14 Abandoned Manor

"How often do you and Leena contact each other? Does she know you're cursing Xio?"

"We usually only contact each other once every two or three months. It's still too early for us to contact each other again… She only asks for the results and doesn't know what I'm doing," Turner replied with a blank look in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Ebner and Xio heaved a sigh of relief. The latter felt that under such circumstances, it was almost impossible for the people of the Psychic Order to find her. Furthermore, a secret organization might not investigate the disappearance of a Sequence 8. As for Ebner, he believed that even if they found him, it would take months. By then, he might not be afraid of her.

"I have a good relationship with MI9, the Nighthawks, and the Machinery Hivemind. In a while, I'll hand this Instigator to them. A Sequence 8 heretic should be worth quite a bit of bounty. You won't blame me for taking the money for myself, right?" Detective Isengard joked in an exaggerated tone.

Ebner knew that the other party was doing this to protect him and Xio. After all, if they were to fall into the hands of the officials, Theosophy order and Demoness Sect would probably have no choice but to give up. They were a secret organization after all, and they wouldn't clash head-on with the orthodox Churches.

Xio had clearly thought of this as well as she hurriedly thanked him again.

After that, the three of them asked some other questions. However, Turner was just a small fry in the Spiritual Knowledge Union and did not know much else. Hence, they did not gain much.

After making Instigator faint again, Detective Isengard clapped his hands and said, "Alright, let's split the items on him. Then, this matter will end here. Leave the rest to the officials."

At this point, he placed the items he found in front of him. There were a total of two badges, a triangular blade, a Star Crystal, and about 120 pounds in cash.

Detective Isengard looked at the two of them before taking the Star Crystal and the Fate Hermit's badge. He smiled and said, "The most valuable item is actually the Sequence 8 Beyonder himself. Since he's mine, I'll take these two… Do you have any objections?"

Xio hurriedly shook her head and said, "Capturing this person was entirely your doing. These things were originally yours, so how could I have any objections?"

Ebner naturally thought so, but he was curious to know what his teacher would share with him.

At this moment, Detective Isengard picked up the half-destroyed curse badge and handed it to Ebner. "This badge shouldn't be able to be restored. It's worthless to me. However, it can still be used once. You don't have much combat strength at your current Sequence, so use it as a trump card." With that said, he handed over the 120 pounds and continued, "Take this money as well. The mysticism experiments in the following days will cost quite a bit. Take this as me reimbursing you in advance."

"Thank you, Teacher!" Ebner had no intention of being polite. Although he still had 350 gold pounds on him, this bit of money might be a huge sum for ordinary people, but it was a drop in the bucket for Beyonders.

On the other side, Xio saw Isengard cast his gaze at her again. She hurriedly waved her hand and declined. "There's no need to consider me. You were the ones helping me in this matter. I didn't help much… How can I share the spoils of war…" She wasn't as thick-skinned as Ebner. Furthermore, Ebner was his student. It was only right for him to share the spoils.

Isengard laughed and pushed the triangular blade in front of Xio. He said in an unquestionable manner, "Miss Xio, don't be so formal! Have you forgotten? You were the one who guessed that this Instigator would commit murder in the bar. How can you say that you didn't help? Take it. I just appraised it. This triangular blade's function is actually very ordinary. There's only one poison that's difficult to detect on it. It's equivalent to an ordinary weapon that's tempered with poison. It's not worth anything."

Xio originally wanted to decline, but she felt that if she didn't accept it now, it would seem like she wasn't being generous enough. She could only take the triangular blade and silently decide to find an opportunity to return the favor.

After the three of them separated the "dirty thief", Detective Isengard used some unknown ability to lift Instigator Turner as though he was nothing. He then said to Ebner and Klein, "I'll send him to the officials now. You should go back and rest early."

Ebner was about to respond when he suddenly thought of something. He hesitated for a moment before reminding, "Teacher, you can hand him over to the Nighthawks or the Machinery Hivemind, but it's best not to go to MI9."

Detective Isengard turned his head and asked in puzzlement, "Why? Is there a problem with MI9?"

Ebner thought for a moment and said in a measured tone, "Some people in the military seem to be doing human trafficking as well. I'm afraid that they will do you harm."

"Are you saying that the military is involved in this matter?" Isengard frowned and asked in confusion, "Why did they do that? Also, Ebner, how did you know?"

"My mother was also abducted before… I did some investigations…" Ebner lied half-heartedly.

"I see…" Detective Isengard nodded in enlightenment.

Xio looked at Ebner with some pity. She didn't expect him to have such an unfortunate experience, but she didn't think that her father was technically also a victim of this incident.

"I understand… Don't worry, I know how to deal with the officials!"

Isengard waved at the two of them and disappeared into the well with Turner in his hand. He was so agile that he didn't look like an old man at all. Xio and Ebner waited a moment before returning to the surface through another exit in the sewer. Since it was late and the public carriage and subway were no longer operational, the two had to walk home.

Xio's current rented apartment was in the bridge area, and she said goodbye to Ebner on the way.

Watching Ebner leave, Xio nearly jumped up in fright when she turned around. This was because a lady wearing a beige dress with curly brown hair was looking at her from less than a meter behind her.

"Fors, where did you 'open the door' from? You scared me!" Xio heaved a sigh of relief after seeing who it was.

"You didn't return home for a day and a night without leaving a message. Do you know how worried I was? I never expected you to go out on a date with a man! Quick, tell me, who was that person?" Although she was complaining, the teasing look in Fors's light blue eyes revealed her gossipy nature. Of course, she knew that Xio was definitely doing something important, but she just wanted to see her embarrassed look.

Xio's expression turned solemn when she heard that. She knew very well that she couldn't argue with her good friend on such matters, or she would be the one suffering. Therefore, she deliberately changed the topic with lingering fear. "Fors, Ebner is my friend, and without his help today, I might not be able to return…"

Fors was indeed shocked by Xio's words as she hurriedly asked, "What happened?"

"It's a long story… Let's talk as we walk!" Xio secretly heaved a sigh of relief as she recounted the events of the past two days. Of course, she didn't reveal Detective Isengard's identity, nor did she mention the master-disciple relationship between Ebner and him. She only said that Ebner had hired a powerful figure to capture the attacker.

"Xio, we're best friends! In the future, you have to tell me such things. If I were by your side, even if I can't beat that Instigator, you know that with this, I'm confident of escaping with you!" As Fors spoke, she waved her bracelet and continued, "That curse badge shouldn't have much of an influence. As long as you escape far enough, you'll be safe."

At this point, she did not wait for Xio's reply. She changed the topic and said teasingly, "But that person called Ebner clearly handled it better. Is he interested in you because he is willing to sacrifice so much for you?"

Xio shook her head and said with certainty, "He doesn't have that intention!" Xio, as an Arbiter, could confirm this from her attitude and expression.

"Then why did he help you so diligently? According to what you said, you have only met him twice or thrice?" As her roommate, Fors knew that Xio's intuition was especially accurate, so she was even more curious.

"I don't know either… But I have a feeling that he has known me for a long time…" Xio was actually a little puzzled, but she was certain that Ebner really didn't have any bad intentions, so she didn't plan on delving deeper.

…

After Ebner returned to his residence in East Borough, he fell asleep immediately. This day had been too exciting for him. In addition, he had been constantly activating the Eye of Pure White in the afternoon, making him feel exhausted both physically and mentally.

But even so, he still arrived at East Borough's subway station on time the next morning. Then, he saw Xio already waiting there.

They had agreed to meet here in the morning when they parted last night.

"Sorry for making you wait!" Ebner was apologetic. After all, he lived closer to here.

"Don't worry, let's set off immediately. The location is in the northern suburbs, and it's a little remote. We'll take the subway to the northern district first, then take a carriage there!" Xio didn't care about those trivial matters as she spoke resolutely.

The journey was silent. About forty minutes later, they stopped in front of a remote and somewhat dilapidated manor.

Ebner sized up the manor that looked like a horror film set and asked hesitantly, "Is this the place you said you can shoot for free?"

Xio nodded and replied, "There's a shooting range in the backyard of the manor… And I have the key to the back door."

"No matter how dilapidated this place is, it's still a manor near Backlund. It can't be that there aren't any people watching the house, right?" Would they be thrown out if they were discovered?

Xio understood what Ebner meant and explained, "This used to be my family's vacation manor… After Father's accident, this place was sold to a wealthy businessman. However, for some reason, the people who lived here encountered mishaps one after another and rumors of ghosts spread, causing it to be ruined… Now, there's only an old servant guarding this place. He was originally my family's servant and was deaf and mute. Father took good care of him when he was here… So as long as he doesn't attempt to enter the house, it shouldn't be a problem."

In other words, let alone the fact that he couldn't hear the sound of the gun practice, even if he could hear it, he wouldn't care? As expected of a descendant of a royal family. Even if she was down and out, she still had so many connections! Ebner quickly understood the essence of Xio's words.

Xio confirmed something from Ebner's unperturbed expression.

He really knows who my father is!

He knew me from the start!

He seemed to know many secrets!

Then, would he know why my father was wronged?