The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 535: The Secret Only Lu Li Knows

Was it a desire for more, or simple curiosity about hell?

The Trader, usually cold and calculating in his dealings, was now exhibiting strange behavior, but that was none of Lu Li's concern.

Whatever the entities behind the Trader were plotting, it had nothing to do with the living.

If they belonged to the camp of anomalies and intended to invade hell, that would be for the best. Let them fight the demons and devils of hell; perhaps it would postpone the destruction of the human world.

Over the next few minutes, Lu Li told the Trader everything he knew about hell: the sprawling landscape, the sea of lava, the Black Rock Volcano, and the Great Chasm.

“5,500 research points.”

A little information about hell had yielded a generous reward, though it wasn't enough for even a small piece of Deep Sea Stone.

And after the collapse of human society, the value of research points would plummet... or maybe not.

A thought suddenly struck Lu Li. “Do you sell food?”

“Only canned goods.”“That’s enough.” It seemed research points hadn't lost their value, even in the face of the apocalypse.

A 300-gram can of pork and peas cost 5 research points. A case of 20 cans was 100 points, equivalent to 1,000 shillings.

Just a few hours ago, Lu Li had bought two cases at 20 shillings a can. The price had more than doubled.

But as long as he could exchange research points for precious food, there was nothing to complain about.

“Will the price increase over time?” Lu Li asked before deciding on the quantity.

“Scarce goods will become more expensive.”

Lu Li glanced at Remi and Jimmy. Remi waved her hand. “Don’t worry about us.”

“Jimmy needs to eat.”

“Normal food only maintains my brother’s condition; it doesn’t help him recover. Besides, he eats an awful lot,” Remi said regretfully. Jimmy grimaced beside her. “If necessary, we’ll hunt the lesser anomalies in the city.”

Lu Li fell silent, then turned back to the Trader. “Ten cases of canned pork, ten of beef, and five of fruit.”

Combined with the few cases already in his shelter, this would be enough for three months. The variety of the three types of canned food would help him stay in shape and avoid any nutritional deficiencies.

The canned fruit cost the same as the pork, while the beef was... 15 research points a can. The 25 cases would be delivered in two days, for which Lu Li paid 4,500 research points.

He had 12,400 points left.

The next question Lu Li wanted to clarify was whether the disaster in Belfast was an isolated incident or if it had struck multiple cities.

“50 research points.”

Quite cheap, since Lu Li would find out on his own soon enough anyway.

“Fine.”

“Belfast on the Allen Peninsula, Ellendin and the ice-free city of Leirvisen on the Continent of the Chosen, and the city of Zveroreva in the Wildlands.”

Slightly better than expected, but this was only the first wave of the invasion.

Lu Li noticed one region was missing from the list of affected cities. “The Lennon Archipelago wasn’t affected?”

“No.”

The news was encouraging, but Lu Li remembered the words of the man who had gone mad on the train: “They’re herding us! Herding us like cattle! Into a pen, and then they’ll kill us!”

Combined with the current situation, it sounded terrifying. Back then, Tesla had replied that “the Lennon Archipelago is humanity’s last hope.”

Whether Tesla had meant it figuratively was unknown, but now his words could be interpreted differently: the Lennon Archipelago was the last hope—a spiritual one.

It didn’t matter if it could actually protect people; what mattered was that people believed it could, and so they wouldn’t lose hope.

And the situation on the Lennon Archipelago might not be any worse than elsewhere. After all, when everything is shrouded in darkness, no one can escape their fate. Perhaps the refugees on the Lennon Archipelago would die a less agonizing death.

“What about the Lennon Archipelago? And the ships sailing there?” Lu Li asked. By his calculations, the steamship carrying Mary's Aunt and JoJo should still be at sea.

The Trader didn't charge for this information. “Those who set out for the Lennon Archipelago will arrive safely, with the exception of a few unfortunates.”

Lu Li’s dark eyes fixed on the face hidden beneath the scarf’s fabric.

Remi, standing beside him, blinked. Even she understood the hidden meaning.

A flock of sheep, scattered across a pasture, being herded by hungry predators into a pen with no escape. Until all the sheep are inside, the predators will endure their hunger and not touch them. Only a few, unable to control their instincts, will snatch some unlucky sheep from the flock and tear them to pieces.

“Who are you?” Lu Li asked.

The Trader replied coldly, “You don’t have enough research points for that information.”

“One last question.”

Lu Li wanted to ask about ‘the door.’

Although the Trader was clearly not human, and the beings behind him were shrouded in mystery, the door couldn’t curse them. But Lu Li didn’t want to take any chances. He only briefly described being haunted by a strange and terrible curse, one that appeared from time to time and forced him to look at it.

“Based on the available information, in the first stage, I hear it; in the second, I see it; in the third, I touch it. I’m currently in the second stage.”

Having finished, Lu Li waited for a response.

After a few seconds, the Trader said, “If you have no more questions, I will leave. Your goods will be delivered in two days.”

The Trader’s evasive answer made Lu Li frown. “You don’t know? Or are you afraid of something?”

“Know what? Afraid of what?” the Trader retorted.

Lu Li sensed something was wrong. Recalling Richard’s words, he turned to Remi. “What just happened?”

“You were looking at the Trader, and then he said he was leaving,” Remi answered, also feeling that something was off.

Lu Li wasn't acting like himself.

An indescribable chill suddenly enveloped Lu Li, far more oppressive than the coming apocalypse.

Richard had been right: outsiders could have their memories of it distorted and erased. No one but him could even know about it.

Jimmy and Remi, the Trader, and the investigators’ headquarters that had never replied...

The door was a conspiracy—a conspiracy against Lu Li.

But what was its purpose?

What did the three stages mean: to hear, to see, to touch?

And were those stages even real? Perhaps the diary was also part of the conspiracy, and there had been no previous victim. Was Lu Li the only one?

And what puzzled Lu Li even more was that Anna knew everything about the door, while Richard only knew part of it.