354 Tales of an sAdventures in East Borough (2/2)

It should now belong to Benson, right? I wonder if he will think of me every time he takes out that pocket watch… Klein suddenly blinked and curled the corner of his lips.

”Probably.” Mike wasn't sure.

If anything went wrong with his pocket watch, it was usually sent to the original watch store he bought it from. The store would then send it to a repairman or to a craftsman who had partnered with them.

As soon as they entered the apartment, they saw a middle-aged man with a messy beard.

The gentleman had just come out of the bathroom and was about to return to his room. When he saw the three strangers come in, he hurriedly asked, ”Do you want to repair something?”

What a coincidence… We actually met the craftsman immediately… Klein was slightly puzzled.

Mike took out his pocket watch, smiled, and said, ”Yes, my pocket watch has recently not been keeping time well. Can you help me take a look?”

He didn't reveal his identity and planned to interview him over some casual chit chat.

The middle-aged man immediately revealed a smile and led them into a two-bedroom apartment which had its door half concealed. He pointed at a chair beside the table and said, ”Please wait a moment. I'll go get my tools.”

”Your tools are not at home?” Mike asked in surprise.

The watch craftsman shook his head and laughed.

”How is that possible?

”A set of tools is very expensive. There's no way I can buy them on my own. The only way is to pool everyone's money together to buy three or four sets, and whoever has business will use them. So, we moved in together. Heh heh, it's more convenient this way. If we live too far away, we will have to spend extra time and pay for the public carriage to borrow the tools.

As he spoke, he left the room and walked to the side.

So it isn't a coincidence that we met a watch craftsman. Many of the residents here are of this profession… Klein was suddenly enlightened.

Old Kohler looked around the room and enviously said, ”Before I fell ill, I lived in such a place as well. My wife would help others sew clothes at home. And my two children, my two children…”

Mike sighed and lowered his voice.

”I thought watch craftsmen were rich.”

”Me too…” Klein covered his mouth.

…

After a cordial exchange with several of the apartment's residents, Klein and the others once again embarked on their adventure.

They had walked about a hundred meters when they heard people quarreling along the street.

The two women were using all sorts of obscenities against each other, allowing Klein to learn many words he had never heard before.

The reason for their argument was that the one on the left accused the woman on the right for making the apartment they lived in dirty and noisy. The woman on the right was scolding the woman on the left, thinking that it had nothing to do with her. After all, no one asked her to recruit guests at night and sleep during the day.

”Is that a laundry maid?” Mike asked, frowning slightly.

”Yes, I know her. She's a widow, helping people wash their clothes with her two daughters,” Old Kohler answered certainly.

Mike thought for a few seconds and said, ”Take me to their place.”

Old Kohler nodded and led the two of them around the argument before they entered the dilapidated apartment building that was obviously inferior to the one they had just seen.

As soon as he arrived outside the laundry maid's room, Klein immediately felt the dampness.

In the room hung dresses that were not dried yet. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl was squatting in front of a large basin, scrubbing clothes that were covered in bubbles. A girl, that was younger than her, was holding a hot iron wrapped in wet linen cloth. She was carefully ironing the clothes that were done washing and drying. Her careful actions implied that she had been scalded by the steam several times.

This was both their workplace and the place where they slept at night. Wet moisture permeated the room and seeped into their bodies.

In addition, the stench of all kinds of smells was very distinct.

”Doesn't it feel terrible?” Mike pinched his nose.

Klein replied in a muffled voice, ”I've got a cold.”

There was no humor in his words.

Mike released his fingers, walked into the room, and said to the two surprised girls, ”I'm a reporter. I would like to interview a laundry maid.”

The girl who was scrubbing the clothes shook her head numbly and said, ”We have a lot of things to do and cannot afford to waste time.”

Mike's request for an interview was rejected.

He came out with a heavy expression and silently walked back across the street.

After taking a look, he pursed his lips and said, ”Let's continue.”

…

City of Silver. After a thorough examination of Derrick Berg, who had experienced hallucinations both visually and auditory, he was brought to the bottom of the spire.

This place took in residents who showed signs of losing control, and various methods were used to save them.

Walking in the gloomy and creepy corridor, he suddenly felt a strange chill.

”Help!”

A sharp shrill voice suddenly sounded from a sealed room.

”Help…”

The voice came to a sudden halt, and then there was silence.