Chen Lun folded the newspaper, tucked it into a gap in the bench's backrest, and walked away.
Perhaps the next resident who came here to rest could learn about Amber City's recent major events for free.
He glanced at the sky and slowly headed toward the flower shop at No. 7 Denton Street.
Along the way, he kept pondering the connection between Councilor Daniel and Dolly, hoping it might give him some clue to Dolly's current whereabouts.
But Dolly's assassination of the councilor would not happen for another two years. There were too few clues at present to deduce anything.
Chen Lun sighed inwardly.
He had already been in Amber City for two days, yet he still had nothing substantial to show for it.
I need to hurry... If nothing else works, I'll have to risk heading into the inner city to investigate.
The inner city had ample security, backed by the Containment Bureau and the various churches. The strength of Amber City's official supernatural forces was nothing like that of a small place such as Jadeite Town.
Unless he had no other choice, Chen Lun did not want to put himself in danger.
Upon returning to No. 7 Denton Street, he went straight upstairs to his apartment.
He opened the door, only to pause in surprise.
In the living room, Froy was chatting with a guest.
That guest was Connie, who lived downstairs.
"You're back."
Froy's ethereal voice carried a hint of delight.
"What's this about...?"
Chen Lun poured himself a glass of water and gave Connie a puzzled look.
The young woman pressed her lips together and looked up at him hesitantly. After taking a deep breath, she said:
"Mr. Jack, I... I thought you might need a maid.
"Miss Froy can't see, so everyday life must be inconvenient for her... I should be able to help."
After stumbling over her first few words, Connie began speaking much more smoothly.
"I can also clean for you, wash your clothes, and keep the rooms tidy...
"I only need two Silver Crowns a week. No, one Silver Crown and fifty Copper Crowns would be enough."
After she finished, Connie looked at Chen Lun expectantly.
Chen Lun frowned slightly. He and Froy had too many secrets to get too close to ordinary people.
Connie watched the dark-haired young man's expression closely. When she saw Chen Lun frown, her heart sank.
Just as Chen Lun was about to refuse, Froy spoke:
"Connie lost her previous job. She doesn't want to trouble Mrs. Caroline, because Mrs. Caroline has already helped her so much."
Hearing this, Chen Lun recalled what Kent had said while being beaten last night. Perhaps Connie's loss of employment had something to do with that fellow.
He glanced at Froy. Having someone to chat with her might not be a bad thing. Given Froy's intelligence, he trusted that she would not casually reveal matters concerning the supernatural.
"Aren't you still attending classes?"
Chen Lun sat down with his glass and asked as he drank.
"My classes end at four every afternoon. I'll come here on time to clean, and on weekends I can take Miss Froy out for walks."
Connie spoke nervously.
"Hmm, all right. You can take care of the cleaning from now on... Let's make your weekly pay two Silver Crowns. Is that all right?"
"Yes! Thank you, Mr. Jack!"
Connie looked delighted. She stood up, her small hands clenched, then turned to Froy.
"Thank you too, Miss Froy!"
Froy responded with a smile.
"Should I come over to work tonight, then, Mr. Jack?"
"Uh, no need. Come tomorrow evening instead."
Chen Lun felt that the young woman before him had gained a new vitality. Earlier, she had seemed rather dispirited.
Although he did not want to dampen Connie's enthusiasm, he still needed to think through his next steps tonight and did not want to be disturbed.
"All right, Mr. Jack."
Connie curtsied to the man, who looked even younger than she was, and respectfully took her leave.
She gently closed the door behind her.
Once outside, Connie took a deep breath and broke into a radiant smile.
Her heart was overflowing with joy. After losing her job, she had felt as though the whole world had turned gray. Now, a ray of light called hope had appeared.
There was little money left at home. She still needed to attend classes, and her father needed regular doses of the Red Apple Church's "Fruit Honey" to stay alive.
If she could not find work soon, everything would only get worse.
She was filled with gratitude toward Mr. Jack, who had given her hope. Her fixed impression of him also changed slightly. She no longer thought of him simply as a bastard who enjoyed bullying others.
Sewage Flats.
The courtyard behind the Bird-and-Flower Tavern.
Gary, the leader of the Iron Fist Gang, had just seen off his distinguished guest from the inner city, the butler Feldman.
His face darkened as he raised his thick arm and drove a punch forward.
Bang!!
A straw hat spun away, leaving a deep fist-shaped dent in the wooden post before him.
"Damn it!"
Then he lunged forward and battered the wooden post, seemingly trying to vent his frustration.
"Money!"
Bang!!
"Craftsmen!"
Crack!!
"What good does rushing me do!? I'm already working on it!"
Gary roared, leaped up, and spun into a whipping kick. The heavy blow tore through the air with a shrill whistle.
Bang-!!
The kick tore the wooden post straight out of the ground and sent it hurtling away.
"Boss, we've brought him."
A gang member in a leather jacket approached and spoke with reverent fear.
Gary turned around, his expression cold, and two other subordinates promptly stepped forward. One offered him a trimmed cigar and lit it, while the other draped a felt coat over his shoulders.
Then two gang members dragged a young man with a battered, swollen face before Gary and forced him to his knees.
The man trembled, not daring to raise his head. It was Chen Lun's neighbor, Kent.
"You can't repay the money. What do you think we should do about that, hmm, Mr. Kent?"
Gary smoked his cigar and asked casually.
Kent shook uncontrollably. He had just seen the Iron Fist Gang's leader kick the wooden post away and was terrified.
"I... I've already made Connie lose her job. Just give me a little, a little more time, and I can definitely force her to work here!"
His voice was filled with pleading.
Gary merely shook his head, as though displeased by Kent's slow progress, or perhaps expecting little from the matter.
Despair filled Kent's heart.
He could almost see Gary waving a hand in the next moment, then himself being dragged away, brutally killed, and dumped into a drainage ditch.
Perhaps driven by his desperate desire to survive, Kent suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"Boss Gary! Two newcomers from out of town have moved into my building. They look very rich!
"One of them is a really beautiful girl, and she's blind... I can find a way to help you get your hands on her!"
Gary stopped smoking his cigar and stared at him in thoughtful silence.
Just as Kent's anxiety was mounting, Gary spoke:
"How do you plan to do it?"
Kent felt a surge of joy.
He thought for a moment, then explained his plan.
Chapter 35: Froy, the little rich girl
Another day passed.
It was early evening.
Chen Lun once again finished a day of wandering the streets and returned to No. 7 Denton Street, filled with guilt.
But when he opened the door, Froy was nowhere to be seen.
"Huh? Where is she?"
He searched the apartment but still could not find her.
Puzzled, Chen Lun stepped outside, intending to ask Mrs. Caroline.
Just then, he happened to run into Kent coming upstairs.
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