The corridor floor was covered with a red carpet. The swaying group, led by a waiter waiting at the second-floor staircase, went directly into the second room on the left.
The room was quite spacious inside. The gas lamps were turned to maximum power, illuminating everything in the room with a golden glow. However, similarly, after leaving the chaotic environment downstairs, the normal scene now appeared distorted.
The room was laid out like a typical reception room, but a large gambling table was placed in the center.
The tabletop was wider, and there were more seats. Against the wall stood a wine cabinet, as well as two heavily made-up women dressed in inappropriate attire. The drunkards and the waiters acting as dealers didn't notice Xia De, who shouldn't have been there. The group moved to the new room to continue their enjoyment.
Xia De stood by the sofa, trying not to draw attention, hoping to find an opportunity to slip out into the corridor.
He was considering whether he should use the ability of 'Ignition' to create a small disturbance to attract attention when he heard the drunkard he had been helping just now say to a man with a scar on his lip, sitting with his head down on the sofa:
"Captain Rades, tell us again the story of how you were captured by those southerners and, in an act of loyalty to the Kingdom, tried to commit suicide by shooting yourself eight times in the head!"
The drunkard laughed loudly, while Captain Rades, being ridiculed, kept his head down and said nothing, just sullenly staring at his boots.
"Rades has just been ransomed back, let's not talk about these things... How about we find a pistol and have him demonstrate it for us, hahahaha~"
The man holding three cards by the gambling table also turned around and said, and the room was immediately filled with a joyful atmosphere. Xia De took advantage of everyone laughing and taking turns to mock the 'Eight-Gun Captain' who had just returned home after being captured, and successfully left the noisy room, returning to the corridor.
The soundproofing of the walls and doors was very good. After Xia De walked a few steps, he could barely hear the uproarious laughter from inside the room. He walked along the wall. There was no one in the corridor, which was beneficial to his movements.
Although he didn't know where Little Franklin was, according to the previous Detective's records, the Lucky Southern Cross Club's second floor had an escape ladder directly leading outside, so Xia De wasn't worried about being caught.
But as he thought this, he turned a corner and saw a man approaching him, wearing a uniform distinctly different from that of The Watcher downstairs.
Xia De walked forward with his chest out and head held high, not allowing himself to show any fear. But even so, he was stopped by the man:
"Excuse me, sir, please wait a moment. I don't think I've seen you before."
As he spoke, he reached out to grab Xia De's shoulder. Although Xia De had no close-quarters combat experience, his instinctive dodge was unexpectedly successful. This made him realize again that the enhancement of a Ring術士 was comprehensive:
"Yes, I was invited up. I just went to the restroom," he explained.
"But isn't the restroom over there?" The man pointed in the direction the Detective had just come from, looking at him suspiciously: "You're quite agile."
"...The restroom over there is broken. The things those drunkards threw up have blocked the toilet. Oh, I really don't want to describe that scene to you."
Xia De greatly admired his own quick wit, but the man who stopped him still frowned:
"Sir, you're not a guest on the second floor, are you?"
Although it was a question, the tone was already affirmative.
Xia De gave an awkward smile. There was no need to continue arguing. Fortunately, he didn't have any dangerous items on him, and he hadn't actually done anything bad in this club:
"Alright, I was just curious about the second floor. I followed some guests up when they went upstairs... I'll leave the club immediately, I understand."
Unexpected things happened, and Xia De didn't need to argue with the gambling gang over half a pound. As he spoke, he tried to retreat, but he was stopped again by the blocking man's next words:
"Don't run around recklessly in the future. Above the second floor are VIPs. If you play here, you have to follow the rules. You don't have to leave; you can continue on the first floor... Wait, you're not here to find 'poor' Franklin, are you?"
He frowned.
"Hmm... alright."
Considering the current situation, Xia De thought there was no need to lie. The other party was still a reasonable person for now: "If you're talking about the young man with a gray hat, a sailor's short shirt, and a face full of freckles, yes, his father asked me to take him away."
"His father sent someone again? Come with me. Pay off what he owes, and you can take him away."
The man waved to Xia De, leading him down the corridor: "You should have said something on the first floor. For guys like this who owe gambling debts, we're still worried about how to find someone to pay for them."
The guy running the casino was surprisingly reasonable.
"I just thought... How much does he owe?"
Xia De asked the crucial question. The accountant had promised that if his son incurred debt at the casino, the Detective could pay in advance, and this money would be reimbursed, but Xia De himself didn't have much cash.
"1 pound 6 shillings. Including interest and his food and lodging here these days, two pounds. You can take him away."
The stakes on the first floor were actually not high. For Little Franklin to lose so much in two days, he probably never once bet correctly. But these things were none of Xia De's business. Mr. Franklin could pay off debts within 10 pounds, and Xia De happened to have 2 pounds.
The man then said: "Of course, since you're here on behalf of his father. Then, just like last time, if you're willing to give us three pounds six shillings, the casino can issue you a five-pound receipt to give to 'poor' Franklin's father..."
It took Xia De several seconds to realize what the man meant. He had seen such things in his original world, but he was still amazed by the business acumen of the casino owner in this different world. He thought for a moment and shook his head:
"Thank you for your kindness, but not this time. Let's keep the money flowing steadily."
He only felt some sympathy for Mr. Franklin, who was about to move his entire family, and felt that he didn't need to earn money in this way. The man leading the way didn't mind and even agreed with Xia De's view:
"You're right, keep the money flowing steadily. Anyway, 'poor' Franklin will come again."
Xia De admitted that he had very evil thoughts about the club's so-called "debt repayment," but in reality, Little Franklin was only forced to help wash dishes in the kitchen. Once he washed enough, he would be let go.
When the man led Xia De into the kitchen, he happened to see a fat man in a chef's uniform punch the small-eyed young man to the ground. The seemingly thin Little Franklin fell onto the rhode cards scattered all over the floor, and blood from his dislodged teeth splattered on the surfaces of those cards.
At the end of the kitchen, there was a bloody pig's head, and steam pipes were spraying hot steam onto it. The fat chef seemed to have been processing it just now.
"Stop hitting him, someone's here to redeem him," the man leading the way said lazily, first waving his hand to disperse the kitchen smell from in front of his nose, then extending his hand for Xia De to pay. Xia De also put the two-pound banknote he had prepared into the man's hand, then pulled up Little Franklin from the ground:
"Your father sent me..."
"Mr. Nite, he can't leave now. This damn kid tried to escape and bit me!" The chef said furiously, extending his chubby hand to show the bloody bite marks on it: "Give me half a pound, otherwise he can't leave."