Lord of Mysteries: Yao Guang

The next evening, Esther walked on the streets of Minsk carrying a honey cake with fresh cream and a whole pot of sweet iced tea.

But she seemed to have arrived at the wrong time. No one came to open the door after ringing the doorbell. Esther had to stand by the door and wait patiently for Klein to come back.

The aroma of beef stew with radish came from the door, indicating that the soup pot should still be hot, and Klein would not go too far.

The smell that kept drifting outside the house made Esther swallow her saliva. However, she had already had dinner. She couldn't take advantage of her fellow villagers' craftsmanship like this. It was so embarrassing...

When Klein walked towards No. 15, he was followed by a young man with black hair and red eyes and a feminine face. The young man even wore a brown priest's robe from the Church of the Mother Earth.

When they were still several meters away, the young man pinched his nose with his hand and stared at Esther with a twisted expression:

"Why are you here? Aren't you a resident of that apartment number?"

Esther was also very curious. She had only met the vampire once that day, but she didn't expect that he seemed to be deeply impressed by her, even in the past week.

Esther smiled: "I also want to ask you this question. Good evening, Mr. Priest."

The young man's face immediately fell and he said angrily: "Why do you pick on other people's pain points to talk about!"

Esther looked at the priest's uniform he was wearing doubtfully. She was right, but she had to retract her words in order not to irritate him:

"Sorry, just pretend I didn't say anything."

Klein immediately briefly introduced the two of them to each other: "This is Emlyn White, and this is Hamel, um, a friend of mine."

"I am the client today." Esther shook the cake and sweet iced tea in her hand, making Klein's eyes light up. "I have something to discuss with Mr. Moriarty."

Emlyn pointed at Esther suspiciously and said to Klein:

"This is the kind of person I told you before who has a very strange blood smell. Basically, you can be remembered for a long time after just meeting him."

Esther's face suddenly turned red, and she forced a smile. Klein could see her rising anger level.

Esther said very rudely: "I'm really sorry, Mr. Vampire."

Emlyn raised his neck in annoyance again and spoke condescendingly to the short Esther with his nostrils at a 45-degree angle:

"I told you, it's a vampire! Why don't you know how to respect people at all!"

Esther also raised her eyebrows and stared at Emlyn with an unkind expression. Although she did not speak, it could be seen that both of them were dissatisfied.

Afraid that Esther and Emlyn would fight at his door, Klein had no choice but to smooth things over:

"Okay, okay, Emlyn, you should go back early. Don't let your parents start worrying again. Goodbye, I won't see you off. Hamel, can you come in and sit down? I made beef bone radish tonight. Soup and rice, hope you don’t mind spicy food.”

"Actually, I've had dinner, but if I bring chili...well, I can drink less soup."

Esther carried her things, held her head high and followed Klein into the door. Emlyn, who was left outside the door, was stunned for several seconds. He snorted disdainfully at the closed door, turned around and left. .

——

"Capin?"

After clearing the table together and Esther insisting on helping wash the dishes and wipe the table, they both sat back at the table contentedly, each with a large glass of sweet iced tea in their hands.

"Yes, Detective Sherlock, I have considered that your social circle seems to be wider than mine, so I wanted to ask you if you have any relevant clues."

Of course, Klein had heard of this man’s “deeds” and decisively shared the news with Esther:

"The person they are talking about is most likely the rich man who lives in Jorwood District. There are many rumors that his subordinates control the business of buying and selling young girls. Many girls who disappeared were found underground in various places after a period of time. Place of prostitution.

But there was not enough evidence to accuse Capin openly, so he has been at large, which is enough to prove that he is not simple. "

Esther's expression also became much more solemn. She subconsciously wanted to raise her hand to rub the center of her right eyebrow, but suppressed her small movements: "There may be other forces behind him?"

Klein nodded: "He is still very free to this day and knows many big people. I don't believe him if he doesn't have the support of powerful nobles behind him."

"In fact, the situation behind the more powerful gangs in the East District is basically the same," Esther said casually, "I have to go back and plan what to do."

"I'm afraid it's hard for you to succeed if you go alone to save people. It's too risky." Klein reminded her.

"Well, the probability that I will actually take action is not high, because that's what the East District is like." Esther said softly, "But I'm still very angry. At worst, I might cause some trouble for them."

Klein thought for a moment and suddenly remembered that he had an appointment to meet Old Kohler at the coffee shop in the East District tomorrow morning, and immediately asked about Esther:

"I have an appointment tomorrow with an old gentleman who is an informant in the East District. He is the one who was our guide when I met you last time for the interview. His name is Lao Kohler."

"I remember him. Do you think there will be some information from him?" It's not that Esther didn't trust the old gentleman, but she felt that the children's intelligence scope overlapped with his, and it was unlikely that they would get new information. big.

"You can give it a try. It would be more convenient for you if we met there? After all, I don't know where to find you, but it might take up some of your daytime time."

"It doesn't matter. Street playing is a profession that doesn't require time management, so let's meet in the East District."

"There is a cafe over there on Black Palm Street with a slightly better environment. You should know about it?"

Esther thought about it for a moment and determined the location of the cafe on the map in her mind: "I know, the neatest shop on the whole street, although it is still quite greasy."

Klein estimated the approximate time: "Then you can find us there then. It doesn't have to be too early, I won't set off from Minsk Street until about half past seven."

"It's okay, I can also go have breakfast."

Esther smiled and said that the matter was settled.

——

Early Thursday morning.

Before Esther went out, a few light spots quietly fell and covered Xiao Wu, who had been "sleeping for a particularly long time" recently. Although Esther felt a little sorry, it wasn't much.

One unexpected incident after another made her trust in others increasingly limited.

Because she was just meeting Klein, Esther didn't put on much disguise. She just wore a newly bought scarf to keep warm in the cold wind of Backlund's autumn and winter.

When he walked into the cafe, Klein hadn't arrived yet.

But Esther saw the middle-aged and elderly man wrapped in an old jacket. He was sitting in the corner, sipping bland tea and nibbling the edges of black bread.

Esther first went to the front desk and ordered pancakes, hash browns, grilled sausages and hot cocoa, and asked the waiter to deliver them to the table. Then she walked over and sat down opposite Old Kohler.

Her actions left the elderly East End resident panicked, wondering what the young woman in front of him was trying to do.

Just like Esther could easily identify Mike and Klein that day, old Kohler could also immediately identify Esther's aura that was incompatible with the East End.

Especially after putting aside her weird attire of hood and iron mask, her demeanor and demeanor did not look like an ordinary person trying to make a living in the East End.

"Hello, can I call you Old Kohler? Although it's a bit presumptuous, I am a friend of Detective Sherlock." Esther blinked, taking the lead in sending a signal of goodwill.

Old Kohler seemed more vigilant: "I, I may not know what you are talking about, madam..."

Knowing that Old Kohler might have misunderstood what she meant, Esther chuckled: "Don't be so nervous, he is the one who called me here. You can ask him in person when he arrives later."

Old Kohler said "hmm" twice and said nothing more. His knuckles holding the water glass turned white. His palms were rough and generous. The years of living on the dock left many subtle but traceable traces on his body. Mark of.

Esther lowered her eyes and subconsciously drew circles on the table with her fingers. Although her expression was calm, it was difficult for others to see what she was thinking.

Not long after, the waiter brought Esther's ordered food to the table. She forked out a little of the hash browns and sausages, and pushed the rest of the food to the middle of the table.

"I ordered too much. If you don't mind, just eat it, with the black bread."

Old Kohler's eyes fell on those greasy sausages, his throat bulged and he swallowed. After a moment, he suddenly raised his eyes and stared at Esther: "I know who you are."

"Yes, I am that 'Hamel'. But please keep this matter a secret for me." Esther winked at Old Kohler playfully and directly said what he wanted to say.

"If you hadn't brought Mr. Detective here for the interview that day, maybe I wouldn't have met him again at all. Fate is really a wonderful thing. Old sir, consider these my thanks to you. I'm very happy to meet him again. Mr. Detective."

"You... don't need to thank me." Even though Old Kohler had already guessed Esther's identity, he didn't expect that she would say it directly without any care.

In order to cover up his embarrassment, old Kohler did not refuse Esther's kindness, but continued to eat the piece of black bread with the sausage.

When Klein stepped into the cafe, Esther had just finished her breakfast.

He first looked around the cafe, nodded at Esther and walked over. Esther gave up the seat opposite old Kohler to Klein and pulled the dinner plate aside.

Before sitting down, Klein handed out the corresponding reward that had been prepared for the "informant" from his arms, placed it on the table and pushed it in front of Old Kohler.

There were two five-sulu and four one-sulu banknotes, with a copper penny pressed on them. Esther glanced at them and figured them out. Guessing that Klein's fee also included some kind of kindness, she smiled and took a sip of hot cocoa.

"You guys talk slowly, I'll take care of breakfast first. Detective, do you want something to eat? I can order it for you."

"No, I ate before coming here." Klein shook his head and smiled back at Esther.

The old Kohler next to him wiped his eyes while they were chatting and put away the coins on the table. Little did he know that the two extraordinary people with keen perception saw his little move.

When Klein learned about what he had seen in the East Area from the old Kohler, Esther was cutting the remaining two pieces of pancakes and listened carefully to the conversation between the two.

When Old Kohler talked about the new religion in the East District, Klein immediately thought of the parts that were similar to the teachings of the Aurora Society. It seemed that the Aurora Society was lurking and preaching in the East District.

Because he had not yet told Esther the story of "The Ancient Sun God and the Skylark", Klein subconsciously looked to the side and found that Esther was also frowning because of the "doctrine" that Old Kohler mentioned, and he didn't know what he was thinking of. .

The two exchanged glances, and Esther nodded calmly, understanding that Klein would have something to talk to her alone later.

In front of old Kohler, the two of them could only talk about limited things, so it was better to wait until they returned to a more private and safe place to talk.

Old Kohler continued to share the information he had collected and the things he noticed, and reported it to Klein dutifully. When the conversation was coming to an end, he said again: "By the way, the little daughter of Liv's family is missing."

"Liv?" Klein didn't sound like he knew this person.

Esther suddenly became alert. She even put down the fork in her hand and listened attentively to Old Kohler's explanation of what happened:

The starching lady named "Liv" had two daughters, but on their way back from delivering clothes, the younger daughter suddenly disappeared.

Old Kohler was very sad: "It's so pitiful. She has been a widow for many years and has been counting on her two daughters. As a result... Alas, the police in the East District will definitely not look too hard to find her."

Esther interjected for the first time between the conversation between the elder Kohler and Klein: "Logically speaking, this wouldn't be the first time that the younger daughter has helped deliver laundry to the family, right?"

"Of course not, they often help Liv with work." Old Kohler replied.

"Recently, human traffickers have been extremely rampant in the East District, and some children I know have also disappeared. Personally, I think that a child who works diligently at home will not run away on the way home because of fun or curiosity. It is more likely that he will be kidnapped. The gangsters kidnapped him."

Old Kohler showed a wry smile: "Even if I know this, there is no way to find her whereabouts. The police will not care about the life and death of us residents of the East End."

Silence lingered on the table for a few seconds before Klein cleared his throat: "Take me to see them. I'm a detective. Maybe I can help them find someone."

"...They don't have money." Lao Kohler reminded.

Esther felt the sadness behind these words. Poverty was like a tarsal maggot, sucking out the bones and blood of these lower-class residents, and then secreting out the despair of being unable to change the current situation.

She picked up the cup and found that the hot cocoa inside had been drained.

Klein picked up his hat and cane and said, "I do volunteer work occasionally."

Although this idea was extremely cliché, Esther still felt that Klein was shining at this moment.