This was Mr. Franklin's third visit to commission a task, and the content of the commission was, again, to forcibly remove Little Franklin, who was addicted to rhode cards, from that illegally operating night club.
Mr. Franklin had completely had enough. He planned to sell off his family's assets, quit his job, abandon the thirty years of hard work he and his wife had put into this northern capital City, leave the rich and flourishing Tobesk, and move his entire family to the western part of the Kingdom, to Atek City, known as the 'City of Art'. Mr. Franklin's brother had lived in that City for many years and could help the family find new jobs.
Of course, more importantly, he wanted to keep Little Franklin away from those bad friends, away from rhode cards and gambling tables.
"Once I bring him back this time, I will lock him directly in the house. Until next month, after dealing with the moving matters, I will take him directly onto the steam train. So, Hamilton Detective, can you bring my son out of that club?"
The client confirmed.
This matter only required Xia De to immediately go to the club and persuade Little Franklin to leave with him, so the accountant's offer was 13 shillings and 3 pence, which was more than half a pound. For an accountant with an annual income of about 70 pounds, this was roughly a week's salary.
This commission fee included the club's entrance ticket and an extra allowance for night travel. Although compared to the commission to find Mia, this business was not even worth 'half a cat', Xia De considered it for a moment and decided to accept this commission.
He had recently seen the Franklin family's affairs in the previous Detective's commission records, which detailed the process of the Detective persuading Little Franklin to leave with him.
"A very simple task, there will be no mistakes."
The orange cat stayed at home, and worried that Mia would be scared, Xia De even reluctantly left without turning off the gas lamp. Mr. Franklin went home to wait for news, while Xia De, due to the long distance, chose to take a carriage to his destination.
The taxi carriage fare standards in Tobesk City varied according to the passenger's boarding location and destination. For boarding within the City center, centered around Yodel Palace, for destinations within 4 miles and under 2 miles, the fare was 1 shilling, and thereafter 5 pence per mile. If traveling long distances outside the central City, the cost per mile would be cheaper.
Xia De's destination this time was in what is generally considered the Lower City, which is the North City. Including the extra tip that needed to be paid to the coachman for night travel, he paid a total of 3 shillings when he got off in the dim alleyway.
Fortunately, the Franklin family also lived in the North City, so he wouldn't need to take a carriage again after finding Little Franklin.
At the same time, the expensive cost of using taxi carriages also made Xia De realize the wealth gap in this complex and prosperous steam age, and how many challenges he, as a person from the lower class, had to face.
The City's night was quiet, but Xia De, who had already become a Ring術士, felt a terrifying sensation, like gazing into an abyss, from the silent long night. In Tobesk, the largest City in the north, the secrets and unknowns hidden within it, the mysteries in the alley shadows and apartment corners, were definitely not few, but fortunately, at least Xia De did not encounter any of these tonight.
"This world... is more dangerous than I imagined."
The club called the Lucky Southern Cross Club had its main entrance on Glass Mountain Avenue. But if one wanted to enter the club's casino, they had to enter through the back door in the alley.
Xia De followed the records left by the previous Detective, entered the alley, and walked around in the darkness for half a circle before seeing the silver-gray rusty iron door. During this time, a wild cat suddenly jumped out from the top of the wall, startling the Detective, who then felt annoyed at his 'cowardice'.
After carefully knocking on the iron door three times in a row, and waiting for a full half minute, a tall man with a full beard, wearing a black overcoat and leather boots, cautiously opened the door from the inside.
"This is not a place for young people."
The Detective, after glancing at the young man, reached out and pushed him, but surprisingly, he did not move. Even as just a Ring術士, his physical fitness had been greatly enhanced.
"Are the rules here so barbaric?"
Xia De displayed a rhode cards with a silver moon 13 pattern, which was one of the cards from the deck he had found on the roof of the pet boarding center that morning, and then said:
"I'm here to see Mr. Rhode, for some matters at the table."
Then he gave three one-penny coins as an entrance fee.
"I thought you were... first time here?"
The bearded man looked at the card, confirming the secret code was correct.
"Introduced by an acquaintance."
Xia De replied in a low voice. The bearded man sized him up again, then stepped aside, allowing Xia De to enter the club's back corridor, illuminated by dim yellow gas lamps.
The Detective immediately turned up the collar of his trench coat to cover half of his face, cautiously looked left and right in the alley, and then walked in.
"Even though this is an illegal casino, there's no need to be like this..."
The bearded man muttered behind Xia De.
The corridor was quite dim, and the air was filled with a disgusting mixture of sweat, alcohol, and tobacco. After walking less than ten steps inward, doors appeared on both sides of the corridor. All the doors were ajar, allowing the dazzling light from the rooms to shine into the corridor, where confused shouts and the sound of hands slapping tables could be heard.
Xia De did not enter any door. He cautiously walked straight ahead, quietly using Echo to check his surroundings. He did not find any obvious bloodstains, which indicated that at least there were no more serious illegal activities here.
"Although it's not a combat spell, it's surprisingly useful."
The corridor led to the club's east hall, which was more brightly lit. Dozens of wide wooden tables covered with tablecloths were placed in the hall. Well-dressed gentlemen, drunkards who had just left the pub, and workers who had finished their shifts for the night, various people crowded around the tables, waving banknotes around the still somewhat dim tabletops, excitedly watching the gambling games.
The Lucky Southern Cross Club was divided into three floors, and only guests of sufficient status could go to the casino upstairs. Little Franklin obviously could only mix on the first floor; last time Sparrow Hamilton Detective found the young man drunk and lying in a corner of the east hall.
Because there were too many people, Xia De had only heard Mr. Franklin describe Little Franklin's clothing and appearance, so he did not find the young man immediately.
He held a 1-shilling banknote in his hand and quickly blended into the crowded hall. He constantly stopped at different tables, observing if there was anyone he was looking for, but he would never throw money onto the gambling table. The cost of the carriage ride had already made him feel pained, and Mr. Franklin would not reimburse unnecessary expenses incurred during the Detective's process.
In half an hour, he had almost seen the entire east hall, but he had not found his target. Instead, while pretending to study betting at a table, he heard gamblers chatting about an interesting incident that had happened there an hour ago.
A young man with a gray hat, wearing a sailor's shirt, and a face full of freckles and small eyes, had been taken to the second floor and forced to 'pay off his debts' because he owed too much money at the gambling table.
Xia De did not know the meaning of 'paying off debts', but he imagined it was not good. He knew he had found traces of Little Franklin, and the young man's situation was quite bad.
To enter the second floor of the club, one needed to show at least 10 pounds in cash, and also needed an introduction from an acquaintance. Xia De had no money and no acquaintance, but he had to go to the second floor. Now was not the time to give up, after all, it was his first official commission.
He waited for a while, and fortunately, soon after, a group of dozens of drunkards stumbled out of a room on one side of the corridor and walked together towards the second floor.
"Good opportunity!"
Xia De and a few people near the staircase dodged to the side, but as the drunkards passed, he immediately supported one of them who was slightly behind, enduring the smell of alcohol on him, and helped him blend into the crowd. The Detective finally arrived on the second floor.
"Making money is indeed never easy."
Compared to the noisy environment on the first floor, the second floor was significantly quieter, and the decor was more elegant. Even at night, this was still a liquor club and not a casino.