282 This is East Borough (1/2)

Inside the soon-to-be abandoned medical school building, Audrey suddenly felt adrift as she took a detour to leave the gathering which had just ended. She saw the familiar thick gray fog and the blurry figure situated in the center high above.

”This is a clue.”

Accompanying Mr. Fool's solemn voice were scenes that looked like a film reel, a colored one at that!

A man who wasn't particularly muscular but was nearly two meters tall in height was wearing a black priest robe and standing in the shadows. His light yellow hair was slightly curled, and his dark brown eyes were cold with malice. The corners of his mouth drooped slightly, making him look like a ferocious wolf.

A clue? A clue to the bombing on East Borough's Dharavi Street and Gavin's drowning? Is this the murderer? Audrey stared blankly for a moment before immediately coming to an understanding.

Mr. Fool already has a clue… He's really impressive—No, he's omnipotent. After sighing to herself, she turned to look at Fors.

As soon as Fors removed her mask and surgical cap and got into the carriage, she noticed Miss Audrey's slightly strange gaze. She immediately asked in puzzlement, ”Is there something on my face?”

”Nope.” Audrey looked away and sat down before removing her disguise.

Fors recalled the gathering and asked curiously, ”Miss Audrey, why didn't you announce that you were purchasing the Spectator formula? You could've established contact with the Psychology Alchemists that way.”

She remembered that the generous Miss Audrey had remained silent most of the time and only sold some spirituality-infused materials and responded to buying other varieties accordingly.

Audrey smiled faintly and said, ”This is my first gathering in this circle. I think it's more important to observe and wait.

”I'm looking forward to the potion formula and even more so, the mystical items, but I told myself that there's no rush. It would be a better strategy to familiarize myself before taking action.”

This is also a 'professional habit' of the Spectator pathway. Moreover, there were no Beyonder ingredients like Dark Patterned Black Panther Spinal Fluid or Spring of the Elves Marrow Crystals which Mr. World wishes to obtain… Audrey silently added.

Looking at the girl who wasn't eighteen yet, Fors suddenly felt that she was more mature than ever before.

She suddenly laughed at herself and said, ”If I had been like you back then, I wouldn't have wasted such a precious opportunity.”

Audrey gave a reserved smile as a response before saying, ”I'll ask some special friends in the morning if they have any leads on the Dharavi Street bombing. Wait for the information at the same place with Xio.”

”Alright.” Fors nodded without any doubts.

…

Instead of returning to Minsk Street, Klein slept in the one-bedroom apartment in East Borough's Black Palm Street.

He was afraid that the suspected murderer in the black priest robe had accomplices who could be searching the streets for him.

Although the probability of meeting him wasn't high, and he had disguised himself ahead of time so that it was unlikely he could be recognized, his divination indicated that there was a possibility. To be cautious, Klein made do and decided to spend the night at East Borough.

At dawn, he changed into another dark blue worker's uniform, put on a light brown cap, and left the room. He went down the stairs and into the street.

At that moment, the white fog with a yellowish tint shrouded the surroundings. There were blurry figures of people passing by, and the cold morning air was soaking into their clothes.

Klein lowered his head and hurried along, just like the people around him who had gotten up early for work.

While walking, he saw a man in his forties or fifties ahead of him. He wore a thick jacket and had gray hair around his temples. He was pacing in place and fumbling for a cigarette while shivering. Finally, he took out a box of empty matches in his clothes' inner pocket.

Just as he opened the matchbox, his right hand quivered, and the crumpled cigarette fell to the ground and rolled in front of Klein.

Klein stopped, picked it up, and handed it to him.

”Thank you, thank you! I can't live without this old friend. There's only a few left,” the man thanked him sincerely and accepted the cigarette.

His face was pale, and he appeared to not have shaved for quite a while. Exhaustion was expressed without reserve from the corner of his eyes as he lamented, ”I haven't slept for another night, I don't know how long I can last. I hope the Lord will bless me so that I can enter the workhouse today.”

He's a homeless person who has been chased away. Klein casually asked, ”Why doesn't the king and ministers allow all of you to sleep in the park?”

”Who knows? But to sleep in this kind of weather outside, it's very likely that you'll never wake up again. It's still better in the day, since you can find a warmer place. Sigh, but this will make us lack the time or strength to look for jobs.” The man lit a cigarette and sucked at it delightfully.

As though he had some of his strength restored, and he walked beside Klein. It was uncertain if his destination was at the end of the fog or somewhere deep into the fog.

Klein had no intention of exchanging pleasantries and was about to speed away from him when he saw the man, who had spoken clearly, bend down and pick up a dark object from the ground.

It looked like an apple core that had been nibbled clean.

The man swallowed his saliva before stuffing the dirt-covered fruit core into his mouth. He chewed it until it was mashed up before swallowing it down with great familiarity. Nothing was left.

Looking at Klein's surprised eyes, he wiped his mouth, shrugged his shoulders, and smiled bitterly.

”I haven't eaten in almost three days.”

This sentence struck Klein's heart, causing him to feel indescribably moved.

He silently sighed and said with a smile, ”Sorry, I didn't introduce myself just now. I'm a reporter, and I'm currently writing about homeless people. Can I interview you? Let's go to the café up front.”

The man froze for a moment before he smiled and said, ”No problem, it's much warmer inside than on the streets.

”If you can stay a little bit longer after the interview and let me sleep inside for half an hour… No, fifteen minutes! That would be even better.”

Klein turned agape, momentarily at a loss for words. He just silently led his ”interviewee” into the budget café at the end of the street.