The Shepherds Are Dense – Chapter 174

Chapter 175
Alistair is a Woman!
A “small black room” loses its meaning if the duration is too short. For example, if it’s less than eight hours, it’s no different than turning off the lights before someone goes to sleep.
Tommy Lloyd was imprisoned yesterday afternoon; he needed to be held for at least twenty-four hours.
Then, they could tell him they had held the other party for thirty hours. Hunger and fear would distort his perception of time, making Tommy believe he only had a day left—when in reality, he still had a day and six hours.
This six-hour discrepancy was the information gap created by the Grand Guardian.
By two o’clock Thursday afternoon, the Grand Guardian arrived at the Inspection Bureau’s sub-station in the Red Queen District.
However, when they opened the secret chamber and turned on the lights, they found the room empty.
Only a brass ring lay quietly on the stone bed, glinting with a radiant golden hue under the light.
“Lloyd… escaped?”
The inspectors in charge of the matter immediately grew serious, but they weren’t panicked—they were certain their procedures were flawless. They had maintained the highest level of vigilance, with even the director personally standing guard on the only route. During this time, there had been no movement of supplies; no boxes had entered or exited.
If anyone could slip past their watch under such circumstances, it meant they were facing a formidable enemy.
That, naturally, was not their problem.
Grand Guardian George picked up the ring and examined it closely.
It was engraved with a scarred fist, tightly clenched, with blood dripping from between the fingers.
“Fist of Suffering…”
The Grand Guardian murmured, “Someone from the Noble Red?”
This was a provocation—undoubtedly.
The Noble Red Society was mocking the Inspection Bureau.
To have someone infiltrate their heavily guarded premises and abduct a person… there had to be a spy from the Noble Red within the Inspection Bureau. Only with an inside informant could such a feat be accomplished.
“…No.”
With that thought, the Grand Guardian narrowed his eyes. “Lloyd must have been killed.”
If he had been abducted, someone would have seen. Even if they could bribe inspectors, they couldn’t bribe passersby. Lloyd’s distinctive physique made it impossible for him to disguise himself or blend into a crowd like an ordinary person… Therefore, he hadn’t “left,” but rather “vanished.”
The means to obliterate someone to the point of no remains were much simpler. And the Noble Red indeed possessed similar rituals.
If that were the case, it would be for the best—for George, Lloyd’s death would be far more convenient.
“Have the Law Masters perform a regression,” George commanded.
“Yes,” replied the accompanying inspector.
The Grand Guardian surveyed the room. His gaze quickly fell upon the spotlessly clean marble bed.
It was hard and cold, a standard feature for “small black rooms” and interrogation chambers in winter—even powerful Extraordinary individuals would feel uncomfortable. Such an environment was effective in prolonging the perceived passage of time.
However, the Grand Guardian recalled that as a return gift for the information provided yesterday afternoon, George had specifically instructed the inspectors to prepare a thin bedsheet for Tommy. This was to make the bed seem less cold—after all, lying on a slab of marble with one’s upper body bare in the dead of winter was only slightly warmer than lying on ice.
But this had actually been a trap.
Because without the bedsheet, Tommy might not have slept on the stone bed at all. The chill seeping through the linen bedsheet, while not an immediate, clear torment, provided a subtle, cumulative discomfort that was just right.
So, his bedsheet had also been destroyed?
What had been left on the bedsheet?
“Before the Law Masters arrive, send someone to test the stone bed for bloodstains,” the Grand Guardian ordered. “Also, check the corners of the room—Director Taiya, this secret chamber should not have had bloodstains or any dead bodies before, right?”
“Absolutely not,” the middle-aged woman wearing a monocle replied confidently.
Soon, inspectors with prepared reagents scanned the entire chamber.
Naturally, the bed and the floor were spotless. Not a trace was found.
Then, Dawn, the middle-aged Law Master, hurried over.
“By the Silver Crown Dragon. Greetings, Grand Guardian.”
He lacked his usual leisurely demeanor, respectfully crossing his staff and performing a full bow to the Grand Guardian.
“Mr. Dawn,” the Grand Guardian nodded slightly, “please perform a regression on the traces of the deceased here. Within the last twenty-four hours—in this very secret chamber.”
…Deceased? When had someone died in the secret chamber?
Dawn was perplexed but voiced no questions. “Yes.”
He struck his staff on the ground—silvery white runes converged to form a magic circle, spreading and illuminating the floor.
Soon, a massive figure appeared out of thin air.
As if time were reversing, the scene played backward: the giant abruptly sat up, seemed to be saying something to someone, and then slowly lay back down. Given his size, the stone bed was slightly too small, forcing him to curl his legs.
The rest of the scene showed him lying motionless.
“Less than a minute.”
Before the Grand Guardian could ask, Dawn directly replied, “From the moment he sat up until he was knocked down or subdued again, it was less than a minute. I had it on triple speed; I’ll reset it to half speed and replay.”
The image blurred and then replayed from the beginning.
“Wait.”
Suddenly, George and Director Taiya spoke in unison.
The screen froze, focusing on an almost imperceptible mark on the giant’s finger. He seemed to have written something and then covered it with his hand.
Clearly, he had intended to write it on the bedsheet. But the other party had noticed this, destroyed his body, and along with it, the bedsheet.
Director Taiya directly took a pen and paper and placed it on the stone bed.
She crouched by the bed and asked Dawn to continue, “A bit slower this time, Mr. Dawn. I need to trace his last words.”
“Okay,” Dawn nodded, changing the speed to one-sixth.
Taiya quickly traced the “last words” of President Lloyd—even though written backward, it was still recognizable what he intended to write.
Dawn leaned in curiously, “Alistair, woman… what does that word mean?”
“That’s the abbreviation for Noble Red,” Taiya explained.
“‘It was Alistair of Noble Red who killed me, she’s a woman’—I believe that’s what he meant to convey,” the Grand Guardian said grimly.
Taiya turned to the Grand Guardian, seeking his instruction. “What should we do, Grand Guardian? Issue an immediate warrant for Alistair?”
“No,” the Grand Guardian surprisingly vetoed, “Seal the information.”
“Seal the information?”
“Precisely. The Noble Red cannot come forward to prove they killed Tommy Lloyd—and Lloyd himself cannot emerge to say Alistair killed him. We also haven’t seen Lloyd’s body.
Since no one can prove Lloyd is dead… then Lloyd is still alive, merely transferred by me to another, more secret location.”
The Grand Guardian commanded, “I will personally seek an audience with Her Majesty the Queen to determine the next course of action. First, have everyone in your department who knows about this sign a non-disclosure agreement—including you and Dawn.”
“Yes,” Director Taiya replied.
She inwardly marveled at the unexpected turn of events… the one who abducted Moriarty was a woman. What would her name be?
After everyone returned through the secret tunnel and signed the non-disclosure agreements under the Grand Guardian’s supervision, they arrived back in the hall. Director Taiya saw a familiar figure waiting at the counter.
“…Miss Lily?”
Director Taiya greeted in surprise. “Is Mr. Moriarty doing well?”
The person before her was Lily, Eivass’s personal maid, who had disappeared with him!
Why had she returned alone?
…Ah, right.
Taiya had a sudden realization. They must have escaped while Alistair was not present.
Just as Taiya was about to speak, the recently signed non-disclosure agreement compelled her to silence.
Lily clasped her hands in front of her and said softly, “Young Master and I have both escaped… or rather, it seems we were released. Because the Young Lady suddenly disappeared, I immediately fled back with the Young Master. Since it was within the Red Queen District, we stopped by the Moriarty Museum to rest… and then I came to retrieve the Young Master’s wheelchair.
“The Young Master said it’s a prop related to the case and might be here. If not, I’ll have to return to school.”
“Is it here?” the Grand Guardian inquired with concern.
“Yes,” Lily confirmed, albeit with a hint of distress. “But it seems like there’s a rather troublesome procedure.”
“There’s no need. Taiya, please bring out Eivass’s wheelchair and let Miss Lily take it,” George said sternly.
“Thank you so much—” Lily bowed politely, but tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled. “May I ask who you are…?”
“It’s not important,” the Grand Guardian smiled, casually asking, “You mentioned… ‘Young Lady’? What did the Young Lady who was guarding you look like? You don’t seem to bear her any ill will.”
“Because she didn’t harm us,” Lily stated frankly. “She never did, from the beginning.
“The lady who controlled the shadows had long, curly caramel-colored hair. Very beautiful… I can’t describe where we were staying these past few days, but it was within the Red Queen District. I apologize, sir. We’ve all signed contracts and cannot reveal too much.”
The Grand Guardian could tell she was speaking the absolute truth.
But this information was enough.
“Meaning, you saw the lady’s face, correct?” he confirmed, a suspicion forming in his mind. “Was she not disguised in front of you?”
Few people knew that Alistair was a woman and had recently taken action.
If Lily and Eivass were not Alistair’s collaborators, they must have seen her true face.
But they couldn’t have collaborated with Alistair—it would have been meaningless for them.
Therefore, while Lily’s words might sound strange individually… it was precisely because of this strangeness, this logical gap, that the Grand Guardian became convinced.
At this moment, everything clicked into place.
“Yes,” Lily nodded affirmatively. “But we don’t know her identity…”
“Alistair,” the Grand Guardian stated directly. “Her name, or at least her codename, is Alistair—I imagine you’ll be seeing the news from the past few days soon.”
He did not reveal Alistair’s identity nor speak ill of her in front of Lily. That would be impolite.
At least the other party had not harmed them—regardless of their stance, Alistair had shown no hostility towards Eivass and Lily. Therefore, he couldn’t, from the position of righteousness, forcefully demand they oppose Alistair. That would be unjust.
However… even if Alistair didn’t harm them, the Noble Red might realize Eivass had escaped.
They were still in danger.
So George thought for a moment and suddenly said, “Alright, I’ll accompany you. I can protect you and also greet Eivass… coincidentally, I have other important matters to discuss with Eivass. If you have time… you can also stay at my place tonight. After all, your dormitory hasn’t been cleaned yet to preserve the crime scene. But since you’re back, the dormitory can be arranged for cleaning.”
George smiled politely, placing his right hand over his chest with a slight bow.
This tall, blonde man appeared to be the epitome of a knight—humble, forthright, and upright.
He smiled and said softly, “By the way, allow me to introduce myself. My name is George Barton. I am a friend of Professor Moriarty.”
Update!