After a series of "video rewinds" that resemble a series of flashbacks, Natsuki returns across the street, and everything flows again.

“……”

Looking at the watch shop across the street, he was silent and frowned slightly.

There is no doubt that the situation just now started with Lawrence getting up, and everything was suspended for a split second and then rewinded.

In other words, his getting up should be a trigger point, and if he doesn't solve this problem, he won't even have the opportunity to talk face-to-face.

After thinking for a moment, Natsuki didn't choose to go over again, that didn't make sense, he had to figure out what was going on.

And the experience of these years has also taught him that all the characters in the rule secret realm can communicate, and sometimes...... You can also get important clues from other people.

So, Natsuki observed for a moment, and then walked towards a newsstand not far from the left hand side of the street.

When passing by a gentleman in a suit and a top hat, he deliberately bumped into him and took the wallet in his inner pocket.

"Sorry sir."

He apologized to the other party, but didn't stop long, and continued to walk forward.

It wasn't until the gentleman disappeared from sight that he stopped, opened his wallet and looked at it.

Tut-tut, this guy is so brightly dressed, I didn't expect to be a poor ghost, and he only has a pitiful ten-dollar bill in his wallet.

Well...... But that was enough, Natsuki tossed his wallet into the trash can beside him, and then turned around and returned to the newsstand.

"Hello sir, the weather is nice today, isn't it?"

He used the classic way of talking to Gu Ou very skillfully.

"Well, yes, it rained for half a month before, and today I finally saw the sun, which is a lucky day."

The newsstand owner was not disgusted by this, perhaps he was also a talkative person, so he casually started talking to him.

"How's business going? Is there any impact on it? During this time, it was not very peaceful everywhere. ”

Based on the era in which Lawrence lived and his age at this time, as well as the seasons expressed by his surroundings, Natsuki could tell what year and month this secret place was.

In order to be able to cope with all kinds of strange stories, he memorized the entire history of the world, from which it can be concluded that ancient Europe should be facing the crisis of economic depression.

"You know, it's like this, even the most sophisticated guys can't afford to shell out a coin for a newspaper, let alone anyone else."

As soon as he mentioned this, the newsstand owner frowned, and it could be seen that he was very worried about it.

"Don't worry sir, I have inside information, this situation won't last long, it will start to pick up in another month at most."

Natsuki leaned his face over mysteriously, whispered, and then handed over the banknote that had just arrived.

"Bring me a newspaper, you don't have to find the money, it's a proof of my words."

His expression was very confident, as if he was telling the truth, but in fact he knew very well that it would take at least three years to improve after that, let alone a month, and this was considered the luck of the ancient Europeans.

The newsstand owner was stunned when he saw this, and then showed a grateful expression...... However, after receiving the banknote, he still checked it seriously, after all, in this world, people should not be gullible!

"Sir, your newspaper, please take it."

A newspaper earned ten euros, and the boss was happy in his heart, and his face was full of smiles.

Xia Mu took the newspaper, but he was not in a hurry, but continued to talk with the boss, chatting about some things.

In the process of chatting, he consciously or unconsciously revealed the wealth of his family and the breadth of his connections, and from time to time he talked about the time he spent with the celebrities of those times.

Although this makes him act a bit like a charlatan, his bizarre outfit and generous shots have to be convincing.

After chatting for a while, he felt that it was almost over, so he pretended to finally remember something, and patted his head and said:

"Oh yes, I had such a good conversation with you that I almost forgot what I was here for, sir......

I heard that there is a very good watchmaker in the neighborhood, and I want to order a pocket watch from him, can I ask the shop opposite? ”

"If you're looking for the best watchmaker, it's Lawrence, whose craftsmanship no one can fault, no one!"

The newsstand owner nodded and replied with great certainty.

"It's just...... He seems to be in a bit of trouble lately, hasn't made a new pocket watch in months, and doesn't seem to be in a good mood. ”

When Xia Mu heard this, he knew that his choice was correct, because the newsstand was the only place that anyone of any identity could visit, so he naturally had the most information.

It seemed that he had found a breakthrough, so he made a curious expression and asked:

"Oh? What happened? ”

"Truth be told, sir, as a friend of Lawrence, I shouldn't have revealed his situation, it's not good......

But you are so generous and kind-hearted, and I believe that your presence will help him, so I would like to disclose it to you.

In fact, Lawrence's wife's condition had worsened since a few months ago, and his mood had become very bad and uncertain since then.

After that, he stopped accepting custom pocket watches, and simply sold some existing finished products, and put all his mind on his wife...... and on the pocket watch he's working on now. ”

"A pocket watch being made?"

Hearing this, Natsuki raised his eyebrows, feeling that he should have grasped the key.

Seeing that he was very interested in this, the newsstand owner did not hide it, and continued to nod and said:

"That's right, he's been making a pocket watch for months, and according to him, it's an anniversary gift for his wife.

They have been married for 50 years as of this year, and he wants to surprise her, so he doesn't take new orders. ”

"I'm sorry, but can I ask what illness his wife has? Maybe I can help. ”

Natsuki thought about it and felt that Lawrence's wife might be a key, so he wanted to know more.

But this time, the newsstand owner shook his head and sighed, with a look of helplessness in his eyes:

"It's useless, you know that Lawrence is not short of money or connections, and this is not something that can be solved with money at all.

His wife has terminal cancer, and the best doctors in the country are helpless, and she has few days to live.

This poor fellow has loved only two things in his life, one is his wife Monica, and the other is those clocks.

Now he will soon lose one of them, and the other...... If it is true that it will get better in a month, as you said, I think it will be able to survive, hopefully. ”

When he thought of what happened to Lawrence, the newsstand owner seemed to empathize with him, and he looked sad.

When Natsuki heard this, he already understood the general situation, and what he saw Lawrence tinkering with behind the console just now should be the pocket watch he was going to give to his wife.

It should be the piece you get from the timepiece!

"Thank you, sir, I know the situation, I will find a way to help him."

Natsuki smiled slightly, nodded at the newsstand owner in thanks, and then turned around and walked in the direction across the street.

Lawrence, Monica, and the pocket watch that Lawrence is making are the most important elements of this story.

To find the core of the virus in this secret realm, there is no doubt that you have to start from these three aspects, and the core must be hidden in it.

So far, Xia Mu doesn't think that those other people can't find out this information, and the biggest difficulty is the "time backtracking" just now.

Time Rules

It's a fairly high priority rule.

With just a little bit of ability in the D-class and C-class, it is indeed difficult to break through it.

If he guessed correctly, the thing that controlled the time in the secret realm was the pocket watch that Lawrence was making, which is why time stood still completely as soon as he stopped in his hand.

In order to make contact with it in this case, it is necessary to have the ability to be immune to time interference, which Natsuki did not have before, but now ......

But there is!