Inside the police station of the Leis District, responsible for Minsk Street and the surrounding areas. Klein shook hands with the officer who saw him out. "This threatening letter incident is definitely related to the previous serial murder case. The organizer of the investigation at the time, the great detective Mr. Isengard Stanton, was attacked this afternoon! Please take this seriously."
The officer withdrew his hand and said, "Mr. Moriarty, rest assured. We will definitely not overlook the possibility you've raised, and we will report it to our superiors immediately."
"I'm very grateful." Klein put on his hat and walked out the door.
After seeing the two threatening letters and the provocation from the presumed owner of the Demon-hound, he didn't hesitate to take the evidence to the nearest police station and file a report, secretly hoping the matter would be handed over to the Nighthawks or a Mechanical Heart squad as soon as possible, allowing him to be under the protection of the official powerhouses.
Although he didn't have a strong reason to keep his identity as a detective now, and could very well abandon his residence at 15 Minsk Street to relocate and adopt a new identity, he suspected that this was precisely the goal of the letter writer:
To exploit the fear that wild Beyonders have of being exposed, forcing him to move under the cover of night, and then seize the opportunity to launch an attack during this process.
"Actually, the way to the police station was also a perfect place to strike... same as when I was at home earlier... That guy has other plans..." Klein returned to Minsk Street, both puzzled and cautious.
As soon as he stepped off the carriage, he saw a figure pacing in front of his door by the light of a gas lamp beaded with rainwater.
Klein tensed up at first, then immediately relaxed, recognizing the visitor. It was private detective Stuart, with his sideburns, average height, and a lean build—his admirer.
"I can't let my guard down... What if the followers of the 'Demon' have abilities similar to the 'Faceless'?" Klein gripped his cane, slowly approached, and called out tentatively.
Detective Stuart whirled around, saying with a hint of tension and panic, "Mr. Moriarty, I received a threatening letter. It says, 'You're all going to die!'"
"You received one too?" Klein blurted out, surprised yet feeling it was within reason.
The other was one of the detectives Isengard Stanton had gathered during the serial murder case. Stuart's eyes suddenly widened. "You received one too?"
"Yes." Klein nodded solemnly. "And not just one..." he silently added.
"What should we do? I went to see Mr. Stanton first, but I heard he was attacked, so I rushed straight to you. Oh, thank the gods, I almost left earlier!" Stuart blurted out.
Klein pointed at the door. "Let's go inside and talk first."
Once in the living room, under the pretext of going to the bathroom, he hurried to the Gray Fog to perform two divinations. The first was to confirm that Stuart was himself, and the second was to 'inquire' if there was any significant danger tonight. The results gave affirmative revelations.
In other words, Stuart wasn't an enemy in disguise, but there was considerable danger tonight.
Of course, that danger might not erupt right in front of Klein—it could be silently eliminated by someone else. Such were the limitations of divination: one could only obtain certain revelations, not a comprehensive overview, nor precise answers.
And this limitation of the mystical domain could not be overcome by technical means like the process of elimination or the dichotomy method.
Returning to the real world, Klein pressed the mechanical button of the flush toilet. With the sound of rushing water, he washed his hands and pulled open the door.
"Stuart, would you like coffee or tea?" Klein asked, showing no signs of panic at all.
Stuart stood up and shook his head. "No, we should discuss the problem first. Although I've received quite a few threatening letters before, none can compare to this one. He must have written it in blood! My intuition tells me he will definitely carry out his threats, and he has the ability to do so!"
"By the way, he's the one who attacked Mr. Stanton, right?"
"I believe so." Klein said calmly as he sat down. "This must be related to the previous serial murder case. The only commonality between you, me, and Mr. Stanton is this case."
"Stuart's reaction is a bit excessive... Is he scared by the attack on Mr. Stanton?" At the same time, Klein carefully observed the other.
Affected by Klein's demeanor, Stuart calmed down a lot, sat down again, and said thoughtfully, "It really does seem that way..."
Before he could finish speaking, a jingling sound suddenly echoed in the room. Someone had rung the doorbell.
Stuart immediately flinched, like a startled bird.
Klein frowned slightly at him, got up, and walked towards the door.
As soon as he grasped the doorknob, the scene outside had already formed in his mind. The visitors were Detective Cassandra in her gray wool coat and her assistant, the red-haired girl Lydia, along with a few other men who looked quite familiar.
"All the private detectives that Mr. Stanton had gathered back then... As expected..." Klein recognized the visitors after a brief recollection.
He pulled the door open with force while taking two steps back.