Chapter 376: Transaction with the Cult

Ending the contact with the school, the five people also talked about their own lives.

Duo Luo Qian excitedly told others that starting next week, they must subscribe to the *Steam Bird Daily*, as her detective novel was about to start serialization. Duo Luo Qian's previous works were mostly published directly through publishing houses, but this time it was her first attempt at newspaper serialization.

If Xia De remembered correctly, most of the editors of the *Steam Bird Daily* were students of Duo Luo Qian's father, Professor Lu Yi Sha, so no matter what the quality of that detective novel was, the layout she could get should be quite good... even if the serialized novel was behind the news on the first page, Xia De would absolutely not be surprised.

"Duo Luo Qian, even novels serialized in newspapers should have names. What name are you going to take for your detective novel? Is it still the original *Mystery of the Blood Words*?"

Lu Lu Weiya asked curiously.

"No, I plan to write it into a long serialized story. The current name is *Hamilton Detective Story Collection*."

"Hmm?"

Xia De, who was about to drink tea, was choked.

"What's wrong?"

The blonde girl looked at Xia De with a smile:

"Using the name of a real detective can make the story look more like it's true. If my novel becomes famous, Xia De, this is also soliciting business for you. Besides, Hamilton is not a very rare surname, this won't make people associate it with you."

"Then what other plans do you have for next week? Although the summer exam week is over, I still want to remind you that you cannot relax your studies."

The doctor asked again.

"I plan to promote to the middle ring before the end of the year. Now the sublimation language is completely fine."

She looked at Xia De.

"With 【Fake Philosopher's Stone】 as the core substitute material for the ritual, I only need to get those ritual materials that don't need to be replaced by relics."

This was Duo Luo Qian's plan.

"The Saint Prayer Festival is over, and I don't have any other important things in the second half of this year. The church work is very leisurely, I signed up for new elective courses, and I am studying the production of magic potions."

Priest Ao Gu Si said. Under normal circumstances, the priest's life was actually the most leisurely.

"I have been very busy recently. There is still more than half a month before the Great City Player Luo De Card Competition starts. Now the association is sending out invitation letters, and players from the Old Continent and the New Continent are also gathering here. The association has a lot of work, and I probably won't have much leisure time before September."

Lu Lu Weiya said regretfully.

Finally, it was Xia De's turn. He thought for a while:

"Recently, I have been helping a noble solve a commission about fish. After finishing this matter next week, I will probably deal with the two commissions of the previous detective. Oh, the new grade has started, so many books, even just flipping through them all will take a long time."

Speaking of this, he asked Priest Ao Gu Si again:

"Do Ringed Shushi trained by the church also have so much learning content?"

Xia De seemed to have never heard Yi Lu Na complain that she had to study normally, only heard her say about the days of training in the church.

"Church Ringed Shushi will have a few years of time specifically to learn knowledge in safe locations, just like a school. After reaching the prescribed age and promoting to two rings, they will be sent to various dioceses. Although there are also learning tasks, they are very low compared to us."

The priest answered. Although he was not a church Ringed Shushi, he was still very clear about these things, and Xia De thought of the scene of Yi Lu Na, who was only fifteen or sixteen years old and younger than now, walking in the church school wearing a uniform.

"Then church Ringed Shushi, aren't they not as... knowledgeable as us?"

Xia De could only think of this kind of description.

"The church tends to cultivate practical and professional Ringed Shushi, while the three major magic academies want to pass on knowledge and cultivate academic Ringed Shushi. Of course, they are different."

Doctor Schluch Lake on the side said, and then summarized:

"It's hard to say which one is better, but taking advantage of being young to read more books is never a bad thing."

Everyone didn't have too many things this week. The doctor got a bottle of red wine, and everyone celebrated Xia De's promotion to the second year together, and then left separately after four o'clock in the afternoon.

Duo Luo Qian still had to give Xia De a lesson at night, so she left with him. Although there were many books this time, because of the magic technique 【Toy Making】, there was no need to rent a carriage. Xia De borrowed a large bed sheet from the doctor, turned those books into lighter toy dolls, and then stuffed them into paper bags. These things were lighter than Little Mia when held.

And after returning home, the new books were temporarily placed in Xia De's basement together with more than a hundred other books.

After chatting at home about Coldwater Port for a while, Xia De invited the blonde girl to go out for dinner after five o'clock. Of course, Mia also followed the two of them. When eating, it didn't mind walking out of the house.

After dinner, Xia De and Duo Luo Qian went to the tree-lined path in the university district to walk the cat, which was Xia De holding the cat and Duo Luo Qian walking together on the street in the sunset. When they were talking about what Lei Qianya was doing in Coldwater Port in the brilliant sunset, and Xia De reached out to take out the key to open his own front door, the express letter from the city sent by Professor Madison was also delivered on time by the postman. Xia De had mentioned to Duo Luo Qian that he was busy dealing with the task of the second time key, so there was no need to explain too much this time.

Professor Madison brought good news. The Ringed Shushi of the Light-Guiding Cult in the local area agreed to meet Xia De and conduct a transaction. The other party set the location at the Bai Tiane Restaurant on Silver Cross Avenue, which was only one street away from Saint Deran Square.

That was a high-end restaurant, and Xia De knew that place, because the Bai Tiane Restaurant was diagonally opposite the Prophecy Association and half a street away from Yodel Palace.

"Is the other party too cautious?"

Duo Luo Qian was also very surprised when she heard this location:

"It's as if the other party is afraid that you will do something bad. Xia De, do you really understand this organization?"

"Actually, I don't understand it at all."

Xia De said, walked into the study, took out the map left by Detective Schluch Lake, and studied the terrain nearby:

"Duo Luo Qian, go with me for a trip in a while. But don't enter the restaurant, just stay outside. I will choose a seat by the window. If you see me suddenly grabbing my hair hard, come and help."

Actually, Xia De didn't think the other party would do anything. Within the scope of Tobesk city, except for the entrance of the Orthodox Church, Silver Cross Avenue where Yodel Palace was located was absolutely the safest location.

As for why not choose to meet at the entrance of the church, normal Ringed Shushi wouldn't have this kind of idea.

After discussing the plan, Xia De went out first, while Duo Luo Qian went to Silver Cross Avenue ten minutes later than Xia De.

On the evening of early August, the air was very warm, and the dim setting sun shone on the ground through the hazy mist. After Xia De left Saint Deran Square, he passed through the straight Catherine Queen Pedestrian Street outside the square, and then entered Silver Cross Avenue.

On Silver Cross Avenue in the evening, pedestrians and carriages flowed endlessly, royal guards in uniforms patrolled the streets, and the entrance of the Prophecy Association was even more crowded. Although most people in this world wouldn't finish work at six o'clock in the evening, for people engaged in relatively decent work in the city center of the Pearl of the North, six o'clock meant the successful end of a day's work.

Xia De wore a white shirt, a black formal suit outside, and a black hat on his head, walking hurriedly along the side of the street. Calculating the time, he arrived at the entrance of the Bai Tiane Restaurant at 6:19.

The two young waiters in uniforms at the entrance of the restaurant pulled the door of the restaurant open for Xia De from left to right. Subsequently, a slightly fat middle-aged man wearing a white shirt, black uniform, and a bow tie walked over:

"Mr. Hamilton, is there anything I can do for you?"

"You know me?"

Xia De asked in surprise.

"I know all the nobles in the local area."

The middle-aged man said with a smile.

"I have an appointment with a friend to dine here. Help me find a table by the window. Also, don't give me the menu until my friend arrives."

"Okay, Mr. Hamilton, please come this way."

This was probably the benefit of having a loud title.

He led Xia De to sit at a table by the window. It was a rather large round table with a white tablecloth and a golden candlestick. Xia De placed his hat on the window side of his right hand, and then took out a box of candle matches from his pocket and placed them on the hat. This was the token for the meeting.

Sure enough, after less than five minutes, a middle-aged gentleman with beautiful black hair walked in.

Saying middle-aged, his age should be over forty, but he looked very spirited. He carried a cane, said something to the waiter at the entrance of the restaurant, and then looked at Xia De under the waiter's guidance.

【Ringed Shushi.】

The whisper in his ear prompted.

Xia De stood up with a smile to greet the other party, and the middle-aged man with a scholarly air also walked over with a smile.

Xia De took the initiative to reach out:

"Good evening, sir. I am Xia De Hamilton, a detective at Saint Deran Square."

The middle-aged man didn't hesitate and shook hands with Xia De very enthusiastically:

"Good evening, Mr. Hamilton, I am Sif Rundall, working in the university district."

【Four rings.】

The voice in his ear continued to prompt in a low voice, and the smile on Xia De's face became even stronger:

"Are you also a professor?"

"No, no, I work as a secretary in the University Federation, this is considered an administrative position."

Mr. Rundall said, and sat down with Xia De. Up to now, they were like friends meeting normally, and it couldn't be seen that there was any secret transaction.

The waiter soon brought two menus. After Xia De opened it, he looked at the price first, and then felt very fortunate that he had eaten in advance.

He used the excuse that he had the habit of eating less at night, and endured the pain in his heart to only order a small portion of fruit salad. And Mr. Rundall also knew that he didn't come here to eat, so like Xia De, he tacitly didn't order too many things.

"We don't need to be too polite, Mr. Hamilton. Why exactly are you looking for us? Or rather, it's not you looking for us, but someone behind you looking for us?" ===== CHAPTER 377 =====