Shadow of great britain

The Metropolitan Police, 4 Whitehall Street, Westminster, London.

Arthur sat on the chair in the office, holding a white porcelain tea cup in his hand, and took a sip of tea.

The warm tea slid down his mouth and into his throat, and finally melted into his burning heart, igniting the body that had lost its warmth due to the cold weather.

Arthur looked out the window at the heavy raindrops, and stretched out his hand to wipe away the hazy fog on the window.

Whitehall Street outside the window was busy with traffic. Even on the sidewalk, many departmental affairs officers could be seen running around in the heavy rain with documents under their arms.

Seeing their funny looks, Arthur couldn't help but sigh: "I thought that after the Whigs came to power, only people like me needed to move around. Now it seems that most people think the same as me."

When the red devil, who was leaning against the window wearing glasses and knitting a sweater to pass the boring time, heard this, he just laughed and shook his head and said: "People can sometimes control their own destiny. If we are controlled by others, dear Brutus, what's wrong with that?" Not in our destiny, but in ourselves.”

When Arthur heard this, he snapped his fingers: "From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2."

Agares shook his legs and said, "Arthur, I'm not discussing opera with you. You understand what I mean. You don't have to go to such trouble. It's not too difficult to solve Rowan." Things, especially for you. This time you just happened by chance. If Brougham does not become the justice, what are you going to do?"

"Not accepted?" Arthur leaned on the chair: "If I don't become accepted, I will at most just stop working here. Didn't I tell you? You have given me too many ways to make money, a Scotland Yard He's just the superintendent, there's really nothing to miss.

I stayed in this cesspool because I had to beg for food. Later, I stayed here because I felt that some people were relying on me to make ends meet. Later, it was because the shit in the cesspit splashed on my face. If I didn't respond, I would become one with the cesspool.

But if you say that I am lucky enough to be where I am today, I won’t deny it. But you may not know that an elder in my hometown once said that a person's life is not only judged by personal efforts, but sometimes the process of history must also be considered. "

When Agares heard this, he couldn't help but mocked: "Arthur, you have to be lucky that humans don't have tails, otherwise your tail would have been raised now."

Regarding Agares's challenge, Arthur has always accepted all comers. He nodded and agreed: "I am also very disappointed that the person who made the contract with me is not Baal. If it were Baal, he would not say anything and just watch. I fell into a cesspit.”

"That's right." Agares rarely agreed with Arthur: "If it's Barr, he will probably eat up the cesspit before you fall in."

As soon as Agares finished speaking, there was a thunderclap outside the window, and only a boom was heard. The red devil was so frightened that he trembled all over and actually fell down the window.

Arthur sat by the window and waited for a long time before he saw a withered hand with slender black nails sticking out from the edge of the window. The red devil showed half of his head and crawled into the room while yelling: "Fuck!" Yes, I was shocked, I thought Barr really heard it."

Arthur just sat in his chair and repeated what the Red Devil said in a calm tone: "People can sometimes control their own destiny. If we are controlled by others, dear Agares, the fault is not in our destiny, but in ourselves."

"Arthur!" There was smoke on the top of the red devil's head, one of his eyes suddenly swelled, and he almost pushed Arthur and his chair out of the office: "Don't you say a few sarcastic words!"

Arthur sat by the door, frowning and staring at the black tea cup in his hand, and said displeasedly: "Agares, you should be more careful next time, you almost spilled my black tea. Do you know? This tea is... very expensive."

The red devil rolled in from the window with his wet head. While glaring at Arthur, he opened the lid of the teapot and poured the tea into his mouth.

While chewing the tea leaves, he spat and said, "What a bullshit black tea, I didn't even taste the difference!"

Seeing him ruining things so much, Arthur just shook his head helplessly: "Maybe. But our new Prime Minister, Earl Gray, likes to drink this tea very much, and named it 'Earl Gray Tea'. It is now the most popular tea shop in London." This is what is on sale, and I usually can’t buy it even if I want to.”

Agares raised his eyebrows and said, "Can't buy it? Then where did the stuff you're drinking now come from?"

Arthur stood up and walked to the cabinet in the office, took out the tea can, unscrewed the lid, and pointed it at Agares.

The Red Devil glanced at it and saw a letter hidden behind the cover, signed - Brayden Jones.

When Agares saw the name, he suddenly smiled. He rubbed his hands and said with a bad smile: "Oh! My dear Arthur, you finally learned how to do this. People are wise, accept some ordinary gifts, and maintain the relationship between superiors and subordinates. A little trivial thought in daily interactions?"

Arthur shook his head and said: "Actually, generally speaking, I don't accept these things. But Jones chose to give tea this time. This behavior made me feel inexplicably familiar, and it reminded me of an unbearable past. Maybe it's also Because of this, when you drink this tea, it feels ordinary, but when I drink it, I feel like it has the smell of memories."

"The breath of memories?" Agares didn't know what was going on with this kid today. He asked, "Is there something wrong with your brain again? When you were a child, you were still rolling in a pigsty in the countryside of York. You drank two kilograms of mud. It’s almost the same, can you afford to drink this kind of high-end black tea?”

Arthur was not angry when he was so ridiculed. He just said: "Agares, I know you have great artistic taste. For this matter, I also composed a small poem. Are you interested in listening to it? ?”

"Oh! My dear Arthur. Have you become more confident since you won the gold medal at Cambridge? Have you started writing poetry?"

The red devil grinned: "But you better stop flattering me. Do you think I am the brainless, arrogant deputy king of heaven - Lucifer Morningstar? As long as you flatter me, I will flatter you." Have you forgiven me?"

Arthur looked regretful and said: "What a pity. I thought you were the only one in the world worthy of appreciating it."

Agares picked up the knitting needles, sat on the window sill with his legs crossed and said, "Tell me and listen."

Arthur smiled slightly, cleared his throat, and sighed while looking at the heavy rain outside the window.

"When I was little,

Nostalgia is like a small jar of tea leaves,

I'm over here,

The leader is over there.

When I grow up,

Nostalgia is like a fucking can of tea,

Jones is over here,

I'm over there. "

As soon as Arthur finished saying this, there was a sudden knock on the door of the office.

A voice so nervous that it was deformed sounded outside the door: "Report!"

Arthur squinted his eyes and looked at Agares, and he asked: "Which end are they coming from?"

The red devil raised his glowing red eyes and glanced at the door: "This one."

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. He returned to the chair and sat down, shouting loudly: "Please come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the office was pushed open. Standing outside the door was the District Sergeant of Whitechapel Police District in Tower Hamlets, Brayden Jones, who was soaked in the rain.

Jones' face was full of nervousness, and in his slightly trembling hand was a document that had just been issued by Scotland Yard regarding Arthur's transfer and departure.

Although he had mentally rehearsed countless times what he should say when meeting Arthur, when his eyes met Arthur's gaze, he could not help but be frightened and his mind went blank.

The beating he received a few months ago was still lingering in his mind. Although it was a quiet time, Arthur never caused trouble to him again.

But there was always an emptiness in Jones's heart. This feeling was even more terrifying than Arthur scolding him in person. It was like someone was putting a noose around his head all the time, but he could never guess when it would happen. Execution.

Jones' lips turned white, and his body shivered for a long time before he finally plucked up the courage to speak: "Sir, don't worry. I'm here in Whitechapel. As long as Miss Fiona and the others follow your instructions, If you don't touch serious crimes that have a greater impact on society, I can guarantee that they will not have any problems. In addition, I believe that with your ability, even if you are transferred this time, you will definitely come back soon. I... No , everyone, we all have confidence in you."

When Arthur heard this, he just smiled and stretched out his hand and said: "Don't be nervous, Jones, please sit down. I have never left, so what are you talking about when I come back? Speaking of which, how is the matter I asked you to investigate going on? Already?"

Jones walked to Arthur with heavy steps and sat down. He tremblingly took out a document from the cloth bag he carried and handed it over.

"This is information obtained by Miss Fiona after they sent people to follow them. Because time is too tight, there are many things that have not yet been clarified. But if you are not in a hurry, there will definitely be additional information sent over in the future. Norton The address of Mr. and Mrs. Norton, as well as their recent itinerary and what they have done, are all written on it.”