“Go on.”
Renith’s expression was calm, but her gaze was fixed intently on Manville and Limpton, urging them to continue.
“The gangs in Mobius City have now united as one. They are secretly recruiting displaced people, offering them substantial benefits to serve as their vanguard. Moreover, the backer behind the largest gang has provided the various district gangs with…”
Manville trailed off, suddenly unable to recall the name of the item. He scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment on his face.
Noticing this, Limpton quickly whispered a prompt:
“The telegraph!”
“Right, the telegraph!”
Manville clapped his hands, a look of relieved understanding spreading across his features.
Renith felt a stir within. She remembered seeing such a device in the post office outside Lyons Street. It was said that the telegraph allowed communication over long distances between cities, a truly remarkable contraption. Its function was somewhat similar to a telephone, but in her previous life, before she died, it hadn’t yet seen widespread use.
In any conflict, the transmission of information is an indispensable key factor. The fact that the Martel gang was providing telegraphs showed their resolve to fight the authorities to the bitter end was no empty threat.
“That’s pretty much it. What we just told you were the exact words of the Martel gang’s second-in-command. That’s all the information we managed to gather.”
Manville suddenly seemed struck by a thought, slapping his forehead with a crisp smack.
“Oh, right… right! Almost forgot the most important thing! The boss of the Martel gang is extremely fond of the magic scrolls you crafted personally. He specifically intends to invite you to the Martel gang for a visit, to express his appreciation.”
Just a few days prior, Renith had given Manville several carefully crafted magic scrolls, hoping this would provide an opportunity to connect with the intricate web of gang power in Mobius City.
“Thank you for letting me know. Please provide me with the location. I will certainly go in person… Ah, one more thing. There’s no need for you to report this back to your gang.”
Renith had no clear idea who the leader of the Martel gang might be, but out of caution, she thought it best these two didn’t return.
“Well, this information is quite sufficient for us. Having a rough idea of when the chaos in Mobius City will erupt gives us more time to prepare, so we won’t be caught off guard and scrambling. As for you two, you might want to consider preparing to leave Mobius City in advance… In my opinion, staying here any longer would be extremely perilous, a true fight for survival.”
“Furthermore, the gang you belong to holds a rather low position and has limited strength within Mobius City’s underworld. Staying here would be little different from volunteering for death.”
Renith’s words precisely hit upon Limpton’s inner worries. Indeed, in their current situation, remaining in Mobius City would likely mean being used as cannon fodder. Escaping now might still be possible.
However, a thorny problem lay before them:
How to escape?
Limpton had just broken free from prison, and Manville had spent a fair amount of money gathering information to help him. At the moment, they weren’t exactly destitute, but they were certainly short on funds, their pockets nearly empty.
While Mobius City lacked towering walls to bar their way, they were merely flesh and blood. Without sufficient resources and means, an escape plan was easier said than done.
“Here’s what we’ll do. Don’t return to your gang for now. Follow me instead… I have a place in mind. Tomorrow night, after I attend the meeting with the Martel gang alone, we can properly discuss your future arrangements.”
Though unsure why Renith made this request, Manville agreed without hesitation. He had a feeling, deep down, that Renith meant them no harm.
Renith gently closed the window. Outside, the hushed conversation between Manville and Limpton drifted in.
“What do you think of her, compared to those fierce thugs in the Martel gang? You know, today, just because of one of her scrolls, we got an invitation from the Martel gang, one of the most prominent gangs in Mobius. The rewards for working with them would surely be substantial.”
Limpton fell into thought. He understood that the Martel gang was powerful and indeed a viable option. But Renith seemed so mysterious to him. She was a potent mage. Following her might not be worse than following the Martel gang…
Moreover, Renith appeared much more amiable than those glowering, fierce and evil-looking individuals from the Martel gang.
“Those two scrolls were merely a stepping stone, a stepping stone. Unless I’m mistaken, the Martel gang likely wants to use us to win Renith over. In their eyes, that’s probably our only value… I really can’t see what else the Martel gang would want with us.”
“To be honest, I lean more towards this mysterious mage. Although she hasn’t said it explicitly, I can clearly sense she has deeper plans and strategies in mind… And she keeps earnestly advising us to leave. It’s evident she has a kind heart.”
“Following her might not bring huge immediate benefits, but it certainly won’t be a loss. However, the benefits will definitely not be as direct or substantial as those from following the Martel gang.”
Manville nodded slightly, also sinking into prolonged contemplation. After a long while, as if reaching a decision, he slowly spoke:
“Let’s leave… leave Mobius City! I’m not confident I can survive the coming war. And Limps, you’re clever and sharp. Following her, you might carve out a bigger path for yourself, achieve greater things.”
“And you? What do you plan to do?”
Limpton grabbed Manville’s shoulder, asking:
“You know I’m always short on money. I want… to take one more gamble!! This is an opportunity…”
…
The man in the white robe was still wearing that striking white robe, moving freely through the streets and alleys. Today, he had specifically gone to investigate an area frequented by gangsters, but unexpectedly, he hadn’t gone far into that area when two or three gang members, carrying guns, rushed out menacingly and drove him away without saying a word.
The tavern, heavily guarded and with its doors tightly shut, wouldn’t let anyone easily step inside. So, where could they possibly find the person mentioned in the “deduction”?
After much thought, the man in white decided to go ask his collaborator for clarification.
He didn’t return to Brand University. Instead, he headed straight to his residence near the university’s residential area, skillfully driving off on a motorcycle parked there.
The night was as dark as ink. He raced the motorcycle through the streets of Mobius City, the engine’s roar particularly piercing in the not-quite-silent night.
Finally, a slightly murky stream appeared before the man in the white robe, spanned by a bridge. Once across this bridge, he would reach his collaborator’s rented cabin.
The rented shack had a dim electric light on, Extremely eye-catching in the night. While electric lights were becoming increasingly common in major cities, those who could truly afford to use electricity for extended periods were invariably either wealthy or influential.
Knock knock knock.
The man in white raised his hand and knocked on the door. However, complete silence greeted him from within.
Knock knock knock.
Undeterred, he knocked heavily again, but still, there was no response from inside.
Knock knock knock knock!
Growing impatient, the man in white pounded on the door. This time, there was finally movement inside.
“Who on earth is disturbing people’s sleep in the middle of the night…”
A complaint came from within, followed by a shirtless man yanking the door open. Upon seeing the man in white, he froze for a moment, the sleepiness on his face dissipating somewhat.
“Oh, it’s She Quan. Long time no see. Did you find that person you asked me to look for?”
They didn’t stand chatting outside the door. The shirtless man warmly invited She Quan inside to sit, then went to find a short-sleeved shirt to put on.
“Naturally not, otherwise why would I come looking for you in the middle of the night? Last time, through your connection, I contacted that transmigrator outside the city, and the person who appeared in the 「Deduction」 came to Mobius City, correct?”
“That’s right. I relayed the message exactly as you said. And his reply to me stated he repeated the words I told him verbatim. If no one’s lying, then the process couldn’t have gone wrong.”
The shirtless man interlocked his fingers, his thumbs occasionally fiddling with a golden ring on his index finger, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
“Could you confirm with him again, especially regarding the other party’s appearance? This is very important to me.”
“Five silver coins, if you please.”
The shirtless man extended five fingers, waving them before She Quan with an air of “fair and square.”
“Tsk, absurdly expensive. Here, take it!”
She Quan gritted his teeth. These five silver coins happened to be the bonus he had just received last week. He couldn’t help suspecting this guy had somehow found out about his income, always able to quote the exact extreme price in She Quan’s mind.
However, due to their frequent collaborations, She Quan knew his character—bargaining was absolutely futile. Reluctantly, he swallowed his irritation and tossed the money to the man before him.
Upon receiving the payment, the man immediately began “working.” He stood up, muttering under his breath, the muscles on his body surface beginning to twitch uncontrollably. After a good while, he slowly regained his senses.
“Damn it, that guy was sleeping. But I managed to wake him up. He said he only knows the other party is a woman, with a pleasant voice, not very tall. Beyond that, he knows nothing. Because the other person is always covered with some ragged cloth, making it impossible to see their face clearly.”
“By the way, isn’t your side’s 「Deduction」 supposed to be able to see a person’s appearance clearly… Why don’t you ask him directly instead of coming to me?”
The man pointed out his doubt.
“That’s just an old fool addled by smoking too much opium. The fact that he can even speak is a miracle. Expecting him to give you more information? That’s just wishful thinking.”
“Haha, true enough.”
The man laughed heartily, went inside to open a bottle of brandy, and poured a full glass for She Quan.
