Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 757 - 757 276

757: 276.

People sing praises of the Exorcist’s name 757: 276.

People sing praises of the Exorcist’s name Carts of the nobles and wealthy intertwined with the crowd.

They were dressed to the nines, basking in the eyes of envy and respect, as if they were headed to a noble gathering rather than fleeing.

The order at the city gates was barely maintained, as there were always some residents greedy enough to try to take away everything.

The guards had to curse and urge them to drop most of their belongings, or face death in the wilderness.

Someone even attempted to drag at least 100 pounds worth of items out of the city; if the guards hadn’t stopped him, he wouldn’t have made it ten miles.

Soon, Village chief Abdel and others appeared to bid farewell to Lu Li.

“See you at Storm Corner.”

As they left, some chaos erupted at the city gates—a family of three, after receiving three boxes of canned food, tried to return to Spinning City.

The guards stopped them, claiming there was no food in Spinning City and it might be dangerous, preventing their attempt.

“Why not deceive people here?”

Gulian asked Lu Li beside him: “If we said there were strange creatures attacking here, perhaps those unwilling to leave would obediently depart.”

“Because it might actually attract strange creatures.” Lu Li said.

Lord Enwae Bili stood on a high platform overlooking the dense crowd on the streets, dispatching guards to rearrange the evacuation order: women and children first, the young and strong at the back.

They were physically fit and could move faster.

The evacuation lasted half an hour, and half of the city’s population had left.

But soon, guards reported some residents had returned through other gates after receiving canned food.

“Why?” Gulian asked in confusion.

“They were not well; some were children, some too old…

they couldn’t reach Storm Corner before dark…” The guard lowered his head.

Lu Li scanned the crowd at the city gates, those elderly, those staggered steps.

Their eyes seemed to surged with helplessness and despair.

“Lord.” Lu Li turned to look at Lord Enwae Bili.

Lord Enwae Bili slightly lowered his head, indicating he was listening.

“Collect all carts in the city to carry those who cannot reach Storm Corner before dark.”

The slowest cart is still faster than walking on foot.

“Many carts are in the hands of nobles and wealthy merchants who want to load their belongings…” Lord Enwae Bili hesitated, doubting whether those nobles would forgo their possessions, even if they stand with us.

“Strange creatures won’t be interested in those items; they can retrieve them anytime.” Gulian said.

“I’ll give it a try.”

Lord Enwae Bili summoned guards to requisition carts.

Most nobles and wealthy merchants were unhappy, but compelled by Anna’s “magic,” they could only free up carts loaded with trivial goods for the lord to arrange for the elderly, children, and disabled.

An hour later, the last batch of people evacuated the city.

At dawn, Spinning City was empty and silent amid the thin mist, piles of empty crates stacked by the gates, and the silhouettes of the nobles and wealthy had vanished, leaving only Lu Li and Anna.

Guards lined up in front of the city gates, a cart approached, carrying Lord Enwae Bili and Gulian.

“Are you really not leaving with us?” Gulian asked complexly.

“As mentioned before, we need to resolve The Time of Silence.” Anna replied.

Gulian already knew this, but for Lord Enwae Bili and the guards hearing it for the first time, their shock eventually turned into respect.

Lord Enwae Bili took off his hat, placed his palm on his chest, and deeply bowed: “The people of this land will remember you.”

“I’ll be at Storm Corner expecting your good news.” Gulian said.

After bidding farewell, the lord’s cart left the city gates surrounded by guards, catching up with the migrating crowd stretching for tens of miles,

while the tale of Lu Li the Demon Slayer seeking to resolve The Time of Silence spread across the land.

“Let’s go to the dungeon.” Anna redirected her gaze.

Walking down the high platform with Lu Li, they walked side by side on the deserted, ravaged streets.

Another city vanished due to strange creatures.

The dungeon was beneath the Lord’s Mansion.

The iron door leading to the dark dungeon was open, the iron keys to the cell gates hung on the wall, left untouched.

The guards abandoned this place, and no one thought of or cared about the prisoners held in the dungeon, awaiting the extinguished torches on the walls for darkness to engulf everyone here.

Lu Li took the torch key and walked with Anna into the dungeon.

Pairs of eyes looked from behind the iron bars.

Upon discovering Lu Li was not a guard but holding the key, they crowded the bars loudly questioning or pleading for release.

“Only those guilty of equal murder are imprisoned here, but the decision is yours.” Anna whispered.

Even the slightest sounds in the dungeon would ripple throughout.

Upon hearing Anna’s words, the prisoners cursed loudly, while some proclaimed their innocence.

A gentle breeze blew past Lu Li, and muffled sounds came from the cells with the fiercest cursing, abruptly halting the noise.

The remaining prisoners fell silent.

Lu Li and Anna reached the cell holding the Church of the Silent Moment believers.

Five cloaked figures gathered in a circle whispering something profoundly characteristic behind the iron bars.

Anna stepped forward and softly recited the Church of the Silent Moment axiom: “People think only in silence.”

The murmurs stopped, and the figures raised their heads to gaze outside the bars.

A wise elder looked at Lu Li and Anna, his amiable tone juxtaposed against his identity as a cultist: “The guards left an hour ago, what happened outside, child?”

“Everyone in the city evacuated, leaving an empty city.”

Anna replied, took the key from Lu Li, and after several attempts, opened the cell door.

“Thank you, children, although vanishing in silent noiselessness isn’t a bad end either.” The elder said contentedly.

The four believers remained silent, just like the church’s name.

They walked out, while prisoners with newfound courage pleaded once more.

The elder paused, glanced at their faces, and gently shook his head saying, “A group of sinners…”

Ignored the cries beside his ears, the elder climbed the stairs surrounded by believers, his silhouette fading at the dungeon entrance.

Smack—

A set of keys arced through the air, landing in front of the first cell.

Seconds later, a filthy hand grabbed the keys and withdrew into the gloom behind the bars.

“The lost have all left…”

On the street, the elder mused.

Having gathered some food and clothes from the empty city, the elder asked Lu Li and Anna if they would return with them to the Church of Silent Moments—there they will be baptized and also meet their “lord.”

Lu Li and Anna came for just this purpose and did not refuse.

After resting for the morning, Lu Li and Anna followed the believers, heading four hundred miles away to the oasis where The Time of Silence resides.

In the afternoon, travelers on the wilderness encountered The Time of Silence.

The believers remained indifferent, only Lu Li stopped amidst the bell tolls, responding to the believers’ gaze: “My devotion to the lord is insufficient, I cannot yet free myself from His ritual.”

Lu Li’s calmness made his words more credible.