Bill¡¯s help, she found new work at the gallery.

    The job was less physically demanding, and the pay wasparable to her previous role. Athena cherished this new job and often stayed at the gallery beyond her scheduled hours.

    Things should have continued this way, peaceful and happy.

    But one day, Bill Eddy disappeared. No one knew where he went. The police investigation narrowed it down to the area near the abandoned asylum on the outskirts.

    Ten dayster, Bill Eddy returned, acting as if nothing had happened.

    Then tragedy struck. On the seventh day after his return, Bill Eddy attacked Athena in a frenzy, cutting open her stomach to extract their unborn child. His actions resulted in the deaths of both Athena and the baby, who was less than seven months old.

    That was the extent of the information on the parchment.

    ¡°So Athena was murdered?¡± Lu Li rubbed his temples, setting the pages aside.

    ¡°That seems likely.¡±

    ¡°What about Bill Eddy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s missing. My contact told me the police are still looking for him, but he hasn¡¯t been found.¡±

    ¡°How did the police ssify the case?¡±

    ¡°They said it was the work of cultists, that Bill Eddy had joined them, but it¡¯s unclear what the insiders really think.¡±

    Finding it difficult to think clearly, Lu Li shifted his focus and asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to do right now?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ not really,¡± Oliver replied instinctively.

    Lu Li nodded, leaning back in his chair.

    ¡°You can stay here or go about your own tasks, but make sure to wake me up by five in the afternoon.¡±

 Chapter 27

    At 4:57 PM, the door of the detective agency was knocked on.

    Oliver¡¯s watch was three minutes fast.

    Woken by the noise, Lu Li¡¯s eyes, initially hazy and clouded like a thin mist, gradually cleared, bing deep and tranquil pools.

    This time, he hadn¡¯t fallen into that bizarre dreamscape again, though he couldn¡¯t recall what he had dreamed about.

    After freshening up, he walked to the door where Oliver was waiting. Before stepping out, Lu Li grabbed his hat from the coat rack and closed the door behind him.

    Click¡ª

    The doortched shut, and the dim detective agency returned to its cold silence.

    ¡­

    ¡°Chestnuts for sale! Freshly roasted chestnuts!¡±¡°Freshly caught eels, 4 shillings a pound¡ª¡±

    ¡°Give me back my hair tie!¡±

    The sounds of vendors filled the bustling Sailors¡¯ Street, mingling with theughter and scuffles of children running by. The air carried the salty tang of the sea, mixed with the smell of fish brought in by returning sailors.

    ¡°Are youing with me?¡±

    Lu Li turned his head slightly toward Oliver, who was walking beside him.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m heading left up ahead.¡± Oliver gestured toward a corner in the distance.

    When they reached the corner, Oliver waved goodbye and slipped away. Lu Li watched him leave, then donned his hat and blended into the bustling crowd.

    ¡­

    ¡°Exorcist, do you need me to close the gallery now?¡±

    On the second floor of the gallery, Lu Li entered the office to a warm reception from Benjamin.

    The bare bookshelves and spotless desk were proof that the events of the previous night hadn¡¯t been a hallucination. Lu Li suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t mentioned the state of the office when he¡¯d left earlier that morning.

    But seeing Benjamin¡¯s nonchnt demeanor now, Lu Li decided not to bring it up.

    ¡°Wait until regr business hours are over,¡± Lu Li replied.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Benjamin¡¯s face turned awkward. ¡°There are no customers in the gallery right now.¡±

    Ultimately, the gallery closed at its official closing time of 6 PM. The employees left one after another, with Benjamin being thest to leave.

    Lu Li stood at the door, watching Benjamin leave. Instead of turning back into the gallery, he stepped down the stairs, circled around to the back of the gallery, and stopped beneath a second-floor window. ?

    It was the window to the office, the same one where he had thrown the ghostly infant the previous night. Yet, there were no traces left on the ground beneath it.

    After confirming that the infant ghost was unlikely to reappear there, Lu Li returned to the gallery¡¯s main entrance. He removed the ¡°Open¡± sign from the door and locked it.

    The sky was beginning to darken, though there was still some time before full nightfall. Lu Li lit the oilmp, ced the wind-resistant cover on it, and quietly waited for the evening to descend.

    As the gallery¡¯s hallways dimmed, bing shrouded in an indistinct haze, only the small circle around Lu Li remained illuminated by the oilmp¡¯s glow.

    Ssshh¡ª

    The sound of something scraping echoed from deep within the hallway.

    The statue hade to life.

    Lu Li stood, picked up the oilmp, and walked toward the source of the noise, bypassing the desk.

    After a dozen steps, he saw the statue moving toward him in the hallway.

    ¡°Good evening.¡±

    Lu Li greeted it casually, ¡°I need your help.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, he lifted the statue and carried it to the end of the hallway, where a staircase led to the second floor.

    ¡°I know you can hear me, and I know you can think. I need you to keep watch at the stairway and alert me if Athena appears. You should know who she is. If shees out of the break room,e and get me.¡±

    Lu Li set the statue down near the staircase and looked into its lifeless, stone eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you can leave.¡±

    Taking a few steps back, Lu Li turned and walked away. Several seconds passed, yet he didn¡¯t hear the sound of stone scraping against wood.

    It had worked.

    Passing Anna¡¯s painting, Lu Li noticed that the girl within the frame remained frozen, showing no signs ofing to life.

    Lowering his gaze, he continued forward.

    But then, a pair of slightly translucent hands reached around from behind him, covering his eyes.

    ¡°Guess who?¡± A cheerful,rk-like voice came from behind.

    Lu Li stopped in his tracks but was a fraction toote. The hands, unable to stop in time, pressed through his eye sockets into his head before hurriedly pulling back.

    ¡°Anna,¡± Lu Li said.

    ¡°Hmph! Can¡¯t you at least guess wrong once?¡±

    Anna pouted, dropping her hands as she floated in front of him, her face puffed out like a steamed bun.

    ¡°¡­?¡± Confusion flickered in Lu Li¡¯s dark eyes. Was this kind of ¡°guess who¡± game supposed to involve intentionally giving the wrong answer?

    Quickly setting aside his confusion, Lu Li returned to his usual calm demeanor and asked, ¡°Can you sense the locations of other ghosts?¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯t deliberately hide their presence, yes,¡± Anna nodded.

    ¡°Good. I need your help.¡± Lu Li gave a slight nod of approval.

    ¡­

    ¡°I feel it¡­ over there!¡±

    At the back of the gallery, beneath an exterior wall, Lu Li raised his oilmp high.

    Anna floated beside him, eximing in excitement.

    They were searching for something¡ªor rather, a ghost.

    Lu Li looked up, following Anna¡¯s direction. High above, on a tree branch several meters off the ground, he spotted a dangling umbilical cord.

    Raising themp higher, the ghostly infant came into view, its figure illuminated by the light.

    Its umbilical cord was tangled around the branch. Sensing the glow of themp, the infant ghost iled its limbs.

    Lu Li turned to Anna and pointed at the tree. ¡°Bring that ghostly infant down.¡±

    ¡°Its form is so strange. Is this what human babies look like?¡± Anna floated up to the branch, muttering as she worked to untangle the cord. Despite herments, there was no hesitation as she gently cradled the infant ghost and floated down in front of Lu Li.

    Lu Li extended his arms, taking the infant ghost from Anna¡¯s perplexed hands.

    It wasn¡¯t fully formed. Its underdeveloped hands and feet, still webbed like a frog¡¯s, clung to Lu Li¡¯s arm. Its mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth¡ªbut it neither screamed nor bit.

    Instead, it simply smiled, delighted to see another of its kind, though its iplete vocal cords rendered it silent.

    A day ago, Lu Li wouldn¡¯t have dared to try this. But after meeting ghosts like Anna and the statue¡ªnon-hostile entities capable ofmunication¡ªhis attitude had shifted.

    Ghosts were once human. Why couldn¡¯t they retain their humanity?

    Looking down at the ghostly infant, Lu Li observed its features. The less-than-seven-month-old spirit was far from fully developed. Wrinkled skin was covered with a fineyer of hair, and its face resembled an animal¡¯s snout more than a human¡¯s. It looked like the offspring of a demon.

    In fact, that might not be far from the truth.

    Lu Li touched its eyelids, noting that it could see. Its webbed fingers, connected by a thin, translucent membrane, reached out to grasp at his hand.

    Lowering his gaze, Lu Li nced briefly at Anna¡¯s increasingly bewildered expression before heading back to the gallery¡¯s main entrance.

    After locking the door, Lu Li removed his coat and wrapped it around the ghostly infant, cing it beside the oilmp on the desk.

    Looking up, he noticed Anna¡¯s expression growing stranger. She seemed hesitant to speak.

    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Lu Li asked.

    ¡°Is¡­ is it your child?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you bring it back¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Athena¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°¡­?¡±

    ¡°It can quell Athena¡¯s rage.¡±

    ¡°Then why go to all this effort?¡±

    Lu Li fell silent for a moment, meeting Anna¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m an exorcist.¡±

 Chapter 28

    As Lu Li finished speaking, a profound silence enveloped the desk.

    Anna¡¯s clear eyes gradually filled with a misty haze, her frail figure beneath the gothic white dress swayed slightly, and her pale pink lips trembled as she spoke in a soft, tearful voice, ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡±

    Before Lu Li could respond, she began mumbling a string of incoherent words.

    ¡°Then¡­ then if you¡¯re going to kill me, can you at least let me say myst words¡­ sniff¡­ I¡¯ve only been awake for less than two months. I¡¯ve never even left the gallery. After you kill me, please bury me with my mother. And if you can, could you dig up my body and take me to an amusement park or the seaside¡­ sob¡­ And my best friend Daisy, tell her I¡¯ll always be her best friend forever. Please ask her not to forget about me¡­¡±

    The more Anna spoke, the more aggrieved she became. She copsed onto the desk, sobbing pitifully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to do anything to you,¡± Lu Li finally said, feelingpelled to rify.

    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡± Anna¡¯s crying stopped abruptly. She sniffled and cautiously lifted her head, her tousled bangs sticking to her forehead, her nose sniffling with each breath. ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re an exorcist.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s now that says exorcists must deal with every ghost they see,¡± Lu Li replied, his face as emotionless as a sculpture. ¡°Besides, have you done anything bad?¡±

    ¡°Does asionally wanting to prank people count¡­?¡±¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡­¡±

    Realizing she didn¡¯t have to die, Anna let out a heavy sigh of relief, wiping nonexistent tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. But feeling embarrassed about being so happy after crying, she tried to suppress her joy, though she couldn¡¯t help but giggle foolishly, clutching her stomach.

    Lu Li decided not to dwell on the matter, fearing her silliness might rub off on him. Instead, he said, ¡°I¡¯m here to deal with Athena and Ruth¡¯s issues. Ruth was dealt with yesterday¡­ exorcised, and now only Athena remains.¡±

    ¡°Oh~¡±

    Anna nodded thoughtfully and nced at the ghostly infant wrapped in a coat. ¡°So you¡¯ve retrieved her child?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡°And now¡­¡±

    Anna¡¯s words were cut off by the sound of shufflinging from deep within the hallway. She turned toward the noise. ¡°The statue¡¯s awake too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been awake for a while,¡± Lu Li stood up, the darkness in his ck eyes deepening. ¡°That¡¯s Athenaing out now.¡±

    He handed the ghostly infant to Anna and put on his coat. ¡°You stay here with the infant. I¡¯ll confront Athena.¡±

    ¡°Why not just give her the child directly?¡± Anna asked, puzzled as she epted the ghostly infant.

    ¡°That would be us helping her, not her owing us. I need her to ask me to find the child first, and then I¡¯ll return it to her.¡±

    While fulfilling a ghost¡¯sst wish could potentially cause them to disappear on their own, the threshold for this was unclear. To ensure sess, Lu Li needed to create as much anticipation as possible for Athena and then fulfill it.

    ¡°The world of adults is soplicated,¡± Anna muttered in an exasperated tone.

    Donning his coat and concealing the Spirit Gun at his waist, Lu Li picked up the oilmp and headed into the hallway.

    The sound of shuffling continued steadily. As he reached the middle of the hallway, a ghostly figure appeared at the edge of the light. It grinned grotesquely.

    ¡°Have¡­ you¡­ seen¡­ my child?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here,¡± Lu Li said calmly. ¡°I investigated and found your child. It¡¯s doing well. You can rest assured.¡±

    ¡°Rest¡­ assured¡­?¡±

    Athena¡¯s tone grew strange, her head tilting to the side until it formed a horrifying right angle.

    A terrifying aura exploded from her, forcing Lu Li to stumble back several steps. His coat and hair fluttered violently.

    Something was wrong. This wasn¡¯t an expression of joy.

    The shadowy figure behind Athena became more defined, and with a snarling roar, she screamed, ¡°It ruined my life¡­ Why should I¡­ feel¡­ reassured?!¡±

    In that moment, Lu Li understood.

    There was no maternal love. She wasn¡¯t seeking her child out of affection¡ªAthena had hated the child all along.

    To outsiders, it was a mother-child bond, blood thicker than water. But to her, the child was something her husband had brought upon her, and her husband had caused her death. ??

    Her transformation into a ghost was fueled by that hatred.

    ¡°Tell me¡­ where¡­ the child¡­ is!¡±

    ¡°Let me¡­ think,¡± Lu Li replied, carefully considering whether to redirect her rage elsewhere.

    Bringing the ghostly infant out now would only worsen the situation.

    The conclusion was unexpected: zero. While exorcists often used deceit and maniption to great effect, this wasn¡¯t the right time to involve another spiteful ghost.

    ¡°There¡¯s a ce only I know,¡± Lu Li said after a few seconds, addressing Athena.

    ¡°Take¡­ me!¡±

    Lu Li shook his head and countered, ¡°You¡¯ll scare it away. Let me go alone. Wait for me here.¡±

    Her bloodshot eyes flickered, and after a moment, Athena murmured, ¡°Fine¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ lie to me¡­¡±

    ¡°I never lie,¡± Lu Li replied confidently.

    Turning his back to Athena, he walked away, appearingpletely unguarded.

    Five meters¡­ seven meters¡­

    As the distance grew, Lu Li reached the tenth meter. In an instant, he spun around, raising the Spirit Gun in his hand and pulling the trigger.

    Bang!

    ck powder erupted in thick smoke as a blinding sh pierced through the haze. The deafening roar, like a dragon¡¯s roar, echoed in the hallway. The silver-ted bullet left a visible trail in the air before striking Athena¡¯s chest, embedding itself in her torso.

    Blood-like bubbles erupted around her translucent ghostly form, spreading outward in a wave.

    ¡°Ahhh! It hurts!!!¡±

    Athena let out a piercing scream. In her fury, she retaliated instinctively. The intestine dragging beneath her dress suddenly extended, shooting toward Lu Li like a whip.

    Raising his arm to block it, Lu Li found the intestine coiling around his limb like a vine. An irresistible pulling force dragged him forward, making him stumble.

    tter¡ª

    The Spirit Gun fell to the ground. With his free hand still gripping the oilmp, Lu Li was being pulled toward Athena. Stayingposed, he shouted, ¡°Anna, help me!¡±

    His voice echoed through the hall, but the first to appear wasn¡¯t Anna. It was the statue, emerging from the shadows behind Athena. It wrapped its arms around her neck, seemingly trying to snap it.

    ¡°Get off me!¡±

    With a sharp scream, Athena¡¯s aura exploded outward. The statue toppled backward, crashing to the ground.

    Crack¡ª

    A brittle sound echoed as a fracture appeared on the statue¡¯s fragile stone arm. The next moment, the arm broke off entirely, the severed piece flung several meters away.

    Using the distraction, Lu Li broke free from the intestine¡¯s grasp. He retreated a few steps, picked up the Spirit Gun, quickly reloaded, and fired again.

    Bang!

    The dragon-like roar echoed once more as the silver-ted bullet pierced Athena¡¯s abdomen. The swirling blood bubbles churned outward, spreading like boiling water.

    Clink¡ª

    The empty shell hit the ground with a crisp ring. Lu Li reloaded another bullet, snapped the chamber shut, and raised the gun to aim at Athena.

    The bloodshot pupils of her eyes suddenly regained a trace of rity.

    Lu Li hesitated, his finger stopping just short of pulling the trigger.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!