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Xio forced a smile: "Maybe, maybe it's a gangster informant.
"You might not know this, but gangsters always keep an eye on strangers coming to the East Borough."
However, Hobert said, "It's better to be cautious. Let's turn at the next corner, find a place to hide, catch the stalker, and question whose underling they are."
"There's absolutely no need for that," Xio said with a cheerful laugh. "Relax, the gangsters in the East Borough basically all know me, no one dares mess with us!"
Hobert reminded, "But we were just extorted yesterday."
"Heh heh heh." Xio was nearly sweating from anxiety. "That, that was because Darkholm just became the boss and hasn't had dealings with me yet."
Seeing Xio's unnatural expression, Hobert nodded thoughtfully. "I think I understand."
Last night, when splitting the loot with Xio, Hobert had a high level of trust in her. This was because he knew Xio's character from the original work and had a fair understanding of her.
However, he overlooked one point: Xio might not necessarily trust him.
In Xio's eyes, for safety's sake, she naturally had to guard against Hobert doing something illegal or immoral for the sake of 1,600 pounds.
Hobert didn't explain, believing that in a few days, Xio would understand his credibility. After this event, they would be able to establish enough trust between them.
They soon arrived at 56 Gasbin Street, a run-down East Borough apartment building. From the outside, it looked old and dirty, with many spots where the walls had peeled.
The two entered Room 303. Everyone had gone to work at this time, so Hobert and Xio easily broke in again.
As Hobert had predicted last night, there were only a few dirty work clothes, and it seemed that no one had lived here for a long time.
This was probably one of Heyman's small hideouts. He could change clothes here and operate in the East Borough without raising suspicion.
After confirming there was nothing of value, they went to the Cuckoo Pub. Darkholm wasn't there, but his subordinates immediately recognized Hobert and Xio.
In an instant, the seven or eight thugs scattered like rats whose nest had been discovered, trying every possible way to escape from the various exits of the pub.
Xio kicked one fleeing thug to the ground, and with just a couple of threats, he immediately agreed to take them to his boss.
Darkholm's residence was much better than Weir's. At least it was clean, tidy, and didn't have any foul odors.
When Darkholm saw Hobert and Xio, he immediately tried to run on his crutches.
Xio said coldly, "Do I need to break your other leg?"
Darkholm immediately stopped, a friendly smile spreading across his face. "How can I help the two of you?"
Seeing that Darkholm was cooperative, Hobert nonchalantly nodded towards the door, completely disregarding gentlemanly manners. "Aren't you going to invite us in for some tea?"
Darkholm replied, "It would be my honor."
As he led the way, he ordered his subordinates to boil water and prepare tea.
It was evident that Darkholm enjoyed the finer things in life. His house had a living room, a bedroom, and decent decor, looking quite out of place in the East Borough.
Hobert plopped down on the sofa and tossed the letter he was carrying to Darkholm. "Read it yourself."
Darkholm immediately had a bad feeling. He hobbled over to the table, picked up the letter, and after glancing at it, his face turned pale. "This—this is a letter from Boss Zachary!"
Hobert said leisurely, "Sorry, wrong letter. This is the one."
He threw the letter Darkholm had written to Heyman onto the table. Darkholm only needed to see the envelope before collapsing onto the sofa.
The smile disappeared from Darkholm's face, replaced by a look of despair. He asked in a dejected tone, "Did you capture Mr. Heyman?"
Hobert replied ambiguously, "I think you're now the real boss of the Cuckoo Pub."
Darkholm wasn't the least bit pleased; instead, he looked worried. "But what about Zachary..."
This time, Hobert spoke with certainty, "You'll never see him again."
Darkholm slumped on the sofa. After a long pause, he asked, "What do the two of you want from me?"
"I want you to explain how you came to know Heyman and why you follow his orders."
"Sir, I have no choice." Darkholm smiled bitterly. "As far as I know, every pub in the East Borough has some mysterious backers.
"They include ambassadors from various countries, noble lords, highlanders, and even landlords from the Southern Continent."
The "highlanders" he mentioned referred to people from the Highlands at the foot of the Hornacis Mountain Range. These people were fierce warriors, and for a long time, they were one of the biggest problems for the Loen Kingdom.
With the advancements in gunpowder weapons over the past century or two, the highlanders were finally subdued. Some of them came to Backlund, and due to their bravery and ruthlessness, they quickly became prominent figures in the East Borough's unique gangs.
Darkholm spread his hands, "Too many people in the East Borough have lost hope in life. They are well-suited to be spies or assassins. Who could resist employing such cheap and fearless warriors?"
He continued, "No one knows who truly owns the Cuckoo Pub, but Zachary has been the boss there for a long time.
"Before he left, Zachary took me to meet Mr. Heyman. Only then did I realize that Heyman was the real boss behind the scenes.
"I was merely working for Mr. Heyman, gathering some intelligence for him, managing the pub's black market, and handing over most of the profits to him.
"I once tried to falsify the accounts and pocket some of the profits for myself, but Mr. Heyman quickly saw through my little trick and nearly broke my right leg."
Of course, Heyman would see through it; he's an expert con artist!
Hobert nodded. No wonder he noticed yesterday that Darkholm's right leg seemed injured. "I'd also like to know more of Heyman's hideouts."
Half-serious, he added, "We've destroyed a few, but we haven't found what we were looking for."
Darkholm immediately said, "56 Gasbin Street! I go there every week to hand over the pub's accounts and profits."
Hobert shook his head. "We just came from there."
From the moment they entered, Xio had been yawning continuously. Now, hearing Hobert's tone change, she immediately perked up, as it was finally time for her favorite part—interrogation.
Darkholm became flustered. "I-I only know of that one place."
Hobert calmly pulled out materials like Holy Night Powder and Amantha Essence. "I know of a potion that can turn your mind to mush. If I ask you questions then, you'll definitely answer honestly.
"The unfortunate part is that after that, your mind will stay scrambled forever, and you'll become a madman!"
Xio memorized everything Hobert said. She had to admit, Hobert's interrogation method was very innovative, greatly enhancing her violent aesthetic when dealing with criminals.