Mystery: Start with the Reader

"Why do you have to take a detour to Enmat Port when you return? Wouldn't it be closer to return directly from Pritz Harbor?" Abner frowned and asked, listening to the route the teacher had planned for him. He intuitively felt that there might be other reasons here.

Enmat Port is located in the east of Tingen City and East Chester County. It is one of the most famous seaports in the central part of the Loen Kingdom. It and Pritz Harbor are one north and one south, and together support more than half of Backlund's supplies. Replenish.

"Three reasons... First, this can avoid possible ambushes. Although I don't think that the Witch Sect will specially send people to guard you back, but be prepared and land from other ports, you can largely avoid the other party Second, didn’t you promise a certain little girl to go to Enmat Harbor to see her?” At this point, Detective Essinger blinked at his students.

Abner was a little horrified when he heard the words, but he never told the teacher about it.

"Hehe, simple reasoning... and a trick to you! Judging from your expression, my guess is correct!" Detective Essinger said this, took a puff of cigarettes, and took the opportunity to teach his students, " Abner, you have to learn to manage your expressions. Even if you can't achieve the level of "emotions and anger are not visible" as Russell said, you can follow my example and cover up most of the real emotions with smiles and serious expressions. mood."

Hearing this, Abner rolled his eyes with an 'expressionless face', but unfortunately this indecent movement was blocked by the 'covering' ability of the copper-rimmed glasses.

"As for the third reason..." After speaking, Detective Essinger looked at Xio again, and said with a smile, "I think Miss Hugh also wants to stop by to see her family."

Xio stood up abruptly, with a look full of surprise, he stammered and said, "Mr. Stanton, you...how did you...know?"

Detective Essinger signaled Hugh not to be nervous, and then slowly explained: "As a detective with a lot of friends, this is not difficult to find out... In fact, Miss Hugh, or Miss Dill, you have been arrested by MI9. It's just that the MI9 intelligence officer in charge of investigating you has some connections with the Dill family, and you are only a Sequence 9, so the investigation was suppressed... This is why I suggest you go out to avoid Another reason to avoid it."

Hugh was originally the eldest lady of the noble Dill family of the court. Because her father was framed and the whole family was wanted, she changed her surname to 'Dilcha' and fled to East Chester County with her mother and younger brother to hide. stand up. And Abner knew this, so he kept calling her 'Miss Hugh' instead of 'Miss Dilcha', after all, that was a fake surname.

"Avoid...can it be solved?" Xio frowned, feeling that his situation was getting more and more dangerous, and it might even affect his family.

"Hehe, MI9 would not have deliberately investigated you originally, but it was only recently that they issued an order to investigate the 'Arbiter' of the Eastern District...Combined with the warning you received, Abner said that the Witch Sect and MI9 colluded, I’m afraid it’s true! At least some high-level members of MI9 have deals with the Witch Sect.” Detective Essinger still smiled, but his tone was somewhat mocking, “And once the Witch Sect’s incident is over, the military will not waste resources to investigate a small person like you. And I and the intelligence officer who has a connection with the Dill family will help you solve the follow-up troubles."

Xio breathed a sigh of relief first, she was still convinced of Detective Essinger's judgment, then she had some other thoughts and asked, "Is it related to my family... is it father's friend?"

"I don't know about this, but after the witch's matter is completely resolved, I guess he may have contact with you. Then you can ask yourself." Detective Essinger said.

Xio didn't continue to ask, and sat down again, not knowing what he was thinking.

Abner didn't worry much about this, because he knew very well that the MI9 intelligence officer mentioned by the teacher should be the boss who took good care of Hugh in the original book. Maybe he succumbed to the coercion of the high-level,

But at least he really has no bad intentions for Xio, and is even willing to help.

Next, after making an appointment to meet tomorrow, Xio went back to prepare travel supplies, while Abner was brought into his storage room by Detective Essinger.

"I'd like to lend you this hat first. After going out to sea, its power is much greater than that on land, and it can be counted as a support for you." Detective Essinger once again gave the hat with the "Wind Blessed One" The hats of a small part of the ability were handed over to his students.

Abner was also polite and took it solemnly. He didn't know if he would encounter danger along the way, and things that could improve his combat power would certainly not be rejected.

"Teacher, is there any name or code for this hat?" Abner asked casually after changing the style of the hat and putting it on his head.

"It's not yet qualified to be a '2' sealed item, so it doesn't have a code name. But I'm used to calling it 'Sea Breeze Hat'." Detective Essinger answered the students' questions first, and then took out a tin box from the drawer Handed it over, said: "This is an advance payment to you for solving this entrustment!"

Abner saw a movement in the tin box, and had a vague guess. He lifted the spiritual blockade on the box, opened it, and as expected, there was a golden leaf of the tree of wisdom inside! This is one of the main materials of Sequence 7 'Watcher'!

After more than a week of analysis, Abner has obtained the potion formula of the 'Knower' through the Extraordinary characteristics of '2-081', and he has even analyzed the formula of the 'Educated Scholar' in Sequence 6. The main material, so at this time he was a little grateful and a little excited.

"As a teacher, I can only help you so far. The other main material 'eyeball of the giant dragon's eye' and other auxiliary materials need to be found by yourself." Detective Essinger seemed to be sure of Abner when he said this. He knew the specific formula of the potion.

"Thank you!" Abner was moved and decided to repay the teacher, so he seemed to mention his analysis result unintentionally: "Teacher, I heard that one of the main ingredients in the 'Educated' potion formula The material is 'the heart of the tree of the elders', as for the others, I haven't 'inquired' out yet."

Detective Essinger was taken aback when he heard the words, and even the action of smoking the pipe paused for a moment, and then he showed a gratified smile, nodded and responded: "I see!" After speaking, he looked through his collection cabinet again He took out a small box, pushed it in front of Abner, and said, "This is the commission reward for Miss Xio, so you can pass it to her."

"What is this?" Abner opened the box curiously, and found a black ring engraved with many messy patterns inside.

"This ring is called the 'Ring of Prediction'. It can enhance the balance and coordination of the body, and can rely on intuition to form a picture in the mind and predict the next behavior of the target. For Miss Xio, this kind of intuition is very good. Accurate people are an effective supplement to combat power. The negative effect is that they often cannot control their facial expressions and make some funny facial expressions." Detective Essinger took the initiative to introduce.

This ring is worth at least four or five hundred pounds, the teacher is really generous! But what's the point of me giving Hugh a ring? If Forsi saw it, wouldn't it be a big brainstorm?

...

June 26, 1349, three o'clock in the afternoon

Abner and Xio, who had just stepped off the steam train, looked at the sky outside the platform. It was bright and clean, without the familiar fog over Backlund. The waves came in bursts, blowing away all the smog, allowing the high-altitude clouds to curl up, arrange them into various shapes, and reflect the golden red sun.

This is Pulitzer Harbor, the largest and busiest port in the Kingdom of Loen.

Abner, who wore an exquisite three-cornered hat on his head, was carrying a suitcase and a cane, and beside him was Hugh who made a simple disguise and tried to raise himself a few centimeters. They took a carriage together and arrived at the "Pritz Harbor Ticketing Company" located in the White Rose area of ​​the port.

This company is located in a rather old three-story building, and there is a wooden sign with a notice on the door. It is written in Loen script:

"Precautions:

"1. Obey the order and strictly line up;

"2. Do not defecate or spit anywhere;

"3. If you have a dispute, please contact the guard in the hall;

"4. Canned wolffish cannot be opened in any room!"

"Canned wolffish? What is that?" Xio had never been out at sea, so he didn't know this kind of thing that was very scary in the sailor circle.

However, before she finished speaking, Abner heard a 'click' from behind, which was the sound of a can being opened...