18 Kings Avenue, in the warehouse of a wealthy merchant
Klein's eyes lit up again, and the corners of his mouth curled. He quickly returned to his body, leaving a bookmark and Azik's copper flute above the gray mist, wasting no time.
After extinguishing the candle and finishing the ritual, Klein cleaned the room. He used a special medicine to neutralize the smell of holy knight powder and the essential oils required for the ritual.
Once everything was complete, he removed the wall of spirituality, allowing the air to carry away the remaining traces.
Then, he pulled out the Master Key. Moving swiftly along the buildings in a straight path, he planned to rent a carriage some distance away and return either to the ROYAL Museum or a designated cathedral.
He used a staff to navigate and opened walls or doors blocking his path with the Master Key as he progressed.
After walking for a while, he suddenly realized he was no longer certain of his exact location.
"Hm… just two more buildings, and I'll be out. If I exit Kings Avenue, I'll take a rented carriage; otherwise, I'll make another prediction. Once I get home, I'll read the Blasphemy card!"
Making a quick decision, he placed the brass key against a wall and gently turned it.
As he turned the key, an invisible wave spread, and in the next moment, he arrived at a building next to the terrace.
At that very instant, his nose twitched at the strong scent of blood in the air.
Klein furrowed his brows and slowly looked forward.
In the sitting room ahead, a girl was struggling against the dog. The knife in her hand had already pierced the dog's body.
The girl pushed the dog back forcefully and stood her ground. Her body was exhausted, her breaths ragged, and despair marked her eyes.
"Help me… I can't fight anymore," she said, her voice weary.
Without hesitation, Klein grabbed the injured girl's hand. In an instant, he realized the dog was still conserving energy for another attack.
Catching her breath, Ling Shaomiao said,
"Fighting the dog won't help. It seems someone outside is connected to this dog. Take me to a safe place the same way you came into this room."
Klein realized that, at this moment, the girl's life was entirely in his hands. The shattered glass, blood stains, and the sound of growls only heightened the tension.
He gripped her hand tighter and began stepping backward slowly, ready to react instantly if the dog suddenly attacked.
"That devil… the serial killer!"
The enormous dog growled fiercely, asserting dominance over the entire room.
Klein immediately understood this was no ordinary creature. It was a Sequence 6 Demon, a powerful and terrifying beast, capable of attacking its target in an instant. His mind raced through the preparations he had overlooked.
Suddenly, the black dog's body began to stretch, growing into a colossal shape two to three meters long. Slowly, a pair of massive bat wings spread across its back. Mysterious designs adorned the goat-like horns near its ears.
Amidst the pungent scent of sulfur, red and blue flames leapt from its body, as if raw power radiated from the crimson fur.
Instead of retreating, Klein moved forward. Wielding his staff, he attacked the monstrous dog like a cannonball.
The beast screamed across its chest, "Killer! Save us! Kill! Save us!"
The eerie resonance of this cry, echoing through the silent night, matched Klein's own voice. Nearby residents woke, and even guards two streets away heard the sound.
The dog paused, bouncing, then after a second's calculation, returned to the room, gradually clearing the scene.
With the cries of "Kill" and "Save us," even the image of Klein running seemed to vanish into invisibility.
Nearby, a previously extinguished brazier suddenly reignited, and an exaggerated flame leapt upward.
Klein leapt with the girl over the flame. The staff in his hand ensured they safely exited. Using the Master Key, he unlocked doors, tore through walls, and swiftly escaped with the injured girl.
"Phew… at this moment, a Beyonder's power is far more effective than a gunshot," Klein sighed, sprinkling a few drops of Amanthar extract over himself.
The girl had fought so valiantly, and even for an ordinary person, her performance was extraordinary. Ling Shaomiao exhaled in relief, thinking, I'm alive. Yet her body bore the marks of the battle blood stains and cuts proving the fight. She hadn't expected Klein to arrive.
As the demon was of the ancient canine lineage, its scent-tracking ability was especially dangerous. The Master Key had proved strangely effective. Klein realized he would need to exercise greater caution using it in the future.
The girl had asked if there were any human accomplices outside and how the dog selected its targets for serial killings. These questions remained unresolved.
Klein began moving forward slowly, Master Key in hand. Every street corner, every shadow, was carefully accounted for by his eyes. He didn't stop until he reached another cross-junction. Once there, he scanned his surroundings. The street was comparatively quiet, unthreatening, as if no demons or danger lingered.
Ling Shaomiao walked beside him slowly. "I need to go to the police station first," she said, a note of concern in her voice. "I don't know if I'm truly safe."
The girl looked at Klein with eyes full of gratitude. "Thank you for saving me," she said.
As Klein walked beside the carriage, he looked at her, a questioning, cautious gaze flickering in his eyes.
"Can you really go in this body?" he asked slowly but firmly.
The girl stayed silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded. "Yes… I can try. But I still don't feel completely comfortable. It won't be possible without your help."
Suddenly, the atmosphere around them shifted.
A pair of black leather-clad legs appeared, and a soft but emotionless voice reached Klein and Ling Shaomiao's ears:
"What were you doing?"
The woman inside the museum the one had suspected was the High-Sequence Beyonder couldn't recognize him. Klein realized: after all, he had disguised himself with Azik's copper flute, and the woman must have come to investigate after hearing the cries for help.
Ling Shaomiao made no sound. She had anticipated what was about to happen, but she was still surprised it happened so quickly. In an instant, she recalled some details about the woman. Yes, she was Daly Simone, a member of the Nighthawks team, whose Pathway was the Death Pathway.
Klein deliberately swallowed and spoke slowly,
"I am a private detective. A number of my associates and I are investigating the recent serial killings. I have a mysterious item called the 'Master Key.' It can open doors and let me pass through walls, but its use comes at the cost of the holder."
"During this process, I rushed to the scene. The girl and the killer were fighting."
Klein looked at Ling Shaomiao and said,
"She asked me to help her, so I started running with her. That's why, while running, I could only shout to call for help."
Everything I'm saying is true… Klein thought silently.
After a brief silence following the woman's voice, Klein felt her inspecting his belongings directly. He felt a slight relief leaving Azik's copper flute and bookmark on the gray mist had preserved his disguise. Caution and prudence had indeed worked.
After an indescribable and tense silence, the soft, emotionless voice spoke again:
"That key carries a specific curse. It should not be used unless absolutely necessary."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the surrounding environment changed completely.
Klein quickly rented a car, and Ling Shaomiao climbed in.
"Why are you helping me? And we don't even know each other," she said.
Ling Shaomiao brushed her long, wet hair to one side and slowly pulled a piece of glass from her back. Her eyes showed a kind of wariness, and her face a hint of concern, as if testing how Klein would respond.
Klein looked at her slowly and spoke in a calm but firm voice,
"Does helping someone require a reason? Besides, your body is completely injured. As a human being, I should help another human."
Ling Shaomiao stayed silent for a few seconds. A mixture of doubt and surprise appeared in her eyes.
"You're right," she said, "but don't you think you might be putting yourself in danger to help me?"