The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 672: Arrival at the Port

"Do we still need to explain anything to the passengers...?" the first mate asked, still in a daze.

The captain collected himself, carefully folded the parchment, and tucked it into an inner pocket. "Mr. Lu Li did the right thing. We don't need to explain anything. Just follow his instructions and inform the passengers in the other classes. Be polite... you know how it's done."

After a final glance around the dining hall, the captain, first mate, and sailors hastily departed.

After they left, whispers rippled through the hall.

...

An eerie fog enveloped the ship as it cut through the sea.

The crew had abandoned the deck, taking shelter inside the lit, albeit not very warm, compartments.

As Lu Li crossed the deck to return to the first-class section, he heard a whisper drifting from the depths of the fog-shrouded bow. There were no lights there, meaning neither crew nor passengers were present.

The whispering drew nearer, like someone muttering as they rushed toward Lu Li, yet there was no sound of footsteps.

Lu Li raised his oil lamp, the light casting a glow a few meters around him. His other hand went to his unfastened holster.The muttering abruptly ceased ten meters away. The deck fell silent, save for the rush of the waves, the whistle of the wind, and the groaning of the ship's hull.

Lu Li remained on alert, but even as he backed into the safety of a lit, deserted corridor lined with a red carpet, the thing in the fog did not reveal itself.

Lowering the lamp, he headed for his cabin.

Squelch!

A sound squelched under his foot, as if he'd stepped on a clump of wet seaweed.

The carpet was soaked, staining the fabric a dark crimson. A trail of water led deeper down the corridor.

A tall, dark figure in a wide-brimmed hat stood motionless at a door at the far end of the hall. Its hand was raised, poised as if it had just finished knocking.

Knock, knock, knock...

A few seconds later, the Uninvited Guest knocked again.

A muffled yelp came from behind the door. Then it opened, and a strangled gasp escaped into the hallway.

The first-class passenger seemed to recognize the Uninvited Guest. His voice trembled as he asked, "Do... you... want... to come in...?"

The phrase wasn't the exact ritual response, but it was effective. The drenched, chilling visitor turned and departed.

Lu Li stepped slightly aside, letting the Uninvited Guest pass.

An evil spirit's ritual is tied to the mind, much like Anna's projections...

So what is the nature of this creature's ritual?

Lu Li turned his head and watched as the Uninvited Guest splashed through the puddles, left the corridor, and vanished into the foggy night.

He averted his gaze. At the far end of the corridor, the passenger who had just faced the entity peeked out of his cabin. Seeing Lu Li, he flinched back with a terrified gasp.

It seemed he had mistaken the black-haired, black-eyed Lu Li for the Uninvited Guest.

Back in his cabin, Lu Li found Selika finishing her meal, completely unaware of what had just happened.

Two pieces of dark bread, mashed potatoes with chicken broth, baked sea snails, fried fish, and a sip of red wine. Everything except the wine was typically third-class fare.

But now, it was a rare and precious meal.

Bandages, alcohol, and a basin of water were laid out on the small table by the sofa. Selika was waiting for Lu Li to change her dressing.

She unwound the bandage from her chin—the cloth had stuck to the wound. Seemingly inured to pain, Selika tore it away with a detached air.

"Tilt your head back."

There was no cotton wool on board, so he had to clean the wound with a damp bandage before disinfecting it.

Just then, sounds of a dispute drifted in from the corridor—the first-class passengers had gathered, protesting that the dangers of the night voyage had been hidden from them.

The noise only subsided after some time.

When he was done, Selika opened her hazy eyes. A moment later, her focus returned.

"Thank you..." she said, her voice hoarse. "You should rest. I'll stand watch."

They were seven hours away from Prince Fantes Port.

Lu Li washed and dried his hands, declining her offer. The nap he'd taken during the day was sufficient. Besides, with Anna gone, he had to be extra vigilant against anomalies.

Lu Li's Humanity made him a delectable prize for creatures from the other side.

Selika didn't press the matter. She took the basin of murky water and soiled bandages and left the cabin. Upon her return, she reported that several sailors were standing guard in the corridor, two of them posted right outside their door.

After all, Lu Li could soon be the owner of both the ship and the shipping company.

A short while later, the first mate personally wheeled in their dinner on a trolley: roasted chicken, milk, and even a carrot. True, it had been in storage so long it was as wrinkled as an old woman's skin.

But under these circumstances, vegetables were priceless.

After eating, Lu Li settled into the armchair by the fireplace. He pulled the anomaly detector and a book from his pocket and set them on the table beside him.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" he asked Selika, who still seemed alert.

"I'll lie down when I get tired..." she answered quietly.

Lu Li nodded and opened his book.

Time passed quietly in the peaceful room.

...

Prince Fantes Port.

Among the fifteen or so ports on the Allen Peninsula, this eastern harbor had always been an inconspicuous one.

This was especially true after the establishment of Port Roadster, as Belfast began handling the majority of traffic from the Main Continent's eastern coast.

But all that turned to dust with the fall of Belfast.

With only Himpfast left standing on the Allen Peninsula and the swamp road impassable, this southwestern port, being the closest to the mainland, had become the sole connection between the two landmasses.

At night, the port was silent.

Dockworkers gathered in the portside barracks, playing cards and warming themselves by a stove.

At the edge of the shore, a lighthouse beam cut through the dense fog and darkness, guiding ships on their way.

Vwhooo...

A distant horn blast sliced through the silence of the night, its sound echoing across the harbor.

The barracks door flew open. A limping port guard stood on the threshold, a lantern swinging in his hand. "The last ship's coming in. Get to work."

Vwhooo...

Another horn blast invaded the warm room.

The flames in the stove trembled. The workers, leaving their card game unfinished, pulled on their coats and headed out.

Huddled against the wind, the dockworkers lit bonfires in open spaces along the pier. They watched as the immense silhouette of a ship slowly emerged from the night.

Hssss...

Fog billowed around it. Countless glowing portholes dotted its hull in orderly rows.

Mooring lines were tossed down from the deck. The dockworkers caught the heavy ropes and secured them to the bollards.

Once the ship was secure and the gangway lowered, passengers began to file ashore, clutching their lamps with a mixture of apprehension and hope.

"Mr. Lu Li..." The captain tore his gaze from the disembarking crowd and addressed Lu Li, who had just walked up. "Thanks to your warning, not a single crew member or passenger was lost on this voyage..."