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On Thursday morning, Leyton and Klein arrived together at a cheap cafe in the East Borough.
Leyton's original plan was to find the Zmanger Gang, while Klein was going to fulfill his appointment with his informant in the East Borough, Old Kohler.
Leyton followed Klein into the cheap cafe and stopped in a corner.
Before they arrived, an old man in a worn, thick jacket was already sitting there, having a piece of black bread with a cup of tea that barely tasted like tea.
Klein sat directly opposite him, took out a stack of banknotes he had prepared in advance, and pushed them towards him.
Old Kohler stared at them intently for a while before reaching out to take them, his hands trembling as he pulled them closer.
He examined them repeatedly, even raising a hand to rub his eyes, not even noticing that Leyton had also sat down at the table, a smile forced onto his somewhat numb face as he said,
"At the dock, we move heavy goods, step on cold, dirty water, and do some troublesome cleaning, all for only about one Soli a day."
Klein listened in silence, and after a few seconds, he asked, "Have you heard anything recently? Noticed any situations?"
Old Kohler carefully put away the money Klein had given him, then took another sip of the bland tea and said,
"Recently, a saying has spread from who knows where, asking why, since we believe in one of the Seven Deities, we don't pray directly to the Creator at the source?"
"It says He is within everyone, in all things, and has never truly passed away."
"By praying to Him, we can attain salvation. His radiance will guide us out of suffering and lead us to a world where everyone is happy and equal!"
Is this... the Aurora Order's theory after some changes? Is the Aurora Order starting to pay attention to the common people in places like the East Borough and Dock District? How did the idea of a world where everyone is happy and equal get linked to the Aurora Order?
Klein's suspicious gaze fell on Leyton, trying to see some change in his expression.
Leyton calmly met Klein's gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips, which parted slightly as he silently mouthed a sentence to him:
"This version of the Aurora Order is better than a terrorist organization, right?"
Old Kohler didn't notice their interaction and continued to ramble on:
"Detective, as you instructed, I've been keeping an eye on the textile workers. Their struggle ultimately failed."
"But, hah, those who led became factory supervisors, and one-third of them lost their jobs."
"Some are actively looking for new work, some have become streetwalkers, and some have disappeared. The entire East Borough is in chaos."
The inevitability of the era, the advancement of the Black Emperor and the Visionary. For Them, these are necessary sacrifices. Indeed, the Demon of Knowledge, who promotes civilization and spreads knowledge, aligns more with my views and personality!
While Leyton was deep in thought, Old Kohler had already finished telling Klein the information he had gathered.
Klein picked up the cane and hat he had placed aside, stood up, and said, "Take me to see them. I am a Detective, and perhaps I can help them find people."
Before Old Kohler could refuse, he spoke again, "I occasionally do some volunteer work!"
Led by Old Kohler, Leyton and Klein arrived at a damp room in a slightly old apartment building.
Leyton did not enter, merely watching everything quietly from outside.
There was a middle-aged woman with many wrinkles on her face, her eyes devoid of spirit, lifelessly and numbly doing laundry.
And a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl in old, thin clothes, sitting by the bed, sobbing continuously.
Leyton, standing alone outside, did not wait long before Klein and Old Kohler walked out together.
After saying his goodbyes, Old Kohler waved and walked towards another street.
Klein's gaze fell on Leyton, who stood quietly to the side, his expression calm:
"Let's go. We'll have to delay a bit longer. I want to help them find someone."
Leyton nodded noncommittally and said, "No problem. I'm not short on time. There's a saying: 'This world is broken, but there are always people mending it.'"
"Heh!" Klein said self-deprecatingly, "I'm just providing some help that doesn't affect me, within my sight and within my capabilities. I'm far from that noble!"
"Don't belittle yourself. At least, you have more empathy, kindness, and integrity than me, and than most people in this world. And you don't lack actions to help others."
Leyton's voice rarely carried such a serious and earnest tone.
As he spoke, Klein had already begun divining with Daisy's "wordbook."
"There's a result, northwest direction... It's temporarily impossible to determine if there's interference."
Klein quickly drew a conclusion based on his divination.
Following the divination's guidance, they left the East Borough, constantly changing directions, and finally arrived at Iris Street in Cherwood Borough, near the West Borough, stopping in front of a house with a vast lawn, a spacious garden, a small fountain plaza, and marble statues.
A pale purple halo flashed in Leyton's eyes as he casually scanned the front.
He saw guards patrolling back and forth inside the iron fence, and dogs with their tongues hanging out, as well as Beyonders inside the house.
Klein also noticed the strict security here, his brows slightly furrowed:
"What is this place? How could the disappearance of an ordinary little girl from the East Borough involve such a dangerous place?"
"This is the home of the wealthy Kaping. Evidently, the little girl named Daisy encountered a large human trafficking organization."
Leyton revealed some of the information he knew.
Klein was silent for a moment, recalling information about Kaping.
In many rumors, he was a bloody-handed crime Boss, linked to many cases of missing girls!
In reality, he was a wealthy man who knew many important figures.
Leyton saw the changing expression on Klein's face and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Let's come back tonight. There's more than one Beyonder inside that house. Whatever you want to do, it'll be too conspicuous during the day."
Klein's expression became much graver. He sighed and nodded slightly.
Leyton's hand, resting on Klein's shoulder, did not withdraw. He directly led Klein into a Spirit World roam, leaving Kaping's house.
Inside a small booth at a cafe.
Fors had been talking with the old man opposite her for some time and learned that his name was Lawrence Nord, from Midseashire County, and he was a public school teacher.
She could roughly confirm that he should be from the family Mrs. Aulisa had mentioned. Could he also be a Beyonder? Does he have the ability to divine?
Fors took a small sip of coffee, organizing her words:
"I used to be a doctor at a private clinic nearby. Mrs. Aulisa often came for treatment then, and at that time, her husband Laubero had already passed away..."
"I occasionally kept her company and helped her with some things..."
"So, she eventually made a will, giving her savings and cash to me, and donating jewelry, books, furniture, and other items to charity, supervised by the law firm she designated."
Because she was worried that the old gentleman opposite her might also be a Beyonder and possess the ability to divine, Fors chose not to lie, only slightly concealing some things, for example, that Mrs. Aulisa had given her husband's Beyonder characteristic to her...
Lawrence reached out and pinched his forehead, saying, "That's truly a pity."
"Thank you for telling me; this has helped me understand some things."
"By the way, where are Laubero and Aulisa buried?"
"Green graveyard."
Fors answered, then took out her pocket watch from her bag to check the time, saying, "Mr. Lawrence, I have other matters to attend to. I should leave."
Lawrence did not stop her. After getting up to see her off, he sat back down, rubbing his temples in distress, muttering to himself:
"Laubero passed away and left no children. I wonder where Aulisa put his Beyonder characteristic. She never wanted to contact us, never wanted to bear the responsibility of the surname..."
"Is the Abraham Family really going to slowly die out like this?"
Lawrence sat in the cheap cafe, unable to stop recalling the suffering the Abraham Family had endured over the years.
He had originally come to Backlund to find his two brothers, Laubero and Sam.
Now, he suddenly realized that he was the only member left of his father's branch of the Abraham Family.
He himself was already nearing eighty, and all his children had perished in the disaster brought by Botis, the Saint of Mysteries of the Aurora Order.
Just recalling these things, the sorrow in his heart poured out uncontrollably.
What truly pained him was seeing no hope for revenge, no dawn for the family's glory to be restored.
"Where does the future of the Abraham Family truly lie?"
Lawrence picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, then fell into a long silence.
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