Old Dunling, Inner City District.
Speaking of the prosperity of Old Dunling, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is the Inner City District, the area where the wealth of Old Dunling is most concentrated. Unlike the most central "Royal Area" of Old Dunling, protected by guards and high walls, this is the last place where most nobles can gain access.
This area is powered by electricity, and at night it is brightly lit. You can see people moving inside the towering buildings, their shadows cast on the ground, sprawling into a mesmerizing and fragmented appearance. With the steam rising, you can even smell the intoxicating aroma of alcohol on the edges of the Inner City District.
The streets are full of new-style cars, which require high-quality road conditions and can mostly only move about within the Inner City District. Yet, even so, the wealthy still throw heaps of money at what seems to be useless objects, simply because they represent the forefront of technology, and this is a symbol of status.
Lorenzo sat at a table on the balcony, overlooking the peaceful sleeping posture of the city.
This position is excellent; sitting here allows one to observe the situation across the entire block. Although it is already dark, there is no concept of darkness within the Inner City District, as the bright electric lights illuminate every corner.
This is a hunter's position, where Lorenzo can detect any abnormality immediately. If he had a new sniper rifle from the Mechanical Institute, at this position, he could easily kill everyone within sight.
Of course, Lorenzo is a detective, not some cold-blooded killer; he's not a pervert who derives pleasure from slaughter.
The dining table was already filled with dishes, now just waiting for another guest to arrive.
He looked down at his pocket watch; she was already ten minutes late.
However, Lorenzo wasn't in a rush; it was 11:20, there was still some time before the night ended, and it was not yet considered urgent.
There were also many pedestrians on the streets; even though it would soon be midnight, it felt like a wonderful day was just beginning.
As he watched the departing figures, a figure sat down in front of Lorenzo.
Looking at the beautiful figure in front of him, Lorenzo was momentarily stunned, then remembered that he should pay a compliment based on his etiquette class.
"Hmm... very nice."
The girl in front of him was truly dressed to impress, elegant without being vulgar, as if she was a socialite frequently attending balls.
Lorenzo knew well that the girl wasn't putting on an act; it was simply the different family atmosphere since birth.
So, the concept of 'aura' is truly metaphysical. Lorenzo can mimic anyone's performance, but he can never grasp that crucial aura.
"Did you call me out just for dinner?"
Eve looked at Lorenzo. This detective was always so mysterious, suddenly appearing and disappearing, leaving only a note about today's itinerary.
"Of course, you need to be full to have the energy to work, right?"
With that, Lorenzo picked up the knife and fork and began to eat, behaving like a hungry wolf with no table manners.
Eve sighed. A person like Lorenzo wouldn't do anything meaningless; he must have a purpose, but he just wouldn't say it yet.
"Did you prepare everything I asked for?"
Talking while eating, it looked really bad, but Lorenzo didn't care about these things anymore, having long thrown out those etiquette lessons.
This is the Inner City District, and this meal would cost him more than half of his salary; he wouldn't give up enjoying it.
Eve leaned back slightly; she didn't want any grease splattering on her dress.
"I've done everything... what exactly do you want to do?"
The letter Lorenzo left contained a bunch of strange requests, like dressing formally but having casual clothes underneath and bringing weapons and money.
Eve had to put in a lot of effort to wear tight-fitting clothes under her dress. Similarly, her thigh garter was lined with weapons, making her even afraid to walk quickly, fearing the sound of clashing metal.
She suddenly recalled the story of the Killer Queen, the enchanting woman who hid flexible yet sharp metal pieces under her attire. When she passionately embraced a man, she'd draw the metal out, bringing a crimson wave. At this moment, the only difference between Eve and her was that she'd draw a Boring 91 pistol instead of metal strips.
Lorenzo wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, feeling good after the satisfying meal. Such a luxurious meal might not happen again anytime soon.
"For your and my career, detective."
He raised his wine glass and downed it in one gulp.
Lorenzo adjusted his attire, and it was then that Eve noticed beneath the black and gray trench coat was a tidy white outfit, with a black formal hat resting nearby, as if ready to attend some ball.
"You need to solve a case to ensure you're not dismissed, and I need to solve a case to make sure my employer doesn't kill me."
Lorenzo put on his hat and picked up his cane, sticking a fake mustache from who knows where onto his lip.
"You brought the money, right?"
Organizing everything, Lorenzo asked Eve. The girl nodded, taking out her handbag.
Lorenzo nodded in confirmation and then said.
"I wanted to invite you today to attend a ball with me. After all, going alone would be awkward, and I need a female companion."
"And what does this have to do with our careers?"
"Because this ball is hosted by Sabo."
Lorenzo elegantly extended his hand, helping Eve up, the girl gently resting her hand on his shoulder as they showed remarkable chemistry.
"And who is he?"
"A gang leader, a Viking, managing a gang called the Green Shark, primarily dealing with the smuggled goods coming in from Reindona's ports."
Leading this lovely lady, Lorenzo didn't deliberately make himself the center of attention but felt like he was anyway. The detective really dressed up was truly striking.
"The gang that stopped us the other day was his people. We can surely extract something from his mouth."
"Extract what?"
"Information. Whether it's finding out whom he works for or the cause of Wol's death, there will be answers there. If we're lucky, we might even be able to directly abduct him to Suyalan Hall."
The cane gently rapped against the ground; such acts of kidnapping weren't beyond a great detective's capabilities.
"Believe me, detective, as a gang leader, his value is far more precious than the case you're pursuing now; you'll become the new star of the police world."
"Kidnapping is a crime, and how do we trial him without evidence?"
In her heart, Eve was still someone who adhered to the law, much more noble than the utterly unprincipled madman Lorenzo.
"Sabo is from the Lower City District. Legally, he's not even a citizen of Ingwig. Even if you kill him, no one would pursue it.
Suyalan Hall has always wanted to establish a foothold in the Lower City District. They can tolerate the existence of that trash bin of a Lower City District, but it must be under official control. Sabo has survived only because Suyalan Hall couldn't find an opportunity."
Lorenzo flashed a slightly mischievous smile as he spoke, picking up Eve's handbag, he fished out a few lion-embossed coins, the official currency of Ingwig, minted by order of Queen Victoria.
Talking as he went, Lorenzo handed the money to the waiter, smiled, and then pulled Eve away from there.
Eve watched Lorenzo rummage through her bag and take the money, staying dazed for a long while before she slowly spoke.
"What was that about?"
"You're treating, what's the issue?" Lorenzo felt no shame whatsoever.
"Stop gawking, it's just a small amount; you are the little princess of the Phoenix household, so don't give me that look like I swindled you out of millions, alright?"
Lorenzo chauvinistically retorted.
"According to the City Hall's income listing, I'm actually among the low-income groups."
He wasn't lying. Lorenzo initially intended to run a serious detective agency. It's just a pity that he wasn't serious himself. A noblewoman once hired him to catch her husband's mistress, and in the chase of a runaway carriage, he shot and blew out its wheels. The unfortunate husband and his lover rolled three times before stopping.
Afterward, the mistress ended up hospitalized with fractures, and upon hearing of it, the commissioning noblewoman visited and added another fractured injury. As for the husband, he'd assumed Lorenzo was hired by his wife to assassinate him but was spared due to residual affection, leading him to turn over a new leaf amidst tears.
Everything concluded happily, but sadly, Lorenzo's rough methods made most employers steer clear, leaving only Bola occasionally giving him cases to make ends meet.
Financially, things were tough. Lorenzo urgently needed money to pay the rent this month, or Mrs. Van Rudd might just shoot him.
"You know, I'm so broke I can hardly afford bullets. Interested in funding me a bit?"
Listening to Lorenzo's rambling, Eve developed a new understanding of this damned detective.
"You know? I'm almost too poor to even buy bullets," he continued to mutter, adding to Eve's new perspective on this crazy detective.