Wizard, I Have Another World

Chapter 74 Investigation

Chapter 74 Investigation (Please add to your favorites)

early morning.

The fog had not yet dissipated.

The inspection team arrived at the Lap Textile Factory early, led by none other than Chief of Staff Goff.

"It smells so strong!"

In the crowd, some people covered their mouths and noses:

"The nearby river is full of dead fish, and the water has changed color. Is this a place for humans to live?"

"It's said that because of the latest technology, the fabric needs to be steamed, dyed, and processed at high temperatures, so the water becomes contaminated and has a strong odor," one person said.

"Of course, I don't really understand either. I've just heard people say that, but it's true that a lot of thick smoke is emitted."

Everyone looked up at the towering chimneys, thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

This black smoke will eventually become part of the air, enveloping the entire city of Signoria.

Someone muttered under their breath:

"No wonder the air quality in the city has been getting worse in recent years; factories should be located further away from the city."

"Welcome! Welcome!"

Before the group finished their discussion, one of them walked out of the factory's main gate, bowing warmly in greeting:

"Goff, my friend, why didn't you tell me you were coming so I could have made preparations?"

"Jack," Goff said with a faint smile.

"We're here to investigate a case, and we might need your cooperation. Could you please stop the factory operations today?"

"Stop work?" Jack's expression changed drastically.

"Goff, are you kidding me?"

"The machines in my factory are different from those elsewhere. It takes a long time to get used to starting and stopping them. The wages of so many workers and the wear and tear on the machines will amount to at least several thousand pounds. Who will pay for that?"

Thousands of pounds?

The people in the room looked at each other in bewilderment.

They had no idea that simply stopping the machine would have such a huge consequence.

"Jack!"

Diana stepped forward and said:

"We're not discussing this with you. Female workers are disappearing from the textile factory every month. This needs to be thoroughly investigated."

"You are..." Jack turned his head to look.

"Diana!" Diana said solemnly.

"Dina Jaeger".

"So she's the Jaeger family's daughter." Jack nodded, his previously amiable expression suddenly turning serious.

"Then you should know what this textile factory represents?"

"The clothing it produces is meant to be sent to the front lines. Do you expect the soldiers on the front lines to have no clothes to change into?"

He turned around and glanced at the crowd:

"The Lap Textile Mill is a prominent industry in Signoria, with shares held by the Franks, the Fosters, and other members of the Noble Council."

"I'll see who dares to stop production today!"

The room fell silent.

The group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with hesitation.

Goff frowned, somewhat displeased, but did not force himself to speak.

The person the other party was referring to was too important, and even as the head of the inspection department, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

"Oh well!"

With a sigh, Goff waved his hand:

"Let's go in and take a look, ask some people a few questions, that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"certainly!"

A smile returned to Jack's face, and he gestured for the other side to move closer.

"welcome!"

The second floor of the factory.

Caesar Foster, cane in hand, looked down at the patrolmen loitering about, his eyes filled with gloom.

"Recently, the city has been under strict surveillance."

"Of course."

Pharmacist Robert appeared behind him and nodded:

"The Firebringers' suicide attack caused heavy casualties among the city's nobles, and made Count Baro lose face in front of Princess Sak. It even caused some unrest among the troops at the front. This is no small matter."

"Moreover, there are many people and eyes around here. After taking in those people, it's inevitable that some information will leak out."

Fire Master!

This is what the people of Cologne call those who control fire; they are believers in the blazing sun, and also known as the fire thieves among the people of Gondor.

Robert, the famous and successful businessman and pharmacist in Signoria, is actually connected to a hostile force.

Not just him!

The same is true of the Foster family.

"What do we do now?" Xize asked, head bowed.

"Will they find that place?"

"Don't worry, it won't happen." Robert waved his hand with a smile.

"The factory machines kept running, and the passageways were blocked by the spinning propellers, so no one could get in."

"As for the other secret passage..."

"Not to mention that it was already difficult to spot, I also set up a witchcraft trap on it, making it even harder to get in."

Xize nodded slowly.

He paused, then continued:

"But this isn't a solution now; inspectors and officers have already turned their attention to the north of the city."

"The problem will be discovered sooner or later!"

"Yes!" Robert sighed.

"Moreover, the timeframe they gave us was far too tight, only ten days. It's really difficult for us."

"otherwise……"

"Make some noise to divert attention?"

Xize nodded.

downstairs.

Diana carefully inspected every floorboard and every room in the factory, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

"Let's go!"

Goff walked over and waved:

"Let's go to the next one."

"Chief."

Diana followed in small steps and whispered:

"I feel there's something wrong here. Carey has said before that his fiancée's disappearance is also related to the textile factory."

"Um."

Goff's appointment as chief of staff was not solely due to his position; his keen understanding of cases was equally essential.

"You're right, there's definitely something hidden at the Lapu Textile Factory, but we can't find out yet."

"Commander-in-Chief..." Diana's eyes lit up:

"What do you mean?"

"Investigate covertly." Goff lowered his head, his voice grave.

"I feel that the fire-stealing suicide attacks are just the beginning, and it's very likely that things are not over yet."

"If my feeling is correct, they definitely have a base in the city."

"check!"

"We must find out!"

As he spoke, he looked up at the second floor, his keen senses allowing him to detect the subtle killing intent he had just sensed.

The attack by the fire-stealers put the entire city of Signoria under martial law, with a curfew imposed on the people and all on-duty personnel forbidden from leaving their posts.

Even Carl, who was just coasting along, had to pull himself together and clock in at the patrol office every day.

This has resulted in a very slow progress in reforging the broadsword.

Only after get off work each day do I have time to come to the Divine Realm Fragments and forge my weapons.

"bite……"

"when!"

The weapon-refining room.

Bare-chested, Karl gripped fire tongs tightly in one hand and swung a hammer in the other, relentlessly forging the iron plate on the anvil.

Each heavy hammer blow was accompanied by a shower of sparks.

After being hammered a certain number of times, it will be taken to a forge and heated, and something will be added to it.

Extremely high temperatures cause metal to melt.

When placed in the ice water, thick white smoke instantly billowed out, filling the entire weapon-refining room.

This continued, over and over again.

The iron plate has gradually taken on the shape of a broadsword, and the surface has even developed a fish-scale pattern from being hammered.

"Um?"

Karl suddenly frowned, stopped what he was doing, and turned around to step out of the God Realm Fragment.

The night was dark, and the waning moon was obscured by dark clouds. Although it wasn't pitch black, it was still hazy and indistinct.

Push open the window.

Something seemed to be wriggling in the corner.

Karl leaped down from the second floor, landed in the shadows, and cast a light spell to look at the corner of the wall.

"people?"

It was "she" who triggered the witchcraft trap set in the courtyard, causing the warning.

…………

"quick!"

"Hurry up, everyone!"

Eugene, dressed in a police uniform and carrying a long knife, led a group of police officers to the gate and knocked on the door.

"Open the door!"

The loud knocking not only woke up the owner of the courtyard, but also prompted the neighbors to light candles one after another.

Many people opened their windows and looked outside.

"What are you doing?" Karl was abruptly interrupted just as he was falling asleep, so he was inevitably annoyed. He put on a bathrobe and opened the courtyard gate.

"Is it you?"

He glared angrily at the group of police officers standing in front of the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Do you really think that just because a noble family has fallen on hard times, you can be bullied like this? Tell me who your superior is! I'm going to complain to the noble council, and I'll make sure none of you wear this uniform anymore!"

"Baron Karl." This time, Eugene wasn't as polite and respectful as before; instead, he spoke with a cold face:

"We were just informed that a missing little girl is hiding here, and we have been ordered to search the area!"

"Bullshit!" Karl roared in fury.

"I am a nobleman, and you have no right to search my residence without the permission of the noble council."

"besides……"

He angrily said:

"Whoever said I'm hiding a missing little girl here, bring him here! I'll teach him the consequences of framing a nobleman!"

"I'm sorry." Eugene shook his head.

"We will strictly protect the identity of the whistleblower."

"and……"

A sinister smile suddenly appeared on his face:

"Because of the fire-stealers' attack, the city lord has ordered a thorough search of any suspicious person, including nobles, so we are now authorized to search your residence."

"Please step aside, Baron!"

"Why waste words with him!" Officer Nelson, whose attitude had been somewhat rude last time, stormed into the yard.

"I suspected he was up to something a long time ago, so I stopped him from coming in. There must be something shady going on in the yard."

"search!"

"Keep an eye on him, don't let him escape!"

"baron?"

Turning around, Nelson's face was full of disdain:

"Pah!"

Carl's expression was cold, but he did not forcibly stop them, allowing the group of police officers in front of the door to flood into the courtyard.

Nelson turned and ran towards the corner of the courtyard.

"Um?"

The empty corner caused his expression to change slightly, and he subconsciously turned to look at Eugene with an inquiring gaze.

How could there be none?

"No!"

"It's not here either!"

The group searched the yard, including the basement, but did not find the so-called "missing girl".

"snort!"

Karl sneered:

"What do you have to say now?"

"Feel sorry!"

Eugene snapped out of his daze, his face once again displaying a fawning smile, and bowed respectfully as he spoke:

"It seems this was a misunderstanding. We apologize for disturbing you, Baron."

"Let's go now!"

"You'd better hope this is the end of it." Karl looked at the other person, his expression indifferent and cold.

"roll!"

"Yes." Eugene chuckled dryly.

"We're leaving, we're leaving now!"

He waved his hand and led a group of people away quickly, just as hurriedly as he had arrived.

Karl watched them leave until their figures disappeared from sight before closing the courtyard gate and darting away.

Not long after.

He carried an unconscious little girl from an empty back alley to a house and placed her in the courtyard.

"Um……"

The little girl groggily opened her eyes, and upon seeing the familiar surroundings, her expression of fear and dread turned into ecstasy.

"Father!"

"Mother!"

She cried out softly, struggling to her feet despite her numerous injuries.

"Amy?"

Inside the house, someone spoke hesitantly, and as the candlelight was lit, a couple rushed out in a panic.

"Amy!"

"My Amy, am I dreaming?"

"Mother, it's me." The little girl sobbed and cried.

"It's me!"

The mother and daughter hugged each other and cried bitterly.

"Merciful Lord of Dawn, thank you for bringing our daughter back." The father knelt on the ground, praising the Lord of Dawn repeatedly.

A dark place.

Karl slowly withdrew his gaze.

He knew some people disliked him, but this blatant framing was something he'd never seen before.

night.

Several figures appeared in the night.

This is the North City Industrial Zone, where various textile factories, smelters, and warehouses are concentrated, and the flow of goods is thriving.

"Aha!"

Diana spoke in a low voice:

Are you sure you're heading in the right direction?

"That's definitely right."

Taroto Daigo nodded upon hearing this:

"I've come here with Kerry to investigate several times. If there's a problem, it'll definitely be there."

"Lapu Textile Factory..."

"This factory is acting very strangely!"

"Sir," someone whispered.

"Haven't we already caught quite a few people? Many of the missing girls have also returned to their homes."

The crackdown over the past two days has resulted in the arrest of many "suspects".

Police officers and patrol officers were dispatched and, based on clues, found the missing girl in many homes and basements.

In their usual understanding, that was enough to get the job done, and there was no need to pester the Lap Textile Factory.

If it weren't for their boss's insistence, half of the group wouldn't be here.

"It's abnormal that they caught him." Chief of Staff Gove said solemnly.

"It's too much of a coincidence, and some of them don't seem to be real criminals; they might have been framed."

"good!"

Diana nodded in agreement:

"They just don't want us to continue the investigation, but the more they do that, the more we want to investigate to the end."

"I hope your guesses are true," someone muttered quietly.

"The Council of Nobles has asked us not to harass the factories in the North City, so as not to affect the supplies for the soldiers on the front lines, and this operation has not been authorized."

"Sir!"

"You should know what this means."

"I understand." Goff nodded.

"If we get caught, we might face condemnation from parliament, but don't worry, I'll take the blame if anything goes wrong."

"No." A person behind him shook his head and said:

"It means that if something happens to us, nobody will know what happened, which is not safe."

"..." Goff's eyes flickered slightly:

"Don't worry, although we are few in number, we are quite strong. We have nothing to fear, not even a great knight."

"There's no need to be afraid!"

indeed.

They were all elites of the patrol bureau, almost all of them knights.

As the chief, Goff is a top-tier knight, capable of fighting alongside a Grand Knight.

In Signoria, you wouldn't say you're invincible, but there's certainly not much to fear.

"You guys are so long-winded."

Da Wu shook his head:

"It's just ahead. Don't make a sound. Go in quietly so as not to disturb the people inside."

Upon hearing this, the group lowered their bodies and silently moved forward.

This is the warehouse of the Lapu Textile Factory, not far from the factory, and there are still people patrolling it even at night.

The group avoided the patrol personnel's sight and headed inside.

Da Wu was clearly very familiar with the surrounding terrain, leading his people through left and right turns until they arrived at an underground warehouse.

"I have no idea what happened before that."

Stopping in his tracks, Daigo shrugged his shoulders:

"What you do next is up to you."

Goff drew his sword, stepped forward, and appeared behind a patrolman in a flash.

The spine of the sword was gently tapped.

"Snapped!"

The other person felt a numbness in their neck, their eyes rolled back, and they fainted.

"Walk!"

Goff waved his hand and accelerated forward.

The group burst open a wooden door, then suddenly froze.

Ahead was an area resembling a plaza, illuminated by torches on the surrounding walls.

A short, ugly man in a purple robe stood in the center with his hands behind his back, looking at the group of people.

It felt like we had been waiting for a long time.

"Robert!"

Goff's eyes narrowed:

"What are you doing here?"

"Of course I've been waiting for you." Robert placed one hand on his chest, bowed slightly to the group, and said slowly:

"My friend, you've finally come!"

"Hmm..." Goff cautiously looked around:

"Did you know I was coming?"

"A guess." Robert paced back and forth in the room.

"People like us are very sensitive to the emotions of ordinary people, so I saw the doubt in your eyes and guessed that you would not let the Lapu Textile Factory go easily and would definitely investigate it in secret."

"Ugh!"

He sighed, a hint of regret in his voice:

"You shouldn't have come!"

"So what if they come?" Goff said.

"Could it be that you really are connected to the fire-stealers of Cologne?"

"What do you want to get out of me?" The thoughts of an ordinary person are hard to hide from a wizard apprentice, even a cunning chief inspector. Upon hearing this, Robert chuckled and shook his head.

"There's no need to waste your time. I can tell you directly that the Fire Master does indeed have some connection with me."

"Not just fire riders!"

"And Elise's followers are also connected to me."

"How dare you!" Goff's expression changed drastically.

"Aren't you afraid of the laws of the Kingdom of Gondor?"

He didn't make a move directly; the other party was alone here, so there was no way he didn't have a trump card.

They even bluntly revealed the secret, which is more likely...

They're fearless!

Thinking of this, Goff tensed up, a strong sense of alarm rising in his heart.

"The law?"

Robert shook his head:

"This thing only protects the strong; it's never useful to the weak."

"Thump!"

He stomped his foot lightly, the ground making a dull thud, and rustling sounds came from the darkness.

"I hoped you wouldn't come, but unfortunately you did. You have to bear the consequences of the path you chose."

Before he could finish speaking...

One after another, humanoid spiders emerged from the darkness and surrounded the group.

"A follower of the Spider Goddess!"

"It's the Spider Woman!"

The crowd became agitated, and many people showed signs of panic in their eyes.

They had heard of this half-human, half-spider creature before, but this was the first time they had ever seen it.

"superior!"

Someone growled:

"Let's get Robert first!"

Robert is clearly the one controlling Spider Woman. If we can take him down, the current crisis can definitely be resolved.

"Whoosh!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already rushed over.

The sword at his waist was drawn, the longsword pointed at Robert, and a sharp killing intent locked onto the target first.

This is a knight!

"Be careful!"

Goff roared:

"Don't act impulsively!"

"Heh..." Facing the incoming longsword, Robert's expression remained unchanged; he simply shook his head slightly and loosely clenched his left hand.

Enchanted item—Ring Star Sword!

The starlight gathered and took shape, transforming into six slender swords, each about three feet long, which appeared out of thin air around him.

The Star Sword trembled slightly, then suddenly shot out, hurtling towards the attacking knight like six dazzling galaxies.

"puff!"

"Pfft!"

The starlight streaked across the void at an astonishing speed, ignoring the weapons that tried to intercept it, and pierced through the knight on the spot.

骑士！

dead!

A proper knight was powerless against the enigmatic Robert, unable even to get close.

…………

A courtyard somewhere.

Officer Nelson looked terrified and backed away repeatedly.

"don't want!"

"Don't kill me!"

His tiger's mouth was covered in blood, the long sword in his hand had long been knocked away, and his eyes were filled with fear.

"Heh..." Karl, draped in a black cloak that completely concealed his facial features, shook his head slightly upon hearing this.

Where are your companions?

"Call……"