"I can't say I don't know anything about it," Ed said, "but only to the extent of books and clichéd crime films." ”

"I know the gangsters, I know the underground kingdom. Very well understood. Albert said without a word, but his tone was unusually serious, "Those of them, independent of the Overworld, independent of their own circle, obey some different set of rules from the popular law. They are primitive, violent, painful, indulgent, they make choices, they gain something, and they give something. But they're not completely crazy. Most of their businesses are unscrupulous and mercenary for the sake of profit, but there are exceptions. There are some businesses that will touch fundamental principles that they should never touch – such as the sale of children. ”

“……”

"Actually, in a way, what I just said was. Of course, there are some people who do the so-called 'can't' business, but those organizations are fixed and specific. In addition to them, if the other gangs want to touch it, there is no room for negotiation, and they will definitely die. This is the rule of the underground kingdom, and it is a big taboo that the gangsters are well known for. Albert took a puff of his cigar and exhaled a puff of mist, his face hidden behind a blank void, "And that's the problem, Mr. Ed." That's why I'm coming to you today. ”

"I'm listening."

"There's such a friend," Alpert cleared his throat—Ed knew that he was starting to get into "that state," the kind of state that gangsters get into when they say something more — and said softly, seemingly casually but seriously, "There's a friend of management, a local, who has a lot of status in this world, and who has connections at the top, and knows a lot of big people. He could have lived his life well and leisurely, but he didn't seem to be satisfied with that, as if he was always trying to make his life a little more leisurely. Someone found out that he might have touched a business that he shouldn't have touched. ”

"What business."

"Traffickers buy and sell." Albert said with a blank face, "To be precise, it is the trafficking of children." ”

“……”

"It's not allowed, detective. Absolutely not allowed. Albert's voice became a little cold at this moment, "Those guys - the guys who really stand on high places, they look at things with more than just immediate interests, not just pure money. In fact, they are eyeing something that is more difficult to obtain, but more important. They want to run the city, but to control it, there must be rules, and if people start doing it to children, the rules will no longer exist, and no one will be a winner. ”

"Let me guess," Ed said at this point, "you've decided to get rid of this guy?" ”

"There's a plan, but it's not that simple." Albert bit his cigar and shook his head helplessly, "Dealing with a gang leader at that level is not trivial, it is a matter that needs to be taken very seriously, there needs to be real evidence, everything needs to be conclusive." But of course, we can't go to the police, and we can't do it ourselves, because it's very likely that we will be caught in advance. The only way to do this is to find a specialized outsider - and that's why I'm coming to you, Mr. Eddard. I'd like you to take my commission to investigate that friend a little bit, if he's really doing what we guess he's doing...... Find the evidence, find the real evidence, and contact me. Rest assured, even if this can't be a real commission, it will not be less than yours. ”

“……”

Ed looked at Albert, at his cigar, at his narrow sunglasses, at his meticulous golden-black back, at the strong muscles that stretched his shirt, and especially at the inconspicuous little scar on the left side of his chin. The scar sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it.

"I have a question," he asked, "what does all this you say have to do with me?" Why did you come to me specifically? ”

Listening to Ed's words, Albert showed a hint of an inexplicable smile. "Why are you looking for you...... he opened his mouth unhurriedly, puffing out the smoke ring leisurely, "my friend, you may not know it, you have already been deeply involved in this matter. ”

"What?"

"The commission you're dealing with right now, the commission for the recovery of abducted and missing children, the client – the shepherd's orphanage – is themselves our main suspects, and the one who wanted to adopt. The child's Mr. Orin is a direct subordinate of the friend I am talking about. You understand now, Mr. Eddard, I wasn't the one who got you involved in this. I'm just giving you a chance to help yourself and save yourself. Albert snorted coldly as he spoke, "Speaking of which, I don't know what happened to that kid's abduction, and I don't care." I don't care if that kid lives or dies, I don't care who the hell is behind it. I only care about the truth, the truth of the thing I want to know, and I only want to know if there are really people who have the audacity to run a trade that is forbidden by the entire underground kingdom. I hope you can help me, Mr. Ed. ”

"What happens if I don't say yes." Ed asked.

Albert smiled, a very casual, non-ferocious laugh, but capable of inadvertently freezing mammoth ivory into an ice sculpture of art. "I've revealed something very sensitive to you, Mr. Eddard. If you refuse, I can't help it, after all, you are a free man, not my slave. But—but, I don't guarantee that you won't run into anything after this...... Well, how to say it...... Not a very funny accident. ”

“……”

"As for your current commission, the abduction of this child, I don't know if it has something to do with the truth I want to find out, and I don't care too much, because whether it is closed or not will not have a big impact on the final result."

"That's cold-blooded." Ed leaned back in his chair, his eyelids drooping, his hands crossed, as if he wanted to yawn. But in the end he didn't hit it either.

Albert laughed again, but this time it was a truly casual laugh. "All right," he said, spreading his hands, "let's each give way." If you want, you can continue to track down the child's affairs, and do the commission I gave you while looking for him, in short, you can finish the work in the end. But remember, be sure to pay attention to the time, I have a lot of patience, but some people have limited patience. At the same time, be sure to keep a low profile and not let the police notice. ”

“……”

"What do you think?" Albert looked at Ed, "I'm already polite. I've rarely been so polite to anyone. ”

“…… I accept. Ed said, sitting up straight, leaning forward slightly, elbows propped up on the table, fingers crossed against his chin, and a calm gaze to meet Albert's, "But if you know any other detectives besides me, you should know some of the rules we do." I want all the relevant information you already have in your hands - all. ”

"Hey, hey." The corners of Albert's mouth rose in satisfaction, and he nodded gently, "Of course, Mr. Ed." Of course. ”

……

After a while, Ed ended his conversation with Albert, the big man in the shadows, and walked out of his study. As he passed by the living room, he saw Eliqi. Wearing a black gold-rimmed cowboy hat, a black straight beauty sat lazily on a comfortable sofa, with wired headphones in her ears, playing with a palm-sized data board in one hand and a cup of black tea in the other, drinking slowly, looking like a blue-eyed aristocratic black cat.

Hearing the movement, she looked up at Eddard. Ed tilted his head and glanced at the beautiful woman as he walked towards the door. At this moment, a gentle breeze blew from the open window, with a moist and fresh breath of lake water, stirring Eliqi's long vertical hair, revealing her whole delicate little face, revealing her soft and crystalline earlobes, revealing a red birthmark like a flower petal on the left side of her ear near her neck.

Then the wind passed, and the fluttering curtain fell back, blocking back where it should be, and nothing could be seen from the outside.

Ed didn't stop, casually withdrew his gaze, unscrewed the door without moving, and then walked outside, and then carefully closed it. Standing in the hallway with a clear view, he pulled out his humidor and pulled out a small cigar for himself.

Intermission, "Intermission". When he lit a cigarette for himself, because his hands were shaking, he pressed it twice in a row before it caught fire.