Macult scanned the room, his eyes moving sharply from corner to corner, hoping for even the smallest clue. He stepped carefully around the body, then noticed faint drag marks near the wall, almost as if the driver tried to resist. On the floor, a pool of blood had smeared strangely — not random, but like the driver had tried to write or draw something before he died, though it wasn't clear. Then Macult's eyes caught something on the nearby table — a small, dusty book, half-open. As he flipped through it, a peculiar symbol was sketched inside — something old and odd. He glanced back at the smeared blood and realized... it was the same symbol, drawn in a hurry. Macult quickly closed the book and slipped it inside his coat pocket, hiding it away before Henrex or anyone else could notice. He stood up and told Henrex, "I'm leaving," keeping his tone flat. Henrex didn't ask much, and Macult walked out, mind buzzing. That symbol wasn't random — and now he had something that no one else knew about.
After spending the whole night digging through the book, Macult gathered some clues, but his mind was drained. Remembering Henrex's words about needing an assistant, he finally spread a notice — seeking a boy assistant, someone smart, brave, and willing to live with him during the investigation. The news spread fast, and by morning, a line of boys stood waiting. But as each came in, Macult grew more disappointed. One boy walked in with a long coat and fake pipe, puffing imaginary smoke, saying, "I have the eyes of an eagle, sir. No criminal escapes me." Macult raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Another boy, carrying a huge magnifying glass, grinned, "I can track criminals just by the sound of their shoes!" Macult stared blankly, unimpressed. Yet another entered, speaking in a weird British accent, "Good day detective, I believe my presence itself is enough for solving mysteries." Macult sighed deeply, asking, "Have any of you even read a single detective case?" Most of them shook their heads, giving silly grins. One even said, "No, but I watch a lot of crime plays!"
Macult waved him off, growing more irritated. Just when he was about to give up, a girl stepped in — around 16 years old, dressed in a deep blue frock that reached just below her knees, fitted at the waist, paired with black boots laced up neatly. Her hair was tied into a tidy low bun, and a small leather satchel hung across her shoulder. Her sharp, observant eyes scanned the room confidently.
Macult frowned and said, "You? This was for boys. Go back to school and study." But she stood her ground and stared at him sharply, then said, "You're a Shakespeare fan, aren't you? Acting all dramatic and talking like him, pretending to look wise." That comment caught Macult's attention. As they talked, she casually mentioned something that unknowingly connected to the symbol Macult was trying to decode. He paused, observing her properly now. "You'll have to stay with me if you want to assist. Are you sure?" he asked. She smirked, "Yeah, I'm an orphan. Got nowhere else to stay anyway." Macult chuckled faintly, "You know I'm a man, right? You're okay with that?" She confidently replied, "I've learned jujutsu. If you try anything funny, I'll break your nose." Macult smiled, finally impressed. "I agree. You're my assistant now."
At that moment, Henrex walked in and stopped, looking at the girl curiously. "Oh? Who's she? Is that your new case?" he asked with a smirk. Macult shook his head slightly, "No... she's my assistant." Henrex raised his eyebrows, chuckling, "Oh? So the man who was too proud to take help now has an assistant? And that too... a kid?" Macult smiled faintly, brushing it off, "Let that be. By the way... I don't even know your name yet." The girl tilted her head with a slight smile, "Ah yes, I almost forgot to tell you too. My name is Elara Vance."Macult repeated it softly to himself, "Elara Vance... sounds fitting." Henrex chuckled in the back, "Well then, Macult and Elara — this is going to be fun to watch." Macult looked at Elara and said, "Elara, go upstairs. Room No. 3 will be yours." She nodded, picked up her small suitcase and leather satchel, and quietly climbed the staircase, her steps light yet composed. Henrex watched her go, then looked back at Macult. "So... you've made your choice." Macult, without looking back, simply said, "I don't keep people around without reason. She'll prove useful."
Upstairs, Elara walked down the hall, scanning the doors until she spotted Room No. 3. "Oh, that's good," she muttered to herself. She pushed the door open and peeked inside — the room was neat, the bed properly made, and everything was already clean and settled. She was quietly impressed, not expecting such order from a man like Macult. Without wasting time, she placed her suitcase on the bed, opened it, and began taking out her clothes, arranging them carefully inside the cupboard. She then settled her few belongings neatly around the room. Meanwhile downstairs, Henrex stood with folded arms. "Macult, now will you finally tell me why you called me here?" Macult leaned back on his chair, "Oh yes... You know, there's something strange I've been thinking about. The passengers have vanished, sure... but wouldn't their families come forward? Shouldn't someone have reported them missing by now?" Henrex's face turned serious, "You're right... but no one has. Not a single missing person's case has been filed." Macult stared ahead, his mind ticking. "That's what shocks me... either something bigger is being hidden, or this case isn't what it looks like at all."
Henrex looked around cautiously, then said, "You know, Macult, I've got something to give you. Yesterday, after you left the crime scene, we checked the driver's clothes again... and I found this in his pocket." He pulled out a folded, slightly crumpled paper and handed it to Macult. "What is it?" Macult asked, taking the paper and unfolding it. "It's strange," Henrex said, "just a series of numbers written roughly. I couldn't figure out what they meant, but... it felt important. Maybe a code, or something else. I thought it'd be better in your hands." Macult stared at the numbers carefully, his mind already trying to make sense of them. "Interesting..." he murmured.
Just as Macult was examining the numbers, Elara came down the stairs, wiping her hands after setting her room. She noticed the paper in his hand and casually asked, "What's that?" Macult showed it to her without much thought. The moment her eyes landed on it, she chuckled lightly, "Ahh... that's not just numbers. They're coordinates — locations." Both Macult and Henrex looked at her, a bit surprised. "You're sure?" Macult asked. Elara nodded confidently, "Yeah, my father... he used to be a cartographer. I've seen coordinates like these before. It's definitely pointing to a specific place." Macult's eyes didn't leave the paper as he processed it, then he folded it carefully and tucked it into his coat pocket. "We'll go there," he said, then glanced at Henrex, "but not now — we'll leave tomorrow morning." Henrex agreed with a simple nod, "Alright. Keep me informed." Elara crossed her arms, already curious, "Where exactly does it point to?" Macult glanced at her with a slight smirk, "We'll find that out... first thing tomorrow."
Henrex nodded and after a brief exchange, he left the house. As the door shut, Macult stood quietly, then turned to Elara with a sly grin. "We're not waiting till morning," he muttered. Elara tilted her head, "But... you said—" "I said that to Henrex," Macult cut her off. "But first, we need to figure out exactly where these coordinates lead." He unfolded the paper again and spread a large old map over the table. Elara walked closer, eyes focused. "Let me see," she said confidently. She scanned the numbers and cross-referenced them with the map. After some minutes, she tapped her finger on a spot. "Here... it's near the last tunnel, just behind the hills. Seems like a hidden area connected to the tunnel somehow." Macult stared at the map silently for a moment, then folded it neatly. "So the tunnel is not just a tunnel," he muttered. Elara stood ready, waiting for his command. Macult looked at her and said, "Get your coat. We are not waiting till morning — we are leaving now." Elara smiled a little and nodded. She grabbed her coat and followed Macult as he stepped out into the cold night, both of them prepared to find what truth those coordinates were hiding.