Lord of Mysteries: Yao Guang

Steam trains passed through the vast flat fields, running forward under the clear blue sky. In the beginning of spring when the temperature gradually warmed up, farmers were busy in almost all the green fields.

Russell brought the steam engine and tried his best to promote it in the direction of military reserves, immersed in the great cause of expanding his ambitions. Small steam engines for civilian use did not appear at all, and agriculture in Intis still remained in the form of manual or horse farming.

The drier plains in the north of Intis are mostly dominated by grains such as wheat. Unlike the south, where the temperature and humidity are more suitable for crops such as grapes, apples or sugar beets, the income is also incomparable with the vineyards in the south.

After changing to a steam train for two days, Esther and the four of them had entered the Alto Honakis Province. The scene outside the train window gradually became dull, with only the continuous mountains.

"The place we want to go is outside the mountains, and there is still a long way from Tillis on the coast of the Sea." Alexander put down the book in his hand and explained to Esther who was looking out the window.

"I only remember that Tilis is one of the big cities on the coast of the Sea, and it is not far from the Honakis Mountains?"

"Yes, Tillis has a large population and many medium-sized cities are gathered around it. It is considered the most prosperous area near Honakis Mountain. Of course, it cannot be compared with the 'Happy City' Trier. Yes." Alexander replied.

Aaron talked a lot less in the past two days, and spent more time staring out the window and meditating like Esther.

Thomas pointed to the rugged rock walls: "This is actually far away from the mountains, but the surrounding areas are basically mountainous, so you can't tell anything no matter how you look."

Aaron wrinkled his nose and glanced at Thomas disdainfully.

Esther opened the book in her hand and followed Alexander's example, immersing herself in the world between the words.

An hour later, the four of them got off the steam train. This was a very ordinary small city, even more remote than Tingen.

If it were in Loen, perhaps there would be no train platform built at all. However, due to Russell's vigorous promotion that year, steam train platforms were built in most areas of Intis, so that most civilians could enjoy the convenience of this mode of travel.

"Let's take a rest today and set off tomorrow." Aaron said, and no one raised any objections.

After deciding on a hotel to stay in, Alexander asked: "Hamel, do you want to come with me to the town? There is also a bookstore here."

Esther didn't have anything to do, so she naturally wouldn't refuse the invitation. She guessed Alexander's true thoughts, and he had something to talk to her alone.

So the two of them took to the street. It was dark. Alexander led Esther leisurely through a noisy market and entered a bookstore with a magazine rack at the door.

There is a bell hanging on the door of the store, and when someone pushes the door, it will make a sound. The young man looking after the store was sitting behind the counter. He looked up at the two of them and then lowered his head again. He was holding a crossword puzzle that came with the newspaper.

The word "boring" is written almost all over his face, and he obviously doesn't like this boring career or books.

The other party did not come up to sell, but instead provided Alexander and Esther with the opportunity to communicate alone.

Alexander's eyes wandered on the shelves marked with new books: "Oh? There is actually a new novel by Ms. Wall. Such a small place can actually stock it. I'm afraid the bookstore owner is also one of her readers."

Esther was a little surprised: "Do you read this type of novel? I thought most of her readers were young people."

Alexander pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose helplessly: "Am I such an old-fashioned person in your opinion? I can read some books of any kind. As long as I read any book once, I can almost remember most of the impressions, which is considered as a learning aspect. The advantages."

Esther took down this "Fors Wall's Excellent New Work" translated into Intis language from the bookshelf and briefly browsed: "I actually like her book. Although sometimes it is too wild and unrestrained, Or get too caught up in the character’s romantic relationship, but as far as this writer’s lady’s imagination goes, she’s a surprise in every way.”

"I was a little surprised to hear you say that. I personally prefer books with a more simple style and strong logic, so I just took a look and didn't pay much attention to this Loen writer." Alexander glanced at the bookshelf, Clearly looking for new books that would interest him more.

Esther put the fantasy adventure novel in her hand back on the shelf: "So, what do you want to talk to me about?"

"About the abnormality in you."

"If what you want to say is that I cannot be remembered, I don't have any more information to provide you, otherwise I would also like to hear your analysis."

Alexander shook his head: "No, it's not about this, it's about you before-"

There was a bell ringing at the door of the bookstore. Alexander subconsciously stopped what he wanted to say, and both of them looked in the direction of the door.

A lame man walked in. He looked to be in his early forties. He was wearing a very neat black tuxedo, with a mustache on his lips, and his shiny black hair was neatly combed back.

The man limped toward the front desk, his expressionless features as stiff as a wax statue.

He used his index finger to smooth the beard on his lower lip. When his eyes turned to Esther and Alexander, the man obviously paused for two seconds, then avoided their eyes and walked straight towards the counter.

Esther felt like she was being watched at that moment, and she instantly thought of spiritual vision.

She looked at Alexander and shook her head slightly, covering her face with her hands and making gestures with her mouth.

Alexander immediately understood what she meant, the other party was an extraordinary person!

This was a bit of a coincidence. Alexander nodded immediately, and the two of them did not rush to leave, but took a casual walk in front of the bookshelf. Because the store was quiet enough, the two of them could clearly hear the conversation at the counter even if they were several meters away.

The man's voice was hoarse and dry, low and unclear: "Where's Simon?"

"The boss is not in the store today. Do you have anything to do with him?" The young man behind the counter was forced to put down his crossword puzzle and raised his head helplessly to answer.

Although he didn't express it on his expression, Esther could feel the obvious impatience in his tone, and she just hoped to dismiss the person in front of her quickly.

The middle-aged man was very persistent: "When will he come back? Today? Tomorrow?"

"I don't know. If you really have something important, just leave him a letter here - you're not the first one here in the past two days. I've been sitting here all day, and I'm sure I'll have to sit here again. One day, sir! No one came into the store to buy books. They were all looking for the boss. I really don’t understand why he went out of town when he had nothing to do!"

The young clerk couldn't help complaining, and Esther took out an original book of Russell's poems from the bookshelf and flipped through it slowly, still focusing on the conversation behind her.

The middle-aged man ignored the complaint at all and continued to ask, "Then do you know where he went? If there is a possibility that he will come back today, I will wait for him in the store."

The annoyance on the clerk's face became more and more obvious: "Sir, looking at your clothes, I guess you are a decent person, just like the boss, so don't embarrass us small hired people. I told you, I don't know, boss He just said he was leaving the city!"

In fact, the middle-aged man, like this bored young man, disdains the shelves full of books in the store. The man just stood in front of the counter. He was so stubborn that it made people laugh, his feet motionless: "Then who came to see him before? Do you know them?"

"God, I have never seen anyone as difficult to communicate with as you. Please let me be quiet for a while. I'm not the boss, and I don't know where those people came from. I don't know them! I don’t know anyone!”

The young man seemed to be unable to bear it any longer. He kept tapping the pen on the counter, as if to time his complaints.

The middle-aged man suddenly reached across the counter, grabbed the young man's collar, and pulled him towards him. Half of the young man's body was lying on the counter. He was so shocked that he didn't make any sound for a while, and looked into the middle-aged man's dark blue eyes with a pale face.

The middle-aged man's voice didn't fluctuate much: "Listen, I know you're dissatisfied, and I'm damn dissatisfied too, understand? You'd better pray that your boss comes back as soon as possible."

The freckles on the clerk's face turned pale: "I, I know!"

The middle-aged man did not let go of the clerk's collar, but grabbed him harder and lifted him up. A smile gradually appeared on his face: "To treat others with respect is not to use honorifics, but to behave as you should." manner."

The clerk's voice was trembling: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

The corners of the middle-aged man's mouth were raised high: "Now tell me, where did Simon go? Think about your answer, otherwise..."

"Ahem."

The middle-aged man let go the moment he heard the female voice cough.

The strange sense of crisis was fleeting, but the man's sensitive spiritual intuition allowed him to detect this sense of oppression from unknown sources. He immediately took two steps back and put his right hand in his pocket.

Esther shook several books in her hand. The top one had the slogan "Folse Wall's Excellent New Book" on the cover.

"I want to buy these books, can you help me calculate the prices?"

The panic in the clerk's eyes hadn't dissipated yet. He tremblingly took the novels handed over by Esther: "Huh, I'm sorry, I mean it's okay! But the above one is just for promotion. It’s worn...I-I’ll go to the back and get you a brand new one!”

The middle-aged man stared at the young-looking lady next to him, as if he wanted to see a hole in her face.

Esther turned to him calmly: "Excuse me, is there something on my face?"

"No." The man quickly looked away. He didn't even dare to turn on his spiritual vision again. It was clear that there were no signs of danger on the other party, but his spiritual intuition was always tense inexplicably.

Alexander also walked to the counter and stood on the other side of Esther: "Let's go after buying the book."

In this way, he was showing his attitude to the other party tactfully, indicating that the two of them did not want to cause trouble. He was also advising Esther not to cause trouble, but by standing with her, he was implicitly expressing to the middle-aged man Deterrence: When two people fight against one, one person always suffers more.

Esther nodded briskly, showing a soft smile: "Okay, just waiting for the payment."

The middle-aged man took two more steps to the side and stood next to another bookshelf, pretending to browse the titles on it. The opponent also showed his unwillingness to argue, which made Alexander very satisfied.

It wasn't until the clerk returned to the counter that Esther paid two gold louis and got the change. Then she hugged a few books and followed Alexander out of the store.

The middle-aged man watched them leave the bookstore, asked the young clerk to find pen and paper, left a folded note, and quickly left the place.

He walked into a nearby alley and took out the pendulum hanging on a thin chain from his arms.

But what made the middle-aged man's face gradually darken was that no matter how he changed the words in the divination, the pendulum seemed to be frozen and unresponsive.