"Notorious" (Please Bookmark)

Sifa looked up in surprise. In his "memories," this town had always been peaceful.

Even during the annual vacation season, when large numbers of tourists flooded in and conflicts with local residents increased, it had never escalated to the point of deaths.

Yet now, bloody crimes had occurred—two of them, no less.

"What exactly happened?"

Faced with Sifa's question, the dark-skinned young servant shook his head. "I don't know the details very clearly."

"I only know that the first bloody case happened at 89 Qingxiang Road. A mother and son died miserably in their home. I heard they were bitten to death by wild dogs, but only the police probably know the exact reason."

"The second happened last night at the Blue Fish Hotel. I don't know the specifics of that one either."

"I only know these cases will affect our town's reputation and might even affect tourists' choices during the vacation season."

Sifa nodded in agreement, recalling the police chief who had hurried over last night. Perhaps that was why Chief Kaoxi had spoken with his father until late at night.

After feeding the pigeons, Sifa dusted off his clothes and stood up. "Let's go. We're heading home."

Matthew asked, "Should I call for a carriage?"

"No. It's still early. I'd like to walk."

Sifa transferred his cane to his right hand, adjusted his top hat, and walked out of the square.

At the entrance to an alley not far from the square, a figure suddenly rushed out and slammed into Sifa's leg.

Sifa looked down and saw that it was a little girl of eight or nine. She wore a filthy dress, her hair was rough and unkempt, and snot still ran from her nose.

She carried a basket filled with oranges and apples, probably meant to be sold on the street.

Now, the fruit had rolled all over the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The little girl hurriedly scrambled to her feet, pulled out a handkerchief, and tried to wipe the dirt from Sifa's trouser leg.

Matthew quickly stopped her.

The little girl looked up pitifully at the young man before her, with choppy black hair, dark teal eyes, and slightly pale skin. "I'm sorry, sir. Kalina didn't mean to—"

Then she noticed the faint scar beneath the corner of Sifa's left eye, like a tear track, and froze.

Her expression immediately looked as though she were about to cry. "M-Master Sifa?"

Looks like I really am famous in this town. I can even scare children into tears. Sifa grumbled helplessly to himself.

Kalina was thoroughly terrified. She dropped onto the ground, utterly at a loss.

She often heard her family talk about Sifa's "notorious reputation," and they had often described the Baron's son's appearance to her. The moment she saw that distinctive "tear track," she knew whom she had run into.

The little girl had already begun imagining herself being viciously beaten, then her family being implicated and driven out of Enqi Town.

Just then, she saw Sifa extend his cane toward her.

Kalina fearfully covered her head with her hands, only hoping Sifa would be gentler when he struck her. Instead, she found that the cane had hooked up her basket and placed it by her feet.

"Pick up the fruit." The Devil young master's voice was indifferent and his tone forceful, making her unable to disobey.

Kalina picked up the fruit with trembling little hands, her mind blank as she wondered how this terrifying man intended to punish her next.

Then Sifa bent down, picked up an apple, wiped it on his sleeve, and took a bite.

He then said to the servant beside him, "Take them."

Kalina immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a basket of fruit. That was far lighter than the punishment she had imagined.

Then she realized Sifa had not left. His terrifying eyes were still fixed on her.

"You haven't told me how much they cost."

When the little girl heard those words come from the Devil young master's mouth, she did not react at first. Only after the servant beside her reminded her again did she timidly answer.

"Five pence, sir."

Sifa pulled out a one-pound note from his wallet and stuffed it into Kalina's hand. "I don't have anything in smaller denominations."

Then he stood up and walked away without lingering.

He heard the girl's relieved cheer behind him and smiled faintly.

He had been worrying about where to begin in changing his reputation. Instead, an opportunity had come looking for him. With the help of this little tool—cough, little girl.

Yes, through this little girl, the people of the town would receive the message that the Baron's son was changing.

Of course, this alone was not enough, but it was already a good start.

Just then, he suddenly heard a scream from the alley behind him.

"Kalina!"

Sifa's expression changed. He turned, passed Matthew, and rushed toward the alley entrance.

As Matthew heard his young master pass by, muttering something about how "my tool can't get hurt," he was rather confused. Still, he tossed the fruit basket by the roadside and chased after him.

Sifa had already rushed into the alley. It was crooked and narrow, with dim surroundings.

He quickly saw Kalina. As if she had suffered an enormous fright, the little girl sat on the ground. Then she suddenly turned around and crawled toward him.

At that moment, a black shadow pounced from behind Kalina. Its movements and posture did not resemble a person at all, but rather a wild dog crazed by hunger!

Sifa did not think twice. He slid forward, used his cane as a weapon, and swept it sideways.

He could already imagine the black shadow being knocked flying by the cane, but it was exceptionally nimble. The shadow stopped in time and leaped backward in an inhuman posture, landing in a darker corner of the alley.

At that moment, Sifa caught an indescribable stench. It seemed to contain the smell of blood as well as the foul reek of excrement, mixed into a nauseating odor.

He also saw a leg sticking out from behind several wooden crates ahead. Blood silently flowed beneath that leg, while an eyeball still connected by nerves floated out atop the blood.

Sifa's mind went blank for a moment.

Was this the third bloody case?

Only one day had passed, and someone else had died?

I only just got home, and I've already run into this twice. And this time, the murderer is right in front of me. Looks like the Goddess has abandoned me.

Footsteps sounded, followed by Matthew's startled cry. "Master Sifa, this is—"

Sifa steadied himself, pointed his cane ahead at the shadow in the corner, and shouted, "Matthew, notify the police! There's been a murder here, and the killer is right there!"

He hoped to frighten the killer away with his words.

The amount of blood around the corpse behind the crates, along with the organs floating in it, all spoke of the culprit's brutality.

Just like those Lunatics aboard the Clover!

At that moment, he heard a strange sound rise from the shadows ahead.

"Hah, hah, hah."

It sounded like panting, yet also like the roar of a beast suppressed in its throat. It was full of menace and made his scalp tingle.

Fortunately, the black shadow gradually retreated. Then hurried footsteps sounded and rapidly faded into the distance.

That thing was gone.

Sifa had just breathed a sigh of relief when voices came from the alley entrance. He turned and saw the old woman who had been giving a speech in the square earlier, along with several workers, enter the alley.

They saw the foot behind the wooden crates, the eyeball floating in the blood, and Sifa standing there as though facing a great enemy. The old woman named Paris immediately screamed, "Murder!"

Every wrinkle on her face trembled. A strange excitement flashed in her cloudy eyes, which faintly glimmered gray-white. She raised a chicken-claw-like finger and pointed at Sifa.

"It was him! The Baron's son—he killed someone!"