Gun of Ashes

Chapter 335: Chapter 19 The Great Man_2

”Artifacts from Florence, I remember it’s that family called Medici, they’ve always been supporting those artists, so these stones were casually chipped a bit by them and became expensive and precious.”

Pres commented on those things. Although they were said to be artworks, under the hype of a group of people, they’ve turned into luxury items in recent years. Every wealthy person attempts to fill their living room with artworks to pretend as if they’re very cultured.

”The great Lorenzo.”

Lorenzo glanced at those things and said casually.

Pres was taken aback, seemingly confused as to why Lorenzo suddenly started boasting again without any forewarning.

Seeing Pres’s expression, Lorenzo knew the guy misunderstood.

”It’s not me, it’s him, Lorenzo de’ Medici, the head of the Medici Clan, the Cardinal of the Evangelical Church. He wields immense power but loves to support some down-and-out artists. With the Medici family’s wealth, he brought Florence’s culture into the Golden Era, but after he grew old, everything changed.”

Lorenzo reminisced, recalling how he had the fortune of meeting the old man during his time with the Demon Hunting Order.

”The great Lorenzo, that’s what those people call him, not me, but if you want to call me that, I don’t mind.”

The detective shamelessly continued.

Pres didn’t say anything to counter, he wasn’t too knowledgeable about that faraway city, but listening to the detective, it seemed he indeed had some knowledge.

”You’re coincidentally named after such a character.” Pres was somewhat surprised.

”Actually, if you’re shameless enough, you can change your surname to Victoria. It wouldn’t matter,” Lorenzo replied bluntly.

Pres shook his head, such thoughts were enough to consider; he wasn’t as shameless as Lorenzo.

”Hmm... What are all these?” Pres looked at the paintings carefully stored next to him, but what was drawn were flamboyant things.

”These are also art pieces?”

”Do you have any objections? The human form is painted perfectly.” Lorenzo said, ”This kind of thing is normal, and in Florence, wealthy people often hire painters to draw these. After all, under the cloak of faith, people have become somewhat oppressively mad.”

The voice paused, and Lorenzo suddenly leaned closer to Pres and whispered.

”Did you know? There’s a rumor that in a hidden room within Saint Nalos Cathedral, it’s also filled with these artworks, but only the Pope can enter that room.”

Lorenzo raised his eyebrows and cursed.

”So this dog of a thing is the least devout, damn.”

As they spoke, the two reached the hideout of the smugglers, and the ground’s panel had already been lifted. Below was a complex of pipes with narrow spaces, just enough to fit a few people.

”They’ve been hiding here?” Lorenzo was surprised upon seeing it.

”Based on our deductions, they’re usually outside, only hiding in here when someone comes.”

Pres replied, this place wasn’t somewhere they could hide for too long.

”Is that so?”

Lorenzo pondered for a moment, then stuck his head inside. In the dimness, the Demon Hunter’s vision was still useful. There was only dust and debris in the confined space.

Seemingly no useful clues.

No... Lorenzo suddenly realized something and then looked somewhat cautious.

”Was it like this when you arrived?” he asked.

Pres shook his head, ”I was on duty at the time, and the first detective to arrive wasn’t me, but the useful information has basically been recorded here because with the Mission visit, they wouldn’t have left anything out.”

Listening to his words, Lorenzo grabbed the files and carefully looked through them.

”No one’s cleaned up here, right?”

”No one, the goods here have been temporarily seized, these are valuable things, and the guards won’t let anyone in.”

After reading, Lorenzo fell into deep thought.

Pres quietly waited by the side. This detective is like that, sometimes he acts suddenly playful with you, singing and dancing, but then suddenly falls into contemplation, as if pondering the truth of some terrible secret.

”Pres, you said those people were agile, even your mounted police couldn’t catch them and they got away, right?”

Pres nodded, the file stated exactly that, the mounted police couldn’t catch them.

Lorenzo spoke slowly.

”The doubt lies here, Pres, a group of people who’ve drifted for so long on the sea, yet when they disembark, they’re full of vigor, and even with horses, you can’t catch them... Isn’t this a doubt?”

”But...”

Pres was about to say something in response, but he also realized the unreasonable aspects of the whole incident.

Smugglers run when they see mounted police, but these smugglers ran awfully quickly.

They hadn’t realized it, or perhaps they did but didn’t pay attention.

”Moreover, what did they eat, drink?”

The captain said he didn’t know the existence of these people, so presumably, during this period, the smugglers were here, but aside from the goods, there’s nothing here.

”And another point, what did those smugglers come for?”

Lorenzo asked.

”If it’s wealth, isn’t there everywhere here?”

Looking around, each wooden box contained an art piece, selling cheaply would still fetch a good price, yet those smugglers abandoned these, full of vigor, and ran away.

Hearing this, Pres’s drowsiness vanished, and he suddenly became alert.

”So... what are these ’smugglers’ really trying to do?”

Lorenzo spoke softly, seeming fearful of waking some slumbering entity.

”I’ll apply for police assistance.” Hearing this, Pres realized the complexity of the matter, far more intricate than it appeared, but... according to Suyalan Hall’s procedures, they wouldn’t overlook such details.

Or is it due to insufficient personnel that an error conveniently occurred here? He couldn’t figure it out.

”No, don’t make it public, leave this to me.”

”To you?” Pres looked at Lorenzo with distrust.

Lorenzo’s cold face suddenly broke into a smile, he approached Pres, patting his shoulder as he spoke.

”Forgot? I’m ’holding an important position’!” He emphasized his words intentionally.

Relating to that mysterious department, Pres suddenly understood what’s going on, perhaps he was already involved in an event concerning that enigmatic department.

”Wait, really?” Pres tried his best not to mention the mysterious department, but he also doubted Lorenzo’s statement, maybe this lunatic was tricking him.

”I wouldn’t joke about this, Pres,” Lorenzo said seriously.

”Pres, you envy my life, but do you know when people know too much, they die sooner?” Lorenzo said, ”So why not find some joy before you die... just like during the Renaissance, under the shadow of death, rather than toiling hard, take the opportunity to enjoy while you’re alive.”

The voice carried a hint of coldness, the Demon Hunter’s demeanor returned, an invisible pressure made Pres uneasy, and then he said.

”Lorenzo, trust is indeed a precious thing.”

”Trust me.”

Lorenzo said again.

Pres was silent for a while, perhaps the sleepiness finally overcame him, and he handed the file to Lorenzo, thought for a while, then asked.

”Do you need my police badge?”

”Bringing that to Lower City District, you might get beaten to death.”

”Okay.”

Watching Pres leave, Lorenzo’s gaze became serious.

He already had a preliminary hypothesis in mind, but this hypothesis was full of loopholes; he didn’t dare be certain.

The Revelation has been missing for too long, if Lorenzo were the Pope, the first thing after reconstructing the Order would probably be to retrieve the Revelation.

Pres’s caution differed from his, Pres was wary of the coincidence seemingly beyond belief—the Mission visit, lack of police force, procedural oversight—but Lorenzo wouldn’t explain these to him, sometimes it’s not coincidence but certain destined matters.

They’re all people connected to darkness, situated in the chaotic vortex, ultimately meeting at the center of death.