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After entering the state of the Lawyer, Hobert immediately felt his spirituality become lively again.
Waving the forged contract in his hand, he said, "This is evidence of your fraud. Even though the police didn't catch you, and it's unlikely you'll face legal punishment, I will still sue you! I'll make you understand your crimes!"
Xio, who had already begun her search, gave Hobert a curious glance. She felt like she understood what Hobert was doing. After all, she enjoyed being an Arbiter, so maybe Hobert enjoyed being a Lawyer? But she didn't fully grasp it.
Hobert's lawsuit continued, "It was your shameless fraud that bankrupted my client, forcing them to move to the slums!
"To atone for your crimes, Miss Arbiter and I will confiscate all your assets and Beyonder characteristics. If we can't recover the money you swindled, all of your assets, including your Beyonder characteristics, minus necessary fees, will compensate my client and Miss Arbiter'' client."
At that moment, the right eye of Zachary's corpse suddenly opened, and the eyeball, filled with a wicked gaze, rolled out of the socket on its own.
Though Zachary was dead, it seemed he could still sense the malevolent look in the eye.
Clearly, most of the corruption had concentrated in this eyeball, causing it to mutate. It could be considered a sealed item, albeit not one with powerful functions or severe side effects.
Since the external power had only polluted Zachary's eye, it didn't affect the integrity of his Beyonder characteristic.
"And your eyeball too!" Hobert declared. "Your eyeball is confiscated as well, to compensate my client and Miss'Arbiter's client.
"If we recover the stolen money, your assets will be used to compensate for the effort, money, and risks Miss Xio and I took in pursuing you.
"Although mastermind Heyman hasn't received the punishment he deserves yet, one day I will completely seek justice for my client, Mr. Robin!"
Xio gave Hobert a strange look. It was the first time she had heard of a lawsuit where even the defendant's eyeball was seized.
After completing the lawsuit, Hobert felt a clear sign that the Lawyer potion within him had noticeably digested.
He immediately gained some insight. As a Lawyer, it wasn't necessary to seek justice for a client in court; whenever a defendant paid the price due to a lawsuit, the value of the Lawyer was realized.
The moment a relationship between a client and Lawyer was established, a spiritual contract was also formed. So as long as the task was completed beyond expectations, spiritual feedback would be received.
Now, Hobert had exceeded expectations. The defendant, Zachary, was dead, and all his assets would be confiscated. Given the crimes he committed, he didn't really need to face such a harsh punishment.
Thus, the first rule of a Lawyer's principles is: Always complete the commission beyond expectations, regardless of the method or approach.
Xio had already finished her search, "I only found about 20 pounds in cash."
Hobert nodded, "Zachary probably spent the stolen money on potion ingredients."
Generally, the extraction of a Sequence 9 Beyonder characteristic is slow, but perhaps due to Hobert's "lawsuit" and the mediumship, Zachary's Beyonder characteristic had separated faster than expected.
The Beyonder characteristic of the Secrets Supplicant resembled a mass of black sludge. Approaching it or even gazing at it made it feel as if countless whispers could be heard at the ear.
To perform the ritual, Zachary had purchased some occult herbs. Hobert emptied the herbs from two tin boxes—one to hold the Beyonder characteristic and the other for Zachary's mutated eyeball.
After discussing a few things with Xio, they set a fire, completely destroying the evidence.
Upon leaving the abandoned factory, Xio remarked, "This was definitely the most thrilling thing I've done since becoming an Arbiter."
After committing arson and murder together, the trust between them grew significantly.
To avoid attracting the coachman's attention, they walked a considerable distance before hailing a cab.
Both were already exhausted, but now was not the time to rest.
After giving the coachman the address for 109 Vask Avenue, Hobert quietly told Xio everything he had learned about Heyman during the séance.
However, Hobert didn't mention the potion formula. He had no intention of selling it, but rather keeping it in mind. For instance, if he heard of someone purchasing ingredients from the formula, he would know that person was a Secrets Supplicant and likely had ties to the Aurora Order.
Since he wasn't planning on exchanging the formula for monetary rewards, Hobert didn't share it with Xio.
When Xio heard that the case might be connected to the Aurora Order, she expressed concern, "I've heard those people are extremists. Will..."
She whispered, "Will they take revenge on us for killing their man?"
Hobert smiled, "Miss Xio, this is Backlund. All three major churches have high-sequence Beyonders stationed here. Trust me, the Aurora Order fears exposure far more than we do.
"Besides, Zachary was clearly one of their peripheral members. If I'm not mistaken, Heyman gave him a ritual that was inherently flawed.
"Zachary was despicable, but he was also a tragic figure, constantly being toyed with by Heyman.
"As long as we don't dig into the Aurora Order's secrets, they won't risk exposure to avenge such a minor figure."
Xio breathed a sigh of relief. Hobert's reasoning was sound, and she believed the same.
Hobert continued, "We've already spent two or three hours tracking and dealing with Zachary. It's unlikely we'll catch Heyman now.
"However, Heyman's escape was probably rushed. Let's hope he left enough valuables at those two locations to compensate for our client's losses."
Then he produced the two tin boxes, "I know a reliable Beyonder gathering. I can sell these there, and we can split the proceeds.
"Before that, though, let me estimate their value. A Sequence 9 Beyonder characteristic typically fetches 300 pounds, though few are willing to consume the 'Secrets Supplicant' potion, so the characteristic might only sell for 270 to 280 pounds!"
Xio's eyes lit up, astonished that this lump of sludge was worth so much money!
While wild Beyonders knew about sealed items and some were aware of Beyonder characteristics, few understood the "Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility," so they didn't have a concrete concept of either.
Clearing her throat, she suggested, "I, uh, also know a reliable Beyonder gathering. Should we go together…?"
"Is it the gathering hosted by Mr. A?" Hobert asked. When Xio nodded, he chuckled, "Miss Xio, if you don't want to die tragically at home one day, I suggest you abandon that idea!"