Chapter 84: Investigation Mission

At the Basil Inn, in Zuo Er Tan's mechanical workshop, Lei En works intently at the lathe, and a tiny component gradually takes shape in his hand.

Behind him, a metal rack is set on the table.

The rack holds two conical tubes made of copper skin, one large and one small, resembling long trumpets, but they are not for playing sound; on the contrary, they are for receiving sound.

The tail of each conical tube connects to a fine needle, beneath which sits an entire set of spring‑driven wheels.

This is a mechanical Phonograph used to record onto discs!

Since meeting Viola, Lei En has been exposed to music and has thought of the Phonograph. He is certain that Ai Lun E Si does not have a Phonograph, but does have a similar item called an Echo Crystal.

Echo Crystals are alchemical items, whose main material is the same as that of a voice transmitter, namely voice stone.

Using an Echo Crystal can preserve sound for repeated playback, but the item is uncommon, especially among the common folk, most of whom are unaware of its existence.

Because Echo Crystals are extremely costly, the voice stones required to make them are already pricey, and after alchemists work on them, the price climbs another rung.

Moreover, both Echo Crystals and voice transmitters have a drawback: they must be periodically infused with spiritual energy to function.

In the Exorcism Squad, many voice transmitters lack spiritual energy; supernatural professions such as Berserker Ha Geluofu must have a spell‑casting teammate inject spiritual energy every six or seven days, like recharging, which is cumbersome.

One Echo Crystal costs over fifty Gold Shields, which for a commoner represents several years' earnings.

These conditions limit the spread of Echo Crystals, making them a luxury for only a tiny minority.

Few people even associate Echo Crystals with music.

Lei En's initial plan was to make money by "inventing" the Phonograph, then recording a batch of classic music, quickly spreading it throughout the Empire, creating a brand‑new market, and earning a heap of Gold Shields.

Later, after more contact with Viola, he realized the Phonograph is far more than a simple money‑making device.

For the deity of art and love, Longhaired Lady Freya, it is certainly a super‑weapon!

Once the Phonograph appears, it will swiftly captivate the world, bringing music into countless homes, letting innumerable people hear exquisite music they would never otherwise hear—how many followers could that generate?

The number of followers determines a deity's strength; with the Phonograph, Longhaired Lady might even ascend to the ranks of stronger gods!

If Viola can contribute a Phonograph during a prayer ceremony, she will surely receive Longhaired Lady's response, granting a Divine Technique.

Besides the Divine Technique, manufacturing and selling Phonographs can earn incalculable wealth.

The massive wealth from Phonographs could make the Silver Star Duke take Viola seriously, influencing the contest over Dong Ting Bo Ju Ling.

Church contributions, family wealth, the Bo Ju Ling Di.

A single Phonograph can grant Viola countless benefits, turning her life upside down; Lei En cannot think of a better gift.

Thinking is easy; doing is hard.

Lei En actually began crafting the Phonograph last month, and after starting realized it is far harder than firearms and several times more complex.

He understands the Phonograph's operating principle and recalls most of its mechanical structure.

But to produce it without any error tests his memory and hands‑on skill. The biggest difficulty is not the Phonograph itself; he spent over half a month making a half‑finished prototype, and the hardest part is recording sound and storing it on black‑vinyl records.

The metal rack on the table is for receiving sound; sound waves make the needle vibrate, carving grooves into the disc.

Lei En has poured far too much effort into this seemingly simple disc.

In previous lives, black‑vinyl records were made of plastic paint, offering the best sound quality and durability; it took him several days to find a comparable substitute, and he barely managed to produce a few discs.

That is only the beginning; the first recording yields a raw master disc.

The master disc must undergo multiple processes—silver plating, molding, cleaning—to become a metal master plate, which then presses out hundreds or thousands of records, completing a full production line for mass sale.

Currently, Lei En is still experimenting with making metal masters, unsure when he will succeed.

Just by asking Zuo Er Tan to purchase vast quantities of various materials and running trial after trial, he has already spent over three hundred Gold Shields, and expects to spend even more.

But for the sake of creating the Phonograph, all this is worthwhile.

Just after noon, Lei En ate lunch in the inn's lobby, intending to return to the workshop, when his pocket vibrated a few times.

Lei En took out his voice transmitter and saw the central button lit.

He pressed it, and Bo Luo Ke's voice came through: "Fuli Da, Lei En, come over; there's a mission today, others stand by."

"Copy that," Lei En replied.

From Bo Luo Ke's calm tone, it sounded like the mission wasn't urgent.

Lei En wasn't in a hurry; he grabbed the Crushing Ice War Hammer and a shotgun, boarded a public bus, and headed to the Security Bureau.

Half an hour later, in the Security Bureau's garage, he got into a car; Captain Bo Luo Ke and Fuli Da had arrived, both fully armed yet looking relatively relaxed.

Bo Luo Ke saw Lei En's war hammer, raised an eyebrow, and praised, "What a weapon!"

The cool‑tempered Fuli Da also gave him a lingering glance.

Lei En gave no explanation; once the car started, he asked, "Captain, what's the mission?"

"An investigation mission," Bo Luo Ke said gravely: "A wealthy family in the Silver Star District reported to the Security Bureau that their neighbor's lady has been missing for two months, suspected of monster activity."

"Understood," Lei En nodded.

Such reports are common; because of the Blood Soul Curse, people are highly alert to abnormal phenomena, and a prolonged absence of a neighbor could indicate the curse activating and changes at home.

Of course, the neighbor might simply be traveling and not at home.

Usually such reports turn out to be false alarms or coincidences, but the Exorcism Squad cannot ignore them, as many monsters and fallen ones are discovered this way.

The Security Bureau's statistics show that out of roughly ten similar reports, one or two turn out to be genuine.

Most Exorcism Squad missions stem from reports; the last time Lei En and his teammate went on a mission, the fallen one they dealt with had been reported by a neighbor.

Bo Luo Ke continued, "However, this mission is a bit special: it's in the Silver Star District, and the family's male head is a Level‑5 mechanic named Te La Wei Qi, employed by the Mechanical Guild, reportedly of high standing."

"Level‑5 mechanic?" Lei En exclaimed, surprised.

Mechanics are spellcasters; generally, supernatural beings above Mid‑stage are rarely afflicted by the Blood Soul Curse, but if they do become fallen, their threat far exceeds that of ordinary people.

"Hmm, so we should still be cautious," Bo Luo Ke reminded his squad, adding, "The Security Bureau sent someone to the Mechanical Guild this morning to inquire discreetly; Te La Wei Qi appeared normal and is still working at the guild today."

Fuli Da asked aloud, "Is he personally fine?"

"It's not clear yet,"

Bo Luo Ke shook his head, "At least the person we sent reported everything as normal. We'll first check his home, see the lady's situation; if nothing unusual, we'll head to the Mechanical Guild afterward."

"Alright." Lei En nodded in agreement; this is the normal investigation procedure.

Shortly after, the car drove into Silver Star District and stopped in front of a mansion's gate.

As soon as Lei En got out of the car, a chill rose in his heart; he activated the Sound of All Things, yet heard no human voices or any signs of human activity inside the house.

The entire house was as silent as death.

Those who live in a mansion in Silver Star District usually employ several stewards and servants, so even when the owner is away, it wouldn't be this empty.

He listened to the neighboring house and heard many sounds coming from it; that was normal.

"There's really a problem."

Lei En kept a calm face, watching Captain Bo Luoke step forward to knock; after pounding for several minutes with no response, the three teammates wore solemn expressions.

He had anticipated this outcome and immediately kicked the main door open.

Clang!

The iron gate fell with a huge roar, yet the house remained completely still.

Lei En, holding Icebreaker, entered first, stepped across the front yard, and upon entering the main hall he immediately smelled a strong scent of blood and saw several corpses scattered throughout the lobby.

Judging from their clothing, they had been the household's servants in life, both men and women, and their dim eyes still held traces of fear, as if they had been greatly terrified before death.

Their cause of death was the same: they were pierced by bullets through the body or head.

Bo Luoke crouched, dabbed a finger in blood, and confirmed, "They died just recently, probably no more than two hours ago."

"Check whether there are any survivors or anything else."

Lei En and Fu Li Da turned and began searching each room.

In truth, Lei En knew there were no living people left in the house, but he still searched diligently, hoping to uncover useful clues.

These servants died under the Soul Gun, and the murderer clearly pointed to the master Te Laweiqi.

As a weaponsmith, the Soul Gun is the most commonly used weapon.

If nothing unexpected occurs, the Level‑5 Mechanic's curse has manifested!

When a Transcendent's curse activates, it differs entirely from that of an ordinary person; they don't instantly lose sanity, but their personality changes drastically, as if they were a different person, yet they retain the ability to think, can even disguise themselves, lie in wait, and look for a chance to cause greater damage.

The higher the level and the stronger the Transcendent, the more terrifying they become after turning into a Fallen!

It's highly likely that Te Laweiqi realized he had been exposed, and therefore acted to kill everyone in the house.

Lei En and his two companions searched the entire mansion, finding two or three corpses in other rooms, and found nothing else.

That Te Laweiqi was very cautious, leaving no trace at all.

"Those who died here were all servants; there is no lady of the house," Bo Luoke said in a low voice.

This means the neighbor's report was correct; the lady of the house has been missing for two months, perhaps deceived by Te Laweiqi with some excuse that kept the servants in the house.

And he himself has had the curse active for at least two months, possibly even longer!

A Fallen lying low for so long before being exposed must have some scheme.

Bo Luoke sensed something was wrong, sprinted out of the mansion with the two, leapt onto the car and shouted to the driver, "Head to the Mechanical Guild immediately, quickly!"

(End of chapter)