America: The Gear-Up Detective

After listening to Liu Qingxi's introduction, Luo De learned that the library was open to the public and any researcher interested in the collection could come and use it, but they could not borrow the collection or books; they could only read them inside the library.

The two entered the library.

The warm white walls all around make the interior of the library exceptionally bright.

Looking up, the colorful murals and trompe-l'œil paintings covering the dome brought another kind of shock to Rhodes.

"What kind of book are you looking for?" Liu Qingxi asked.

Rod shook his head. "Actually, I'm not sure if what I'm looking for is a book. Let's look around first."

When Rhode approaches the equipment, the system will not give any prompts, but from Rhode's perspective, the equipment will emit a faint golden light after getting within a certain range.

So Rod could only wander around and try his luck.

The library has three floors, with the first and second floors retaining their original artistic style.

The first floor mainly consists of a reading room and a meeting room, while the second floor features a double-layered bookcase that surrounds the entire space.

There is also an extended basement, which serves as the main reading and storage area, as well as some service and research functions.

Logically, the first floor should be mostly reading rooms. Rhodes walked around the whole place but found nothing.

The main search was concentrated on the second floor and the basement.

However, the basement floor is mostly occupied by reading rooms and storage rooms, with each occupying half of the space.

The second floor houses a large collection of artifacts and books.

Rod let Liu Qingxi wander around freely first, while he went to the basement level to read at his leisure.

This project is like finding a needle in a haystack.

An hour later, Rod had just finished touring the entire collection room on the first basement floor, having "read" almost all the books.

However, no items gleaming with gold were found.

Rhodes sighed, somewhat helplessly. "Do we really have to wait until the next mission reward information to find it?"

However, the key issue is that not every mission reward will be equipment information.

Attribute points, the in-game store, or something else entirely—anything is possible.

Just as Rod was about to give up, his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket.

He glanced at the contact number; it was an unfamiliar number. Rod then hung up.

Afterwards, I took the elevator to the second floor, ready to give it my best, since I was already here.

As soon as I got to the second floor, my phone started vibrating again. I glanced at it and saw it was the same number as before.

After hesitating for a moment, Rod went to the small balcony on the second floor of the library and answered the phone.

"Hello? This is Rhodes."

After a brief silence, Rhode heard a heavy breathing sound, followed by a slightly hoarse voice:

"Rhodes? Detective Rhodes? OMG, I didn't expect you to answer the phone, I just..."

Listening to the other person's somewhat incoherent words, Rhodes frowned. "Hello? Who are you?"

"I...I am Ada, Ada Emerson."

I emailed you before, and you gave me your contact information, so I thought...

Upon hearing the name Ida, Rhode immediately remembered.

Because she mentioned in the email that it was a case from fifty years ago, and that she wanted to report her own brother, Rod was particularly impressed.

"Ms. Ada, please take a deep breath and calm down, okay?"

On the other end of the phone, Ada seemed to be listening to Rhodes' words, taking several deep breaths. Her voice sounded somewhat conflicted, but at least Rhodes could hear her clearly.

Then, Ada almost completely repeated the contents of the email.

Rod listened patiently, and unintentionally, he saw Liu Qingxi taking a leisurely stroll downstairs.

Upon hearing that her parents had fabricated an alibi, Rod paused slightly, interrupting Ada's retelling:

"Forging an alibi? That's a very serious accusation, Ms. Ada, are you sure?"

In California, forging an alibi is a separate crime and a felony.

"I...I'm very sure about my mother, but she passed away five years ago, and my father passed away six months ago, when I was only one year old, so..."

Rod looked somewhat helpless. His parents had both passed away, so even if he had forged an alibi, the police would have no way to investigate.

It's impossible to drag the body out for trial.

Downstairs, Liu Qingxi pouted her rosy lips, put her hands behind her back, and kicked the pebbles in the library garden. Perhaps because the temperature was gradually rising, Liu Qingxi took off her thin coat, revealing her high breasts and slender waist in a tank top.

The golden sunlight shone on her, as if she were draped in a rosy robe, making her originally milky white skin glow.

Seeing this, a smile unconsciously crept onto Rhodes' lips, and some of the frustration he felt from not being able to find equipment dissipated, his tone softening slightly:

"And then? Why are you reporting your brother now?"

On the other end of the phone, Ada paused, as if organizing his thoughts, "This was my mother's last request."

Moreover, ever since I found out about this, I've kept it to myself, and I'm determined to speak out.

It's like God is telling me in this way, Ida, do what you believe is right.

Rhodes stroked his chin. "Is there any other evidence to support your brother's suspicion?"

On the other end of the phone, Ida's voice became intermittent again:

"I...actually...his personality is that of aloof, quiet, and he doesn't like to play with children his own age...he always prefers to hang out with little girls who are much younger than him."

And... he did some bad things to me when I was eight or nine years old, so I...

Hearing this, Rod didn't ask any more questions. He looked downstairs, where Liu Qingxi's figure had disappeared.

Rhodes thought for a moment and said to Ada, "I understand the situation. Keep your phone accessible and I'll contact you anytime."

If there were no major discoveries at the time, the probability of solving a case from fifty years ago with the clues provided now is extremely low.

But Rod still made a note of it, planning to check his police system the next day when he got to work to see if there were any files left by the detectives who had handled the case.

Then Rod turned and went out, looking at the endless double-layered bookshelf, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Never mind, I'll come back and look for it more carefully when I have time. I don't want to keep people waiting too long." Recalling the scene of Liu Qingxi being bored downstairs just now, Rod decided to come back by himself another day.

First floor.

Rod immediately spotted Liu Qingxi sitting at a desk not far away.

At this moment, she put on her coat, sat quietly, and flipped through a book, looking serene and beautiful.

"Knock knock knock".

Rod tapped on the table, waking Liu Qingxi from her reverie.

"Hmm? Rod, did you find the book you wanted?" Liu Qingxi looked up, lowered her voice, and said cheerfully.

Rhodes sat opposite her, deliberately lowering his voice, "No, I'll come back another day to look."

What are you looking at so intently? I don't even dare to call out to you.

Liu Qingxi held up the cover of the book in her hand, revealing the name:

"A History of Playing Cards and a Bibliography of Cards and Gaming"

Translated as: The authoritative bible for studying the history of playing cards.

Just as Liu Qingxi picked up the book, something clipped to one of the pages slipped off and fell onto the table.

Looking at the small, golden object before him, Rhodes instinctively exclaimed, "God, you're truly my lucky charm!"