A Place of Filth Deep in the Darkness

Industrial development always came with pollution.

That was even more true in an age with no concept of environmental protection.

Despite having prepared himself, Li Wei still looked disgusted when he returned to the river and saw its viscous waters.

Yes, viscous.

This was downstream, right beside the slums of the lower city, and the river was far filthier than he had imagined. Even setting aside the industrial effluent and sewage, all sorts of household waste floated on its surface, forming vast, nauseating masses of rubbish. Honestly, Li Wei thought it would be a miracle if anything could still live in that water.

The river looked like melted chocolate, thick and dark brown, with huge patches of rotting rubbish visible in it. Swarms of flies danced over the surface, their buzzing loud enough to rise above even the deafening clang of metal from the nearby factories. And then there were the bodies bobbing in and out of the water, impossible to identify as human or otherwise...

After standing on the riverbank for less than a minute, Li Wei made his decision.

Give up.

Anyone who wanted to enter that hellhole was welcome to it. He certainly wasn't going down there.

Li Wei had originally planned to follow the detective's example, enter Dolittle's underground operating room through the waterway, and search for clues. But the sewage-choked river alone had stopped him cold. Thinking about it, even if he went, he couldn't pick locks, and none of his current skills covered lockpicking. Was he supposed to stake out the place in a sewer that stank to high heaven?

Li Wei absolutely refused to do that.

The "young lady" beside him felt the same way. Although the low brim of her cap hid her expression, the way she kept covering her nose and mouth, her right hand and body trembling slightly, made it clear that she could no longer stand the surroundings.

"Let's get out of here first."

With a helpless sigh, Li Wei made his decision. The girl nodded so vigorously that she nearly flung the cap off her head.

Only after they had left the foul-smelling riverbank did Li Wei turn to the girl again.

"All right, miss. How long do you intend to keep following me?"

"Until you catch the killer."

"Don't you have school? And your family... Fine, forget I asked."

Li Wei quickly dropped the subject, because he had once again sensed the hidden gazes from the previous night. By now, he could more or less guess what was going on. Clearly, the people watching him from the shadows weren't members of the Black Panther Gang. They were this young lady's bodyguards.

"But you're a girl. Getting involved in something like this is dangerous."

"Don't underestimate me!"

The girl gave a little huff, clenched her small fist, and brandished it at Li Wei.

"I can fight! And stop calling me 'you' all the time. I have a name!"

"Oh? What's your name, then?"

Only then did Li Wei remember that he still didn't know this young lady's name.

"I, I'm... Um, just call me Katie."

"Then, Miss Katie, do you really think it's wise to rush into danger like this? If something happened to you, your family would worry."

"They wouldn't worry."

The girl snorted and spoke in a sulky tone.

"They'd be delighted if I died."

"Uh..."

Apparently, this young lady's family had some serious problems. But that made sense. Why would a well-behaved girl with a happy home run off to the lower city to play at being in a gang? And judging by her bodyguards, they didn't seem inclined to stop her. That was strange. A family that could afford so many bodyguards had to be wealthy and influential. Even leaving aside how filthy and chaotic the lower city was, did it really make sense to let a well-brought-up young lady run around such a cesspit?

Plenty of things here weren't suitable for children. Some weren't even suitable for adults!

There was nothing for it. If all else failed, he could at least give it a try.

Li Wei stared at the skills in his skill bar and thought for a moment.

That settles it. That's what I'll do.

Never one to hesitate once he had decided, Li Wei returned to the police station and sought out Inspector Lestrade.

"...Report a crime?"

Sitting behind his desk, Inspector Lestrade nearly pulled out his neatly groomed little mustache when he heard what Li Wei said. Even Katie looked up at him in surprise.

"That's right, Inspector Lestrade."

Li Wei's expression was solemn, earnest, and grave.

"As a subject of Her Majesty the Queen and a law-abiding citizen, I believe I have a duty and an obligation to report unlawful conduct to you. I've discovered that someone at C921 Pinecone Street in the Oak District is suspected of practicing medicine illegally and selling prohibited drugs. I believe this falls within the police's jurisdiction."

Lestrade blinked, then blinked again, staring in bewilderment at the righteous-looking Li Wei and at Katie beside him, whose cap did nothing to conceal her confusion.

This isn't the detective I know, is it?

When detectives found a lead, they generally followed it through to the end. Often, they only contacted the police to wrap things up after they had identified the culprit.

But...

"Have you found a lead?"

"I have found something."

Understood.

Inspector Lestrade exchanged a glance with Li Wei and immediately grasped his meaning.

"Do you have evidence?"

"I have a witness statement."

Li Wei produced his earlier notes, selling out the bespectacled man without hesitation.

"This statement confirms that six months ago, the drugstore used surgical equipment that hadn't been approved for use, even resulting in casualties. This is a very serious case of medical malpractice."

"Hmm..."

Inspector Lestrade took the statement and read it carefully, then looked back at Li Wei, who stood there acting like a law-abiding citizen who abhorred wrongdoing.

"If this is true, it is indeed a very serious incident."

As he spoke, Lestrade stood up, picked up his hat, and put it on.

"Fletcher! Get ready. We're going to investigate!"

Exactly. This was Li Wei's plan. Without a lockpicking skill, sneaking inside to investigate was out of the question. But he could find a way to walk in openly! All he had to do was report it to the police. Once they received a report, they would have to investigate. More importantly, this would let them avoid applying for a search warrant.

In this era, people praised freedom and placed great importance on privacy. It hadn't quite reached the point where wind and rain could enter a home but the king could not, yet private residences still enjoyed protection of privacy. If the police wanted to search someone's home, they had to apply to their superiors for a warrant.

That was why Li Wei had reported the drugstore rather than Doctor Dolittle's home.

A drugstore was a commercial establishment and had an obligation to submit to searches and investigations. It was like the police checking an internet café for someone: no warrant was needed, whereas entering someone's home was another matter.

The Empire's bureaucracy was deeply entrenched, and its endless procedures were a nightmare.

Still, every policy had its workaround. As long as you kept your wits about you, there were always more solutions than problems.

Take this report, for example. Both Lestrade and Li Wei knew it must be connected to the Courtesan Killer. Even so, they could only investigate it as an ordinary case of illegal surgery and trafficking in prohibited drugs.

Of course, if they "accidentally" ran into the Courtesan Killer during their investigation... Surely they wouldn't have to fill out another form before making the arrest.

The most important thing, then, was to follow procedure.

Of course, Li Wei had another reason for reporting it to the police. With officers present, Miss Katie might restrain herself a little, and it would be safer, too. If their suspect really was a deranged murderer, he might hesitate at the sight of the police. If Li Wei and Katie slipped in alone, even if they found something, they might both end up dead.

And so the four of them took a carriage back to Doctor Dolittle's drugstore.

No one spoke on the way. Inspector Lestrade didn't ask how Li Wei had learned of the connection between the drugstore and the Courtesan Killer. Li Wei looked calm, but inwardly, he was very nervous. If he were a competent detective, he would certainly have waited until he had the evidence, the motive, and everything else before contacting the police.

The problem was that the abilities Li Wei had acquired couldn't actually help him accomplish that. No matter how high his Psychology skill and Charisma were, he couldn't make a criminal fall at his feet and volunteer a confession. At present, he merely believed that there had to be some clue here. But... He had better find one.

Otherwise, Inspector Lestrade's trust in him would surely drop considerably.

But if he failed, he only had a few days left to live anyway. Whether the inspector trusted him hardly seemed to matter.

At that thought, Li Wei closed his eyes and rested.

When Li Wei arrived at the drugstore with Inspector Lestrade and Officer Fletcher, he distinctly noticed a trace of anger in Doctor Dolittle's eyes as the doctor looked at him.

With his high Psychology stat, Li Wei naturally understood what that look meant.

You bastard, you're not playing fair!

In fact, Doctor Dolittle was indeed furious.

He knew Li Wei was a detective, and he knew Li Wei was investigating him. But Doctor Dolittle hadn't been particularly worried at first. He doubted Li Wei could uncover anything. Besides, the man was a detective, not a police officer, and had no authority to conduct a search. As long as he stayed here, that snooping fellow wouldn't be able to find anything.

What he hadn't expected was that the man would report him to the police!

It was like a quarrel between two children. Instead of settling it between themselves, the other child had gone running to the teacher!

"I'm Inspector George Lestrade."

Inspector Lestrade displayed his credentials.

"We've received a report alleging that this drugstore is involved in practicing medicine illegally and selling prohibited drugs."

"There's nothing of the sort going on, sir."

Doctor Dolittle straightened his back and stared at Inspector Lestrade.

"Those are nothing but rumors. I run a legitimate business!"

"Then you shouldn't mind letting me inspect the premises."

Inspector Lestrade was a seasoned officer who had seen it all. Naturally, he wasn't about to take Doctor Dolittle's word for it. The doctor also knew he had no right to obstruct the police in their duties, so he could only step aside, his face dark and his teeth clenched. Inspector Lestrade and Officer Fletcher then entered the drugstore and began their investigation. Naturally, Li Wei and Katie followed them.

Unlike the two officers, who focused on the counter and storeroom, Li Wei was studying the surrounding rooms. He believed that someone as cautious as Doctor Dolittle would never leave clues lying around here. Instead, he was more interested in the supposed underground operating room. Clearly, finding that room would mean half the job was done.

As he thought, Li Wei scanned his surroundings carefully.

The layout behind the counter was simple: a bookcase, a narrow passage with an herb storeroom at the far end, and a small room to one side containing only a single bed, a bedside table, and a stove. It appeared to be where Doctor Dolittle usually rested.

Li Wei wandered around, apparently searching the premises. In reality, he was secretly watching Doctor Dolittle's reactions. After all, Li Wei was still a novice when it came to searches. With so much clutter everywhere, and nothing glowing to highlight it like in a video game, finding useful clues was no easy task.

So Li Wei decided to have Doctor Dolittle tell him directly.

He entered the small room and casually searched it, then went to the counter and examined the cabinet before him. After that, he approached the bookcase. At that moment, he noticed the muscles in Doctor Dolittle's previously calm face suddenly stiffen and tighten. Both of the doctor's hands clutched the hem of his clothes, and his eyes stared fixedly at Li Wei.

This is the spot.

Immediately alert, Li Wei began inspecting the bookcase closely. At first glance, there was nothing wrong with it. It stood in a corner of the passage behind the counter and held books on alchemy, herbalism, geography, and similar subjects. Before long, however, Li Wei noticed two problems.

First, the passage was so narrow that only one person could walk through it at a time. Putting a bookcase here that occupied half its width was odd in itself.

As for the second problem...

Li Wei looked at the books in the case, chuckled softly, and turned to Inspector Lestrade.

"Inspector Lestrade, please come over here."

"Hmm?"

Hearing Li Wei's call, Inspector Lestrade emerged from the small room he had been searching and came to his side. Li Wei reached out and pointed at the bookcase's second shelf. The inspector narrowed his eyes and looked where he indicated, then his gaze sharpened, and he nodded to Li Wei.

Then Inspector Lestrade turned around.

"Officer Fletcher, please restrain Doctor Dolittle."

"Huh? Yes, sir."

Although he didn't understand what Lestrade meant, Officer Fletcher obeyed, quickly approaching Doctor Dolittle and putting him in handcuffs.

"What is the meaning of this, Inspector?"

Doctor Dolittle was clearly very unhappy with his treatment.

"I haven't done anything! You have no right to arrest me!"

"Not yet. We might in a moment."

As he spoke, Li Wei opened the bookcase, reached for the third book from the right on the second shelf, On the Composition of Alchemical Drugs, and pulled it outward.

Click.

As Li Wei moved the book, the stone wall beside him opened silently, revealing a pitch-black passage.

At the sight, Doctor Dolittle gaped.

"You... How did you know...?"

"Doctor, we're both men."

Li Wei released the book and glanced at Doctor Dolittle.

"It's perfectly normal for a man to be a little lazy. I rarely clean the out-of-the-way corners at home myself. But I think if you're hiding something, you should at least clean the area around it. At the very least... Don't leave such obvious marks in the dust."

As he spoke, Li Wei flicked the dust from his fingers. The answer was simple. Once Doctor Dolittle's reaction had told him that something was wrong with the bookcase, he had focused his investigation there. Then he had noticed that the edges of this book lacked the dust found everywhere else, indicating that someone had moved it recently.

After that, the rest was simple.

Li Wei looked away and exchanged a glance with Inspector Lestrade, who drew his gun and picked up a gas lamp.

"I'll go first."

"All right."

Li Wei quietly drew his own gun as well and followed Inspector Lestrade through the concealed doorway.