"How long has that... that congressman been dead?" Klein asked, getting straight to the point, as he tidied himself up.
If more than 15 minutes have passed, the amount of information you can gain will decrease dramatically; if more than an hour has passed, you will only get a superficial understanding.
If the process takes more than a month, there is a very high probability that the Spirit Channeling will fail.
"Unfortunately, the preliminary investigation report indicates that Congressman Maynard died between 9 and 11 p. m. last night." Dunn shook his head and said, "You just need to provide assistance; don't worry about whether you'll get anything in return."
"Okay." Klein took off his coat, grabbed his hat and cane, and went outside the guardhouse, where Dunn Smith took his turn guarding Chanis Gate.
In fact, theoretically speaking, as Beyonder, as long as one's Spirituality is enhanced, one can learn things such as Spirit Vision, Divination, and Ritualistic Magic, especially since the " Sleepless " Sequence is known for its high level of Spirit Intuition.
However, in reality, the differences between the various "professions" in different Sequence are still very obvious in similar aspects. For example Dunn Smith and Leonard Mitchell both currently possess Spirit Vision, but the aura colors they see are only light white or pale blue, and they cannot accurately distinguish the state of different parts of the human body. Of course, when they are in a state of Spirit Vision, they can definitely see ghosts and spirits directly, but this is not as simple and effective as their own Spirit Intuition.
This also explains why " the Sleepless Midnight Poet " and " Nightmare " dislike activating their Spirit Vision.
Similarly, if they wish, they can learn methods such as pendulum divination, wand divination, and Dream Divination, but the success rate is not worth expecting.
The same applies to the realm of Ritualistic Magic.
As the two brushed past each other, Dunn suddenly spoke:
"I forgot to mention earlier, Inspector Tolle is also in charge of this matter. He's waiting for you in the security company's lobby. Remember to change into your new uniform and bring your new badge."
Klein smiled and asked, not at all surprised:
"New uniforms, new identification? The Tingen City Police Department is very efficient."
He was just promoted to Sequence 8 yesterday...
"Because this case is very important, so..." Dunn shrugged and sat down in the seat Klein had previously occupied.
Klein went back upstairs, but instead of heading to the reception hall, he went to the Nighthawks's rest room and took care of his personal needs in the attached washroom. The guard room only provided a toilet, water bottle, and basin.
Then, he changed into a specially made police uniform upgraded to two silver stars and a soft hat with "crossed swords surrounding a crown".
After transferring the materials for the " Solar Flare Charm Azik Copper Whistle Ritual" and other items, Klein straightened his clothes, picked up his cane, and walked out of the lounge.
As soon as he passed through the partition, he saw Inspector Tolle sitting in the sofa area.
After some time apart, the tall police officer had become even rounder, his belly more prominent, and with his thick beard and hair, he looked like a brown bear that had just escaped from a circus.
"It's a pleasure to work with you again." Tolle breathed a sigh of relief upon recognizing the Nighthawks, leaned forward to stand up, and extended his paw.
No, the palm... Klein corrected himself and shook hands with the other person politely:
"Me too."
At this moment, Tolle glanced at Klein's two gleaming silver stars on his epaulets and said with a hint of envy:
"We're now at the same level, and it hasn't even been a month."
Klein wanted to say seriously, "The danger we face may be ten times greater than yours," but the words caught in his throat as he thought of his current identity Sequence 8, " The Clown."
Perhaps we could give it a try... He mentally reflected his facial expression, and with a clear smile, he replied:
"Perhaps in another two or three months, you'll be calling me 'sir'."
"You're really funny," Tolle chuckled, pointing to the door. "Shall we go?"
"Okay." Klein didn't give up his cane; for him, only after becoming the " Clown " did this "weapon" truly live up to its name.
As they exited the Blackthorn Security Company building, Klein and Tolle walked downstairs side by side, one thin and the other fat, a stark contrast.
"I think we could even go to the circus and make the Spectator laugh," Klein suddenly laughed.
Tolle nodded in agreement:
"Yes, I think our contrast is quite comical. You know, some circuses are experimenting with combinations of Clown of different sizes and weights."
No, actually I meant the Beast Tamer and the brown bear... Klein, of course, wouldn't say something so impolite, and he chimed in:
"Unfortunately, our Tingen City doesn't have a permanent circus."
"Yes, but we still have an opera house, a grand theater, and a concert hall," Inspector Tolle replied with a hint of regret.
The two exchanged pleasantries before boarding the police station carriage, and it was only then that Klein turned the conversation to the case:
"Is it confirmed that Congressman Maynard was murdered?"
"It's uncertain, but his wife and two sons are unwilling to believe the possibility of a sudden illness. Well, there are definitely some issues at the scene. Maynard was found lying naked on the bed in the guest room," Tolle said cautiously.
"Do he and his wife sleep in separate rooms?" Klein leaned back against the carriage wall, mimicking the protagonists of various Detective movies he had watched in his past life.
Tolle shook his head and said:
"No, his wife hasn't been in Tingen these past few days. She went to Backlund for an important social ball. You might not know, but she's the daughter of a New Party leader and a member of the lower house. She's still on the Steam train back to Tingen, having only expressed her stance in advance via telegram."
" Maynard is also a member of the New Party and has served as a councilor in Tingen City for over ten years. He intends to aim for the mayoralty in next year's election."
"So, his death might be related to this?" Klein asked casually, then chuckled. "I was just helping with the 'autopsy,' other things are not my concern, you don't have to answer."
Tolle sighed nonchalantly:
"The autopsy... you were very careful."
"As for your speculation, I can only say perhaps. Congressman Maynard hosted a party at his home last night, with too many guests. We are unable to identify the main suspect at the moment. Moreover, these guests all have respectable identities, so we must be extremely cautious and avoid making any mistakes."
"Understood." Klein nodded slightly, then asked with interest about some details of the scene.
Maynard's house is located in the Golden Indus Borough. It is a detached house surrounded by gardens and lawns on all sides, with stables, a fountain, and wide cement roads.
Klein put on his soft cap with police insignia and followed Inspector Tolle through the ineffective cordon, entering the two-story building through the main entrance under the watchful eyes of the officers.
In the living room area, four trainee inspectors, two men and two women, were interviewing people separately, collecting statements.
Klein glanced around and spotted several gentlemen in tailcoats, as well as several ladies in elegant court dresses with their faces veiled by fine black veils.
"They were all guests who stayed here last night," Tolle explained, leading Klein up the stairs to the second floor.
Along the way, perhaps due to the effect of the inspector's epaulettes, the police officers searching the house showed respect to the two men and did not obstruct them in the slightest.
"This is the guest room where Senator Maynard's body was found." The tall, burly Tolle stopped in front of a dark mahogany door.
Klein asked thoughtfully:
Who owned this room last night?
"It doesn't belong to anyone. This house has too many guest rooms; it's never been used." Tolle put on his white gloves and reached out to open the deep red wooden door.
He dismissed the guards inside and nodded to Klein, saying:
"Inspector Moretti, the rest is up to you."
"May the goddess bless us, and may we reap the rewards." Klein also put on white gloves and locked the door.
He walked to the bedside and saw that the dark red sheets were unusually disheveled, and on them lay a corpse covered with a white sheet.
Klein, now a man of the world, fearlessly pulled back the white sheet and looked at Congressman Maynard.
The man was in his forties, with short, blond hair, and a complex expression of pain and pleasure lingered on his face.
Klein took two steps back, took out the necessary materials, and quickly completed the preparatory work for the Spirit Channeling ritual.
After chanting an incantation, amidst the tranquil, lingering fragrance and the chilling wind surrounding him, he silently recited the Divination phrase he had prepared long ago:
"The cause of Congressman Maynard's death."
"The cause of Congressman Maynard's death."
As he silently chanted, Klein retreated to the high-backed chair and slowly sat down.
His eyes darkened, he leaned back, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In the illusory, hazy, and dreamlike world, he suddenly saw the gentleman from before.
Maynard, with his bright blue eyes, was thrusting vigorously on top of a woman with a stunning figure and fair skin.
He first showed an expression of extreme satisfaction and pleasure, then suddenly pulled back his right hand, pressed it against his chest, and his expression Distortion into a ferocious grimace.
Snap!
As Maynard collapsed, the image shattered rapidly, and Klein opened his eyes, waking from his dream.
I never thought I'd watch a pornographic film like this... So, Congressman Maynard died in bed while having an affair, or from overwork? Klein chuckled and rubbed his temples.
He took out a pen and paper, and used the ritual again to draw the woman he had seen in his dream, omitting, of course, her neck and below.
This is a woman whose exact age is hard to pinpoint. She possesses the mature charm of someone in their thirties, yet retains the innocence of youth. Her eyes are moist and bright, giving her a pitiful and endearing appearance.
Klein glanced at his own creation, packed up the ritual materials, and dispelled the Wall of Spirituality.
He turned to the side and reached for the silver-inlaid black staff leaning against him.
Suddenly, he heard a whooshing sound lingering in his throat, a whooshing sound that instantly sent shivers down his spine!
Klein looked sharply at the bed and saw that Congressman Maynard's hands were gripping the dark red sheets tightly, his palms turning bluish-black and bulging.
With a whoosh, the congressman who died between 9 and 11 p. m. last night sat up, saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, his eyes vacant and open.
P. S.: Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, so I'll add an extra chapter. Same times as usual: early morning, noon, and evening.