Dubin and his colleagues were still unaware that the mastermind behind their transfer out of the Upper Seven District was her thahick-browed, ho-looking” man standing before them.

  Charlahe adventurers uhe jurisdi of the city patrol guards based on their ranks. There was no other option—Dubin and his team held retively high positions, the lowest being fourth or fifth-css privates, with some even serving as corporals. In trast, the adventurers were merely first- and sed-css privates and could only serve uheir and.

  The military ranks of the Fars Empire followed this order from the bottom up: Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, and Master Gunnery Sergeant...

  Each major rank was subdivided into five grades. The fifth grade of one rank overpped with the first grade of the rank. For instance, a fifth-css private and a first-css corporal both held the forty-ninth rank.

  Simirly, a fifth-css clerk and a first-css chief clerk shared the thirty-seventh rank.

  When Dubin and his meed for duty, the adventurers were left utterly dumbfounded.

  After being assigo these real city patrol guards, somethi...off.

  “Why does this feel like we’ve bee actual city patrol guards?”

  “Wasn’t this supposed to be a long-term small-sum payment tract?”

  “And he’s not even called Kainan.”

  “That liar!”

  Charlot also received his sary today, and it was signifitly higher than everyone else’s. The “wealthy aravagant” chief of the city patrol guards immediately annouhat they would host a wele feast for their new rades.

  Dubin eagerly volunteered, taking seven ht colleagues out to purchase supplies. They quickly returned with a heap of food and barrels of beer.

  The Lukavaro District city patrol office erhaps lively for the first time ever. Both the adventurers and the newly transferred city patrol guards were swept up imosphere. After a few mugs of beer, everyone became more acquainted and cheerful.

  Charlot wasn’t particurly fond of this kind of beer, but it was cheap, widely avaible, and easy to purchase in rge quantities.

  If they were to buy fruit wine instead, the price would be exorbitant. Moreover, outside of bustling areas like Elysian Boulevard, it was nearly impossible to procure enough for over two hundred people.

  After downing a few cups, Charlot nning his “early escape” to meet Annie and wat opera when he suddenly felt a sharp twitch between his brows. His Eye of Insight activated instinctively, not only enveloping the entire office but also expanding outward. He spotted a man in hunting attire, unarmed but exuding a terrifying killing i, striding purposefully into the city patrol guards’ territory.

  “Aubrey Tildon Atwood!?”

  Charlot currently had only two enemies: one was the former warden of Kilmainham Prison, Magru Trell, now locked up behind bars, and the other was the Fierce Horse Detective Agency. After all, he had killed eight of their detectives.

  Siurning to Strasb, Charlot had gathered information about the Fierce Horse Detective Agen several occasions. It seemed that the agency’s formidable leader, Aubrey Tildon Atwood, fit this exact description.

  In an instant, Charlot made a quid decisive choice. He abandoned both his Vampiric Axe and the Blood Rose. Although the Blood Rose granted him the swordsmanship of the Arsilo Family, he khat as a fourth-tier Transdent, he stood no ce against a higher-tier oppo. Instead, he opted for the signature product of the Firequell Workshop, one of the six major alchemical workshops of the Fars Empire—the Anti-Space Le Rifle.

  Charlot had no great talent for close bat, but he had achieved some profi shooting. Dropping to one knee, he assumed the standard firing position, loaded the rifle, and chambered a round.

  Dubin and the others had no idea why Charlot was suddenly so tense, but they quickly formed a protective circle. Fag daheir first instinct was always self-preservation—an old tradition of the city patrol guards.

  The man in hunting attire, radiating murderous i, seemed to sense something. Just before stepping into the shooting range, he abruptly stopped, turned around, a without hesitation.

  A quarter of an hour ter, Charlot finally put dowi-Space Le Rifle, drenched in cold sweat. He couldn’t tell what might have happened if the man had stormed in.

  Perhaps he could have shattered his oppo with an Anti-magic Armor-Pierg Round. Or perhaps the man would have dodged or resisted the shot. If a high-tier Transdent closed the distance, Charlot knew he wouldn’t stand a ce.

  “If only we were in Machubi!”

  “Or if I could bring out Lord Leo. He could probably hahis guy. The only problem is, Lord Leo doesn’t listen to me!”

  “Did he see through my identity? If he did, the ime we meet, he’ll definitely kill me.”

  Charlot unloaded the bullet, slid the rifle bato his Battlefield e, and sighed. The Anti-magic Armor-Pierg Rounds were far too heavy; he usually carried only three. Given the speed of high-tier Transdents, he would likely only get three shots, at best. Any more bullets wouldn’t matter.

  He turo Dubin and said, “You’ll be in charge of the daily operations of the Lukavaro District city patrol guards. I have some urgent busio attend to.”

  Dubin had also sehat something signifit had nearly happened just moments ago. Though the situation had passed without i, it was clear that Charlot had other pressing matters to handle.

  Dubin couldn’t intervene in battles between Transdents, but he was thrilled to assume responsibility for the city patrol guards. Dubin sidered himself quite capable, though he had always been suppressed by inpetent superiors. With no oo hinder him now, he believed he could improve the district’s public order and allow its residents to live peacefully.

  Charlot, his face grim, left the city patrol office.

  While he had known that his feud with the Fierce Horse Detective Agency wasn’t over, he had believed that his status as a gover official would deter further attacks.

  However, the i just now shattered that assumption and filled him with a deep sense of unease.

  Activating his Eye of Insight again, Charlot remained cautious, but he didn’t detey further threats along the way.

  When he passed through the Picardy District, he didn’t return to 58 Elysée Avenue. Instead, he traversed the area and headed to the Cat Detective Agency at 22 Madil Street in the Alcatras District.

  Only Transdents could ter Transdents. With Senior Menielman currently serving with a naval fleet, the only reliable help Charlot could find iransdent world was the cat spirit detective, Venie Arsenault.

  The Alcatras District was a cssic residential area filled with elegant old houses that exuded timeless charm and careful design. The overall atmosphere was warm and inviting.

  Strasb’s middle css resided here, and their high demand for security trasted with the inpetence of the city patrol guards. As a result, this district had a thriving need for private detectives. Of the Seve Detective Agehree were based in Alcatras, alongside awenty or thirty smaller agencies, making the area a haven for detectives.

  The Cat Detective Agency at 22 Madil Street occupied a three-story building with a distinctive Sherlo aesthetic. Each floor taiwenty to thirty rooms. Although the Cat Detective Agency, primarily run by women, was smaller than the Fierce Horse Detective Agency, Miss Arsenault still employed nearly a hundred people, including twenty to thirty formal detectives.