Lord of the Mysteries

Backlund’s East Borough, at an intersection.

Mike Joseph saw a number of pitiful-looking children in rags along the street. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and planned to head over to give them some pennies.

However, his action was stopped by the former tramp, Old Kohler.

“They’re thieves!”

“Thieves? What about their parents? Or are they controlled by the gangs?” As a senior journalist, Mike had never been to the East Borough, but he had heard of instances of a few gangs controlling street children to steal and beg.

“Parents? They either don’t have parents, or their parents were once thieves or might still be thieves. Of course, Mr. Reporter, you’re right, many of them are under the control of gangs, and it’s said that the gangs will teach them how to steal. For example, they will hang a gentleman’s coat on a wall, put a handkerchief in the pocket, and hang a pocket watch on the outside, and through repeated practice, the children will attempt to steal the handkerchief without shaking the pocket watch. Heh, this is what I heard from others while at the workhouse when I was homeless.” Old Kohler babbled on, “I remember the youngest thief ever caught on this street was only six years old. Sigh, six years old…”

He seemed to recall his child who was lost to a disease and couldn’t help but take out a cigarette from his pocket. He couldn’t bring himself to smoke it, so all he did was take a sniff.

“Six years old…” Mike was stunned by this number.

Klein quietly listened and sighed.

“This is East Borough.”

He looked around, composed himself, and said, “This place is closer to the jungle than to human society.

“Our interview has to be treated as an adventure. You have to learn how to avoid the territory of dangerous creatures, but you must also avoid those little things that don’t seem to be too harmful to you. Well, I’m talking about mosquitoes in the jungle.

“Mike, if you expose the thickness of your wallet to those kids, then even if you protect it well and don’t let them steal it, robbery is a destined outcome during the rest of the adventure. If you dare to resist, then perhaps there will be one more body floating in the Tussock River tomorrow morning.”

“Mr. Detective, you’re absolutely right! There are so many people in East Borough. No one pays notice to the few missing people every day,” Old Kohler agreed.

Mike listened intently for a few seconds, and after a few seconds of silence, he suddenly said, “1.35 million.”

“Huh?” Because of his cold, Klein’s throat was obviously a little hoarse.

Mike stepped forward and said, “This is a preliminary estimate of the population count of East Borough.

“But I know that there’s definitely more than that.”

“That many?” Old Kohler was startled.

Although he had experienced the days and nights in East Borough and knew that there were a lot of residents here, he didn’t expect there to be this many.

This is several times the population of Tingen City… Klein subconsciously compared it with the place that was most familiar to him.

He looked at the intersection a few steps away and asked, “Which way should we go next?”

Old Kohler looked up and said, “Definitely not straight. That area is under the control of the Zmanger gang. They’re very vicious and completely unreasonable. If they discover any reporters doing interviews, then they’ll definitely beat us up!”

The Zmanger gang? Isn’t that the “brainless” gang that caused me to lose 10,000 pounds? He was some kind of executioner. Hmm, I don’t even remember his name… Fortunately, the 10,000 pounds was eventually exchanged for the Seer’s corresponding Sequence 7, 6, and 5 potion formulas and the All-Black Eye, as well as the Intis Ambassador’s life… I wonder who ended up obtaining the manuscript of the third-generation difference engine… Klein instantly recalled what had happened early last month.

gang that is mainly

you heard of them?” Old Kohler asked in

Mike sneered.

lot of cases, and they have some reputation outside East Borough as well. It’s said that one of

the person in question, the person who made the report, and

about the Zmanger gang, then why doesn’t the police arrest

suddenly turned a little awkward, and

Moreover, East Borough is so broad, and there are so many people. It would be hard

spoke, he

strong tradition of being combative while failing to find any

issue… Klein pointed to the left and

“Pick one.”

the right side of

the streets or in the bars, they won’t notice us. Heh heh, it’s still morning, so

“Proscrito” meant “outlaw” in the Loen language, so it could be said that the gang who gave itself such a

Mike had no objection to this, and with the guide leading the way, they entered

fish, ginger beer, and the smell of various food and beverages left behind by street

here, Klein felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. It was as if he had returned to Tingen City,

the sea and had more traffic. There

around here, I discovered that the gentlemen and ladies inside are all, hmm—quite clean.” Old Kohler pointed to a

sign hanging in front of the apartment. It had a picture of a pocket

lives here?” Klein dug up a similar scene

watch which his father had left behind, but despite repairing it several times, it would

both monetary and sentimental

he will think of me every time he takes out that pocket watch… Klein suddenly blinked and curled

“Probably.” Mike wasn’t sure.

usually sent to the original watch store he bought it from. The store would then send it to a repairman or

they saw a middle-aged man with a

out of the bathroom and was about to return to his room. When he saw the three

a coincidence… We actually met the craftsman

pocket watch has recently not been keeping time well. Can you

identity and planned to interview him over

led them into a two-bedroom apartment which had its door half concealed. He

at

craftsman shook his head and

“How is that possible?

and whoever has business will use them. So, we moved in together. Heh heh, it’s more convenient this

the room and walked

isn’t a coincidence that we met a watch craftsman. Many of the

and enviously said, “Before I fell ill, I lived in such a place as well. My wife would help others sew clothes at

sighed and

thought watch craftsmen

too…” Klein

…

with several of the apartment’s residents,