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.

is mainly

Reporter, have you heard of them?” Old

Mike sneered.

outside East Borough as well. It’s said that one of

person next to you was the person in question, the person who made

know about the Zmanger gang, then why doesn’t the police arrest them?” Old Kohler asked from his viewpoint, of someone at

turned a little awkward,

is no evidence for the rest, so we can’t arrest them. Moreover, East Borough is so broad, and there are so many people. It would be hard to

he spoke, he

their strong tradition of being combative while failing to find any other means of earning a living, it’s only a matter of time

is a complex social issue… Klein pointed to

“Pick one.”

at the

we don’t provoke the girls who do business on the streets or in the bars, they won’t notice us. Heh heh, it’s still morning, so there shouldn’t be any

could be said that the gang who gave itself such a name

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

was filled with the smells of oyster soup, fried fish, ginger beer, and the smell of various food and beverages left behind by street vendors, as well

of familiarity. It was as if he had returned to Tingen City, to Iron Cross Street, and to the street

the sea and had more traffic. There

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

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

up a similar scene from the memory fragments of

father had left behind, but despite repairing it several times, it would quickly break. This continued until Melissa fiddled with it

had both monetary and

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

“Probably.” Mike wasn’t sure.

sent to the original watch store he bought it from. The store would then send

soon as they entered the apartment, they saw a middle-aged man with a

of the bathroom and was about to return to his room. When he saw the three strangers come in, he hurriedly asked, “Do you want to

coincidence… We actually met the craftsman immediately…

took out his pocket watch, smiled, and said, “Yes, my pocket watch has recently not been keeping time well. Can you help me

planned to interview him over some casual chit

man immediately revealed a smile and led them into a two-bedroom apartment which had its door half concealed. He pointed at a chair beside the

at home?” Mike

watch craftsman shook

“How is that possible?

whoever has business will use them. So, we

spoke, he left the room and walked to the

craftsman. Many of the residents here are of this profession… Klein

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

and lowered his

watch

Klein

…

a cordial exchange with several of the apartment’s residents, Klein and the others once