The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 793: The Tide

City Hall.

The Council Chamber.

The councilors were gathered around a long table, their quiet whispers merging above the hall into an irritating drone.

"The arrival of that exorcist was certainly memorable, but perhaps it was a warning to us."

"Why do you say that? We didn't provoke him."

"He came from Midnight, a city crawling with anomalies. He was brought here by an anomaly, and he has another anomaly at his side. He's not one of us."

"You think Midnight put him up to this?"

"We've always been on bad terms with them, you know that."

...

"Sugru, you stupid pumpkin! You sent the invitation without even knowing if he was friend or foe!""Shh, keep your voice down. You're the fool here, Brent. Do you really think those people care about the exorcist's alignment? Even if he turned into an anomaly, they'd still paint him as a tragic hero."

"But you're still taking too big a risk, Sugru. You're gambling."

"It's worth it. If we lose, our losses won't be too great. But if we win... you've seen how fanatical these citizens are about the exorcist."

...

"We're reaping what we've sown. Look at those people outside... All that authority has shifted in an instant to someone none of us knew before."

"Oh, come on. Your family comes from the survivors of Ellen Royal City. Are you telling me you don't know this exorcist?"

"Fine... I just think they're too fanatical, and that's not a good thing."

"It's not our problem. He won't be interested in a councilor's seat. As long as we don't bother him, he won't bother us. The mayor is the one who should be worried; the exorcist's immense prestige is a threat to his position."

...

"I'm not worried about that."

The top floor of City Hall, in the mayor's office.

The Mayor of Vinnelag, Matteus, stood by the window.

In the distance, out on the bay, a massive, rusted ship was being slowly towed toward the shipyard.

The people were no longer as frightened as they had been at first. They crowded the edge of the port, and some children even dared to run closer for a better look at the great vessel.

"A mayor and an exorcist are two different roles."

The people will see him as a legend, a hero, but they won't think he'd make a good mayor.

"But just in case."

His assistant stood behind him. "Many of the councilors won't be able to resist contacting the exorcist. Even if he isn't interested in the mayorship himself, they'll flock to him and push him into the spotlight. And then there are the citizens, who are practically fanatics—"

"I'm tired."

Mayor Matteus sighed. "These councilors, who never leave the city, have all but forgotten the horrors of the outside world. All they care about is climbing the ladder, indulging themselves, and fighting for power."

The assistant gently shook his head. "They haven't forgotten. They're just greedier."

Mayor Matteus was silent for a moment, then turned and asked, "What is this exorcist's purpose for coming to Vinnelag?"

"To find an evil spirit named the Shadow Maiden and the body of a Merchant, which is being kept at the Grand Monterey Museum."

"The Shadow Maiden... Any more news?"

"We haven't found anything. Many evil spirits that disappear so suddenly are often killed by more powerful beings."

"Tell our men to continue the investigation. What is he doing now?"

"It seems he's preparing to go to the Grand Monterey Museum."

"You will accompany him and convey my greetings."

"Very well."

The assistant nodded a few times and headed for the exit.

"Wait."

The hesitant Mayor Matteus called him back.

"I'll go with you."

...

Lu Li had been temporarily lodged in the Vinnelag Embassy.

But compared to normal, the security both inside and outside the embassy had been increased tenfold.

All ambassadors and servants from other cities had been relegated to the first floor. The second and third floors were guarded by soldiers, while the entire fourth floor was occupied by Lu Li and his companions alone.

Katerina stood at the window, her arms crossed. Below, soldiers had formed a human wall against a dense crowd of people, punctuated by the occasional bright flash of magnesium bulbs.

"The people here are much crazier than in Midnight," she couldn't help but remark.

Like Midnight, Vinnelag was gloomy and shrouded in fog, but the view was more expansive. She could see an industrial zone further inland belching thick smoke, a bustling port on the bay, and a moving black line on a distant mountain.

Prusius had said it was a steam train, similar to a caravan but faster and more convenient—a piece of steam technology from the Old Era.

There were no wary strangers here, no eerie heretics, no unsettling figures in black cloaks.

This place seemed better than Midnight...

Knock, knock, knock—

There was a knock at the door. Lu Li, who was sitting on the sofa, looked up as it opened.

A middle-aged man at the door introduced himself. "I am Matteus, the mayor of Vinnelag. It's a pleasure to meet you, Exorcist Lu Li."

The mayor of Vinnelag's visit was unexpected; they were supposed to meet at a banquet or by the mayor's invitation, not directly like this.

However, given Lu Li's reputation, no political opponent would dare criticize Matteus for it.

"Katerina, Prusius," Lu Li introduced them to Matteus.

He didn't mention the Elder Sister; her paws had just been stitched up, and she was asleep in his hood.

Matteus nodded to Katerina, but his gaze lingered on Prusius.

Prusius, a little afraid of strangers himself, flattened his ears and tucked his tail, remaining silent.

"Prusius was once human, but contamination turned him into an Inhuman," Lu Li explained.

Matteus nodded, not dwelling on the subject. "My assistant told me you were planning to visit the Grand Monterey Museum. I would be happy to escort you."

Prusius stayed behind. Lu Li and Katerina got into the mayor's car, the latest 'Little Henry II' steam-powered automobile, and drove out of the crowd, heading for the museum with a security escort.

After her initial admiration for the comfortable interior, Katerina's gaze was drawn to the streets, and she watched with envy.

The wide bay, the bustling port, the endless buildings, the industry and steam, the lively streets—everyone who came to Vinnelag fell in love with the place.

Matteus saw this, but unfortunately, he couldn't discern any change in Lu Li's expression.

"Does all the food people eat here meet the standards of the Terminus Association?" Lu Li asked suddenly.

Unlike Katerina, he could see the truth hidden beneath the surface.

"...Partially," the assistant answered, as it wasn't a question the mayor should have to address.

Meaning, most people were unable to eat food with low levels of contamination.

Looking out the car window, Lu Li noticed that there were rarely any elderly people on the streets, mostly just children and youths.

Vinnelag was extremely hostile toward anomalies, and there was no Old Sewer like in Midnight to house the Inhumans... The fate of the contaminated here would be no better than in the Wastelands.

The steam car suddenly slowed. The assistant caught up from behind, jogging alongside and quietly saying something to Mayor Matteus, who was in the passenger seat.

Mayor Matteus nodded, then turned and said to Lu Li, "The ship that brought you here is refusing to enter the shipyard."