Leonard stared intently at the portrait of Sherlock Moriarty on the table, his mind conjuring up the image of the man without glasses and without a beard.
Although this may differ somewhat from the truth and is a product of speculation and imagination, Leonard increasingly felt that Sherlock Moriarty looked familiar, much like someone he had known before.
"How could that be? He's been dead for ages! I buried him myself!" Leonard couldn't help but shake his head, chuckling as he muttered.
Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly froze, because the person in his memory was not simple; he harbored a great secret:
This person is able to miraculously escape the influence of "2-049" without needing anyone's help!
This person used the special nature of "2-049" to kill a Sequence 7 Beyonder, who at the time was just a " Seer " who was not good at fighting!
This person quickly summarized the " Acting Method " and advanced to Sequence 8 at an extraordinary speed!
This person possessed High-Sequence the Sun domain spell, and in cooperation with Captain Dunn Smith, who used holy ashes, they actually killed Megose, who was pregnant with the offspring of an evil god!
This person's Sequence 8 Beyonder Characteristic was taken by Ince Zangwill, while Captain Dunn Smith's Sequence 7 Beyonder Characteristic remained in place!
Perhaps it wasn't that Ince Zangwill casually took a perfectly extracted Beyonder Characteristic, causing the missing piece, but rather that the corresponding object simply never materialized! Leonard Mitchell snapped back to reality and re-examined Sherlock Moriarty's portrait.
A dozen seconds later, he spat out a name through gritted teeth:
" Klein Moretti..."
The more he looked at the mysterious Detective Sherlock Moriarty, the more he felt he resembled his former teammate, the hero who saved Tingen, Klein Moretti!
This is even considering that both parties have two distinct distinguishing features: glasses and beards!
Leonard's hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. After a while, he let out a noticeable gasp and picked up Sherlock Moriarty's file again.
This time, he went straight to the approximate time when the other party first arrived in Backlund with unusually clear purpose:
Early September!
And this was not long after Klein Moretti was buried!
Leonard Mitchell green eyes grew even darker as he instinctively continued flipping through the documents.
Then, he saw a name:
Lanarvus!
He was one of the masterminds behind the descent of the evil god in Tingen City and the main culprit behind the deaths of Dunn Smith, Klein Moretti, and other " Nighthawks ".
The second thing Sherlock Moriarty was Record doing in Backlund was when he went to the Dock Borough to investigate a series of murders, and that's when he came into contact with the hidden-identity Lanarvus!
After this, the attempt to bring about the arrival of the " True Creator " was thwarted, and Lanarvus died in the sewers, his body covered in tarot cards, a style similar to that of the later "Robin Hood" Black Emperor.
"I haven't forgotten the harm this fraudster caused me..." Leonard muttered to himself silently, his expression softening considerably.
He quickly flipped through the documents again, sat in his chair, and remained motionless for a long time, as if he had fallen asleep in the shadow cast by the lamplight.
Several minutes later, Leonard finally changed his posture, leaning back in his chair and saying in a low voice:
" Old Man, do you think the Detective Sherlock Moriarty is similar to my teammate Klein Moretti from Tingen City?"
In his mind, that slightly aged voice hesitated before speaking:
"The one who joined the ' Nighthawks ' Antigonus Family Notebook?"
"Yes..." Leonard replied in a deep voice.
The Parasite inside him spoke after two seconds:
"Somewhat similar."
Leonard fell silent again after receiving a reply. After a long while, he took out his gold-cased pocket watch, snapped it open, glanced at it, and confirmed that it was still only morning.
Leonard immediately closed the watch cover, stood up abruptly, and nearly knocked over a stack of documents on the table.
He hurriedly reached out to steady the documents, then left a note saying that he had discovered a clue and planned to go investigate, and might not be back until very late.
Let me see if someone is impersonating Tingen City's hero, or if you've been wearing a mask all along, a member of the Concealment organization " Nighthawks " whose true purpose is no more noble than Ince Zangwill's —you're also after the items behind the Chanis Gate... Leonard no longer had his usual nonchalant expression; his eyes narrowed, and he quickly left the underground of Saint Samuel Cathedral.
Outside a distinctive building in the Hillston Borough.
Dawn Dantès stepped down from the carriage and saw the house, which was predominantly in the late Quaternary style.
The house uses a lot of huge stones and has four floors. Each window on each floor is like a door, corresponding to a small balcony.
Its overall appearance is sandy yellow due to the wear and tear of time. The stone pillars and arches together support an elegant portico, which looks quite dignified.
This is the location of the " East Balam Veteran Officers Club ".
Klein raised his cane, pointed at the building in front of him, and said with a smile:
"It has a lot of history."
MP Macht nodded in response:
"It's actually a replica of an ancient building, but it's over a hundred years old..."
As he spoke, he led Dawn Dantès into the club and said to the receptionist:
" Dawn Dantès, an informal member, I am the recommender."
After saying that, he turned to the rich man and explained:
"You have not only never served in East Balam, but you have also never participated in the battles that took place there, and you are not even a military person, so you cannot become a full member."
"However, even as an informal member, you have free access to the club's facilities, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and meet different friends."
"That's exactly what I was hoping for," Klein said with a smile and a nod.
After the beautiful woman of the Southern Continent descent completed the registration, Macht added:
There is no membership fee, but an annual fee of £60.
As he spoke, he chuckled and said:
"It's not expensive, especially not for you. Here, you'll have access to all kinds of weapons, plenty of shooting ranges, and you can even learn horseback riding..."
For a club of this caliber, 60 pounds is really not expensive. You know, generals often frequent this place, and it boasts several renowned chefs... Klein didn't say much, took out his wallet, counted out 60 pounds, gave it to the receptionist, and received a badge with symbols of forest, ocean, and swords.
"This is a place brimming with honor, and I deeply admire your contributions to East Balam." Klein said, putting on the badge with numbers on the back, and looking at Councilor Macht. "If I wanted to contribute something here, who should I contact?"
Congressman Macht pointed to the receptionist and said:
"Just give it to her."
"She'll Record down and post it on the bulletin board over there."
Klein nodded slightly and said:
"OK."
He immediately turned his head and had his personal valet, Richardson, bring out the prepared £500 in cash.
After the donation, Klein followed Macht through the ornately decorated hall to a room that resembled a living room, while his personal valet, Richardson, was left in the outer lounge, where there were snacks, tea, and coffee.
In the small room, Klein, through Macht's introduction, met five officers, some retired and some active. Apart from a member of the lower house, the highest-ranking officer was Calvin, who had the shoulder insignia of an army colonel. He was currently working at the Loen Ministry of Defense, but his specific position was unknown.
According to Klein's knowledge, those in the military who are considered high-ranking officers with the rank of colonel are most likely Beyonder, probably belonging to the Mid-Sequence!
Macht, Calvin, and the others quickly started chatting. Klein didn't try to interrupt, but listened attentively to their conversation, only occasionally chiming in with a word or two.
In this relaxed and leisurely atmosphere, Calvin suddenly turned his head and looked at Dawn Dantès, saying:
"I heard you used to frequent West Balam?"
The colonel had a donkey-like face, but it wasn't comical at all; his gaze was quite deep.
Klein responded with a smile:
"Yes, it's even more chaotic there than in East Balam."
Calvin laughed upon hearing this:
"Of course, the Intis people made far too many Error there."
He paused for a moment, then continued to ask:
What's your relationship with the Intis people there?
Klein didn't quite understand the other party's purpose, but he forced himself to say:
"They're alright, they're all very Greed."
He didn't actually know any of them; he had only heard Anderson mention a few names and their stories.
Calvin nodded, then asked another question:
Are you familiar with the tribes and the rebels there?
"... a part of the knowledge." Klein responded vaguely.
He knew only one "army leader" who rebelled against Intis, and that was the former Intis princess, the " Mystery Queen " Bernadette.
Calvin smiled, picked up the red wine, and took a small sip.
During this process, no one else, including MP Macht, spoke.
Setting down his glass, Calvin looked at Dawn Dantès again and said:
"That's right. Every year we discard a lot of guns and artillery, but directly destroying them or doing other treatments would be either too wasteful or too costly, so it's not a good solution."
"Would you be interested in buying a batch and selling them in West Balam, in the areas ruled by the Intis, to those tribes and rebel groups?"
"Believe me, this is definitely a very profitable business, but of course, it's also very dangerous. If you get caught by the Intis in West Balam, we won't acknowledge that you're working for us."
This... this is asking me to become an arms dealer? That's one of the most profitable businesses... Although I know nothing about West Balam and have no connections there, I can resell them to the " Mystery Queen," to the resistance forces of the Rorsted Archipelago... Klein's heart stirred, and he deliberately displayed complex and contradictory emotions:
"I've never done anything like that, but it's certainly tempting enough."
Calvin laughed heartily and said:
"Don't rush into a decision. This is a very important matter and deserves serious consideration."
"Just tell Macht your answer within this week."
Klein secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile:
"OK."
Raphael Cemetery in Tingen City.
Although the afternoon sun was quite strong, many places here remained dark and cold.
Leonard stood before a grave, gazing silently at the tombstone.
P. S.: The ferry arrived at the shore at 6 AM, which is 12 PM Beijing time, so I'll just update now, I'm sleepy.