Wizard, I Have Another World – Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Investigation

Midnight.

The fog hasn’t dissipated yet.

A group from the Patrol Headquarters arrived early at the Lap Textile Factory, led by Chief Goff.

“What a strong smell!”

Someone in the crowd covered their nose and mouth:

“The nearby river is full of dead fish, and the water has changed color. Is this a place for people to live?”

“It is said that because of the latest technology, the fabric needs to be steamed and dyed at high temperatures, so the water will deteriorate and there will be a strong odor.” One person said:

“Of course, I don’t really understand. I just heard people say that, but the thick smoke emitted is indeed a lot.”

Everyone looked up at the towering chimneys, thick black smoke billowing from them into the sky.

This black smoke would eventually become part of the air, enveloping the entire City of Signo.

Someone muttered in a low voice:

“No wonder the air quality in the city has been getting worse and worse in recent years. Factories should be located further away from the city.”

“Welcome! Welcome!”

Before the discussion was over, a man walked out of the factory’s main entrance, bowing enthusiastically:

“Goff, my friend, why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were coming? I would have made preparations.”

“Jack.” Goff smiled faintly:

“We are here to investigate a case this time, and we may need your cooperation. Can you stop the factory today?”

“Stop work?” Jack’s face changed drastically:

“Goff, are you kidding me?”

“The machines in my factory are different from other places. It takes a long time to adapt when they are turned on and off. The wages of so many workers, the wear and tear and maintenance of the machines will cost at least thousands of pounds. Who will pay for this?”

Thousands of pounds?

Everyone looked at each other.

They had no idea that just stopping the machines would have such serious consequences.

“Jack!”

Dana stepped forward and said:

“We are not discussing this with you. Female workers disappear from the textile factory every month. It must be thoroughly investigated.”

“You are…” Jack looked sideways.

“Dana!” Dana said solemnly:

“Dana Yeager.”

“So it’s the daughter of the Yeager family.” Jack nodded, his originally kind expression suddenly turned serious:

“Then you should know what this textile factory represents?”

“The clothes it produces are to be sent to the front line. Do you want the soldiers on the front line to have no clothes to change?”

Turning around, he glanced at everyone present:

“Lap Textile Factory is an outstanding industry in the City of Signo. The Noble Council’s Frank, the Foster family, etc., all have shares in it.”

“I want to see who dares to stop it from working today!”

Silence fell over the crowd.

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes shrinking back.

Goff frowned in displeasure, but he did not speak forcefully.

The people mentioned by the other party were too important, and even he, as the Chief of the Patrol Headquarters, couldn’t help but be wary.

“Alright then!”

Sighing, Goff waved his hand:

“Let’s go in and have a look, find some people and ask some questions. There should be no problem with that, right?”

“Of course!”

A smile reappeared on Jack’s face, and he stretched out his hand to lead them inside:

“Welcome!”

Second floor of the factory.

Caesar Foster, holding a cane, watched the patrol officers wandering around below, his eyes gloomy:

“The city has been under strict investigation recently.”

“As it should be.”

Alchemist Robert appeared behind him and nodded:

“The Fire Wielder’s suicide attack resulted in heavy casualties among the city’s nobles, and it also made Count Barrow lose face in front of the Sark Princess, which even caused some unrest in the morale of the front line. This is not a trivial matter.”

“Moreover, you have a lot of people here and you have taken in those people. It is inevitable that some information will be leaked.”

Fire Wielder!

This was what the people of Colon called those who controlled flames. They were believers of the Blazing Sun, and also known as Fire Thieves by the people of Gando.

The famous successful businessman and alchemist Robert in the City of Signo was actually related to the hostile forces.

Not only him!

The Foster family was the same.

“What should we do now?” Caesar bowed his head and asked:

“Will they find that place?”

“Don’t worry, they won’t.” Robert smiled and waved his hand:

“As long as the factory machines keep running, the passage will be blocked by the rotating propellers. No one can get in.”

“As for the other secret passage…”

“Not to mention that it is not easy to find, I have also set up magic traps on it, making it even more difficult to enter.”

Caesar nodded slowly.

After a pause, he said again:

“But this is not a solution. The patrol officers and policemen have already focused their attention on North City.”

“They will find the problem sooner or later!”

“Yes!” Robert sighed:

“And the time given by that person is too tight, only ten days. It’s really difficult for us.”

“Otherwise…”

“Create some commotion to divert their attention?”

Caesar nodded.

Downstairs.

Dana carefully checked every floor and every room in the factory, her eyes constantly scanning.

“Let’s go!”

Goff walked over and waved:

“To the next one.”

“Chief.”

Dana followed in small steps and whispered:

“I feel there is something wrong here. Kerry mentioned before that the disappearance of his fiancée was also related to the textile factory.”

“Hmm.”

Goff’s ability to become Chief was not only because of his identity, but also because of his keen sense of cases.

“You are right. There must be something hidden in the Lap Textile Factory, but we can’t find it at the moment.”

“Chief…” Dana’s eyes lit up:

“What do you mean?”

“Investigate secretly.” Goff lowered his head, his voice solemn:

“I feel that the Fire Wielder’s suicide attack was just the beginning, and it is very likely that things are not over yet.”

“If my feeling is correct, they must have a stronghold in the city.”

“Investigate!”

“We must find it out!”

As he spoke, he looked up at the second floor, his keen senses allowing him to detect the inconspicuous killing intent just now.

The Fire Wielder’s attack had put the entire City of Signo under martial law. Civilians were under curfew, and all personnel on duty were not allowed to leave their posts.

Even Karl, who was usually slacking off, had to cheer up and register at the Patrol Headquarters every day.

This resulted in very slow progress in reforging the broadsword.

Only after getting off work every day did he have time to come to the Divine Domain Fragment and hammer his weapon.

“Ding…”

“Clang!”

Refining room.

Karl, shirtless, held the tongs tightly in one hand and swung the hammer in the other, constantly forging the iron plate on the anvil.

Sparks flew with each swing of the hammer.

After hammering a certain number of times, he would take it to the furnace to burn and melt something into it.

The extreme heat melted the metal.

When he put it into the ice water next to it, thick white smoke instantly emerged, filling the entire refining room.

This continued over and over again.

The iron plate had gradually taken the shape of a broadsword, and fish scale patterns formed by hammering appeared on its surface.

“Hmm?”

Karl suddenly frowned, stopped what he was doing, turned around, and stepped out of the Divine Domain Fragment.

The night was dark, and the waning moon was obscured by dark clouds. Although it was not so dark that he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face, it was still dim and hazy.

He pushed open the window.

Something seemed to be wriggling in the corner of the wall.

Karl jumped down from the second floor, came to the shadow, and cast a Light spell to look at the corner.

“A person?”

It was ‘she’ who triggered the magic trap set up in the courtyard, setting off the alarm.

…………

“Hurry!”

“Hurry up!”

Eugene, dressed in a police uniform and holding a long saber, led a group of policemen to the courtyard gate and knocked on the door.

“Open the door!”

“Open the door quickly!”

The violent knocking not only woke up the owner of the courtyard, but also caused the lights to come on in the houses of the neighbors.

Many people pushed open their windows and looked outside.

“Who is it?” Karl, who was woken up from his sleep, was inevitably angry. He put on a nightgown and opened the courtyard gate.

“It’s you?”

He looked at the policemen in front of the door, his face filled with anger:

“What are you doing?”

“Do you really think that just because a noble has fallen, he can be bullied at will? Tell me who your superior is! I will complain to the Noble Council, I will make sure that none of you can wear this uniform again!”

“Baron Karl.” This time, Eugene was not as polite and respectful as last time, but spoke with a cold face:

“Someone just reported that you are hiding a missing little girl here. We are here to search under orders!”

“Bullshit!” Karl was furious:

“I am a noble. You have no right to search my residence without the permission of the Noble Council.”

“And…”

He said angrily:

“Who said I am hiding a missing little girl here? Bring him here, I want him to know the consequences of framing a noble!”

“Sorry.” Eugene shook his head:

“We keep the identity of the informant strictly confidential.”

“And…”

A grim smile suddenly appeared on his face:

“Because of the Fire Wielder’s attack, the City Lord ordered a strict investigation of any suspicious person, including nobles. So we now have the right to search your residence.”

“Please step aside, Baron!”

“Why waste time talking to him!” Policeman Nelson, who had been a bit rude last time, rushed directly into the courtyard:

“I’ve always thought he was suspicious. He’s blocking us from entering. He must be hiding something shady in the courtyard.”

“Search!”

“Watch him, don’t let him escape!”

“Baron?”

Turning around, Nelson’s face was full of disdain:

“Bah!”

Karl’s expression was cold, but he did not forcefully stop them, allowing the policemen in front of the door to pour into the courtyard.

Nelson strode towards the corner.

“Hmm?”

The empty corner made his expression change slightly, and he subconsciously turned to Eugene with a questioning look.

How could there be no one?

“Nothing!”

“Nothing here either!”

Everyone searched the courtyard, including the basement, but they did not find the so-called ‘missing girl’.

“Humph!”

Karl snorted coldly:

“What do you have to say now?”

“Sorry!”

Eugene came back to his senses, a flattering smile reappeared on his face, he bent down and said respectfully:

“It seems that this was a misunderstanding. We apologize for disturbing you, Baron.”

“We’ll be leaving now!”

“You’d better hope this is the end of it.” Karl looked at them, his expression indifferent and cold:

***

“Get out!”

“Yes.” Eugene laughed dryly:

“We’re getting out, right now!”

He waved his hand and led the group away quickly, as hurriedly as they had come.

Karl watched them leave until their figures disappeared, then closed the courtyard gate and flashed to the back alley.

Not long after.

He took an unconscious little girl from the deserted back alley and came to a house, placing the little girl in the courtyard.

“Hmm…”

The little girl opened her eyes in a daze, and when she saw the familiar surroundings, her terrified and fearful expression turned into ecstasy.

“Father!”

“Mother!”

She cried out softly, struggling to get up despite her injuries.

“Amy?”

A hesitant voice came from inside the house. As the candlelight lit up, a couple rushed out in a panic.

“Amy!”

“My Amy, am I dreaming?”

“Mother, it’s me.” The little girl sobbed:

“It’s me!”

Mother and daughter hugged each other and cried.

“Merciful Morning Sun, thank you for sending our daughter back.” The father knelt on the ground, praising the Morning Sun repeatedly.

In the shadows.

Karl slowly withdrew his gaze.

He knew that some people didn’t like him, but this blatant framing was an eye-opener.

*

*

*

Night.

Several figures appeared in the night.

This was the North City industrial area, where various textile factories, smelters, and warehouses were gathered, and the flow of goods was prosperous.

“Da Wu!”

Dana whispered:

“Are you sure the direction is correct?”

“Absolutely sure.”

Taro Sword Da Wu nodded:

“I followed Kerry to investigate here several times. If there is a problem, it must be there.”

“Lap Textile Factory…”

“This factory is very abnormal!”

“Chief.” Someone whispered:

“Haven’t we already caught a lot of people? Many missing girls have also returned to their homes.”

They had arrested many ‘suspects’ during the strict investigation in the past two days.

Policemen and patrol officers were dispatched and found missing girls in many homes and basements based on clues.

In their usual understanding, it was enough to close the case, and there was no need to keep pestering the Lap Textile Factory.

If it weren’t for the insistence of their immediate superior, half of the people would not be here.

“It’s not normal to have caught them.” Chief Goff’s expression was serious:

“It’s a bit too coincidental, and some of them don’t seem like real criminals. They may have been framed.”

“That’s right!”

Dana nodded in agreement:

“They just don’t want us to continue investigating. The more they are like this, the more we have to investigate to the end.”

“I hope your guess is right.” Someone muttered in a low voice:

“The Noble Council asked us not to harass the factories in North City, so as not to affect the supplies of the front-line soldiers. This operation was not authorized.”

“Chief!”

“You should know what this means.”

“I know.” Goff nodded:

“If we are discovered, we may be reprimanded by the Council. But don’t worry, I will take responsibility if something happens.”

“No.” The person behind him shook his head and said:

“It means that if something happens to us, no one will know what happened. It’s not safe.”

“…” Goff’s eyes flickered slightly:

“Don’t worry, although we are few in number, we are not weak. We don’t have to be afraid of even a Grand Knight.”

“Don’t be afraid!”

Indeed.

They were all elites from the Patrol Headquarters, almost all of them knights.

Goff, as the Chief, was a peak-level knight, capable of fighting Grand Knights.

They were not invincible in the City of Signo, but there were indeed not many things to be afraid of.

“You guys are so long-winded.”

Da Wu shook his head:

“We’re here. Don’t make any noise, sneak in, so as not to alarm the people inside.”

Hearing this, everyone lowered their bodies and moved forward silently.

This was the warehouse of the Lap Textile Factory, not far from the factory. Even at night, there were still people patrolling.

The group avoided the sight of the patrolmen and headed inside.

Da Wu was obviously very familiar with the terrain nearby, leading them to turn left and right until they came to an underground warehouse.

“I don’t know what’s going on ahead.”

Stopping, Da Wu shrugged:

“What to do next is up to you.”

Goff drew his sword, stepped forward, and flashed behind a patrolman.

He gently tapped the back of the patrolman’s neck with the spine of his sword.

“Slap!”

The patrolman felt a numbness in his neck, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

“Go!”

Goff waved and rushed forward.

The group slammed open a wooden door and suddenly stopped.

Ahead was an area that looked like a square, with torches on the surrounding walls illuminating the square.

A short and ugly man in a purple robe stood in the middle, his hands behind his back, looking at them.

As if he had been waiting for a long time.

“Robert!”

Goff’s eyes narrowed:

“Why are you here?”

“Of course I’m waiting for you.” Robert placed one hand on his chest, bowed to them, and said slowly:

“My friend, you finally came!”

“Hmm…” Goff carefully looked around:

“You knew I was coming?”

“I guessed.” Robert paced around:

“Our kind of people are very sensitive to the emotions of ordinary people. So I saw the doubt in your eyes, and I guessed that you wouldn’t let go of the Lap Textile Factory easily and would definitely investigate secretly.”

“Sigh!”

He sighed, his voice filled with regret:

“You shouldn’t have come!”

“What if we did?” Goff said:

“Could it be that you are really related to the Fire Wielders of Colon?”

“What do you want to ask from me?” The thoughts of ordinary people were hard to hide from a wizard apprentice, even a scheming Chief of the Patrol Headquarters. Robert shook his head with a chuckle:

“No need to bother, I can tell you directly, the Fire Wielders are indeed related to me.”

“Not only the Fire Wielders!”

“The followers of Elise are also related to me.”

“You have such audacity!” Goff’s face changed drastically:

“Aren’t you afraid of the laws of the Kingdom of Gando?”

He did not attack directly. The other party appeared here alone, it was impossible that he had no trump card.

He even bluntly revealed the secret, which was more likely to be…

Fearless!

Thinking of this, Goff couldn’t help but tense up, his heart filled with alarm.

“Laws?”

Robert shook his head:

“This thing only protects the strong, it is never useful to the weak.”

“Thump!”

He gently stomped his foot, and the ground made a dull sound. Rustling sounds also came from the darkness.

“I hoped you wouldn’t come, but unfortunately you did. You should bear the consequences of the path you choose.”

Before he finished speaking.

One after another, ‘humanoid spiders’ emerged from the darkness, surrounding the group.

“Followers of the Spider Goddess!”

“They are Spider Women!”

The crowd was restless, and many people’s eyes showed panic.

They had heard of these half-human, half-spider creatures before, but this was the first time they had seen them.

“Attack!”

Someone growled:

“Take down Robert first!”

It was obvious that Robert was controlling the Spider Women. As long as they took him down, the current crisis could definitely be resolved.

“Swish!”

Before he finished speaking, he had already rushed over.

He drew the sword from his waist, pointed it at Robert, and a sharp killing intent locked onto the target first.

This was a knight!

“Be careful!”

Goff shouted:

“Don’t be impulsive!”

“Heh…” Facing the incoming sword, Robert’s expression remained unchanged, he just shook his head gently and clenched his left hand.

Magic item ━ Ring of Star Swords!

Starlight gathered and formed, transforming into six thin swords about three feet long, appearing out of thin air around him.

The star swords trembled slightly and suddenly shot out, sweeping towards the incoming knight, like six dazzling galaxies.

“Poof!”

“Poof poof!”

The starlight streaked across the void at an astonishing speed, ignoring the intercepting weapons, and pierced through the knight on the spot.

Knight!

Dead!

A Formal Knight, in front of the mysterious and unpredictable Robert, was powerless to fight back, unable even to get close.

…………

A certain courtyard.

Policeman Nelson’s face was filled with terror, he kept retreating:

“No!”

“Don’t kill me!”

His hand was covered in blood, the long sword in his hand had long been knocked away, and his eyes were full of fear.

“Heh…” Karl, wearing a black cloak that completely covered his face, shook his head gently:

“Where are your companions?”

“Call…”

“Eugene?”

He wasn’t quite sure of the name.

“I don’t know, I don’t know.” Nelson shook his head repeatedly, suddenly turned around, and ran outside.

He shouted as he ran:

“Help! Someone…”

“Poof!”

Before he finished speaking, his body was split in two from the abdomen.