Chapter 391: Anticipation (Third Update, Requesting Monthly Votes)

Early Sunday morning, Klein had just finished breakfast when he heard the expected doorbell.

But to his surprise, it wasn't just reporter Mike Joseph who came, but also Doctor Allen.

"Sherlock, I had that nightmare again last night. I think it's not normal," Allen said, not avoiding Mike, as soon as he entered the living room.

Without waiting for Klein's answer, he took out his wallet and produced a paper crane:

"Could it be the problem? Ever since I found it and started carrying it around, the nightmares began."

Klein glanced at it casually, but his expression suddenly froze. If he hadn't once been a "Clown" and had strong control over his facial muscles, he might have revealed an uncontrollable smile in front of the reporter and the doctor. Yes, a smile.

This, this paper crane is even uglier than mine... That was the thought that instantly crossed Klein's mind.

At that moment, he felt the urge to cover his face and sigh:

Could this be a tradition passed down among the Nighthawks, poor craftsmanship?

Without a doubt, the paper crane before him was the result of another swap. After getting accurate information from Klein, the Nighthawks seemed not to waste time and sneaked into Doctor Allen's bedroom that very night, swapping the crane in his wallet with one they had folded.

But what they didn't expect was that the one in the wallet was also a fake, folded by Klein above the Gray Fog, quite rough.

Somehow, there was a comical aspect... Klein glanced at the unsuspecting Doctor Allen, cleared his throat, and said:

"Perhaps that's the case. I suggest you go to the church again and talk to that bishop. We must believe that the god we worship is always watching over us."

As he spoke, he made a triangular holy symbol over his chest.

After the "Nightmare" had left last night, Klein had specifically gone above the Gray Fog to divine whether it was dangerous not to swap the paper crane back. He received a very safe omen, so now he could make such a suggestion with interest, trying to tease his former colleagues.

Wondering what kind of mood they would be in when they saw their poorly folded crane back in their hands... Klein earnestly comforted Doctor Allen and saw him off. Then he turned to the reporter and smiled:

"Mike, actually what I really want to suggest to Allen is to see a psychiatrist. But faith can certainly soothe his soul."

"You're not being straightforward at all." Mike laughed. "Alright, we should get going."

For the rest of the day, Klein accompanied the reporter from the "Daily Observer" into the East End, interviewing the girls who had been rescued.

With a full pound as an interview fee, no one refused, not even some of the girls who had been abused.

In this interview, Capin's crimes were one focus, and the current situation of the girls was the other. The former brought anger, the latter heaviness.

Daisy was actually relatively lucky: she could immediately start working after returning home, exchanging her labor for food. Rescued girls like her were less than a third, and most of them came from families with some savings, so their situation allowed them, despite their physical and psychological trauma, to not rush and to patiently look for suitable work.

The other two-thirds of the rescued girls had to struggle to survive. With the massive unemployment among textile workers, they could often only find temporary, low-paying jobs. Those whose family members—parents, siblings—weren't unemployed were better off, at least they could help each other and barely fill their stomachs. But the part whose family situations were less optimistic had already, either openly or in secret, taken to the streets as prostitutes. It seemed they had never been rescued at all. They sold their bodies, perhaps just for some food.

This made Mike silent again, like the previous time. Only when they left the East End in the twilight did he come back to himself and thank Klein:

"Sherlock, thanks for your help. Otherwise, I would definitely have been extorted by those thugs and gangsters today."

"Isn't that why you hired me?" Klein smiled politely without any pride.

Thanks to previous instructions, Old Kohler and the Liv family didn't reveal that he had helped find people for free. Especially Daisy, who was quite clever: when Mike asked if they knew anyone special, she directly replied, "Mr. Reporter and Mr. Detective."

Mike nodded habitually and walked on in silence for a while.

Before boarding the carriage, he suddenly let out a breath and said:

"I want to call out in this article, call on the government to take Capin's property and set up a relief fund, using the annual returns to steadily help these rescued girls and others harmed by Capin, giving them a chance to escape their current predicament.

"Although Capin's safe was already cleaned out by that chivalrous thief, his greatest wealth lies in the properties he bought. These, these should be illegal gains."

Klein listened carefully, took a deep look at Mike, and sincerely praised:

"You are the best reporter I have ever seen."

"There are many reporters like me. There are always some idealists in this world." Mike sighed.

After saying that, he paid Klein a ten-pound fee, took off his hat, and waved it.

Watching the reporter board the hired carriage, Klein prepared to head in another direction to take public transportation. At that moment, Mike suddenly opened the window and asked with a teasing smile:

"Sherlock, you don't know any other reporters besides me, do you?"

Klein was stunned for a moment, then chuckled:

"Guess."

……