the culprit

The carriage stopped outside a neo-Gothic building, and the driver stared at the sign outside the door that said "New Institute of Ancient Biology Research" for a while, and asked in confusion when Cyril stepped forward to pay: " What is a new ancient creature?" The young man couldn't just say that this place is a place to sell dog meat, glanced at the exaggerated sign, and explained casually that it was a new society for studying the huge skeletons recently dug up on the west coast.

The coachman nodded, remembering that the newspapers had also reported those skeletons, saying that researchers believed they were a group of ancient giant lizards about two people tall.

In fact, the banners of the branches in various parts of the mainland are different. Biological Research Society is more common, and there are also Pharmacists Union, Alchemy Research Society, and even Machinery Research and Development Institute. The minds of those who named it back then are beyond guessing. Yes, the biggest advantage now is probably the ability to bluff ordinary people around with a seemingly lofty name, in case there are always curious people who come to find out.

I heard from Mr. Bray that the current head of this branch is a dragon, and he is also the oldest executor in the branch.For this reason, Mr. Bray specially prepared a gift for the dragon for him.

The two walked into the flower-filled courtyard through the half-open iron gate, walked around the central fountain, and walked along the path paved with stone slabs to the frontmost building of the academy complex.Unlike the bright sunshine outside, the building is dimly lit, and the huge ice cubes piled up at the four corners exude a thin milky white mist, making the interior cool and pleasant.

It was an empty house, completely unfurnished, let alone occupied.

Felix said lightly to the dazed Cyril, "Follow me", and led him through the long and winding corridor into another building.Equally dark and equally cool, the roof of this building is higher than the previous one, and the curved dome is painted with intricate and exquisite murals.There are two spiral staircases on both sides of the building. Walk up to the second floor along the spiral staircases. On one side of the not-so-wide aisle are bookshelves full of various books, archives and manuscripts, and on the other side are railings.Cyril leaned on the railing and looked downstairs, only to find that the floor of the first floor had different colored floor tiles forming a huge pattern, which was the coat of arms of the Brotherhood.

There will be a door between every four bookshelves. Based on experience, Cyril guesses that those may be the laboratories of pharmacists, or the offices of research scholars. Unless orders or special requirements are received, executors, observers Even the executioners don't usually appear here.

They walked all the way to the end of the aisle, Felix turned and entered a door next to it, and Cyril followed in, only to find that it was a spiral staircase again.They climbed up the stairs, and through the small windows on the brick wall, as the height climbed, the view became wider and wider. Not only this small town, but even the city where Earl Muller's mansion was located could be clearly seen.

If the building was taller, maybe we could see the sea to the west.

At the end of the spiral staircase there was a long corridor, and Cyril took out a small box from his pocket as he walked—a gift for the dragon.Felix led him to a door, stretched out his hand and pushed the door open, a fierce light hit his face, the vampire who had been prepared pulled up his cloak to cover his eyes, raised his hand and pushed the unsuspecting Cyril behind him. dialed.

Along with the light, there was also the wind, and the hem of the clothes of the two of them was rattling. Cyril walked out from behind Felix, brushed his messy hair, and walked into the room with only three walls.

A figure from the back was standing in the light, as tall as a mythical giant.Probably hearing the sound of the door being pushed, he turned his head and stared at Cyril and Felix with fiery red eyes. After a while, he suddenly showed a hearty and kind smile.

"Are you Bray's student?" He said, stretching out his hand to give Cyril a passionate hug. Seeing that Felix was still standing outside the door, he wanted to go over and give him a hug, but the vampire avoided him coldly. open.Cyril noticed that one of his hands was a human hand, and his fingers were covered with rings inlaid with gemstones, while the other hand was a claw with red scales and hard nails—like a dragon's claw.Guessing in his heart that this was probably the dragon, he handed over the gift he had prepared in advance.

The man opened the box and found a pure gold ring. His smile became brighter and he couldn't wait to take it out and put it on.

It appears that the legend that dragons love gold is true.

"I'm Cyril Muller. Mr. Bray should have explained to you in detail the reason for coming here..."

"Well, since it's a special situation, you should act together with Felix from now on," the man made his decision without waiting for Cyril to finish speaking. He picked up a wind-up firefly from the table beside him, " I heard that there are vampires haunting West Street again, the police didn't solve the case a month ago, and we didn't find the murderer, which makes people uncomfortable... I'll trouble you to investigate this time."

Upon hearing this, Cyril looked back at Felix by the door.

It seemed that the men didn't know that it was they who had encountered the vampires.

Cyril briefly described the experience of last night, and the man's eyes widened when he heard it.While complaining childishly that the policemen were really incompetent and trouble-seeking, he looked at Felix worriedly - Cyril naturally concealed what happened after the policemen left.

Felix had long been accustomed to this Mr. Long's youthful sincerity and temper, and before he came forward to examine the wound for himself, he declared that the wound was fine.

Realizing that his enthusiasm was rejected, the man lowered his eyebrows and shoulders aggrievedly.Even though he was a tall man like a giant, Cyril had the illusion that standing beside him was a puppy.He has seen a lot of inhuman creatures with strange tempers, either arrogant or withdrawn, it is very rare for a man to be so happy and angry, with emotions written on his face.

The man pressed his brows with his ring-covered hands, said something like "Thank you for your hard work", and went to hug Cyril again.Cyril has never liked to have too much physical contact with strangers. Seeing the man open his arms and greet him, he backed away subconsciously.The red-eyed Mr. Long was stunned for a moment, and after a while, the expression on his face was more like he had been greatly wronged, his lowered eyebrows almost covered his eyelashes.

"We will investigate the case as soon as possible. If we encounter a murderer, Felix is ​​the executor and has the right to decide whether to clear it before reporting it." Facing the man's plaintive and innocent, Cyril remained indifferent.He knew the rules of the Brotherhood by heart, and he reaffirmed their rights to the leaders here before leaving.Mr. Long snorted twice, turned around in disappointment, and looked up into the distance, as if he didn't care about their going or staying at this time.

It was not until many years later that Cyril learned from Wei Ya that this Mr. Long had been overlooking the vast sea to the west in the room with only three walls, because his lover was sleeping under that sea.

After leaving the branch, Cyril didn't go back to the hotel immediately. He looked at Felix beside him worriedly. The vampire followed him without saying a word, without asking where he was going, as if he trusted him.This made Cyril's heart that had been tightly clenched finally relax a bit. He touched his waist pocket and lowered his head to confirm whether the medicines and supplies he had brought out were enough.

He is not a full-time investigator, and all his experience comes only from the reports and oral teachings of other investigators.Of course, the police department is one of the most direct and effective sources of information. If they can get a little information from the police, their investigation work will be much easier.But this method is obviously not applicable to the current situation. No matter how they pretend to be reporters, they will be seen through by the two policemen in the morning, and their efforts will be wasted.

Cyril took Felix into a tavern.

It was still early, the workers were in the factories, the artisans were in the shops, and the taverns were deserted.The boss with a mustache wiped his glass with a pipe in his mouth. When he saw a guest coming, he put down the rag in his hand and asked them calmly what they wanted.

Cyril is a non-drinker.He picked a table in the corner and sat down, looked around the entire tavern, and ordered a glass of kaffron, which was very popular in the university.

"We don't sell that kind of fake wine here for brats." The mustache boss spoke vaguely with a pipe in his mouth, his words were full of contempt for Kafnon, and he even looked at Cyril. Kind of contemptuous.

Cyril, who was sitting upright with a cold face, blushed involuntarily when the boss said this. Felix just pulled down the hood on his head, and before he had time to tidy his hair, he couldn't help chuckling .

"Two cups of black snow grams." He changed his mind for him without asking Cyril's opinion.

"That's right." The boss stood up muttering, poured two glasses of Heishek and brought them over. Seeing that Cyril and Felix were unfamiliar faces, he hummed and asked again, "Outsiders?"

"We are reporters from the geography edition of the Chebori Daily." Cyril immediately brought up his rhetoric again, coaxing the boss that he and his colleagues are preparing for the next travel report.

Chebori is the second largest city outside the capital. Hearing that the two young men in front of him are reporters from the Chebori Daily, the expression in the eyes of the mustache boss suddenly changed.He immediately hid the contempt just now, poured another glass of black Shek, opened the chair and sat beside them, and asked a lot of questions about Chebori. Naturally, the most famous black coachman was also indispensable. s legend.

Cyril had only been to Cheboli once, but he answered the boss's questions fluently, half relying on the knowledge he read in books, and the other half relying on his seemingly random fabrications.He said very little, and his tone was indifferent. Although he was lying, he said the lie calmly, and he even deceived the tavern owner who was shrewd but had never been out of the city in his life.Felix on the side listened while drinking, cooperating not to expose it.

The business was deserted, and it was rare for the bored boss to meet such a knowledgeable and polite young gentleman. He drank two more glasses, and gradually a warm smile appeared on his originally cold face.He moved the stool towards Cyril, who frowned slightly, and carefully moved his arm away to prevent the boss from touching him. At that moment, Felix, who was sitting opposite him, suddenly asked: " You are very close to the Green Hotel, and I heard that there was a murder there last night, is it true?"