Mr. Rat of the Steam World

Chapter 63 It's time for dinner again...

"So, the door to the medical room is always closed and you can't get in? And it's even locked when you leave work?"

Lu Ran, who had returned to Baker City with the Sangbiao Cat, listened to the reports from the other rats and fell into deep thought.

"Did you see Dane carrying anything when he went in and out of the medical room?"

The scout mouse shook its head: "Squeak~ I didn't see anything being moved inside, but I did see him carrying a person out and putting them in the trunk of the car."

"Did someone move?"

Lu Ran was shocked and couldn't help but confirm it again.

"Today?"

The scout mouse nodded: "Yes, the mice that stayed in the factory saw this scene and were carried out from the back door of the infirmary."

Lu Ran remained silent for a while, pacing back and forth.

When it comes to extraordinary biological experimental systems that require human experimentation, Lu Ran can only think of two possibilities—

The first step is to obtain results through experiments and then apply those results to oneself.

The second is to create controllable biological weapons. Sang Biao and that black cat are probably heading in this direction. Lu Ran isn't sure if there are any humanoid, puppet-like things hidden in Dane's house. If there are, their strength would only be greater.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and pulled the scout mouse beside him to ask, "How far away were you when you were tracking them? Weren't you discovered?"

The scout mouse paused, then stretched out its paw and gestured: "Squeak~ Probably, roughly from our entrance... to the outside of the alley... about that."

Lu Ran stroked his chin: "That's about twenty or thirty meters..."

Lu Ran then asked the mouse that had miraculously survived, "When you went to scout Dane's house, you only lingered outside the yard, right?"

The mouse had calmed down from its panic, but was still a little nervous: "Yes... because I remembered what the lord said, I didn't rush in."

"The distances are all within normal limits..."

Lu Ran narrowed his eyes slightly: "So, that cat's perception is even stronger than Dane's?"

The black cat discovered the mouse, but Dane didn't. If we use this as the basis for judgment, wouldn't that greatly lower our expectations for this extraordinary strength?

Perhaps it won't be the extraordinary high position one imagines.

If we consider the extraordinary beings who take the potion for the first time as the 0-1 level range, then that fat guy should be around the 1-2 level.

Lu Ran wasn't sure if this was the basis for his judgment, but it would certainly reduce some of the pressure.

"If we think about it that way, bringing in Sang Biao and making proper preparations, it does seem like we could give it a try..."

……

As dawn broke and the thin mist still lingered, Sheriff Edwin covered his mouth and let out a large yawn, tears welling up in his eyes.

He dragged his slightly heavy body to the foyer, hastily putting on the old shirt he'd casually draped over the back of a chair the night before, the buttons crookedly fastened. Just as he was fumbling for his belt buckle, preparing to greet yet another ordinary morning—

"Knock...knock knock."

The knocking on the door sounded somewhat muffled, as if something soft was gently bumping against it, with a hint of roughness, yet familiar...

Edwin paused in fastening his belt, his drowsiness dissipating slightly. His eyelids twitched, and with some unwanted suspicion in his mind, he shuffled to the door in his worn leather slippers.

"Probably not..."

With a creak, the heavy wooden door was pulled open. The cool, damp morning air brushed against Edwin's cheek, still warm from the bed, and there stood the familiar dog and rat duo in the doorway.

"This method of delivering letters... is still quite unique."

Lu Ran held up a letter with an obedient expression.

Since we're in Baker City, it's definitely much faster to come directly than to mail it. "Come in and have a seat, we can have breakfast together." Sheriff Edwin casually ruffled Bella's hair, and Bella licked it a few times in return.

Mrs. Hawkshaw had already heard the commotion. Upon hearing the noise, she simply peeked out from the kitchen, saw the guests, and familiarly began preparing extra food.

Sheriff Edwin took the letter and read its contents while waiting for breakfast.

"Black gold factory, missing persons case... Extraordinary!?"

Edwin was somewhat taken aback, then thought of his wife in the kitchen behind him, so he subconsciously cleared his throat and lowered his voice slightly.

"How did this get involved with the occult? Is it some kind of magic?"

Finally, Sheriff Edwin saw the requirements for himself, and he subconsciously glanced at the dog-rat beside him.

"So all I need to do is go tomorrow and investigate the situation with Mr. Dane, the current factory manager, under the guise of a missing persons case?"

"Does that mean delaying as much as possible to ensure he doesn't leave halfway through?"

But after asking the question, he couldn't help but chuckle and slap his forehead.

"Oh my god, I was still half asleep and confused when I asked you two questions."

Lu Ran sat upright, while observing Edwin, who was deep in thought.

He didn't come here to tip off Dane or to directly rely on the police to help him get rid of the problem by reporting him.

After all, government investigations require evidence and search warrants, especially when it comes to arresting the manager of a factory with a hundred employees. Even a sheriff is unlikely to have the ability to call in a group of armed police officers to shoot Dane.

As for Biden's previous operation, which involved the military and was classified as counterterrorism, it didn't require many procedures and cannot be generalized.

Therefore, Lu Ran's initial plan was simply for Sheriff Edwin to conduct a normal investigation and questioning, even if it was just a casual chat, pretending to be a freeloader, and just keep Dane in the factory.

Lu Ran was also worried that there might be something in this guy's house that could trigger an alarm or telepathy, or even if a gun was used and caused too much noise, Dane might sense something was wrong and run back before he could deal with the black cat, which would greatly increase the risk of the operation.

So, just to be on the safe side, we should have a backup plan.

"Breakfast is here..."

Mrs. Hawkshaw quickly placed breakfast on the oak table, wrapping the handle of the cast-iron frying pan in a rough cloth. The oatmeal in the earthenware bowl was steaming, and on the plate lay two slices of crispy fried bacon and a piece of whole wheat bread.

He then quickly returned to the kitchen and brought some prepared instant food to Bella and Lu Ran.

Sheriff Edwin ate slowly and deliberately, his mind still deep in thought.

After all, it involves the occult, which I have never been exposed to before, and it may even be the only opportunity so far to get up close and understand it.

The danger lurking behind it...

Could it be that the organization that has recently become increasingly active among workers is also involved with these mysterious forces?

Bang Chi Bang Chi...

Edwin glanced at Bella, who was happily eating, and then, thinking about why Biden's dog always hung out with Sherlock Holmes's gray rat, Edwin's eyes suddenly lit up.

“Biden…yes, Earl Biden!”

He recalled the incident a while ago when Earl Biden deployed troops to seal off a certain area. Given his status, he could only hear rumors, which supposedly involved the use of some exaggerated weapons.

Could it be that... Detective Sherlock is backed by Earl Biden?

If the higher-ups have already intervened in the extraordinary...

Sheriff Edwin took a bite of his bread and made up his mind.

(End of this chapter)