At the edge of the city, sat the western end of the rift; at its end was a small pond.
A twin to the one on the eastern end.
The walls that surrounded Plied were built with the rift in mind and were set up a good distance from the rift.
It paved the way for the construction of two artificial ponds, made by diverting water from the westward-flowing River Lalima up north.
Two channels were created and ran down south from the river, going through the hills and the farmlands surrounding the city, irrigating the crops before ending on the eastern and western ends of the rift, respectively.
The one on the east became the Sham Shan Ghat, where all city cremations take place.
The one we are headed to right now is the Dhobhi Ghat, where the laundry houses are set up.
"What are you thinking?"
Shin asked as he looked around at the shops.
"Just recalling the details about the Ghats, how they were set up and their function. It's a habit of mine."
Hmmm
He turned away as the city crowd fell behind the moment we stepped into an alley wide enough for only one person to walk.
"Mind if I ask a question in return?"
"No, I don't mind, ask freely."
I watched the back of his head as I raised my hand, palms up and asked my question.
"Your description of the woman's appearance was very detailed; it included a medical term that I did not recognise. How did you come about that?"
"Oh, that, I was studying for the medical entrance exams before I was isekai'd. I wanted to be a doctor. What about you? What was your dream before you came here?"
Now I had to tell about my dream, but what I had was it even a dream, could it even be quantified?
Oh, well, no shame in admitting it.
So I let out a sigh and answered his question.
"I came from a struggling family. I was nineteen when it happened, in my dorm, just finished studying for my minor's exam, that time all I wished was to have a job to support my family."
Heavy silence hung in the air before I continued.
"Eight long years passed agonisingly slow, yet felt like someone just snapped their fingers. Time after time, I felt like I was stuck in a place, then snap, I was so far ahead of where I was. You getting me?"
The sound of my fingers snapping echoed through the alleyway, causing Shin to turn around and look me in the eye.
Calm and collected eyes peered into my own, a stoic face, a veil that masked the goofiness from moments earlier.
Truly astonishing, Shin and Raghav may not have been related by blood, but the way Shin was right now, he truly seemed like Raghav's brother.
"I got you. I felt a fraction of that as well when I came here first. But what I can't say I feel the same about is family. I come from old money; I never had to worry about anything. I do miss my parents, but I didn't have a family here as you do. Alas, I am glad you found a home here."
UGH!
I had to hunch over as he fist-bumped me in the chest, while laughing as loud as he could without alerting anyone.
"Catch up."
By the time I looked up, he was already walking away.
Oh, no, you don't. I will get my clap back.
Just you wait, Shin Furukawa.
Running after him, I stepped out of the alley and was greeted by the moist air of the Dhobhi Ghat.
Clothes slapping against stone, sprinkling water and soap on anyone passing close by.
I looked around there were five entryways in this square. The first was the alley we entered from; there was another beside it and two identical alleys on the opposite end.
Last was a wide street entering from the North. As for the south, there was the Ghat built in traditional Indian Architecture, with steps leading down to the pond.
The inner portion of the square was built in such a way that allowed for outsiders to walk outside on a walk path around the wash zone.
Inside the wash zone, twelve rows of connected concrete tubs were running parallel to one another from North to South.
Leaving ample space for the dhobi to walk in between and wash the clothes.
"Excuse me, brother, could you kindly point us towards the Golden Laundry?"
Shin asked a random Dhobi, who looked back at him while wiping the sweat off his forehead using the outside of his wrist.
Without delay, he pointed towards the store that was on the northwest corner of the square.
But I knew that already; he could have just asked me, and I would have told him the location.
"Thank you, Brother, have a good day."
He began walking towards the store as I rushed to his side.
"I knew the shop; we could have gone there silently, they might have seen us asking about them."
"I know, I wanted to give them a scare, they will surely be taking out valuable items from hiding that need to be taken away, meaning we will have our work sorted out for us."
Ohh, now we are talking.
"Then let's knock and roll."
Chuckle
I think I am getting a hold of Shin's humour.
We both ran towards the shop and entered it.
Without surprise, we found it empty, which was expected; they must be around somewhere packing up the valuable items.
"You go upstairs, I will look downstairs and block the exits. If you can't stop someone, let them run. I will take them down."
Can he also read minds?
"I was about to say the same. I am not much of a fighter due to not receiving special power-ups. If Raghav arrives while I am upstairs, send him up, please."
"Sure."
With that, we split up. I went to the back, where the stairs began on the right side of the rear entrance, travelling along the walls and took a ninety-degree turn, leading me up to the first floor.
Slowly and silently, I made my way up the stairs, feeling the wall for any hidden compartments.
The moment my eyes rose above the floor that was blocking my view, I was taken aback. A statue of gold as tall as me stood there in the hallway.
It depicted the ancient tale of Indraksh slaying Kram, the Asuri Dragon.
The Devraj (King of the Devtas), high in the air, in his hand The Legendary Divyastra (Divine weapon) Ashani.
Lightning danced at his fingertips, falling upon the dragon.
Such a valuable piece of history, I recall reading about a statue like this in the Haringdom Kingdom.
"How are you here?"
Did they steal this? How? There were no reports, no news travelled about the incident.
"Hurry up!"
A whisper came from behind the statue, then came another.
"It is your fault for burying it all under the gold, idiot."
Slowly peeking over the statue, I looked into a hidden hallway. Two men in their mid-thirties were crouching next to a trunk, scrounging through it, looking for something.
Then I looked at the hallway, which was lined up with golden statues, trunks, pearls and other valuable items.
Here goes nothing.
I pulled out my crossbow and aimed it at the two men.
"No sudden movements, lads, I've got you dead in my sights."
"Do you now?"
Oh, I have a bad feeling about this.
A bag was thrown at my face, hitting my nose.
UGH!
I could not maintain my balance and stumbled backwards.
My ears began to ring, yet I was able to make out the sounds of distant footsteps.
Forcing my eyes open, I looked at the two men running out of the hallway, towards the window at the front of the store and jumped through.
"SHIN!"
I yelled, running after them, and without thinking much, I also jumped through the window.
The moment my feet landed on the ground, I felt a sharp pain tear through my left knee. As I rolled on the ground, the moment I tried to stand up, my left leg gave out, and I almost stumbled.
Luckily for me, Shin joined my side and held me up.
"I got you, old man. Can you run?"
AHH!
I yelled as I stomped my left foot and let go of Shin.
"I am twenty-seven, which makes me a young man."
"Ok, Boomer."
Before I could react, he ran away, and I followed in pursuit.
We ran through the wash zone, almost stumbling into the Dhobi doing their work.
Shin was able to run on the partitions, leaping from one row to the next, while I had to run around.
The two men reached the steps of the Ghat and began making their way towards a rowing boat.
One of the men entered the boat while the other was still on the steps, untying it.
I was not about to let them get away, and prepared to lunge at them from the very top of the stairs.
Someway somehow, Shin managed to beat me to it.
I watched in horror as Shin's foot missed the first step entirely, and he began falling forward.
For a second there, I thought we lost them.
But the son of a gun managed to place his foot on the front wall of the first step, like a runner before a race and pushed off the wall and flew through the air like a missile, tackling the man in the boat.
With such force that they broke the boat in half.
The man who was untying the boat simply gave up and looked at me.
As did I.
Our eyes locked, and we both knew what we had to do.
He ran to his right, towards the rift, and I began running behind him, while descending the stairs, to be at his level.
Shin can handle himself, I am sure of it.
Oh, god, I hope Raghav gets here soon.
I was gaining on the man, but for a moment, I looked back to see if Shin was okay.
There was certainly no need, because when I looked back, all I saw was him manhandling the guy.
Once I was sure he was okay, I looked back and forward and saw a washing bat flying towards my face. I raised my left arm, flicking the bat to the left.
As if he were doing it all to annoy me, the man began running up the steps.
"UGH! I will see how far you run."
I growled as I chased behind him, dodging a flower pot that was thrown at me.
Looking up, I saw that the man had climbed the stairs that were behind the store and stood on the balcony with another pot in hand.
"Don't you dare come up here, you asshole."
He yelled at me as I turned around the stairs and stood at the bottom.
"Don't!"
Said the man in a scared tone as he held the pot over his head, standing in front of the stairs.
Sigh
Without wasting a single moment, I dropped my head and pulled out my crossbow, firing the bolt at the pot.
How was I so sure that I hit the pot? Well, because the man did not scream, and I could hear the pot shatter and all the dirt fall on the man's head.
"That was the only warning shot you are going to get."
Ignoring my words, he ran inside the building.
I wanted to run after him, but my knee began to hurt the moment I took the first step.
"Shit!"
Before I could stumble or fall, I took hold of the railing and began my slow ascent up the stairs.
Once at the top, I reached for the door and stepped through, into what seemed like a single-room rest house.
To my right was a bed, and to my left was a coffee table and a rocking chair.
Halfway down the room were two bookshelves on either side of the room, placed perpendicular to the walls.
"Are you hiding behind the bookshelf?"
"No."
The man was on the verge of crying.
"Please let me go, I can't get caught. She will leave me if she learns about this."
Oh, so that is why he was so motivated.
"Your Wife?"
"No, but she was going to be. If it was not for you lot, you ruined my life."
"A life made by taking from others is no life at all."
"It is my life still, and I will not let you take it away from me."
Finishing his declaration, he ran towards the window at the front of the building.
Does he not know that there is a plough machine under the balcony?
If he jumps out, he will fall on the ploughs and die.
God save him!
The door burst open behind me, and I looked back just in time to see the figure turn to their left to grab the rocking chair and spin around, throwing the rocking chair across the room and straight into the man's back.
"FAAAAAAH!"
Yelled the man as he fell down to the floor, screaming in pain.
SIGH
I could breathe in peace as I looked at the man and placed a hand on my chest, calming my heart.
"Thank God."
"Hmmm."
Raghav hummed as he walked past me to the man.
"MY BACK, YOU BROKE MY FUCKING BACK!"
I saw as Raghav walked past the man, looking down at him, before taking a look out the window and nodding to himself.
"I apologise for that."
He then looked back at me, nodding upwards.
"I am fine, Shin's nearby at the Ghat."
"Actually, I'm here."
Shin spoke from behind as he pushed the man forward, causing him to stumble onto his partner.
"FUCK!"
"What happened to him?"
Shin asked, pointing at the man with the broken back.
"I threw a rocking chair at him while he was running towards that window."
Raghav pointed behind himself at the window.
Prompting Shin to whistle, looking at the man on the ground.
"He saved your life; you should be thankful."
The man did not respond as he had passed out.
"Aww, he passed out in pain, so shall we take these two to Commander Opus? He can interrogate them, and then Lord Galreid can pass judgment on their sentences."
Shin said, causing the man he had caught to glare at him.
"I am Alu, son of Kannu, and I will be damned if I will let that follically challenged bastard decide my fate. He did nothing for us when we needed him, and now, when we were finally about to get free, he comes and ruins our lives."
My head turned to look at Shin on instinct, fully expecting him to laugh.
Somehow defying all odds, Shin did not laugh; instead, he had a serious look on his face.
"That was not funny, my friend and listen, you can make this easy, or you can make this difficult, and both of those cases are for you yourself. We will do what we have to do. You do what you think is best for yourself."
Shin's word caused Alu to look at him and then at the unconscious man before he looked back at Raghav with his hands joined.
"What do I have to do?"
"So, Alu, answer these three questions of mine. What is your friend's name? Who do you work for? What do you do here? Please be as detailed as you can and take your time, so that you do not miss any detail."
Raghav asked in a calm voice, taking a seat on the rocking chair.
Alu looked behind at me, then at Shin to his left and finally at Raghav sitting in front of him.
For the small time I got to look at his face, I could see the fear in his eyes.
And he did.
"His name is Palu, he is my younger brother. We do not have one boss; we are an independent organisation. This Laundry is not just a Laundry for clothes, we launder money, hide valuable items and transport them for anyone who can pay the price for our service."
"That much work would require some serious paperwork to not mess up the different clients. You must have a ledger."
Alu visibly shook when Raghav brought up the ledger.
"If I give it to you, they will kill me."
"They cannot kill you; we will protect you if you trust my crew and me, hand us the ledger. I give you my word."
Raghav held his hand out to the man, who was breaking down and crying as he pulled the ledger out of Palu's bag and handed it to Raghav.
Then he grabbed Raghav's feet and placed his head on them.
"I am under your protection. There is no one I can rely on but you; you are my only hope. Please save my family and me."
The expression on Raghav's face loosened up, and a faint smile found its way on his face.
He bent down to make Alu stand up and said something I could not believe.
"You have put your faith in me. I give you my word that nothing will happen to your family; you are under my protection now. No one, and I mean no one, whether they be the City Watch or a member of the underworld. No one will harm you."
Regaining his seriousness, Raghav turned to Shin.
"You go with Alu and Palu, take their family and move them to the city hall and keep them protected. Alu and Palu will help you in any way they can."
Shin nodded and put Palu on his shoulder while guiding Alu away.
"Shin!"
Raghav called out just as Shin was at the door, causing him to look back.
"They have taken shelter under me; they are not the same criminals as before. Treat them as you would treat my people."
Shin nodded and left. I, on the other hand, was confused about what just happened.
Looking at Raghav for an answer, I found him placing ten silver coins on the rocking chair, quite possibly for the damage done to the place, before looking at me, holding the ledger up.
"Detective, will you join me on this investigation?"
A grin made its way on my face, and I answered, perhaps a little too excited.
"Hell yeah."