Gun of Ashes

Chapter 17: Chapter 11: Wind in the Crowd

Old Dunling, outskirts, Phoenix territory.

As a family famed for its contributions during the Radiant War, this land near Old Dunling was bestowed upon the Phoenix family by the queen of that era. After generations of management, it has become a secretive, majestic castle.

For convenience in travel, there is a railway leading directly to the heart of Old Dunling. On it runs an armed train modified by the Mechanical Institute, a special express train that belongs exclusively to the Phoenix Clan. Despite the considerable distance between the two places, it can be reached in half an hour.

The man stood at the edge of the balcony, gazing at the horizon with a slight sigh.

He is a typical Ingwig man, with gray hair that is meticulously groomed, and sporting a classical yet now somewhat outdated constable’s mustache. In his youth, he must have been a man capable of captivating countless women, but time has not spared him, and his once handsome face is now covered in wrinkles.

Originally, the Phoenix family acquired this piece of land merely for retirement. The Duke at that time was not only advanced in age but also physically declining due to the pains of war. To stay connected to the power center of Ingwig while also seeking a Pure Land, this place was chosen.

This place is indeed quite good. Unlike Old Dunling, where dark clouds obscure the sun, here one can enjoy the rare sunlight without the pollution released by coal burning; the air is fresh. Compared to Old Dunling, this place is like a fairy tale Pure Land.

Yet, over the years, as Old Dunling has been continuously expanded, the man can already see the towering Steam Tower at the horizon’s edge from the balcony.

This is not a good sign. Perhaps in a few decades, those damned dark clouds will shroud this land.

The man likes sunlight. The longer he stays in Old Dunling, the more precious the so-called sunbathing becomes. With his advancing age, he also wishes for his descendants to bathe under this sunlight.

After all, in the eyes of Duke Phoenix, the longer one stays in Old Dunling, the more one becomes damp and decayed, ultimately blending with that gray city into a single mass.

”How worrisome...”

The current head of the Phoenix family, the reigning Duke Efra Phoenix, let out a powerless sigh.

”And Eve? Has she finally settled down?”

”The young lady is still in her room; perhaps this matter has indeed struck her hard.”

The butler timely answered the Duke’s question.

”I actually think the harder the blow, the better. Instead of attending a good university, she insists on becoming a detective. If this incident persuades her to give up, it couldn’t be better.”

Clearly, the father strongly opposes Eve’s detective dream.

”Perhaps the young lady just admires you and wants to follow your path?”

The butler seemed taken aback by the Duke’s strong response and, fond of Eve over the years, instinctively spoke on her behalf.

”My path? Do you mean becoming a soldier? The Radiant War is over. Too many from the Phoenix Clan died for that war.”

Efra’s eyes drooped, his expression solemn.

”War, soldiers, detectives... anything related to weapons is no good. She should be content being the Princess of Phoenix, finding someone who loves her to marry and live her life. I’ve even saved money to buy her an island as a dowry. She could sleep soundly on the sunset shore with her children, without the rumbling of steam engines, deadly plagues, or smoky air. It would be as perfect as Heaven.”

Although he vehemently opposes his daughter’s dreams, the indulgent love in his words is unmistakable.

”This is Eve’s life trajectory, not mingling with the riffraff of Old Dunling.”

Efra said harshly.

”Do you know why the Phoenix Clan is called the Immortal Phoenix? It’s simply because we survived the Radiant War. Only those who survive deserve glory. The dead are just dead, they’re nothing.”

The Radiant War claimed too many lives. Efra’s siblings, father, and grandfather had used up the corpses of every member of the Phoenix family to construct the current Phoenix Clan. Each time he recalls everything, Efra is overwhelmed with uncontrollable anger.

”Go inform Suyalan Hall that I give them a month to find a way to dispel her idea of becoming a detective.”

...

Now Old Dunling has entered autumn, with the cold winter on its way.

The yellowing leaves piled on the road, laid out like a Golden Road under the sunlight. This is a rare sight in Old Dunling, and seeing it uplifted Eve’s mood, dressed in a lace-edged pale yellow dress, she kicked the leaves like a child, making them dance with the wind.

She is the ruby of the Phoenix Clan, the brightest red feather on the wing of the Phoenix, illuminating the gloom of Old Dunling.

But now this princess is not very happy, though the golden beauty of the fallen leaves was delightful, the joy was short-lived, as she touched her empty neck, feeling an indescribable irritability.

The lost necklace is very important, at least it’s significant to Eve. It originally belonged to her mother, a gift from Duke Efra when he married her mother. After her mother’s death, on Eve’s coming of age, Duke Efra personally adorned her with it.

Fortunately, Efra disapproves of Eve becoming a detective, the two have been in a cold war without seeing each other, so Efra hasn’t noticed anything missing from Eve’s neck yet.

Phoenix Estate is indeed very large, so large that two people living here day and night could go nearly a month without seeing each other.

Her mind was a mess, Eve pondered for a long time and eventually guessed she lost it in the Lower City District, but losing it there means it’s likely gone forever, perhaps the necklace has already been dismantled, reassembled, and turned into a brand-new piece of jewelry sitting on a counter in the Outer City District.

Her thoughts reaching an extreme of sadness, but just then, the clanging sound of a bell rang, and in her line of sight, a train slowly stopped at the small platform outside the estate gates, with guards assembling and standing watch nearby.

This is the Phoenix Clan’s special train, used to transport things relevant to the Phoenix Clan. The maids usually take it to purchase groceries extravagantly, and some guests from afar also arrive on it, though the carriages will be much more luxurious than this one.

It is one of the important links between the Phoenix territory and Old Dunling, capable of transporting everyday supplies, and also those with ulterior motives, so guards are always tense upon its arrival.

With steam surging, supplies for daily living and groceries for the next month were unloaded from the platform. Blocked by the guards, the staff could only watch from afar this legendary territory, admiring its beauty while also feeling a sense of awe.

The crowd was bustling, the empty estate suddenly became crowded, and everyone was busy, after all, behind the grandeur of the Phoenix is the diligent labor of nearly a hundred ordinary people, who also need to eat.

Eve watched from afar, but at some point, someone had already approached her, holding a folded ladder, dressed in dark green garden attire, with large scissors tucked at the waist.

He hung his head low, covered in leaves and twigs, with sweat soaking the corners of his clothes.

This was a most ordinary person, Eve didn’t even take notice of him until that familiar voice resounded.

”You know, I did an experiment once, where if you’re holding a ladder, you can freely enter most places in Old Dunling.”

The gardener suddenly stood beside Eve, taking off his stifling hat and talking to himself.

”I’ve entered Suyalan Hall, City Hall, the cinema, and of course now Phoenix Estate with a ladder. They all thought I was there to fix something.”

Underneath the short, pale gold hair was a somewhat pallid face, he looked at Eve with a smile.

”This is something I learned at the Royal Academy of Arts, people tend to overlook those they find familiar, like an open window with a cup falling to the ground, you’ll instinctively think the wind blew it over, and subconsciously make an explanation for such ’anomalies’.

It’s this principle, those people who blend into daily life become the ’wind’, all I need is to carry a ladder and scissors and you’ll think I am a gardener, needing no explanations, your brain will make one for my presence, as long as my attire is appropriate, and the setting is right, there will be no flaws.”

The sweat stains were randomly splashed with water, and the leaves and twigs came from casually rolling on the ground.

The girl’s expression gradually turned frightened, but then as if realizing something, she made an effort to calm down, lifting her pale yellow dress, and to the gardener’s bewilderment, she took a gun from the tightly bound ribbon on her thigh.

”Did you anticipate this?”

Eve looked serious. She was the Phoenix Clan’s princess, but that didn’t mean she was just a well-behaved vase. This is Phoenix Estate, her turf, and with one gunshot from Eve, eight thousand bladewielders would rush out to hack this damned gardener into pulp.

”To be honest, in my not-so-long detective career, I’ve seen people hide money under skirts, but never a gun... you’ve given my career new insights.”

Not having time to reminisce about the beauty under the skirt, the gardener wisely raised his hands.

”Well now you’ve seen it, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

Looking into those gray-blue eyes, Eve felt her precarious detective career was about to reach a turning point.