Finally, the middle-aged and elderly man with gray temples took a sip of tea, smiled and sighed:

"Actually, it's a lot better than I used to be, better than a lot of people here, like ......"

He gestured to the homeless people huddled in the corner outside the window.

Crane and Mike followed and saw a curled up homeless man, both old and young, lying on the ground in a dirty place where they could take shelter from the wind.

In this cold late autumn, they may not be able to wake up again.

At this moment, Klein noticed an old woman in her sixties standing on the side of the street, her dress was old and tattered, but she was relatively neat, and her hair was meticulously combed.

The gray-haired old lady had the usual embarrassment of a homeless man, but she insisted on not huddling with the crowd, but walked slowly to the side of the road, looking deeply and numbly into the café from time to time.

"This is also a poor man. The former homeless man who ate the remaining black bread also found the old lady and sighed a few words, "She used to be said to be doing well, her husband was a grain merchant and had a very spiritual child, but unfortunately, she went bankrupt later, and her husband and child died not long after, she is different from us, really, you can see it at a glance...... Well, she shouldn't be able to last long, unless she gets into the workhouse every time. ”

Listening and listening, Mike's expression changed from calm to gloomy, and he slowly exhaled and said:

"I'd like to have an interview with her, can you invite her for me? She can eat and drink whatever she wants here. ”

The middle-aged and elderly man didn't feel strange about this request, but just glanced at Klein and Mike respectively, as if to say, you are indeed colleagues.

"Okay, I think she'll be happy to do it. He took a sip of his tea, got up and walked out of the greasy café.

It wasn't long before the old lady, dressed in old but neat dress, followed him in, her pale face slightly lightened by the warmth of the café.

She kept shivering, as if she wanted to let out the chill in her body little by little, and absorb the relatively high temperature in the café, even if she sat on the chair, it took her an extra minute or so to really ease.

"You order whatever you want, it's the pay for the interview. Klein said for Mike.

After Mike nodded, the old lady nodded reservedly on toast, low-quality cream, and coffee, and then smiled:

"I've heard that you can't eat greasy things when you haven't gotten food for too long. ”

Very polite, very self-controlled, not at all like a wanderer...... Klein sighed silently.

Before the food was delivered, Mike casually asked:

"Can you tell us about how you became a wanderer?"

The old lady showed a look of reminiscence, and said with a bitter smile:

"My husband was a grain merchant who mainly bought all kinds of grain from domestic farmers, and since the Grain Act was repealed, we quickly went bankrupt. ”

"He was already quite young, and he was knocked down by this incident, and his body quickly collapsed, and he died not long after. ”

"My child, who was a wonderful young man, who had been in business with his father, could not take such a blow and jumped into the Tasok River on a moonless night. ”

"His first unsuccessful suicide was taken to the magistrate's court, where the police and the judges were impatient and felt that he had delayed their time. ”

"If you want to kill yourself, please do it quietly and successfully, and don't bother us...... Well, they probably want to say that, but they think it's too direct. ”

"My child, who was put in prison, committed suicide for the second time, and it didn't take long. ”

The old lady spoke calmly, as if it was not something that had happened to her.

But for some reason, Crane felt a strong sadness.

There is no greater mourning than death...... He suddenly remembered this sentence he had heard in his previous life.

In this world, suicide is not only forbidden by the major churches, but also punished by law.

As for the reason, Klein knows very well what it is, firstly, many suicides choose to throw themselves into the river, and there is a certain probability of becoming a water ghost without being discovered in time, and secondly, the emotions of suicides are often very wrong, in this state, ending their lives is like "sacrifice", which may resonate with some strange and terrible existence.

As a result, after death, their bodies or some objects around them will carry strange curses and endanger others.

This is probably how the "doom puppet" behind the Chanis Gate in Tingen came about.

Therefore, the Seven Orthodox Churches all proceeded from their own doctrines and forbade believers to commit suicide, and the royal family also promoted corresponding legislation.

Of course, this seems a bit ridiculous to Klein, a person who wants to commit suicide will be afraid of the law and punishment?

Mike was about to say something, but the owner of the café had already brought the food.

"You fill your stomach first, and we'll talk later. Mike gestured to the toast.

"Okay. The old lady took small bites of food and looked very cultured.

She didn't order much, and she ate it quickly.

After reluctantly taking the last sip of coffee, she rubbed her forehead and pleaded:

"Can you let me sleep for a while before we talk? It's too cold outside. ”

"No problem. Mike replied without hesitation.

The old lady thanked her gratefully, sat down in her chair, and curled up to sleep.

Mike looked at the middle-aged and elderly man next to him and said:

"You seem familiar with this place? I want to ask you to be our guide, how about 3 Soules a day? Sorry, I forgot to ask your name. ”

The middle-aged and elderly man hurriedly shook his head and said:

"No, no, no, it's too much, I'm at the dock, and a lot of times, only 1 sule a day. ”

"Just call me Old Kohler. ”

"Well, two souls a day, you deserve it. Mike was the final word.

Crane snorted a little snot on a piece of paper after seeing this strange bargain, and was about to refill his coffee, but suddenly he sensed that something was wrong, and turned his head to look at the old lady who was curled up in a chair and sleeping.

Her face, which had been flushed a lot from drinking coffee, had turned pale again, and the color of her aura and mood had disappeared.

"......" Klein stood up and subconsciously reached out to probe the old lady's snort.

In Mike and Khloe's surprised eyes, he said heavily:

"She's dead. ”

Mike opened his mouth and couldn't say anything, while Khloe tapped three times on his chest and smiled bitterly:

"I knew she wouldn't last long......"

"In the East End, things like this happen every day. ”

"At least she's filling her stomach and dying in a warm place, hopefully, hehe, hopefully I'll be the same in the future. ”

Klein was silent for a moment and said:

"Kohler, you go find the police. ”

"Okay. Kohler tapped his chest three more times and ran out of the café.

The boss glanced at this side and didn't come over, as if it wasn't something to worry about too much.

After a while, a policeman in a black-and-white checkered uniform, carrying a short baton and a pistol entered the café.

He looked at the dead old lady, asked Mike and Klein a few words, and then waved his hand and said:

"It's okay, you can leave when I find someone to collect the body. ”

"That's it?" Mike exclaimed.

He was noticeably less familiar with the East End.

The policeman snorted:

"This kind of thing, there are many cases in the East District every day!"

He rolled his eyes and looked at Crane and Mike:

"You don't look like you're from here, what's your name?

Mike pulls out his press card, and Klein says he's the private investigator protecting him.

The policeman suddenly straightened his face, looked at Klein and said:

"I suspect you're illegally owning a gun!"

"I want to search your belongings, please cooperate, otherwise it will be regarded as resisting arrest!"

Mike suddenly became worried, because he knew that private investigators were generally illegally owning guns.

Klein spread his hands expressionlessly and said:

"Okay. ”

He let the policeman search him, but he found nothing.

When the old lady's body was sent away, and the disappointed policeman left, Mike clenched his fist and slammed the table:

"A living man died here, but he only thought about investigating illegal gun possession!"

Speaking of this, Mike looked sideways at Klein and wondered:

"You didn't have a gun?"

Crane shook his head, pulled out the gun pouch and revolver from under the table, and said calmly:

"As a detective, I have a lot of experience in this area. ”

As a "magician", he can put a pistol in front of the opponent's eyes, but the opponent can't find it.

Moreover, since he didn't buy ordinary bullets, the extraordinary bullets were temporarily thrown on the gray mist, and his revolver was currently empty, but this did not prevent him from shooting with a pistol, and he only needed to simulate a "bang" with his mouth when he pulled the trigger.

Seeing this, old Kohler next to him whispered:

"Turns out you're a detective. ”

Crane pointed at Mike and casually explained:

"I was also commissioned by this gentleman last time. ”

Mike sat there, did not refute, and after a moment of silence said:

"Although I have also investigated the gangs and seen the miserable lives of some prostitutes, I don't know much about the situation in the East End. ”

As he spoke, he took out a few pieces of paper from the inside pocket of his coat and unfolded them on the café table.

Klein glanced at it and said:

"Interviews with Eastside residents of all ages?"

"It's so cumbersome, I think it can be divided by location, better apartments, apartments with five or six people crammed into one room, sheltered corners of the streets, benches in parks, and bars, workhouses. ”

"In addition, it is possible to divide work time and rest periods. ”

Mike listened carefully and nodded:

"Nice idea, Kohler, what do you think?"

Old Kohler pinched his nose and said:

"I don't know words...... But I think what Mr. Detective said is fine. ”

Mike thought for a moment, revised his plan, and said:

"Then let's go to the nearby apartment first and pick one at random. ”