Chapter 137

The male police officer put down the newspaper, looked up at Lu Mian, and was intimidated by his generous, calm, and confident attitude. He pointed to the notebook and fountain pen in front of him and said:

"Show your lawyer's license and register your name and the purpose of your visit."

What, I have to show a license? Lu Mian, the fake lawyer, was shocked inside.

In so many novel plots and so many newspaper reports, isn't it always the case that you can see your client just by stating your identity as a lawyer?

While leaning down and picking up the black fountain pen, Lu Mian's thoughts raced as he thought of a countermeasure.

At this moment, he keenly discovered that the male police officer opposite him had cast his gaze back to the "Trier Youth" newspaper he had just put down, focusing on the annual Around-Trier Cycling Race.

He didn't seem to care that much about whether he saw the lawyer's license... Lu Mian instantly had an idea and wrote down "his" name, imitating Aurora's handwriting:

"Guillaume Pierre, pro bono lawyer, to see client Charlie Corrent."

After writing, Lu Mian stood up and looked to the side as if unintentionally.

He instantly revealed a look of surprise, raised his arm, and shouted loudly:

"My little cabbage, long time no see!"

Several people in that direction looked over here with blank expressions. Lu Mian took the opportunity to turn back, nodded to the male police officer responsible for registration, and said in a low voice:

"I saw a friend."

The subtext of this sentence was that he would come back to show his lawyer's license later.

Without waiting for the male police officer to respond, Lu Mian walked quickly toward a corner of the lobby.

The male police officer picked up the registration book and took a look, then went back to reading the "Trier Youth" newspaper.

After arriving at the corner of the lobby, Lu Mian turned his body slightly and swept a glance at the male police officer responsible for registration. Seeing that he was completely unaware of the situation here, he revealed an embarrassed and apologetic expression and said to the few people who were looking at him with confusion:

"Sorry, I recognized the wrong person."

He then carried his briefcase and walked toward a policeman he had just "selected"—a policeman who had seen him come from the registration desk.

"I want to see my client, Charlie Corrent." Lu Mian lifted his head slightly and said with slight arrogance.

In the Republic of Intis, in terms of social status, lawyers are far superior to ordinary police officers.

The policeman glanced at the registration desk and, seeing nothing unusual, nodded and said:

"I'll help you ask the person in charge of that case."

A quarter of an hour later, Lu Mian met Charlie in a closed room, with two policemen guarding outside the door.

"Who are you?" Charlie sat down and looked at Lu Mian opposite the table with confusion.

His complexion was very poor, no longer ruddy, and his expression was full of fear and anxiety.

He had heard of pro bono lawyers when chatting with other waiters at the hotel and knew that these were defenders specifically invited by government agencies or charitable organizations for suspects without money. What he didn't expect was that he had only been caught for half a day, and the pro bono lawyer had already arrived.

Do those people wearing fake collars have such high efficiency?

Lu Mian laughed, took off his black-rimmed glasses, winked his right eye, and said in his original voice:

"Don't you recognize me? I'm your pro bono lawyer."

Charlie froze for a moment, identified him carefully for a few seconds, and gradually revealed an expression of sudden realization.

Just as he was about to speak, Lu Mian put on his glasses and said:

"Quiet, listen to me."

"Okay, yes, okay." Charlie snapped back to reality.

Lu Mian restrained his smile and said seriously:

"I need to know all the details of the matter; only then can I help you clear your name."

"Really?" Charlie asked urgently, like a drowning person who had seen the last straw.

Lu Mian first asked in a pretentious manner:

"From what time to what time did you stay in the room with Mrs. Alice?"

Charlie rubbed his face and recalled with both confusion and pain:

"Mrs. Alice called for room service; I entered her room before 8 o'clock and stayed until she was tired, leaving just before midnight. At that time, she had just lain down, wasn't asleep yet, and was still alive!"

8 PM to midnight? Every day? That 500 verl d'or isn't easy to earn either... Lu Mian muttered a few words to himself and said like a real lawyer:

"You must be honest with me; any concealment will only hurt yourself in the end."

"I didn't lie, it really was like that!" Infected by Lu Mian's words, actions, posture, and tone, Charlie also entered the state, as if the person opposite was really his defense lawyer.

After Lu Mian confirmed a few more details, he turned to ask:

"After you gained Mrs. Alice's favor, did anyone express jealousy?"

"Many, whether they were apprentices or formal waiters, many were jealous of me..." Charlie recalled and said.

After chatting about this topic for a while, Lu Mian took out a photo and handed it to Charlie:

"Take a look and see if you recognize this person."

Charlie took it and looked, blurting out in astonishment:

"Isn't this Saint Viev?"

Why is she wearing a sexy long dress that reveals the skin on her chest?

"I've confirmed it; the portrait you pasted in your room isn't Saint Viev's, but the famous socialite Suzanne Mathis's." Lu Mian considerately used "socialite" instead of "prostitute" to avoid Charlie receiving too much of a shock.

"Ah?" Charlie had a blank expression.

I prayed to a socialite, not an angel?

But why did my luck improve?

No, it didn't really improve, or I wouldn't have been caught and brought to the police station...

Lu Mian took out another photo, which was still Suzanne Mathis, but he had already used paint to dye the socialite's hair green in advance, making a slight "correction":

"Take another look and see if you recognize this person."

Charlie looked carefully for a few seconds, his expression becoming shocked:

"This, her! How could it be?"

"You recognize her, right?" Lu Mian laughed.

Charlie lifted his head and said as if he had lost his soul:

"She, she is, she is the protagonist of those beautiful dreams of mine.

"Didn't I tell you? I had beautiful dreams for several days in a row during that time; in the dreams, I was doing that kind of thing with her, and she was so passionate, so gentle...

"You, how did you know I dreamed of her? I didn't tell anyone! Why does she have a photo?"

When Charlie looked at Lu Mian again, his eyes were completely different:

Is this still the Southern boy I know?

Besides being good at playing pranks and looking okay, there's nothing special about him!

Lu Mian curled his lips and looked at Charlie with a smile:

"Take a closer look at who is in the photo."

Charlie looked down blankly at the photo with green hair.

As he looked, his expression became exceptionally terrified, and he couldn't help but shrink his body backward, making the chair creak.

"No, impossible! Suzanne, Suzanne, she is that prostitute!" Charlie couldn't control his emotions and shouted out.

This discovery gave him the feeling of encountering an evil spirit.

After praying to the portrait of a prostitute, he not only immediately got rid of the predicament of hunger and found a new job, but also dreamed of her continuously and slept with her!

This, this isn't just bumping into a ghost?

Lu Mian nodded with satisfaction:

"Congratulations, at least your eyes aren't blind yet."

He intended to help Charlie, and the two matters of providing information through pranks to scare Charlie were unrelated.

With a *creak*, the door of the interview room was opened, and a policeman guarding outside asked with exceptional vigilance:

"What happened? Why are you shouting?"

"I helped him recall some key details." Lu Mian explained calmly.

Charlie snapped back to reality:

"Yes, I remembered some very important things."

Indeed very important!

The policeman didn't ask any more questions and closed the door again.

Seeing this, Charlie leaned forward, pressed his hands on the edge of the table, and asked urgently:

"Did I encounter a female evil spirit?"

"Not necessarily a vengeful spirit or an evil spirit." Lu Mian first saw Charlie's expression soften a bit, then added, "It might be even more troublesome than that."

In his eyes, Charlie's complexion turned gray-white instantly.

After a brief silence, Charlie asked with concern:

"You, you mean, Mrs. Alice was killed by that evil spirit?"

"Not sure yet." Lu Mian stood up, "I need to go see Mrs. Alice's corpse."

"You can even examine corpses and find the real cause of death?" Charlie recognized this neighbor less and less.

Lu Mian smiled and didn't answer.

As Charlie's defense lawyer, he had the right to examine the corpse accompanied by the police, and could even ask an independent forensic doctor for help. Therefore, after signing two documents with the name "Guillaume Pierre," Lu Mian was brought to the basement of the Market District Police Headquarters and entered the cold storage room where corpses were kept.

The policeman leading him pulled out a cabinet, opened the body bag, and pointed to the female corpse:

"This is Mrs. Alice."

Alice had been well-maintained during her lifetime, with only faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth; her brown eyebrows were very thick, the muscles on her cheeks were slightly sagging, and her skin was already deathly pale.

Lu Mian looked casually and said to the policeman:

"I have no more questions."

He wasn't a forensic doctor; if he really came to examine the corpse, his purpose was to confirm roughly where Mrs. Alice's corpse was located.

After leaving the cold storage room, Lu Mian turned his head and said to the policeman accompanying him:

"Where is the nearest washroom?"

"Turn right at the end of the corridor." Although the policeman was a bit impatient, he still gave an answer.

Lu Mian quickened his pace and entered the washroom on the basement floor.

Then, he locked the wooden door and danced the "Dance of Derivation" in this small space.

In the dance that was sometimes manic and sometimes twisted, a cold wind blew in the washroom, and one blurred figure after another appeared here, one pale or cyan face after another staring at Lu Mian with hollow eyes.

These were all the lingering obsessions of the deceased.

Lu Mian hadn't truly experienced such a big scene before and for a moment actually had the feeling of being surrounded by ghosts and spirits.

He steadied himself and, while dancing the second half of the dance, searched for Mrs. Alice.

Before long, he discovered the lady with thick brown eyebrows and a fierce look.

Lu Mian then pulled out the ritual silver dagger, made a wound, and used the method of command to make Mrs. Alice attach herself to his body.

Mrs. Alice swallowed that drop of blood and entered Lu Mian's body.

Lu Mian immediately felt cold all over, and his chest also seemed to become heavy.

His breathing also experienced a certain degree of difficulty accordingly.

Without hesitation, Lu Mian amplified Mrs. Alice's obsession, rather than choosing one of her specific traits or abilities.

Almost instantly, Lu Mian's vision went black, and he saw Mrs. Alice lying on the bed, her mouth and nose covered by a pillow stuffed with feathers, but within her line of sight, there was no one pressing down on that pillow!

(End of chapter)