Unable to repay my student loans, I had no choice but to work part-time as a demon hunter.

"Speak," Martin said, looking at Gordon.

"I heard you're recruiting trainee investigators," Gordon said seriously. "I'd like to confirm, approximately what's the salary?"

Ok?

Winslow slapped his forehead.

What happened to being Winslow's protégé? What happened to inheriting his skills and unlocking the mysteries of the source?

Why does it still sound like that familiar Gordon accent when he opens his mouth, or rather, Gordon accent?

Charlotte was also secretly getting anxious.

People are investigating a bizarre drowning case!

Someone died in their own bed, their lungs filled with the Black River. Investigators personally visited the room, where an atmosphere of secrecy and terror permeated the atmosphere...

Why are we talking about compensation now?

"...This is...a trainee investigator." John pushed up his glasses. "Gordon, this kind of work is very important; the pay doesn't reflect the value for money."

"I have no choice, I really need the money," Gordon said.

"Would this question help you identify the sample?" Martin asked.

"Yes," Gordon said. "It can fully motivate me."

"A yearly salary of 30 gold pounds," Martin said.

30 gold pounds, that's a lot of money.

The students exchanged glances, all of them longing for this position, which now symbolized not only responsibility, honor, and imperial mission, but also a secure job.

John was particularly interested, as he desperately needed money to supplement his family's income.

"Oh, is that all?" Gordon was very disappointed.

Everyone watched him silently.

How much debt does a person have to owe to feel that an annual salary of 30 pounds is "only so much"?

"Please state your answer first," Martin said rationally. "Trainee investigators primarily exchange resources based on merit; their fixed salary is only a small part of their overall benefits."

Gordon turned his attention back to the bottle.

“We all know it,” Gordon said. “There’s only one body of water in all of Lundnium that receives industrial wastewater, domestic sewage, and enough sunlight to sustain algae. It has a smell we’ll never forget, and it’s with us day and night. If the wind is right, it will even come to us. Sir, this is the Blackwater River.”

  

Blackwater River!

Everyone understands.

The sample contained algae, grease, and various debris, and the Blackwater River, which flows through the entire city and is heavily polluted, is the most likely candidate.

However, the sample in front of us... comes from the lung of a dead person.

Even if most people guess correctly, they wouldn't dare to believe their own judgment.

Only Gordon spoke with extreme confidence.

"That means the deceased drowned in the Blackwater River," Percy said instinctively.

"No, I said he drowned at home," John said.

“Yes.” Martin produced a report. “That’s the problem. The deceased’s residence was at least 2 kilometers away from the Blackwater River. Identifying the samples wasn’t difficult; the problem was, how could the Blackwater River cross those 2 kilometers and end up in a person’s lungs?”

"Has an outsider entered?" John asked.

No traces were found.

"Did he struggle?"

"certainly."

"Is there water only in the lungs?"

"His clothes, sheets, and floor were completely dry. He didn't even cough up a drop," Martin said.

He answered several questions from the students, but only made the mystery worse.

How could that be?

Charlotte couldn't help but ponder it.

A person struggles and suffocates in a dry bedroom, while water from a river two kilometers away enters their lungs.

"...I don't think the key point is at all about 'the black river water in the deceased's lungs'," Gordon said. "I don't even think it matters."

"Hmm?" This remark drew the attention of most people.

"Why wouldn't it mean anything?" Percy pressed. "He drowned in his own home, with Blackwater River water in his lungs—isn't that strange enough?"

"Your opinion?" Martin picked up his pen, ready to write something in the booklet.

Gordon glanced at everyone.

They were all waiting for his answer.

"What I mean is," Gordon said calmly, "there are countless extraordinary abilities in this world. It's not surprising that someone could stuff river water into someone else's lungs."

Upon hearing this, the other students were still pondering.

Martin, however, raised his head.

He keenly observed a fact.

Gordon is special.

He must know the dark reality of Lundnium, and may even be standing at the threshold of the extraordinary world.

Other students, living in a sheltered environment, are unaware of this. Objectively speaking, this is the difference.

"This doesn't solve the problem," Martin insisted. "Source abilities vary greatly, making them the most difficult to track."

"If it was a random killing, this case is currently unsolved; we can only wait for the perpetrator to strike again. Many unsolved cases arise this way," Gordon said.

The atmosphere in the classroom instantly became somewhat somber.

"But!" Gordon pointed to the sample, "Source-type ability users are also human. Humans have desires and purposes, and may even commit crimes again. We can start by investigating the deceased's occupation and social relationships to uncover clues, and maybe we can determine who will be the next victim. And I suspect he has killed more than one person."

Martin's gaze towards Gordon has completely changed.

There were indeed other victims in the drowning case, and if all the identities of the victims were listed, a disturbing pattern would indeed be found.

He felt that Gordon was someone worth bringing into the discussion.

But he didn't continue.

Too many clues shouldn't be revealed in front of a group of students.

"We won't discuss this direction for now," Martin said.

Gordon understood.

It means he guessed correctly, but his level wasn't high enough.

"...There's another situation. Near the scene of the death, someone witnessed a large demon, described as having a 'dragon head and snake body, length unknown, and rapid movement.' We hope you can help investigate this as well."

The students quickly offered several names: Spine Dragon Demon, Giant Eel Demon... Winslow shook his head slightly; none of them satisfied him.

Gordon didn't reach a conclusion either, and planned to go back and look through anatomical atlases.

"In short, it's temporarily named 'Shadows of Aston Street.'" Martin looked at the students. "I hope to recruit qualified candidates from among the students of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Those selected can serve as trainee investigators and participate in formal cases."

He took a thin badge out of his pocket.

[Trainee Investigator Badge. The power is moderate, but very useful.]

Gordon stared at it.

Identity.

By wearing the octagonal badge, he could get source hunters to cooperate with investigations, force nobles to open their doors, and make those arrogant policemen bow their heads and obey his orders.

very useful.

In other words.

If he becomes a trainee investigator, he can conduct extensive investigations on anyone he wants to investigate.

In addition, there is a fixed annual salary of 30 gold pounds.

"...!" Charlotte also looked at Gordon, her eyes shining with anticipation.

She knew better than anyone what this meant.

If a commoner gets too close to a countess, others will think he is looking for a ladder to wealth, and all her relatives worry that the poor man will taint the Montfort bloodline.

If Gordon wore black, the situation would be very different.

Who dares to question the social status of investigators?

The emperor currently only values ​​two types of people.

The first type of person wears military uniforms and helps him control the outside world.

The second type of person, dressed in black, helps him control the internal empire.

"You've already chosen Gordon?" John tried his best to remain calm, but everyone could still hear the bitterness in his voice.

As the top student in his grade, John dreams of working for the Department of Extraterrestrial Affairs, a hospital, or becoming a civil servant.

Now the opportunity has finally arrived, but it seems to have bypassed him and gone to Gordon instead.

"...I won't put all my eggs in one basket, especially when we haven't gotten to know each other well enough. Besides, you're just one year of students in the biomedical department. I'll be visiting three other years and other majors. The opportunity is fair," Martin said.

Hearing this, a glimmer of hope rekindled in everyone's hearts.

Given an open platform for competition, they feel they might have a chance.

They are all college students, after all.

"In short, the anomaly in the Blackwater River has raised the Empire's high alert, and we need manpower to fight the Otherworlders and the Cult," Martin said. "Logris expects everyone to do their part."

Apart from Gao Deng, the students all straightened their chests.

Logris expects everyone to do their part!

This is one of the empire's most famous maxims.

More than three hundred years ago, during the "Battle of Noon," fleets from various countries burned at sea, armies advanced amidst artillery fire, and high-level source hunters clashed on a battlefield incomprehensible to mortals.

The Logris shouted these words as they fought their way out of the encirclement and became the sole victors.

The Battle of Noon laid the foundation for today's world order, and the heroes of yesteryear have faded into the depths of history.

Even today, this statement can still stir the blood of college students, representing the grandest narrative: the relationship between an empire and its people.

Winslow nodded.

He knew that everyone in the classroom had a need to prove themselves.

“In that case,” Winslow glanced around, “I will design a special final project. The topic is very simple: ‘Investigate the Blackwater River.’ Write a paper, design an experiment, and reproduce an idea. In any case, we will hold a public presentation. I, the principal, the administration, and even the military may send representatives to attend.”

"You don't have to write a final paper this semester?" Gordon asked curiously. Our school requires a paper every year.

"Yes, this is your final paper," Winslow said. "Solving the mystery of the Blackwater River is, for the time being, the top priority for all citizens of this city, and you are no exception."

Everyone became focused.

The students whispered amongst themselves, analyzing suitable topics.

Some planned to analyze water samples, while others wanted to investigate the ecology of the alien demons. Percy and other noble students planned to contact factories, shipyards, and river management companies to obtain firsthand information.

"Oh, representatives from the military." Cecilia smiled, immediately thinking of those Imperial Navy officers, in their crisp uniforms, with promising futures, and often unmarried.

"Is your research on matchmaking on the Blackwater River?" Charlotte asked.

"What's the big deal? You're not going to study this with me anyway," Cecilia pouted.

"You understand me best."

Charlotte walked toward Gordon.

"Gordon, what are you researching?" Charlotte asked with concern.

"I'm thinking," Gordon pondered.

Actually, this is a very good entry point.

From now on, he will order equipment that seems illegal and make some preparations that seem abnormal... all of which can be said to be for the Blackwater River project.

Reasonable.

"Gordon," John approached to inquire, "I'd like to investigate the living conditions of the residents along the Blackwater River. Do you have any suggestions?"

"When I think of the true inhabitants of the Blackwater River, I can only think of the Deepclaws," Gordon said.

John left thoughtfully. Yes, it's time to investigate the water monkeys, but where to begin?

Before considering that, John decided to finish writing the demon detection report on behalf of the school and send it to the manufacturer. Five other families were waiting for an answer. As the top student in his grade, this was one of the few things he could and should do.

"Gordon, do you want to help me?" Percy also came to recruit Gordon. "My family owns four factories along the Blackwater River, a freight company, and a private dock. I have a lot of information about the Blackwater River. What I need now is someone like you who can... be incredibly effective."

"I think you should be more concerned about the emissions problem," Gordon said seriously. "The Blackwater River is so dirty, it might have something to do with your family."

"..." Percy's face darkened, and he turned and left.

Charlotte saw that the other students were running into obstacles, some hard and some soft, with Gordon.

"Hey, Gordon." She put her hands on her hips. "You're not going to refuse to let me join your research group, are you?"

"You're a must." Gordon said without looking up. "I haven't thought of a topic yet, but I want to work with you to make it famous, to let everyone know that we've discovered the great secret of the Blackwater River."

"Ah~" Charlotte finally lowered her hand from her waist. "Since you insist, I have no choice but to see it through to the end."

What she was most worried about was that she had always held Gordon in a special place in her heart, but he hadn't placed her in a special place.

But now it seems that she is at least "necessary".

As for what this "must" means, and what she is specifically required to do, she can ask later.

People gradually dispersed, all heading towards their two-week vacation, while Gordon felt himself walking into an ever-growing web.