Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam-Chapter 969 - 213: Soup’s Coming

This place is quite restless. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

After settling down at an inn in the Lower City, Ethan left with a bag of fruit in hand.

These days, without cigarettes to aid his endeavors, although he wasn't in the habit of smoking, he used to seize the opportunity to find a few security team members resting by the streetlamps, hand them a couple of cigarettes and engage in small talk, thus gleaning quite a bit of information about Oasis City.

However now, Ethan could only hand these people a few apples.

The security team took the apples, which were red and ripe, and stared blankly at Ethan as he suddenly approached them before reflexively taking a bite.

Quite sweet.

By logic, in such a severe environment, they shouldn't accept food from a stranger, and they ought to be highly cautious of someone who approaches them unexpectedly, but Ethan looked approachable, coming out of a hotel, like an honest, straightforward tourist from out of town, seemingly incapable of any wrongdoing.

"Buddy, the innkeeper just said the road to the Upper District is blocked. Can I ask what's going on?"

This "buddy" hit the security members right in the feels, further confirming their judgment of Ethan.

He must be an honest young fellow, probably someone who doesn't even know how to lie.

But there are things they have to clarify up front; it's their duty as part of the security team, and recently, the folks up top who pay their salaries have been emphasizing this point repeatedly, "Why are you asking about matters in the Upper City?"

"It's like this, my wife is a theater enthusiast. Her lifelong dream is to see a show at the Eternal Theater. I saved up for three years just to afford the trip to Oasis City, but then I heard the Upper District is on lockdown."

The apple-eating security team member sighed deeply, shaking his head in regret, "You've come at the wrong time. If it had been three to five days earlier, you might have been able to catch a performance."

The restriction was issued three days ago.

A single order from the nobles in the Upper District is enough to keep them running in circles in the Lower City for weeks.

In the past, it wasn't exactly a secret that the nobles looked down on the Lower City's citizens—it's just it hadn't reached the point of being overt. In fact, in many of their formal reports, they had to face the Lower City from a high podium and say some pretty things like "we care about everyone."

"But perhaps this is not necessarily a bad thing for you."

Another security team member remarked, "Oasis City has been quite tense lately, with many suspicious events occurring. Take the advice from an old-timer and head back after spending the night at the inn."

Waiting for that very sentence!

Ethan handed over another pear, "Is something going on?"

"Heriot, heard of him?"

By right, they shouldn't have shared these internal messages from the security team with Ethan, especially since neither the nobility nor the Church Court had released any official announcements. Had anyone else asked, they would not spare them from being harshly reprimanded and strictly scrutinized.

But Ethan was different.

This young guy thoughtfully brought them a fruit basket with no ill intentions.

Ethan shook his head cooperatively, his eyes brimming with curiosity, which brought the speaking security member a sense of emotional satisfaction.

"Not familiar, eh?" The security member's voice grew a bit louder, "It's normal that you're unaware since you're from out of town. Heriot is the financial officer of Oasis City, but another identity he holds is as the biggest patron of the Eternal Theater. The theater's repairs, maintenance, and renovations are all organized by him. I've heard that those nobles close to Heriot, if they fancy a performer in the theater, the performer has to dress up and report to the noble's manor that very evening."

"Tsk, sometimes I do envy those bastards."

Others echoed, their polished boots scraping the ground as if attempting to remove some filth.

"Heriot was found dead in the theater, nailed to a stake, and I heard the crime scene was terrifying. Blood was everywhere. Our director and the most renowned detective of Oasis City have both rushed over there."

The security members were glad that their rank wasn't high enough to deal with a case of this magnitude.

Heriot mingled well among both the nobles and the Church Court, so the true power holders would undoubtedly investigate thoroughly. But on the other hand, even the citizens of Oasis City could tell Heriot had been taking bribes, embezzling funds, and using taxpayer money meant for renovating the Eternal Theater for his own splurges.

Over the years, though Heriot repeatedly spent massive sums on refurbishing the grand theater, he never spared a glance even at the struggling Lower City residents.

Many citizens had, during this period, complained to the city hall and the Church Court about the situation, but Heriot's connections in Oasis City were deeply ingrained. Instead of being punished, those who reported Heriot were taken away by the security officers, never to return.

And that's the crux of the problem.

In terms of motives, anyone in the Lower City would probably wish Heriot to be nailed to a stake, making the range of suspects as broad as finding a needle in a haystack.

"Thanks, you guys are truly kind."

Ethan once more provided emotional value to these info-sharing security members, "May the Goddess bless you, and may you solve the case soon."

"Oh, by the way."

The conversation concluded, but as Ethan was leaving, a security member suddenly called out, "There have been quite a number of missing persons cases emerging recently in the Lower City, it's not safe here either. I advise you not to wander around the Lower City after dark; best stay inside the inn."