"Stay here and don't move," Seth instructed his sister before walking forward, holding a lantern in one hand, gripping the pistol tightly.
As Annabelle had described, there was an inconspicuous hole at the base of the massive oak tree, where several cats and dogs were hanging. The hole was partially concealed by weeds, with only a tiny opening visible.
Seth brought the lantern closer to the tree hole, allowing the light to penetrate the darkness. For a moment, he thought he saw something glimmering deep inside the hole, though it could have been just an illusion.
But then, he saw a figure.
A man was inside, his face blank and lifeless. He raised his head and extended an arm toward the hole entrance as if pleading for help.
There's someone in there.
"I see you! I'll pull you out now!" Seth shouted.
He set the lantern down, lay on the ground, and reached into the hole with his arm.
Grasping the man's hand firmly, Seth began to pull. Surprisingly, the man felt unusually light, making it easy for Seth to lift him out.
However, as soon as the man emerged from the tree hole, Seth was horrified to discover that the man had only one arm. Even more shocking, everything below his waist was missing. A gray spine jutted out from his body, with several intestines hanging loosely.
"Shit!"
Seth quickly let go, recoiling from both the physical and psychological revulsion of holding a corpse's hand.
"Did you find anything?" Annabelle, unable to see what was happening, took a few steps closer.
"Don't come any closer!" Seth shouted.
He shook his head in frustration. "It looks like we'll have to notify the police."
By noon, Mrs. Paris had returned to her house, accompanied by a disheveled homeless man.
Not long after they entered, hysterical screams and curses erupted from inside the house. At that moment, a team of police officers who had been lying in wait in the yard stormed in, quickly apprehending the old woman and the homeless man.
The police, dressed in uniforms with a black background and white checks, began digging around the base of the oak tree behind the house. They unearthed several mutilated bodies from the hole.
Among the remains was Arya's mother, a poor woman whose body was covered in bite marks, her belly torn open, and her intestines spilled out.
The sight of the corpses caused several officers in the yard to vomit, which made Chief Kaosi thankful that he hadn't gone inside.
He then turned to the young nobleman with black, tousled hair standing beside him and smiled, offering praise without hesitation.
"Well done, Sifa."
"I heard your father say you're looking for a change. I thought he was joking, but now Enqi Town has just gained a righteous young gentleman who knows how to take action."
Seth smiled modestly. "I'm just doing what anyone would do. It's not as noble as you say, Chief."
As Paris was led away by the police, the old woman cursed each officer with the most venomous language she could muster.
When Mrs. Paris saw Seth, she pointed a bony finger at him, her hand resembling a claw, and shouted, "It's you! You devil! You curse the Goddess, and she will punish you!"
The old lady twisted and struggled fiercely against the officers restraining her. "Let go of me! I haven't done anything wrong! Why are you arresting me? I was sending those poor souls to the Kingdom of the Night! They will find eternal peace there—no sorrow, pain, or hunger!"
"I am the Goddess' favored one! You cannot arrest me!"
Director Kaosi shook his head and sighed as her voice gradually faded away.
"A lunatic."
Then he added, "I hope the rest of these bloody cases can be resolved as quickly as this one."
Seth glanced at the out-of-shape police chief beside him and thought sincerely, I hope so.
The incident with Mrs. Paris quickly became the talk of the town. People mourned the tragic deaths of those found in the tree hole and lamented how such a horrifying event could occur in Enqi Town, a place known for its peace.
That day, the number of worshippers praying in St. Witt's Church was three times the usual.
Due to her mother's death, Arya took time off to return home for the funeral. Anna granted her a week off; she instructed her to collect 5 pounds from the housekeeper, Kunna, for funeral expenses. This small act brought some comfort to the grieving maid.
The day turned to night as expected, and under the full crimson moon hanging high in the sky, Seth made his way to the Kraken Bar. He wore a dark brown high-necked long coat, a black iron mask concealing his face, a golden revolver hidden beneath his coat, and shadow gloves on his hands.
The tavern was lively and noisy; that night, there was a gambling event. The game involved dogs catching mice; patrons could bet on which dog would catch the most or even place bets on specific ones.
Seth approached the bar and tapped on the counter.
"A glass of Southwell beer, please."
The bartender, Sanqi, glanced at him before serving the beer.
"You're a bit early. You'll have to wait."
"No problem. Is Bridge here? I still owe him 200 pounds." Seth lifted his mask slightly, just enough to sip his beer.
Sanqi wiped a glass and replied, "He went out tonight. Not sure where he went."
"In that case..."
Seth pulled out his wallet, counted 200 pounds, and placed the money on the counter.
"Give this to him for me."
Sanqi deftly pulled an envelope from under the counter, slipped the money inside, and stowed it away.
"Now, tell me about the employer. I'm here, so there's no need to keep secrets," Seth said, sipping his beer.
Sanqi shrugged. "Have you heard of Doug? Or maybe 'Black Tie'?"
"Doug? Black Tie?" Seth frowned slightly beneath his mask. The former name meant nothing to him, but the latter was familiar.
Then it hit him—he had heard about the Black Tie from Director Kaosi. It was the largest gang in Enqi Town, operating out of Qingyu Road. The gang members were known for always wearing a black bow tie, regardless of their attire.
"So, tonight's client is a member of this gang?" Seth considered whether to decline the job, as he had no fondness for gangsters, neither in his past life nor his current one.
Sanqi put down his glass and corrected him, "To be precise, the gang's leader."
"Tell me about this, Doug," Seth said, remembering the hunter's rule to gather information actively.
Sanqi gave him a sidelong glance before clearing his throat.
"Duke, you know the rules."
Seth chuckled and pulled out a 10-pound note.
"To hell with your rules."
The bartender gritted his teeth.
"You can't insult my work ethic with money!"
Seth laughed and pulled out another note.
"Damn it, Duke! You weren't like this before!"
The bartender quickly covered the bills with a cup and slid them toward himself.
"Listen, this is the last time. You can't keep doing this," Sanqi muttered as he pocketed the money.
Then, he leaned in and spoke in a lower voice, "Doug was once a nobody in this town. Born into poverty, his mother was from the streets; who knows which man fathered him? As a kid, he was always called 'Little Bastard.' Everyone used to shout 'Little Bastard' at him."