① Unless one obtains special explicit permission from the Diocesan authority, no one can legally perform an exorcism on someone who has mastered Demonic arts.

② Second. The Diocesan authority must grant this permission only to a priest who is perfect in piety, knowledge, wisdom, and life, and whose martial skills are pure.

–Zion Clan Church Code, Volume 4, Part 2, Chapter 1, Article 1172

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“Now you see, don’t you? What’s happened here.”

Perhaps wanting to maintain the dignity of the Postmaster General, Lestrade quickly moved a step toward the corridor, blocking Watson from entering the room, and closed the door.

“Impossible…”

Watson could not suppress a sigh.

It wasn’t entirely an unforeseeable situation.

In London, the Phantom Fist had once attempted to assassinate Sir Fawcett by sniping him with fist blasts.

That’s why Holmes had assigned her and Lestrade to stand guard in case of an emergency, but who would have thought that something would really happen.

As much as she trusted Holmes, the thought that someone would die in Cambridge never even crossed her mind.

“Unless…”

An ominous premonition stirred within Watson’s mind.

Holmes would not have allowed the criminal to escape from London.

However, all these assumptions were based on Holmes being alive.

“…No, impossible.”

Watson tried to remind herself of what kind of man her roommate and dear friend was.

He is a gentleman who has reached exceptional heights and a genius with a mind unparalleled by ordinary people.

It didn’t seem possible that any ordinary criminal could kill the Little Heavenly Demon, Sherlock Holmes.

However.

If, by any chance, the Phantom Fist is truly a master of an unrealistically high level capable of executing lightness skill at inhuman speeds and assassinating opponents beyond walls—

“Get a grip! We can’t be dazing off when the Phantom Fist might be lurking nearby!”

Lestrade grabbed Watson’s shoulders and shook her vigorously.

“My apologies. I fear I’ve let my composure slip.”

While answering Lestrade, the inspector noticed a small leather pouch in Watson’s hand that caught his eye.

“Hmm?”

Seeing Watson’s gaze directed at his hand, Lestrade quickly shoved the item he was holding into his pocket.

“Wait. Did you receive that from Holmes?”

“What do you mean?”

“The leather pouch.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lestrade feigned ignorance, sweating profusely.

“It doesn’t seem like a time to waste on such nonsense.”

“It’s important to me.”

“If you’re talking about a leather pouch, isn’t it in your hands, Doctor?”

Only after Lestrade pointed it out did Watson realize she had been holding onto the leather pouch Holmes had given her all along.

“Ah…”

The contents of this pouch must have been an arrangement Holmes prepared for an emergency.

‘Right. Holmes wouldn’t die so easily.’

Watson, regaining her composure by channeling a bit of Essence1 into her brain, untied the string sealing the pouch and slipped her fingers inside.

Inside was a piece of paper folded twice.

Watson took it out and unfolded it.

In the event of a murder during the stay, gather all parties involved in the lawsuit in the hotel lobby on the first floor and use the front desk phone to contact the number below.

What was written on the paper was clearly the handwriting of the investigative consultant, which she often saw and could not mistake.

‘…What does this man want to do?’

It was only a loss to worry.

Although she had many other thoughts, Watson soon decided to follow instructions and gave up thinking on her own.

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Watson and Lestrade began to move in perfect order according to Holmes’s instructions.

In less than ten minutes, the post office officials, legal professionals, and telephone company employees, all except for Sir Fawcett, gathered in the hotel lobby.

Including those who, hearing the earlier loud noise, had hidden in their rooms without running out into the hotel corridor, everyone was there.

The problem was that not all of them were unharmed.

“What on earth happened?”

Supported by Lestrade and staggering, Timothy Young, an executive of Bell Telephone Company, was bleeding heavily from his temporal region.

As someone who had shared champagne with him earlier in the hotel lobby, Watson couldn’t overlook it.

“It, it was Phantom Fist. The phone rang simultaneously from the next room, and then there was a sudden impact to my head…”

Watson approached Timothy and removed the handkerchief he had pressed to his temple.

“My goodness.”

A large fist mark was clearly imprinted across Timothy’s temple and forehead.

However, unlike the victims who died in London, the traces left by the fist were relatively shallow.

It seemed that fortune had intervened, and there was a mistake in the energy release when the Phantom Fist struck.

“If you hadn’t timely raised your Self Defense Essence, you would have died.”

Otherwise, it would mean Timothy’s skills were more excellent than imagined.

“Did you perhaps see the Phantom Fist’s appearance directly?”

“I’m sorry. I was knocked out by him and just woke up.”

“I see…”

Either way, it’s fortunate that he had survived a meeting with the Phantom Fist.

While thinking that, Watson couldn’t shake off her doubts.

“Suspicious.”

“I think so too.”

Lestrade, who had seated Timothy on the sofa, agreed.

“That guy is probably the employer of the Phantom Fist. He must have ordered him to attack him to avoid suspicion.”

“Makes sense. The size of the fist marks is different, so it can’t be the Phantom Fist himself.”

“Do you think so too, Doctor?”

“But didn’t you check all the rooms in advance and guard the corridor? No one entered or exited.”

“That’s…”

“The Phantom Fist would have to be a formless ghost to attack Sir Fawcett and Mr. Young.”

Both Lestrade and Watson fell silent.

No matter how hard they thought, they couldn’t find a clue to unravel this unpleasant case.

The criminal had successfully committed impossible murders one after another, but they couldn’t even figure out the identity, let alone what technique was used.

“If only Holmes were here at a time like this…”

Watson patted Lestrade, who was biting his lips, on the shoulder.

“Let’s focus on what we can do now. I need to call the number Holmes left.”

They showed the note to the hotelier at the front desk, who was watching them with sleepy and bewildered eyes.

The hotelier dialed the number on the memo through the operator, and soon the call began.

“…The person asked to speak with Dr. Watson.”

The person on the other end, who was talking to the hotelier before passing the receiver, specifically requested for Watson.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Watson tilted her head and picked up the receiver.

“Hello, this is Dr. Watson from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital―”

Before she could finish her greeting, a cheerful laugh flew into her ear.

Haha. Come now, there’s no need to be so formal between us.

“Holmes…?!”

At the unexpected voice, Watson jumped about four inches while holding the receiver.

“I’m glad you’re safe. Do you know how worried I was?”

Of course, it was all part of the plan.

“What on earth―”

Explanations later. It’s time to reveal the identity of the criminal and the method in which the murder took place. Are all the parties gathered?

“Of course.”

Perfect. Sorry, but could you turn the receiver towards the lobby?

“…The receiver?”

Thinking that people wouldn’t hear Holmes’s voice because the phone volume was low, Watson followed Holmes’ instructions.

A beautiful night, everyone.

And then, the next moment, Holmes’ voice, which was coming out of the receiver, amplified by dozens of times, resonated throughout the hotel lobby.

Instantly, everyone’s attention was focused on the hotel front.

This may be a bit sudden, but from now on, we will conduct an exorcism in the name of the Trinity. We need to send the Phantom Fist back to hell.

Everyone froze in place like Vatican statues at Holmes’s mischievous nonsense.

“Holmes. When did you become a priest of the Zion Clan…?”

Confused, Watson muttered in a trembling voice, but Holmes paid no attention.

Approach with a reverent heart. Just as when two or three gather in our Lord’s name, the Blessed One is among them, so too does the devil lurk nearby.

A sentence that seemed unbelievable coming from the mouth of an investigative consultant.

But the capable assistant immediately understood what her detective intended to convey.

Yes. That’s correct. The culprit is hiding inside the hotel.

Holmes’s lively voice began to warm the cold dawn air.

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“The culprit is hiding inside the hotel.”

I declared towards the receiver.

Sitting alone in a dark, damp, and dusty place.

“The Phantom Fist who followed you from London to Cambridge has finally revealed its tail while seeking an opportunity to strike. Now all that’s left is to catch and interrogate it.”

The litigants are at the Upper2, along with Watson and Lestrade, keeping their vigilant watch.

A good dozen or so people are listening intently to my voice.

Watson calling me meant everything was going as planned.

Having stayed here and waited for the call for nearly six hours, the long-awaited moment had finally arrived.

Wait. Isn’t this the voice of that investigative consultant we saw before departing from St. Pancras Station?

You’re right. He seemed to have boasted about keeping the Phantom Fist tied up in London.

Even in this situation, seeing a couple of people trying to calmly find faults in me suggests some composed personalities are present.

I highly regard that cold rationality, but unfortunately, now is the time to solve the case.

In other words, unless I allow it, no one else has the right to speak.

I loosened the joints of my wrist while holding the receiver between my shoulder and neck.

-Crack.

With a pleasant sound, I felt the converted Essence rushing through all the minor meridians in my body.

There was no need to contemplate internally.

My condition was at its peak as I had gained new strength overnight.

“Before we start the story in earnest, there’s something to prepare, so may I ask for your cooperation?”

I ignored the grumbling complaints and continued speaking.

“Watson, Lestrade. Are you there?”

Listening, Holmes.

What should we do this time?

There are at most two things to finish before unveiling the truth of this case.

“Have the concierge move the hotel staff out of the building, Watson. There are too many ears for a story like this. Lestrade, stand by at your position.”

A moment later, the sound of sleepy people grumbling came through the receiver.

Many protested about being disturbed while sleeping, but since I wasn’t the one being scolded, it didn’t matter.

They may be annoyed now, but after some time, they’ll be grateful they safely left the hotel.

“Alright. Then let’s move on to the next step. Lestrade.”

What is it, again?

“Lock the doors and monitor the litigants.”

The Phantom Fist is hiding among the litigants staying at the hotel, or more precisely, here.

1. TL/N: The author now bestows us their translation for ‘True energy’ at Chapter 51!!! Behold, ESSENCE…!!!!!! Smh… From now on, ‘진기 / 真氣’ will be translated into ‘Essence’ instead of the previous ‘True energy’ ️

2. TL/N: Up North ️