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Backlund's East Borough, Iron Gate Street.
Pale yellow mist permeated the surroundings, blurring the figures of passersby, and the chill of early morning seeped into their clothes.
Xio wore heavily padded boots and a thick beard, making herself look like a short man, with Fors, who wore a light brown peaked cap, beside her.
Originally, Xio was unwilling for her friend to risk herself by participating in the investigation, but ever since she learned that the price of that bracelet would endanger her friend's life, she completely changed her attitude.
Early in the morning, she pulled Fors, who was sprawled in bed, up, and using the authority of an Arbiter, forcefully took Fors out, preparing to help her friend accumulate enough contributions as soon as possible to exchange for a method to escape the influence of the full moon's whispers.
Fors rubbed her eyes, still blurry with sleep, and was about to yawn when she was choked by the pale yellow mist pervading the air, coughing several times before recovering, though this also made her much more awake.
Fors felt like she was about to crack; she had stayed up until dawn replying to her editor and organizing her manuscripts from this period.
After finally falling asleep, she kept dreaming of her body mutating into a disgusting Monster under a red full moon, waking up several times in fright, and then, just as she finally stopped dreaming, she was "forcefully booted up" by Xio.
Xio listened to her friend's constant grumbling complaints along the way and responded helplessly in a low voice:
"Alright, alright, I admit I was too impatient, but this is entirely due to you scaring yourself, isn't it? Well then, next time we'll leave at 9 AM, that should give you a bit more time, right?"
Fors chuckled, shamelessly leaning close to Xio and rubbing her head:
"How about 12 PM? We can go after lunch, that way we'll have more strength..."
Xio slapped away the hand on her head, her Arbiter's authority evident as she stared at her friend, and Fors's voice grew lower and lower until it was gradually inaudible.
Xio retracted her gaze, lowered her head, and hurried along, just like the early morning commuters around her, while Fors pouted and quickly followed.
The two arrived at the "Bravehearts Bar" deep in Iron Gate Street; during the day, the Bravehearts Bar was sparsely populated, as the alcoholics clearly only came here for entertainment after work in the evening.
Behind the counter, Kaspars Kalinin's face no longer held the anxiety of a few weeks ago; he was humming a tune and wiping glasses.
Seeing a short man enter with a tall lady, he immediately whistled and said with a smile, "What can I get for you two?"
Xio lowered her voice and said, "Kaspars Kalinin, Mr. Lucivide Joseph sent us."
Hearing the familiar voice, Kaspars Kalinin was slightly startled and stared for a while before recognizing that the short man in front of him was Xio.
After confirming their identities, Kaspars smiled again and personally led the two to a private room in the back, closed the Door, and pulled out two identification documents from a drawer, bearing the Backlund Police Department's insignia.
Kaspars smiled and handed the two documents to Fors and Xio, and meeting the two ladies' slightly puzzled gazes, he said with a smile:
"These are the documents that Lucivide left with me; they can help you with some investigations, and you can even borrow some more official power."
Xio took the document and glanced at the smiling Kaspars, still unable to resist asking, "What are you now?"
Kaspars's smile widened; with this semi-official support, he no longer had to worry about previous matters, and he cleared his throat and said:
"I am honored to be valued; I also serve that important figure. Mr. Lucivide will leave your tasks with me. Hmm, just like how you usually receive tasks, but afterward, we will all come to the private room for individual transactions."
Xio nodded, put away the document, and took the more detailed intelligence that Kaspars handed her, scanning it and pausing on a street name: "East Borough Black Palm Street."
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Fors took out her fake reporter's ID and followed Xio, who was disguised as a man, walking along Black Palm Street in the East Borough; the harsh environment made both of them frown involuntarily.
The two left the streets covered in trash and waste and walked along a tributary of the Tussock River in the East Borough.
As they walked, Xio saw a middle-aged man, forty or fifty years old, with graying temples and wearing a thick jacket, kneeling by the river in front of them; he was covering his face and weeping bitterly, with shoemaking tools scattered at his feet.
"Is he going to jump into the river to commit suicide?"
Not only in Loen, but across the entire Northern Continent, suicide is not only prohibited by the major churches but also subject to legal punishment.
As for the reason, Xio was originally unclear, until she gradually understood the relevant matters after encountering some strange things during bounty missions.
Firstly, many suicides choose to drown themselves, and if not discovered in time, there is a certain probability of turning into a water ghost. Secondly, the emotions of suicides are often very abnormal, and in this state, ending one's life is akin to "sacrifice," which may resonate with certain strange and terrifying existences.
Therefore, the Seven Orthodox Churches all prohibit their followers from committing suicide based on their own doctrines, and the royal family has also promoted corresponding legislation.
Xio frowned; although she didn't fully understand the specific situation yet, she still used her leg strength to appear behind the middle-aged man and drag him away from the riverside.
Pulled down by the sudden force, the middle-aged man raised his tear-stained, wrinkled face, his eyes filled with gloom.
Fors sighed, accustomed to Xio's meddling nature, and also walked up, took out her fake reporter's ID, and using the original reason of investigating missing persons, said to the man:
"Sir, I am a reporter, and I am here to investigate the living conditions of the people in the East Borough. You can tell me anything you've experienced, and I might be able to help you."
The man's originally gloomy eyes instantly lit up with a spark of hope; his voice was hoarse but full of pleading as he looked at Fors, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly:
"Miss Reporter, please save my family. I'll do anything you ask."
Fors, who had only been pretending to take out her notebook, paused slightly and exchanged glances with Xio, then somewhat helplessly helped the man up from the ground and led him to a nearby tree stump.
The middle-aged man hastily wiped the tears from his face, took off his jacket, and placed the cleaner side on the tree stump, saying respectfully, even humbly:
"Miss Reporter, please sit."
Fors sighed, did not sit down, and asked directly:
"You can tell me your story now."
A look of pain and daze flashed across the middle-aged man's face, finally turning numb, and he spoke in a hoarse voice:
"My name is Kohler. I used to live in a dilapidated house on the side of Black Palm Street. Everyone called me Old Kohler."
"I was originally a decent worker, had a wife, and two lovely children, a boy and a girl."
"But two weeks ago, they suddenly contracted an infectious disease. I was very lucky not to get sick, but I also stayed in the hospital for a few days, and therefore lost my job, lost everything."
Then his tone became agitated, full of pleading as he continued:
"I have nothing left now, only my two children who are still lying in the dilapidated house. I can no longer afford the hospital fees."
Fors didn't foolishly ask where his wife was, but instead looked at Xio for help.
She had originally thought that Old Kohler's family members were missing, and perhaps she could find clues about human trafficking, but the actual situation was beyond her expectations, leaving her somewhat at a loss, especially since they didn't have much time for the investigation.
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