The next day, Klein arrived in front of a slightly dilapidated building according to the address on the business card.
The bricks on the exterior wall of the building were already somewhat peeling, covered with various mottled marks, looking at least several decades old.
Seeing two burly men dressed in gray uniforms, seemingly guards, in front of the building, Klein realized he hadn't come to the wrong place.
"Truth Union… It looks truly unpretentious," Klein muttered to himself, his fingers gently rubbing the gold-embossed business card in his pocket.
After a night of deliberation, he still decided to go to this Union to check out the situation.
He walked straight forward, and one of the guards reached out to stop him: "Identification."
"Identification?"
After a second of thought, Klein handed over the business card Charles Horn had given him.
The guard took the business card, scrutinized Klein for a few moments, then nodded slightly, "Please enter."
"Thank you." Klein took back his business card and walked straight to the main door.
Upon pushing open the main door, Klein's pupils contracted slightly.
Unlike its dilapidated exterior, the interior structure of this building was unexpectedly spacious. In the brightly lit hall, the walls were covered with various wanted posters, case summaries, and maps.
Even more striking was that hundreds of people were gathered in the hall.
"That guy definitely used a fake identity! I checked the docks, and there's no such person at all!"
An excited voice came from the left, and Klein glimpsed a scruffy middle-aged man pounding on a table, a stack of yellowed lists spread out before him.
"Heh, you're still investigating? I told you long ago, if he used his real identity, the bounty wouldn't still be up now."
…
The entire space was filled with low conversations and the rustling of turning papers.
"Cough, cough…" A smell of smoke wafted over, and Klein frowned slightly.
In a corner, a man with a weathered face was examining a yellowed piece of paper with a magnifying glass, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Compared to an ordinary detective, his appearance was much rougher.
Not only detectives, but also many bounty Hunters… That's right, bounty Hunters and detectives can, to some extent, be considered colleagues.
Moreover, there seemed to be Beyonders around… Sensing the faint spiritual reactions, Klein confirmed a fact.
This was not just a simple detective union; it was also a gathering place for wild Beyonders!
The ability to gather such a large number of special individuals without being encircled by the Church was enough to show the profound background of this Union.
Because of stable Rewards and certain safety guarantees, it attracted many wild Beyonders… And because there was a certain order, it could indirectly help the Church manage wild Beyonders, so the existence of the Union was tacitly allowed by the Official, right?
No, perhaps it was a check by the government on the Church, who knows… As a former Church member, Klein thought of this possibility.
'I didn't expect there really are Beyonder detectives like me!' he muttered in his heart.
Given this, it seems a lot of information can indeed be obtained here.
"Excuse me, sir, you're blocking the way."
A short figure came before Klein, who was deep in thought, and reminded him.
"Uh, sorry." Klein moved his feet, stepping aside.
Are there child laborers in the Union? That height shouldn't be a member, right? Klein looked at the other person's back, feeling a little confused.
"Mr. Moriarty, welcome!"
Seeing someone call out his name, Klein turned around and saw Charles Horn walking towards him with a wide smile, his gold-rimmed glasses glinting in the light.
"It's good to see you. It seems you've decided to join us?"
"Still considering it, just wanted to come and see the situation first." Klein answered honestly, "But… your conditions are indeed very tempting."
Upon hearing this, Charles's lips curved upwards, and he patted his shoulder: "Then would you like to look at the contract with me first?"
…
Charles's office was located at the end of the third floor, spacious and tidy, with heavy archives filling the bookshelves and several oil paintings hanging on the walls.
"The contract is very simple, just some basic matters." Charles took out a document from a drawer and handed it to Klein.
Klein took the contract and began to browse… Confidentiality agreement, commission split ratio, prohibition of privately accepting high-value commissions…
Note: The Union will charge an 8% handling fee for each commission, used for organizational operations.
8%, Klein's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly… He was always very sensitive about money.
Although 8% didn't seem like much, accumulated over a long time, it would definitely not be a small sum.
"The commission seems a bit high," he asked.
"You can't look at it that way." Charles showed a smile, "You have to understand, the Union's intelligence network, the food provided, and subsidies for new members, etc., all require costs."
"From a long-term perspective, joining the Union will at least double your commission volume, and you will naturally earn more money. A little commission is actually nothing."
"Moreover…" Charles lowered his voice, "If you provoke certain forces for some reason, we will help you, as long as it doesn't violate the rules."
Insurance… Klein immediately thought of this word… Judging by the other party's tone, would it even apply if he was caught by the Church?
No wonder it attracted so many wild Beyonders.
Looking at the contract before him, Klein fell into deep thought. He recalled the divination result from yesterday on the gray fog, and the current situation of intelligence shortage.
"I'll join."
After confirming there were no hidden clauses, he picked up the pen and signed the name "Sherlock Moriarty."
"A wise choice." Charles collected the contract with satisfaction, then took out a metallic card and 5 pounds in banknotes from another drawer, handing them to Klein.
"This is the promised subsidy, and your identification card. Please keep it safe."
Identification card, so modern? Klein took the card and found it to be much thicker than a regular business card, with a piece of metal about the size of half a coin embedded in its center.
"This is…?"
"A small piece of gold. You can directly detach it and use it in an emergency. It's a kind of Union welfare," Charles explained with a smile.
Klein nodded, "Very thoughtful."
"Of course." Charles pushed up his glasses.
Klein put away the card and said nothing more.
"Well then, Mr. Moriarty." Charles stood up and pointed to the clock on the wall, "Would you like to check out the restaurant? Today's lunch is roasted meat patties and Dixie pie."
Klein's stomach let out a subtle protest at the opportune moment… It was indeed time for lunch.
"Please lead the way."
…
Bayam.
After a few days of sailing, Luo En finally arrived at this "City of Generosity."
"As expected of the capital, the level of development is indeed higher than other places, and housing prices probably aren't cheap either."
The scenery of the coastal city did bring Luo En a sense of novelty.
He held a "Tyana" drink, bought from a vendor and served in a fruit shell, intending to find a bar or cafe to inquire about information.
However, when he turned into a small alley, he unexpectedly encountered an acquaintance.
"Shit, why are you here?"
Danitz looked at Luo En, who had just turned into the alley entrance, with a horrified expression.
This… Is it such a coincidence? Luo En's mouth twitched; his expression wasn't much better.
Someone repeatedly appearing in front of him was not a good sign, reminding him of the situation back in Tingen.
The two looked at each other, neither making a move.
"You're with them!" Danitz gritted his teeth, being the first to question.
Them? Who are they? Luo En was a bit confused, but seeing Danitz's desperate stance, he also prepared to draw his gun and shoot.
Just as Luo En was considering his next move, several hurried footsteps came from behind Danitz.
"Blaze, you can't escape!"