Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 409 - 409 Two hundred sixty-six

409: Two hundred sixty-six.

New changes 409: Two hundred sixty-six.

New changes “Lu Li’s encounter shows us that on the night we thought the story had ended, the story was actually still unfolding, and we therefore missed a lot of crucial information, such as why the male protagonist died,”

“Would his Excellency the Investigator care to enlighten us with something unexpected?” Vinson’s bored voice sounded from the side.

“Don’t rush me.” Petra didn’t get angry at Vinson’s impertinence but continued politely, “I wonder if you noticed that the methods of the female protagonist have changed.”

He glanced at Lu Li and continued, “Lu Li and I had what could be considered one-on-one encounters with her, and coincidentally, she attacked both of us on the first two occasions, but both attempts failed.

These failures led Sara to change her strategy and begin using other methods to obtain corpses—such as instigating infighting among us.”

Surveying everyone present, Petra said, “She wants to use our personalities against us, to have us kill each other.

After all, she needs our corpses, and it doesn’t really matter who’s the killer.”

“Why doesn’t she do it herself?

She despises me, her personal maid so much, she should really want to kill me with her own hands,” the Baron said nonchalantly, watching her fingernails.

“After all, she has to stick to the logic of the story.

A noble girl without a weapon and without strength, killing two people, then more?” Vinson replied lazily, “Readers would curse the ‘author’ for being unreasonable.”

A dense black line emerged, and from the boiling black mist, a withered claw hung down.

Vinson lifted his eyelids and said casually, “I was just talking about a detective novel.”

The withered claw and the mist vanished into the ceiling.

Petra looked away and continued, “Her actions gave me a new idea… She wants corpses, so let’s give her corpses.”

Sara needs corpses to resurrect, so provide her with corpses.

There was a brief silence in the hall.

The sound of high-quality wood crackling in the fireplace, rain beating against the windows, and the wind rustling through the treetops, bringing the rumble of distant thunder from the clouds, could be heard.

Vinson broke the silence, “Although I’ve been retired for several years now, the last thing I want is to get involved with anything illegal.”

“Mr.

Petra is referring to the corpses of characters in the story,” the butler responded matter-of-factly.

“I was just joking, seriously, no sense of humor,” Vinson said with an uninterested demeanor.

“The characters that currently appear to our senses are limited,” Lu Li spoke up.

“In the manor, the only real appearances have been Sara, the Viscount, Sara’s few teachers, and the occasional supporting character due to the story, such as a gardener.”

Plenty of characters did turn up on the night of the dinner, but they disappeared with the end of it and were highly unlikely to appear again.

Petra smiled, “What if we took the initiative to ‘create’ supporting characters?

Lu Li, you know better than anyone that the story can be changed through certain actions.”

After a few seconds of silence, Lu Li nodded, “It’s worth a try.”

“Great, we’ve just gone from being victims to perpetrators,” Vinson leaned back into the sofa.

“Do you have a problem with that?” Petra asked, hearing the sarcasm in Vinson’s tone.

“Indeed I do.

As a survivor who once escaped from its ritual, I don’t think this behavior will change anything,” Vinson said, brushing dust off his pants.

“Your idea might be good, but it’s not suitable for it.

The protagonist may no longer bother us if there are enough corpses.

But have you thought about how the story will evolve next?

‘The protagonist discovers a series of bizarre corpses appearing in the woodshed, resurrects her lover while secretly investigating and identifies the murderer.

After bringing back her lover, she chooses to expose the murderer and lives happily ever after with her love’?

What a nice story.”

At the end, Vinson applauded sarcastically.

Petra did not share the sentiment, his view was the opposite of Vinson’s: “But it has no need to target us.”

The Shadow of Puppetry’s ritual is more about telling a good story—the death of the people in the ritual is merely incidental.

“Of course, it won’t target us actively, just as we wouldn’t target ants on the ground, but crush them inadvertently while walking,”

Petra mused and then asked, “Mr.

Vinson, did something like this happen during your last experience?”

Vinson paused for a moment, then nodded in response, “Yes.”

“I will consider it.” Petra sighed and stopped discussing the plan.

She addressed everyone, “What should we do now?

The story doesn’t pause at night, indicating that we are not safe.

Should we distance ourselves from the plot, or should we get closer to the heroine to gather information?”

As she finished speaking, Petra looked towards Vinson.

Despite the old man’s sharp tongue, the advantage his survivor status brought was something none of the others had.

After thinking for a bit, Vinson said, “Do nothing, keep things as they are.

However, just in case, it’s best we stay in one room.”

Petra did not express an opinion.

Approaching might yield more intelligence, but it also posed greater danger.

The butler Lulu said to everyone, “You can go to the second floor’s piano room, which is the farthest from the Baron’s bedroom.

I will have the maids move some couches there later.

My Lord Baron?”

Baron Joseph, aware of what the butler wanted to express, waved his hand to show he did not mind the arrangement, but he had other concerns—

“Are you going back tonight?

There are many empty rooms in the manor…”

“Going back.”

The Detective Agency was safer than the manor.

The possibility of Sara leaving the manor to kill Lu Li at the Detective Agency was slim—and even if she came, she wouldn’t likely succeed with Anna’s interference.

Vinson’s advantage was his knowledge about The Shadow of Puppetry.

Lu Li’s advantage was Anna, hidden in the shadows.

If it weren’t for the heavy rain that made it difficult for Lu Li to enter Elm Forest and seek refuge at the shelter, protected by the consciousness of the Deep Sea Stone and Elm Forest, Lu Li would have been safer.

Unable to keep Lu Li, the Baron moodily ordered the Head Maid to prepare the carriage.

Amidst their farewells, Lu Lili left Baron Joseph’s Manor and returned to her home on Sailor Street.

The scent of mold on the wooden boards pervaded every corner, and the whispers of neighbors along with the cries of children drifted in from the corridor, inexplicably relaxing.

After placing smokeless coal in the stove and washing up, Lu Li lay down on the cold sofa.

“I miss Annie.” Anna’s voice came from the bedroom.

“We’ll go to the cliffs after we deal with The Shadow of Puppetry,” Lu Li said.

“Mm, goodnight, Lu Li.”

…

The carriage entered the manor grounds, circled around the fountain pool, and stopped in front of the residence.

Some eerie, pitch-black figures wandered around the manor.

Noticing this, Lu Li quickened her pace, walked through the maid-opened doorway into the dining room, and saw Baron Petra and others dining.

“When I woke up this morning, these ghostly things were all over the manor,” the Baron complained to Lu Li with a look of disgust.

“We found them all over the manor after we woke up,” Petra also said.

Right at that moment, in the dining room, two dark figures were wandering around.

Until today, such a scene had never occurred.

It was as if The Shadow of Puppetry was giving Petra a chance to implement her plan.