It took twenty hours.
The plane passed through the clouds and landed in L City, E Country, in the Northern Hemisphere. By then, it was dusk.
Xie De spent a night at the Central Hotel and headed out at nine the next morning.
This old industrial city still retained the character of the previous century. Famous bridges spanned its riverbanks, the spires of Gothic churches pierced the clouds, and streets branched out in every direction, lending the city a distinctive charm.
Its temperate oceanic climate brought frequent rain, and sunshine and showers often arrived together.
So even though it was sunny outside, 455 still advised Xie De to take an umbrella.
Their destination was a café, where Beiwei and Huang Zhuowang were waiting.
The café was not far away, but Xie De had barely taken a few steps when a light rain began to fall, both sudden and entirely expected. People hurried along the street. Some pulled on their hats, while others simply kept walking without batting an eye.
Xie De chose to open his umbrella.
He walked down the street, and a library along the way caught his attention. It was packed with people, far livelier than anywhere else.
"What's going on here?"
455 said casually, "Looks like a Sherlock Holmes fan meetup. They're selling Sherlock Holmes merchandise inside. They seem to be saying there's a Baker Street up ahead, which might be even livelier."
"Sherlock Holmes, huh." Curious, Xie De wanted to take a look and had already stepped toward it. But remembering that his mission was still unfinished, he continued on in disappointment. "I'd heard of Sherlock Holmes when I was very little. I even thought he was a real person."
"That just shows how successfully Sherlock Holmes was written as a character. Host, we're here."
455