Hearing the scream, Levto immediately rushed into the alley, while Lex walked to an inconspicuous spot nearby, and then, through shared senses, 'saw' a woman in old clothes sitting on the ground, looking in terror at a house in front of her.
Levto pushed open the half-closed door, and Lex then 'saw' that it was a single room, dimly lit inside, with a gas lamp overturned on a table to the left, its metal grates and lampshade splattered with fresh blood.
In the corner of the room, there was a wicker basket filled with firewood, and next to it was a dilapidated cabinet that could be used for clothes or utensils.
At the innermost part of the room was a two-tiered bunk bed. On the lower bunk, a woman was tightly embracing a girl about the same age as Kaliena. They were lying on the bed, covered by a tattered blanket full of holes.
Blood was everywhere: on the blanket, on the bed, and on the walls.
It seemed the woman had tried to protect her daughter but had failed. Both mother and daughter had tragically died on the bed.
Standing by the bed was a ragged man, holding a short axe used for chopping wood. The axe head was not only covered in blood but also had blood fragments clinging to it.
The man was looking at the deceased on the bed, laughing: "Hahahaha."
The man, with disheveled hair and blood on his face, suddenly turned his head, his pupils constricting, muscles twitching, and the corners of his mouth turning up to reveal eight teeth: "Dead, dead."
"Everyone must die, including myself, hahahaha."
As he laughed, he suddenly inverted the axe blade, swung it fiercely, embedding the axe head into his own skull, and then fell straight backward.
A moment later, the police arrived. They carried the three deceased from the house one by one, while the neighbors nearby discussed in hushed tones.
"Their family used to live quite well. Simon worked at the lumberyard, and his wife did laundry for others, earning over a dozen pence a day."
"When his daughter got a bit older, they would earn more. They were planning to save money, hoping to move to Mermaid Road next year for a better and more spacious house."
"Yes, I also heard Simon's wife mention it, but last month, the Baron's lumberyard closed down. Simon and several loggers were laid off, and he hasn't been able to find work since."
"No work is deadly. Their small savings wouldn't last long, even if Simon helped his wife with the laundry, they couldn't sustain their lives."
"Simon probably couldn't hold on because of this, and went mad, sigh, his daughter is the most pitiful."
After discussing for a while, the neighbors dispersed. After all, they had to rush back to sleep; if they didn't sleep, they wouldn't have the energy to work tomorrow, which might mean earning less than usual, and their lives would suffer setbacks.
And their lives could not withstand setbacks; Simon's family was an example.
Among the dispersing crowd, through Levto's vision, Lex noticed someone watching from a distance. It was a man, with messy hair, hunched over, and sneaking around.
Although the man quickly turned and disappeared into the dark alley, Lex still recognized him. It was Rodney, the coward mocked by the children.
The next day.
Lex opened the window, letting the chilly wind blow into the room, allowing the air inside to circulate. He placed a random oil painting he found at home on the table, then opened his pocket watch and said to the woman in the locket photo: "Christie, parasitize into the oil painting."
The woman in the photo lifted her skirt, bowed slightly to Lex, then her figure protruded from the photo, turning into a phantom and leaping into the oil painting.
Immediately, a figure appeared in the oil painting.
Lady Christie.
Lex pulled up a chair and sat down, casually asking: "In Levto's memories, have you found the Dawn Paladin's potion formula?"
Christie in the oil painting shook her head, and some color blocks danced above her head, forming words: This big fellow advanced by directly consuming the potion.
"Directly consuming the potion to advance, hmm, very consistent with the army's style. The military certainly wouldn't give you a formula and ask you to gather materials yourself."
Lex nodded, accepting this fact. In this case, the Dawn Paladin's potion formula could only be obtained through other channels, such as the Tarot Club.
He slightly changed his posture and continued to ask: "You've seen all of that 'demon's' memories, right? Does he know which Beyonder gatherings there are in Backlund?"
This was for gathering Beyonder materials in Backlund.
The sentence above Lady Christie's head changed: He knows of two. One is the Brave Bar on Iron Gate Street in the Backlund Bridge Area, and the other is a gathering in the Queen's Borough, hosted by suspected members of the Aurora Order.
"The Aurora Order? Forget it, they're all lunatics. I don't want to have any dealings with lunatics."
"Brave Bar."
Lex nodded: "Give me the specific information. I want to know how to participate."
After receiving the information from Christie, Lex heard the sound of the door opening, thinking it must be Kaliena's family. So he had Christie return to the locket photo.
Arriving at the door, Lex saw Kaliena's small figure from a distance. She had indeed brought her parents. Lex handed them over to Old Cook, asking Old Cook to arrange work for them.
There was plenty of work in the Baron's Mansion: cleaning, pruning flowers and trees, maintaining the house. There were plenty of things for them to do here.
Lex offered the couple a weekly wage of 1 pound, which delighted them, and they promised to excel at the work Old Cook assigned.
Old Cook was also very happy; the arrival of Kaliena's parents meant he was no longer alone.
After arranging these trivial matters, Lex left Enki Town and arrived in Tingen City at noon two days later.
He first found an inn, checked into a room, dropped off his luggage, and then took Levto to Red Moon Street, to 'Hardy's Pie Shop,' but unexpectedly found the shop closed. A sign hung above it, reading 'Temporarily Closed.'
So Lex and Levto went to Tingen North District, to 49 Fania Street.
Pulling the doorbell, Lex waited patiently, but after 1 minute, the door remained tightly shut.
Lex frowned and simply walked to the neighboring house, visiting old Hardy's neighbor.
A moment after the doorbell rang, the door opened, and an old woman came out, scrutinizing Lex: "Do I know you?"
Lex pressed his top hat and smiled: "Good afternoon, madam. Please forgive my abrupt intrusion."
"I am Mr. Hardy's friend, but he doesn't seem to be home, nor at his pie shop. Do you know where he went?"
The old woman suddenly realized: "Hardy? That old man went on vacation to Desi Bay with his son's family. That stinky old man was clearly happy inside, but he insisted on putting on an unwilling face."
Lex said in surprise: "Vacation? When did he leave?"
"Yesterday."
It was yesterday.
Lex shook his head. It was only a difference of one day. If he had known, he would have come a day earlier.
"Did he say when they would likely return?"
The old woman thought for a moment and said: "It should be after the New Year. I heard that stinky old man complain that they have to be back by January 3rd because his son got a promotion and has more things to deal with."
"Hmph, he thinks I don't know. He complains with his mouth, but he's happy inside, that bad old man!"