Chapter 34 - Hooked
"I bid 1 gold coin."
"You have the face to bid that low? I bid 3 gold coins. That pass is mine."
"Tsk, you might as well give up on the event and stay coop up at Velgrave. I'll bid 5 gold coins."
As the commotion from the crowd intensified, bidding voices overlapped and overwhelmed one another. Each of the nobles hoped to bid and win the pass from Karl.
However, they were also unwilling to bid too high. After all, there was a possibility that by the time they obtained the pass, the lockdown would already be lifted.
They were desperate, but not desperate to lose their mind and rationality to make wise decisions.
'These nobles are really not easy to swindle.' Karl also understood the shrewd nobles were being cautious. He wanted to do something to raise the price further but was afraid of making a mistake as well.
'Master said all the bidding money would go to my pocket, but I need to lure out the rat.' He was worried about the latter.
Fattening his pocket was definitely nice, but his main mission was to lure the culprit out. Without catching the culprit, the trap that Damien set up would be futile.
As Karl struggled to maintain the intensity and give them a sense of urgency, Damien also realized the former was lacking experience.
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Karl certainly had the desire and some wits to achieve decent results. Alas, it wasn't enough to complete the big picture.
'Seems like I'll need to orchestrate something more.' Damien pursed his lips.
He turned to Dexter and said, "Go over there and announce the lockdown would remain indefinitely. Say that we've discovered a Slavrok in the sewer and the danger level has increased. The pass that Karl is offering is the only ticket to leave."
Startled, Dexter didn't expect he would one day become a pauper at work.
'I'll have to help the Coachman to reel in more money...' If Dexter were told he would have to do such a task before being deployed today, then he would have scoffed at them.
After all, what kind of detective would resort to such means and stoop so low for some gold coins?
Yet that kind of situation was precisely happening to him. It was also an order from the Seventh, meaning he couldn't refuse the request.
"I understand." In the end, Dexter flashed an awkward smile and complied with the command.
He made sure to exude a detective aura as he approached the crowd.
"Make way people. Otherwise, I'll detain you on suspicion that you are related to the case." Dexter exclaimed loudly.
Almost immediately, the crowd turned around and checked who had the audacity to shout like that. When they came to a realization that it was a Detective, they soon became wary.
A detective was indeed superior to the uniformed officers in rank, but it wasn't by much. Yet the fact that Dexter still had the courage to talk about detainment without hesitation meant that he got the backer.
Sure enough, their speculation was confirmed when Dexter got the attention and declared, "The Seventh has given me an order that the lockdown would remain indefinitely until the crisis is resolved."
"What? It's just a murder case of someone who's not even a noble!"
"Is there really a need to go to that extreme?"
"I don't have any ill will toward the Seventh Order TI but this is too much. If every murder case results in the city lockdown then Velgrave is done."
Without a doubt, many began voicing their complaints and frustrations toward Dexter. Although they still tried to remain respectful toward the TI, it was clear that their patience was running thin.
Even a TI had a limit to how far they could behave and act. The city lockdown had already been ongoing for more than half an hour. That alone should have been enough for them to stop the lockdown.
Naturally, Dexter understood where they were coming from and had no choice but to admit Damien was impressive.
"Apologies, but this is no longer referring to a murder case. Just earlier, the Seventh was investigating and discovered a Slavrok in the sewer. Though the Slavrok was easily resolved by the Seventh, a monster has inevitably been found in Velgrave." Dexter announced loudly.
Instantly, the crowd turned silent. Disbelief colored their eyes when they were informed a monster was actually lurking in the sewer.
A sewer was dirty and almost no one of their status would care about it.
However, even they knew the sewer was connected with many things. If the monster somehow made their way to the surface and stumbled across their home, then it goes without saying what the outcome would be.
"Isn't that more of a reason to let us out of the city until you all clear out any lurking monsters?" Suddenly, someone from the crowd raised a valid point. Since Velgrave had unknown danger, locking the city down was essentially trapping them with the danger.
Dexter paused for a moment before recollecting his thought process. He hadn't expected anyone in the crowd to be sharp enough to grasp the key point and question him.
Nevertheless, he was prepared for an unexpected moment and promptly explained in a roundabout manner.
"Indeed, but this is the Seventh's command. I'm sure everyone would respect the Seventh's decision, right?" Dexter said calmly. The crowd naturally wouldn't dare to disagree with the judgment and decision made by a TI—especially a Seventh Order.
Seeing that the crowd had subsided slightly, Dexter made sure to strike the iron when it was hot.
"Anyway, the Coachman over there has assisted the Seventh in the case. Therefore, he was granted a Pass to leave the city. Anyone who managed to win the bid of the Pass could leave the city with him."
As if on cue, Karl noticed Damien's signal from afar and understood it was time for the finale.
He jumped down from the carriage and took the center of attention. "That's right, people. I hold the only pass to bypass the city lockdown. Once you miss this chance, then you'll regret it for life."
Thanks to Dexter's declaration and Karl's temptation, the crowd was finally hooked—particularly one group of people.