They poured coffee, returned to the armory to retrieve the thick stack of historical materials and those draft explanations that Old Neil had prepared, and Klein walked along the rows of gas lamps, turning towards the stairs leading to Blackthorn Security Company. Tap, tap, tap, the footsteps echoed in the sealed and silent underground. Klein walked up the spiral staircase, pushed open the door, made a brief identification, and headed straight for the second office on the opposite side. After two days of familiarization, he had roughly figured out the layout of Blackthorn Security Company: The entrance was a spacious reception hall with a set of sofas and chairs. Through the partition, it was the inner area. The three rooms on the left side of the corridor from near to far were the accountant's office for Mrs. Oliaanna, a lounge with several sofa beds, and the stairs leading to the underground. The three rooms on the right side from near to far were the office of Captain Dunn Smith, the clerical staff's office equipped with a typewriter, and the entertainment room for the night watch team's regular members. Klein had seen Leonard Mitchell playing cards in the entertainment room with two other team members before. He guessed it was Solitaire, but of course, Lord Rosel had renamed it "Battle of Evil", only the gameplay was no different from what Klein knew. After the night shift, Brett would have a day of rest. Rosan was at the reception desk, responsible for purchasing, applying for supplies, and working as a coachman. Zesil Francis, who always went out, went out as usual when Klein pushed open the door of the clerical staff's office. Inside, all three desks were empty, and the mechanical typewriter was quietly placed. "Acxon Company's Model 1346 typewriter..." Klein whispered to himself, noticing the faintly visible complex control system filled with mechanical beauty. He walked to the desk with the typewriter, sat down, and pondered for a while, attempting virtual typing. At first, he always instinctively processed it as pinyin. When he became familiar with it, he "digested" the corresponding memory fragments of the original owner and no longer made mistakes. Tap, tap, tap! The rhythmic keyboard tapping sound was like a hard and rigid piece of music from metal and industry. Under the accompaniment of this melody, Klein quickly completed the application documents for the budget. But he didn't rush to find Dunn Smith. Instead, he controlled his emotions and carefully read the historical materials provided by Old Neil, both as a review and as a study. As the sun was approaching noon, he moved his neck, put away the materials, and based on the draft of the "Mysticism Course", reviewed and consolidated the content he had learned in the morning. It was only at this point that he took the "application form" and came to the adjacent office, gently knocking on the door. Dunn was waiting for the delivery of lunch. After seeing the document passed by Klein, his mouth slightly curled up: "Did Old Neil teach you this?" "Uh-huh." Klein didn't hesitate to betray Old Neil. Dunn picked up the dark red pen and scribbled a signature: "Exactly, I'm applying for the budget for July, August, and September to the church and the county police department. I'll include you in it. Once the approval comes, I'll go to Mrs. Oliaanna to withdraw it. The spirit table can be claimed this afternoon." "Okay." Klein replied succinctly and forcefully. His tone and gaze were tinged with obvious joy. Before leaving, he casually asked: "Shouldn't the budget for July, August, and September have been applied for in June?" There's no such thing as applying for the budget for July when it's already July. Dunn was silent for a few seconds, picked up the coffee cup, took a sip, and said: "Three cases happened in a row in June, so busy, so some things were forgotten." Surely, it's the captain with poor memory... Klein knew he had asked the wrong question. He chuckled twice and hurried out. So, he began a simple and regular life. He spent half an hour meditating in the morning, had two hours of mysticism classes in the afternoon, spent one and a half hours mastering historical materials, took a nap in the lounge after lunch to regain his energy. Then, he collected bullets and went to the "shooting club" to practice. After the practice, he would take a walk to Welch's residence, which was not far away, changed the route, walked back to Iron Cross Street, which could save the cost of a public carriage ride. If there was still time left, he would master skills such as clairvoyance and spirit table, and also buy some groceries. ... In a private chemistry laboratory fully equipped with instruments and supplies. The tall, blonde, and elegant Audrey gazed at the cup in her hand, seeing countless bubbles rising, making the atmosphere become serene. Finally, the liquid in the cup settled into a thick, silvery white. "Haha, I really have a talent for mysticism. I succeeded at once! I was worried about failure before and prepared two sets of materials!" The girl said happily to herself. She put away all the remaining materials from the family treasure chest and the ones exchanged from others, took a deep breath, and prepared to close her eyes and drink the "Audience" potion. Just then, outside the laboratory came the "woof woof woof" sound, and Audrey frowned. She gently placed the cup with the silvery white liquid swirling in it into the dark corner, turned around, and walked to the door. "Suzy, who's here?" Audrey turned the handle and asked the golden-haired big dog sitting at the door. Suzy the golden-haired big dog wagged its tail, looking pleasing, and the personal maid Annie appeared in the nearby corridor. Audrey walked out of the laboratory, pulled the door shut behind her, and looked at Annie: "Not as I said? Don't disturb me when I'm doing a chemistry experiment." Annie replied helplessly: "But there's an invitation from the Duchess's lady-in-waiting, Lady DeLafontaine." "Mrs. Negan Duke?" Audrey stepped forward a few steps and approached Annie. "Yes, she invited Mrs. Vivi, the court baker, to have afternoon tea with you and you." Annie said about the invitation card. Audrey slightly puffed out her cheeks and said: "Tell my mother that I feel dizzy, perhaps the sunlight is too strong, and I'm a little dehydrated. Please ask her on my behalf to say sorry to Lady DeLafontaine." While speaking, she made a weak expression. "Miss, this is not just afternoon tea, but also a literary salon." Annie added. "But this can't cure my dizziness. I need to rest." Audrey firmly refused. At the same time, she silently muttered to herself: If I persist, then I'll faint for you to see. The etiquette teacher said this action was very perfect... I seem to hear something? "OK." Annie exhaled and said, "Do you need me to help you back to your room?" "No, I'll clean up the laboratory first." Audrey wished to return immediately and take the potion. But she still controlled her temper and watched Annie go far away before turning back to the laboratory door. Suddenly, she noticed that the golden-haired big dog Suzy, who was supposed to be outside, was gone, and the laboratory door was half open. "I forgot that Suzy can open doors with handles... What sound? Not good!" Audrey heard a crisp sound from inside and suddenly had an idea, rushed into the laboratory. What she could see was the broken cups and the last drop of silvery white liquid licked off by Suzy the golden-haired big dog. Audrey stood dumbfounded at the door, as if a statue. Suzy the golden-haired big dog sat upright, looking at her with innocent eyes, wagging its tail. ... In the open sea off the coast of Prizh Port, on an island always shrouded in storms, an ancient sailing ship was anchored in the harbor. A man with soft yellow hair and wearing a long robe with lightning patterns looked at the opposite Algie Wilson, saying in great confusion: "Algie, you could have returned to the kingdom and become the leader of the Punisher Squad or a respectable bishop. Why choose to go out to sea and become the captain of the 'Dark Blue Avenger'?" Algie's rugged and profound face had no additional expressions. He replied solemnly and seriously: "The sea belongs to the storms. This is the realm of the Lord. I am willing to follow the will of the Lord and patrol this realm on His behalf." "Alright." The man with yellow hair clenched his fists and patted his chest, "The storms are with you." "The storms are with you." Algie replied with the standard courtesy. He stood on the deck with only a few crew members, watching his companions leave the ghost ship and walk further and further away. "Seans, you don't understand because you don't know enough..." Algie whispered silently. Meanwhile, Audrey completed the second concoction with trepidation. Looking at the silver-white potion that was no different from before, she was moved to the point of almost crying. Breath, she took a small, quick gulp of the "Audience" potion. ... A heavy rainstorm hit Tingen, and the raindrops were pounding against all the windows. Inside Blackthorn Security Company, Klein, Rosan, and Brett were sitting on the sofa in the reception hall, enjoying their lunch on the table. Since there was only a stove for boiling water here, it was impossible to heat the leftovers, and Klein couldn't possibly eat black bread every day, or take a public carriage back - doing so would mean he would have to consider taking a carriage back in the afternoon, which would be very wasteful of money. So, he had to follow Rosan and other colleagues and eat the so-called "office meal". - The old Wil restaurant nearby would send a waiter at exactly 10:30 every day to inquire how many people needed lunch here. After determining the quantity, they would bring it at 12:30 noon, served in a container similar to a lunch box, and at 3:00 pm they would come to ask if they wanted dinner and collect the utensils. This "meal" had meat, vegetables, bread, and although the portions weren't very large, it was still enough to satisfy one person. The price ranged from 7 pence to 10 pence for each meal, with different grades. Klein was bold enough to always choose the 7 pence option. Usually, it had half a pound of oat bread, a small piece of meat cooked in different ways, a spoonful of vegetable thick soup, and a little cream or butter. "Today there was only one night watchman here..." Rosan used a spoon to put the thick soup in her mouth. "I heard there was a case in the Golden Willow District, with elements of a cult, so the police department hired two night watchmen to go there..." Brett put down the bread. Klein dipped the remaining oat bread in the last gravy and put it in his mouth, without speaking. In the cuff of his left sleeve, there was a silver chain with a hanging yellow crystal vaguely entwined. Just then, there were thumping sounds coming from the half-opened door. "... "Come in." Rosan paused for a moment, placed the spoon down, quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and then stood up and said. The door was pushed open, and a man wearing a half-high top hat and whose left shoulder of the black formal suit was wet entered. He had gray hair at the temples and was holding a folded umbrella. Looking at Klein and others, he said: "Is this the former mercenary team?" "It can be said so," Rosan replied familiarly. The tall and thin man coughed and said: "I have a task I want to entrust."
