Dream Labyrinth (First Update)

As Abner leaned against the mast and gazed up at the crimson moon, Xio quietly emerged from the cabin and walked over to his side. Seeing the anticipation and excitement written all over his face, she asked in surprise, "Abner, what are you doing on deck so late at night?"

Abner had noticed Xio approaching long ago, so he was not surprised. Turning to her, he asked, "What about you? Why aren't you asleep either?"

Xio fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Tonight is a Blood Moon. I'm worried about Fors... She hears ravings during the Blood Moon! She always says it's nothing, but I think that's just an excuse to keep me from worrying along with her... When I couldn't sleep and got up, I noticed you weren't there. I was afraid something had happened, so I came to check the deck."

Xio and Fors really did share a deep friendship! Abner silently sighed with emotion before shifting his gaze back to the Blood Moon in the sky. He answered her earlier question, "Something that will affect the course of the world happened tonight, so I came to look out from the deck. You could say I'm witnessing it from afar."

Seeing how solemn Abner sounded, Xio immediately became alert. "What major event?" Could it be dangerous?

Gazing at the crimson glow in the night, Abner answered in an exaggerated, recitative tone, "A ray of light has been born in this dark world!"

Xio's face immediately fell. She pursed her lips and said helplessly, "Abner, you and Fors must have a lot in common!" You both like teasing me...

"I'm not making up a story. What I said is true!" Abner started laughing as he spoke. Though every word had been true, he was indeed joking with Xio at heart. The descent of that One had eased the tension that had been weighing on him.

Seeing Abner laugh so happily, Xio was not angry despite having just been teased. As his friend, she was glad to see him smile from the bottom of his heart. Once she had cleared her father's name, she would surely be able to smile this happily too! No, even happier than this.

The two stood in the sea breeze, gazing at the Crimson Moon and each occupied with their own thoughts. Neither spoke again, and the deck fell silent... until a slightly teasing voice came from the bow.

"I shouldn't interrupt the two of you flirting beneath the moonlight, but the seas ahead will be rather rough. It isn't safe here, so hurry back to the cabin!"

Abner turned and saw Alanson Edward, captain of the Glory of All Cities, walking over with a bottle in hand. He reeked of alcohol, and his face was an unnatural flush. He had clearly drunk too much.

Neither Xio nor Abner paid attention to his teasing. Abner even shot back with a smile, "Captain Edward, drunk like that, you're hardly convincing."

"Burp... I'm the type who gets clearer-headed the more I drink!" Captain Edward let out a belch, then continued, "I'm not joking. You should trust one favored by the sea."

There seemed to be another meaning behind his words... One favored by the sea? Sea's Favored? That was an ancient term for a Sailor... Could this captain be a Beyonder? Heh, did he think I was an ordinary person who wouldn't understand the "slang," so he was showing off indirectly?

Abner instinctively ran through a round of deductions. By now, he had roughly organized the Acting Code for a Detective: based on existing clues and details obtained through observation, combine them with one's own knowledge and use logic to deduce and reconstruct the original nature of an object or event as thoroughly as possible. As for whether that so-called original truth was correct or complete, that was not a Detective's concern. After all, even when his deductions were wrong, he sometimes still received feedback that his Potion had been digested.

A Detective only cared about the process of deduction; a Detective required results.

However, since the captain meant well, Abner and Xio still followed his advice. Just as they were about to enter the cabin, Abner suddenly turned back and asked, "Captain Edward, did your family really live at 18 Drahair Street in Backlund's Northwest District over a hundred years ago?"

"Yes, that's true!" Captain Edward had not expected him to ask that. He froze for a moment before answering. At the same time, he felt puzzled. He did not seem to have ever told anyone the exact door number.

Abner nodded slightly and continued, "Then did you have an ancestor named Longzel?"

Having drunk alcohol, Captain Edward's mind was still a little sluggish. Rather than wondering why Abner would ask such a question, he seriously thought back for a while before replying hesitantly, "I think there really was one... But he disappeared over one hundred and sixty years ago. My direct ancestor was his younger brother, so he was specifically mentioned in the diary."

"If you could see him, what would you say to him?" Abner asked again.

"Uh, I'd say, 'You're welcome home anytime!'" Captain Edward was clearly still not thinking straight and answered instinctively.

Alright. If I'm fortunate enough to see him, I'll pass that on. Even if I can't, I can ask Mr. Fool to deliver the message for me. I believe He would be more than willing to do so when the time comes. Abner did not say those words aloud, merely thinking them to himself. Then he pulled the utterly baffled Xio back into the cabin.

"What the hell was that... I must have drunk so much that I'm hallucinating!" Captain Edward remained dumbfounded for quite a while before joking at his own expense.

On the other side, after returning to the first-class cabin, Xio finally asked in confusion, "Who is Longzel? I didn't understand a single thing you said."

"He is a wanderer who has been unable to return home for over one hundred and sixty years..." Abner offered a brief explanation.

Xio looked thoughtful. Only after a long while did she say, "Abner, I always feel like you know a little about everything. I believe now that you're favored by Wisdom."

Actually, starting just now, I had planned to switch jobs and become favored by the Lord of Mysteries! Abner jokingly mocked himself in his heart.

Whooo!

With the sound of its whistle, the Glory of All Cities entered Damir Port.

It would replenish its freshwater and food supplies on this colonial island, then set sail again for Tiana Port the next morning. But that had nothing to do with Abner and Xio anymore. They had already reached their destination.

After three days of sailing, it was now the morning of June 30.

"Mr. Fool should be taking that Secret Order spy to the church right about now, shouldn't he?" Abner glanced at the hands of his pocket watch and mocked inwardly. Then he hired a local guide and had him lead the two of them to the only school in the port town.

Damir Island was not large. The port town was its only population center, with a permanent population of only around ten thousand, so the school on the island was naturally not large either.

The principal of that school was precisely the one who had sent the commission to Detective Isengard.

Abner and Xio met the man, Mr. Gaston Vilpin, without much difficulty. He appeared to be in his forties or fifties, wore thick copper-framed glasses, and had neatly combed-back hair. At a glance, he looked like a very rigorous gentleman.

Once both sides had taken their seats, the gentleman did not exchange much small talk and went straight to the point. "I've received Isengard's telegram and know that you came in his place. To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed upon seeing your ages. However, Isengard strongly recommended his student in the telegram, so out of trust in him, I've decided to give this a try."

"I'll do my best to live up to my teacher's praise!" Abner first replied politely before asking, "What exactly is the commission? It doesn't seem particularly urgent?"

"It truly isn't urgent, but it is very difficult! Do you know how much I offered your teacher? One thousand Gold Pounds!" Mr. Gaston answered.

One thousand pounds? I remember that in the original story, Klein hired Miss Sharron for three days for one thousand pounds too. Yet during those three days, they first took out a Marionette Master, then caught someone cheating, attended a Beyonder gathering, and finally escaped from the Evil Spirit of the three-in-one Red Angel... If I encountered something like that now, I'd be dead for sure... I shouldn't be that unlucky, right?

After grumbling inwardly, Abner asked Mr. Gaston with a serious expression, "What exactly does the commission involve? And how dangerous is it?"

"Almost not dangerous at all!" Mr. Gaston first shook his head, then took out a strange paper contract from a drawer.

The contract paper was orange-yellow. Symbols corresponding to the Sun Domain and magical markings outlined a rectangle upon it, and many clauses had already been written inside in Hermes Script. Only the signature section had been left blank.

"This is a mystical item corresponding to the Sun Pathway's Sequence 6, Notary. You need to sign this contract before I tell you the specifics of the commission. After all, you are not Isengard. I do not trust you."

Though Mr. Gaston's words were unpleasant to hear, both Abner and Xio understood, so they did not get angry. Instead, they carefully read the contract's terms.

The clauses on the Book of Justice were actually quite simple. They merely clarified both parties' rights and obligations. It specifically stated that if they encountered danger, those accepting the commission could withdraw at any time. If, after the client explained the specifics, they felt incapable of completing it, they could also choose to withdraw at any time. However, the payment would be heavily discounted according to the progress made at the time of withdrawal.

Abner and Xio, meanwhile, were obligated to help Mr. Gaston pass the seventh floor of the Dream Labyrinth Tower.

"What is this Dream Labyrinth Tower?" Abner asked with a frown.

"I won't tell you the specifics yet. I can only say that the seventh floor and the floors before it in the Dream Labyrinth Tower will not pose any danger to your lives. They are simply difficult to pass." After explaining that much, Mr. Gaston fell silent.

"Not dangerous, yet difficult... That means these floors require wisdom or other qualities that do not rely on force... And there is no punishment?" Abner guessed.

Mr. Gaston gave him an approving look. For the first time, he felt that Detective Isengard had not deceived him. His student's deductive and logical abilities truly were impressive.

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(End of Chapter)