Mystery: Starting from the Shadow World

Chapter 37 Follow-up Developments

"Continue, continue discussing what?"

Klein quickly pressed for an answer.

Philip glanced at the office door, feeling like a clueless kid on a summer night, staying up late in his room playing on his phone, worried that his parents would burst in and find him.

He pulled Klein along and then sat down in two adjacent office chairs in the room.

"Klein, using the acting technique, how long will it take you to completely digest the potion?"

Upon hearing Philip's question, Klein paused, stroked his chin, and pondered for a moment. "The progress is indeed fast, but it will probably be next month at the earliest, and that's assuming we're extremely lucky."

After saying that, his expression suddenly became somewhat intriguing, and he asked with some uncertainty:

"Philip, which one do you want to change to?"

"What are you thinking about?" Philip rolled his eyes, sat cross-legged, and said with a helpless expression, resting his chin on his hand in a loose fist.

"Even if we change it, it won't make a difference. It can only replace the main ingredient. Without the recipe, we don't know what auxiliary ingredients are needed, unless you're willing to take some risks."

"Besides, do you have the money to buy it from me?"

"No, nothing." The brief question left Klein speechless, who was about to say something. But after processing Philip's words, he blurted out, "What do you mean by taking a risk?"

"Easy. Remember the blue blood orb that the clown dropped?"

"Yes." Klein nodded.

Philip turned to meet his gaze, his sapphire blue eyes filled with a hint of amusement. "Just swallow that thing, and you'll be able to advance."

"The reason why auxiliary materials can only be auxiliary is that their only function is to reduce the risk of taking potions. If you take extraordinary properties directly, they are only slightly more dangerous than potions. It just depends on whether you are willing to try."

Klein frowned, his expression very serious, and asked, "Um, just how big is the risk?"

Seeing that Klein really had this tendency, Philip raised his eyebrows slightly. "If you believe you are the protagonist in those stories, then you can close your eyes and eat it without worry. If not, it's only 20-30% more difficult than taking a potion."

After saying that, he added, "However, have you forgotten the key point? The Secret Order can't just send that tuxedo clown to look for the notes. We can use that as a starting point."

"You mean..." Klein's eyelids twitched, his words and actions already revealing his understanding of the other person's thoughts.

"We'll talk about it after you learn the psychic ritual."

Philip waved his hand, turned to the typewriter, and skillfully began the work that had taken up almost the entire morning, thus ending the topic.

At noon, Philip, who had been called out of Rosanne's office, came to the reception room and sat on the sofa with Klein and another middle-aged man named Bright to enjoy lunch.

Of course, there is no chef or kitchen here, only a stove for boiling water.

Fortunately, the nearby Old Wells restaurant has a long-term partnership with this place. Every day at 10:30, a waiter will come to ask how many lunches need to be prepared for the day, and then deliver them at 12:30.

People call it "office food".

Although the portion size was a bit tight, it had meat, vegetables, and bread, tasted good, and wasn't monotonous. Moreover, the price was only between 7 and 10 pence, which was well within their budget of £3 a week.

Philip never ordered anything too expensive; instead, he and Klein chose the 7p priced option, since that was enough to fill them up.

He spread butter on the half-pound oat bread in his hand, then opened his mouth and gently bit into it with his teeth, his eyes still almost lifeless, as if he was using this brief moment to think about something.

Klein noticed Philip's expression and wondered, "What's wrong with Philip? Is he thinking about the afternoon's case, or the Antigonus Notes?"

He silently took a small bite of bread, chewing slowly, while pondering the matter of the notes.

Without a doubt, this notebook is simply amazing; the coincidences surrounding it are enough to generate a third-rate script that is almost mass-produced on Earth.

Whether it was the members of the secret order reselling it to an ordinary person like Welch, or Philip commissioning it, when things got stuck after obtaining the notes, he happened to save the day by using divination with Leonard.

He didn't believe it was all luck.

Who sold the notebook to Welch?

Why did the original "Klein Moretti" unconsciously hand the notebook to Riel Bieber, and what is Riel Bieber's identity?

What secrets does the Hotchinas Mountains hold?

Klein, who had relaxed after finding the notes, reviewed the events again, but the questions that arose made him frown involuntarily, as he felt that things were not truly over yet.

After lunch, Leonard temporarily took over Dunn's duty of guarding "Charnis Gate," while Dunn himself took Klein to the Dragon Bar in the dock area in order to look for some more clues.

The morning downpour had stopped, and the bright sunshine shone on the still-dry ground. The two stepped down from the carriage, looked toward the Dragon Bar, and simultaneously reached down to lower the brim of their hats.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

"Remember to stay calm later," Dunn said, turning his head to remind Klein.

Klein nodded and followed the other person forward, wondering what he would encounter next.

However, once he pushed open the door, he truly understood what the captain meant. The deafening shouts and noise, the sweltering heat in the air almost rivaling that of a sauna, and the strong smell of alcohol that made him feel like he was locked in a bar.

Klein was almost forced outside by this invisible force, but fortunately Dunn was walking in front of him and slightly shielded him, allowing him to take a deep breath.

"Follow me."

Dunn didn't react much, and said calmly.

He led Klein around the heated boxing ring and into the billiard room. Under the somewhat complicated gazes of the two people inside, they went directly through the hidden door and continued forward.

On the way, Dunn also took the initiative to explain:

"This is the underground market for extraordinary items in Tingen City. Many occult enthusiasts come here through certain channels, and some of them are extraordinary individuals. If it weren't for special circumstances, it would have been Old Neil who brought you here later."

"I'll explain to Old Neil when we get back that it's time for you to access information about Extraordinary People and Secret Organizations. Don't always let Old Neil order you around looking at historical documents."

Klein nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "Captain, do you think the Secret Order would try to send someone to retrieve the notes if they found out we had obtained them?"

He wanted to ask Philip if the plan he proposed was feasible; if not, then his subsequent sequence along the "divine path" would be somewhat hopeless.

Dream divination probably won't work either, as the information available is insufficient, but it's still worth a try.

(End of this chapter)