Meursault's body lay there, eyes wide open, seemingly still retaining a murderous glint.
The wound that severed half of the throat was originally just a thin line, but with the condensation of its Beyonder Characteristic, it has grown considerably larger and become much more blurred.
At the same time, the incontinence following his death caused his lower body to emit a foul odor.
Klein held the dark red, jelly-like object, feeling conflicted about what to do next.
Broadly speaking, he had three options: first, clean up the scene, treat his wounds, and Upper Street call the police under the pretext of self-defense; second, wait until nightfall, throw the body into a sewer, and pretend nothing happened; or third, immediately abandon his current identity, flee to another district, and change his name again.
The problem with the first option is that Klein is currently undocumented and has secrets he can't keep hidden. Reporting to the police could easily expose him to problems as well. The second option, besides making him constantly worry about the body being discovered and the police coming to his door, also carries other dangers:
Once the ambassador behind Meursault confirms the disappearance or death of his subordinate, he will definitely send someone to 15 Minsk Street again. At that time, Klein may encounter an enemy of Sequence 7, or even Sequence 6. The force opposite him may be backed by a country, a powerful country.
The third option seems the wisest and safest, avoiding all risks, but it also has its downsides. Klein's image is likely to appear on a wanted poster, and it will be based on his appearance in the eyes of Mrs. Summer next door, Lawyer Jurgen next door, and others. Without his disguise, once the relevant newspaper is published, even if it is limited to the Greater Backlund area, Klein is likely to be recognized by Nighthawks like Daly, which would make the problem bigger and more troublesome.
Because he is involved with Ince Zangwill and the Sealed Artifact "0-08", he will most likely be hunted down by a powerful figure at the level of a high-ranking deacon.
Of course, there is another branch of the third option, which is to Concealment the body, throw the evidence into the sewers, and then flee. However, this also carries the risk of being wanted by the police, because if the ambassador on the other side cannot find him, he may very well instruct members of the Zmanger Gang to call the police and use the official power of Backlund to search for him. If he can track down Klein's whereabouts, the situation will develop in the same way as the second option.
After much deliberation, Klein quickly made a decision:
Divination...
Of course, he already had a preference in mind: between two evils, choose the lesser. The first option was relatively less risky, and he could maintain some control over the situation. He could also use the exposure to attract the attention of official forces and restrain the ambassador's subsequent actions, preventing them from becoming too reckless.
He took out a piece of paper, wrote down the Divination statement, and then Klein unfastened the pendant from his left wrist cuff, letting the citrine pendant hang down naturally, almost touching the surface.
"I should call the police."
"I should call the police."
After he finished reciting, he saw the pendulum spinning clockwise, with a considerable amplitude and a relatively fast speed.
This indicates a considerable degree of affirmation!
After Divination for the other two options and receiving negative answers for both, Klein no longer hesitated and began to deal with the scene.
He put on black gloves and searched Meursault's body, finding a sharp dagger, a small wad of cash, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, and some other odds and ends.
Klein put everything else back in its place, took off his gloves, grabbed the dagger, and plunged it into the wound in Meursault's throat, distorting its original shape.
Then he put on gloves and let Meursault grab the dagger.
After doing all this, Klein gathered Meursault's Beyonder Characteristic, homemade charms, tarot cards, the bloodstained contract, the paper with Divination inscriptions, and various materials from his own body and home, and put them into a paper bag.
Then, he performed a ritual to "summon" himself, transforming into a special spirit.
After acquiring the Azik Copper Whistle and making himself stronger and more resilient, Klein picked up the paper bag, ended the summoning, and returned to the Gray Fog.
He temporarily placed the physical objects behind the " The Fool's " high-backed chair, left Azik Copper Whistle, and then easily simulated the feeling of falling rapidly, re-entering his own body.
Klein didn't burn the bloodstained standard contract and the paper with the Divination inscription because he was worried that if he called the police, the matter would be transferred to a special department, and a powerful Beyonder would come to conduct a targeted Divination.
However, once the Gray Fog obstructs the view, even if the Eternal Blazing Sun were to descend in person, it would not provide an effective answer.
This is also why, after advancing to Sequence 8 and experiencing a significant improvement in Spirituality, Klein began to focus his weekly reviews and summaries on the Gray Fog.
He can't withstand much suspicion and in-depth investigation now!
The Wall of Spirituality was removed, and a sudden gust of wind dispersed the lingering scent of the ritual materials. The only remaining items on Klein's person and in the entire room related to the supernatural and mystical realms were the candles burning quietly in front of him.
This time, however, he chose ordinary candles. After all, he was praying to himself and summoning himself, so there was no need to be so particular.
It is reasonable, normal, and in line with the characteristics of the times for a family to have candles, even if there is only one bachelor in the family.
After extinguishing the candle and putting it back in its place, Klein took out his gold pocket watch, snapped it open, glanced at it, estimated how many minutes ago Meursault had died, and added the minimum time it would take for the police department to send someone to investigate, question, and report up the chain of command.
He wanted to ensure that even if an Beyonder came to investigate, an hour would have passed since Meursault's death.
In the realm of mysticism Spirit Channeling communication, this is a crucial juncture. Beyond this point, the information available becomes extremely limited and vague. For instance, one might be able to Spirit Channeling that the person who killed Meursault was " Sherlock Moriarty," but not the specific details of the death.
As for the potential risks of the other party's Divination involving supernatural elements, Klein wasn't worried at all, because the main supernatural element involved (the bloodstained standard contract) lay above the Gray Fog...
His own premonitions and fighting abilities would be confused as a result; the opponent's Divination would definitely point to that mysterious space above the Gray Fog, and he would definitely be disturbed.
Luckily, I'm a professional too... I really feel like I've become Moriarty... Klein re-examined the scene, and after confirming that there were no problems, he began to stare at the ticking of his pocket watch.
After exceeding the estimated limit, he put on his gold-rimmed glasses, waited a few more minutes, and then opened the door to go out.
By this time, the sky over Backlund was already dark, and the gas streetlights illuminated the rainy environment.
Minsk Street, being a middle-class neighborhood, is frequently patrolled by police. Klein waited for a while before spotting his target and immediately approaching him.
They were two low-ranking police officers with only a "V" on their shoulder insignia. They were carrying guns, short batons, and holding umbrellas, looking around.
"Officer! A thug is attacking me!" Klein shouted skillfully.
His disheveled appearance made the two police officers take him seriously. They each drew their short batons and looked warily to the side.
"Where is the criminal?" a round-faced, brown-eyed policeman asked in a deep voice.
Klein pointed to his house and said:
"He broke into my house and tried to kill me!"
"During the fight, I accidentally stabbed him to death!"
"Stabbed to death..." The two officers exchanged a glance, then looked at Klein with an interrogative gaze and said:
"Take us there."
"Okay!" Klein pretended to be relieved to have survived a close call, led the two officers to 15 Minsk Street, took out his key, and opened the door.
The two officers first noticed the chaotic scene, then they noticed the body lying on the ground, the gruesome wound on the person's throat, and a bloodstained dagger.
"You protect the scene, I'll go back to the station and report to the officer," another officer said to his round-faced, brown-eyed colleague.
"Okay." The round-faced, brown-eyed officer turned his gaze to Klein, his expression and body language revealing his wariness and caution.
After a while, the sergeant, wearing a black and white checkered uniform with three V's on his epaulets, arrived with the previous officers and two other subordinates.
While the officers examined the scene and gathered clues, the sheriff, with a short, brownish-yellow mustache, took Klein aside for initial questioning.
"Name."
" Sherlock Moriarty, here are my rent bills, six months' worth." Klein took out something he had prepared beforehand.
The sheriff glanced at it casually and continued to ask:
What's your profession?
"Private Detective," Klein answered frankly.
The sheriff frowned and asked, "Do you know the deceased? Do you know why he attacked you?"
"I know him. His name is Meursault, the executioner for the Zmanger Gang." Klein continued, not waiting for further questions. "I previously accepted a commission from Ian Wright. He asked me to investigate his former employer, Detective Zerrell Victor Lee, and this matter happens to be related to the Zmanger Gang and Meursault."
"I followed him and discovered that he was secretly meeting with a very distinguished gentleman, whom he addressed as Mr. Ambassador." After saying this, Klein unsurprisingly saw the sheriff's expression change several times.
"The ambassador... do you know his name?" the sheriff muttered to himself, then asked in a deep voice.
"I don't know, but I'd definitely recognize him if I saw his picture," Klein said bluntly. "This morning, Meursault came to visit me, asking me to find Ian Wright. Based on my professional ethics as a private Detective, I refused. As a result, I was attacked as soon as I got home this evening and was almost killed. Luckily, I'm a pretty good fighter and my reflexes are quick enough."
After a moment of contemplation, the sheriff inquired about the specific details of the fight. Klein described it almost verbatim, only changing his premonition to a reaction and the standard contract he threw to a dagger dropped by the other party.
"Hmm... You come back to the police station with us first, and we'll wait for the autopsy results, the crime scene investigation findings, and the questioning of those involved." The sheriff seemed to have other ideas about the matter and was being somewhat perfunctory.
He has only one thought now:
This is a significant case involving a foreign ambassador!
We must report this immediately!
In a daze, he suddenly remembered a question and quickly added:
What is your belief?
" The God of Steam and Machinery," Klein answered without hesitation.
The Church of Storms ' Backlund headquarters Holy Wind Cathedral, is located in the Cherwood Borough, so extraordinary cases are often handed over to them, with one exception: cases where the individuals involved share a common faith and are not the Lord of Storms.
To avoid encountering the Nighthawks, Klein had no choice but to apologize to the goddess.
P. S.: A chapter will be updated early at midnight.