Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 405 Secret Meeting
A man emerged from the house, looked around, and walked on. He appeared nonchalant, as if he were simply taking a stroll. He stopped at a newsstand, bought a newspaper, and then walked to the other side of the street corner.

A steam-powered vehicle drove by and stopped nearby, as if it were just passing by.

But when it left, the man was also gone.

The steam-powered vehicle drove away from the crowd and headed towards the end of the street.

The man sat in the back seat, holding a newspaper and reading intently. A white mask had appeared on his face, seemingly out of nowhere.

"What's the news?"

A deep voice came from the passenger seat, and the man smiled slightly.

"Nothing interesting, just the usual nonsense about the empire being fine on the front lines."

"But you know, that's not just empty talk."

"Perhaps not, perhaps yes, but my attitude remains unchanged."

The man shook his head.

"The Empire should not get involved in this war that has nothing to do with us. Her Majesty is too stubborn. I don't see what benefit this war can bring us."

"But you can't change any of this."

The person in the passenger seat chuckled, his voice low and mocking, which made the man's expression darken slightly.

“I accepted your invitation, not to listen to you mock me! What did you do to Lord Klopp?”

Lord Klopp?

“That’s right, he’s at home now saying he’s seriously ill and recuperating, right after attending your party! You told me it wouldn’t cause any harm!”

"I did say that, it's really strange... Logically speaking, nothing should have happened."

The voice sounded somewhat surprised.

"Don't say 'should,' are you sure there won't be any problems?"

"I'm pretty sure it's just that he's sick."

The sound returned to normal.

"Perhaps after this gathering, I will personally go and see Lord Klopp. For our cause, every comrade is indispensable."

The man didn't speak, but simply looked silently at the scenery outside the car window.

"The cause of overthrowing the monarchy?"

"Of course not, we have no intention of overthrowing the monarchy."

The voice paused for a moment.

"We just want to get the rights we deserve."

"Should be?"

The man listened as if he had heard a joke.

"You're nothing but clowns who only got your tickets by marrying into the nobility, and you dare to claim your own rights?"

"Isn't this exactly what we achieved through our own efforts? We brought prosperity and wealth to this empire, so it shouldn't be unreasonable for us to ask for a little bit of return."

“Disobeying His Majesty is no small matter.”

“We are not against the Queen; we just want her to listen to us, instead of treating us as decorative court jesters.”

At this point, a hint of anger finally crept into the voice.

"At first, when we learned that Her Majesty the Queen had allowed us to marry into the nobility, we were extremely excited. This meant that our efforts had been recognized by Her Majesty, and we could contribute to the country and the royal family in a better capacity. We have given so much to this kingdom, but her attention to us is less than that of a mere detective..."

"……………………"

Upon hearing this, the man looked ahead with a complicated expression.

"You don't actually think that you 'robed nobles' want to compete with the 'sword-wielding nobles,' do you? Mere detectives? If you could do even half of what he does, His Majesty wouldn't ignore you. Establishing a nation through military might is the empire's tradition. Do you really want to change that tradition?"

"Times have changed, sir."

The voice took a breath and became much calmer, as if the previous impassioned tone had been an illusion.

"Military aggression will only bring disaster in this era. You agree with that, which is why you joined us, isn't it?"

"I do wish to advise Your Majesty to be cautious..."

The man fell into deep thought upon hearing what the other person was saying.

“That’s right, so our goals are the same, but first, we must get His Majesty to take us seriously and listen to us. One or two people alone are not enough; His Majesty must hear the voice of the entire empire! Only in this way can we make His Majesty value our opinions and not act unilaterally!”

As he spoke, the voice became passionate and impassioned once again.

"What the empire needs is rest and survival, not war! We can sit idly by and let others wage pointless wars. In this way, we can acquire more wealth, and the empire will become increasingly prosperous!"

"Speaking of which, I'm very curious."

The man listened quietly to the other person's story, then suddenly asked, "Why don't you try to win over that Thistle Knight?"

"…………………"

Upon hearing this question, the speaker, who had been speaking passionately just moments before, was rendered speechless, like a duck being grabbed by the neck while it was quacking.

"We are also considering this."

"Considering it? That's not like you guys."

The man sneered.

"Shouldn't you give him an offer he can't refuse? Just like I did?"

"Everyone has a different price."

That voice became unusually deep.

"However, we haven't found out the knight's price yet."

The steam-powered vehicle slowed down, rounded a corner, and arrived at a secluded manor in the upper town. It drove through the gate, proceeded inside, and then arrived at the main gate of the estate.

Soon, a butler approached and opened the car door. The man, newspaper in hand, stepped out and looked around. He then saw a bird hopping about on a branch not far away, tilting its head and preening its feathers. It then turned its head, curiously watching the man, and tilted its head again.

Sometimes, how wonderful it would be to be like a bird, without having to think about anything.

Upon seeing this, the man gave a wry smile behind his mask before looking away.

"Has everyone else arrived yet?"

"Yes, my lord."

The butler lowered his head and answered.

"All participants have arrived."

The man nodded, then looked at the passenger seat. At that moment, a person wearing a robe and a black mask stepped out. The two exchanged a glance, and then walked into the mansion in tacit agreement.

“Da…Da…Da…”

The entire mansion seemed deserted, the sound of footsteps echoing within. The two entered the hall, and the man in black robes reached out and gently pulled on a nearby wall lamp. The wall silently cracked open, revealing a dimly lit staircase. The man in black robes and the man in black robes descended the stairs, and when they reached the top, everything opened up before them.

At the end of what appeared to be an ordinary corridor was a huge, luxurious, and glamorous hall, with a massive crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, emitting a dazzling and bright light that made everything incredibly radiant.

Inside the hall, dozens of people in robes and masks chatted and laughed, holding wine glasses. Beside them, scantily clad maids walked about, their bodies clad in fabrics even smaller than modern bikinis, their skin of various colors gleaming under the lights.

They carried trays laden with wine and food, weaving and strolling through the crowd.

Not far away, several people without masks could be seen; clearly, they were the comrades who were going to join the gathering.

"Then, I'll go prepare."

The man in black whispered something to the other man, then turned and left. The other man withdrew his gaze and walked into the hall.

His arrival went unnoticed by the others, who were all absorbed in their own worlds. The melodious music drifted over, played by a group of scantily clad female musicians. Smiling, they gracefully played their instruments on stage, producing beautiful and enchanting tunes.

The man casually picked up a glass of wine, then glanced around, mainly observing the newcomers. Some were apprehensive, some curious, and others excited. Clearly, they seemed to regard this place merely as a secret underground gathering of nobles… after all, it certainly looked that way.

Ok?
Just then, the man suddenly noticed someone standing not far ahead. Unlike the other newcomers who were at a loss or busy enjoying themselves, this person stood with his hands behind his back, looking around as if observing something new and interesting.

Who is this new comrade?
Driven by curiosity, the man stepped forward and spoke.

"How about it? Won't you like to enjoy some of the fine wine here?"

"I appreciate your kind offer, but I don't like drinking."

"You don't like drinking?"

The man was taken aback by the other person's reply.

"This is truly rare..."

"Because drinking alcohol is bad for your health."

As she spoke, the person turned her head and looked at the man with a smile.

"If there were a pot of hot tea here, I might be interested, but unfortunately, it seems there isn't... Is it because nobody likes tea?"

At this moment, the man finally saw the other person's face clearly. It was a handsome, incredibly charming face that could make every woman in the entire city of Chongqing dream of him.

And such quirks, such a face, only exist in this foggy city by one person!
At that moment, the man felt a chill all over his body, as if the blood in his veins had frozen into ice!
He stared blankly ahead, his mind a complete blank.

Why is he here? Why wasn't I notified?

"Good morning sir."

Looking at the man wearing a white mask in front of him, Li Wei smiled slightly.

"Your secret underground gathering is quite 'unique'..."

(End of this chapter)