Chapter 2043: Miss

Of course, although he knew what the steam bathhouse of this era was, Xia De, who went there by carriage, actually didn't want to enter such a place because of the outsider's prejudice.

The terrain of Moon Bay is not flat, which makes the height difference in the city very large, which causes the need to climb stone steps to reach nearby streets in some areas, which also causes one side of the stone steps to seem to form a smooth "cliff."

Crowley Steam Bathhouse, located at Number 18 Glev Street, is just below such a "cliff." In front of the bathhouse is the bustling Glev Square, and around it are lively pedestrian streets and commercial districts, with at least three banks here, and even the headquarters of the Lumberjack Association controlled by the Wood family is not far away.

Although he didn't like this kind of place, Xia De finally paid the money slowly, took off his clothes and changed into a bathrobe, and then stepped into it barefoot on the marble floor.

There are many people here on Monday afternoon, but it is not difficult to find Mr. Bernhardt; after all, only his head is floating with a small bat logo.

Mr. Bernhardt also noticed Xia De, waved at him, and after he approached, the two stood in the corner outside the hot water pool and talked about things:

"You don't seem to like it here; compared to Carcen-Rik, there are indeed few public bathhouses in Delarion."

Mr. Bernhardt said with a smile, and Xia De nodded:

"And I have always believed that this kind of place is not clean. If the lady in my house knew, she would definitely complain about me."

Mr. Bernhardt thought for a moment and knew he was talking about the famous Duchess:

"Then let's end the investigation here as soon as possible. Last week, the prostitute was last seen here. I just hypnotized a waiter, and he clearly saw the deceased and two other professionals of the same occupation being brought here the night before the deceased died. But it was not in the area of this public bathhouse, but in the private hot water pool deeper inside."

"Who was looking for them?"

Mr. Bernhardt shook his head:

"It hasn't been investigated clearly yet, but it should be a big shot. They talked about business or other sensitive topics and wouldn't let ordinary waiters know, but the manager here should know the identities of those people. I haven't asked where the manager is yet, and it just so happens that you are here, so we will act in coordination."

He pointed to the hall filled with hot water pools of all sizes, filled with hot mist and conversation:

"You make some noise here in a while, and I will take the opportunity to find the manager and flip through the account books here by the way."

"How much noise is needed? Is a steam bomb enough?"

Although he was wrapped in a towel, Xia De had some handy plush toys in his towel.

Mr. Bernhardt blinked:

"It doesn't have to be such a big noise; it's not good to attract the police."

"No, no, I don't mean to blow this place up. It's to put in a water pipe, blow up the water pipe, and let the sewage gush out from the water inlet."

"Hmm... do you have a grudge against this place?"

"Of course, no."

"Then try other methods. It is not clear yet what the relationship between this bathhouse and the murderer we want to investigate is, so it is best not to be too noticeable. Do it in ten minutes, and leave separately after the action. See you at the tavern opposite Glev Square."

So the two separated, and Xia De was not idle, observing the direction of the steam pipes on the wall, and using "Strong Space Perception" to determine the terrain here, and then easily found the location of the steam boiler room:

"It's just like opening a small map."

Xia De, who really didn't like acting in a bathrobe, chose to go back to his clothes first, and then entered the steam boiler room through a narrow corridor. Workers watching the boiler and adding fuel pushed carts through the pipes. Xia De found the valves controlling hot water and cold water, and two minutes before the ten minutes, he completely closed the hot water valve and then controlled the cold water valve to open:

"I'm really sorry."

In short, twenty minutes later, when Xia De saw Mr. Bernhardt at the table in the tavern opposite the square, he was still thinking about whether his approach just now was too much.

Mr. Bernhardt looked in a good mood, dismissed the waiter, and sat opposite Xia De:

"Asked out, the person who met the deceased that night was indeed unusual."

He pointed to the north:

"Over there is the Lumberjack Association controlled by the Wood family. I only knew when I looked at the account book that the bathhouse was operated by them. That night, Herman Wood, Freeman Hawthorne, and Georgia Black met here. The three prostitutes were specifically found for them."

"Wait a minute."

Xia De was puzzled:

"People like them would actually go to find prostitutes in the lower city?"

"Mr. Watson, don't use yourself to understand others; people can never understand each other."

The vampire shook his head and continued to talk about things:

"What happened that night, the manager doesn't know. Specifically, there are secret passages in the bathhouse. When these big shots come, they all take secret passages; after all, they have to take care of their face. Therefore, he only knows that those people brought their men and three women and left after eleven o'clock. The Wood family, the Hawthorne family, and the Black family, the names I mentioned just now belong to these three families, and those three are all ruthless people who control gangs and are famous locally."

One of the "ruthless people" recently lost a week of memory and doesn't know how he is now.

"Find these three people next, and will there be results?"

Xia De summarized, and Mr. Bernhardt nodded with a smile:

"Of course, besides them, the remaining two women are also worth investigating. The bathhouse manager knows one of them, and she lives near Herring Street."

"That's good, let's act separately. I will investigate the woman living on Herring Street and Freeman Hawthorne. I have had contact with Hawthorne, and there are other things I have to do on Herring Street. As for Wood and Black, Mr. Bernhardt, you investigate them."

Since it involves Herring Street, Xia De naturally wants to go and see for himself.

"Of course no problem, the business I am dealing with just happens to have some intersection with the Wood family. But I have some private matters to deal with in the next few days. Today is Monday... Saturday afternoon, let's meet at Ptolemy's side."

"Is Sunday morning okay? I have something to do on Saturday afternoon."

"Of course it's okay."

"Then does this bathhouse need attention? And the secret passage you mentioned."

Xia De asked again, and Mr. Bernhardt thought about it:

"If there is time, it can be investigated, but the focus of the investigation now is still the four people who may know what happened that night. Also, be careful when investigating. This matter must be related to sorcerers. I am not sure if it involves my own kind, but even if it does, you don't have to show mercy."

He knew Xia De's methods, so he just mentioned it slightly. So the two sat in the tavern for a while to clarify the investigation ideas, and then left separately.

The time at this time had reached three o'clock in the afternoon, so Xia De took a carriage in Glev Square and rushed to Herring Street by the Taton River.

He had already obtained the address of that prostitute, so he didn't have to inquire about the news. And when Xia De walked through the streets of Herring Street, knocked on the dirty door of Number 11 Herring Street, and explained the person he was looking for to the middle-aged fat woman who looked like a landlady who opened the door, the woman wearing a hairnet sized up Xia De with a slant, and then said in a tone that definitely had to use the word "contempt":

"A skinny chicken from the North, also want to sleep with a woman in Moon Bay? She is not at home, get out."

Saying this, she slammed the door in front of Xia De.

Xia De looked down at himself:

"Discriminating against Delarion people? Also, am I very thin?"

【Of course not thin.】

"She" said gently in Xia De's ear.

"Yes, you are definitely not thin."

At dinner that day, after Luweiya heard Xia De talk about his actions this afternoon, she also comforted him with a smile:

"I have seen you take off your shirt, and I can guarantee, my dear Xia De, your figure is very normal, you don't need to have such anxiety."

Dinner was sent to the house by the restaurant, the gas lamp was extinguished, the candle was lit, and a romantic candlelight dinner was held at home today. Little Mia squatted on the high stool looking at the candlelight, looking full of energy, and the purple-eyed divination lady's eyes bent, very interested in Xia De's experience today:

"I am actually more curious about that eleventh-tier Great Witch of Fate, is her name Bella Belindell? She looks down on the Prophecy Association so much, I really want to talk to her, or have a competition."

"There should be opportunities in the future. In my opinion, that Miss Belindell is indeed very capable, but relying too much on divination is indeed not a good habit."

He skillfully cut the medium-rare sirloin steak with sauce and put one of them in front of the cat. Little Mia didn't lower her head to eat immediately, but meowed gently, rubbed Xia De's hand with her head, and Xia De also patted her little head. The obedient cat made the atmosphere of the dinner even better.

"Relying on divination..."

The interested expression on Luweiya's face became even heavier:

"I'll go get something."

Saying this, she stood up and left, stepping on high heels specially prepared for dinner, but soon returned from the living room with her paper cards:

"I want to divine the recent fortune for that witch."

She sat opposite Xia De with a smile, and Xia De asked in surprise:

"But she is not in front of you, you have never even seen her, just heard me describe some of her characteristics, can this also be divined?"

"Of course, it just significantly reduces accuracy. But since I have encountered such an interesting diviner, how can I not try to divine it? There must be anti-divination items on the other party no less than your 【Fate's Twenty-Sided Dice】, but it doesn't matter, just try it."

She pushed the dinner plate forward, then skillfully cut and shuffled the cards, muttering while dividing the divination cards into stacks and placing them on the desktop. She didn't even use any relic assistance, just performed the most basic card divination.

After all the divination cards were divided into five stacks and placed on the desktop, she closed her eyes and prepared to draw cards from them.

But just after Luweiya closed her eyes, Xia De, who was opposite her, was surprised to see the figure of the transparent long-haired Luweiya appear behind Luweiya. Compared to the first time Xia De observed the long-haired Luweiya last year, her figure was much more solid at this time.

The long-haired girl smiled and raised her finger, signaling Xia De not to make a sound, and then her arm overlapped with Luweiya's arm, and Luweiya and Luweiya reached for the paper cards together.

The surprised Xia De moved his body slightly backward, and when he turned his head, he happened to meet the energetic Little Mia. For a moment, Xia De thought that this cat could also see the long-haired Luweiya, but soon he found that the cat had finished its food and was looking forward to another feeding.

"The long-haired Luweiya must have seen Miss Belindell in the past. What kind of story would that Luweiya, who was not as 'gentle' as she is now, have with that witch who looks down on the Prophecy Association?"

"Okay, there is a result."

Luweiya opened her eyes, and the phantom behind her had disappeared. She showed three hand cards to Xia De:

"Future fortune—

Negative: Will face a potentially fatal crisis; Neutral: Unexpected changes may occur within the family; Positive: Love fortune is very good, will meet a favorite object recently."

"This..."

"This is not teasing you, look, the divination card is such a result."