Chapter 2554: Dear Detective Mr. 06

Nighttime red-light district, end of the street.

On the damp street, two oil lamps hung at the tavern doorway on the corner, swaying in the breeze.

Alrek, wearing a half‑silver mask, pushed open the tavern door and entered.

Inside, smoke swirled, voices noisy.

The madam in a corset dress saw him and immediately came over enthusiastically, her feather fan fluttering quickly.

"You haven't come in a long time." Her smile was alluring, but tension hid in her eyes.

Alrek nodded at her, took her hand, and lowered his head to lightly touch the ring on her finger.

"Long time no see, Madam Edwards."

The madam seemed a bit afraid of Alrek, quickly pulled back her hand, and fanned faster.

"Your usual spot upstairs is saved for you."

She said softly, then turned and disappeared into the crowded crowd.

Alrek walked to the bar and ordered a half glass of alcohol.

He leaned against the bar, eyes beneath the mask sharp, scanning everyone here.

The bartender skillfully poured the drink, tapping lightly on the bottom of the glass with his finger.

After downing the half glass, a waiter in uniform passed by Alrek's side and slipped a small wooden box into his hand without thinking.

Alrek's fingers closed, he felt the weight of the wooden box, then nonchalantly slipped it into his suit's inner pocket.

He tipped his head back and finished the remaining liquor, the liquid sliding down his throat.

Suddenly, Alrek glanced left, alert.

Two men whose arms and necks were covered in tattoos approached, one on each side, sandwiching him in the middle.

"Finally got to see you, Xīnghóng Shēnshì." one of the men whispered.

Again, damn trouble.

Heavens, Alrek thought, he was quickly growing tired of the nickname Xīnghóng Shēnshì.

Alrek licked the inside of his mouth, single‑handedly undid his collar button, the tense veins on his neck brimming with power.

"Yes, I will give you a gift."

"What?"

"I'll send you to meet the two beautiful ladies from last night."

Before his words even finished, Alrek had already moved.

His movements were swift, his fist, wind whistling, struck the left man's abdomen.

That man let out a muffled groan and bent over.

The other man was about to draw his gun when Alrek grabbed his wrist and twisted it cleanly.

The crowd inside the tavern let out an excited roar, yet they silently stepped back, forming a circle to watch the spectacle.

They enjoyed watching the three people's fight.

Alrek seemed like a different person, his green eyes flashing with excited and cruel light.

He snatched the gun, spun it skillfully in his hand, then shoved the barrel into one man's mouth.

"Do you like this gift?" he asked softly, watching fear rise in the other's eyes, then pulled the trigger.

Bang! The gunshot rang out, quickly swallowed by the tavern's clamor.

The other man, however, frantically felt his body, only to discover his throat had been slit sometime ago.

The two collapsed one after another, blood slowly spreading across the floor.

Alrek straightened his body, wiping the blood from his knuckles.

His gaze swept over the surroundings, locking onto a figure in the right corner.

That person had not moved from start to finish.

A man wearing a full black mask, draped in a long black cloak.

Alrek narrowed his eyes and walked toward him.

As the distance closed, Alrek saw the man extend a gloved hand from beneath his cloak, long fingers bearing a familiar pocket watch.

That was precisely the one Alrek had previously placed in his inner pocket.

Alrek frowned, felt his suit pocket, and indeed it was empty.

Perhaps it had fallen out accidentally during the fight just now.

He approached the man, his voice still carrying the excitement and hoarseness from the fight.

"This is mine, sir, give it back."

The man pointed to the empty seat beside him.

Alrek sat down warily, eyes beneath the mask fixed firmly on the opponent.

He had never seen this man before, but his intuition told him this person was not simple, even full of danger.

"Give it back," Alrek said again, his tone even colder and harder.

Before he finished speaking, the man lifted a cup of wine from the table and gestured a toast toward Alrek.

"Xīnghóng Shēnshì, I've long heard your great name." the man's voice came through the mask, low and hoarse.

"Damn..."

Alrek lost patience, violently snatched the cup from the other's hand and smashed it to the ground.

Glass shards scattered; he grabbed a piece and stabbed toward the opponent.

Unexpectedly, the man's strength turned out to be greater than his.

He easily grabbed Alrek's wrist and yanked him into his embrace.

A'erruike couldn't dodge in time and was pressed against the dark corner of the wall by the other party.

The black glove covered A'erruike's eyes, and the heat from the palm scorching through the fabric pressed against his eyelids.

Immediately afterward, the corner of his mouth was invaded.

The man kissed him.

A'erruike: "???"

He lifted his leg to kick, but the other party's knee firmly pressed down.

This kiss was filled with a bloody taste and lasted a full two minutes.

Until A'erruike almost suffocated, his gaze unfocused.

He had been struggling all along, and now his mouth felt like it was about to split open.

The man chuckled lightly, shoved the cold pocket watch into A'erruike's collar, letting it slide down against his skin.

"Your kiss is full of sweetness, baby." The hoarse voice sounded again.

A'erruike's mouth burned, he panted, hearing the man's pleased voice.

"Remember my name, Chen."

The man patted A'erruike's cheek, then pressed his swollen, torn lips red, and got up to leave.

In a moment, he vanished behind the tavern's hidden door, leaving no trace.

A'erruike caught his breath, so angry he almost smashed the whole tavern.

He picked up the pocket watch, his fingers tightly gripping the cold metal, his knuckles turning white.

——

When A'erruike returned to the cylindrical room with a sullen face, it was already late at night.

The oil lamp on the first floor was still lit; Jin Chen sat at the table, piled with documents and notes.

Hearing the door open, he lifted his head, his face first showing a look of joy.

"A'erruike."

Immediately, Jin Chen looked at A'erruike's split lip, his blue eyes slightly narrowing, looking quite sorrowful.

"A'erruike... sir, did you go kiss someone?"

A'erruike: "..."

That inexplicable feeling of guilt welled up in his heart again.

This time it was genuine guilt.

He instinctively raised his hand to touch his stinging lip corner, avoiding Jin Chen's sorrowful gaze.

"It's none of your business, Cyril." A'erruike's voice was colder than usual, "How's the document sorting going?"

Jin Chen, however, did not answer.

He stood up, walked to A'erruike's front, and reached out to lightly touch his lower lip.

"You're hurt," he said softly, the temperature of his fingertip making A'erruike involuntarily shudder.

"A'erruike, do you need it treated?"

A'erruike stepped back, "Just do your duty."

He turned and was about to go upstairs.

"A'erruike," Jin Chen called out to him, voice tinged with amusement, "Your pocket watch chain is showing."

A'erruike lowered his head and discovered that the pocket watch had indeed slipped out of his pocket a bit.

Damn it, it really was a pocket problem.

He quickly shoved it back, not noticing the slyness in Jin Chen's eyes.

"Good night, Cyril."

A'erruike said without turning back, striding up the stairs.

Jin Chen stood in place until the sound of the door closing upstairs came.

He took out that milk candy from his pocket, gently placed it on his tongue, and felt the sweetness slowly melt.

"See you later, A'erruike."