Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 427 - 427 Two Hundred Thirty-Four

427: Two Hundred Thirty-Four.

A Day on the Cliff Top 427: Two Hundred Thirty-Four.

A Day on the Cliff Top As noon approached, the carriage reached the cliff top.

The terrifying flashes of thunder shimmered in the clouds, creating a more oppressive feeling than seeing it from the city.

Anna went to check on Annie’s condition.

Lu Li unhitched the carriage and led the horses into the cave.

After passing through the curtain of water at the cave’s entrance, the sound of rain no longer filled their ears, and the surroundings became relatively quiet.

Lu Li tied the horses to a rock outside the shelter and walked into the shelter.

The room in the shelter was much drier than the Detective Agency.

The few remaining books showed no signs of moisture damage.

Lu Li picked up an oil lamp, lit it, and then walked out of the room.

This oil lamp was placed by Lu Li on the rock, left there for the horses.

After finishing these tasks, Lu Li walked out of the cave and vanished into the curtain of rain.

…

Anna’s forehead lightly touched the tree trunk, feeling Annie’s consciousness.

Lu Li came from behind her, the oil lamp in his hand emitting a misty glow.

“How is she?”

The emotions encircling Annie in the forest were so clear, and the uncomplicated concern made anyone nearing the area involuntarily recall warm memories from their past.

They were helping Annie.

Anna stepped away from the tree trunk and told Lu Li, “She’s become stable, but she hasn’t woken up yet.”

“Will the storm affect her?”

The rain itself wasn’t important.

The terrain at the cliff top was the highest point, so there was no risk of flooding, but the fierce winds could be too much for the trees to bear.

Lu Li looked into the distance.

The light from the lighthouse in the reef area pierced through the thick, dark rain curtain, shining into the distance.

The pitch-black sea surged with waves.

“The Elm Forest will protect her,” Lu Li said.

Annie was in the center of this forest atop the cliff, where the edge winds could hardly reach her.

Lu Li picked up some branches either brought down by the fierce wind or already fallen prior to it, carrying them and joining Anna beside the carriage.

They moved supplies from the carriage into the shelter.

The wood they had collected last time was now dry.

Lu Li used it to start a fire in the fireplace.

The fire in the fireplace gradually became vigorous and bright, dispelling the chill inside the cave.

A metal can filled with rainwater was placed by the fireplace to heat up.

The steady, warm glow from the fireplace radiated out, occasionally punctuated by soft crackling sounds.

Outside the cave entrance, the sound of rain reduced to a mere “shushing”, while tranquil music continuously played from the radio.

An atmosphere named comfort and safety flowed within the shelter.

“Are we not going back today?” Anna asked.

“Mmm.”

Lu Li needed to confirm that the shelter was truly suitable for long-term survival, and so far everything seemed fine, just…

He looked at Anna.

“Is the Deep Sea Stone suppressing your aura?”

The aura radiating around Anna had become dull and weak after entering the shelter.

Anna quietly nodded.

Under normal circumstances, she would have been eager to share this with Lu Li, but now, her mood made her seem almost like another Lu Li.

Fortunately, she still enjoyed reading.

Lu Li prepared the bed with a fluffy, soft blanket, hung up his coat in the closet, rolled up his sleeves, and began to work on the unfinished floor and walls.

Occasionally, Anna would turn her head to watch Lu Li busying himself, staring for a long while.

Deep Sea Stones seemed not only to suppress ghosts but also to reduce the unceasing visions that Lu Li experienced upon entering the shelter.

No longer would Lu Li pick up a cup filled with swirling eyeballs or lay on the sofa with the ceiling covered in sticky hair.

So, Lu Li pondered, did the massive accumulation of Deep Sea Stones have other effects?

Lu Li recalled the source of the Deep Sea Stones—a mountain in the deep sea, its bottom unreachably deep.

Was this mountain made of Deep Sea Stones sealing something existent beneath the ocean abyss?

However, this was none of his concern.

The Exorcists wouldn’t have continued mining if they hadn’t surmised as much, which meant the benefits outweighed the risks.

Lu Li was not fast at paving with Deep Sea Stones, but he now had plenty of time to do this task.

As time passed, nearing the evening, Lu Li had finished laying a cubic meter of Deep Sea Stones.

The shelter was partially restored.

Standing up to stretch, Anna controlled a sphere of rainwater to float in front of Lu Li.

After washing his hands, Lu Li checked the time and tuned the radio to the Alliance station.

It wasn’t yet six o’clock, and the radio played music mixed with the static noise of “whoosh whoosh.”

Anna lifted the wooden board of the canned food box, and Lu Li took out a can of beef, opened it, and placed it beside the fireplace to heat.

[*Music playing*…

rustling…

Hello young people]

The music and noise ceased, and a clear voice emerged from the radio.

The Alliance broadcast began.

As usual, the first half told the story of an Exorcist, and the remaining time announced a malicious spirit.

[This spirit, named Headless Spirit, will be heard crying before she is seen.]

[Dressed in a white gown, she wears rare black hair that covers her face, appearing like a weeping woman.

But upon approaching, you’ll find her head is fake, replaced with a rough burlap sack filled with unknown materials, crudely drawn with the ghastly facial features of a child’s doodle.]

[The ritual of the Headless Spirit will cause her to appear next to the victim, and no matter where the victim runs, she won’t leave an area more than a few dozen meters from the victim.

This range typically depends on how far the victim can hear her cries.]

[Once the Headless Spirit hears words like “head,” “skull,” or similar around her victim, she will remove the head of the person who spoke such words, only to discard it upon realizing it is not her own.

Thus, if nobody mentions these words, she does nothing, regardless of whether you attack her.]

[Her stay beside the victim isn’t fixed—it could be a few hours or several days.

To be entirely safe, you need to keep your mouth shut, ensure there are no bystanders, and avoid talking in your sleep.]

[There are people naturally immune to the ritual of the Headless Spirit—I believe you might guess what I’m referring to.]

[According to the Exorcist Association, the real body of the Headless Spirit may be her lost head.

So, if anyone discovers an indecomposable female head, congratulations, you might have the chance to kill a malicious spirit yourself.]

The Alliance broadcast ended, and Lu Li switched back to the classical music station to finish his meal.

The canned beef tasted less appealing than the aristocratic meals he had eaten during the week, but it was still much better than usual fare—like the food Anna made herself.

The empty can was left behind by Lu Li, piled in the corner, perhaps to be used someday.

It was almost time to rest.

“How will you rest?” Lu Li asked.

“Ghosts no longer need rest.

The aura in the Inner World continually replenishes my strength,” Anna replied.

As for what this might mean for her future, Anna didn’t say, and Lu Li didn’t ask.

Lying down and covering himself with a wool blanket, Lu Li closed his eyes.

“Good night.”

Anna said softly by the desk.

As Lu Li’s breathing steadied, all became tranquil.

The next morning, an unexpected visitor arrived at the top of the cliff.