Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 255 - 255 One hundred twelve

255: One hundred twelve.

Library Ghost 255: One hundred twelve.

Library Ghost These were far off concerns for Lu Li, as he wasn’t even a Regular Investigator yet.

However, Lu Li was quite interested in the difficulty grading of the events.

The difficulty of the exam to turn from an apprentice into a regular was only three-quarters of the simple level, and the Seeker’s trial was in Shadow Swamp…

Did that mean Shadow Swamp was not even simple level?

Or was this difficulty referring to the event’s difficulty, rather than the inherent difficulty of Shadow Swamp itself.

This passage turned out to be unexpectedly long.

Tristan had been talking for several minutes, and finally, something up ahead changed.

Stone stairs extending upward appeared at the end of the tunnel.

With the electric light spilling from above, Lu Li followed Tristan to the top of the stairs, where an old-fashioned wooden door stood incongruent with the overall style of the Investigator Base.

Tristan pushed open the wooden door, and a row of bookshelves filled with books appeared behind it.

Lu Li followed Tristan out of the underground passage, as Tristan closed the wooden door.

Lu Li looked back, the door’s color matched that of the wall, as it closed snugly, blending seamlessly into the wall, almost indistinguishable.

This was a secret passage.

Tristan led Lu Li around the bookshelves and into the library’s main hall.

The bleak light from the outside world passed through colored glass windows and spilled over onto the silent library corridors.

Rows of towering bookshelves, needing ladders to reach their tops, extended to the other side of the hall, with the scent of ink diffusing around them.

There were a few figures standing in front of the shelves, quietly leafing through the books.

“Is this above ground?”

For the purpose of natural light, the library had many tall windows placed high up, probably requiring one to stand on tiptoes to barely reach the window sill.

Tristan walked over to a counter in the corner of the library, explaining to Lu Li, “Books can’t be preserved well in the damp underground environment.

Moreover, we are no longer in the Investigator’s Base.”

“See those people?

Some of them are investigators, some are Night Watchmen, or exorcists with official backgrounds.

This is Belfast’s True Library, jointly established by the three major organizations, it’s the most comprehensive library in this region since the Night Calamity.”

“So if I come next time, can I come straight here?”

“That’s correct…

But you can also go to the base first…

then come here.”

It was hard to imagine someone as massive as Tristan speaking so tactfully, he was almost pleading with Lu Li to visit the base more often.

“I could do that,” Lu Li nodded.

He could stop by the base for a glass of milk along the way.

“However, if you want to leave, you can just go directly outside,” Tristan quickened his pace a bit, walking briskly toward the counter with an imposing step, waving to the staff member behind it as if greeting an old friend, “Reiss, will you take our little brother Lu Li out later?”

An elderly man in a grey robe, with glasses thick as bottle bottoms perched on his nose, was standing there.

“A new face?

No problem,” Reiss smiled warmly at Lu Li and nodded.

“Welcome to the True Library.”

Turning to Lu Li, Tristan said, “If you have questions about the books, you can ask Reiss; he knows about every single book here.”

Lu Li nodded, while Tristan waved to Reiss, “I’ll be heading back now.

Remember to let me know when new exercise books come in.”

“I will.”

Reiss’s eyes crinkled behind his glasses as he watched Tristan disappear behind the bookshelf in the corner, then turned to Lu Li, “Hello there, young man.”

“Hello.”

As a librarian, Reiss had seen all sorts of people, and Lu Li’s quietness was hardly a surprise, “Here, you can freely browse those books, but remember to keep quiet and don’t damage any of these precious volumes.

Also, due to the numerous issues brought by the Night Calamity, the books here can’t be borrowed; I hope you understand.”

The appearance of the forbidden books decree was not because of the calamity of the night itself, but the problems it extended.

After Lu Li wrote it down, Reese said with a smile, “You can browse freely, or tell me which type of book you want to see.”

“Books about geography and history.”

“Geography and history, huh…

pretty much what I thought.” Reese looked down and pondered for a moment before stretching out his hand to point at several rows of bookshelves near the middle.

“The seventh, eighth, ninth rows, most of the books there are on geography and history, you can find what you’re looking for there.”

Lu Li walked up to the bookcase Reese pointed to, circling around the ladder in front, and looked at the rows and rows of books squeezed between the shelves—these were the condensed history of this world.

Croutia War History

Principality of Bensenkfort Authentic Records

His gaze skimmed over the spines of books one by one, their titles failing to ignite any interest in Lu Li to flip through them.

Lu Li didn’t even know where Croutia and the Benson Croft Duchy were located.

These books were too detailed; Lu Li needed something more macroscopic, more expansive, like the history of the entire continent or a map of the world.

In terms of geography and history, Lu Li’s knowledge was so scant he couldn’t even compare to a child.

Hodgkin’s United Empire History

Marine History

Still the characters Lu Li recognized but did not understand.

He continued forward, unwittingly reaching the middle of the bookshelf.

As he proceeded to step further, a semi-translucent skirt suddenly appeared in his path.

“Are you looking for a book?”

Lu Li shifted his gaze from the bookshelf and looked at the transparent figure blocking his way.

It was an ephemeral silhouette so vague that it was unclear, adorned in a long dress of indiscernible color.

The constantly changing face was like the rippling surface of water, twisting and deforming, provoking intense nausea and fear.

There was no hint of presence coming from her, as if there was nothing there at all.

“A ghost?” Lu Li looked at her curiously.

His Spirit-Calling Gun was at his waist, but he had no intention of reaching for it.

This was a library with the backing of the three major organizations and officialdom; Lu Li didn’t think there would be anything strange here.

The voice came from the face that was unbearable to look at directly: “I am the Library Ghost, responsible for helping people find the books they want.”

“Do you know where the books on continental history and world maps are?” Lu Li asked, then after a thought, added, “Books suitable for someone who has not been exposed to history and maps before.”

“There is one book that might be very suitable for you.”

The Library Ghost said, lifting her arm to point behind and to the side of Lu Li: “The brown-covered one in the seventh row, that’s it.”

Lu Li followed the direction she pointed, and saw a red-covered book on the bookshelf about three to four decimeters above his head.

“Thank you.”

Lu Li turned around to say, but found that there was nothing there, tiny dust motes wandering in the light between the bookshelves.

Looking around, Lu Li temporarily shelved his curiosity about the Library Ghost, went back to the bookshelf she had pointed to, reached up,and pulled out the book with the brown cover.

The cover of the book featured a wooden cabin in the middle of a jungle, the brown cover matching the color of the cabin.

The door was open, and a trail of footprints extended from the inside towards the distance.

The Steps of Mankind

A book with a rather peculiar title.