Chapter 45 - 45 Forty-five

Words : 1335 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

45: Forty-five. Abandoned Asylum 45: Forty-five. Abandoned Asylum Anna chattered nonstop like a sparrow fluttering about in the Detective Agency. “Won’t taking me out cause you trouble? Oh my, what if someone sees me... What if an overzealous Exorcist jumps out and says, ‘I cast you out in the name of the Lord!’ Then, Lu Li, you’ll help me, right? Will you? Hey, why aren’t you saying anything...” “I will.” At crucial moments, Lu Li responded succinctly to avoid further trouble. Sure enough, Anna stopped pestering Lu Li and continued to mutter to herself, “I’ve worn this dress for so long, it’s so embarrassing to go out in it... Well, it doesn’t matter since I can’t wear anything else anyway. So, Lu Li, where are we going later? To the seaside or the park? Daisy said they opened a Haunted House in Simp Park, it might be interesting...” Anna’s personality was very pure; at least, in her world view, there were only two colors: black and white, not the grey that adults mix together. Therefore, when Lu Li considered having her as an assistant by his side, Anna took it as “Lu Li is so considerate of me, he’s taking me out to have fun, I won’t admit I’m touched.” Lu Li wanted to correct her mistaken thoughts and honestly make clear that he was taking her out only as an assistant, not specifically to cheer her up—but visibly, Lu Li couldn’t get a word in. “So where are we going?” Anna’s bright eyes fixed on Lu Li. Lu Li calmly said, “The Abandoned Asylum.” “...?” A mood named ‘confusion’ seemed to appear in Anna. Lu Li continued, “There’s a commission that requires us to investigate the Asylum. It may not be very safe, so I plan to take you along, but you can refuse if you want.” “Oh... It’s a mission,” Anna said, suddenly understanding, and she huffed pretentiously, “Then I’ll accompany you. Besides, technically, I’m also an employee of the Detective Agency.” Even though it’s not specifically a... you know, it still seems quite interesting. “I have something I want to confirm,” Lu Li’s steady voice dispelled a hint of Heartwarming sentiment that had risen in the Detective Agency. “Can you only enter that painting, or can you possess other things as well?” Anna paused, her thoughts easily sidetracked by Lu Li, trying hard to think of an answer, “Hmm... I haven’t tried.” “Try it now.” If Anna could freely possess other objects, taking her out would undoubtedly be much more convenient. Although she could use the common ghostly ability to become invisible, there’s always a certain kind of person who can sense the presence of ghosts. Taking a ghost for a stroll through the streets was indeed not a prudent decision. Anna complied with the request, but the outcome was disappointing. She couldn’t enter other objects the way she could the painting, including but not limited to the alarm clock, music box, table, Lu Li’s top hat. After stopping the experiment, Lu Li instructed her on some details about the commission, like how they would set off after nightfall. By then, the streets would be sparsely populated, with almost no one noticing the ghost hiding beside Lu Li. Anna returned to the painting to rest, preparing for the arrival of the night. Lu Li also made some preparations, such as having Oliver investigate the location of the police station around the Asylum, and purchasing an umbrella from a store. The long-standing mist in the sky began to clear, revealing even more ominous clouds. As the newspapers said, rain was coming. ... Night fell, and this seaside city began to light up with faint but Heartwarming glows. If one were to look towards Belfast from the nearby sea at this time, they would notice countless faint lights bright enough to illuminate the sky above the city, among the terraced spread of buildings over the entire hill. However, contrary to the expected hustle and bustle, most streets were eerily silent, with hardly any pedestrians in sight. Rustle, rustle— On Sailor Street, in front of a Long House door, a horse shuffled restlessly in place, causing the carriage behind it to sway slightly. Although light spilled from the windows of each house, illuminating the streets, there were always dark corners and empty homes where shadows lurked. Lu Li turned up the flame of the oil lamp and placed the lamp on the carriage frame. The brightness calmed the horses, and their tails no longer swished restlessly. “The streets are empty, come out,” Lu Li said, turning to speak to someone behind the window. As his voice faded, Anna, who had been peeking around with a crouched neck, emerged from behind the window. “A carriage?” she asked, puzzled. “Rented. The Asylum is a distance from here.” The rental price of 30 Shillings was quite expensive, but it was a necessary cost. If not for the fact that this world’s technology was still at the early stages of the industrial era, and the recently introduced steam cars were highly prone to breaking down, Lu Li might have considered buying a steam car for transportation. Of course, that would be after scraping together 1000 Shillings. Once sure that the street was deserted, Anna floated onto the carriage and went straight into the compartment. The horses shook their heads from side to side, as if sensing something. The next moment, the carriage dipped as Lu Li stepped onto the vehicle and settled in front of the compartment, gently pulling the reins. Clip-clop, clip-clop— The horseshoes clattered against the cobblestone road, their crisp sounds echoing into the night. It must be said that Lu Li’s courage was gradually growing. To say it was courage might be imprecise since a person of Lu Li’s indifferent nature seldom experiences emotions toward the outside world, including fear. Therefore, “tolerance” seemed to be a more fitting description for Lu Li. With his growing understanding of ghosts and involvement in the Exorcist profession, Lu Li’s tolerance was steadily increasing. At least a week prior, Lu Li could not have imagined leaving the warm and bright Detective Agency after dusk, having a ghostly companion by his side, or taking the lives of several specters himself. Yet at that moment, something unexpected happened—Anna, hidden in the carriage, did not move with the moving vehicle. As the carriage left its original spot—she was thrown off the carriage. In this moment, the usually inconspicuous science suddenly made an appearance, delivering a heavy blow to the supernatural realm. Nevertheless, after coming to her senses, Anna quickly caught up with the carriage and re-entered the compartment, managing to stay inside just like Lu Li. “How did you do that?” Lu Li turned his head, curious. Lu Li thought that the technology of this world would be heavily suppressed by the paranormal, but it turned out that ghosts also had to adhere to certain physical laws. Did this imply that if the technology of this world were to continue advancing without dying out, there might be a scene of nuclear bombs confronting specters one day? “Just had to spread my essence onto the carriage,” Anna replied, her face flushed with embarrassment. Lu Li nodded, fell into silence, and continued to ponder his scattered thoughts. ... The night was hazy. It remained overcast, without a glimpse of moonlight; perhaps this world did not have a satellite akin to the moon. Oliver had provided a map to ensure Lu Li did not stray from the path. The Abandoned Asylum was on the backside of Sugard Mountain—the mountain upon which the city of Belfast sat. In contrast to the Belfast side that faced the ocean, the backside of Sugard Mountain was like a dark corner untouched by light. As bustling and lively as Belfast was, the mountain’s backside was that much more dilapidated and desolate.

Chapter 45 - 45 Forty-five

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