The Bizarre Detective Agency Chapter 39

"Mr. Lu Li, please, don't hang up."

Just as Lu Li was planning his next move, the phone rang.

The voice on the other end of the line was distorted and unfamiliar. It was no one Lu Li had ever spoken to before.

"You don't know me, but I know you. You've already managed to make a bit of a name for yourself in our world of exorcists."

"I doubt a reputation is that easily earned," Lu Li replied calmly.

"Uh... it's just a polite turn of phrase... you know what a polite phrase is, right?"

After a brief pause, Lu Li asked, "Who are you?"

"That's a secret, but I can tell you our organization is called Prosperity. We actually wanted to call it the Exorcist Union, but that sounds a bit too impersonal."

"Do you have business with me?" Lu Li asked directly.

"Not yet."

Lu Li was certainly in dire need of money, but he wasn't about to do anything foolish. Cooperating with an unknown organization was clearly not a wise decision.

Until he learned the truth about this world, Lu Li had no intention of getting involved with any organizations, be they official or private.

The voice on the other end, fearing Lu Li would hang up, said hurriedly, "Wait, don't be so quick to refuse. I know you need the money."

Lu Li's dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Who told you that?"

Anna, who had been observing the street scene from the window, turned her head with curiosity.

"Uh... I did. Our information network told me you've been desperately taking any job you can get lately. For a novice exorcist, that means one of two things: either you have a death wish, or you're short on cash."

Lu Li was silent for a moment, then replied, "Go on."

"I'm an information broker. You might not fully understand what that is, uh... it's sort of like a bulletin board? I help buyers find sellers, and sellers find buyers..."

"A middleman?"

"What's a middleman? Hey, wait, I just thought of how to describe it—a middleman! Yes, a middleman, you can think of my job as being a middleman. Damn, coming up with a good job description isn't as easy as it looks... Anyway, let's get down to business: Mr. Lu Li, we at Prosperity have a job that will definitely interest you..."

"First, tell me what Prosperity is," Lu Li interrupted him mercilessly.

"It's the name of our organization. We'll take any job, as long as it pays... uh, not what you're thinking. Judging by the name, we're a wholesome, positive, active, and cheerful organization, guaranteed not to end up on the police's radar, even though we don't have a license."

"What is the purpose of your organization?"

"Uh... it's... to find jobs, then find exorcists, help them get in touch with each other, and make a commission..."

"So you have a suitable job for me?"

"Yes, Mr. Lu Li, I guarantee it's a perfect fit for you."

"Why do you think so?"

"Uh... because the client said so."

"Are you saying the client personally requested that I, specifically, take this job?" Lu Li said thoughtfully.

"Not exactly. He just asked for a responsible, diligent, quiet, and preferably, a novice exorcist."

"Your information-gathering skills are quite good," Lu Li remarked casually. "Tell me about the job."

"You've decided to give it a try?!"

The man on the line exclaimed, but Lu Li ignored the pointless question. After a few seconds of silence, the voice returned: "Mr. Lu Li, you can come to our meeting point, and then I'll tell you the details of the job..."

"I have no intention of leaving the detective agency, so if you have something to say, say it over the phone," Lu Li cut in.

"Uh, alright, as they say, the talented are always proud. If you change your mind, you can contact me, but not by phone—some son of a bitch keeps reporting my number, and it's going to be blocked soon. You can find me at one of Prosperity's dozens of meeting points. The address is number 49 in the Redgrape District, there's a pile of scrap metal in the yard."

"Knock nine times short and one time long, that's the password. If you knock wrong, I might think it's the loan sharks and run for it, heh heh..."

The man on the other end started rambling again. His already rapid speech, distorted by the phone, turned into a shrill noise that made Lu Li's head ache.

Lu Li suddenly felt a wave of fatigue and sank into his armchair. His calm voice was devoid of emotion: "So... can we move on to the details of the job now?"

"Uh, of course... The client's nephew and his friends want to go explore the sewers, but there have been strange rumors about the place lately. The client doesn't want to stop his nephew, but he's worried about his safety and is willing to pay 160 shillings for an exorcist to secretly protect him."

"Is that all?"

"That's all."

When it came to the job description, the middleman was surprisingly brief. For now.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, it's actually 200 shillings, but I take a twenty percent cut. Uh... if that doesn't work for you, we can discuss it. You know, Prosperity is a positive organization, and our second rule is to make sure every member and partner feels comfortable and satisfied. The first rule is to guarantee the job gets done."

"How can I guarantee my interests?" Lu Li asked, a question that successfully distracted the talkative middleman.

"Don't worry, if you take the job, we'll send a fifty percent advance to your detective agency. Of course, that fifty percent is after my twenty percent cut, so you'll get 80..."

"The time of the job, the location, and who I need to protect?"

"Uh... you'll get 80 shillings," the man on the other end insisted, determined to finish his interrupted thought.

"If you agree to take the job, I'll deliver the advance along with the details to your detective agency before noon."

"Fine, bring it over," Lu Li replied and hung up without hesitation.

The prepared speech never reached the detective agency, cut short by the click of the phone. Silence once again fell over the room.

At four in the afternoon, the postman delivered a letter.

Inside were 80 shillings and a letter with a detailed description of the job—even in writing, the man couldn't resist rambling.

After silently reading the contents, Lu Li folded the letter.

"Going to work?" Anna asked curiously, hovering nearby.

"Mhm." Lu Li paused in folding the letter and held it out to Anna.

Anna took it by reflex, but when her hand passed right through the paper, she remembered herself and brought the letter toward her using telekinesis.

"The sewers on Coastal Street... ugh, sounds like a really dirty place."

"And very dark," Lu Li said, picking up an oil lamp without looking up.