"George III" danced in the air, the convex engraved human head and numbers rapidly appearing and disappearing.
Angel's gaze chased the tumbling coin, wanting to see from the divination process what exactly was the magical power influencing the divination tool, but unfortunately the ordinary coin only rotated and fell ordinarily, then was steadily caught by Klein.
He spread open his palm, the large "1" on the coin facing upward.
"The number indicates negation, Lawrence's death does not involve extraordinary factors."
Klein slowly explained, his tone carrying slight regret.
"Didn't expect the first case would be excluded as a normal event."
Leonard's expression showed neither surprise nor disappointment, perhaps he had already prepared mentally, knowing the investigation process wouldn't go so smoothly.
"Let's go to the next location, we need to speed up."
He put the revolver and banner back into the paper box, covered the lid, preparing to call Dean in.
"Wait a moment," Angel rushed forward, pressing down on the paper box, "it doesn't necessarily need extraordinary factor influence, at least I know one method that can accomplish this kind of thing without using extraordinary abilities."
"What? How to do it?"
Leonard appeared somewhat surprised, he put down the paper box, turning his head toward Angel.
"For example, an Extraordinary, an Extraordinary with enhanced body, directly using his superhuman physical strength, punching and kicking to death some victim, would divination indicate the deceased was affected by extraordinary factors?"
Angel looked toward Klein, asking.
The latter pondered for a moment, shaking his head: "The event doesn't involve extraordinary abilities and extraordinary items, divination would give a negative answer."
He frowned and asked back: "You mean Lawrence indeed came into contact with an Extraordinary, but this person didn't use extraordinary abilities, but used threats, sowing discord or instigation..."
As soon as this word left his mouth, he froze.
"Correct, the 'Assassin' pathway's Sequence 8, 'Instigator' can accomplish this just through conversation, most of the time not needing to use extraordinary abilities."
Angel continued following his train of thought.
After getting the hint, Klein took out that one penny copper coin, but after pondering for a moment stuffed it back into his pocket. He pulled open his left sleeve, shaking out the silver chain on his wrist, the topaz at the end slowly swaying, refracting the indoor gas lamp light, emitting flickering bright and dim light.
"Lawrence's death is related to Extraordinaries."
Angel reminded.
This would direct the divination target toward "Extraordinary" behavior, rather than some "extraordinary ability" influence.
Klein nodded, first looking at Angel with examining eyes for several seconds, then re-entering meditation state, his left hand steadily gripping the topaz pendant, half-closing his eyes.
"Lawrence's death is related to Extraordinaries."
After silently reciting seven times, he opened his eyes.
The crystal pendant was slowly rotating clockwise.
"This represents there indeed was an Extraordinary, who through language alone instigated him to publicly commit suicide on the street."
Leonard spoke first, his expression somewhat excited, this was the excitement of finding precious clues in the fog.
"Can we find this instigator through divination?"
Angel asked curiously.
At this time Klein had already put away the topaz pendant again, winding the silver chain circle by circle around his left wrist. Hearing her question, he directly shook his head in negation.
"Dream divination might be possible, but needs sufficient information for divination to give definite answers. With just this evidence, I think it's not enough, would only waste spiritual energy in vain."
"Then let's continue to the next location, collect more clues, prepare more related items."
Leonard immediately made the decision.
He called Dean who was waiting outside the door, using the inspector's identity and a signed IOU, borrowed out both the gun Lawrence used for suicide and the banner used to denounce the former mayor.
Putting the paper box on the hired carriage, the three also got on the carriage together, calling the coachman to head to the next location.
The coachman hired by time obeyed the calls, unhurriedly driving to the next crime scene.
...
"On the afternoon of July 22nd, the paper mill porter Wells jumped from a six-story building in the West District, falling onto the street, head-first landing, dying on the spot. Before death he had beaten the foreman who withheld his wages and even threatened to make him unable to survive in Tingen City. The other party is still hospitalized with serious injuries. This is the iron rod he used."
"Confirmed, Wells' death has Extraordinary influence."
...
"On the afternoon of July 22nd, in a fire on Sapphire Street, a deceased was found, identified through personal belongings as a resident next to the fire scene, called McGehm. Ironically, the arsonist was precisely this deceased. According to investigation, he had long-standing grievances with neighbors. This time taking advantage of the other party being home on weekend, he attempted to burn down the neighbor's house and burn the neighbor's family to death, but while setting the fire ignited the oil he carried, setting himself ablaze."
"These are partial clothing fragments, and the lighter he used for arson."
"Someone influenced him, triggering the resentment in his heart."
...
After finding the correct divination method, the three rushed non-stop to visit several crime scenes in the West District and police stations storing evidence. Klein quickly screened through divination, soon filtering through nearby locations.
"Among the current seven death cases, five are confirmed related to Extraordinaries, all instigated crimes, all ending their own lives at the end."
In the carriage, Angel spread the map open on her lap. Tingen City's West District was already marked with four bright red dots like blood. Leonard held the death reports, indicating for her to mark another location on the map.
"This way the West District is almost completely checked. Next we go to Iron Cross Street, there's a batch of concentrated deceased there, mostly on Lower Street, different from previous deceased, many died from sudden illness."
Looking through subsequent reports, Leonard confirmed the location, knocking on the small window at the front of the carriage, having the coachman change direction toward Iron Cross Lower Street.
Klein sat beside him, eyes closed, entering meditation state. He had performed multiple divinations along the way and was already exhausted, now borrowing the travel time to restore physical strength and spirituality.
"Need to rest for a while?"
Seeing the team's Seer seemed about to collapse, Angel asked.
"Hmm... we can go to..."
"Thank you, no need."
Leonard's hesitant words were interrupted by Klein, who opened his eyes, glanced at the westward-slanting sun outside the window, shaking his head.
"Let's find that killer as soon as possible. Don't worry about me, resting in the carriage for a while is sufficient."
"...Alright then, let's continue."
"Midnight Poet" Leonard reached for his head, only then remembering he wasn't wearing a top hat today, awkwardly moving his hand to his chest, tugging at a button, murmuring.
The carriage faced the increasingly yellow sunlight, passing through Iron Cross East Street, turning a corner, driving toward the destination.
(End of Chapter)