Chapter 204: Visitor
Klein and Leonard lifted their gaze from the letter and exchanged
glances. They muttered, "He's crazy, right?"
"Lanevus is secretly a lunatic?"
*A lunatic who truly has a delusional disorder and an antisocial
personality...* Klein thought and felt a tug at his
heartstrings. He quickly redirected his gaze to the letter.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the hint is that I've placed a bomb in Tingen, a
bomb that will grow stronger over time.
"Seek it and finish it before it explodes. If you lose the game, there
will be a boom, and the entire city of Tingen will be reduced to a ruin.
Trust me, I'm not lying at all about this.
"---Lanevus, who enjoys giving his friends pleasant surprises."
"A bomb?" Klein looked at Leonard and muttered to himself, perplexed.
Leonard held the letter up to the sunlight and looked as he flipped it
around. He didn't find any other clues.
"The term 'bomb' is probably an expression. I've never heard of a bomb
that can grow stronger."
Klein creased his eyebrows and said thoughtfully, "No, I mean, he might
be using 'bomb' to reference something in mysticism. Such as an evil
ritual that continuously accumulates power..."
Leonard cocked his head as though he was listening to something when
suddenly, his facial expression grew solemn.
He nodded as his green eyes constricted. "Maybe you're right. Isn't
there a description at the beginning of the letter? Child laborers that
die before their time, factory workers who seldom live past ten years
after entering the factory because of their working conditions, female
workers who risk severe illnesses for a meager salary... Boundless
resentment surrounding every factory... Perhaps, that might be the
energy source that constantly strengthens Lanevus's bomb."
"Yes... that's very possible!" Klein suddenly tensed up and said, "We
need to report to the Captain immediately!"
Leonard laughed and said, "There's no need to be so nervous. You should
know that Lanevus is a Swindler. The part where he said that he didn't
lie might be a lie itself.
"Of course, regardless, we have to return to Zouteland Street to report
to the Captain. It's best if we can request the Holy Cathedral to send a
mysticism expert over and find the location of the altar through the
abnormal accumulation of resentment."
*Someone is apparently very familiar with protocol... But why would the
setup of such an altar need Hood Eugen's help? What role does a
Psychiatrist play in this?* Klein didn't object to the idea. He
left 62 Howes Street with Leonard and rushed back to Zouteland Street on
a hired carriage.
Just as they entered the Blackthorn Security Company's door, Klein saw
two familiar faces, one voluptuous and one scrawny. They were Maynard's
wife and sister.
They were still in black dresses and black hats. The fine checkered
black gauze concealed their faces.
The two ladies were chatting with Rozanne, and when they suddenly saw
Klein's return, they turned around and walked forward.
"You really are the cream of the crop in this industry." Mrs. Maynard
nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "I'm very pleased with the
outcome and am also impressed with your work approach. Here's the reward
that you deserve."
The scrawny woman passed a light brown paper bag to Klein. It was filled
with thick stacks of cash. There were ten pound notes, five pound notes,
one pound notes, and also five soli and one soli.
"It's a total of 230 pounds," the scrawny lady stated simply.
Klein was in no mood to pay any attention to the money. He passed it to
Rozanne and said, "Take this to Mrs. Orianna. I doubt the two
respectable women would make a mistake counting the money."
At that moment, the corner of his eyes caught the Tingen City Honest
Paper in Mrs. Maynard's hands. On the most eye-catching spot on the
front page, there were two pieces of news.
*Old baron's widow dies in involvement with MP Maynard's
murder.*
*Mayor Dennis takes the blame for the worsening public security in
Tingen for the past three months and resigns.*
*So that's the official excuse for Madam Sharon's case? I've yet to read
the newspaper today...* Klein nodded at the two ladies and
followed Leonard through the partition to the Captain's office.
"How was it? Did you find any clues?" Dunn Smith closed his document,
lifted his head, and looked at Klein and Leonard with his deep gray
eyes.
"We found a letter that was left behind by Lanevus." Leonard didn't
provide any further descriptions and simply passed the Captain the
letter filled with madness and provocation.
Dunn opened the letter and scanned through it quickly. He rubbed his
temples as he said, "He really is a lunatic."
"He's only a Sequence 8, Sequence 7 at most."
Klein agreed from the bottom of his heart. "Lanevus is a dangerous
figure who can damage the stability of social order. Even though he's
weak, we can't belittle him."
Then, he told Captain about his and Leonard's assumption.
Dunn touched his receding hairline as he said, "That was my thought as
well. I'll immediately send a telegram to the Holy Cathedral and ask
them to send a mysticism expert over for assistance.
"Who knows how dangerous Lanevus's bomb could be. We have to be
extremely careful. When the Holy Cathedral replies to me, I'll arrange
for the follow-up."
Klein and Leonard exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously as they
said, "Alright."
Seizing the moment when Captain was sending a telegram to the Holy
Cathedral, Klein returned to the reception hall to grab a copy of the
Tingen City Honest Paper from Rozanne.
He stood at the partition and read the two articles with full
concentration.
"...The widow of the old baron of the Khoy family, Madam Sharon, was
suspected to be involved in the sudden death of Member of Parliament
Maynard... The police received a tip and took action at night. They
discovered that Madam Sharon and her accomplice had knocked out her
servants to carry out a pagan ceremony in her bedroom. They refused to
surrender and attempted to resist arrest, resulting in the death of a
heroic police officer.
"Finally, Madam Sharon and her accomplice paid the price for their evil
deeds with their lives."
"...Mayor Dennis takes the blame for the worsening public security in
Tingen and resigns. He also announced that he wouldn't be running for
reelection next year. For the next few months, Deputy Mayor Mr. Harry
will take on the responsibilities of mayor."
A heroic police officer... Is that the description of Kenley?
Klein sighed and knew that it was the best way of handling the
situation.
According to the internal rules of the Nighthawks, in order to prevent
the forces of evil from taking revenge on their family members, their
names would be kept confidential even if they sacrificed their lives.
He folded the newspaper quietly and returned it to the reception desk.
Klein suddenly saw a visitor who walked through the entrance.
She was a young lady, in her twenties at most. She was in a ruffled hat
and loose dress. She had lovely facial features, blonde hair, green
eyes, and also a depressed yet silent temperament. She was quite a
beauty.
The most eye-catching thing about her was her stomach that bulged out.
She looked like she was more than seven months pregnant.
Klein was stunned, and he felt that he had seen the young pregnant lady
before.
Suddenly, he heard Leonard say in surprise, "Miss Megose?"
*Megose... Yes, the young lady who was conned by Lanevus! She's pregnant
with Lanevus's child, and as such, there might be something wrong with
her mental health. She says her child sings in her stomach and also
whistles...* Klein was suddenly enlightened and he wasn't
surprised that Leonard knew Megose.
When they relaunched the investigations of people related to Lanevus,
the lady's photo had been seen by every Nighthawk.
Klein knew her even earlier. Her aunt Christina, whose savings had been
conned by Lanevus, had brought her to the Divination Club to ask for
help. Her aunt even asked if the child in her stomach could be used for
divination.
Then, as Megose heard Leonard's voice, she looked over at the both of
them vacantly and replied politely, "Hello."
"Miss Megose, what brings you here to the Blackthorn Security Company?
Do you have anything that you'd like us to do for you?" Klein took two
steps forward and asked.
He was very confused by Megose's sudden visit. He felt it was an extreme
coincidence.
We just found Lanevus's letter, and Megose comes visiting?
Megose touched her stomach and smiled faintly.
"Somehow or other, I suddenly thought of coming to Zouteland Street and
suddenly thought of coming up to take a look."
Her mental health seems to have worsened... Klein recalled
that he hadn't managed to activate his Spirit Vision and check on
Megose's situation previously. Hence, he lifted his teeth and was about
to tap his left molars.
Just then, a series of thoughts screamed through his head in increasing
intensity.
"Don't look!
"Don't look! Don't look!
"You'll die!
"You'll die if you look!
"You'll die if you look!"
Klein stood rooted on the spot like a statue as his forehead was covered
in cold sweat.
It was like having a deep and heavy nightmare that he nearly couldn't
wake up from.
Suddenly, he understood something. He had failed to activate his Spirit
Vision the last time because his spirituality had noticed an
unimaginable danger. It slowed him down subconsciously, so he missed the
opportunity and forgot the follow-up.
At that point, Klein had yet to digest the Seer potion entirely, and he
had yet to advance to Sequence 8, so the warnings of spirituality were
very subtle and difficult to notice. But now, Clown's spiritual
foresight was so clear and obvious!
After nearly twenty seconds, Klein finally shook off his paralysis. He
looked sideways at Leonard and realized that the Midnight Poet was also
covered in cold sweat, and his eyes were filled with horror.
Suddenly, Klein understood what the bomb Lanevus was referring to!
It's the baby in Megose's stomach!
It's the baby that he left behind!
Klein suddenly associated the description in the letter with Hood
Eugen's answers, and he suddenly remembered something that he read in
Emperor Roselle's diary.
*"I started the Industrial Revolution with my own hands and personally
ushered in the Age of Steam and Machinery, but this will only become the
hotbed for the descent of an Evil God upon this world?"*
Klein's pupils constricted as he thought of a possibility that he
instinctually refused to admit.
No! That's not right!
*The baby in Megose's stomach can't be the son of some evil god or an
evil god waiting to descend upon the world!*
*No! Why would Hood Eugen do such a silly thing! Although his
Psychiatrist power can help Lanevus fool Megose and use her as a
spawning vessel in her semi-unconscious state...*
*No! The resentment of child laborers that die before their time, and
the factory workers and female workers who live less than ten years
aren't helping the son of an evil god to grow rapidly!*
No!
D-do not look directly at God...