At dusk, the setting sun cast long shadows of the carriages and horses.
Having informed Benson and Melissa that he was having dinner at the Blackthorn Security Company, Klein headed to the harbor with Old Neil on a public carriage.
He was dressed in cheap formal attire, afraid that conflict might break out in such a complicated location—if he damaged his tuxedo which he took painstaking care of, he would probably cry his heart out.
When the sunlight appeared to turn fiery, the carriage stopped. Old Neil, in his usual classic black robe and felt black hat with a rounded edge, ignored the gazes of others and walked diagonally to the Evil Dragon Bar in ahead of them.
Even though the bar was slightly far away and the heavy doors were tightly shut, Klein still heard wave after wave of rapturous shouts. They appeared to be cheering on a hero.
When he came close, he suddenly sensed something. He turned his head towards the warehouse opposite to the bar. He saw a stocky man dressed in a uniform standing at a hidden corner on the rooftop.
The man carried a huge grayish-white mechanical box and held a thick rifle in his hand.
The grayish-white mechanical box was obviously connected to the same-colored rifle via piping.
“Steam-pressured rifle?” Klein muttered in shock. He looked at Old Neil and said, “This bar can actually obtain such weapons?”
That was a military-controlled item!
Although it used extracted phlogiston 1 , the size and weight of the steam backpack were still shocking, something only a true warrior of blood and iron could withstand. The rifle had an extremely high muzzle velocity and shocking destructive power too.
Matched with a suitable scope, it was nearly equivalent to an inferior sniper rifle.
“What?” Old Neil squinted his eyes as he looked over, having a confused look too. “Did something happen here?”
Something happened? Klein surveyed his surroundings and discovered a few more men holding repeating rifles who were searching for something.
“What happened?” Old Neil approached the bar and asked the brawny man guarding its door outside.
The brawny man obviously knew Old Neil and smiled wryly.
“The bar was nearly destroyed earlier.
“Apparently a wanted man was here trying to buy materials and was recognized. And this was what resulted from it. Oh Lord, what did he do, and how dangerous was he to receive such treatment? My legs went limp seeing all those firearms, limper than after spending an entire night with Ginger Sunny!”
He did not know the identity of the wanted man, much less know that the people who came to buy materials had Beyonders mixed in.
“Wanted man? Do you know his name?” Old Neil asked in interest.
“I think it was Tris or something?” the brawny man answered uncertainly.
Instigator Tris? Klein nodded in enlightenment, having understood what was happening.
Tris did not know that Joyce Meyer had cast his suspicion on him; therefore, he had sauntered right into the market to purchase materials without heed. He was likely recognized by an informant of either the Machinery Hivemind or the Nighthawks, resulting in an intense clash.
“Was he caught?” Klein tapped his silver-inlaid black cane.
Based on the surrounding situation, likely not...
YOU ARE READING
Lord of the Mysteries (P1)
Mystery / ThrillerWith the rising tide of steam power and machinery, who can come close to being a Beyonder? Shrouded in the fog of history and darkness, who or what is the lurking evil that murmurs into our ears? Waking up to be faced with a string of mysteries, Zho...