It was already two in the afternoon when he arrived at the Lucky Southern Cross Club, and now it was closer to dusk. In the hazy mist, the carriage slowly set off. Xia De was thinking about his upcoming spending and repayment plans, while Miss Bei Ya Si was probably thinking about the rewards she would receive after reporting important information. So the two sat opposite each other in the carriage, but only chatted intermittently.
Once the conversation touched upon sensitive topics, such as Lakeview Manor and the localized earthquake in southern Nolan, or the operation of the Detective Agency, Xia De would immediately mention her status as an "honorary police officer," forcing Miss Bei Ya Si to proactively prepare new topics.
The Detective, in a good mood, even planned to take Mia out for a big meal tonight. He had never had so much money since coming to this world. Although he knew he needed to save, an occasional celebration was fine.
"But I can't forget tomorrow night's 'pickup' mission."
Xia De thought to himself, looking out the carriage window. Because he had recently memorized the map of Tobesk, the Outsider knew that the street they were currently on was called Hammerhead Street.
From the way the street was named, it was clear that this was not a main street in the City. In fact, it was right next to the Tobesk East District slums. If it were night, even the coachman would be unwilling to take this road.
The scenery of the Steam Age was displayed before Xia De through the small window. Air with a burning smell rushed into his lungs, reminding him of the characteristics of this civilization.
Metal pipes clung to the walls on both sides of the not-so-wide street. Shops facing the street would connect branch lines from the pipes into their own buildings, while apartment buildings would directly draw steam and gas from the main pipes underground.
Barefoot children played by the street, and disheveled beggars lay carelessly on straw mats by the wall, but there was nothing in the wooden bowls in front of them.
Occasionally, middle-aged gentlemen passing through this street would hurry by with expressions of disgust, covering their noses. The coachman's shouts reminded those ahead to make way, and the sound of hooves stepping on the uneven ground was exceptionally rhythmic.
The impact of this scene, though not as shocking as when Xia De first stepped out of his house and saw the era, still gave him a different feeling.
"I noticed you've been looking at the children on the street."
Miss Bei Ya Si, bored during the carriage ride, asked. Her hands were pressed on her skirt, a very ladylike sitting posture.
"I just sometimes wonder, some people are born without having to worry about hunger, while others have to spend their entire lives..."
"Escaping hunger?"
Miss Bei Ya Si asked, Xia De's gaze not leaving the window:
"The poor can't escape these things in their lifetime; they can only spend their lives trying to help the next generation, or even the generation after that, escape hunger."
Miss Bei Ya Si didn't expect Xia De to say such words. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond, but she understood Xia De's meaning:
"Detective, instead of thinking about such things, it's better to do something practical. For example, I volunteer at the Sun Church every Wednesday. That's how I can help these children."
"But you can help one or two, help dozens, what about the rest of the children?"
"But we are only mortals, we are not gods. We can only do what we can."
Miss Bei Ya Si clearly had her own views on this matter:
"If the goal is too distant, it's better to just look at your feet. Even if you can't reach that distant goal in your entire life, at least you are always moving forward and also driving others forward. This way, one day, someone will be able to reach the end. Detective, what kind of look is that?"
Xia De looked at her with some surprise:
"Nothing, I just didn't expect to get such an answer from a young lady. This kind of thinking is truly remarkable."
Perhaps this was The Chosen that Miss Annette was looking for, someone worthy of standing before the final door. If Xia De had only respected her because of her identity before, now he genuinely admired her thoughts.
The Outsider had seen so many things to understand this truth, and this young lady in a relatively ignorant world actually had such an awareness before she was eighteen.
"Really? These are just my own thoughts, it's nothing... Detective, actually, your insights are quite good too."
Such praise made Miss Bei Ya Si feel a little embarrassed instead.
This era seemed prosperous, but society needed change. The beauty of the Steam Age, whether in his hometown or here, this prosperity was built on a certain foundation.
The Outsider had seen more and understood more. Of course, he wouldn't express his thoughts for now; that would only make others look at him strangely.
Miss Bei Ya Si's idea was actually quite good, but in this world where mystery and the extraordinary exist, although mortal power is insufficient, the power of a god might be enough.
After the carriage left Hammerhead Street, it continued westward. On this boring Wednesday summer evening, under the hazy mist, even the City seemed to be falling into slumber.
Perhaps having experienced too much at the Lucky Southern Cross Club, Xia De felt a bit drowsy during the silences in their conversation. Miss Bei Ya Si, across from him, seemed to be the same, and so, unknowingly, both fell into a slumber.
In his dream, Xia De once again stood on the field path under the starry sky, looking up at the silver moon. He thought that in the illusion created by The Innocent Creator, the night sky only had one silver moon. Just as he was about to express some thoughts in his dream, a voice in his ear forced him to wake up:
"Danger."
The Ring術士's "other self" was the price of contact with the mysterious. Having another voice in their head was a sign that they were different from ordinary people. The "other self" did not need sleep; their exact nature was difficult to define, with most explanations considering them another side of the soul. But in any case, Ring術士 did not need to worry about encountering accidents while sleeping, because there would always be "another pair of eyes" watching out for them.
Although the murmuring in Xia De's head was strange, it had all the functions that an "other self" should have. Therefore, when the warning of danger appeared in his ear, and the Destiny Ring in his soul rotated, Xia De escaped from that strange state of slumber.
"Ha, I knew going out this time would definitely lead to trouble!"
Not only was he not surprised, but he was even happy that his prediction had come true.
Opening his eyes, he was still sitting in the carriage, but Miss Bei Ya Si was gone, leaving only her ladies' handbag on the seat. The four-wheeled carriage had stopped moving. Looking out from the half-open window, it seemed to have stopped in a secluded alley. The twilight only barely illuminated the narrow alley, and the pungent smell in the alley almost made him gasp.
Xia De shouldn't have been asleep for very long.
"What happened?"
"You and your companion were affected by a Miracle. About 10 seconds ago, she was taken away."
"What's going on now?"
The murmuring voice did not respond. Instead, conversations came from outside the window, two men talking:
"Are they the ones who entered that room in the Lucky Southern Cross Club and conducted the search?"
The voice was rough and strong, with a clear non-local accent.
"Yes, I saw it with my Miracle. The one in the carriage is a normal Detective, and this woman is a Ring術士 of the Orthodox Church. I saw her when I helped the Silver-Eyed One leave Lakeview Manor."