Carl was only too glad to leave the banquet halfway through, although it would have been better if it weren't for a murder case.
About a kilometer outside the city, a victim lay in the bushes. Their life force had been drained by an unknown method. The passerby who reported it was beside them, giving a statement.
The identity of the deceased was confirmed.
It was Ham, who had come to attend the banquet!
Carl saw an officer he had dealt with only a few days earlier lying dead in the wilderness. Even though Carl was usually indifferent, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger, and his complexion turned extremely unsightly.
Dana's beautiful eyes held a lethal glint as she spoke coldly, "The same method. The murderer must be the same person. All the previous victims were females, pure virgins at that. Ham is the only exception."
"Could it be that Ham discovered something, and that's why the murderer silenced him?" Carey, who was also present today, speculated.
Carl didn't make a sound.
If the perpetrator dares to kill a police officer, they dare to kill an inspector too, he thought. He always cherished his own life, and despite his anger, he didn't want to rashly get involved.
"Hmm."
Dana nodded and then asked, "Did Ham come to the banquet alone today?"
"No," Carey replied with a strange look. "Ham's colleague said he had been quite close with Mrs. Annie recently. They had agreed to come to the banquet together, and he had even bragged about it to his colleagues."
"Mrs. Annie?" Dana's brows furrowed.
This lady's background was very complex. Even for Dana, it wasn't good to provoke her without necessity.
But how did Ham get involved with Mrs. Annie? Was it for the investigation? Or was it something else?
As these thoughts raced through her mind, she turned to Carl, who was idly standing by. As if a thought suddenly struck her, she spoke, "Carl!"
"Commander," Carl snapped back to attention.
"Help me fetch something." Dana took out a key. "The location is 17 Safi Street. Give the key to the owner of the room, and he will hand over the item to you. Remember to bring it to me tomorrow.
"You don't want to stay here anyway, do you?"
"Uh..." Carl gave a dry laugh, looked up at the darkening sky, and reached out to take the key. "Consider it done!"
"Hmm."
Dana nodded and watched as Carl's figure disappeared into the distance, her beautiful eyes slowly narrowing.
Night was approaching.
The sky had already turned dark.
An old lady carrying an oil lamp used its dim light to gesture for Carl to take the package on the table.
"These are old clothes Dana left behind. I thought she didn't want them anymore; I was about to throw them out," the old lady said. "It's good that you're taking them away, good that you're taking them."
Old clothes? Is she treating me like an errand boy?
Carl shook his head silently, packed away the items, and left.
The crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a soft halo, partially obscured by a layer of mist above the city.
I heard that a coal-burning factory was built in the north of the city. All this mist comes from its emissions. There's so much pollution in just a few months.
"Destroying the environment..."
Could it be that this world is also heading toward an industrial revolution?
Carl looked up at the sky, letting his thoughts drift. Then, he suddenly stopped walking and drew the short sword from his waist.
He hadn't brought his broad sword to the banquet today, only a short sword for close-quarters use.
"Who's there?"
Peering into the darkness ahead, Carl's expression turned serious. "Come out!"
Shadows stirred in the dark alley, and two figures walked out side by side. "EH?" one said, a hint of surprise in his voice. "What sharp senses you have, to have detected us."
"Who are you?"
Carl's eyes narrowed. The special intuition developed from practicing the Dire Wolf Breathing Method made his skin tighten. "What do you want?"
Murderous intent! Danger! These newcomers are up to no good!
But he hadn't offended anyone recently. Why would someone target him?
"What do we want?"
The larger figure among the two scoffed and advanced two steps, his gaze lingering for a moment on the short sword in Carl's hand before speaking, "Put down the package you're carrying."
The package? Are they after what Dana sent me for?
Carl raised an eyebrow.
"Alright."
Carl took a step back and said, "I'll put down the package, and then we'll leave each other alone."
"Good. I like someone who knows what's good for them," the tall, strong man nodded with a smile, satisfied. "Put down the stuff, and you can leave."
"Wait a minute!"
Just as Carl was putting down the parcel, preparing to leave, the other person suddenly spoke, "Search him before he goes!"
"That's true."
The tall, strong man nodded. "In case he has something important hidden on him, we'd have been busy for nothing. Sorry, friend, but you'll have to take off your clothes."
"Don't go too far," Carl's expression darkened.
"Too far?" the other man replied, his tone impatient. "Just take them off! What's with all the nonsense?"
The next moment, the man moved.
His foot stamped down hard, and his whole being shot forward like an arrow, a brutal and ferocious aura rushing at Carl.
Just from eye contact, Carl's heart skipped a beat.
Murderous intent! This is the ruthless gaze of someone who has taken lives, possibly more than one, ready to strike at any disagreement.
He had practiced martial arts for years, strengthening his body, but he had never been in a life-or-death struggle before.
As the distance closed, he could see that the man's face was covered with a mask that clung to his cheeks.
SWOOSH!
Carl swung his sword, intercepting with the Iron Gate Style.
His target wasn't the masked man charging at him, but someone behind.
CLANG...
A dark figure wielding a blade clashed with Carl's short sword. The massive force of the collision sent both staggering backward.
An ambush!
There was someone hidden behind, attacking at the same instant the masked man made his move.
Fortunately, Carl's senses were sharp, and he had defended in advance.
The assailant, whose strike had missed, said urgently, "Be careful! He is a Knight's Attendant!"
Before they came, they hadn't expected their opponent to be a Knight's Attendant who had trained in breathing techniques.
But even if he was a Knight's Attendant, so what?
As long as he wasn't a Knight, his physical strength wouldn't differ much from an ordinary person's.
Besides, the situation now was three against one.
WHOOSH...
The masked man's forward charge was unrelenting. He had produced a steel rod from somewhere and brought it smashing down viciously at Carl.
The last man, the tall and strong one, also rushed in silently, thrusting a Great Sword straight at him.
Their actions were swift and vicious, demonstrating a well-coordinated attack that was deadly the moment they acted.
CLANG...
DANG!
Carl swung his short sword, desperately fending off the assaults.
But facing fatal attacks from three people, although he fiercely guarded himself, he was still forced to fall back continuously.
He had been a Knight's Attendant for only a short time. His physique was stronger than an ordinary person's, but only by a limited amount.
Moreover, all three of his opponents were ferocious fighters. Combined with the ill-suited weapon in his hands, he was soon at a disadvantage and in perilous danger.
"AH!"
Carl's chest heaved, and a tremendous force burst forth with his shout.
The short sword swung, breaking through the incoming attacks. It trembled slightly in the air, and then three afterimages materialized, swirling in front of him.
Battle Skill!
Gale Slash!
CLANGING...
SHLICK!
The short sword cut through flesh, causing one of the men to stagger backward.
However, Carl, having used his Battle Skill, felt his energy drain. Just as he was about to seize the opportunity to escape, his expression suddenly changed.
WHOOSH...
A shadow descended from above, a slender sword in hand, casting multiple sword shadows that enveloped the tall, strong man.
The sword shadows retracted, and blood splattered.
THUD!
The tall, strong man fell heavily to the ground, already powerless to resist.
"Captain Dana."
Seeing the newcomer, Carl's face did not show the relief of a narrow escape. Instead, he spoke with annoyance, "You used me as bait!"
"Now's not the time for this," Dana shrugged, glancing at him with some surprise. "Your swordsmanship is not bad.
"Chase them! Don't let them escape!"