Black City lay in the northeast of the Bremen Empire, in the Great Forest Region of Kawa Province.
But the entire city covered only 24 square kilometers. Calling it a town would not have been an exaggeration; it was the smallest city in the Great Forest Region.
Since the cluster of cities had been built on hilly terrain, Black City had many hills. The tallest was called Fengdeng Mountain and stood in the city center. It connected to Fengdeng Lake at its foot, forming a natural barrier that divided the rich district from the poor one.
Centered around the parliamentary building on the mountainside, Fengdeng Castle, the surrounding urban area was called Horst. It was home to the most powerful and wealthy people in Black City.
At that moment, in a detached apartment in Horst Second District, four or five members of high society sat on the living room sofas, drinking tea and chatting.
"Pa, you were in such a hurry to call us over. Is something important going on?"
A thin-faced man with short brown hair lounged on the edge of a sofa. Cradling an exquisite teacup and crossing his legs, he flashed a cheeky grin.
"Call me elder brother, Kurt. Don't forget the manners Father taught you."
The man named Pa had neatly combed hair and sat upright. His well-tailored pinstriped suit made him look exceptionally handsome. He glanced at his younger brother and replied coolly.
Kurt didn't seem to care. He only smiled.
Beside him, a young woman in a sky-blue, low-cut dress set down her teacup. Her lightly made-up face broke into a smile, and her red lips parted.
"Elder brother, has something happened with the Oak Gang?"
"Mm." Pa nodded with a grave expression. "Lucas Parr is dead. So are his trusted men and more than a dozen other gang members."
At that, the Louis Family's direct descendants sitting around the room all changed expression.
The Oak Gang was their cash cow, sending them a steady stream of Gold Caesars every month. It wasn't much even for nobles like them, but it was still a handsome little "side income."
The men went to the club every month to unwind, sometimes watched horse races or fighting matches, and the women needed all kinds of perfumes and fragrances to "ward off miasma." Expenses were everywhere.
If the Oak Gang's operation ground to a halt, their comfortable lives would take a hit.
More importantly, the Oak Gang was an informant and tool that their father, Layton Louis, valued immensely.
As far as they knew, their father had been having Lucas secretly gather banned works of art and books of heresy. His real purpose was to find the legacy their ancestor had left behind in his hometown of Black City!
Their father had once said that their ancestor possessed power beyond mortal ken. If they could obtain that legacy, the Louis Family would endure and flourish for far longer. They might even rise to become one of the Bremen Empire's most elite noble families.
That was also the real reason their father had been willing to give up years of connections and influence in the capital, Muse City, and return to this remote little city after retiring from the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.
Their father had entrusted them, his children, with managing the Oak Gang. They could freely use the money and goods it brought in each month, but they absolutely could not let that secret mission stop!
Now that Lucas Parr, the gang boss, and his trusted men were dead, everything their father had arranged might be brought to a halt. Their father's wrath was sure to fall on the siblings.
The living room fell into a deathly silence.
"Could the Redwood Street Police Station have done it?" Kurt chewed on his finger, his eyes flashing with resentment. "We've given the city police plenty of benefits. How dare they risk offending Father and kill Lucas!"
"It had nothing to do with the police station." Pa shook his head and sighed. "It was a low-ranking member of the Oak Gang."
"Huh?" His siblings looked at one another, bewildered.
"Infighting within the gang?" Beatty, the second-oldest, asked. "But how could one low-ranking thug have killed so many people?"
"His name is Gilan Iros. He's twenty, just an ordinary thug who grew up on Red Tree Street. A few days ago, Prohibition Agents arrested him while he was selling bootleg liquor. But strangely enough, he managed to kill eleven fellow inmates and nine police officers at the Redwood Street Police Station all by himself, including a Two-Star Police Inspector, and fought his way out."
Pa gave his siblings a grave account of the information he had gathered.
"The incident even alarmed the police station's superiors. The Empire's Propaganda Minister, Mr. Staven, personally signed the arrest warrant, determined to capture him... All because the man stole a key item from an important project run by the Purification Department: a mysterious black film reel."
"What..." They exchanged looks, unable to believe it.
"After escaping the police station, Gilan returned to the Oak Gang. Lucas had intended to hand him over to the authorities in secret, but before he could make a move, that man killed him."
As he spoke, Pa rubbed his temples in frustration.
Kurt set his teacup down with a thud and gritted his teeth.
"Where did he run off to? We can't just let this go! If Father finds out we've made a mess of things..."
As he spoke, a hint of fear flickered in his eyes.
His siblings looked just as troubled. Then Pa spoke up.
"Of course we can't let this go. We have to find him before the police do, force him to tell us where the film reel is, and then let Father decide what to do... The Purification Department won't be easy to placate. Even Father can't withstand the pressure. All we can do now is try to make up for our mistake."
Everyone understood what Pa meant.
After all, Gilan was a member of the Oak Gang, and the Oak Gang was controlled by their Louis Family.
The police had lost something important. If the Purification Department or even the Propaganda Minister held their father responsible, he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.
"Let's pool our money and hire Mr. Granny Remo."
Pa glanced around at them and spoke.
"Father has some ties with him, so perhaps we can get a discount."
To their surprise, no one objected. They were all strongly in favor.
Granny Remo was the most famous private detective in Black City. His professional skills were top-notch. But most importantly, he had another identity—
He was a fighter at Instructor level!
This wasn't an "instructor" like the coaches at those fighting clubs. He was a professional fighter who had passed the Bremen Empire military's examination and received official certification.
Mr. Granny was even qualified to train local troops!
"Each of you will contribute 45 Caesars," Pa said, calling the butler over and asking him to bring his wallet. "As your elder brother, I'll put in 70 Caesars... That makes 250 Caesars in total. It should be enough to ensure Mr. Granny gives this his all."
"Fine!" Kurt said through gritted teeth, though the amount pained him. "That brat has to pay for this!"
His sister Beatty sighed.
The Oak Gang had caused a huge mess. Even though it wasn't their fault, their father wouldn't listen to their explanations. All they could do now was try to minimize the losses and make amends.