Chapter 153: The Final Groundwork

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three
The Final Groundwork

A distinctive broad jaw, an ancient warrior’s hair knot, and eyes that seemed to hold an icy smile…

Half-lying, half-sitting on the sofa, Xio Derecha carefully studied the sketch Audrey had given her.

In her eyes, this was a living, walking pile of gold pounds.

After engraving the appearance of the great pirate Qilangos deep into her mind, she looked down and began reading the additional description.

“Brown hair, dark-green eyes.

“The portrait is only for reference, because the target has the ability to transform into other people. The duration of the transformation is unknown.”

The portrait is only for reference… The target can transform into other people… Only for reference. Transform into others…

Then why did I memorize the sketch so seriously just now?

Xio’s expression immediately turned blank, as though she had felt the world’s malice.

Dazed, she lifted her head and looked toward Fors Wall, who lay lazily on the sofa opposite her. Half speaking to herself, she said, “There is simply no way to find him. We do not know what he looks like. We only know he is a foreigner, and the number of foreigners arriving in Backlund every day is practically impossible to count.”

Fors put strength into her waist, trying to sit up. After three attempts, she suffered three tragic failures.

“I am only an Apprentice, not an Arbiter…”

She muttered while reaching for the sofa back. At last, she succeeded in changing from lying down to sitting.

“Perhaps that young lady thinks we are prophets?” Fors joked.

Xio was about to answer when she abruptly discovered that there was still much more to the additional description.

She read it aloud in a low voice:

“Suggested search methods:

“1. Qilangos has an evil object on him. Every other day, it must devour the blood, flesh, and soul of a living person. Consider missing vagrants.

“2. Gather detailed information on Qilangos and summarize his unique preferences and behavioral patterns.

“3. A person’s features may change, but if they have not undergone special training, they will always behave like themselves—for example, in their favorite foods, walking style, habitual movements, and many more details.”

Fors listened and nodded slightly.

“Miss Audrey is not a pure, naive girl like the rumors say. She has a delicate mind and calm powers of observation.”

“Is that so?”

Xio asked with uncertainty, not expecting an answer. Instead, she suggested, “I will be responsible for gathering information. You summarize the preferences and traits of that pile of gold pounds—no, of that pirate admiral?”

Fors’s eyes widened at once. She shook the metal case holding her cigarettes and said, “How could you bear to do that? How could you bear to make a delicate, sensitive writer do such summarizing, analyzing, and reasoning?”

Xio glanced at her friend and unconsciously displayed a convincing dignity.

“There is a very brilliant section of deduction in your Stormwind Mountain Villa.”

Fors shrank her shoulders. She lowered her head and looked at the tea table.

“Do you know how many hairs I lost and how many nights of sleep I missed for that deduction?”

She swiftly raised her head, glanced at Xio Derecha, then lowered her head again and muttered, “Life is very short. There are too many things we need to do. Why should we waste it on such boring, tedious work?”

That makes a lot of sense…

Xio nearly nodded in agreement. She barely maintained the dignity of an Arbiter.

“Then do you have another way to solve this problem?” she asked, pressing her voice down and making that childish tone seem deeper.

Fors thought seriously for a dozen seconds. Then she suddenly raised her head and said, “We can hire a professional to do it! After you gather the information on Vice Admiral Hurricane, we erase the name and take it to an outstanding detective. We ask him to summarize, organize, reason, and deduce. That only requires paying a consultation fee!”

Why did I not think of that…

Xio’s mind went blank. She and Fors stared at each other, neither speaking.

When the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward, Xio cleared her throat.

“We will do as you suggest.”

Having said that, she hurriedly added, “You pay the consultation fee!”

…

Howes Street District, Divination Club.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti.”

Angelica, the pretty receptionist, looked ahead with pleasant surprise.

“It is rare for you to come on a Friday.”

Klein, exhausted from checking red-chimney houses, smiled.

“Fate will not keep repeating itself. It always has to bring us some surprises.”

He happened to be passing by, and the rental carriage’s hired time had just ended. So he had come up to drink some black tea and rest.

In addition, this was his final round of groundwork. With a new Divination Club “experience,” it would be logical for him to submit a special application to Dunn Smith.

“Your words are always full of philosophy,” Angelica praised sincerely.

Klein considered for a moment, choosing his words.

“I may come to the club much less often in the future. You no longer need to recommend me to others.”

His potion had already been digested. He had to move toward a new goal.

“Why?”

Angelica was both surprised and confused.

“You are already very famous within the club. Most people know that your divinations are extremely accurate and almost magical. We were even considering asking you to serve as Sunday’s lecture instructor.”

If every divination earned one pound, I would grit my teeth and keep going no matter how tired or miserable I became…

And I still need to check more red-chimney houses, striving to find that mastermind as soon as possible…

Klein smiled gently.

“Madam, do not ask me to stay. This is the arrangement of fate.

“I am not saying that I will never come to the club again. I will merely reduce the frequency. My membership dues will still be paid on time.”

They can be reimbursed anyway… And I will still occasionally come here to monitor the place…

He added silently.

“That truly is regrettable. I hope that when I feel lost, you happen to be at the club.”

Angelica sighed.

After moving past her initial shock, she found that she was not as surprised by this matter as she had imagined.

Perhaps such a magical diviner, such a person who reveres fate, truly is not someone a single club in Tingen City can possess for long…

Angelica smiled as if in thought.

“Sibe black tea?”

“Yes.”

Klein replied with a smile.

He sat in the club for a dozen minutes, rested briefly, finished his black tea, then left and took a trackless public carriage back to Daffodil Street.

When he entered, he habitually opened the mailbox and saw a letter that seemed to have been delivered not long ago.

He tore it open casually and discovered that the letter came from Mr. Azik:

“…I will go to Morse Town on Sunday and return on Wednesday.”

The residents of Morse Town generally believe in the Goddess… If he goes Sunday, then according to normal efficiency, the Nighthawks should receive the news on Tuesday or Wednesday. I will arrive right in time… Mr. Azik actually remembered my requirements… Hopefully, he also remembers not to appear personally. Just casually summon a ghost and scare them a little…

Klein nodded almost imperceptibly, released his spirituality, and ignited the letter through friction.

With a flick of his hand, the fire turned the paper into ash, which slowly fell to the floor.

…

Saturday morning. Wearing a thin black windbreaker, a half-top silk hat, and carrying his silver-inlaid cane, Klein leisurely entered Blackthorn Security Company.

After greeting Rozanne, he glanced toward the partition and saw that the Captain’s office door was open. Thus, he deliberately did not control the volume of his voice as he said, “Yesterday evening, at the Divination Club, I saw a girl who looked very much like you.”

“Really?” Rozanne asked with interest.

Klein nodded without any sincerity.

“Really. I even thought she might be your sister.”

“What a pity. I have no sisters, not even female cousins on either side,” Rozanne said with a giggle. “Do you remember her name?”

“No. Why would I remember her name?” Klein laughed softly. “Seeing you and seeing her is not much different.”

“Can I understand that as a compliment?”

Rozanne always needed no one else to provide topics. She continued on her own, “Klein, you must have earned quite a lot of money at the Divination Club, right? As a true diviner, your skill is not something those amateurs can compare with.”

Let us not talk about this topic, and we can still be good colleagues…

Klein coughed once and said, “A diviner must revere fate and cannot use divination to seek improper profit.”

“Are you summarizing your own diviner maxims?” Rozanne asked curiously.

“Yes,” Klein answered frankly.

After chatting with her for a few more sentences, he waved farewell, took his hat, and walked toward the partition.

Knock, knock, knock. Looking at Dunn Smith, who was fiddling with coffee, he lightly knocked on the open door.

“Come in.”

Dunn lifted his head and glanced at him, then hurriedly straightened his posture.

Over the past two days, Klein had already tested the Captain’s tone and confirmed that Dunn Smith, while attempting the acting method, had not mentioned even one word of it to anyone else. He was clearly wary of the Church’s higher ranks.

Thus, Klein casually closed the door, sat opposite him, and spoke with an expression that was solemn yet faintly excited.

“Captain, I feel that I have completely mastered the Seer potion.”

“I want to submit a special application.”