256 Meeting the Apothecary Again (1/2)
Before leaving the house, Klein tossed a coin to inquire if it was beneficial for him to visit the Bravehearts Bar that day.
After receiving a negative result, he looked around before whispering into the air, ”Is someone monitoring me today?”
After a few seconds of silence, Miss Bodyguard's ethereal voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
”No.”
Klein subconsciously looked back, but he failed to find Miss Bodyguard.
His attention quickly returned to the answer he received as he couldn't help but let out a snicker in his heart.
MI9 isn't even putting me on their suspect list at all!
After confirming that Rosago hadn't sought me out, they completely put me aside.
Should I feel honored or insulted?
It's true that a detective that busies himself looking for cats has no way of being associated with the assassination of an ambassador or getting rid of a Sequence 5 expert…
Furthermore, MI9 has been monitoring me for quite some time. My panic, my helplessness, and my struggle for self-preservation were laid out for them to see. It's obvious that I can't inflict any substantial harm to the ambassador…
With that in mind, Klein put on his half top hat, carried his black silver-inlaid cane, and walked out of 15 Minsk Street. He spent 2 soli for a rental carriage that brought him to Bravehearts Bar on Iron Gate Street in the Backlund Bridge area.
He entered like a regular, walked past the cheering drunkards around the boxing ring, and rapped the countertop when he came to the bar counter.
”One glass of Southville beer.”
The bartender looked up at him and mumbled, ”Kaspars is in Card Room 3.”
Klein smiled and pushed five one-penny copper coins to the man.
Then, carrying the wooden cup and sipping a white, smooth, frothy Southville beer, he walked around two of the rowdiest, liveliest stages that stank the most and knocked on the door of Card Room 3.
Kaspars was playing Texas poker with unlimited stakes. Stacks of cash were piled high in front of him, as well as yellow coins that piled up in a dazzling heap.
Noticing Klein's gaze, the black-market arms dealer with the huge scar on his face twitched his big red nose and casually said, ”I don't like using chips as they don't feel real to me. It's still the texture of cash and the weight of the coins that leaves me intoxicated. It the same as f**king women!”
After finishing that sentence, Kaspars frowned slightly.
”What are you doing here again?”
Klein didn't answer directly, but he gestured with his mouth to speak outside.
”Damn it! I was going to clean them up with this hand! Bullshit, I'm folding!” Kaspars tossed the two cards in front of him into the middle of the table, then he limped to the door and said to Klein, ”You'd better have a good reason!”
After leaving the card room and coming to the corner, Klein said in a suppressed voice, ”I want to know when the most recent gathering will be, just like the last one.”
Kaspars looked at him suspiciously. ”Haven't you struck a deal with Maric?”
”It's not about hiring bodyguards. Regarding that, heh heh, you know… I've become very interested in it.” Klein was telling the truth.
Kaspars hesitated and then said, ”There will be a gathering tonight. The organizer is the same person as last time, but you'll have to wait for more than half an hour. I'll inform them first. You showed your reputation last time, so I don't think there'll be too much of a problem.”
”No problem, I'll pay you.” Klein touched the bills in his pocket.
”You just need to pay 1 pound this time.” Kaspars acted like he was very generous.
”It's worth it,” Klein said as the corners of his lips curled up.
After paying Kaspars, he found a seat and sat down, drinking the rich malt-scented Southville beer and enjoying the competition on the ring.
”I can beat and take them down at the same time…” Klein quickly came to this conclusion.
After about ten minutes, Kaspars returned to the bar, looked around, and said in a low voice, ”They agreed.”
”We'll head there after half an hour. Holy Lord of Storms, I hope you haven't forgotten that mask.”
Klein gave a positive answer.
He slowed down his drinking as he began sipping, and he took half an hour to finish the 500 ml of Southville beer.
It was the same path they took as the previous time, and it was the same house without any light. Klein put on the iron mask that only covered half of his face, and he watched as Kaspars knocked on the door rhythmically.
The rhythm is different from last time. The knocking changes all the time… Klein listened carefully for a moment, then saw the small plank of the door open and a pair of eyes peer out.
After the indistinguishable process like before, he put on the hooded robe and hid his entire face in the shadows.
It was still the same living room, with a candle flickering in the dim light. Klein randomly found a seat and quietly sat down.
But unlike before, he no longer felt suppressed or tensed; instead, he leisurely looked around.
The cold wind that blew across the back of his neck made him certain that Miss Bodyguard had followed him in without anyone noticing.
As expected, there are no Sequence 5 experts in this gathering. There might not even be a Sequence 6… Klein thought.
After listening in on the conversation for a while, he saw the round-faced Apothecary change his posture as if he wanted to speak.