The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 552: The Gathering

The crowded streets gradually washed away the impressions of their long journey.

Surprisingly, the encroachment of anomalies seemed to have caused Ellen Royal City little trouble—at least, there was no trace of anxiety on the faces of the city's inhabitants.

Perhaps it was because this was the capital. The locals dressed far more formally and traditionally, nearly everyone in dark-toned clothing. In Belfast, frock coats and top hats were a sight reserved for the wealthy, but here, such attire was common even among those of middle-class means and above.

The flip side to this human tide was the filth overflowing from alleyway bins and the foul stench rising from the sewers.

Only on the main thoroughfares, adorned with ornate streetlamps and architecture reminiscent of fine art, did these unpleasant details give way to a sense of prosperity.

The Investigators' base in Ellen Royal City was also hidden underground, just like in Belfast, but this one was situated beneath the former Shutes Public Library.

The Investigators called their habit of setting up bases underground "following in the shadow's footsteps," believing it helped preserve the core professional qualities of curiosity and caution.

The primary reason, however, was that Investigators were mostly loners who disliked unnecessary attention. They found it far easier to work in seclusion than to field questions from the curious residents of a bustling district.

Ellen Royal City was larger than Lu Li had anticipated; it took them nearly an hour on foot to reach the former Shutes Library. The old building had been demolished, and in its place, a four-story structure resembling a luxurious estate was under construction.

Anna wheeled Lu Li around the construction site twice but couldn't find an entrance to the underground base. She could have tried to phase directly underground, but she was worried about attracting unwanted attention.On their second pass, with the site's security guards starting to take notice, Lu Li suggested Anna check the nearby shops.

And soon, they stumbled upon the "Curiosity Shop"—a small, dark storefront clearly not intended for casual customers.

Unlike the other shops on the street with their bright display windows, this one was narrow and windowless. A dim twilight reigned within, illuminated only by a few faint lights.

No merchant in their right mind would have designed their establishment this way.

"Wheel me inside."

Lu Li spoke, and Anna pushed the chair into the shop.

"Welcome."

An elderly man in a frock coat behind the counter raised his eyes to Lu Li, noticed the Investigator Badge, and added, "Unidentified Investigator. You're headed for the basement."

Lu Li nodded. In that instant, all the clocks on the shelves began to spin, their hands stopping to point directly at Lu Li—or rather, at Anna standing behind him.

"She’s my assistant," Lu Li explained.

"A vengeful spirit, is she?" the old man murmured, his expression a complex mix of emotions. "It would be best if your assistant didn't go down to the base."

"Why?"

Lu Li asked, his question simple and direct. He didn't want to leave Anna alone, even though her abilities far surpassed his own.

The old man didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "I smell the sea on you... Have you come from the Allen Peninsula?"

Lu Li nodded.

The old man seemed to understand. He continued slowly, "People on the mainland are more conservative. They’re more heavily influenced by the Spirit Hunters Association and the old exorcist families—which means more prejudice, more mistrust, more hostility."

In other words, the people of the Allen Peninsula are more accepting of new things; collaborating with an anomaly might raise eyebrows, but it wouldn't necessarily draw condemnation.

Here on the mainland, however, the aversion to the unusual is deeply ingrained. It would be difficult to convince anyone that not every anomaly is dangerous.

"Does that include you?"

"I’m an old man—and I used to be an investigator myself," he answered evasively.

Investigators, as a rule, are more accepting of change. And old men are often capable of greater acceptance. With that, the old man made his own stance clear.

"Thank you," Lu Li said. He turned to Anna and added, "Stay here."

Anna hesitated, but Lu Li reassured her. "The base is safe, and I’ll be back soon."

She nodded, watching as Lu Li slowly rose from the chair, thanked the shopkeeper for a cane, and headed for the basement.

Only after Lu Li had disappeared into the underground passage did Anna finally tear her gaze away, a minute later, noticing the old man behind the counter studying her intently.

"It's rare to see a vengeful spirit on good terms with a human," he said, breaking the silence.

"Only rare?" Towards strangers, Anna's demeanor became cold and detached once more.

"They exist... and some among them are truly astonishing," the old man admitted. "It would be good if you don't lose sight of who you are."

Anna ignored his melancholy tone.

The old man gave a faint smile and changed the subject. "You’re here for the exorcist council, I take it?"

Anna, wearing her short cloak, gave a barely perceptible nod.

The old man turned and rummaged behind the counter, producing an old pen. He wiped the dust from it with a handkerchief and tossed it to Anna. "Take this. It will help conceal your nature, as long as you don’t get too close to the exorcists or the Council buildings."

As the pen hovered a foot and a half in front of Anna, the hands on the clocks shuddered. But a hand woven from pale light quickly accepted the gift, and everything settled down again, save for a minute hand that quivered slightly in her direction.

Anna could feel the waves of power that emanated from her involuntarily being almost completely blocked by the object, what little remained was no more dangerous than that of a common ghost.

Now, she could stay by Lu Li’s side without worrying about the interference from that annoying counter.

"Thank you," Anna said, her voice warming for the first time in a long while.

The old man waved a hand with a kind smile, indicating it was no trouble at all.

Meanwhile, Lu Li had descended into the underground Investigators' base. He was met by an employee from the United Exorcist Organization, who helped him get settled in the lounge area.

The base resembled a real library, with bookshelves reaching to the ceiling along the walls and crystal chandeliers overhead, filling the spacious hall with light. It was only logical that a base built where a library once stood would retain its appearance.

By all appearances, the base in Ellen was far superior to the one in Belfast—except for the fact that it, too, was sparsely populated.

Lu Li didn't bother seeking out the local Investigator leaders; an employee of the united organization could answer simple questions, such as the details of the exorcist council.

"The council will be held tomorrow at ten in the morning, in the kingdom’s Council of Elders Hall. No exorcist can miss it—though we might run out of space if too many show up... But don't you worry: Senior Investigators are guaranteed a spot."

"So, there will be many attendees?" Lu Li drawled.

The employee mistook his apprehension for a simple question. "Of course! This will be the largest council ever held—the great hall of the Council of Elders might not even be big enough to hold everyone who wants to attend. The leaders of the three major organizations, legendary agents, representatives from the Night's Watch—they’ll all be there!"

"I daresay most of the exorcists not just from the Kingdom of Ellen, but from neighboring countries as well, will be coming!"

The employee recounted all of this with palpable pride.