NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 9: 9
Chapter 41 Ready to GoTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3015 words Update time: 2025-05-07 13:30:28
After firing the last few bullets, unfortunately, none of them hit the target. But Caroline was still optimistic about this. After all, she was facing a ten-meter target, and in sudden situations, the target she needed to shoot would often be closer than this distance, or even close to the face.
She opened the revolver and poured out the remaining shells. Caroline gathered all the shells after the bullets were fired together and piled them in the middle of the table.
Then she closed the revolver and placed the revolver next to the shell, then turned and left the shooting range and walked towards the front desk.
Boss Hank was still resting with his eyes closed in the armchair. Caroline couldn't help but sigh that he was really careless. Wasn't he afraid that the customers of the shooting range might have malicious intentions?
"Mr. Hank, I'm done shooting."
Caroline tapped the front desk lightly before calling out.
"Well, do you want to continue fighting?"
Boss Hank still didn't open his eyes, but answered Caroline in a muffled voice.
"No need, I'll just leave on my own then?"
Caroline asked tentatively. Boss Hank hummed in a deep voice and then turned over in the armchair.
My goodness, this life is really enviable...
Caroline clicked her tongue and shook her head in amazement. She did not continue to disturb Boss Hank's rest. She walked out of the stairs slowly and quietly, went up to the first floor and walked out of the door, not forgetting to close the door for him.
...
On the outskirts of Backlund, near the Royal Army of the Kingdom, Albert Hanover rode a fast horse to the location reported by his subordinate soldiers.
The weather was very hot and humid in the afternoon, and the breath in the forest seemed to throw people into a steamer, but Albert's face remained unchanged, and there was not even a trace of sweat on his skin.
The swaying shadows of the forest flew past him, and beams of light shone on Albert's face one after another.
Soon, a path appeared in the middle of the woods in front of them. In the middle of the road, there was a strange freight carriage wrapped in several layers of thick linen. Surrounding it was a circle of Rune soldiers holding bolt-action rifles, staring at every movement of the carriage with serious expressions.
A solemn atmosphere rose quietly. The horses with reins were a little irritated by the heavy atmosphere. They rubbed the ground with their front hooves anxiously and shook their heads restlessly. The coachman beside them was sweating profusely as he tried to calm the horses down.
In the silence, someone shouted "The general is coming" first, and the soldiers gathered in a circle and looked in the direction where the sound of horse hooves came from in the forest.
Albert tightened the reins while accelerating, forcing the warhorse under his crotch to slow down immediately. After approaching a certain distance, the horse immediately turned around, and Albert jumped off the horse, moving to the ground without any stumbling. The reins of the horse that slowed down and stopped just fell into the hands of a soldier next to him, who pulled the horse very cooperatively, as if they had practiced this process countless times.
Albert walked quickly to the front, and the soldiers surrounding the carriage lowered their guns slightly, but did not relax their vigilance.
"What's going on?"
Albert asked grimly. A soldier in a captain's uniform stood out from the crowd, came to Albert, saluted, and reported:
"General, we found this carriage that broke into the forest during a field exercise. The other party claimed to be responsible for transporting supplies to the military camp, but they could not produce relevant documents, and their whereabouts were suspicious because the military camp's supply vehicles generally do not pass through this place. Now we suspect that they may be spies from other countries..."
Albert listened quietly to the captain's report, while a large man wearing a coarse vest standing next to the carriage wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel and stepped forward to explain:
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding, this is really a misunderstanding..."
"Don't come near!"
"Stand still!"
"Put your hands down!!"
Seeing the other party approaching Albert rashly, the soldiers surrounding him suddenly became nervous. The sound of metal friction rang out at the same time, and several gun muzzles were pointed at the fat man's body.
The latter was frightened by the soldiers' warning and quickly raised his hands and stopped moving casually.
"Put down your weapons."
Albert stretched out his arm and waved, signaling the soldiers around him not to be overly nervous, and spoke in a flat tone.
Then he took a step forward and asked the fat man:
"Are you the owner of this carriage?"
"Yes, yes, it's me, Mr. General."
The car owner answered with trembling lips. There was a smile on his face, but his downward glance revealed his silent guilt and panic.
"Then explain to me why you are here."
Albert said, and the captain beside him wanted to say something anxiously, but was stopped by the former.
"That's right, dear general."
In response to Albert's inquiry, the driver rubbed his hands nervously and explained:
"We are indeed the team responsible for transporting supplies to the military camp. In fact, several other vehicles had entered the military camp before ours. We accidentally fell into a pit on the road, and it took us a long time to rescue the car from the pit. The documents that can prove our identity are all in the convoy ahead. We really can't prove ourselves now, but you can contact the military camp, and they should be able to confirm our identity."
Albert turned his head, and the captain beside him whispered in his ear:
"That's what he answered us just now. I've already sent someone to the military camp to verify it..."
"Okay, got it."
Albert nodded slightly, turned his head and continued to focus his gaze on the car owner.
"Then why are you here? This forest is where the Royal Army is training and it should be blocked off. As far as I know, supply convoys won't go through here."
"Oh, this is even more of a huge misunderstanding."
The coach owner clapped his hands repeatedly, came to the driver, pressed his shoulder and said:
"The driver of this carriage is a newcomer who took this job because his family was in urgent need of money. I think it was his first day on the job today, so I followed him to prevent him from making mistakes. Who knew he would take the wrong road? We fell into the pit because we took the wrong road. Mr. General, tell me, what kind of annoying misunderstanding is this?"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Albert walked slowly to the coachman, who lowered his head and dared not speak, his red neck and face covered with sweat.
"You answer, is this what happened just now?"
Albert's tone slowly lowered, and every word he said seemed to contain the majesty of a law. The coachman lowered his head and said nothing, and the air in the surrounding forest seemed to become unusually stable, without a single noise, as if everything was waiting for Albert's inquiry, fearing that any unnecessary action would lead to sanctions from the other party.
Even the soldiers standing nearby couldn't help swallowing their saliva. In their eyes, Albert's image seemed to grow inexplicably, becoming unquestionable and extremely stern.
"Dear General..."
The car owner tried to say something, but was so shocked by Albert's casual glance that he dared not speak anymore.
Albert retracted his gaze, looked up at the coachman, and spoke again:
"Answer my question."
The coachman buried his head deeper and deeper, beads of sweat the size of beans were forming on his cheeks, his body seemed to be shaking uncontrollably, the corners of his mouth trembled constantly, and he looked as if he was very afraid of Albert.
But in Albert's eyes, he felt that there was something wrong with the coachman's trembling posture.
Then he turned his eyes to the soldier and shouted in a calm and steady voice:
"Pull these sheets aside and see what's on the cart."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers collectively responded to the major general's orders. The car owner wanted to stop them but was pushed away.
The horses in front of the carriage began to move restlessly again, but the driver sitting in the carriage remained calm and motionless.
Just as the soldiers had grabbed the ropes that bound the linen, another chaotic sound of horse hooves came from the other end of the forest trail.
Albert turned his head and soon, several soldiers wearing the uniforms of the Loen Royal Army appeared from the woods on horseback. The leading soldier shouted at the carriage from a distance:
"Major General Albert, thank you for your trouble, but this carriage does not need to be inspected!"
Several war horses stopped in front, and Albert stood there and asked indifferently:
"In whose name?"
The soldier on the tall horse replied proudly:
"In the name of His Majesty the King!"
Albert was silent for a while, then nodded slowly and said:
"That's best."
...
It is said that the most difficult thing is the wait before a long journey, but Caroline does not think so.
After leaving Hank's Shooting Club and returning home, she felt that time passed very quickly and it was dark in the blink of an eye.
After dinner, she quickly took out a suitcase from the cloakroom. It took her an hour to pack enough clothes for a week.
Even she herself found it strange, because when she traveled before, she didn't need to spend too much time packing her luggage. But now, for some reason, when she put a piece of clothing into the suitcase, she would immediately think about whether it was suitable, and then take it out to compare it with other clothes.
After nearly an hour of struggling, she finally stuffed enough clothes into the suitcase and hid the dagger and revolver in the core of the pile of clothes.
After doing all this, Caroline went to bed early.
The next morning, Caroline got up early with her luggage and took the subway to Backlund Train Station.Chapter 42: Trip to TingenTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3090 words Update time: 2025-05-07 17:46:38
The morning sun had not yet fully illuminated the earth, but the kerosene lamps hanging in the Backlund train station had already been lit one after another.
The orange-white light dispelled the darkness hidden behind the fog, slowly revealing the pedestrians hurrying by in the train station. The sound of luggage colliding, the thump of various shoes stepping on the ground, the voices of communicating with the ticket seller or train station staff, and the curses of the bad weather mixed together and lingered in Caroline's ears.
There are always more people coming to this city than leaving it. Caroline seemed a little out of place standing in the countercurrent of people carrying her luggage.
It was another solo trip. Looking at the platform in the distance, Caroline inexplicably recalled the loneliness she felt when she stood alone outside the airport before leaving her hometown for Sichuan and Chongqing after each holiday, watching her family waving goodbye to her.
However, at that time, she at least had family to look after her, but now she is truly alone.
She looked back at Backlund who was still immersed in the mist. The city didn't seem to want to keep her. A cold wind blew out from the choking mist, causing her to unconsciously tighten her collar even though she had put on a coat over her walking skirt to keep warm.
"Giving hope to those who come, and disappointment to those who leave... As expected of the 'City of Hope', this is bad."
Caroline whispered a joke using a poem that was once published in Backlund's newspaper, which made her feel a little relieved.
Then, she walked towards the ticket window. There were not many people queuing to buy tickets at this time, and Caroline stood at the front of the line as soon as she came up.
The notice board next to the ticket window displays the daily schedule of the steam train. It operates all day except in extreme weather conditions, with a train basically running every half hour.
Caroline opened her pocket watch and looked at the time. It was six forty-three. Great, she could definitely catch the train that would arrive at seven o'clock.
After waiting for a while, it was finally Caroline's turn in the queue.
"Good morning~"
The conductor greeted Caroline cordially, and she smiled back, taking a £1 note from her pocket and handing it into the window, saying:
"Good morning, I need a ticket to Tingen at seven o'clock. Um, first class, thank you."
The conductor gladly accepted the money, and after some manipulations, he took out a brand new ticket, stamped it with a seal representing the validity, and handed the change of 5 soli to Caroline.
The first-class ticket is 15 soli... half a month's living expenses for low-income families. No wonder many people have never left their hometowns to travel far in their lives...
Caroline, holding the ticket, thought casually. She glanced at the time and confirmed that the train was about to arrive. She did not stay in the waiting hall for too long and went straight to the platform with her luggage.
Normally, a country's capital train station will usually have "secondary security checks", one when entering the train station, and the other when entering the platform.
However, the security check mechanism of this era has not become so strict due to various reasons such as technology. Caroline had already experienced a casual security check procedure when she entered the train station. She even saw some people sneaking into the train station from other places while others were going through security checks, and the security personnel next to them didn't even want to look at them.
Perhaps for the train station, as long as you come to buy a ticket and take the train, they will welcome you with open arms.
Caroline walked through a passage and arrived at the train platform. Following the instructions on the ticket, she followed the sign on the wall to find the platform where the train to Tingen would arrive.
Nearing seven o'clock, a long whistle blew from the far end of the train track. In the mist, a huge black figure moved quickly, accompanied by a series of "clang clang" metal collision sounds. The sound became clearer and clearer, and the black figure in the mist became clearer and clearer, until a majestic black mechanical creation broke through the mist and drove towards the train station at high speed.
Caroline had seen the appearance of a steam train at the Backlund subway station, but this train running on the ground was even stronger than the subway.
The train slowed down and stopped after entering the platform. After hearing the steel giant's gasp, the passengers who had been waiting for a long time immediately picked up their luggage and rushed to the corresponding doors, and entered one after another after the doors opened in an orderly manner.
Caroline slowly walked onto the train carrying her luggage. The door she entered was the first-class carriage area. There were obviously fewer people here than in other carriages. Including Caroline herself, there were only five people.
After going through the process of checking tickets, finding seats, and placing luggage, Caroline thanked the flight attendant while accepting a cup of hot tea from her sweetly smiling hand. She took a sip and relaxed her body, which was still a little tired from getting up early.
It takes about four hours to drive from Backlund to Tingen. By the time she arrives, it will probably be noon. She can use this morning to have a good rest.
"After landing in Tingen, I'll first find a suitable hotel, then have lunch. After lunch, I'll think carefully about how to find the scammer..."
After simply planning the rest of her itinerary, Caroline leaned back leisurely in her seat, feeling the slight vibration of the train body, as if she was lying in a huge cradle, and closed her eyes before the train started again.
...
Facing the morning light pouring in from the window, neatly dressed Klein Moretti simply took a look at his appearance in the dressing mirror.
This formal suit that he bought for 8 pounds was indeed a little different. Although he felt bad about spending the money, Klein couldn't help but feel more relaxed and happy when he saw himself in the mirror looking more handsome.
After getting dressed and carrying a cane and the necessary self-defense revolver, he went out and took a public carriage, got off at Zouteland Street, and slowly walked into the "Blackthorn Security Company" located there.
After what happened that night and after careful consideration, Klein finally decided to join the local "Nighthawks" team and become one of them.
The captain of the Nighthawks, Dunn Smith, told him that night that even if the survivors of extraordinary events survived the accident and disaster by chance, they might still be caught up by the disaster in the end. It was a very dangerous idea to rashly think that you were "safe" without being able to completely ensure your own safety. Moreover, the extraordinary events that Klein encountered were far from simple.
The original body and his friends committed suicide because of a notebook, and he took advantage of this gap to travel here. It is difficult to determine whether Klein Moretti is dead or not. If the factor that caused the original body and his friends to commit suicide finds that Klein is not dead and comes again, Klein may not be able to protect himself.
Therefore, joining the official team of extraordinary people who specialize in dealing with extraordinary events is a very safe measure. After all, they are an official organization of the church, and they must have sufficient experience in similar situations. If he encounters any unknown and dangerous situation, he can seek official help. This is equivalent to putting a lock called "official" on his safety, which is almost impossible for others to pry open.
And the benefits of becoming a "Nighthawk" are more than that. Apart from the inconspicuous weekly salary of 2 pounds and 10 soli, Klein's second concern is the opportunity to become an extraordinary person that the "Nighthawk" team can provide him.
After investigating the notebook and uncovering an ancient organization called the Secret Order, Captain Dunn Smith suggested that he become a Beyonder.
However, he was not in a hurry to get a reply. Instead, he went back and thought carefully about whether he really wanted to become an Extraordinary.
As for whether to become a Beyonder, Klein's answer was almost affirmative, but the question of which sequence path of Beyonder to become was a question worth pondering.
However, Klein did not have to think for too long before he came up with the answer, because he had read in the diary left by Emperor Roselle that the emperor once regretted not choosing from the three starting sequences of "Apprentice", "Thief", and "Fortune Teller".
Coincidentally, the starting sequence option provided to him by Dunn Smith happened to include the option of "Fortune Teller".
However, the Church of Evernight seemed to have only mastered Sequence 9 of this path, which was the potion formula for a single "Fortune Teller". This meant that if Klein chose to become a "Fortune Teller", he might not be able to continue to advance.
Once the sequence pathway is chosen, it cannot be changed. If one drinks potions from other pathways after determining the pathway, it will definitely lead to madness and loss of control... This is what Captain Dunn told him that day.
Under such circumstances, the choice of sequence path becomes a difficult problem that requires careful consideration. Should one choose the "Fortune Teller" who may have great opportunities... or become a "diviner" who has more control over other paths of the church... or accumulate merits and wait until the future to become a "sleeping person" who is fully controlled by the Church of the Night...
Klein thought for a long time, and finally made a clear choice:
The Emperor's selection must be of the best quality…!
Why did Russell regret not choosing those three paths? Given his status at the time, he actually had such regrets. This forced Klein to think carefully about the secret behind it.
Perhaps, those three paths have a much broader prospect than the path that the Great Emperor was on at that time...
Perhaps, the emperor was just lamenting over the impulsive choices he made when he was young...
Perhaps, behind those three paths, we can find a way home...
But in short, Klein has made his decision.
He wants to become a "fortune teller"...Chapter 43 HotelTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3027 words Update time: 2025-05-08 14:21:52
The loud whistle of the steam train as it approached the station woke Caroline from her deep sleep.
Her legs instinctively trembled and she accidentally kicked hard under the seat in front of her, making a very impolite noise, which caused everyone in the first-class carriage to subconsciously look in her direction.
Caroline slowly opened her eyes and saw everyone's gaze, and immediately realized what had just happened. She lowered her head in embarrassment, folded her legs, and forced herself to lean against the window with her brain that had not fully awakened and her body that became very sore and stiff from sleeping on the chair, looking at the scenery outside the train to relieve her embarrassment while slowly waking herself up.
Not long after, the steam train began to slow down noticeably, and finally slowly drove into a platform slightly smaller than the Backlund train station, and stopped after a tremor.
Holding the luggage suitcase that had been prepared long ago, Caroline was the first to walk out of the first-class carriage and stepped onto the thick soil of the platform.
The sun was shining brightly in the clear sky. Such good weather was rare in Backlund. Looking around, the whole world was unusually bright. The brilliant sunlight shone through the gaps in the train platform and sprinkled on Caroline.
She was very pleased with the pleasant warmth. She couldn't help but stretch herself, let out a long breath, and sighed:
"Life..."
In fact, there is nothing worth lamenting about in life. It's just that the atmosphere has been created to this point. If she doesn't express her feelings, she always feels a little sorry for such good weather.
After completely relaxing her body by stretching her arms, Caroline walked quickly out of the train station carrying her luggage.
When we arrived outside the train station, we were greeted by many horse-drawn carriages and local vendors soliciting customers. The former were waiting on the street, shouting loudly how much they knew about the city, while the latter were hanging something like a wooden box around their necks, which contained all kinds of strange gadgets. According to them, these were local specialties of Tingen.
It seems that even in different worlds, the way of soliciting customers outside train stations is still similar...
Caroline kindly declined the vendor who approached her to sell her things, walked to the street with her suitcase, chose a coachman who looked talkative, negotiated a price, and asked the driver to take her to a place near the city center.
"Miss, is this your first time in Tingen? Judging from your accent…are you from Backlund?"
The carriage was driven out of the train station. The coachman sat on the front seat and spoke to Caroline enthusiastically.
Caroline nodded in response, and the coachman immediately laughed heartily, as if he was proud of his ability to judge people.
"Haha, our Tingen is not a tourist city. What made you come here? To meet a friend? Hmm... You're not here to meet your sweetheart, are you?"
"No, I'm a student at Backlund University. I came to Tingen this time to research Tingen's people's livelihood and customs. You know, to prepare for my university graduation thesis."
"Ah, so you're a top student at Backlund University! No wonder you look so elegant. Haha, please forgive my rudeness just now. I thought a young and beautiful lady like you would go on a long journey alone for...hahaha."
The coachman resolved the momentary awkwardness with a series of words, and Caroline could understand it. After all, enthusiasm and talkativeness were the best ways to gain praise from customers in this industry.
Changing the subject, the coachman expressed his opinion on Caroline's purpose of coming to Tingen:
"The social situation in Tingen is pretty good, and living here doesn't require much effort. For example, I can earn more than 1 gold pound a week. Sometimes, when business is good, I can even earn more than 2 gold pounds. Of course, there are definitely poor people. If you walk more in the direction of the factory area, you can see a lot of them. But it is said that the city government is negotiating with those factory owners. I heard that they want to improve the living standards and income of the middle and lower-level workers. I wonder if this will help your investigation."
"That does sound helpful, I think I'll check it out more often."
"Haha, it's all thanks to you, the future pillars of the kingdom. I often see in newspapers that students in some place have filed petitions, or some social observation reporters have called for improving people's livelihood in the newspapers. Without the promotion of people like you, the royal government might not have thought of ways to take care of people like us."
The coachman's flattery made Caroline a little shy for a moment, because those things had nothing to do with her, and she didn't come to Tingen to do any social research.
Quickly changing the subject, Caroline began to ask the coachman about his own situation.
After asking, I found out that the other party had married early and had a son and a daughter, both of whom are currently studying at the Technical College in Tingen.
Caroline had not expected this, because the social environment in Loen was not yet so open. Many low-income families basically let their children go out to work to supplement the family income at an early age. Those with a little more vision would only let their sons go to church Sunday school, but they would often only let their children go to work when they could barely read.
Caroline asked more carefully and found out that the coachman's family were all devout believers of the Goddess of Night, and the latter was the most open-minded of the seven orthodox churches.
The coachman's family consists of four people, and the main source of income for the family is the coachman's own work. Physical work is different from mental work. As long as you are willing to work hard, the former can maintain a basic livelihood without much problem. But the lower limit is guaranteed, and the upper limit can only be like this. If the coachman's family wants to pursue a better life, they can only hope that the two children can learn a skill from school and become skilled workers in the future.
After turning a few corners along the street, the carriage drove into a relatively prosperous neighborhood.
Looking at the shops and signs lining the streets outside the carriage, Caroline's mind wandered, and she asked the coachman who was concentrating on driving:
"Sir, do you know where is a good hotel to stay?"
"Hmm? Miss, you still don't have a place to live?"
The coachman thought for a moment, then freed up one hand to gesture in the air:
"The best hotels are definitely in the Jinwutong District, where the city government is located. However, I don't recommend staying there because there are no good restaurants on the streets, and all you see when you go out are government officials."
"As for the cheaper hotels, they are probably all in the West District, which is also where the most people live in Tingen, but the street environment may not be that good."
"If you want me to recommend, Miss, you can choose a hotel in the North District. It's affordable and safe. The key is that there are many good shops and restaurants. They will definitely be very friendly to a newcomer like you."
"And from my personal perspective, the North District has the main church of the Goddess Church in Tingen. Haha, the people there are very kind, and you can ask them for help if you need it."
After carefully thinking about the coachman's suggestion, Caroline nodded and replied:
"Then please take me to the North District."
"Okay!"
...
After about twenty minutes' drive, the carriage stopped at the intersection of a bustling neighborhood.
Caroline glanced at the street signs. The east-west sign said "Zoutland Street" and the south-facing sign said "Wendel Street".
After getting off the bus with her luggage, Caroline took out the banknotes according to the price agreed upon in advance, but on second thought, she simply took the change back and gave the driver a 5-sol note.
"Miss, we agreed before..."
Seeing the denomination of the coins Caroline handed over, the coachman was surprised and refused repeatedly.
"Take it, including the tip and the price of the intelligence consultation fee."
Caroline smiled and said:
"You are a very competent coachman. I hope your life will gradually get better in the future."
The coachman opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. He was stunned for a long time before he finally accepted the money, took off his felt hat and bowed deeply to Caroline:
"Goddess, you are such a kind and generous lady..."
...
After saying goodbye to the coachman, Caroline carried her luggage and began to look for a hotel along Zouteland Street.
What the coachman said was indeed true. The streets here were very clean and there were many kinds of shops on the street. After a while, she found a hotel with a fresh and elegant decoration.
Entering the hotel, the receptionist at the front desk greeted Caroline warmly.
There were still many rooms available in the hotel and the price was quite affordable. After a little consideration, Caroline chose a standard room which cost 3 soli per night. Including the deposit, Caroline paid a total of 1 pound and 6 soli for five days.
The bulk of the total expenditure was taken up by the deposit, which Caroline thought was unreasonable at first, but after careful inquiry, she learned that the hotel had been recently renovated and the sound insulation and privacy of all the rooms had been further improved.
This is a very good condition for Caroline who needs to hide herself.
After thinking about it carefully, she felt that the deposit would be refunded in the end anyway, so she agreed to this charging standard.
After paying the room fee and providing proof of identity, the front desk clerk gladly handed the room key to Caroline.
"305", this is the room number of Caroline's room.
Caroline politely declined the waiter's request to carry her luggage, and carried her suitcase, slowly walking up the stairs to the third floor.
Following the markings on the wall, she walked on the carpet, passed several rooms in turn, and finally found her room two rooms away from the end of the corridor.Chapter 44 The Second Fortune-Transfer CeremonyTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3482 words Update time: 2025-05-08 18:31:54
Caroline inserted the key into the keyhole, turned it gently, and then pushed the door open.
As soon as she entered the room, Caroline saw the sunlight pouring in from the open curtains, making the whole room quite bright. There was not much dust in the air under the beam, which proved that the room was cleaned very well.
And this was indeed the case, at least in Caroline's view, the wooden floor in the room and the sheets and quilts on the bed were very clean, and there was no peculiar smell in the environment, only the fragrance of fabric and sunlight.
She stayed in a typical single standard room with only a bed and a bathroom, but the rest of the activity area was larger than she expected, and she could do push-ups on the floor even if she changed her posture and orientation.
After putting the suitcase next to the bedside table near the door, Caroline sat down on the edge of the bed. Then she let out a breath, fell backwards on her back, and lay on the bed, rising and falling several times due to the elasticity of the mattress.
Caroline was enveloped in a warm atmosphere. She had not gotten enough sleep after a morning of traveling. She had actually been forcing herself to get to the hotel. Now, in such an intoxicating and beautiful environment, she could not help but feel sleepy again.
"Ah... I really want to have a good sleep here first..."
Caroline narrowed her eyes and sighed softly, but the protest from her stomach prevented her from falling asleep peacefully.
What time is it now?
She took out her pocket watch, held it up to her eyes, opened it with a "click", and looked closely at the time indicated by the hour hand inside.
It's 12:23, and it will be afternoon in a little while. You don't need to eat lunch then, you can skip lunch and go straight to afternoon tea time.
How about taking a nap first and then going straight to afternoon tea?
Caroline thought about it, closed her pocket watch, dropped her raised arm directly onto the bed, and turned over.
Well, this is a good idea. You have to be energetic when you go out...
Well, no, no, I came to Tingen for business, how can I indulge in enjoyment?
After hesitating for a while, Caroline decided to leave everything to herself and lie down to rest for a while.
Well, just a short break really.
...
Klein felt that it was a little unreal when he walked out of the Blackthorn Security Company. However, after seeing the pedestrians walking on the street outside, he slowly regained a sense of reality.
Just now, he proposed the option of becoming a "Fortune Teller" to Dunn Smith, the captain of the "Nighthawks" team. With the help of Old Neil, a member of the "Nighthawks" team, he successfully drank the potion and became an extraordinary person, while mastering the preliminary "clairvoyance".
All this shows that he has embarked on an extraordinary path and taken the first step.
This step went very smoothly, but I don't know whether it will be successful in the future.
With the excitement of just becoming a "Fortune Teller", Klein felt that everything would slowly get better in the future.
After all, after becoming a successful Extraordinary, the salary he can receive in the "Nighthawks" team will also be increased accordingly.
If I wait until captain Dunn Smith retires, maybe if I work hard I can move up again.
Haha, but this is just a random wish of Klein. He has no talent for leading others. In the past, he basically followed the ideas of the working group in the company, not to mention leading a group of extraordinary people with extraordinary abilities.
It would be better for him to just take a fixed salary. As for the captain's successor after retirement... well, he thinks the young poet named Leonard is quite suitable.
With a smile on his lips, Klein pressed the half-high silk hat on his head and walked on Zouteland Street with a cane in hand.
It was noon now. Originally, Klein could have left directly after becoming a "fortune teller" and reporting to Dunn Smith. But when he returned to the "Blackthorn Security Company" through the underground passage, he found that the captain was not in the office.
After asking Roshan at the front desk, I learned that the captain was called away not long ago, reportedly to be coordinating a project with a "client" from Backlund.
Klein found this very strange. The "Blackthorn Security Company" was just a disguise for the "Nighthawks". Normally, receiving a commission from Tingen was considered an unexpected business. How could there be a client from the capital? And the captain himself personally handed over the order?
The only reasonable explanation is that this "client" might be a member of the "Nighthawks" from Backlund, or some important person.
But no matter what, these are not issues that Klein can consider for the time being. Let's leave everything to our dear captain to arrange.
And it was for this reason that Klein stayed in the Blackthorn Security Company until noon, taking a short nap in the lounge. He waited for Dunn to return and reported to him before leaving.
Thinking back to the wrinkles on Dunn Smith's face that seemed to have become even deeper when he returned, Klein couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.
The captain has really devoted himself to his work, but he must not age prematurely...
But it seems that the captain is showing some signs of aging now.
After lamenting his captain's hard work, Klein walked towards the public carriage stop.
He had not forgotten that he had some important business to attend to this afternoon. He had agreed with "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" that they would hold a "Tarot Party" above the gray fog at 3 p.m. on Monday.
Although it is still early now, time will pass quickly when I get home and do something.
As he walked, Klein inadvertently glanced at two carriages parked next to each other on the side of the road.
Next to the resting horses, two coachmen were sitting in their respective carriages and talking to each other:
"You know, I picked up a very generous customer today. She was a young lady from Backlund. We had originally agreed that the price from the train station to the city center was 1 soli and 7 pence, but after we got off here, she actually gave me a full 5 soli!"
Klein, who was walking by the roadside, couldn't help but stumble upon hearing this, and his back foot almost tripped over his front foot.
Is it true that a carriage ride cost 5 soli? This is not a small amount of money...
All carriages in Tingen charge one penny per kilometer, but public carriages have an upper limit, while private carriages have no upper limit. This is why Klein never takes a private carriage.
It does cost about 1 soli and 7 pence to get from the train station in the suburbs to the northern district where Zouteland Street is located. This should be a discounted price, but in the end I gave 5 soli... This is really too generous.
The companion who was listening to the coachman's words had the same thoughts as Klein, but the latter did not speak, while the former expressed his thoughts:
"Goddess, you unexpectedly met such a good person!"
"Haha, I've already told you that foreign tourists like people like me who are enthusiastic and talkative."
"Hey, do you think that young lady is from a wealthy family?"
"Well… that lady is pretty, but the clothes she wears don't have any complicated patterns. They look very simple. She shouldn't be very rich, but her family background is probably okay. You know, a top student at Backlund University, her living conditions are better than ours no matter what."
"That's true... Ah, I really hope I can meet such a kind and generous customer..."
A student of Backlund University?... It makes sense when you think about it this way...
Klein suddenly felt relieved. He shook his head and continued walking towards the place where he would take the public carriage.
It seems that his sister Melissa's future goal is to go to the technical university in Backlund. Although it is not as good as Backlund University, if she has a bright future, her income conditions will not be too bad.
Klein, who had no recollection of the fact that he was also a top student who graduated from Hoy University, suddenly had the thought of relying on his sister's failure in the future.
...
Caroline, who had changed countless positions in bed, woke up slowly with her head resting on a soft feather pillow.
Looking at the pocket watch still in her hand, she suddenly felt extremely embarrassed.
Oh no, I fell asleep after lying down for a while!
Caroline has faced this situation many times, including but not limited to being woken up by the alarm clock in the morning and yelling for another five minutes of nap, but the next time she wakes up, it is already a terrifying time.
Caroline quickly got out of bed and kicked the suitcase next to the bedside table. The sound of the suitcase hitting the bedside table immediately dispelled her sleepiness.
This was the second time, this was the second time she had caused an unexpected situation after waking up.
I feel like my luck is starting to get worse again... Oh, accidentally falling asleep can't be considered bad luck.
Putting the suitcase and bedside table back in place, Caroline couldn't help but think of the luck-changing ritual again.
Three days had passed since she first tried the luck-changing ritual in this world. During this time, she had become very proficient in the "Void Cube". So, as the second factor that might have caused her time travel, what was happening to the luck-changing ritual now?
"Why don't you give it another try? They say a new year brings new opportunities. Coming to a new city may bring new opportunities."
The main thing was that Caroline woke up again after a short sleep, and the hunger in her stomach had become more serious.
So Caroline straightened her messy dress, made sure that the change on her body was not dropped on the bed, and left the room with the hotel key.
Caroline walked down the stairs to the first floor and walked out of the hotel with a friendly nod and smile from the front desk clerk.
Just before going upstairs, she saw a shop next to the hotel selling hot cooked food. One of the foods was the one the coachman had mentioned to her when they were riding in the car before. It was said to be a specialty of Tingen, called "Tingen Cake".
Only after seeing the real thing did Caroline realize that this thing called "Tingen Pancake" was actually bacon potato pancake.
Then why is it called a specialty?
Caroline was very curious about this.
After asking the enthusiastic shop owner, she learned that what makes Tingen pancakes different from other bacon potato pancakes is that it uses onions and cheese, which are local specialties of Tingen.
Looking at the greasy pancakes in the window that exuded a unique aroma of bacon and baked potatoes, Caroline took out her money without any ambition.
She bought four potato pancakes in total, but this was mainly for the purpose of performing the luck-changing ritual, not because she was too greedy. Originally, a Tingen pancake was only the size of a palm.
After returning to the hotel with the food, Caroline went upstairs to the room, locked the door, and pulled all the curtains, leaving only a small gap for light.
Then she tore the oil paper that wrapped the Tingen cake into four pieces of equal size, each of which was just enough to hold a Tingen cake.
She placed the four Tingen biscuits in the four corners of the hotel room one by one, then looked at the layout of the room and found that the center should be on the bed.
So Caroline took off her shoes, stood directly on the bed, stepped on the sheets, balanced her body, and started walking four steps in reverse.
With every step she took, she whispered in Chinese according to the words she remembered:
"Fusheng Xuanhuang Immortal Lord, Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianjun, Fusheng Xuanhuang God, Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun..."Chapter 45 I Have a FriendTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3057 words Update time: 2025-05-09 13:00:00
Above the endless rolling gray fog, in the center of a palace that looked like the residence of the Giant King, two ethereal figures sat on either side of a long bronze table, while another one sat high up at the head of the table, his face obscured by the fog.
Klein was in a good mood as he sat in a high-back chair in a relaxed posture and convened a "Tarot Party" as "The Fool" again.
With the success of the Ghost Shark Blood transaction facilitated by the first "Tarot Party", at the second party, both Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man clearly trusted the mysterious Mr. Fool even more.
In this atmosphere, Klein witnessed the exchange of the formula for the "Audience" potion between "Justice" and "The Hanged Man". He then used the information in Emperor Roselle's diary to demonstrate the knowledge that a mysterious being should possess, further consolidating his identity as "The Fool".
After completing the most important transaction, Alger Wilson, the "Hanged Man", who saw that the party had inexplicably begun to quiet down due to Mr. Fool's silence, suggested exchanging daily intelligence.
Klein came to his senses and thought this was a good idea. He couldn't leave Tingen easily due to financial reasons and the constraints of the "Nighthawk" contract, but the other two members of the party were obviously scattered all over the world, which would allow him to know everything about the world without leaving home.
And the fact is exactly as Klein expected. After he threw out the news about the "Antigonus Family" notebook, the response given by Mr. "The Hanged Man" well confirmed the value of the notebook.
Was the Antigonus family destroyed by the Church of the Evernight Goddess?
Is this some kind of dark history?
It seems that the Nighthawks value the notebook much more than they appear to...
No wonder the captain and his team came to visit the night after the original body got into trouble. There really is a connection between them...
Klein silently noted this clue, and Justice Audrey then turned to mention the reality of the kingdom's top leaders seeking change.
This piece of news hit Klein's inspiration point. You know, one of the advantages of being a time traveler is that you have all kinds of experiences from your past life that you can use.
Therefore, Klein, as Mr. Fool, proposed the British civil service system and optimized it to a certain extent by adding the civil service examination system.
The "civil servants" who advance and retreat with the political parties are distinguished from the "administrative officials" who are responsible for actual implementation in the government. Then, they are selected and recruited through phased examinations and interviews. Professional talents are recruited according to the specific circumstances of the affairs faced by different positions, and professional matters are left to professionals.
In the past, typing more on the Internet did bring some benefits...
Klein thought so in his mind, and gave a relatively detailed plan to gradually replace the current government officials in Loen.
Alger, the "Hanged Man", had never been interested in such troublesome matters, but Audrey, the "Justice", seemed to be very concerned about it.
Her father, Earl Hall, has been troubled by this problem recently. Now with Mr. Fool's suggestion, maybe it can help her father solve the problem.
Of course, she didn't know that part of the reason Klein did this was to give his brother Benson a chance to become a civil servant. This was a good remedy for Rune, who was in some trouble because of the war.
After thanking the mysterious Mr. Fool for his wisdom again, Audrey of Justice paused for a moment, then looked at Alger, the Hanged Man, who had not said much since the beginning. After hesitating for a moment, she continued to ask:
"I have some personal questions to ask you."
"I have a friend, well, not really a friend, who has recently gotten into some trouble. The elders in her family are trying to force her to do something she doesn't want to do. I want to help her out of this difficulty. I wonder if Mr. Hanged Man and Mr. Fool can give me some advice."
Personal issues?
The Hanged Man Alger came back to his senses and first looked at Mr. Fool who was sitting at the top. Seeing that the latter did not express any opinion, he sat up a little straighter and asked Audrey Justice:
"You can tell me the specific situation, but I can't guarantee that I will have an effective solution."
"Can."
Audrey exhaled, organized her words carefully, and slowly began to narrate:
"My friend, she is the last descendant of a declining family. The family was once glorious, but has now declined due to various reasons."
"Not long ago, her parents were killed in a terrible attack, and she is the only one left in the family. Her current guardian is her biological uncle, but the uncle was adopted into another family when he was young, and now has no relationship with my friend's family."
"I recently learned that her uncle was planning to arrange a marriage for her, citing the reason that she couldn't live well on her own."
"I have asked her what she thinks, and I can confirm that she is very reluctant to do so. But Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, you should have heard about her tragic experience. She is now alone and helpless, and has no way to resist her uncle's decision."
"My friend is a very strong, enthusiastic and friendly girl. I don't want her life to be arranged like this, so I want to seek some advice from this wonderful gathering of 'Tarot Club' to see if I can help her get through the difficult times, at least so that she doesn't have to marry someone she is not willing to marry..."
As Audrey spoke, she felt that it was a bit vulgar to bring up such a topic in such a high-end occasion, so her tone and voice gradually became lower.
A friend of mine? If you hadn't emphasized this point, Miss Justice, I wouldn't have thought in that direction...
Klein curled his lips subtly, but he actually knew that the high probability Audrey mentioned was indeed the actual situation.
Judging from her previous behavior and words, she should be living in a well-off aristocratic family and is well protected by her family. No matter how you think about it, she has nothing to do with the situation of "the friend" she introduced.
But both parents died and she was forced to get married... This is really a classic novel plot. According to the general routine, the person who can solve this problem is the protagonist himself.
First he ran into trouble, then a hero showed up, swept away the feudal patriarch, then won the heart of the girl, and then... uh, what was I thinking, this kind of thing should be done most appropriately by Emperor Roselle.
Klein quickly shook off the strange thoughts in his mind and remained calm. He did not express his thoughts and quietly watched the exchange between Justice and The Hanged Man.
"If what you say is true, it is a very difficult problem to deal with."
Alger pondered and said:
"What is the best outcome you expect? Helping her out of her marital troubles, or allowing her to revive the family to some extent?"
"As long as she can have her own choices in life, that's enough. I don't want to cause too much trouble."
Audrey confirmed that she knew that the question she asked was a bit presumptuous, but she really wanted to help Caroline solve her problem.
"In this case, there are actually many ways to solve it."
Alger received a clear answer, and then asked:
"Can I confirm the current personal situation of your friend? Is he being held under guard, or does he have ample freedom of movement?"
Audrey quickly explained:
"She is not under custody and has no problems with her daily activities."
"Then things will be much easier."
Alger spread his hands and said:
"Since she wants to escape from marriage, she must first escape from it in her life."
"Leave Backlund and go to other cities in Loen, or simply leave Loen and go to other countries."
"Your friend is a descendant of a noble family, so his financial situation is probably not very good, but it is not too bad either. I don't think he will have any financial problems if he starts a new life somewhere else."
Audrey nodded, confirming Alger's statement.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony that day, she asked her father, Earl Hall, about Caroline's financial situation and learned that she received a considerable amount of pocket money every month, which came from her parents' inheritance.
"Of course, simply running away won't solve the problem. Your friend needs to make a career for herself and prove to her guardian that she can live a good life."
After listening to the story of the Hanged Man, Audrey lowered her head and began to think. She was wondering whether Caroline would accept this suggestion and whether her financial conditions could support her to do so.
But it wasn't over yet. Alger continued:
"However, the above points can only be established on the premise that your friend's guardian really wants to guarantee her future life, and not for some other reasons."
Audrey looked up in confusion and asked:
"Anything else?"
Klein, who was listening quietly, shook his head imperceptibly. He could already guess what The Hanged Man would say next.
"You should also understand the marriage problems of the nobility. Haha, there is a saying that goes, the so-called nobility are just a group of parasites growing on the blood and uterus."
As expected, Alger said in a very subtle tone:
"I don't mean anything against you, Miss Justice. I just want you to understand that some things may not be as simple as they appear on the surface."
"Your friend may be able to make the decision to stay out of trouble, but what about her uncle who is her guardian?"
"She was able to escape from her family and Backlund, but how far could she escape?"
After Alger finished speaking, the gray fog fell into an eerie silence.