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Splash—

In the stillness of the night, only the sound of running water echoed endlessly.

The clear, transparent stream of water continued for some time before Lu Li stepped closer to shut off the faucet.

Drip, drip, drip—

The water stopped, and silence returned to the room like before.

Lu Li backed out to the kitchen doorway. The closed door blocked the light, plunging the kitchen into darkness.

Returning to the living room, Lu Li ignored the single bed in the bedroom and chose to spend the night resting in the chair behind the desk.

Perhaps it was his calm demeanor or the firm grip he had on the kitchen knife, but nothing unusual happened that night.

The night passed without incident.

…

The next morning, a little earlier than usual.

A thin morning mist blanketed every corner of Rodster Port. The sky remained overcast, the gloom lingering without lifting.

Contrary to what one might expect, the morning here wasn’t quiet or cold. Instead, it was lively and bustling.

After a night of silence, the residents seemed eager to make up for the stillness of the past several hours. Smoke rose from the chimneys of rows of houses, dried fish hung from windows, workers preparing for their day exchanged farewells with their families, the distant sound of ship horns echoed from the harbor, and the smell of breakfast filled every cobblestone-paved street.

“Good morning, Mr. Lu Li.”

“Hello, great detective!”

“Why are your eyes black?”

As a new face on Sailors’ Street, Lu Li was warmly welcomed by the residents, especially the children.

Even though no one had ever seen Lu Li show any emotion.

Lu Li nodded in response to the greetings and continued walking until he arrived at a carriage parked at the end of the street. He stepped aboard.

The carriage wasn’t an enclosed one but an open-top vehicle, more like a rickshaw.

“To the nearest church or an exorcist’s agency.”

“Three shillings, sir,” the coachman, who had been squatting by the roadside eating a piece of black bread, quickly stuffed the rest into his mouth and mumbled. ℝ

“Alright.”

Lu Li leaned back in his seat, placing a black bowler hat over his head and letting its shadow conceal his dark eyes.

His black hair and eyes were unique in this place, and Lu Li preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.

The coachman hopped aboard and urged the horse forward, leaving Sailors’ Street behind.

He swallowed the coarse, dry bread with difficulty, coughed lightly a few times, and turned his head to strike up a conversation. “Did you encounter a ghost?”

“Yes.”

“Then I recommend visiting Mr. Hades’ agency.”

Only half of Lu Li’s face was visible as he asked, “Why not a church or another agency?”

“You must be from another town, right? Churches in Belfast stopped handling exorcisms a long time ago. Most exorcists have strange tempers or only serve the nobles. But Mr. Hades will help anyone, as long as they can pay.”

It seemed everyone except Lu Li knew that ghosts existed in this world.

After a short silence, Lu Li replied, “Yes, I’m from somewhere else. This is my first time encountering a ghost.”

“Then your hometown must be a very safe place.” The coachman’s tone carried a hint of envy.

“Can you tell me more about ghosts?”

“…I’m sorry, sir. I can’t tell you.”

The coachman hesitated before shaking his head in refusal, just like the others Lu Li had asked before.

“Why? Is it because I’ve been targeted by a ghost?”

“…Yes. If we talk too much about it, it might change its target. Even if you aren’t haunted yet, discussing it too often could still…”

The coachman abruptly cut himself off.

This seemed to explain why, after exorcising the ghost for the elderly couple, it had latched onto Lu Li instead.

With the topic dropped, the carriage fell into silence.

The carriage continued down the street. The houses on the left side of the road disappeared, revealing a clear view of the surroundings.

Turning his head, Lu Li looked out. Without the buildings blocking his sight, he could see the rooftops of the streets below and, further off, the harbor where sailboats and cruise liners were docked. Fishing boats that had already left the port dotted the dark sea.

Unfortunately, there was no morning sun. What should have been a shimmering, glistening sea was instead gray and lifeless, completely still.

After staring at the harbor for a while, Lu Li withdrew his gaze, his face entirely hidden beneath the shadow of his hat brim.

Ten minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a small two-story building with white walls.

The street was quiet and clean, and the passersby were dressed modestly but neatly, a stark contrast to the noise and chaos of Sailors’ Street.

Lu Li handed the coachman three coins, then entered the building.

As he pushed open the door, dim light and silence wrapped around him.

The spacious first floor was scattered with round tables, and behind the counter at the far end, a figure was polishing an oil lamp.

Faint rays of light streamed through the windows, falling onto the wooden floor.

If not for the sign outside labeling it as a detective agency, the interior looked more like a tavern that wasn’t yet open for business.

Tap—tap—tap—

The sound of leather boots against the floor echoed as Lu Li approached the counter.

“Do you have something you’d like to entrust to me?” The slightly plump figure behind the counter put down the oil lamp and cloth, flashing a smile.

“It’s about a ghost.”

Over the next few minutes, Lu Li briefly recounted the events of the previous night, omitting the part about his supposed identity as an exorcist.

“You handled it well. Fear feeds ghosts, making them stronger. This one is still weak and can’t harm anyone yet. But if it absorbs more emotions, that might change.”

The plump man, who resembled a waiter, grinned. In the dim light, something seemed to glimmer between his teeth as he extended his hand toward Lu Li. “I’m Hades, the exorcist you’re looking for.”

Lu Li extended his hand, brushing it briefly against Hades’. “Before I hire you, I have a question. Is there any way to get rid of a ghost without an exorcist?”

Hades’ intrigued gaze fell on Lu Li. “You want to deal with it yourself?”

“If possible, yes.” Removing his hat to clear his vision, Lu Li didn’t deny it.

“You’ve come to the right person. Most exorcists would yell at you not to even think about it. But I happen to be one of the few who’ll entertain the idea.” Hades crouched down and retrieved an object from beneath the counter, slapping it onto the desk and sliding it toward Lu Li.

It was a short flintlock pistol.

Lu Li reached out to take it, but before his fingers could touch it, another hand slammed down on the pistol.

Thud!

Hades’ hand covered the flintlock pistol, causing the counter to shake slightly. Grinning with a razor-sharp smile, he said, “It’s not free.”

“How much?”

“2,300 shillings.”

“2,000.”

“Deal. Consider it a welcome gift for a newcomer.”

The transaction was settled in just a few sentences. Lu Li pulled out four 500-shilling notes and handed them to Hades. The latter accepted them with the same hand covering the pistol and began counting the money, over and over again.

Lu Li picked up the flintlock pistol lying on the counter. A faint glow suddenly appeared in front of him.

Lu Li glanced briefly at Hades, who had lit the oil lamp, then turned his attention back to the pistol.

The flintlock’s barrel was intricately engraved. Under the light, the carved roses seemed to come alive, slowly blooming. The streamlined design of the pistol was so elegant, it looked more like a work of art than a weapon.