Chapter 629: The Undead Behind

Captain Lei Lei Jiede did not come into the city today for leave; he was sent to find someone to help repair a broken steam engine at the Red Water Camp.

Upon hearing that Captain Lei Lei Jiede was also from the Red Water Camp, Xia De asked him about Lieutenant Xiu Dun of the First Company, the person Princess Lei Lei Qianya had asked Xia De to investigate.

Captain Lei Lei Jiede had little suspicion toward Xia De and told him directly that Lieutenant Xiu Dun had recently won a large sum of gold pounds playing cards in the city, and some had even seen him smoking cigars outside the camp while resting during his night shift.

"Are they expensive cigars?"

Xia De asked.

"Are there even cheap cigars?"

Captain Lei Lei Jiede asked back curiously.

And so, the task Princess Lei Lei Qianya had asked Xia De to investigate was completed just like that.

Captain Lei Lei Jiede was very familiar with this school established in the castle. Hearing that Xia De was looking for someone, he took the initiative to offer to lead the way. In any case, he had already found the person he was looking for, and he had just been thinking about finding a tavern in the city to sit in before the evening return time.

Since he had met Xia De, helping out was fine.

Although it was called the "Mechanical Academy," the Folklore major in the school was not small at all. With Captain Lei Lei Jiede in his military uniform leading the way, the two encountered no obstruction as they walked through the academy.

Passing by scholars walking through the castle with books in their arms and brushing past young students discussing coursework and grades, they finally met Professor John Deng En in a slightly narrow single office on the east side of the third floor of the castle, labeled "Folklore - Room 11."

Professor Deng En was a middle-aged man who was completely bald but looked only in his forties. Although his attire was somewhat unkempt, the gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses was very sharp.

Seeing an officer bring a stranger to visit, he was a bit surprised and stood up to welcome them. But after hearing Xia De's self-introduction and the mention of Madame Xia Na, the professor immediately understood:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Watson, Captain Lei Lei Jiede. So you are people from Madame Xia Na. Very well, please sit down. The situation is this."

He also took the captain for someone investigating the whereabouts of the antique. The captain originally had nothing to do that afternoon, and seeing that Xia De did not object, he also sat down to listen.

"Our academy's Folklore major has a very good relationship with the Xia Na Auction House, or rather, most of the foundation of the academy's Folklore major is sponsored by the Xia Na Auction House."

Speaking of this, the professor seemed very frank:

"Our friendship with the Xia Na Auction House goes back about a hundred years, and graduates are also very welcome at the auction house. Not long ago, I obtained a very nice bronze jar, and that antique was bought by Madame Xia Na upon hearing the news. I originally intended to hand over the bronze jar to the auction house this week, but that jar was unexpectedly stolen."

"Stolen? Are there any clues?"

Xia De took out his personal notebook to prepare to record.

The professor nodded:

"That bronze jar must still be in the academy, because it is about as... hmm."

The professor looked around:

"About as tall as this captain. Transporting such cargo in and out requires registration, and we are very certain it was not transported out."

"Why didn't you call the police?"

Captain Lei Lei Jiede asked curiously.

"After all, it was a theft within the academy; it wouldn't look good for us if it got out, and besides..."

The professor's gaze drifted:

"The way I obtained that antique was somewhat, yes, just somewhat... not in compliance with the mandatory national regulatory clauses generally observed by the general public... you understand, right?"

Xia De and Captain Lei Lei Jiede both nodded; in other words, it was illegal, but neither of them cared about that:

"Then, besides knowing the jar must be in this castle, are there any other clues?"

Xia De asked again.

"I know I shouldn't casually suspect my own students, but Mr. Henry Wa Er, who is two years away from graduation, is highly suspicious. You can find him for investigation; your identities are detectives hired by the Xia Na Auction House. I have already given notice in the academy in advance; you can walk around here as you please."

Henry Wa Er was a 22-year-old Folklore student studying at the Mid-Hill Fort Mechanical Academy. He came from a wealthy farm-owning family in the countryside north of Mid-Hill Fort. But two years ago, due to some reasons, his family fell, and the young student, accustomed to a wealthy life, maintained his original standard of living after that, and in the winter of about 1851, was discovered by the academy peddling contraband in the city.

After being severely warned and ordered to repeat a year, the young Henry Wa Er returned to a normal state. As for suspecting him, it was because before the bronze jar was stolen, someone saw him appearing sneakily near Professor Deng En's office, and when questioned by the professor, he showed an abnormal state.

"I cannot directly ask my own student if he is a thief."

Professor Deng En said helplessly:

"To be honest, I don't want to believe my student is a thief, which is why I asked Madame Xia Na to send capable helpers to help me investigate. I don't know how much Madame Xia Na paid to hire you, but as long as you can find that bronze jar, I can give each of you five pounds."

This Folklore professor looked very wealthy.

Xia De glanced at the captain beside him, and the captain nodded slightly, meaning he also wanted to earn this money, and Xia De did not mind having a helper by his side.

"Very well, Professor."

He originally wanted to ask clearly about the "Twin Gods" before investigating, but Professor Deng En also looked very busy and asked Xia De to come find him after investigating the antique theft case clearly.

And so Xia De and Captain Lei Lei Jiede left the professor's office, and then in the large library in the academy's basement, they found that Mr. Henry Wa Er.

This was a young man with yellow hair, wearing a pair of glasses like the professor, dressed in his own clothes rather than the academy uniform; from his attire, one could not tell his family had fallen.

When Xia De and Captain Lei Lei Jiede saw him, the young man was searching for books in the "Folklore and Culture" bookshelf. Seeing the two walk over, he put back the book he had originally intended to pull out. Xia De glanced at the title; the spine read "Legendary Anecdotes: The Blood-Sucker in the Shadows."

This should belong to popular novels or urban legends.

"Gentlemen, may I ask if there is something?"

The yellow-haired young man asked, his tone somewhat impatient. He looked exceptionally exhausted, with heavy dark circles under his eyes.

"We are detectives hired by the Xia Na Auction House to investigate the antique theft case, and we want to question every student who entered the professor's office last weekend."

Xia De said, his eyes looking behind the person speaking to him. Captain Lei Lei Jiede and this Mr. Henry Wa Er certainly could not see it, but he clearly saw the soul of a young woman lying on his back.

That was an evil spirit, but its power was not strong, so it had not yet reached the level where ordinary people could see it in the daytime. Seeing Xia De looking at her, the evil spirit wanted to roar at Xia De, but after being glared at by Xia De, it honestly stopped moving.

"There are really many evil spirits in Mid-Hill Fort."

Xia De thought to himself.

"No problem, what do you want to ask?"

Mr. Wa Er said, with no abnormality visible from his expression. Xia De gave Captain Lei Lei Jiede a wink, asking him to help record, and then asked:

"You went to the professor's office on the weekend. The professor said you were there to ask about the year-end exams. At that time, did you see that large bronze jar in the corner?"

"I saw it; that thing is very large, it's hard not to notice."

"Did you ask about that jar?"

"Yes, I asked; I was curious about it."

"Then, did you tell anyone else about that bronze jar?"

The young man thought somewhat impatiently:

"I think I mentioned it at Barbara Jielin's weekend party, but I don't remember who heard me say it at the time, but the guys who heard it shouldn't be fewer than a dozen."

"A dozen" in Delarion Common Language also refers to the number 14; it is said this is because the first fish cans were sold in bundles of 14.

"No problem, then sorry to bother you."

Xia De said, calling Captain Lei Lei Jiede to bid farewell to Mr. Wa Er. After leaving that row of bookshelves, Xia De looked back, confirming the other party was not following.

And Captain Lei Lei Jiede said in a low voice at this time:

"That young man is not right; his eyes are too fierce. It's like... I've seen this kind of look too many times, especially when most students here don't have much social experience. Henry Wa Er, he has definitely seen blood."

The captain said very affirmatively. Before the title of "Eight-Gun Captain," he had also climbed up from an ordinary soldier, so this judgment should be correct.

"Seen blood?"

Xia De nodded. The evil spirit he saw entwined around Henry Wa Er and destroying his vitality was probably the source of "seeing blood":

"Captain, can you temporarily keep an eye on him? Observe if he leaves the library, and if he leaves, try your best to find out where he went."

"Do you have other clues to investigate?"

Captain Lei Lei Jiede asked very curiously.

"Yes, I am a professional detective; I have yet to encounter a commission I cannot solve."

Xia De smiled and pointed to his own chest, and Captain Lei Lei Jiede remembered the scene a few months ago in Tobesk where Xia De helped a woman who had lost her child find her child on the street. At that time, Xia De also seemed to have observed some clues out of thin air and found the alley where the criminal was located almost without detours.

"Very well, I can still question other students here about that bronze jar."

The captain fully trusted Xia De.

"Good. Oh, and also ask if there have been any murders in this school in the last few weeks."

Xia De said, and Captain Lei Lei Jiede frowned slightly:

"You mean... no problem, leave it to me." ===== CHAPTER 630 =====