Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 407 Strange Phenomena
If someone wants to do something shady, they'll definitely do it in a place where it's not easy to be discovered.

So here's the problem: this inability to detect it applies to everyone.

In other words, it is not easy for anyone to be discovered if they want to do something shady.

Therefore, when Li Wei loaded these people onto the vehicle, no one noticed.

We should also thank the other party for their "thoughtful preparations," otherwise it would not have been an easy task for Li Wei to launch an attack in the foggy city.

Several large trucks were used to transport the prisoners. These trucks were also masterpieces of Uncle Hank's company, created by Levi based on the large trucks in his own world. The advantage was that these trucks carried cargo boxes, and as for what was inside the cargo boxes… well, most people didn't need to know.

Everyone in the manor was brought under tight control, including the servants. However, Li Wei did not take them to MI7 or a prison, but instead took them directly to the royal palace.

After all, he had said before that practice is the only criterion for testing truth. There's no harm in letting Her Majesty the Queen see these guys for herself, is there?
Of course, the Queen might not have time, but the old butler is there, isn't he?

Are you sure you want to take them to the palace?

Sitting in Li Wei's car, the old butler asked with some surprise, and Li Wei nodded.

"Regardless, we should at least see if our idea is correct. If these guys really can't get into the palace for some reason, then at least we can be sure that the palace is safe, right?"

"indeed so."

Upon hearing Li Wei's answer, the old butler nodded.

Before long, the convoy gradually approached the palace, and then—they stopped.

Seeing this, Li Wei frowned and picked up the radio to ask.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

"I don't know either, sir."

Soon, a response came from the front.

“These people seem very resistant to moving forward; they even appear to be in great pain, and some have even tried to attack us. Of course, they were quickly subdued. However, their reaction is quite unusual. Would you like to come and take a look?”

Li Wei and the old butler exchanged a glance.

"Let's go take a look."

To be honest, Li Wei was quite curious as well. After all, he had only guessed what it might be based on the golden light he saw emanating from the palace when he exploited a bug before. Now it seemed that his guess was actually correct? If that was the case, then that would be very interesting.

So the two got out of the car and went to the last truck. Li Wei stepped forward and knocked on the door. Then the door of the cargo box opened, and a steam engine soldier stood there with a weapon in hand, saluting Li Wei and the old butler.

"Sir."

"Are all these guys like this?"

Li Wei peered inside curiously and saw several nobles dressed in magnificent attire huddled together, convulsing and trembling as if they were suffering from drug withdrawal. Li Wei used his [Soul Vision] to observe them closely and discovered that the worms in their brains were also clustered together and trembling.

trembling?

These insects are actually afraid?
Li Wei watched the insects with great interest. What would happen if these insects were to reach their limit of fear?
In short, you'll know once you try it.

Thinking this, Li Wei pointed to the most curled-up guy, covered entirely in black. In fact, in Li Wei's eyes, the worm residing in his brain was the largest among these people. If the worms on the others seemed to merely lie on their brains, then this guy's worms were more like an extension of his brain.

You could even say that his brain is made of worms.

"Bring that guy down here."

"Yes, sir."

The steam engine operator stepped forward, grabbed the man in black robes, and dragged him over. The man tumbled and fell off the vehicle, but even so, he still glared fiercely at Li Wei.

"Sir Levy, you have made a very unwise decision!"

"I do not think so."

Li Wei smiled as he looked at the old man in black robes before him. He already knew the man's identity: a nobleman—or rather, one who had acquired his position through the "acquisition" of other noble families. The old man's name was Levi, a merchant who had married the daughter of a fallen nobleman, a widow with a child, thus gaining his noble status.

Incidentally, not long after that, the woman he married suddenly fell ill and died. And after that, perhaps missing her mother's country, the woman's child, the rightful heir of the family, accidentally fell into the river and drowned.

What a shame.

It would have been more interesting if I had been there.

Li Wei narrowed his eyes, a smile on his face, as he looked at the old man in black robes before him.

"In fact, I am now going to introduce you to His Majesty. How honored you are!"

"To meet His Majesty?"

Upon hearing Li Wei's words, the old man's face turned deathly pale.

“I… I am but a lowly baron… I am not worthy to meet His Majesty… Well, Sir Levi, I admit I have believed in some things I should not have… but I am merely…”

"Preferring to be burned at the stake rather than enter the palace? That's even more interesting."

Li Wei's smile grew even brighter.

"Come, come, don't be shy, Her Majesty the Queen will not refuse to see you."

“It’s getting late now…” “Perfect, shall we have dinner together at the palace? Come on.”

With that, Li Wei nodded to the two steam engine soldiers, who immediately stepped forward, flanking the old man on either side, and then followed Li Wei toward the palace gate. The old steward watched this scene thoughtfully, curiously following behind them.

"No, no, no, you can't do that!"

As the palace drew ever closer, the old man's expression grew increasingly terrified, and he struggled desperately to break free. But the two steam engine soldiers held him firmly in place.

“Gag him.”

Li Wei glanced at the scene, gave the order, and soon a steam engine soldier took out a piece of cloth and stuffed it into the old man's mouth. The old man's eyes grew increasingly terrified, his short legs kicked incessantly in the air, and veins bulged on his forehead. However, Li Wei wasn't concerned with that. Under [Soul Vision], he could see that the worm inside the black-robed old man's head was now curled up in a ball, looking just like a mouse cornered by a cat. If it had fur, its fur would probably be standing on end by now.

Sure enough, it couldn't get close to the palace.

"Answer my question, and I might consider whether or not to let you go."

Li Wei glanced at the old steward beside him. Fortunately, since this was the road leading to the palace, there were usually not many people coming and going, so Li Wei felt that it wouldn't be a problem to use this place as an interrogation room for the time being.

"Wha, what's the problem?"

"What is that ritual? Where did you get those maids and those fragrances from?"

"You...you smelled it?"

Upon hearing Li Wei's question, the old man in black robes widened his eyes in surprise and stared at Li Wei.

"Since you smelled it, why..."

"Now it's my turn to ask you, not the other way around."

Li Wei stared at the old man, then signaled the steam engine soldier to continue dragging him closer to the palace. However, as soon as the two took a step, the old man began to move frantically again, as if what lay before him was not the palace, but an abyss that could completely swallow him up.

“I will tell you, I will tell you! Those are the gifts I have received… By using these gifts, I can let more people experience the truth…”

"truth?"

“We’re not making excuses. We genuinely believe Her Majesty is too… too… Therefore, we want to change all of this. We need allies, we need friends. This is our gift. With these, we can gain more supporters…”

"Oh, so you secretly took those photos and then used them to blackmail them?"

"This is just a form of insurance, and besides, I'm just a nobody..."

"To be honest, I'm very curious."

Li Wei stared at the old man in the black robe.

"If you have such abilities, why don't you try to win over the common people? They are easier to incite and more easily seduced."

“…I, I don’t know…”

"Is it that you don't know? Or that you can't say?"

"I don't know, I really don't know..."

The old man shook his head frantically, as if his head were about to fall off his neck. But Li Wei could see that the worm, which was now fused with the old man's brain, was hissing, and the fine, sharp spines on its body were deeply embedded in the old man's brain, flashing red light.

At the same time, Li Wei also discovered that the worms in the brains of the other people in the cargo box were also emitting a similar glow and fluctuations, flashing as if they were transmitting some kind of signal.

Could it be that all of this is being manipulated by something behind the scenes?
Levi thought of Lord Klopp, who claimed to have forgotten everything after the banquet. If the insects were considered as signal receivers, then were they residing in these people's brains like antennas, receiving signals from somewhere?
That's how Zerg swarms are designed in games—one brain controls all units, that's the Zerg hive consciousness.

So why are they afraid to approach the palace? Is it because the palace provides some kind of interference that can disrupt this insectoid instinct?

"Ah, Mr. Li Wei!"

Just then, Li Wei heard a familiar voice. He turned around and saw Katie waving excitedly at him from the palace gate not far away.

What are you doing here? Is there something you need?

As she spoke, Katie ran towards Levi.

However, at that moment, suddenly, something strange happened.

The moment he saw Katie, Levi noticed that the worm residing in the black-robed old man's brain suddenly began to swell. Although he couldn't see the old man's expression, Levi could tell from the taut, swollen appearance and movements that the worm seemed to be terrified at this moment!
Then, in the next moment...

"Snapped!"

The old man's head snapped back, his brain bursting like a balloon, brain matter mixed with blood spraying out and scattering across the ground. The worm fell to the ground from his brain, wriggling and trying to escape, but the next moment, Li Wei raised his right hand, and a small knife pierced through the worm's body, pinning it to the ground.

"Whoa, what's going on?"

Katie ran over at that moment and was shocked to see what was happening.

"How did this old man die? What happened?"

"It was just a minor accident, nothing serious."

Li Wei shrugged and then looked away.

For him, dead people are actually easier to investigate.

(End of this chapter)