The fairy maid cheers for her deceased master today.

The hands of the clock relentlessly glide toward midnight.

Ex, who spent the entire day in the office researching the ability to hear inner voices, suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Catherine did not return.

X now knows what to do in this situation.

He summoned Catherine's maid, Mary, and asked, "Did Catherine say she would be back very late today?"

"No, Sir," Mary replied after a moment's thought. "She didn't say anything."

These words made Irene's heart ache.

She walked to the window, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of the curtains, unaware that she was about to pull them down.

"It's so late..." Her voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing the rain outside the window, "Catherine...I hope nothing happened to her?"

X was leaning against the door frame.

He noticed that Elena's tense back resembled a string stretched to its limit. Her inner unease was already showing on her face.

Three years ago, Elena... was very worried about Catherine?

Ax suddenly felt that he might have vaguely touched on a part of Elena's "wish".

But at this moment, Elena needs to calm herself down and stay composed.

"Don't scare yourself," Ax replied calmly, his gentle voice carrying a soothing quality. "You know better than I what kind of person Catherine is. She's one of London's best detectives."

Although I heard this from you guys, since the business is so good, they must be top-tier detectives.

"But……"

Irene turned around, her emerald eyes filled with anxiety.

"When she left today, she clearly said she was just going to Scotland Yard to follow up on a case and would be back soon..."

Catherine didn't say she wouldn't be back that night.

She also said that according to her plan, she would be back soon...

If that's the case, then Catherine must have encountered something.

What happened...? That treacherous Jack!?

Ex's fingertips unconsciously traced the barrel of the revolver. The subtle sound of a silver bullet being chambered was exceptionally clear in the quiet living room.

Angel was startled: "What's wrong, Master?"

"It's nothing, but instead of guessing, let's take action. Now is not the time for idle thoughts."

X straightened up, his movements as swift as a drawn sword.

"Anything that seems amiss requires immediate action. Who has Catherine been in contact with? What is her destination? Elena, do you have any leads on these matters?"

Irene jolted awake, as if struck by a sudden realization.

She walked quickly to the mahogany desk in the center of the living room and began searching rapidly.

"Yes! A clue! Catherine's schedule notebook! She records her itinerary every time she goes out!"

Ex raised an eyebrow. That's a good habit, no wonder he's a detective. That way, even if problems arise, he leaves clues for others.

Elena quickly pulled out the leather-covered notebook and swiftly flipped to the last page.

"Today...today she went to Scotland Yard first to learn about the case. Then she met with an informant in the East End warehouse theft case, a small-time hoodlum named Billy. The location...the location was the 'Old Sailor' pub near Brick Lane!"

Ax walked over to her, his gaze sweeping over the neat yet strong handwriting in the notebook. The time, place, and people were clearly stated.

"The Old Sailor's Bar?"

Ex read it in a low voice, his eyes sharpening.

"East Wharf, a place where all sorts of people mingle. Catherine actually went to meet her informant alone?"

"She's always like that!"

Irene's voice carried a hint of reproach, but more so, worry.

"She said she could handle it! But now..."

Thinking about it carefully, Catherine has been a detective for a long time, so she must have some means of protecting herself.

However, if you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet.

"Now is not the time to pursue this," Ex interrupted her.

"Master, shall we call the police?" Angel suggested.

"No!" Elena shook her head immediately. "Calling the police now... she's only been missing for less than 24 hours, the police won't take the case!"

Axe added, "If it's just that Catherine was delayed by something, calling the police might alert them, and could even...could harm her!"

Axe thought to himself. In London, if an adult goes missing for less than 24 hours, the police will at most keep a record, but will never take immediate action.

Moreover, Katherine Wentworth is a renowned detective; perhaps she's just preoccupied with some case, or infiltrated somewhere to investigate. Calling the police now, if it disrupts Katherine's plans, would truly harm her.

But seeing Elena's still worried expression, X narrowed his eyes.

Since Elena deliberately showed London from three years ago in her mind, something bad must have happened that Elena still remembers.

It was at least a memorable experience.

So, from a purely probabilistic point of view, Catherine is most likely not just delayed, but something has happened to her!

Thinking about this, Ex felt he couldn't take the risk. Waiting was already a risk.

"Then we'll go find it ourselves," Ex decided. "Elena, you stay here, in case Catherine comes back..."

"No!" Irina jerked her head up. "I have to go! Catherine is my best friend! I can't just stand here doing nothing!"

Her attitude was as resolute as a stubborn rock.

Ex looked at her, and after a few seconds of silence, he nodded slightly.

"Okay. Let's go together." He turned to Angel, who was curled up on a box in the corner. "Angel, you watch the house. If Catherine returns, or if any strangers visit, let us know immediately."

"Oh no, I want to go too!"

Angel jumped down from the box, her little face full of seriousness.

"I must protect my master! Master, you can't be reckless!"

Ex thought about it again. After all, this wasn't his home, and it was a home in the virtual world...

"Okay, let's go together."

■

London at midnight is like a slumbering beast, exceptionally quiet.

The carriage rolled along the wet cobblestone streets and soon arrived near the East Wharf.

Elena clutched Catherine's notebook tightly. Her gaze drifted through the car window to the rain-blurred streetscape, her emerald eyes filled with worry.

Axe, on the other hand, was carefully observing the outside environment.

His gaze swept across every dark corner outside the window. The East End docks, a melting pot of all sorts of people, were one of London's most chaotic areas. And now, in the dead of night, the danger was doubled.

The purpose of coming to this location is simple. Catherine only plans to go to two places today. The first place is the police station, which is probably not dangerous.

However, the second location itself is unsafe and has a poor security situation. It would be too risky for Catherine to go there alone.

The carriage stopped in front of the "Old Sailor" bar.

This is a dilapidated building with weathered wooden doors and windows covered with yellowed newspapers. Dim light shines through the cracks in the door, illuminating the muddy ground in front of it.

Axe got out of the car first, a revolver already in his hand.

Then he subconsciously frowned. The East Wharf in the rainy night was filled with a complex smell of the sea and alcohol. It was extremely unpleasant.

Ax instinctively turned around and, sure enough, saw Angel with a pained expression, covering her nose.

Sometimes, having an overly good sense of smell isn't a good thing.

"Are you alright, Angel?"

"Hmm... I need to get used to it," Angel replied, rubbing her nose and making a face.

So Ax waited another two minutes until Angel started to get used to the smell before nodding.

This is a late-night bar, not a good place.

"Stay close to me," he said to Elena again.

Elena nodded, took a deep breath, and followed.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, a wave of heat, a mixture of tobacco, alcohol, and sweat, hit me. The bar was bustling with noise; the shouts of drunkards, the laughter of women, and the clinking of glasses mingled together, creating a noisy background.

Axe's gaze swept quickly across the entire bar. The bar area was packed with people, and several scantily clad women sat in booths in the corner, flirting with the customers. The faint scent of cheap perfume wafted through the air.

X walked to the bar and tapped on the table.

A bartender with a greasy apron and a face full of scars looked up and glared at him impatiently.

"What are you doing?" the bartender's voice was rude.

"Looking for someone." Ax placed a silver coin on the bartender's table. His voice was soft, but clear enough for the bartender to hear. "Billy. A scoundrel. Miss Catherine Wentworth saw him today."

The silver coins gleamed alluringly in the dim light.

The bartender narrowed his eyes, quickly glanced around, and then reached out and grabbed the silver coin.

"Billy?" the bartender lowered his voice. "He was indeed here this afternoon. But..."

"But what?" Ex pressed, his eyes sharp.

"But he was complaining to me that a detective broke his promise."

Breaking the promise...

Catherine never came to the dock?

Is Billy still alive?

"He's not here. He lived in the outer circle and left a long time ago."