CHAPTER 899: CHAPTER 19 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE

Arthur and Victor stood outside the coffee shop, watching as Great Dumas met with an ill fate inside. They weren’t in a hurry to go in; instead, they each lit a cigarette, taking leisurely puffs as they observed the dramatic scene unfolding in the cafe.

Their silhouettes were reflected on the shop window, hidden within the street corners and alleyways filled with the dust stirred up by rolling car wheels and the aroma rising from the bakery. If one didn’t look closely, they wouldn’t know that these two gentlemen were renowned detectives hailing from London and Paris.

Through the clean glass window, the two gentlemen’s gazes were fixed on a wide-open area in the middle of the coffee shop. The coffee tables on either side had somehow been toppled, creating a cleared space where a heart-pounding duel was taking place.

It was a confrontation between a portly and a thin opponent, both dressed in elegant attire. The portly man didn’t draw a gun but instead knelt on one knee, begging his opponent for forgiveness.

As for the thin man, his anger seemed to have reached its peak, his originally gentle and handsome face now twisted into a hideous snarl, accentuated by a steely pallor.

He held a Handgun to the portly man’s head, barking at him incessantly: "Alexander, I’m here today not to hear your pleas for forgiveness! I’ve already heard from others that your ’Anthony’ had its first performance in London, and you specifically invited Dovar to play the female lead. As a friend, I congratulated your ’Anthony’ for its immense success in a foreign country. I heard the London audience even hailed you as the most talented French playwright of the moment. But, but you damn well shouldn’t have held Dovar in your arms and kissed her passionately after the show! You knew damn well she was mine!"

Great Dumas, upon hearing this, hurriedly clarified: "Vini, I don’t know where you heard these lies from. But I swear on my honor as a gentleman, during the first performance, I absolutely did not do those things! If you’d bother to check the date ’Anthony’ debuted in London, you’d know there was a riot that day and I was involved there. Moreover, a police friend of mine almost died that day. He got shot through the heart under the Tower of London, lay in a coffin for days before weakly sitting up."

"That’s bullshit!" Vini furiously kicked aside the chair next to him: "Alexander, do you really take me for an idiot to fool? A person suddenly crawled out from a coffin, was he called Lazarus or Jesus?"

"He was called Arthur Hastings."

"Shut up! Alexander, that’s not the question I asked!" Vini cursed: "What I’m talking about is you holding Dovar and kissing her passionately in front of all the audience on the day of ’Anthony’s’ premiere!"

Great Dumas repeatedly claimed innocence: "Vini, what more do I need to say to make you believe me? I truly didn’t do that on the day of the first performance, I didn’t even finish watching the premiere before heading to the Tower of London."

"Really?" Vini tilted his head slightly, looking somewhat incredulous.

"Really, I never lie." Great Dumas said through gritted teeth: "I actually embraced Dovar during the second performance."

"What the hell difference does that make?!"

"Of course it makes a difference." Great Dumas said painfully: "Vini, you have to believe me, I tried to restrain myself. But Dovar... Dovar is too passionate!"

Upon hearing this, Vini was trembling all over in anger, he couldn’t even hold his gun steady.

"Fine, Alexander, you’ve done well!"

Vini tossed the Handgun aside, throwing it onto the ground.

Great Dumas was stunned, asking: "Vini, what are you doing?"

Vini took a deep breath, saying: "Alexander, you’re an honest man, a considerate friend. With our friendship of so many years, I don’t want to just kill you one-sidedly when you haven’t drawn your gun. But... I can’t simply forgive you either. Thankfully, I anticipated your reaction today, so... I brought an alternative."

Just as Vini finished speaking, he casually shook the package he had placed on the seat, and with the sound of clinking, two French Foils fell to the ground.

Vini stared at Great Dumas and said: "Come on, Alexander, choose the one that feels comfortable first, I don’t want people to say I’m bullying you. Maybe you’re afraid a gun might kill me, since you won’t use a gun, let’s duel with swords. We’ll have a fair duel, my heart can’t be at peace today without drawing blood."

"Vini..."

"Shut up! Alexander, pick up your sword! Even if I don’t pierce your chest today, I’ll at least cut open your arms!"

Seeing Vini’s attitude remaining firm, Great Dumas finally stopped protesting.

For Great Dumas, if they competed with guns, he was very worried he might accidentally kill Vini.

But if they dueled with swords, as long as he defended well and outlasted Vini’s energy, they could reach a happy ending.

Under Vini’s gaze, Great Dumas casually picked up a fallen French Foil from the ground and staggered to his feet.

He glanced at Vini’s furious expression, and feeling guilty, he secretly muttered to himself: "If all else fails, maybe just let him stab me once to vent his anger and cool off?"

Vini saw Great Dumas pick up the foil, so he too deftly picked up the other one with the tip of his shoe.

The two assumed their stances, creating some distance on the coffee shop’s carpet.

Suddenly, only the sound of whistling filled the air. Vini shrugged his shoulders, flicked the sword in a flourish, and the tip of his sword drew a tense arc in the air, signaling the impending life-and-death clash.