Ed's hand stopped on a copy of an ancient book called "Full Moon and New Moon", and what really concerned him was the subtitle of the book - "A Study of Werewolves".
This type of occult-related book is the only one on Arthur's bookshelf. I don't know why he is interested in the legend of "werewolves".
This also made Ed think: According to the legend, the physical characteristics of the werewolf are surprisingly consistent with the "large beast" mentioned in the newspaper. Could Oakmoss Street be related to the werewolf?
He reached up and pulled it out of the rows of books. Turning the page, a light paper card danced in the air and fell to the ground.
Library card?
Ed bent down and picked up the card. On it was a name, Arthur Custer, and the date the book was returned. The address is also attached on the back: No. 22 Bauhinia Street, Bitter Winter Bookstore.
A private library? It seems I have to take the time to return the book.
Ed thought to himself as he looked at his library card. He didn't want Arthur to have the reputation of borrowing books and not returning them after his death. But before returning it, you might as well read it again.
He slowly opened the pages of the book. The manuscript was very well preserved. It seemed that both the shop owner and Arthur were people who cherished books.
Ed took out the pen and notebook from his pocket and took notes on the desk——
"The cause of werewolves comes from a disease called "lycanthropy". Patients will show obvious aggressiveness and irritability, and when they fall into madness, they will undergo severe physical deformation and become half-human and half-wolf. Monster.”
"...Patients with lycanthropy have strong bodies and amazing self-healing abilities, and have unparalleled immunity to diseases and toxins. However, silver can cause allergic reactions in them, causing their powerful immune systems to attack themselves. In severe cases, It can even lead to convulsions, suffocation, shock and even death."
"Their society has a hierarchical structure like a wolf pack - tribesmen as basic members, warriors who specialize in hunting, and elders who lead the group. As for whether there is a higher level, there is no case to prove."
"...At the level of values, werewolves are also divided into two factions: the 'Crescent Faction' who advocates controlling the desire to kill and integrating into human society, and the 'Full Moon Faction' who advocates releasing their nature and viewing humans as prey."
"However, no matter which sect it is, there is no possibility of curing lycanthropy. All known patients with lycanthropy will fall into permanent madness at the end of the disease and transform into 'wolves in human skin' that have completely lost their humanity. "
There is no possibility of cure...?
Ed couldn't help but feel a little emotional——
Whether good or evil, the final outcome is only inescapable madness. Such a fate is too sad.
It's getting late today. Let's go to the library to return the books tomorrow.
…
Bauhinia Street is only three streets away from Buckner Street and is considered one of the more respectable streets in the East District. There are also public toilets with flush toilets, which are extremely rare in the entire East End, and the price is as high as two pence.
In 50 years, the literacy rate in the Kingdom of Lyria has grown explosively, jumping from less than 20% to 83% today.
As a membership-only private library located in a slum area, the main customers of Bitter Winter Bookstore should still be the intellectuals of the common class.
On this day, Ed locked up the detective office after lunch and went to the Winter Bookstore on Amethyst Street.
This is a small and crowded two-story building, divided into a basement, first and second floors, with the first and second floors open to the outside.
When he opened the door, he smelled the smell of dust and anti-moth camphor oil. The space in front of him was occupied by dense and neat rows of wooden bookshelves.
Gee, this place is really... full of life.
Even the light from the window could hardly illuminate the room, and a depressing feeling came over me. There was a gas wall lamp in the room to provide additional light source, but there happened to be no guests at this time, and the gas lamp was not turned on.
"Is anyone there?" he asked.
"Please come upstairs." A hoarse old voice came from upstairs.
Ed stepped onto the narrow staircase on the left, and his steps made a "creak" sound on the moth-eaten wooden floor, which was particularly clear in the quiet bookstore.
The lighting and space on the second floor are much better. I saw a thin old man with a horse face wearing round glasses sitting at the concave desk by the window, with a pair of manuscripts in his hand.
"I'm here to return the book." Ed said straight to the point, and respectfully handed the "Full Moon and New Moon" to the old man.
The old man took the book, raised his lens with his right hand and looked at it for a while, then raised his head and asked, "Where is the red-haired young man?"
"He——" Ed hesitated and did not tell the truth: "He went to another city and asked me to return the book to you before leaving."
"oh……"
The shopkeeper looked a little regretful and took off his glasses: "That young man is very polite and has good taste in reading. I was wondering when he would come."
After saying that, he took the book and stretched out his bony palm to Ed: "Just call me George." Ed extended his hand to express his goodwill and responded: "Ed. Nice to meet you."
"Mr. Arthur Custer's membership will expire in half a year. It's a pity to waste it. If you want to see any books or information, I have many precious ancient book manuscripts here. You are welcome at any time."
After George finished explaining, he lowered his head and continued to read attentively. There was a contented and selfless smile on his thin and dry lips, like some kind of wild flower blooming in the desert desert.
After getting permission from the store owner George, Ed began to wander around the house casually. He wanted to find out if there were any high-value omissions in it that could be picked up, like the ancient secret text scroll with the coordinates of the dream hidden in the hand of the Rat King.
However, he rummaged through the pile of old papers but could not get what he wanted. It seems that although I am lucky, I don’t get pie from the sky every day.
So he had to choose a common sense book and read it to make up for his lack of memory:
"Gold, Silver and Black Iron - The Controversy of the Three Emperors"
This book tells the story of the young King Richard II who successively defeated Carlos, who claimed to be the "Great Emperor of the North", and the heroic leader Frederick, and was finally awarded the title of de jure emperor of the Elysian Empire by the Pope.
"This is a real good book, my boy. You are a tasteful reader, unlike other people of your age who only read chivalric novels and erotica--either empty or risqué."
Old George walked forward tremblingly, pursed his lips slightly, and seemed very satisfied with Ed's reading taste.
The world needs flowers, but the world needs ears of wheat even more. Why do books have to be classified into high and low?
Ed smiled noncommittally, stretched out two fingers, bent them in the air and whispered:
"So you don't have 'that kind of book' here?"
Private libraries like this, in order to attract readers, often introduce a large number of "simple and exciting" reading materials. This is already an unwritten rule.
"Those are depraved books, and those with noble minds should stay away from them." George frowned and said with disgust.
It seems that Mr. George has some mental mysophobia.
“Will this affect the number of readers?”
"Of course. But the fees here are only a quarter of those in other private libraries. The annual membership fee is only 5 shillings. There will always be people coming."
I saw the old man gently stroking the cover of the book, like stroking the fur of his pet dog. While mumbling, his tone seemed to be comforting himself:
"...I don't do this for money, I just want these good books to have a place. Apart from the landlord urging me to finish them all day long, I have nothing to complain about."
After receiving such praise from Mr. George, Ed couldn't help but stay a little longer. The atmosphere here is indeed very good. The simple air and quiet light have nothing to do with luxury, but they make people feel peaceful and linger.
Unconsciously, a full moon was looming in the clouds.
When Ed saw the full moon, he suddenly slapped his forehead and suddenly remembered that tonight was the day he had agreed with Catalina.
So he quickly said goodbye to Mr. George and hurried back to the detective agency...
…
"Is anyone here?" The door creaked open, but there was no one in the room, and even the lights were not turned on.
Something is wrong.
He locked the door before leaving, but now the door is unlocked and there are no signs of it being pried open.
Mr. Eaton and Miss Quinn are both under suspension investigation. Who else will be in and out of the detective agency?
Ed quietly kicked in, opened the door to a crack, and took out the one-eyed spider from his waist. As the secret text of the "Puppet" was activated, his consciousness penetrated into it and he walked into the house cautiously.
Crawling along the ceiling, I saw that the carpet originally laid on the lower level of the stairs had been moved aside, exposing the double-opening heavy steel door panels that opened to the sky, and the darkness extended to the underground.
Hidden basement?
I really didn't expect that there was a secret room where I slept. Mr. Eaton has never mentioned it to him. Is there something hidden?
He controlled the one-eyed spider to enter the basement along the stairs. The basement was completely closed, with no well windows and only a damp and dark darkness.
The one-eyed spider can still see in the dark. A huge iron cage stands in the corner. Each iron pillar is as thick as a fist and is covered with shocking bite marks and claw marks, as if a beast is living here.
The door of the iron cage was open, and it was empty except for a plank bed.
What is locked underground in the detective station...?
Big beast...
Thinking of the news in the newspaper, Ed felt chills. What's even worse is that the monster is now gone. God knows it now--
Suddenly there was the hard and warm touch of nails on the back of his head.
He knew that the one-eyed spider was unconscious...
