The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 291: The Forest with Emotions

Years had etched deep furrows into the old man’s face. A polished wooden peg that served as his prosthetic leg emerged from an empty right trouser leg, its tip resting on the floor.

The relentless rain had chilled the air to ten degrees Celsius, yet the old man wore only a threadbare canvas shirt. Fortunately, he was not soaked; his clothes remained dry.

The old man sat at the table opposite Lu Li. His eyes swept curiously around the detective agency before he inquired, "Young man, what is it you wanted to find out?"

"I need a guide who knows the Elm Forest like the back of his hand."

"I reckon that's me," the old man answered proudly. "I started working as a woodcutter in the Elm Forest when I was thirteen, right up until eleven years ago. I can name every single Tree-Lord."

People in this world tended to age quickly, especially the poor. The stooped, gray-haired old man was likely no older than fifty.

Even so, that meant he had spent more than twenty years in the Elm Forest.

"A Tree-Lord?"

"They're exceptionally thick and ancient trees. It's as if they protect the surrounding trees, the way villages protect people."

This was clearly beyond Lu Li's comprehension. He had never known that forests in this world could change in such a way.And, it seemed, people had long since grown accustomed to it.

To ensure he wasn't mistaken, Lu Li asked, "Do the Tree-Lords possess their own consciousness?"

"Consciousness? No... How could they? They're not people," Old Man Barton chuckled, deciding the young man had a wild imagination. "The Tree-Lords are... just the emotions of the forest."

The word "emotions," while still raising questions, sounded slightly more plausible than "consciousness."

"Tell me more."

"Of course, that's why I'm here." Barton paused for a moment in thought, then slowly began his tale. "Each Tree-Lord is like an embodiment of the forest. When you get close to one, you can feel the emotions emanating from the woods... I know what you're thinking, but the forest doesn't have a mind; it doesn't think like we do. It's like ants... They move, hunt, and eat, but they're driven purely by instinct."

"These changes started about ten years ago. Before that, we didn't know anything about it. When we first felt the forest's emotions, some men got scared, dropped their axes, and ran back to the city. Others just gritted their teeth and kept on chopping... After all, coming back empty-handed meant starving to death."

"But we noticed that nothing really happened, except that it felt... sad, somehow, while we were cutting down the trees. Then one day, some fool decided to chop down a Tree-Lord... I heard this story from other woodcutters. A crew working for one of the sawmill owners went to fell what was probably a century-old Tree-Lord, and... they all died. The ones who went to look for them found only their bodies and felt such a wave of sorrow it made you want to weep."

"After that, the police came, along with some mysterious folks. They took the bodies away, and rumors started spreading that when the men were chopping down the Tree-Lord, the forest's emotions overwhelmed them and made them take their own lives. A lot of woodcutters quit the trade after that. The rest of us kept working, but we never went near the Tree-Lords again, never harmed them. Even the greedy factory owners realized there was no point in trading human lives for timber, so the deaths in the forest became rarer..."

"Ever since, the forest hasn't harmed us, and we try not to harm it."

That was why, in an age of burgeoning industry and capitalism, the vast Elm Forest still stood to the north of the city.

"Are all forests like this?" Lu Li asked.

"Yes, any forest that's big enough has emotions. The Western Oak Forest, the Maple Forest beyond the mountains, and they say even the Shadow Swamp does," Barton replied.

Lu Li had been to the Shadow Swamp. The forest there was dead, perhaps because it had been taken over by the Mother of the Swamp.

"Are you a detective? Did some sawmill owner send you there? There's probably nothing but dead silence there now..."

Lu Li understood that he was referring to the death of the plants.

Although most people in this world did not consider the halt in plant growth to be anything serious.

"I'm not interested in the trees," Lu Li said. "I want to know how many caves there are."

"Caves?" Barton gave Lu Li a strange look, but he had received unusual requests before—like being asked to find a purple four-leaf clover.

"There are plenty of caves near the cliff and by Quiet Hill. If you're looking for hunting or logging cabins, there are a few of those, too."

"I need a place to hide."

"There are several caves near the cliff and Quiet Hill."

"One with a view of Belfast and the sea."

"There are a few caves near the cliff."

"Then let's go," said Lu Li.

"Now?"

"Do you have other business?"

"No, let's go. It's good to be young..."

Lu Li had plenty of raincoats. He gave one to Barton, asked him to wait under the eaves, and then stepped out into the street with an umbrella to hail a cab.

A few minutes later, a cab pulled up to the house. Barton climbed inside, and they disappeared into the rain.

The streets were still full of people mending leaky roofs. Here and there, vagrants huddled in tattered blankets under awnings, staring forlornly out at the rain.

And even more frequently than the day before, members of the Night's Watch could be seen.

There had been no strange rain in this district today, so their activity could only be in response to a warning from afar.

Lu Li averted his gaze and was about to say something to Barton when the cab lurched to a sudden stop.

"What's wrong?" Barton asked. The drumming of the rain drowned out all other sounds.

Lu Li pulled back the curtain and saw a steam-powered automobile blocking their path. Several men in the black uniforms of the Night's Watch had gotten out of the vehicle and were explaining something to the cab driver.

Spotting Lu Li, one of the Night's Watch members offered a friendly smile. "I'm Officer Houston. We're pursuing a fugitive. Have you seen him?"

Lu Li said nothing. He watched as the Night's Watch members fanned out, subtly surrounding the cab, and suddenly understood their intention.

He produced his Investigator Badge and said calmly, "I'm an Investigator. The aura you're sensing belongs to my assistant."

"An assistant..." Seeing the badge, the Night's Watch officer was taken aback for a moment and discreetly gave a signal.

The Night's Watch members surrounding the cab halted.

The wariness and confusion in the officer's eyes did not fade.

"She's not in the best condition," Lu Li added.

The phrase could mean many things. The Night's Watch officer, seeming to understand the implication, relaxed and stepped back. "Be careful."

"Thank you."

The Night's Watch members returned to their vehicle and drove off. The cab resumed its journey.

"Anna, restrain your aura," Lu Li said, turning toward her.

Barton did not know who Lu Li was speaking to, but the preceding scene had made it clear that this young man was more than just a detective.

Decades of life had taught Barton many things—for instance, that it was best not to ask unnecessary questions.