pertwk Chapter 187 Interlude - Yuqi Mansion
Chapter 187 Interlude - Yuqi Mansion
Chapter 197 Interlude - Feather Residence
Located in the heart of Feiyun City, where land is incredibly valuable, just steps from the subway station and adjacent to the city's most luxurious commercial center, with numerous museums and art galleries nearby; the property is so large that it makes one subconsciously question the owner's source of income, and even includes a garden for planting fruit trees, yet the building itself is a two-story house with extremely low space utilization...
—This is Yuxi Residence, the base of Hugo Detective Agency.
"It seems my pendulum didn't spin in the wrong direction..."
Staring blankly at the stylish metal sign on the second floor of the building, Naz finally realized that she hadn't gone to the wrong address.
The magnificent and extravagant building in front of her was the detective agency she had spent the entire morning searching for.
The transfer of wealth is always accompanied by crime. How many bad things must a person do to live in such a luxurious city villa?
"By the way, where did Miss Naz find out about our agency?"
Azure, who had previously revealed her identity as a detective's assistant, fumbled for a key in her bag to open the courtyard gate while chatting curiously with Natsume, who was about to become her client.
She seems to really enjoy her current job.
"I came here because of this business card."
The owner gently flicked her finger, and a business card printed with the same metallic paint as the signboard on the second floor flew out of her pocket.
It's the detective business card that Hugo would hand out to everyone he met.
"Ah, that's strange."
The two women crossed the courtyard to the actual gate of the Feathered Residence. Azure took out the second key to open the door, while simultaneously feeling puzzled by the inconsistencies in the details—
"If she had a business card, she should be able to find the Feather Residence based on the address written on it. Why does Miss Naza need to use her superpowers to find her way?"
"No way? It even has an address?"
The detective's assistant's words made Naza momentarily flustered, but after looking through the business cards, she realized that the address of the Feathered Residence was not on them.
"It only has the detective's name and contact information, and doesn't mention the Feather Residence in Feiyun City at all." The owner breathed a sigh of relief and shrugged. "There's absolutely no information about the address. Even the clue that the agency is located in Feiyun City was something I heard indirectly from the introducer."
"If there is such a lack of consideration, then the detective should really reflect on his actions."
Bilan opened the door and very courteously invited the client inside.
At the same time, a hint of doubt arose in the assistant's mind—Hugo was not the kind of person who would be careless in his detective work, so why would there be such an oversight on his business card?
.
Upon entering, there is a spacious entryway where a large painting can be seen on the wall.
From afar, it appears as a brightly colored landscape painting. Up close, one can see a young man leisurely reading a book on a bench, and three beginner elves playing happily at his feet. Upon closer inspection, one discovers that the painting's beautiful brushstrokes are actually composed of countless delicate silk threads. The artist's signature, also drawn with continuous silk threads, is found in the lower right corner of the silk painting.
Regarding the placement of this painting, Hugo once sat in his armchair and pondered for a long time—
If placed in the living room, this portrait of the detective would remain in people's sight for a long time, not only leaving visitors with an impression of arrogance, but even Hugo himself would feel a little ashamed; while if hidden in a private room, the painting would lose its purpose of display.
Hugo was not a collector; he preferred that every item in his firm have a corresponding function.
After careful selection, the middle section of the wall on the left side of the entryway became the final resting place for this valuable painting.
If placed in this location, the painting will disappear into a blind spot after guests pass through the entryway.
Moreover, placing the painting at the entrance allows clients to form a positive first impression of Hugo by appreciating the artwork before meeting the detective. Although the paintings by the curator of Artisan are avant-garde and bold in their use of materials, their style differs from contemporary art. They belong to the category of traditional masterpieces whose extraordinary qualities can be appreciated even by a casual glance. A detective leisurely reading among elegant paintings with elves will surely make a strong impression on his guests…
"Azure, are the detective fees here ridiculously high?"
Upon seeing the painting framed in an ornate frame, Nazie immediately became alert. She had only come here to satisfy her curiosity and had no intention of being taken advantage of.
Wealth is not something to be squandered at will—after experiencing the extravagance of the casino, the superpowered girl gained a deeper understanding of the realities of money.
"The fees here are about average for the detective industry. If we come across an interesting case, we'll lower the fees even further," Bilan replied with a wry smile.
"Considering Miss Sabrina's position as both gym leader and actress, the commission fee here should be considered quite inexpensive. Rest assured, the painting was a gift the detective received by chance, not an ill-gotten gain; and the reason we're able to stay at this Feathered Residence is largely due to our overly sentimental landlord..."
Before the assistant could finish speaking, the overly sentimental landlord rushed out—
"I think I hear a familiar voice! There's no mistake, it's the voice of Her Majesty the Queen from 'The Magical Door to the Magic Kingdom'! You're the actress who plays the Magic Queen Lizhao in the show, Miss Naz, right!"
A girl wearing a baseball cap dashed out like a hurricane, her high black ponytail swaying in the air.
As if using the "Block" move, the other party blocked the entrance, looking at the Pokémon Hollywood star who had come to their door with great enthusiasm, looking exactly like a fanatical movie fan.
"Miss Naz, your performance in the movie was absolutely brilliant! Despite playing a villain, your acting depth was in no way inferior to the male and female leads on stage... No, considering their screen time, your acting almost completely surpassed theirs—'Light is sometimes just a door installed by darkness,' your line completely struck me in the theater! It was incredibly effective! A perfect hit!"
A barrage of praise instantly filled the entryway, and the actress being complimented waved her hands repeatedly—
"Not at all, the script for 'The Magic Door' is excellent in itself. The current result is also thanks to the active cooperation of the rest of the crew..."
While Naz said modest words, the smile on her face became more and more obvious.
"Could I get your autograph?" Seeing the pleased look on the other person's face, the landlady became even more excited, her eyes gleaming. She produced an autograph board and a black marker from somewhere—
"Is it true that Miss Sabrina in Raven City has superpowers? And what about all those props flying around in the movie? Were they special effects or real?"
"I have superpowers, but during filming, I only used them to make my hair float. The flying props had to be handled by specially trained Psychic-type Pokémon because of the camera position."
The actress signed her name on the whiteboard with a cool air and handed it back to the girl with the high ponytail, who happily held the autographed board in her hands.
"By the way, can we go inside and talk further?"
Behind Sabrina, the detective agency's assistant, who had been standing there for a long time, offered her suggestions with a somewhat troubled expression.