Photographs

As expected, these guys weren't just competing for cases; they were intentionally creating obstacles.

The lord they spoke of was likely the mastermind behind it all. I am just not sure if that refers to the Speaker of the House, Grant, or if a fourth-ranking member of the City Council would even have the power to influence the Rangers.

The lord in the picture frame is definitely the one pulling the strings. It seems they are not on the same side as the hillmen. That makes sense; the hillmen clearly oppose the tunnel, while this group seems to support its construction. I will classify them that way for now.

Lynch’s mind raced. He repeated their conversation in his head over and over, trying to savor every word. According to them, Maya had established a connection with Mordiggian, the King of Gloomy Cold Bones—which is to say, she heard its whispers. This is likely why she is transforming into a ghoul.

It seems this is why she has become so important to those hillmen, and why both the Rangers and the mastermind’s side are now hunting for her.

What do those ghouls want with her? They aren't trying to sacrifice her to their Mordiggian, are they? And what about the Rangers? Are they planning to use Maya as a gift to secure their own interests?

It seems the decision to pause and wait for news was correct. I should figure out their motives first. Otherwise, even if I am a useless detective, I cannot work for nothing. Asking me to help you find Maya for free? You must be out of your minds. She is a fellow sufferer in this; you have to pay up!

Amusing himself with these thoughts, Lynch quickly searched the Rangers’ office. He didn't expect to find written orders left behind by their superiors; if people who secretly contacted mysterious beings and intentionally interfered with royal special task forces left behind written evidence, they wouldn't be worth worrying about. These people definitely prioritized secrecy. Lynch even suspected that the fire in the archives that afternoon was set by them to destroy the files on the railway incident that could have doomed Donnie.

However, after searching, he actually found something.

A photograph of a young lady.

Even as a black and white photo, it could not hide the charm of the subject.

Even by the standards of his hometown, the lady in the picture was quite beautiful.

She wore traditional noblewoman’s attire and a feathered hat, radiating elegance and prestige.

Lynch remembered this face. He had seen it once at City Hall a few days ago; it was a photo of the eldest daughter of the Valente family, that great noble house.

He flipped the photo over. The back was covered in writing.

Diana de Valente, 22 years old, Sister of Suffering, level two authority.

Eldest daughter of the Valente family. This family is suspected of having close ties to the hillmen. She has been stationed in Rhine City for two years, commissioned by the Church of Suffering. It cannot be ruled out that she is using this opportunity to deepen ties and plot with the hillmen. Monitor her as much as possible, but the Valente family has deep roots; try to avoid direct conflict.

Sure enough, this great noble really is connected to the ghouls. It is very likely that with their support, a group of hillmen ghouls could resist a city level, or even national level, tunnel project.

So what is the purpose of the Rangers and the mastermind looking for Maya? Could it be to offer Maya to the ghouls in exchange for them stopping their interference with the tunnel project?

It is a self consistent theory, but it is pure speculation. Not only is there no evidence, but it is not even the only possibility. Lynch eventually shook his head and cast this guess aside.

Let’s hold it in doubt for now. There is too little information. I will wait for the intel from the capital. When that comes, I will probe the relationship between this great noble and the ghouls before considering a strategy.

Having made up his mind, Lynch returned everything to its original place and quietly slipped out of the Rangers’ office.

He had wanted to help them organize their documents so they wouldn't have nowhere to put them next time they snatched files, and he had even taken out his lighter, but after much hesitation, he gave up on the idea.

Mainly, he wasn't confident he could burn only this room. If he accidentally burned down the entire Hall of Order, that would be a crime.

Fine, I will spare them this once. I will settle the score next time.

Lynch quietly opened the office door and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was outside, slipped back into the hallway. He did not use his lurking ability again and walked down the stairs in plain sight.

The situation in the east building was somewhat chaotic. Many blue uniforms were running down the stairs, and there was quite a bit of shouting outside—no less noisy than the scene of the fire the other day.

Several people ran past Lynch, but he was so composed that no one even thought to ask for his identity. In the end, he took the initiative to stop a passing blue uniform and flashed the badge hidden in his hat: “I saw the Rangers’ emergency mission bell ringing. What happened?”

“Reporting, sir. Twelve special corpses were discovered. As per regulations, the commanders of the Rangers and the Watchers have been notified.”

“How special?” Lynch assumed these so called special corpses were likely victims of bizarre deaths, most likely related to the mysterious.

The blue uniform spread his hands, clearly knowing nothing. Realizing it had nothing to do with his commission, Lynch lost all interest and slipped out of the Hall of Order, feeling satisfied.

Having learned of the Rangers’ nefarious motives and caught a glimpse of intelligence regarding the Valente family, Lynch felt that today’s trip to the Hall of Order was well worth it. The key was that he had successfully applied his lurking and phantasmal sound abilities in actual combat for the first time, and they were unexpectedly useful. This made Lynch determined to apply them to more critical locations next time, such as room 304 of a certain club.

It was nearly eleven o'clock. Lynch didn't delay further. He went to the business district near Crown Square and spent three pounds at the “Mad Smith” to order a sturdy safe.

This was a newly opened metal shop. It wasn't traditional manual forging; all the products were industrially manufactured, produced quickly, and priced low. In recent years, similar shops had been popping up, selling products directly from nearby factories. Their reputation was quite poor, but for some reason, they were attracting more and more customers.

Lynch was well aware of the development trends, but compared to the Path of Immortality, these things were no longer worth mentioning. Therefore, like most people, he ignored the nostalgia and chose the best value for money, then mailed all of today’s receipts to the Black Night Cathedral.

I am going to go bankrupt. Before this month’s five pound reimbursement comes through, I must find a way to recoup some funds.

Working a regular job is out of the question; it is too slow to make money. Only by working hard on commissions can I make ends meet. I must finish Mrs. Sterling’s commission as soon as possible; every little bit helps.

Having completed all his plans step by step throughout the morning, Lynch was in a pretty good mood. He hummed a nursery rhyme from his hometown about a bridge falling down, thoughtfully replacing the name with Rhine, and walked briskly back to Apartment 221 under the startled gazes of passersby. As soon as he walked through the door, he burst into laughter.

A little thing didn't dare sit down and was stuck with her butt in the air beside the dining table, helping her mother prepare lunch. When she saw Lynch return, she immediately gave him an angry, quail like look, pouting at him and making a face.

Hmm? Lynch raised his hand.

“Ah, Mommy, he’s going to hit me again!” Little Martha immediately covered her bottom and scooted toward her mother.

The blonde lady covered her mouth and laughed, saying softly to Lynch: “Mrs. Sterling came to look for you earlier, but she left when she saw you weren't here.”

“I didn't see her in the square, either.” Lynch frowned. “Is there a change in the situation?”

“She didn't tell me the details, but it seems Janet is not doing very well and cannot come over. She hopes you can visit their home if it is convenient.”

Lynch felt his good mood from the morning quickly fade. He nodded thoughtfully.

It seems it is not just a matter of a mental breakdown, otherwise she wouldn't be unable to come. The situation might be more serious than I imagined.

I will go check it out after lunch.