Chapter 380 The Blacksmith Shop
Charles looked at Luna in the hotel lobby, along with the girl beside her, feeling somewhat helpless.
What a coincidence, he thought, this hotel was a last-minute decision for him, which delayed his arrival for a bit.
As soon as he entered the hotel lobby, he spotted Luna's figure.
"Maybe I should wait a moment, I just ran into her on the train, and showing up in front of her now might raise her suspicions," Charles thought to himself.
He couldn't believe how lucky it was that not only had he encountered her on the train, but they were also staying in the same hotel!
Charles glanced helplessly outside the hotel, the check-in process was taking a little longer, and he couldn't keep his eyes on Luna the whole time. Her perceptive abilities were not weak, and it could easily draw her attention if he stared too long.
Just as Charles was looking outside, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
The law enforcement officer he had encountered on the train was now standing at the entrance of the hotel across the street, dressed in a different outfit.
"How strange, there's another return train today, shouldn't the train's law enforcement personnel still be on board?" Charles furrowed his brow.
The doubts and curiosity he had managed to shake off were resurfacing.
Charles was certain that this person was indeed the law enforcement officer from the train, he had confidence in his memory and couldn't be mistaken.
Recalling the people he had met on the train and the sudden familiarity he felt on the platform, Charles had a bad premonition.
"Maybe I should go to the hotel across the street, I could change hotels and follow them for a look," Charles thought.
He glanced at Luna, who was still checking in, and without any hesitation, he turned and walked out of the hotel, following the law enforcement officer from the train into the hotel across the street.
As soon as he entered the hotel, Charles took a quick look around. The next moment, he spotted more familiar faces at the elevator entrance.
Some were train passengers, while others were additional law enforcement officers.
Charles quickly averted his gaze and calmly walked toward the front desk, addressing the receptionist:
"Hello, I'd like a suite, please."
To his surprise, the receptionist replied apologetically:
"I'm sorry, sir, but the hotel is currently fully booked. The last few suites were just reserved by the gentlemen in front of you."
Charles expressed some regret as he said, "Oh, really? I was quite keen on staying here. Do you know how many suites they booked? I'll see if I can communicate with them."
"I'm sorry, sir, but they reserved a total of six suites, each capable of accommodating four people, so you probably won't be able to negotiate," the receptionist answered politely.
Charles nodded, a look of regret on his face as he slowly replied, "Well, it seems I'll have to go to the hotel across the street."
"I'm sorry, sir, but we truly don't have any rooms available today. We hope you'll consider our hotel next time," the receptionist said gently.
Charles turned to leave, he had gotten the information he wanted: six suites, four people per room, totaling twenty-four people.
This number matched the count of those strange passengers on the train, along with a few law enforcement officers.
"Could it be a coincidence? Perhaps they are officials from Genosha with subsequent tasks?" Charles analyzed in his mind.
The reason he wanted to know the details so badly was because of the familiar feeling that had suddenly arisen in his heart when facing the unloaded cargo at the platform.
"Where have I encountered this before?" Charles kept pondering.
He was completely unaware that the Mysterious Fragment, gifted to him by Teacher Ezra, was hidden beneath his clothes, emitting a barely perceptible glow.
With no thoughts coming to him in the short term, Charles turned and walked into the hotel where Luna was staying, specifically choosing a room with a window facing the hotel where those people had just checked in.
After completing the check-in process, Charles entered his room, drew the curtains, leaving only a small gap, and then summoned Mia while watching the entrance of the hotel across the street.
"Mia, you have the best eyesight, so please keep an eye on the entrance of the hotel across the street for anything unusual," Charles said to Mia.
Mia nodded in agreement, then tilted her head back, opened her mouth, and pointed to it with her wings. Her voice echoed in Charles's mind.
"Master, I get really thirsty while observing, so it would be great if I had something to drink!"
Charles helplessly patted Mia's head and replied, "Don't worry, pay close attention, and I'll get you some local fine wine."
"There's a specialty wine called Flower Brew from Flower Falls Gorge, made from various fermented flowers. I've heard it's delicious, with a subtle floral aroma."
Upon hearing Charles's words, Mia swallowed hard and immediately focused intently on the hotel window, not even responding, and threw herself into her work.
Charles, on the other hand, took out his phone to contact Nathaniel.
"Charles, what's up? I heard you went to Flower Falls Gorge?" Nathaniel said on the phone.
Charles responded, "Well, I encountered something strange on my way here, and I wanted to ask if there's been any unusual activity from Genosha officials in Flower Falls Gorge lately. You don't need to give me the details, I just want to know roughly."
Charles didn't expect Nathaniel to tell him everything, he understood that if there was indeed something going on, the details of such actions wouldn't be disclosed to those who weren't high enough in rank.
"Strange, you're saying that too. Is there really something special happening?" Nathaniel's voice came through the phone.
Charles immediately realized that Nathaniel's concern stemmed from the fact that Luna had also suspected something.
It seemed that the people he encountered on the train, along with the cargo, indeed had some issues!
"I will personally investigate this matter. Charles, please tell me the details of what happened," Nathaniel's voice suddenly turned serious and solemn.
If it were only Luna who was suspicious, it might have been a mere illusion.
But with Charles's input, it indicated that there was a real problem, especially since Nathaniel had witnessed Charles's judgment skills firsthand.
Once Charles finished recounting the entire story, Nathaniel instinctively took a deep breath.
Just from the atmosphere in the train car and the scattered seating of those mysterious individuals, he had already identified a problem, such observational and deductive skills were not something just anyone could possess!
Luna had undergone professional training to achieve this level, whereas Charles was merely a commoner, newly enrolled in Cyber Academy, and yet he could spot such issues without any systematic training. It was simply astonishing!
"Just wait a moment. Once I clarify the situation, I will get back to you immediately," Nathaniel said before abruptly hanging up the phone and getting busy.
Charles stared at his phone in hand and took a deep breath, he hoped that nothing was wrong.
After all, he had finally gotten a chance to relax with Max, Mousie, Little Gold, and Mia and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Flower Falls Gorge.
Charles did not want any unpleasant events to ruin his plans.
"I hope everything is normal. I'll take a little break and then head to the address Jamie dean gave me to see if I can buy that orange-quality disguise item," Charles thought to himself.
Time quickly passed, and by around two or three in the afternoon, Nathaniel still hadn't sent any news.
Charles's mind was already forming an answer, there must have been some issue, or else he would have quickly provided a response.
With so much time having passed, Nathaniel must have discovered something and was conducting an investigation.
As he pondered, Charles began walking toward a secluded alley.
He had already strayed from the central area of Flower Falls Gorge and found himself in a neglected slum area that most people overlooked. The roads here were dark and damp, and various types of garbage floated in the nearby ditches, with a foul odor hanging in the air.
Not a single flower from Flower Falls Gorge could be seen in this place.
After wandering through the alley for quite some time, Charles finally arrived at his destination.
He saw a tattered sign that read: [Old Fire Blacksmith Shop].
Charles took out the information Jamie had given him and glanced up at the worn sign to confirm he was in the right place before knocking on the door and stepping inside.
"Those waiting for knives, hold on, we haven't started forging yet today." An aged voice slowly resonated from within the dim blacksmith shop.
Charles wrinkled his nose, the dusty air in the shop made him feel uncomfortable.
"Hello, I was sent here by Jamie dean, I'd like to purchase an item," Charles said politely.
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In the next moment,
the entire blacksmith shop fell silent, as if the previous voice had been nothing but a figment of his imagination.
Charles frowned, he carefully sensed his surroundings and realized that he was the only one present in the entire shop!
Without any hesitation, Charles activated [Divine Domain] to enhance his perception.
With the boost from [Divine Domain], Charles discovered that the person who had just spoken was not far in front of him, behind the counter of the blacksmith shop!
Charles slowly approached the counter, and as he walked, he repeated, "Hello, I was sent here by Jamie dean."
"You've got some skills, kid, you managed to find my position, but I don't know any Jamie. You've got the wrong person," a figure gradually emerged.
Charles saw an elderly man, only about five feet tall, holding a hefty smoking pipe, standing right in front of him!
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