Chapter 277 — Finalizing a Plan

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Rafter Pound’s future.”

Klein held onto the baronet’s hair, closed his eyes, and entered a deep slumber with the help of Cogitation.

In the gray gloomy world, he saw a narrow, irregular cave. Rafter Pound, with his puffy eye bags and gray hair at his temples, was propping himself up on his elbows, crawling forward like a reptile to leave the hole.

Then, with a flash, he retrieved a black iron emblem of unknown origins and wore it on his chest.

The emblem had a scepter carved on it, as well as a hand that was holding onto the scepter tightly!

“Tudor!” Klein jerked out of the dream and sat up.

According to Miss Bodyguard’s introduction, the black iron emblem was engraved with the imperial coat of arms of the Fourth Epoch’s Tudor Empire royal household!

It was identical to the one he had seen in the ancient structure!

Rafter Pound is definitely not as simple as he seems to be... Klein rubbed his forehead and muttered to himself.

As a Seer, he had his own interpretation of the revelation he had received from the dream. On the one hand, he knew that it was something Rafter Pound would do in the future, and on the other hand, he believed that it meant that Rafter Pound had a deep connection with the Tudor family!

Through the three tests of direct questioning, dream probing, and spirit channeling, Rafter Pound didn’t expose any problems, nor did he make me notice that anything was amiss. If I didn’t have a fourth test, I probably would’ve been deceived by him. Yes... Maybe, maybe he really doesn’t know anything at present and that it was a true act. In the future, he might even chance upon an opportunity to form a connection with the Tudor family...

But it’s more likely that he has already learned a lot from the old viscount. Without confidence, he intentionally turned decadent and acted crazy and ignorant. For him to be able to hide from my dream and spirit channeling, it should be a result of some Beyonder powers. Hmm... He probably wasn’t acting at that time and was really in a muddled state. Otherwise, he would’ve exposed himself in front of a person like me who is very experienced in such matters...

What Beyonder powers could it be?

What Sequence number is he?

Or is he the kind that is born with certain Beyonder powers?

Klein proceeded this line of thought and soon realized he had reached a dead end. He quickly pulled himself out of this dead end and changed his angle of thinking.

Rafter Pound has a deep connection with the Tudor family...

Can I make a bold hypothesis that he’s actually a descendant of the Tudor family?

If the blood relationship between him and the old viscount is real, then things are going to be interesting.

The entire Pound family is a branch of the Tudor family that changed its surname to escape pursuit?

They contributed tremendously and were conferred aristocratic titles, and they returned to the center of power, one step at a time. Meanwhile, they were secretly searching for the secret remains left behind by the Tudor Empire in Backlund.

After an unknown period of time, they finally found something. Thus, they bought what currently belongs to Millet Carter’s house and built an exaggerated basement, which was used to explore the surrounding area.

Thirty to forty years ago, they found the ruins and built a secret door to it.

But, during the exploration process, an accident occurred. That evil spirit didn’t recognize any of the so-called Tudor descendants at all. The two heirs of the old viscount died in that room, in the deepest corner, one after the other. Even their Beyonder characteristics and mystical items couldn’t be retrieved.

Although the old viscount spent a great price to buy similar Beyonder characteristics, making it seem like the two heirs had died relatively normal deaths, the consecutive deaths made the royal household and the churches suspicious. Therefore, after the old viscount passed away, Rafter Pound deliberately exaggerated and distorted the secret investigations of the past, to frighten himself into having mental problems. He began to engage in debauchery so as to avoid the attention of others.

This can explain what previously puzzled me. How can a viscount family be placed under the control of some mysterious person without any action from the royal household and the churches? Even if controlling him was necessary, they would do it in a milder and undetectable manner. For example, using a Faceless of my Sequence 6 pathway.

A child can even sense something abnormal, much less the powerful Beyonders of the royal household and the three churches?

The reason why they were “unaware” can only be explained by the fact that they were the ones who had sent those people.

Yes... Back then, I surmised that the Tudor family and the Trunsoest family grasped the Dark Emperor pathway, so due to the need to act, they would establish dynasties to maintain the style and uniqueness of the Solomon Empire. On this point, Miss Bodyguard has indirectly proven it.

The Dark Emperor pathway’s Sequence 9 is Lawyer, a Beyonder job that is extremely good at using order. Yes... Rafter Pound was able to deceive my dream and spirit channeling abilities because of this. Perhaps he’s gone one step further? He cooperated with me sufficiently, so in his muddled state in the dream, he was still able to subconsciously use the loophole of order and affect the development in the direction he wishes to have.

Upon careful consideration, during the process of spirit channeling, Rafter Pound didn’t seem to really lie. However, his truth was only a partial truth...”Maintain the family” and “remember the glory” can be referring to the Pound family and also the Tudor family...

Klein’s train of thought became clearer bit by bit, and he had an overall assessment of the situation.

From Rafter Pound’s current attitude, the evil spirit shouldn’t be able to escape without any external help; otherwise, the baronet would’ve long thought of a way to save himself. It doesn’t matter if the evil spirit would come looking for him; as long as it escapes the seal and creates a disaster, the secret of the underground ruins would be exposed to the royal household and the churches. When that happens, Rafter will definitely be implicated... The room opposite had collapsed, but it didn’t affect the power that restricted the evil spirit. This means that as long as the innermost room isn’t directly destroyed, the evil spirit wouldn’t be able to escape...

Hmm... The plan is clear then. I would buy some explosives from Kaspars and collapse the entrance so that no one can get in, leaving the evil spirit buried underground forever. Heh, when I’m powerful enough, I can consider finishing it and help the citizens of Backlund get rid of this latent danger and harvest some valuable items in the process...

However, how should I collapse it safely? I don’t know anything... Maybe Kaspars knows a demolition expert? After all, he is a black-market weapons merchant.

Klein quickly finalized the plan and decided on finding Kaspars tomorrow evening. He would try to settle the matter of the underground ruins within the week.

As for the true relationship between the Pound family and the Tudor family, and for Rafter’s abnormality, he didn’t want to probe too deeply into it.

“It’s none of my business!” Klein grumbled and quickly plummeted down past the gray fog and returned to the real world.

...

On Friday morning, Klein went out early as usual and pretended to be very busy.

The truth was, he had once again gone to the Quelaag Club to practice his shooting and read the newspapers. He enjoyed himself quite a bit.

At tea time, he was about to leave after staying there the entire day, but he was surprised to see Mary Gale, his former employer, and Talim Dumont, the equestrian teacher, enter the club at the same time.

They were accompanied by a number of gentlemen in double-breasted frock coats and beautiful ladies in fine makeup. Among them was the Daily Observer reporter, Mike Joseph.

“Oh, Detective Moriarty, what a coincidence.” Mike, with his charming eyes but rather rough skin, took the initiative to greet him.

Klein smiled and replied, “Mr. Reporter, are you done with your investigative news?”

“It’s done, thanks to your help! Let me do the introductions. This is the famous detective, Mr. Sherlock Moriarty, a good friend of Talim’s.” Mike waved his arm and said.

After both sides greeted each other, Mike continued, “I’ve roughly figured out who Capim is. I’ll tell you in detail when I have the time. In short, I have every reason to believe that Siber’s death was caused by a copycat killer and not by the serial killer. Haha, you will see the news of my investigations on the papers tomorrow.

“It’s just as I thought.” Klein smiled in response.

At that moment, Mike seemed to remember something and turned his head to Mary Gale and said, “I’ll make an appointment with you for an interview regarding the air pollution situation in Backlund and its solution. However, you have to communicate with my editor-in-chief in advance to finalize the page and time.”

Mary’s eyes lit up.

“Alright.

“Thank you very much! Mike, why didn’t I think of such a good idea?”

This is for the promotion of the National Atmospheric Pollution Council? This reporter, Mike, has quite a lot of experience after all... Although the Daily Observer isn’t one of the best newspapers, its circulation is considerable... Did Mary suddenly come here today because the other members of the House of Commons who are members of this club were coming? This type of private club is indeed suitable for politics and business... Klein seemed to gain an understanding and bade farewell ahead of time.

Before becoming a Faceless, he didn’t want to get involved in high-level affairs such as this.

...

Evening, in an apartment in East Borough.

After a busy day, Williams entered the small room he rented, intending to change his coat, get some money, go to the pub for a drink, and settle his dinner there.

In the gloomy darkness, he suddenly stopped putting on his coat.

He saw a shadow standing by the window, its face completely obscured by the shadow of the hood.

“Who told you to look for Lanevus?” the dark figure asked in a low, slow voice.

Williams quickly put on his coat, gulped his saliva, and said, “I have a friend, a bounty hunter.”

Bounty hunters referred to adventurers who used various bounty rewards as their main source of income. There were a lot of them in East Borough and in Backlund.

“Why did he suddenly start looking for Lanevus? This is a bounty that was offered a long time ago.” The black figure was extremely tall. Step by step, he approached Williams.

“I don’t know. Maybe she just wanted to attempt another bounty.” Williams took a very tiny step back.

The dark figure pressed hoarsely, “Who is she?”

Williams immediately entered a dilemma, but after a few seconds, he replied with a trembling voice, “Xio, Xio Derecha. I don’t know where she lives.”

“Very good, very honest.” The black figure reached out and patted Williams’s body. Without further ado, he walked towards the door.

Williams secretly heaved a sigh of relief, believing that his rich experience in the underworld had helped him.

Don’t try to be brave when you shouldn’t!

At that moment, he saw the shadow snap his fingers.

Pa!

Williams’s thoughts froze, and his body suddenly split into pieces, scattering in all directions, splattering the ground and walls with flesh and blood.

Then, the shadow broke the gas pipe.

Amidst the sound of gas spewing out from the pipes, he picked up the candle from Williams’s desk and struck it against the wick.

The black shadow left immediately. A few minutes later, the candle suddenly lit up by itself!

Boom!

The explosion wiped out everything.