Old Cat

After completing Klein's lesson, Lin Ruo went to see Dunn Smith and gathered information about the recent activities of the Mandated Punisher's Squad. He requested that they keep a close eye on the Squad's actions in the coming days. Once done, he returned to Backlund.

"Next... well, let's investigate the Blade Believer first," Lin Ruo muttered as he walked to the window, opened the curtains, and observed the bustling street below.

The Blade Believer matter was not something he could ignore. Despite his personal connection to the opponent, Lin Ruo didn't intend to involve his current identity too deeply, but he couldn't just leave it unattended either. The implications behind the Blade Believer's actions were significant, and Lin Ruo needed to follow the current lead to investigate.

Ideally, he would follow the trail to find other Si Chen believers. If that proved impossible, he still had to uncover the Blade Believer's intentions behind pretending to be "Li Er."

Lin Ruo checked for any potential surveillance around him to ensure he wasn't being watched. Hunters were skilled in anti-tracking and anti-monitoring techniques. However, just to be safe, Lin Ruo performed a second divination to confirm if anyone was watching him. The pendulum's counterclockwise rotation signaled a negative answer, indicating no one was watching him.

Putting away the divination tools, Lin Ruo chose not to use the Faceless Man's ability to change his appearance this time. Instead, he simply donned a large hat that concealed his features and left his office.

After taking a carriage and changing vehicles midway, Lin Ruo arrived on Minkes Street in the Jowood District. He discarded his coat and hat on the road and transformed his appearance from a blond, blue-eyed youth to a middle-aged gentleman with black hair and gray eyes.

Minkes Street held significance for Lin Ruo because one of his informants lived here. Yesterday, after Killing the Blade Believer . Lin Ruo had tasked a informant with investigating the social circles of "Li Er" and Ilimi Katy, as well as the people they might have interacted with recently or in the future.

Everyone leaves traces, and since the Blade Believer chose to impersonate "Li Er," there must be a reason behind it. Lin Ruo had confirmed that neither ilimi Katy nor Li Er possessed any special items at their homes, ruling out the possibility that the Blade Believer was after something the couple owned.

With that possibility eliminated, the most likely reason was that the Blade Believer came for a certain person or item accessible through Li Er or Ilimi Katy Considering Li Er's frequent interactions with noble ladies in her role as a dance teacher, Lin Ruo suspected that the Blade Believer might be targeting a nobleman.

He intended to investigate this lead further.

After ringing the doorbell, a voice sounded from inside, complaining and slightly embarrassed, indicating that the speaker had just woken up. Given the time was close to lunch, it was clear that the person's daily routine was irregular.

The door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with disheveled hair who appeared slightly taken aback upon seeing Lin Ruo. His expression was wary as he asked, "Sir, who are you?"

"I was introduced by Carrot," Lin Ruo replied with a smile, his gentle gray eyes radiating a reassuring demeanor. He continued, "He asked me to gather information about the dancer."

"Carrot" referred to Rose Al, using code names to maintain secrecy.

The middle-aged man with disheveled hair let out a sigh of relief but still wanted proof. Lin Ruo promptly produced a black and gold fountain pen from his pocket, a sign of their appointment.

"Alright, come in," the relieved man said, opening the door for Lin Ruo. He then inquired, "What should I call you? You don't need to reveal your real name; just give me a code name."

"Traveler. Just call me a traveler," Lin Ruo replied, initially contemplating a more sophisticated, Western-style pseudonym but ultimately deciding on "traveler" almost instinctively.

"Alright, Traveler!" The man nodded and introduced himself, "I don't know how Carrot introduced you to me, but you can call me the Old Cat."

Lin Ruo acknowledged this, and the two entered the house. The Old Cat motioned for Lin Ruo to sit on the living room sofa, poured him a cup of black tea, and then ascended the stairs alone.

As Lin Ruo sat there with his tea, he suddenly heard a meow:

"Meow—"

Turning toward the source of the sound, Lin Ruo saw a British Shorthair cat gracefully descending from the window. The cat paid no attention to Lin Ruo, leaped onto the opposite sofa, and promptly settled down for a nap.

Lin Ruo didn't mind being ignored by the cat; instead, he focused his gaze on the cat's paws, noticing dirt, dust, and faint traces of blood.

"Welcome home," the Old Cat said as he returned from upstairs. In his hand, he carried a file bag. His eyes first met Lin Ruo's, and then he noticed the cat on the sofa, displaying a surprised expression.

"I'm back!"

The Old Cat quickly approached the sofa, handed the file bag to Lin Ruo, and then turned his attention to the cat on the sofa with a mix of disgust and concern. He spoke to the cat affectionately, "Look at you, all dirty... and wounded too."

"I told you not to stay out all night," the Old Cat said apologetically, glancing at Lin Ruo, "I need to tend to my cat's wound. I'm afraid I won't be able to entertain you..."

"It's okay, I was about to leave," Lin Ruo replied nonchalantly. He had obtained the information he needed and was in a good mood. He asked casually, "Your cat doesn't seem to be very homey, based on what you said?"

"No, it's been quite restless lately. Running out all night long... It wasn't like this before," the Old Cat complained. Then he remembered something and asked, "By the way, about the final payment?"

Lin Ruo, who had been thinking about the cat, was jolted back to the conversation. He smiled and retrieved ten pounds from his pocket, placing it on the coffee table. Pushing the money toward the Old Cat, he said, "Here's the balance."

The Old Cat's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Good!"

Lin Ruo stood up and said, "Well then, Mr. Cat, I'll take my leave."