After pouring coffee, Klein returned to the armory to pick up the thick stack of historical materials and the lecture notes that Old Neil had organized. He followed the gas lamps on the wall and turned towards the staircase leading to the Blackthorn Security Company.
Tap, tap, tap. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the sealed and empty underground.
Klein finished the spiral staircase and pushed open the door. After a brief moment of recognition, he headed straight for the second office on the opposite side.
After two days of familiarization, he had roughly figured out the layout of the Blackthorn Security Company:
Upon entering, there was a spacious reception hall with a set of sofas and tables. Through the partition was the inner area. The three rooms on the left side of the corridor, from near to far, were Mrs. Oliana's accounting room, a rest room with several sofa beds, and the staircase leading to the underground.
The three rooms on the right side, from near to far, were Captain Dunn Smith's office, the office of the clerical staff equipped with a typewriter, and the entertainment room for the official members of the Night Watchers.
Klein had previously seen Leonard Mitchell playing cards with two other team members in the entertainment room. He guessed it was a game of "Dui Dizhu", although Emperor Roselle had renamed it "Dui Evi", but the rules were exactly the same as what Klein knew.
Brett had the benefit of a day of rest after his night shift. Rosan was at the reception desk, responsible for purchasing and claiming supplies and also serving as a part-time coachman. Cezar Francis was out as usual. When Klein pushed open the door to the clerical staff's office, all three desks were empty, and the mechanical typewriters were quietly placed.
"An Axson Company 1346 model typewriter..." Klein murmured, having seen similar items in his mentor's office and at Welch's house. He felt that the complex control system, barely visible, was full of mechanical beauty.
He walked to the desk with the typewriter and sat down. After a moment of preparation, he began to type virtually.
At first, he instinctively processed it as pinyin. Only after getting familiar with it did he "digest" the corresponding memory fragments of the original owner and no longer make mistakes.
Tap, tap, tap!
The rhythmic sound of the keyboard was like a hard song from metal and industry. Accompanied by this melody, Klein quickly finished the application for funds.
But he didn't rush to find Dunn Smith. Instead, he calmed his mind and carefully read the historical materials provided by Old Neil, both reviewing and learning.
Near noon, he stretched his neck, put away the materials, and reviewed and consolidated the morning's learning content based on the draft of the "Mysticism Course".
Only then did he take the "application" and go to the neighboring office, gently knocking on the door.
Dunn was waiting for lunch to be delivered. After seeing the document Klein handed over, the corner of his mouth slightly curled up and he said:
"Old Neil taught you?"
"Um." Klein didn't hesitate to betray Old Neil.
Dunn picked up the dark red pen and signed his name quickly.
"Exactly, we need to apply for the funds for July, August, and September to the church and the county police department. I'll include yours in it. Once it's approved, I'll ask Mrs. Oliana to pay it out. You can get the pendulum in the afternoon."
"Okay." Klein replied concisely and forcefully.
His tone and gaze were clearly filled with joy.
Before leaving, he casually asked:
"The funds for July, August, and September, shouldn't they have been applied for in June?"
How could there be a situation where July's funds were applied for in July?
Dunn was silent for a few seconds, then took a sip of coffee and said:
"Three cases happened in a row in June. We were so busy that some things were forgotten."
No wonder it's the forgetful captain... Klein knew he had asked an inappropriate question. He chuckled twice and quickly left. So, he began a simple and regular life. Every morning, he spent half an hour in meditation, followed by two hours of esoteric studies in the morning and one and a half hours mastering historical materials. After lunch, he would take a nap in the lounge to regain his energy. Then, he would collect bullets and go to the "Shooting Club" for practice. After practice, he would walk to Welch's residence, which was not far away, by changing his route and walking back to Iron Cross Street. This way, he could save the fare for a public carriage. If there was still spare time, he would practice skills such as clairvoyance and dowsing, and buy some vegetables on the way. ...
In a private chemistry laboratory fully equipped with instruments and materials, the tall and blonde Audrey stared at the cup in her hand. Countless bubbles were rising, creating a serene atmosphere. Eventually, the liquid in the cup settled into a thick, silvery white.
"Haha, I really do have a talent for the occult. I succeeded on the first try! I was so worried about failing that I prepared two sets of materials!" The girl said happily to herself.
She put away the various leftover materials she had taken from the family treasury and exchanged from others, took a deep breath, and was about to close her eyes and drink the "Audience" potion when a series of barks came from outside the laboratory. Audrey frowned.
She placed the cup with the gently rippling silvery white liquid in a dark corner, turned around, and walked to the door.
"Suzy, who's here?" Audrey twisted the handle and asked the golden retriever sitting at the door.
The golden retriever Suzy wagged her tail, looking adoring, and the maid Anne appeared in the nearby corridor.
Audrey walked out of the laboratory, pulled the door shut behind her, and looked at Anne, saying, "Didn't I tell you? Don't disturb me when I'm doing chemistry experiments."
Anne replied with a troubled expression, "But there's an invitation from the Duchess of Nigen, from Lady Della."
"The Duchess of Nigen?" Audrey took a few steps closer to Anne and said.
"Yes, she has invited the court baker, Ms. Vivian, and invited Lady Della and you to have afternoon tea," Anne recited the contents of the invitation.
Audrey slightly puffed out her cheeks and said, "Tell my mother that I have a headache. Maybe it's because the sun is too strong and I'm a little dehydrated. Please tell Lady Della I'm sorry on my behalf."
As she spoke, she put on a weak look.
"Miss, this isn't just afternoon tea. It's also a literary salon," Anne added.
"But that won't cure my headache. I need to rest," Audrey firmly refused.
At the same time, she silently muttered to herself: If I insist, I'll faint in front of them. The etiquette teacher said I did this move perfectly... Did I hear something?
"Alright," Anne sighed and said, "Do you need me to help you back to your room?"
"No, I'll tidy up the laboratory first," Audrey was eager to return and take the potion.
But she still held back her impatience, watched Anne leave, and then turned back to the laboratory door.
Suddenly, she noticed that the golden retriever Suzy, who was supposed to be outside, was gone, and the laboratory door was half open.
"I forgot that Suzy can open a door with a handle... What sound? Oh no!" Audrey heard a crisp noise coming from inside and suddenly had an idea. She rushed into the laboratory.
What she saw was the broken cup on the ground and the last drop of silvery white liquid that Suzy had licked up.
Audrey froze at the door, like a statue.
The golden retriever Suzy immediately sat up straight, looking at her owner with innocent eyes and wagging her tail. ...
Outside the port of Port Priz, on an island always shrouded in storms, an ancient sailing ship was moored in the harbor. A man with soft yellow hair and a long robe patterned with lightning bolts looked at Alger Wilson across from him, saying in great puzzlement, "Alger, you could have returned to the kingdom and become the captain of the Punishment Squad or a respectable bishop. Why did you choose to go to sea and become the captain of the 'Blue Vengeance'?"
Alger's rugged and deep face showed no additional expression. He replied solemnly and gravely, "The sea belongs to the storms. This is the Lord's domain. I am willing to follow the Lord's will and patrol this domain for Him."
"Alright," the yellow-haired man clenched his fist and hit his chest, saying, "May the storms be with you."
"May the storms be with you," Alger replied with a standard courtesy.
He stood on the deck with only a few crew members, watching his companions leave the ghost ship and walk further and further away.
"Seans, you don't understand because you don't know enough..." Alger whispered silently.
Meanwhile, Audrey, trembling with fear, completed her second concoction. Looking at the silver-white potion that was no different from before, she was so moved that she almost shed tears. She took a small and quick sip of the "Audience" potion. ...
On Friday, a heavy rainstorm hit Tingen, with the raindrops pattering against all the windows.
Inside the Blackthorn Security Company, Klein, Rosan and Brett were sitting on the sofa in the reception hall, enjoying the lunch on the table.
Since there was only a stove for boiling water and no way to heat up leftovers, and Klein couldn't eat black bread every day or take the public carriage home - otherwise, after walking from Iron Cross Street to Welch's residence in the afternoon, he would still have to consider taking a carriage back, which would be very wasteful - he had no choice but to eat the so-called "office food" with his colleagues like Rosan.
- Every day at 10:30, an employee from the nearby Old Will restaurant would come over punctually to ask how many people needed lunch. After confirming the number of servings, they would deliver the food at 12:30 in the afternoon, served in containers similar to lunch boxes. At 3:00 in the afternoon, they would come again to ask if dinner was needed and collect the utensils.
This "food" included meat, vegetables and bread. Although the portions were not large, it was enough to fill one person. The price ranged from 7 to 10 pence per meal, with different grades.
Klein, with a thick face, always chose the 7-pence meal, which usually included half a pound of oat bread, a small piece of meat cooked in different ways, a spoonful of thick soup with vegetables, and a little cream or butter.
"Only one night watchman is on duty today..." Rosan said as she scooped the thick soup into her mouth.
"I heard that there was a case in the Golden Poplar District involving a cult, so the police department asked two night watchmen to go there..." Brett put down his bread.
Klein dipped the remaining oat bread in the last bit of gravy and stuffed it into his mouth, not saying a word.
Inside his left sleeve, there was a silver chain with a yellow crystal hanging from it, faintly visible.
Just then, there was a knocking sound at the half-open door. "... "Come in," said Rosan, who was taken aback for a moment. She put down her spoon, quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and stood up.
The door was pushed open, and a tall, thin man wearing a half-top hat and a black suit with the left shoulder wet entered.
His temples were gray, and he held a folded umbrella. He looked at Klein and the others and said, "This is the former mercenary squad?"
"You could say that," Rosan replied smoothly.
The tall, thin man coughed and said, "I have a mission I want to entrust."