Free Web NovelChapter 576: 576 Chapter Stalker_1
That evening, Aiden stood at the deserted alley entrance and said goodbye to Deborah, "This is where we part ways; I’m going this way." freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"Is a gentleman as elegant as you not going to escort me to my place?" Deborah asked with a smile, "Or should I accompany you for a while?"
"Our accommodations have probably been sniffed out by the major newspapers by now; wouldn’t it be walking right into a trap if we both showed up together?" Aiden shrugged.
"Actually, we could find another hotel to stay at..." Deborah smiled, but when she noticed Aiden’s odd expression, she quickly added, "Of course, I’m just kidding. I’m not that frivolous."
"In any case, let’s proceed with the investigation through our respective networks of information," Aiden began to instruct, "We’ll exchange intelligence when we meet next. For communication, just drop it in my mailbox and remember..."
"Remember to disguise myself, yes, I understand," Deborah nodded in agreement.
This meeting’s strategy, as proposed by Aiden, was to use the data on previous victims from past cases over the coming week, to roughly predict the "Doppelgänger Murderer’s" criteria for selecting victims, then to proactively search the city for potential targets.
If the killer happened to choose someone they had already investigated, Deborah could divine the results in time to take immediate action.
"You should observe proper etiquette when saying farewell, Mr. Aiden," Deborah suddenly hinted.
"You’re right," Aiden said, then removed his hat and bowed slightly, "Farewell, and may you have a pleasant night."
"Don’t be like that," Deborah said with a frown and a laugh.
"I believe with Miss Deborah’s skills, there should be no small-time ruffian wandering at night who could pose a threat to you," Aiden spread his hands and said, "If you’re worried, you could disguise yourself as a man before heading back."
"You really are unromantic, Mr. Aiden," Deborah waved her hand, "See you tomorrow."
"So we’ve already agreed to meet tomorrow?" Aiden smiled helplessly.
"To be honest, I really do want to see you every day," Deborah blew a kiss, "Farewell for now."
Only then did Aiden turn and walk away. When he looked back after covering some distance, Deborah’s figure had already vanished.
He continued walking forward without calling a carriage. His rented apartment was some distance from the Dew Tavern, but the place he was heading to that night was not his own apartment, but a prison—the Rose Iron Prison wasn’t far from here.
Reporters would definitely be watching the apartment lately; changing his appearance would serve no purpose. As soon as someone entered a specific room or there was a light on in the room, those reporters would track his movements.
As for the prison, the likelihood of anyone watching that place late at night was virtually non-existent, plus, he could disguise himself as one of the night shift guards.
Compared to the somewhat bumpy rented carriages, he preferred walking; in this world with limited entertainment options, strolling was a passable diversion. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
After crossing two blocks and nearing home, Aiden suddenly realized something—he seemed to be being followed.
After making two turns, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of the same somewhat tall figure in the distance, oddly conspicuous.
A certain sense of looming crisis made him immediately suspect this. Such intuition had been rare for him in the past, but now it felt perfectly natural.
After personally experiencing several confrontations, he found that a certain situational awareness buried within this body had been reactivated. Although he had previously inherited the knowledge and combat skills of the body’s former owner due to a lack of actual combat experience, there was a gap.
But now, he felt that even without the Words of God, his combat power might reach a level comparable to that of the former Heretic Inquisitor Aiden.
This intuition of being followed stemmed from such combative awareness, and Aiden immediately heightened his alertness.
He made an attempt, wandered into a few stores by the roadside, deliberately took a longer route, then nonchalantly headed back toward his home.
At the corner, he once again "casually" checked behind him and spotted that figure hiding among the other pedestrians.
It was now clear as day; this person was indeed following him.
When he had parted ways with Deborah, Aiden had reverted back to his original appearance, which meant the pursuer had set their sights on him.
With a poker face, Aiden led the other person towards the vicinity of the prison, his home turf, where confronting someone head-on was safest.
He suddenly turned around, and as expected, there was no one behind him, but in the instant he turned, he caught a glimpse of a shifting shadow.
"No need to play hide-and-seek anymore, friend. Come out and let’s meet face to face," Aiden tapped the ground with his cane.
After several seconds of silence, the stalker finally emerged from behind a sign they had been using as cover.
Then Aiden was taken aback, "What are you doing, Miss Deborah? We’ve only just parted ways!"
Although the streetlights were dim, the other person’s face was all too recognizable. The one who had followed him all the way home was none other than Deborah Awen, whom he had just bid farewell to not long ago.
"I just couldn’t resist following you after watching you walk away," Deborah said with a grin.
"Please don’t do that, it’s a bit creepy," Aiden frowned, "Are you... drunk from those two drinks we had just now?"
He felt that Deborah’s demeanor was a bit off from before; the curve of her smile had never been so wide, as if she was giddy from alcohol.
After all, stalking him like this was quite over the top; a normally behaved Deborah wouldn’t do something that could jeopardize his plans.
"The night is still young, to be honest. How about spending some more time with me, Mr. Aiden?" Deborah smiled at Aiden.
"No thanks, I actually have some work to deal with," Aiden gestured towards the entrance of the prison in the distance.
A hired carriage drove along the road illuminated by streetlights and came to a stop at the prison gates.
Veronica, holding a file bag, got down from the carriage, spotted Aiden and her expression instantly brightened, "Chief! Did you just get back?"
"Veronica," Aiden turned his head.
"I’ve got the information you wanted," Veronica shook the file bag in her hand and then noticed Deborah, "Miss Awen?"
When Veronica’s gaze met Deborah’s from afar, she read a chill and sharpness in Deborah’s eyes.
"Seems like we’re interrupted," Deborah sighed resignedly.
"Even without the interruption, I would still choose work," Aiden replied.
He had specifically asked Veronica to try to access information and investigative channels via the mounted police relations to determine the "Doppelganger Killer’s" next target that very night.
"Looks like there really is no other way," Deborah gestured to call over the hired carriage that had brought Veronica.
"See you next time." After getting into the carriage, she waved to Aiden from the carriage window.
