Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 516 - 516 Thirty-five

516: Thirty-five.

The identity behind the scenes 516: Thirty-five.

The identity behind the scenes “It appears again, I will kill it…” Anna withdrew her soul projection and breath, whispering coldly.

The exorcists observed from a distance as Lu Li bowed his head and gazed at the indelible brand on the back of his hand.

The blood-colored tentacles saved him.

But this should not lead to the assumption that the blood-colored tentacles are harmless; their true nature remains a parasitic entity living off Lu Li, and their act of driving away demons was merely a battle for the host.

Regardless, the threat of the devil had been minimized, leaving only the ignorable curse that “will appear to take his soul away after Lu Li’s death.”

At least for Lu Li.

Anna’s figure gradually faded, and the exorcists who confirmed the incident had subsided exchanged glances.

The lead night watchman approached Lu Li and returned his investigator badge.

“The incident is resolved.

We can continue on our way now,” said Lu Li, taking the badge without concealing the inverted pentagram branded on his hand.

“The devil’s curse, huh…

You could try your luck at the church,” suggested the night watchman, who after inquiring about Lu Li’s destination, turned to maintain order.

The commotion gradually subsided, and the carriage procession resumed its ordered pace.

Only when passing the place where the devil had appeared did they hasten with worry.

With the farewell from the captain of the Knights Order stationed in Leaf Fall Town, Lu Li left the town and rejoined the carriage procession headed into the desolate and lonely wilderness.

After traveling for a while, a knight galloped through the procession, his shout echoing in the night sky.

“The Marsh Road is just about ten miles ahead.

To avoid disturbing the beings in the swamp, all vehicles should remain quiet and refrain from making noise!”

The carriage curtain fluttered as if the wind had lifted a corner.

Anne, who had sat back in the carriage, glanced at the black cat sleeping in the corner and said to Lu Li, “We’re nearing the Marsh Road.”

“Hmm.”

“Will the Mother of the Marsh make trouble at this time?”

“She shouldn’t.” Lu Li couldn’t find a reason for the Mother of the Marsh, now possessing human intellect, to do so.

Nodding slightly, Anna looked at the black cat again and sat at the edge of the carriage compartment, maintaining a position that allowed her to observe both the outside and inside of the carriage.

Anna liked the black cat but seemed reluctant to touch it.

Lu Li knew why—she feared that her own presence might harm the black cat and herself.

But so far, Lu Li had no way to prevent the essence of the Inner World from seeping through.

Outside the carriage, knights periodically raced past with reminders.

Half an hour later, the last group of knights passed, bringing news that they would soon enter the Marsh Road.

The people in the caravan instinctively lowered their voices and even dimmed the brightness of their oil lamps hanging outside the carriages.

A few minutes later, the lengthy, inevitably conspicuous procession entered the Marsh Road in complete silence.

Lu Li sat outside the carriage, his gaze lingering briefly on the obscure stone pillar at the beginning of the Marsh Road.

[The Ailen Peninsula welcomes you.]

[Marsh Road]

Whether by coincidence or as some kind of metaphor, shortly after entering the Ailen Peninsula, a chilly drizzle began to fall.

Some people who had torches inserted into the walls of the carriages extinguished them and instead hung oil lamps on the walls.

Only the sound of horses’ hooves and the rustling rain accompanied the dimly lit caravan as it slowly made its way along the Marsh Road.

Occasional light coughs from children echoed from the carriages ahead.

Lu Li gazed toward the Southern Shadow Swamp, where the faint outline of the gloomy jungle failed to reveal any details and hid the sure gaze of the Mother of the Swamp within.

Rustle––

An umbrella opened, shielding the fine rain from falling around Lu Li.

Anna sat beside Lu Li, both of them looking towards the Gloomy Swamp.

Two hours later, the section of the procession where Lu Li was located had left the Marsh Road.

As they departed the Marsh Road, the oppressive atmosphere that had filled the carriages dissipated.

Then, they passed the ruins of Shadow Town.

The restless people atop the carriages lifted the curtains, looking out at the once-bustling, now silent and ruin-filled outlines of Shadow Town, maintaining their silence.

At that moment, Lu Li returned to the carriage and spread out a blanket to rest.

Less than three hours remained until dawn, and if the caravan didn’t encounter any delays on the road, they would arrive in Belfast near noon.

“Goodnight.”

As Anna whispered her greeting, Lu Li drifted into sleep.

…

The quiet night passed.

Lu Li opened his eyes to the faint light of early morning spilling in through the window curtains, and a dark, fluffy object curled up beside him.

“We just passed Himfast,” Anna said to Lu Li as he sat up.

Stepping outside after lifting the curtain of the carriage, the bleak sky hadn’t changed, and the carriage ahead, which had children in it, had been replaced by an unfamiliar one.

The length of the caravan had reduced a bit, some carriages had left for their destinations.

But many were bound for Belfast, to leave the Ailen Peninsula from Rhodest Port thereafter.

Lu Li looked again at the sky ahead.

Below the clouds, two solid, seemingly real blood-colored tentacles swayed in the wind.

Even if they weren’t in Belfast, they were somewhere not far from the Ailen Peninsula.

…

As noon approached, the caravan arrived in Belfast.

Lu Li’s carriage left the congested streets, heading temporarily toward the Detective Agency in the Sailor District.

Upon arriving, an unexpected figure and a letter awaited him.

Anna looked at the grey sculpture that sat motionless on the sofa, a smile emerging on her face, “It seems to not want to stay in the shelter.”

It was stained with mud, evidently having faced hurdles on the way back from the Elm Forest to Sailor Street.

“Then let’s take it away.”

Lu Li said, bending over to pick up the letter that had been stuffed through the slit under the door.

The letter lacked the strong scent of perfume and with the Jimmy Siblings settled on the cliffs, Lu Li couldn’t think of anyone else who might send him a letter.

He opened the envelope, and a sloppy, illegible scribble came into view.

[You’re a damned bastard!]

[Those things before, it was you, wasn’t it?

It was you!

You’ve destroyed my hard work, and I deeply regret not having killed you on the spot!]

[Now, stay away from me and stop messing with my plans!

Otherwise, I’ll make you suffer a hundredfold, a thousandfold the pain you cannot even imagine!

You son of a bitch!]

The contents of the letter could make one imagine the writer’s hysterical state, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

“Who sent it?” Anna asked.

“That hidden entity behind the scenes,” Lu Li handed the letter to Anna.

Anna began reading, her cold expression mixed with puzzlement, “The writer sounds like a lunatic…”

“He is a lunatic,” Lu Li said.

The hint was obvious enough for Anna to make a guess, “Is it Richard?”

“If this letter isn’t deliberately misleading us in the wrong direction, the hidden hand behind this could very well be Richard.”

“No wonder he’s so enraged.”

Lu Li had destroyed more than just one tentacle.

Anna discarded the letter, her red eyes gleaming, “Now that he’s provoked, let’s finish off the remaining two tentacles in one go and force him to show himself.”