Mr. Rat of the Steam World

Chapter 108: The Disappearance Case Continues (7k)

Lu Ran took out the bottle of magic potion he had traded for.

The color of this potion is of the same type as the previous Invisible Hand, but it is purer and more translucent, with a faint aura of shadow flowing through it.

Since we've chosen a magic potion as the source of inspiration, the place where we put this sample will undoubtedly yield the best results in terms of inspiration.

In this situation, Territory Number One, which already has a magical foundation, is undoubtedly the best choice.

It looks like I'll have to make another trip. I might as well go back to the manor on the way and bring back a few bottles of potions for One-Ear, Glutton, and Novel Mouse.

A mouse only has a lifespan of a few years, and he didn't want to have to miss out on something and have several important mice die of old age or illness.

Of course, placing the potion in Territory One does not mean that the system will only activate the mice in Territory One.

The inspiration enhancement buff is for the group. At this time, even if more magic is not created, the efficiency of learning magic will probably be greatly improved. In order to avoid wasting so many mice in Territory No. 2, Lu Ran plans to select some mice that have learned some magic from Territory No. 1 to be brought back as instructors.

After all, we can't favor one over the other. The mice in Territory Two also need to learn magic, mainly because it's closer to Baker City, making it easier to mobilize the scout mice. With limited enhancement potions, learning magic is the fastest way to increase the mice's strength.

With this buff that inspires magical creativity, the second territory might produce quite a few more magical mice.

Especially the Shadow Technique. Only after the rats learned this skill did Lu Ran dare to let them help monitor some extraordinary figures, otherwise they would easily be discovered and exposed.

After explaining the follow-up arrangements for the underground laboratory and the details of dispatching the scout rats, Lu Ran rubbed his throbbing temples, first finding a place to meditate for a while, and then taking a nap.

After resting again, I went to the two sick mice. By then, both little guys were in much better condition.

After asking around, it turned out that they had all accidentally inhaled the white powder. One of them had inhaled it for a few days and the effect had worn off, which is also the origin of the rumors that man-eating rats initially attacked people.

However, most encounters were simply accidental bumps into people, resulting in collisions and scratches. The cannibalism claim is a complete exaggeration.

The other one had just taken the drug today, so he was even more invigorated. Although he could communicate simply, he was still drowsy and occasionally muttered some unfounded hallucinations.

As for the subsequent physical reactions, Lu Ran didn't know how addictive this new thing was, and he needed to observe it further.

After confirming that the arrangements for Territory No. 2 were complete, Lu Ran followed the familiar tunnel upwards again. As soon as he emerged from underground, a series of silly, humming laughs and squeaking noises drifted over.

"Ok?"

Lu Ran spotted the huge white figure at a glance.

The silly dog ​​was lying on its side on a relatively clean patch of grass by the yard wall, its huge head comfortably resting on its clasped front paws. Surrounding it was a small group of gray squirrels responsible for sweeping and tidying up the backyard.

Several little gray mice were trying to tiptoe, or even climbed onto Bella's flat tail fur, chattering around the gray-brown leather satchel on his body.

"Wow! Bella! Your crossbody bag looks even cooler now!"

"It's the same style of crossbody bag as the boss's! I want one too!"

"When should I tell the boss? If I could carry a bag of this filled with dried fruit, it would be wonderful..."

Bella's large, furry face broke into a silly, satisfied grin, her eyes narrowing into slits, a comfortable gurgling sound escaping her throat, and she even added a couple of affectedly modest hums:
"This handbag isn't something you can just take whenever you want..."

Lu Ran watched this scene, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. He walked over with small steps, stopped not far from Bella, and coughed lightly.

"Hey everyone, the workers haven't even clocked out in broad daylight yet, can't you be a little more discreet?"

However, since the workers rarely came to the backyard, and there were sentinel rats watching nearby, they only gave a verbal reminder and didn't say anything more.

The rats scattered in a flurry of squeaking noises, their eyes lingering on Lu Ran as they fled.

"Boss, boss, we want a small crossbody bag too."

"Squeak~ Handbag, handbag, so pretty."

crossbody bag?
Lu Ran was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and then suddenly fell into deep thought.

His territory hasn't really developed a market economy yet; it's mostly a collective system, with everyone eating from the same pot and working points. Now it seems the mice are starting to pursue more spiritual and physical life experiences...

So what seems like a simple handbag issue actually involves a deeper question: should we start re-planning things, even the currency used for transactions within the territory...?

But isn't it a bit too early to do this now? After all, it's still just a small territory with a few thousand inhabitants.

Hesitating—

Seeing that Lu Ran had chased away the surrounding mouse minions as soon as he arrived, Bella, who had been grumbling in dissatisfaction, couldn't hold back any longer after waiting for Lu Ran to speak for so long.

Bella reluctantly barked, "Woof~ What's wrong?"

Although Lu Ran had already reassured it that he would take it on the next adventure, it didn't realize that Lu Ran had come to fulfill his promise so quickly.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ran snapped out of his daze, swung his paw forward, and cut straight to the point: "Alright, pack your things and get ready to come out with me."

"Where are you going?!" Bella's confused eyes focused instantly, and she abruptly lifted her head from the ground.

“Where else can we go? Didn’t you say I wouldn’t take you with me when I went out to play…” Lu Ran looked at its instantly excited mode, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, then changed the subject and slowly revealed the destination: “Of course, we’re going to… Biden Estate.”

"Wangwu?"

Bella's wagging tail suddenly froze in mid-air, and she listlessly lowered her head: "No, no, that place is no fun at all..."

It muttered softly, its tone full of reluctance.

"Alright, alright, this time I'm taking you back for further studies," Lu Ran urged. "Let's go, stop dawdling. It's getting dark."

"Further studies?"

Bella looked bewildered.

Lu Ran snapped his fingers, using deception magic to create an illusion of flames in Bella's mind: "Haven't you always been curious about these strange and wonderful abilities? When we get back, I'll find a few mice to teach you."

"Really?"

Bella's droopy ears suddenly perked up, and she abruptly bent down, picked up Lu Ran, and tossed him into her shoulder bag.

"Hurry, hurry, let's go!"

"Hey, slow down!"

whoosh...

……

Meanwhile, at the Biden estate.

The warm rays of the setting sun shone through the window, casting a soft golden glow over Afra's bedroom.

Mattia sat on the sofa opposite Afra, holding a cup of lukewarm tea. Her plain ivory lace-trimmed dress made her face look even paler.

"I hope my unexpected visit hasn't bothered you?"

Afra got up and poured Mattia another cup of hot tea, saying happily, "How could that be? I just read books when I'm home alone. I'm so glad you came. How could I feel like I'm bothering you?"

Mattia sighed softly.

"Thinking about that day still sends chills down my spine."

Mattia's fingers unconsciously traced the rim of the teacup. "Such a big... such a terrifying monster, it was actually Mr. Perez in disguise."

Afra quickly pulled Mattia up and comforted her, "Thank goodness you were just a little frightened and nothing serious happened. But don't think about these things too much. Like I said, look forward."

"Sigh." Mattia sighed softly, trying to change the subject and pull herself away from that fear.

"By the way, Afra, your pet mouse... the one that was so clever at the salon the other day? It even carried a little crossbody bag. I haven't seen it today."

When the traitor rat was mentioned, Afra's expression instantly became a mix of helplessness, exasperation, and amusement. She put down her cup and clenched her fist.

"That troublesome little thing! It's perfectly fine! As for where it went, I have no idea."

Afra spread her hands.

"It's always appearing and disappearing mysteriously! It's always wandering off to play somewhere."

"It...it can run away by itself?" Mattia asked in surprise.

“That’s right!” Afra said confidently.

"Anyway, I really don't understand what it's busy with all day. By the way, it used to follow Mr. Sherlock, the very famous detective. Although the detective said that the little guy went to help him, I really can't understand what kind of help a pet mouse can provide."

When Mattia heard the name Sherlock, she suddenly fell silent for a moment.

“Speaking of Mr. Sherlock… I can’t help but think of Auriel again… After that incident, I thought I would feel better… but when I close my eyes at night, it’s as if I can still hear Auriel calling me…”

Afra then realized what was happening and quickly said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Matia, I shouldn't have brought up your memories... But don't be discouraged, there might still be hope. I was thinking about it later, why did you appear where Mr. Perez turned into a monster? Could it be because some kind of ritual required you...? Perhaps this is also the reason why your sister disappeared..."

Mattia suddenly froze: "You mean..."

“Yes, I think there’s still a chance!” Afra interrupted her, her tone unusually firm. She gripped Mattia’s hand tightly and steered the conversation toward the key point.

“Matia, think about it carefully. If Perez only needed one person as a sacrifice for that evil ritual, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to hold this salon. So that person has to be you. If we hadn’t been there that day, it would have been like the Clinton family’s two daughters disappearing in a short period of time…”

Mattia also came to her senses, recalling the fragments of words she had heard during her several drowsy awakenings in the basement, and suddenly murmured to herself.

"So... if it involves the Clinton family, then my father must know something!"

Afra nodded emphatically: "You can go back and find out what secrets your family is hiding. This is not only for your protection, but also an opportunity to find your sister. However, besides that... we can contact that Sherlock detective first."

Mattia was clearly in much better spirits and couldn't help but ask, "Now? Where?"

"Ahem... Although he does live nearby, well..." Afra looked resentful when she talked about this topic.

“Bella and the traitor rat are both out, and the detective is most likely out too, but I can try to contact him by mail first. He should be at Black Gold... oh no, it should be called Morse Transportation Equipment Machinery Manufacturing Plant in Baker City now... Of course, you might get lucky and the detective might just be back.”

……

Bella was panting heavily, her wet tongue hanging out, and her lungs were gurgling like broken bellows.

"Ha...ha...we're here...I'm exhausted!"

Bella complained.

"Woof~ Second Brother, have you gained weight again? I'm so tired from taking you on this trip."

Lu Ran retorted confidently, "It's obvious you've been neglecting your exercise, and you're blaming it on me. Don't go back to just playing around."

Because she was so exhausted and starving, Bella didn't bother to explain. She skipped over the stone house and arrived at the entrance to the familiar manor's food storage basement. She easily woke up the guard, went inside, picked out a few cans of meat, and took them out.

Once they reached a secluded spot, Lu Ran simply extended his claws and gently opened Bella's clothes as well, then began to enjoy himself. After eating and drinking his fill, Lu Ran told Bella to go back and take a good bath and get some sleep, while he himself headed towards the stone house.

He had taken a short nap during the day and rested while Bella was traveling, so he was full of energy at this moment.

He planned to go back and activate the Enlightenment first, then have the mice take the enhancement potion and absorb it overnight.

Lu Ran followed the familiar path and quietly returned to the stone house. Pushing open the hidden door, under the dim yellow gas light, a vigilant figure immediately looked up from behind the small wooden table piled with documents.

It was a gluttonous mouse, and under its paws were several tattered pieces of cloth strung together with thin thread, serving as ledgers.

With the money-grubber gone, his workload increased significantly. He was still busy even late at night, and he seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

In the past, people would probably consult the oracle about whether their lord would return, and then wait nearby in advance. But now it's different; he's in work mode as soon as he arrives.

"Boss! You're back!" The gluttonous mouse's beady eyes lit up instantly, and it jumped up and eagerly came over.

"Alright, alright, stop busy, let's eat something first."

Lu Ran took out a can of meat from his bag, cracked it open, and then turned to the other mice working nearby and said the same thing.

"Come and eat something, and then call Novel Mouse and One-Ear over for me."

"Squeak... Okay, boss."

Before long, two heads suddenly emerged from the ground in the shadows of the corner. After the mice had finished eating, Lu Ran told the other mice to go back to rest, leaving three mice behind.

With Lu Ran frequently away, these guys have more and more things to take care of. If they don't get some medicine, they'll eventually become as exhausted and prematurely aged as the money-grubbers.

Lu Ran didn't waste any time and carefully took out three small glass bottles from his shoulder bag. The bottles were delicate and transparent, and inside they contained a viscous liquid that shimmered with a unique silvery light.

Lu Ran didn't explain much: "Foodie, One-Ear, Novel Rat, the three of you, one bottle each! Just drink it, it'll be good for your health."

He paused after speaking.

"You might feel a little dizzy or bloated after drinking it, but a good night's sleep will do the trick."

Seeing Lu Ran's solemn expression, the three rats didn't ask any more questions and directly took the drink without hesitation.

Seeing that his three trusted subordinates had all taken the enhancement potion, Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief, then took out the last bottle of dark purple magic potion glass.

"Next, it's your turn." Lu Ran opened the system.

"Inspiration..."

……

"Bella?"

Inside the bedroom, Afra stared at the suddenly appearing, dirty Bella, her eyes widening. She was about to hurl a few words of disgust when she suddenly realized what was happening.

"You're back. Where's the traitor rat?"

"So... Mr. Sherlock is back too?"

Although Bella understood, she didn't know whether to nod or shake her head when it came to Lu Ran, so she stuck out her tongue and pretended to be stupid.

"Oh well, never mind you... Hela, take Bella to take a bath first!"

Afra shouted, then ignored Bella, the silly dog, hurriedly put on her clothes, and rushed out of the room.

"Matia... Mr. Sherlock may be back!"

Afra ran quickly to Mattia's room, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.

The flickering candlelight reflected the light dancing in her eyes and illuminated Mattia's eyes, which widened instantly, as if she were preparing to rest and sleep.

"Go now?" Mattia asked, somewhat surprised.

"Now!" Afra's tone was resolute. She strode forward, not bothering to explain the details of Bella's appearance, and yanked the soft down comforter off Mattia. "Get up! This is a rare opportunity! That detective might not be here often; he might only be back for a short while tonight!"

The cold air made Mattia shiver, and the two girls hurriedly got to work.

Afra moved swiftly, grabbing the simple ivory-colored long dress draped over the back of Mattia's chair and putting it on her. Then she quickly wrapped herself in casual clothes that were easy to move in, not having time to carefully tidy her messy long hair, she just hastily tied it up with a hairband.

"Light! Quick, get the light!" Afra urged in a low voice, while tiptoeing to grab her thick fur cloak from the hook behind the door and tossing it to Mattia, while grabbing another one draped over the back of the chair.

Mattia had just fastened the last button on her dress when she heard this and immediately rushed to the fireplace, groping her way to the familiar lantern with its glass windshield.

With a soft click, Afra had deftly struck a match, and the dim yellow flame flickered and lit up inside the lantern.

A maid, seeing the two rushing around, asked nervously, "Miss, where are you going?"

"It's nothing, I'm just going out for a walk, I'll be right back, no need to follow me."

Afra simply waved her hand dismissively, then led Mattia through the dark hallway and pushed open the heavy oak door.

call……

A sudden evening breeze blew, tugging at their skirts and hair.

"Over here!" Afra held the lantern tightly in one hand and quickly grabbed Mattia's slightly cold wrist with the other, and began to jog towards the stone house.

"The road isn't far; it's right at the edge of the dense forest!"

All around were the swaying shadows of tall trees. The pebbles and dew-dampened grass underfoot were rough and uncomfortable. Although Afra was bold, she couldn't help but quicken her pace in this situation.

Finally, the outline of the dilapidated stone house, entwined with ivy and crouching in the darkness, appeared on the horizon, and surprisingly, a light was on inside.

"We're here!" Afra's voice was slightly breathless, filled with relieved excitement. Without a moment's hesitation, she bent her knuckles and knocked on the door with a clear, urgent force:
"Tuk, Tuk, Tuk!"

The knocking was especially clear in the quiet night. Afra raised her voice, her voice brimming with barely concealed expectation: "Mr. Sherlock? Are you there?"

Because of Mr. Sherlock's repeated resistance to meeting, Afra had been worried that coming without a reason would offend him. Now, with Mattia's matter providing a legitimate reason to come together, she was starting to feel a little hopeful.

……

Inside the stone house, the lamplight flickered.

Having just finished operating the system's enlightenment, Lu Ran breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly heard faint footsteps and whispers outside the door. Lu Ran subconsciously twitched his ears and quickly approached the small gap left in the doorway, preparing to see who it was.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
A rude knocking sound.

A familiar voice came from outside the door, carrying a hint of urgency and anticipation.

"Mr. Sherlock? Are you there?"

Immediately following was a softer, yet anxious, female voice: "Mr. Sherlock, please, you must help me! It's about my sister, Auriel..."

Lu Ran: "..."

He hadn't expected to be caught so soon after arriving, but he figured it was probably because Bella had gone back.

There's no need to rush, come over in the middle of the night.

Moreover, regarding Mattia's sister... Lu Ran really didn't have much hope, but since that's how it is, it's not good to directly discourage her.

Lu Ran thought for a moment, then deliberately feigned a hint of weariness and spoke through the door:
“…I am here.” The voice was deliberately suppressed. “Miss Afra’s visit late at night, and with guests…it seems the situation is urgent.”

The knocking on the door stopped abruptly, followed by the soft, relieved breaths of the two people.

“Thank you! You’re really here, Mr. Sherlock!” Afra’s voice was filled with surprise and deep apology. “I’m so sorry to bother you so late, but the situation is really special. This is Miss Mattia Clinton, and she has encountered some extremely unfortunate events…”

“It’s Auriel! Mr. Sherlock, please save my sister!” Mattia cried out urgently. “Her name is Auriel Clinton, she’s seven years old, and she disappeared from my sight just over two months ago… right here on Oak Street!”

“Specific details, Miss Clinton. I need to know every minute of what happened that afternoon.”

Lu Ran paused.

"Also, before your sister disappeared, did you come into contact with anything... unusual or related?"

Upon hearing this, Mattia paused noticeably outside the door, her memory instinctively returning to that day filled with regret.

While thinking, Afra suddenly puffed up her cheeks and said angrily.

"Are you really going to just leave these two ladies out in the cold wind in the middle of the night?"

Lu Ran: "..."

"I'm very sorry, but there are reasons why it's inconvenient for us to meet."

"Damn it..."

Before Afra could say anything more, Mattia began to narrate.

"That day... was a sunny day. Auriel insisted on going to the newly opened dessert shop on Oak Street, the maple syrup shop not far from Clinton Bank."

I remember it clearly, around 3:30 in the afternoon, we passed by Mrs. Polly's Trinkets, a general store selling trinkets and dried flowers. Auriel always loved sparkly things. The window displayed some flower seeds in stained-glass vases; they were very pretty. The shopkeeper, an elderly woman with white hair, was arranging flower baskets by the door. Auriel spotted one she liked and insisted on buying it.

Mattia paused, seemingly trying to recall more subtle differences.

“I was a little anxious because the maple syrup afternoon tea was about to start. The old lady who owned the shop was very enthusiastic. She said that these were called star grass seeds and that they were very pretty, but she warned the children that they could play with them but not to eat them. I remember that I bought them for £1.20, which was quite expensive. Auriel was overjoyed.”

"Around four o'clock, we arrived at Maple Syrup. The store was crowded, and there was a line. I settled Auriel in a window seat with a view of the street and ordered her a cream puff and juice. Just as I was facing away from the window, looking down at the raspberry jam label on the shelf..."

Mattia's voice began to tremble, "At most... at most five minutes! When I looked up again... the seat was empty! Only a half-eaten cream puff and that bottle of juice remained!"

“I panicked! I immediately shouted for Auriel! The store clerk also ran over. She was very surprised and said that she had just seen Auriel leaning on the windowsill, looking out and laughing, playing with something shiny in her little hands. She thought she was just looking at the street scene! How could she have disappeared so suddenly?”

"Then I rushed out of the store! I searched frantically all over Oak Street! I grabbed everyone on the street and asked them! An old man repairing shoes on the street corner said he thought he saw a little girl in a blue dress with curly hair a few minutes ago, who seemed a bit absent-minded, slowly walking towards the alley behind the street..."

"There was also a newspaper vendor pushing a cart. He said there was a little girl who was holding something in her hand and shining it in the sunlight. Then she turned into the path leading to the old factory."

"Following their directions, I rushed to the so-called old factory, only to find that it was abandoned, filled with discarded machine parts and garbage, and smelled of dust and rust... I called out Auriel's name and searched everywhere... but found nothing."

Mattia's voice was filled with despair. "Then the police came, a lot of them... They turned the entire abandoned factory upside down! They searched every corner, even the sewers and chimneys! But they found nothing! It was like... like Auriel vanished into thin air after stepping into that dark factory area!"

As she spoke, her voice began to choke with emotion: "These are all the clues I have. Please, I'm begging you..."

Afra stood to the side, gently holding Mattia's hand, while Lu Ran, separated by a door, fell into a long silence.

An abandoned factory...that looks familiar.

Speaking of which, he also has a strange metal disc that he hasn't had a chance to test to see if it works.

(End of this chapter)