Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 811: Section 544: Me at This Moment (Part 2)_2

Chapter 811: Section 544: Me at This Moment (Part 2)_2

This made him even more curious.

......

Niels Bohr.

As an apprentice Demon Hunter, he didn’t yet have the ability to take on those hunting missions. The reason he was able to be on duty at the intersection today was that Niels considered the ten Mowish subsidy for one night’s guard duty—since he was saving money, he was quite happy to do it. As for why Niels decided to save money?

Please, Niels had recently fallen for a girl, and as a boy, how could he pursue a girl without money?

Ask old Jack for money? Niels was unwilling—the old man had enough of his own illnesses to spend money on, so he might as well save some himself.

Thinking about this, Niels noticed a group of people coming from a distance—carrying lamps, they seemed to be a Patrol Team, but for safety’s sake, Niels still called his teammates out from the sheltered corner nearby.

The City Guard squad that came out didn’t show any reluctance. There were seven of them, each had to give Niels a Mowish for the chance to hide in the sheltered spot, but if they didn’t come out when the Patrol Team arrived, any member of the Patrol Team who reported them could take their subsidy for themselves, and they would also be fired.

So when Niels called them out, they moved particularly quickly. After all, no one wants to quarrel with money, and they even took over the job of receiving the Patrol Team—well, of course, since Niels was just a newcomer temporarily joining the night patrol, the City Guards couldn’t possibly let him be responsible for reception.

So Niels sat down at a nearby watchtower, where he could rightfully avoid the heavy snow. Although it was still windy, Niels felt that he shouldn’t quarrel with money—think about it, Niels, you earn seventeen Mowish in one night, whereas detecting whether there are Spirits or different kind activities in some haunted place, you might not make five Mowish after a whole night’s work... Comparatively, this job isn’t that bad.

Niels also observed the team and realized that the leader was Sudel Walden. Isn’t he a favored person in front of Lord Malin?

How annoying, if he could follow Lord Malin, he might become famous just like him.

Thinking this, Niels enviously eyed the young man until he and his team left the station.

"Kid, it’s all yours." The soldiers of the City Guards squadron saw the people off, then continued to return to the wind-sheltered spot, starting to enjoy the time without wind or snow near the fire.

Niels, of course, wouldn’t quarrel with money. He sat in the watchtower, watching the Patrol Team leave.

When they passed a streetlight, Niels squinted his eyes—because for a split second, he saw a distortion in the snow at the end of the team.

It seemed like there was someone invisible appearing there. Niels instinctively wanted to pull the alarm, then realized he was in a watchtower... Ah, yes, he was in Copenhagen and not some dangerous wilderness. In this safest city, it was impossible for any different kind or Chaos to appear undetected.

That scene must have been his eyes playing tricks on him.

Thinking this, Niels decisively withdrew his attention, ready to look toward the direction the next Patrol Team would come from.

In the moment he turned his head, he saw the mansion they had just passed.

That... that seemed to be the Hirata Mansion?

Hmm, didn’t they say Mister Junichiro Hirata died in an attack at noon?

May the Lord have mercy, may he go to purgatory.

Niels crossed himself with the emblem of the Lord of Justice on his chest, then picked up the jug of alcohol under the chair next to him and took a swig.

Free alcohol still tastes sweet, doesn’t it?

......

"Have we already started the second round?" The voice of Rhodes from behind seemed to be laden with exhaustion, Sudel didn’t need to turn around to understand that his cousin was truly tired, not just slacking off. The battles recently had indeed drained a lot of energy, but Sudel still had to accept the orders from the military department, after all, he was just a lieutenant.

Fortunately, it seemed the members of the City Guard in the team were even more exhausted, so Sudel ordered the team to rest at the next intersection with a watchtower.

"Just push a little harder, one more hour until dawn, then once we finish our shift, we can go home and sleep soundly." Sudel also took the chance to encourage his teammates: "At the next intersection, perhaps we’ll even get to drink a cup of hot tea."

```

"That’s great, I like hot stuff. Right now, if you can give me anything hot – tea, liquor, or even water – that’ll do," Rhodes muttered as he walked, "It would be best if there was a hot soup, the kind with meat in it."

"Would you like a piece of grilled meat as well?" Sudel asked with a smile.

"If that was possible, it would be great, but I feel more like I’m living in a dream."

This time, not just his cousin, but everyone in the team laughed.

Sudel was also laughing—his cousin looked alright, at least responsive to jokes, seemingly not in any danger.

The team, now somewhat spirited, reached the next watchtower, where the City Guard squad on duty brought out some coarse snacks and hot tea they had prepared for the tired faces.

Sudel took the snacks, but instead of eating them first, he drank a sip of hot tea, feeling revived like a young man, then began eating the snacks.

"Thank you," he said to the squad leader.

"We are the ones who should be thanking you. We’re understaffed today; many were borrowed by the police department," the squad leader said with a laugh, "But we are quite happy, aren’t we?"

"Yes, it’s good to be happy while alive," Sudel laughed.

After they finished their cryptic exchange, Sudel glanced at his team members, saw that everyone had finished their snacks, and handed his tea cup back to the squad leader: "We’re heading off, goodbye."

"Goodbye, young man, hard work today."

After bidding farewell, Sudel led the team out of the station, and as they walked into the snowy winds, the young man suddenly heard ten footsteps at a crossroads.

It was just that one time, he stopped, turned his head to look behind him — his cousin Rhodes and the seven veteran City Guards looked at him in surprise.

Sudel listened for a while, unable to determine whether the extra footstep he heard was an opponent’s slip, or a hallucination from excessive fatigue.

"I thought I heard something wrong," the young man chuckled and shook his head. "Let’s keep going; we can rest after this round."

"Hard work, young man," the squad leader said, comforting him with a smile.

"Thank you, indeed, everyone’s hardworking." Sudel spoke while turning around, scanning his surroundings, and eventually, he found a house plate amid the combination of roadside railings, walls, and gates.

Song’s residence?

Song Zaiyi?

Sudel frowned, yawning as he took another glance at the back wall of the team, where snow seemed to have accumulated too much in some areas and fell down.

"Sudel, what’s wrong?" his cousin asked.

"Nothing, just thinking how big this house is; compared to it, Walden’s place is practically a straw nest."

"Well, this is a big city after all, as Malin lord would say, it’s bustling," Rhodes remarked.

"Yes... bustling," Sudel said feelingly, moving forward, "I just want to get a good sleep after everything is over."

"It’s as if you’re the only one who wants to sleep well," Rhodes fully utilized his talent for arguing.

This time, Sudel chose not to argue with him.

I’m so tired I’m hearing things, why bother arguing, am I trying to argue myself to death?

```