Chapter 6 Chapter 6 has too much news, damn it!
Any polite guest knows to leave before the host shows signs of being unwelcoming, especially the kind of guest who comes uninvited and the host wants to kill you.So I walked through the chaotic backstage very wisely, found the unguarded back door, and left the scene quietly.The alley outside the back door was much cleaner and well-lit than expected, but I was still taken aback by a few monkeys gathering for gambling.I apologized in a low voice, and quickly left the alley.Disturbing a winning monkey is sometimes dangerous.
I tiptoed to the corner and looked at the alley leading to the street.The alley was empty, but there were constant commotions from the other side of the street.I walked forward cautiously, looking back from time to time, and at last came to the main street of Caliban's Cave.The street lamps had been smashed by angry fans, so I could stand in the dark and watch the riots unfold outside the club.
There are now many angry fans gathered outside Caliban's cave, and the dissatisfaction is still rising.Being kicked out in the middle of the performance already made the fans very upset, and what was even worse was that the other party still insisted on refusing to refund the fee.Some of these fans, including those who are celebrities themselves, have seldom encountered anyone who has the audacity to treat them so outrageously, and so have begun expressing their grievances in violent ways.Nightclub windows were smashed, signs were ripped to the ground, and all fragile items were reduced to little debris on the sidewalk.A small number of security personnel have already retreated into the store at this moment, locking the door tightly.The angry crowd regarded this as a provocative act and rushed forward to kick the door one after another. Some even lifted a large brick from the sidewalk and threw it at the door.
More crowds gathered around the outskirts of the rioting crowd.Residents of Nightside love to watch free sideshows, especially when violence and vandalism are involved.After word of the cause of the riot became known, many of the onlookers couldn't resist joining in, picking up whatever weapons they had at hand and attacking Caliban's hole.In Nightside, deadly weapons are readily available.
With the roar of motorcycle engines, the security personnel supporting Caliban's hole finally appeared.The mob on the outer edge turned their heads and found that nearly a hundred security personnel from hell were jumping off the heavy locomotive.The security personnel yelled as soon as they got out of the car, brandished their weapons and rushed towards the mob.The mob turned to face them, happy to see this group of living targets to vent on.The emotions of the people on both sides were equally high, and they fought on the spot. It didn't take long for half a street to be reduced to a battlefield. The sky was full of corpses, and the ground was covered with blood.The onlookers retreated to a safe distance and booed enthusiastically at the new security guards from a distance.
Now that the Cavendishes have more troublesome things to deal with, it's time for me to leave this place.I walked away along the perimeter of the riot circle, carefully avoiding any violence, and then headed quickly for the business district, because it occurred to me that I could call on someone to help me.When in doubt, it's time to go to the best-informed people, even if those people can't confirm anything they know.I mean reporters, gossip columnists, and all other professionals employed by Night City's only exclusive newspaper, the Night City Times.
It wasn't long before I arrived at the building that housed the headquarters of the Night City Times, "Victoria House."The building is huge because it has to be.Every twenty-four hours, a fresh copy of the Night City Times is written, printed, and distributed beneath these massive stone walls, all under the supervision of the famous owner and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, the legendary Under the supervision of the Victorian adventurer himself, Julian Advent.Advant must centralize all operations of the newspaper under one roof, because only in this way can the safety of the newspaper and the independence of reporting be ensured.I stopped at the front door of the newspaper office and looked up at a group of gargoyles perched on the roof. Except for one of them listlessly scratching, none of the gargoyles showed the slightest interest in me.That's a good sign, because when the newspaper doesn't consider you a friend, these gargoyles will be the first to take a stand.And when they need to move their muscles and bones, they will never show mercy. For many years, the Night City Times has been known for reporting the truth, and a report that can be published in the Night City Times must be true—at least it is gossip that cannot be proven not to be true.This newspaper has never been favored by many powerful people in Night City. In fact, these powerful people have tried to shut down the Night City Times through magic, violence, political means, and business tactics, but all of them have failed.The Night City Times has been in business for more than two centuries. Not only is it still expanding, but it has always been able to adhere to the original purpose of running a newspaper.For while the Night Times has had many enemies, it has also had many allies.Someone once sent a group of thugs to intimidate retailers in order to disrupt the distribution of the Night City Times. Later, these thugs were hacked into a meat paste by the innocent chainsaw sisters, causing the nearby gutters to drain for three days before they were finally restored to flow. I walked up the front steps cautiously, planning to run if anything went wrong.The Nightside Times office has always welcomed my visits, but these days I have to be careful to sail the boat for thousands of years.The Victoria House has a truly powerful magical defense system, and the extent of the defense makes the defense system of the Cavendish Building look like a toy.The defensive magic here has been blessed layer by layer over two hundred years, basically like a wicked onion.Among them is a sonic spell that can prevent most idlers from approaching the defense area. Unless they are on the exemption list or have official business dealings, they cannot even get close to the Night City Times.Of course, it's not really impossible for me to break through these defenses, but unless someone forces me to do so with a gun pointed at my head, I will never try it lightly.There was an idiot who tried to bring a bomb into Victoria House, and was turned into some sort of monster by defensive magic.No one is sure what kind of monster he has become, because anyone who looks at him will spit out everything he has eaten, including the food he ate in his previous life.It is said that the guy is working in the sewers now, and since he took over that job, the number of rats in the sewers has begun to decrease significantly. I pushed open the front door with trepidation, and finally breathed a sigh of relief after making sure nothing happened.But just to be on the safe side, I still counted the number on my fingers before walking into the hall.I strode forward with a smile on my face, as if I didn't have any dark secrets in my heart.Remaining calm is very important, especially when dealing with a group of reporters.This hall was extraordinarily large, in order to allow the firing circles of weapons in all directions to cover every corner as much as possible.The reception staff sat in a small cubicle surrounded by bulletproof glass, and the floor outside the cubicle was protected by an enchantment composed of several pentagonal lines glowing blue.Most people believed that even if the entire building was blown up with a nuclear weapon, the reception staff sitting in this reception room would survive unscathed. The old lady in the reception room put down the knitting yarn in her hands, looked at me through reading glasses, and smiled kindly.Many people thought she was a kind elder, but I knew that the knitting needle in her hand was made of human bones, and behind her kind smile was a mouth full of fangs. "Ah, hello, Mr. Taylor. Nice to see you again. You look good. I guess you're here for our boss, aren't you?" "That's right, Jenna. Can I trouble you to call and ask Julian if it's convenient to see me?" "Oh, don't be so troublesome, you naughty boy. Mr. Advent has heard about your recent good deeds. He would like to have a good talk with you while your memory is still fresh. ’ She shook her head and sighed sadly. "You are so naughty, Mr. Taylor, and always getting yourself into trouble." I smiled and nodded, not sure what she was talking about.It's impossible for Julian to know that the Prometheus Power Company was destroyed by me, right?Jenna pressed a hidden button, and the elevator doors at the back of the lobby opened instantly.She was the only one who could open the elevator doors from this side of the lobby, and she clearly took that responsibility very seriously.It is said that she never left this reception room, at least no one has ever seen other people appear in this reception room.I walked unhurriedly across the lobby and into the waiting elevator.After the elevator doors closed silently, I pressed the button leading to the top floor. The editorial office is on the top floor.Since I used to come here often, I shouldn't be noticed by too many people.When I was young, I occasionally did some interviews for the newspapers, but I didn't associate with them after I fled Nightside in a hurry.Before, whenever Julian Advent needed to find out where a witness or a fugitive was hiding, my talent would have come in handy.Although I haven't done anything for Julian for a long time, he still owes me a few favors...not that I like to talk about favors, but I have long viewed this relationship from the perspective of business dealings , because people like the great Victorian adventurer have always had perfect morals and a strong sense of justice, and I immediately feel uncomfortable standing next to such people.Once they get to the bottom of my personality, they usually don't approve of what someone like me does. I was never sure how much Julian knew about my origins.I never intended to ask him either. The elevator doors opened and I stepped onto the empty corridor leading to the editorial office.The only decoration in the aisle is the famous headlines of the Night Times Times over the years hanging on the wall.Most of these glass-framed headlines are news from before I was born, but when I passed by, I still took a look at some major events that happened recently. "The War of the Angels Ends Drawn," "The Celtic Celebration of the Bloodbath," "The New Abstinence Panic," and "Who's Spying on the Powers?".There's also a more kitschy tidbit title "Sandra Chance Ate My Haploid!" (this was released while Julian Advent was on vacation).I stopped outside the editorial office and took a good look at the Nightside Times motto hanging on the door frame—— Too much news, damn it! The large iron gate of the editorial office is engraved with defensive charms, which can prevent anyone from entering.But the iron gate recognized me immediately, and opened it politely to let me in.As soon as the door was opened, there was a deafening noise inside.I made a little mental preparation, and then walked in with great strides.The newsroom is full of people, some sitting behind desks working, others yelling at each other.A few of them ran back and forth between each desk, helping pass along important memos and updates, as well as hot coffee to keep everyone going.The editorial office is always so busy and noisy. People here work three eight-hour shifts a day, keeping abreast of all the important news happening in Nightside.The computers here are never turned off, and the chairs never get cold.A few people saw me enter the room, greeted me with a smile, and immediately went back to work.This is not a place for people to be confused, and all the employees in the newspaper office take their work very seriously. This place is exactly the same as when I left five years ago, it is still extremely disorganized.The desks are filled with computer equipment, reference books, and magical and high-tech interview equipment.Countless papers are scattered in all directions, and the disturbing phone rings never stop.The large screen on the wall shows the time and date of all time rifts that currently exist in Night City, and there is also a large map that plans the ever-expanding territory of Night City itself in real time.Occasionally, there will be subtle changes in the map that resemble rapid disappearances, reflecting the topographical changes in the real Night City.A large fan on the ceiling slowly stirred the smoke in the air.This is a workplace where smoking is never prohibited, and being a reporter in Night City must bear unusually high work pressure. I walked gently down the central aisle, and greeted many familiar faces, but most of them ignored me.Junior reporters ran back and forth beside me, snarling loudly.The communications department is separated from the rest of the editorial room by a spell of silence, so that those within it can keep in touch with the outside world through telephones, crystal balls, or magical wax figures without interruption.I saw the delivery boy Otto running towards me, so I stopped.Otto, a friendly poltergeist, races around the office in the form of a small whirlwind.He jumped up and down in front of me, dropping the assortment of papers swirling inside him into the correct binder. "Hello, hello, Mr. Taylor! Nice to see you again. Nice new jacket. You're here for our old man, aren't you?" "That's right, Otto. Is he there?" "That's a good question, isn't it? It's true that he's in the office, but do you have time to see you... Wait here for a while, and I'll help you ask." After he finished speaking, he rushed to the small office with soundproof glass, humming a relaxing tune.From where I stood, I could see Julian Advent sitting behind the editor-in-chief's desk, putting the final touches on a story, with an associate editor walking up and down in front of him. go.Not long after, Julian finished proofreading the manuscript, and the deputy editor immediately took the report from the table and rushed to the printing department.Julian looked up at Otto, then back at me. I looked around and saw that no one cared about my existence.No matter how much work I have done for the Nightside Times, people here still don’t regard me as one of their own, because I cannot share with them the sacred sense of mission of chasing news; A person can always become an enemy.In order not to make it difficult for themselves, they will never get too close to people who may become the subject of reports in the future. Newspaper employees are not all human.The philosophy of the newsroom is that all races have the same job opportunities.A translucent ghost is now communicating with the spirit world through an ancient phone I remember.There are also two crows flying around the office, one named "Truth" and the other "Memory".They work here and are responsible for confirming the reliability of the source.A transvestite male goblin is arranging tomorrow's horoscope.He wears a shaggy wig on the top of his head to create a ridiculous image—perhaps being a bipolar man with a strange sense of humor helps his work.While his columns can be frustrating at times, they are never boring to read.He nodded at me, and I swayed to his side.He straightened his clothes and smiled at me happily. "See you again, John! Look who's being naughty again? That fellow Walker came to see you just now, and he looked very unhappy." "Has he ever been happy?" I said lightly. "I believe it was just a misunderstanding. Do you know why the editor-in-chief wanted to see me?" "He didn't say it, but he never said such things. What have you been doing lately?" "Oh, messing around. Any news about the future to hear?" "You tell me. I'm just making a living." We laughed together, and then he went back to his horoscope column.Judging from the content of his writing, the luck of Virgos may not be very good tomorrow. I returned to the central aisle and tiptoed towards the editor-in-chief's office.I don't know what Julian knows, or thinks he knows, but I'm not going to give him any unnecessary information.Here, mastering information is mastering power, and the whole of Night City is like this.Most of the staff at the newspaper pretended not to notice me, which I'm used to.An unmanned typewriter on the left is busy typing reports, because its owner is a reporter who was murdered a few years ago, but the sacred mission of pursuing the truth of the news does not stop because of the trivial matter of death , so he became one of the few true ghost reporters in the Nightside Times.As I approached the editor's office, a gossip columnist slid out of his seat and blocked my way.This person is a shapeshifter, nicknamed "Thousand-Eyed Argus", who has the ability to transform into anyone, and can easily sneak into heavily guarded places to inquire about news.All the gossip news can't escape his eyes, and he will definitely make all the news he finds out to the world.His curiosity never ends, but his shame approaches zero.He had received more death threats than all the other employees of the newspaper combined, and for this reason, Argus never showed his true self.Legend has it that his sex life was so complicated that rumors abounded because he liked to incarnate as the world's most famous reporter, Christopher Levi's Clark Kent in the "Superman" movies. "Tell me," he said. "Are the rumors about Suzy Huett true?" "Maybe," I said. "Who did she kill this time?" "Oh, the gossip this time is much more exciting than that kind of thing. According to reliable sources, Susie has been hiding some ulterior family secret in her heart..." "Don't follow this line." I said coldly. "Otherwise, even if Susie doesn't kill you, I will." He sneered twice, and then suddenly turned into me. "Maybe I should pretend to be you and ask her directly." I grabbed him by the throat, lifted him from the seat, and pulled him in front of me. "Don't do that," I said. "Now is not a good time to become me, and besides, I don't need you to swim in my muddy water." "Put him down, John," cried Julian Advent.I turned around and saw him standing at the door of the office looking at me. "You know you'll need something more powerful than a flamethrower to kill this guy. Come in, and I want to talk to you." I threw Argus back on the chair.He stuck his tongue out at me, and turned into Walker.Reminding myself to buy a flamethrower next time, I walked into Julian's office.He closed the door and beckoned me to the visitor's seat.After we were seated, we looked at each other for a while in unison. "Nice jacket, John," he said at last. "It doesn't suit you." "Can a man who hasn't changed his look since the nineteenth century say that?" Julian Advent smiled, and I smiled too.Maybe we have never become friends, and we don't agree with each other's style of doing things, but I don't know why, we have always been able to get along happily; maybe it's because we have too many common enemies. Julian Advent was a famous Victorian adventurer, the greatest hero of his age.This person is skilled and bold. He once fought against countless evil forces alone in Queen Victoria's era, and has never been defeated by any villain.He was tall, muscular and masculine, with shiny black hair and bright black eyes, and a rugged elegance in his expression.His handsome appearance is not lost to any movie star, but it is a pity that the overly stern eyes and serious mouth shape spoil the overall picture.Entertainment of any kind had never been a thing in Julian's life.For so many years, he has been wearing a black and white Victorian dress. The only color on his body is a purple scarf around his neck and a sterling silver brooch presented by Queen Victoria himself.I have to mention that although Julian's costume is not much different from the previous Ominous Man, he looks much more elegant and has his own style. There are many books, films and even TV series that tell the story of the Victorian adventurer, and most of them deal with the reasons why he suddenly left everything behind and mysteriously disappeared in 1888.It wasn't until 1966, when he suddenly appeared from a time rift in Nightside, that the mystery of the century was solved.It turned out that he was betrayed by the only woman he ever loved in his life, and was lured into a trap set by his old enemy, the evil "Murder Mask" couple.He was tricked into a time rift by these three villains, and he was trapped in the future, never going back to his own time. But a great man is a great man wherever he goes, and Julian Advent soon established himself in the future.He joined the Night City Times to run news, and soon became a top investigative reporter, because he was never afraid of any power, and these powers were not his opponents.Now Julian is still fighting against evil and punishing crimes, but in a different way.Part of his success is due to his vast wealth.Before disappearing in 1888, he had deposited a sum of money in a secret account of a bank. After nearly a hundred years of compound interest, he no longer needed to worry about money.It didn't take long for Julian to be promoted to editor, and finally to become the boss of the newspaper. With his efforts, the Night City Times became the only conscience in Night City, the soul behind all the bad guys. Like it or not, everyone in Nightside reads the Nightside Times; although some just want to make sure their names are on the paper. Julian Advent is a hero created by himself in all aspects, and he is not born with the characteristics and talents of a hero.He was originally just a small chemist, living off the limited research funds in the laboratory.Later, he invented a unique magic potion, which can lift the hidden limits of human body and mind, and at the same time transform people into absolute justice or evil.He could have chosen to be a selfish beast, using magical powers for his own selfish ends; but he was so righteous and good that he drank the potion and transformed himself into a hero.He became tall and strong, quick in action, quick in thinking, brave and tenacious, coupled with impeccable chivalry, and finally became the greatest top adventurer of that era. He was so perfect that even his appearance became incomparably charming.For many years, he tried to recreate the potion recipe, but was never able to successfully concoct it again.He has never been able to find some unknown raw material, some impure factor... So, to this day, Julian Advent is still a unique and original hero. As for his old enemy Murder Mask - the most notorious leader of a criminal organization in Night City in the Victorian era, a husband and wife team who always wears a red mask - it has long been buried in the torrent of history and will never be found again Any clues become a term that is only mentioned in the legendary stories of Victorian adventurers.Some people say that they failed to keep up with the trend of the times, so they were replaced by other villains; some people said that they were old, tired, and unable to fight, so they were pulled down by the younger generation.Julian had used all the resources of the Night Times Times to track down their whereabouts afterwards, but Murder Mask seemed to be lost in the mists of history and legend just like him. And the woman who betrayed Julian was not qualified to enter the legend at all, and even her name was forgotten in the end.Julian once said that wishing to be forgotten was a woman's greatest punishment.Other than that, he never mentioned that woman to anyone again. Now he sits behind the editor-in-chief's desk, looking at me through dark eyes and a mocking smile.Julian's world is still only black and white. No matter how many storms and waves he has experienced in Night City, he has never added any gray areas to his moral views.It is for this reason that it is difficult for him to define whether I belong to the good or the evil side. "I'm investigating the cause of the Night City blackout," he said suddenly. "I suppose you must have no idea?" "certainly." "Then it's just a coincidence that Walker came here to look for you in a huff?" "I suppose so, Julian. I'm all set on a new case right now. I'm investigating the Cavendishes." Julian frowned. "Oh, that's right, the low-key Cavendish couple. They are not good people, but they always have a way to walk on the edge of the law. Although they have great influence in Night City, I still can't grasp it. No real evidence of a crime. Maybe it's time I start chasing them again, and see what they've been up to lately. It's been a while since they sued me anyway. But don't change the subject, John, what the hell is Walker What are you looking for?" "Don't ask me." I said sincerely. "As you know, Walker is always looking for me for different reasons. Will you tell him I've been here?" Julian smiled. "Probably not, dear boy. I don't like you, but I hate him even more. He has too much power, but not enough judgment to use it well, and besides, I am completely convinced that he has no morals." Concept. One day I'll expose his scars and do a good feature. I asked him if he had any inside information on the blackout, but he didn't reveal anything. He knew more than he showed....but , He never looks like this." "How bad are the after-effects of the blackout?" I asked cautiously. "It's bad. Almost half of Night City's electricity has been affected. In some places, the power has been out for a long time. It is estimated that property damage has reached millions of pounds, and the number of people injured exceeds thousands. So far no death reports have been reported, but there are still constant There's an update coming in. Whoever did this has done a lot of damage. Of course, we're not affected. The Victoria House has a dedicated generator as we've been trying to make sure the newspaper can operate independently .John, you were seen at Prometheus Power shortly before the explosion." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Their company was recently sabotaged by unknown people, so they asked me to do a security assessment. It's just that it was too late when I arrived. I was very lucky to be able to escape in real time." "Who did it?" I shrug again. "It will probably be a mystery that will never be solved." Julian sighed wearily, "I can tell you're not telling the truth, John." "I know." I said. "But this is what I say to the outside world. No matter who asks, it is the same set of words." He stared at me and said, "I can put all kinds of pressure on you, John." I smiled slantingly: "You can try it." We laughed together.At this moment, the door suddenly opened, and Otto, in the form of a whirlwind, burst in with a bang, and threw an 8x10 photo onto Julian's desk. "Excuse me for interrupting you, sir, but the photo editor would like to know if this picture of Walker may be used in the next paper." Julian glanced at the photo and said, "No way. This one doesn't look treacherous enough. Tell the editor to dig through the photo file cabinets and find one that's crooked enough to put it in. It shouldn't be difficult." "No problem, boss." Otto picked up the photo and rushed out of the office without looking back. I don't want Julian to get too hung up on Prometheus Power to bring up the issue of Rosengal's fans committing suicide in Caliban's hole.When Julian heard this, his eyes lit up on the spot. "Are you at the scene? Did you see the riot?" "That's pretty clear, Julian. I was there from the beginning to the end." Then, of course, he sent a reporter in right away, trying to get all the details out while my memory was still fresh.I confessed all I knew without concealing it, firstly to divert Julian's attention, and secondly because I needed his help.Julian was one of those people who felt uncomfortable when he owed a favor, and I was the exact opposite.Using the walkie-talkie on his desk, he called in a young female reporter named Annabelle Peters.When I saw Annabelle I felt uncomfortable because I knew her and she knew me better.Since I returned to Nightside after five years away, she has published several reports about me. In addition to digging into the reasons for my return, she has also speculated on many possible impacts on Nightside. Several of them The guess was surprisingly accurate.She rushed into the office with a mini tape recorder in her hand, wearing a colorful sweater, full of vitality, but her face was stinky, her smile was stiff, and her eyes were cruel.I held out my hand to her and she shook it briefly. "John Taylor! Nice to meet you, it's such a pleasure. I'd love nothing more than to sit down with you and have a good chat." "Really?" I said. "You described me as a ticking time bomb in Night City in your last report." "Well, you are." She said naturally. "What are you doing at Prometheus Power, John?" "I didn't ask you to talk about that," I insisted. "I'm going to talk about the riot outside Caliban's Cave." "Oh? Losinger's suicide! Very good! Great, great subject! Did the brains of the deceased really splash all over her feet?" "Bad news travels so fast," I said.Annabella sat down across from me and pressed the button on the tape recorder.I have told the whole story, but downplayed as much as possible my own part in the incident.I told her I was there to investigate the Cavendishes, and I didn't mention anything about Rosechinger, because I never discussed the case with reporters.Besides, as long as the Cavendishes are brought in as villains, it will be better to persuade Julian to help later.Although the two of us have cooperated several times for a common goal, the experience of each cooperation is always not pleasant.My story ends with myself being kicked out of Caliban's Hole with all the fans and standing outside as an audience at a safe distance.Julian nodded, seemingly satisfied with my story.Annabelle turned off the mini recorder and smiled at me happily. "Thank you very much, John. When I cut out some unimportant details, I can write a good report. It's a pity that you didn't personally participate in this riot." "Sorry," I said. "I will try harder next time." "One last question..." She surreptitiously turned on the tape recorder again, but I pretended not to notice. "Recently there have been rumors that Night City was first born for a specific purpose, and the origin of the entire Night City is closely related to your missing mother. Do you have anything to add to this rumor?" "Sorry," I said. "I never believe any rumors. If you find out the truth, remember to tell me." Annabella sighed and turned off the tape recorder.Julian opened the office door, and she couldn't wait to run back to her desk to write the report.After closing the door, Julian walked back to me. "You don't usually cooperate like this when facing the media, John. If you guessed right, do you need my help?" "I think asking you for help will definitely not violate your conscience, Julian. If I say that I plan to bring down the Cavendish couple, you shouldn't object, right?" "No, they are human scum and parasites. Their existence will corrupt Night City, just like the murder masks of my era, but they still lack a little style. However, Cavendish is rich and powerful, You have a wide network of contacts, how could you think that you can move them?" "I'm chasing a clue," I said cautiously. "It has something to do with the popular singer Losinger they are promoting now. How much do you know about this woman?" Julian thought for a while, and then called Argus, the gossip columnist, through the walkie-talkie.Aggin burst in like a gust of wind in the form of Kylie Minogue in a nun costume.She sat down next to me and adjusted her position so that her thighs were completely bare.Julian glared at her, and she sat up straight in fright. "I'm sorry, boss." "Lochinger." Julian said.Argus understood the name as soon as he heard it. "Well, I've heard of some fan suicides. Of course, everyone has heard of it. Some people say that the reason why fans commit suicide is related to Rochinger's singing, but so far no one has been able to come up with any real evidence.证据。本来大家都认为整件事只不过是宣传伎俩，反正死者之中还没出现任何重要人士，当权者也就不会介入调查；这些所谓的当权者若非迫于形势根本就不会管事。然而……传说卡文迪旭夫妇这次是赌上了所有资金押在洛欣格尔身上。他们必须捧红洛欣格尔，还得要捧到大红大紫才行，因为他们真正的财力状况远比大家想象的要拮据。他们大部分的资金都投资在夜城的房地产里，天使战争过后，房地产全面崩盘，这些钱也就血本无归——保险公司当然不会理赔上帝与魔鬼之间的战争所造成的损失。这些条款都有印在保险合约上，只是字比较小而已。卡文迪旭夫妇签约的时候应该看得更仔细点才对。” “总之，他们重金打造洛欣格尔成为稳赚不赔的摇钱树，在正式进军唱片业之前绝不允许出任何差错，尤其是在之前的席维雅·辛恩出事之后。你不知道她，约翰。她是在你离开夜城的那段时间里走红的。当时她是最闪亮的明日之星，不但嗓音宛如天籁，还兼具天使般的面孔以及魔鬼般的身材，拥有无可比拟的群众魅力。但是她消失了，就在成名的前一刻有如空气一般神秘蒸发。没有人知道她如今身在何处。当然有很多关于她的谣言，不过已经有超过一年的时间没有任何人见过她了。” “她本来可以拥有一切的。”朱利安说。“名利双收，成就非凡。然而为了某个不知名的理由，她选择放弃一切，销声匿迹。这在夜城来说可不是件容易的事。” 就在此时，外面的大办公室传来一阵骚动。所有超自然威胁警报同时响起，不过却已然太迟了。 朱利安跟我立刻从椅子上跳起，冲到玻璃窗旁向外看去。只见一条黑暗的身影正在大办公室里大闹，掀翻办公桌椅、砸烂计算机设备。记者跟其他员工纷纷寻找掩护，“真相”跟“记忆”则大叫特叫地在办公室中盘旋乱飞。阿格斯透过我的肩膀看着外面的景象，惊讶得说不出话来。黑暗的身影突然停止动作，似乎在找寻着某个特定的目标，而我也直到此时才认出对方竟然是洛欣格尔。她穿了一身黑衣，看来十分弱小，但同时又极度危险，脸上的表情完全不带任何人类的情感。她发现朱利安跟我在看，于是举起一张沉重的木桌对我们丢来。木桌飞越整问大办公室，砸烂总编室的玻璃窗，在对面的墙上狠狠一撞，这才终于落在地下。 朱利安跟我立刻又回到碎裂的玻璃窗前察看形势，阿格斯则躲到总编的办公桌下面去。 “妈的，她是怎么突破防御跑进来的？”阿格斯大叫。 “不要说脏话，拜托。”朱利安头也不回地说道。“答案很明显，你被人跟踪了，约翰。她是你带来的。” “喔，拜托，朱利安。有人跟踪我一定会发现的。” “她不是真的洛欣格尔。”朱利安冷冷地道。“人类不可能有这种力量。多半是卡文迪旭夫妇召唤的恶灵，他们偷偷在你身上放了某样东西吸引这只怪物来找你。” “没有人在我身上偷放任何东西！”我怒道。“没有人那么厉害！” 话是这么说，我还是搜了搜身上的口袋，特别是皮欧给我的那件夹克上的口袋，结果什么都没有发现。这时假的洛欣格尔正朝一群记者疯狂地冲去。朱利安无法继续坐视，于是冲入大办公室，往洛欣格尔直奔而去。虽然他这几年都在担任报社编辑的工作，不过依然保有所有超级英雄的能力。我迟疑了一下，然后跟着他身后跑去。尽管我还是不认为那怪物是我引来的，不过朱利安就是有办法让我觉得那是我的责任，他最擅长这种事了。阿格斯继续躲在办公桌下。 洛欣格尔在大办公室里到处乱闯，纤细的手臂随便一挥就有一台计算机屏幕被砸得稀烂。众员工背对着她到处乱跑，尽可能远离她的魔掌。她力大无穷、威猛无匹，仿佛行走在一个纸扎的世界，脸上的微笑丝毫没有动摇，两眼也完全不需眨眼。有一名记者跑得稍微慢了点，被她一把抓在肩上，当场抡到墙上，发出一阵清脆的骨折声响。就在朱利安即将扑到她身上的时候，她突然放开手中的尸体转过身来，对着朱利安就是一拳。朱利安低头避过，接着一拳击中对方下巴，不过似乎对洛欣格尔没有造成任何伤害。 我继续对他们前进，而喧闹鬼奥图这时跑到我身边。“你一定要阻止她，泰勒先生，不能让她毁掉整间报社！” “有什么好建议吗？”我眼看着朱利安闪过另外一计猛拳，担心地说道。“我怕伤害这怪物会同时伤害到洛欣格尔的真身。” “喔，你甭担心这个。”奥图说。“她不是真实存在的。嗯……既然她正在破坏我们的办公室，我想她的确是存在的。不过我可以肯定那怪物不是人。她是所谓的'图尔帕'，也就是一种以他人形象凝聚而成的意念实体。你身上一定有某样属于洛欣格尔的东西，一样小到让你忽略掉的东西。” 我努力回想，肯定洛欣格尔没有亲手交给我任何东西，这也表示一定有人偷偷在我身上放了什么。我再度检查所有口袋，还是没有发现任何不寻常的事物。朱利安出拳如风，一连串猛攻下来打得假洛欣格尔站立不稳，不过还是没有伤到她分毫。哥布林变装男从后面突袭洛欣格尔，将她的双手扣在两旁。朱利安一看机不可失，立刻抓起一张办公桌对准对方头上砸下。洛欣格尔眼睛也不眨一下，手肘向后一顶，甩开哥布林的束缚，接着又对朱利安扑了过去。眼看她在如此激烈的打斗之下居然连呼吸也没变急促，我只好心不甘情不愿地加入战团。 我走到洛欣格尔身后，拿起一个纸镇对准她的后脑勺砸下。她立刻转身面对我，不过朱利安又在这时一脚踢向她的左膝。洛欣格尔重心一失，身形一晃，朱利安跟我同时趁机出拳。可惜不管我们击在她身上的力道有多重，她始终没有受到丝毫损伤。我们向后退开，她则缓缓转过身来，目光保持在我们身上。我四下寻找任何合用的武器，很快就发现了一样看来十分完美的尖锐物体。我对着那个物体冲去，不过安娜贝拉却愤怒地在我身后大叫。 “不准动它！你这个浑蛋！那是我的年度最佳记者奖座！” “太完美了。”我说着拿起那具丑陋的玩意儿猛力向前掷去。洛欣格尔一把抄下奖座，顺势又丢了回来。我向下一蹲，险险避过。朱利安回头对着总编辑室大叫。 “阿格斯，你这懦夫快滚出来！我想到一个办法！” “管你有什么办法，我才不出来呢！付我这点薪水就想要我去对抗恶魔？” “给我出来，不然我就删减你的经费！” “流氓。”阿格斯小声道着，颇不情愿地自总编辑室走出，脸上的表情极尽和蔼可亲之能事，在朱利安的注视下慢慢接近我们。 “变成洛欣格尔！立刻就变！” 阿格斯立刻变成跟洛欣格尔一模一样。那只图尔帕看着新出现的假洛欣格尔，神情十分困惑。朱利安比了比倒在地上的一张桌子，我马上了解他心里所打的主意，于是跟他一同抬起那张桌子。我们趁着图尔帕还在晃神的时候从后面撞了上去，接着两个人一同跳到桌上，将她紧紧地压在桌下。她发狂般地挣扎着，使尽吃奶的力气想要挣脱束缚。我利用这一点空档的时间开启天赋，终于找出了她跟洛欣格尔之间的连结。原来有一根洛欣格尔的头发黏在我的夹克肩膀上，由于头发跟夹克都是黑色的，所以之前一直没有发现，八成是我将洛欣格尔抱在怀里安慰的时候黏上来的。正所谓好心没好报，这句话在夜城尤其令人体验深刻。我把那根头发拿给朱利安看，他立刻拿出一只雕工精美的黄金打火机点起火来。头发瞬间烧光，压在我们身体底下的桌子也立即停止晃动，桌下的怪物消失得无影无踪。 我跟朱利安互相扶持地从桌上爬起，两个人都几乎喘不过气来。办公室乱得有如飓风过境一般，记者跟其他工作人员缓缓地从残骸中爬了出来。有人找到一支没坏的电话，立刻打给医院叫救护车。朱利安看着我，眼中的神色十分冷酷。 “一定是卡文迪旭夫妇干的，简直欺人太甚。胆敢攻击夜城时报就必须付出代价。我想首先要寄一份赔偿账单给那两个自大的猪猡，然后派出所有最好的记者去调查他们的意图究竟为何。另外，约翰，我建议你去找'死亡男孩'，如果有任何人知道席维雅·辛恩的下落，那一定就是他了。” I nodded.这就是我想请他帮的忙。 宋利安·阿德文特转身看了看乱七八糟的办公室。“攻击夜城时报的人绝对要付出代价。”
It wasn't long before I arrived at the building that housed the headquarters of the Night City Times, "Victoria House."The building is huge because it has to be.Every twenty-four hours, a fresh copy of the Night City Times is written, printed, and distributed beneath these massive stone walls, all under the supervision of the famous owner and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, the legendary Under the supervision of the Victorian adventurer himself, Julian Advent.Advant must centralize all operations of the newspaper under one roof, because only in this way can the safety of the newspaper and the independence of reporting be ensured.I stopped at the front door of the newspaper office and looked up at a group of gargoyles perched on the roof. Except for one of them listlessly scratching, none of the gargoyles showed the slightest interest in me.That's a good sign, because when the newspaper doesn't consider you a friend, these gargoyles will be the first to take a stand.And when they need to move their muscles and bones, they will never show mercy. For many years, the Night City Times has been known for reporting the truth, and a report that can be published in the Night City Times must be true—at least it is gossip that cannot be proven not to be true.This newspaper has never been favored by many powerful people in Night City. In fact, these powerful people have tried to shut down the Night City Times through magic, violence, political means, and business tactics, but all of them have failed.The Night City Times has been in business for more than two centuries. Not only is it still expanding, but it has always been able to adhere to the original purpose of running a newspaper.For while the Night Times has had many enemies, it has also had many allies.Someone once sent a group of thugs to intimidate retailers in order to disrupt the distribution of the Night City Times. Later, these thugs were hacked into a meat paste by the innocent chainsaw sisters, causing the nearby gutters to drain for three days before they were finally restored to flow. I walked up the front steps cautiously, planning to run if anything went wrong.The Nightside Times office has always welcomed my visits, but these days I have to be careful to sail the boat for thousands of years.The Victoria House has a truly powerful magical defense system, and the extent of the defense makes the defense system of the Cavendish Building look like a toy.The defensive magic here has been blessed layer by layer over two hundred years, basically like a wicked onion.Among them is a sonic spell that can prevent most idlers from approaching the defense area. Unless they are on the exemption list or have official business dealings, they cannot even get close to the Night City Times.Of course, it's not really impossible for me to break through these defenses, but unless someone forces me to do so with a gun pointed at my head, I will never try it lightly.There was an idiot who tried to bring a bomb into Victoria House, and was turned into some sort of monster by defensive magic.No one is sure what kind of monster he has become, because anyone who looks at him will spit out everything he has eaten, including the food he ate in his previous life.It is said that the guy is working in the sewers now, and since he took over that job, the number of rats in the sewers has begun to decrease significantly. I pushed open the front door with trepidation, and finally breathed a sigh of relief after making sure nothing happened.But just to be on the safe side, I still counted the number on my fingers before walking into the hall.I strode forward with a smile on my face, as if I didn't have any dark secrets in my heart.Remaining calm is very important, especially when dealing with a group of reporters.This hall was extraordinarily large, in order to allow the firing circles of weapons in all directions to cover every corner as much as possible.The reception staff sat in a small cubicle surrounded by bulletproof glass, and the floor outside the cubicle was protected by an enchantment composed of several pentagonal lines glowing blue.Most people believed that even if the entire building was blown up with a nuclear weapon, the reception staff sitting in this reception room would survive unscathed. The old lady in the reception room put down the knitting yarn in her hands, looked at me through reading glasses, and smiled kindly.Many people thought she was a kind elder, but I knew that the knitting needle in her hand was made of human bones, and behind her kind smile was a mouth full of fangs. "Ah, hello, Mr. Taylor. Nice to see you again. You look good. I guess you're here for our boss, aren't you?" "That's right, Jenna. Can I trouble you to call and ask Julian if it's convenient to see me?" "Oh, don't be so troublesome, you naughty boy. Mr. Advent has heard about your recent good deeds. He would like to have a good talk with you while your memory is still fresh. ’ She shook her head and sighed sadly. "You are so naughty, Mr. Taylor, and always getting yourself into trouble." I smiled and nodded, not sure what she was talking about.It's impossible for Julian to know that the Prometheus Power Company was destroyed by me, right?Jenna pressed a hidden button, and the elevator doors at the back of the lobby opened instantly.She was the only one who could open the elevator doors from this side of the lobby, and she clearly took that responsibility very seriously.It is said that she never left this reception room, at least no one has ever seen other people appear in this reception room.I walked unhurriedly across the lobby and into the waiting elevator.After the elevator doors closed silently, I pressed the button leading to the top floor. The editorial office is on the top floor.Since I used to come here often, I shouldn't be noticed by too many people.When I was young, I occasionally did some interviews for the newspapers, but I didn't associate with them after I fled Nightside in a hurry.Before, whenever Julian Advent needed to find out where a witness or a fugitive was hiding, my talent would have come in handy.Although I haven't done anything for Julian for a long time, he still owes me a few favors...not that I like to talk about favors, but I have long viewed this relationship from the perspective of business dealings , because people like the great Victorian adventurer have always had perfect morals and a strong sense of justice, and I immediately feel uncomfortable standing next to such people.Once they get to the bottom of my personality, they usually don't approve of what someone like me does. I was never sure how much Julian knew about my origins.I never intended to ask him either. The elevator doors opened and I stepped onto the empty corridor leading to the editorial office.The only decoration in the aisle is the famous headlines of the Night Times Times over the years hanging on the wall.Most of these glass-framed headlines are news from before I was born, but when I passed by, I still took a look at some major events that happened recently. "The War of the Angels Ends Drawn," "The Celtic Celebration of the Bloodbath," "The New Abstinence Panic," and "Who's Spying on the Powers?".There's also a more kitschy tidbit title "Sandra Chance Ate My Haploid!" (this was released while Julian Advent was on vacation).I stopped outside the editorial office and took a good look at the Nightside Times motto hanging on the door frame—— Too much news, damn it! The large iron gate of the editorial office is engraved with defensive charms, which can prevent anyone from entering.But the iron gate recognized me immediately, and opened it politely to let me in.As soon as the door was opened, there was a deafening noise inside.I made a little mental preparation, and then walked in with great strides.The newsroom is full of people, some sitting behind desks working, others yelling at each other.A few of them ran back and forth between each desk, helping pass along important memos and updates, as well as hot coffee to keep everyone going.The editorial office is always so busy and noisy. People here work three eight-hour shifts a day, keeping abreast of all the important news happening in Nightside.The computers here are never turned off, and the chairs never get cold.A few people saw me enter the room, greeted me with a smile, and immediately went back to work.This is not a place for people to be confused, and all the employees in the newspaper office take their work very seriously. This place is exactly the same as when I left five years ago, it is still extremely disorganized.The desks are filled with computer equipment, reference books, and magical and high-tech interview equipment.Countless papers are scattered in all directions, and the disturbing phone rings never stop.The large screen on the wall shows the time and date of all time rifts that currently exist in Night City, and there is also a large map that plans the ever-expanding territory of Night City itself in real time.Occasionally, there will be subtle changes in the map that resemble rapid disappearances, reflecting the topographical changes in the real Night City.A large fan on the ceiling slowly stirred the smoke in the air.This is a workplace where smoking is never prohibited, and being a reporter in Night City must bear unusually high work pressure. I walked gently down the central aisle, and greeted many familiar faces, but most of them ignored me.Junior reporters ran back and forth beside me, snarling loudly.The communications department is separated from the rest of the editorial room by a spell of silence, so that those within it can keep in touch with the outside world through telephones, crystal balls, or magical wax figures without interruption.I saw the delivery boy Otto running towards me, so I stopped.Otto, a friendly poltergeist, races around the office in the form of a small whirlwind.He jumped up and down in front of me, dropping the assortment of papers swirling inside him into the correct binder. "Hello, hello, Mr. Taylor! Nice to see you again. Nice new jacket. You're here for our old man, aren't you?" "That's right, Otto. Is he there?" "That's a good question, isn't it? It's true that he's in the office, but do you have time to see you... Wait here for a while, and I'll help you ask." After he finished speaking, he rushed to the small office with soundproof glass, humming a relaxing tune.From where I stood, I could see Julian Advent sitting behind the editor-in-chief's desk, putting the final touches on a story, with an associate editor walking up and down in front of him. go.Not long after, Julian finished proofreading the manuscript, and the deputy editor immediately took the report from the table and rushed to the printing department.Julian looked up at Otto, then back at me. I looked around and saw that no one cared about my existence.No matter how much work I have done for the Nightside Times, people here still don’t regard me as one of their own, because I cannot share with them the sacred sense of mission of chasing news; A person can always become an enemy.In order not to make it difficult for themselves, they will never get too close to people who may become the subject of reports in the future. Newspaper employees are not all human.The philosophy of the newsroom is that all races have the same job opportunities.A translucent ghost is now communicating with the spirit world through an ancient phone I remember.There are also two crows flying around the office, one named "Truth" and the other "Memory".They work here and are responsible for confirming the reliability of the source.A transvestite male goblin is arranging tomorrow's horoscope.He wears a shaggy wig on the top of his head to create a ridiculous image—perhaps being a bipolar man with a strange sense of humor helps his work.While his columns can be frustrating at times, they are never boring to read.He nodded at me, and I swayed to his side.He straightened his clothes and smiled at me happily. "See you again, John! Look who's being naughty again? That fellow Walker came to see you just now, and he looked very unhappy." "Has he ever been happy?" I said lightly. "I believe it was just a misunderstanding. Do you know why the editor-in-chief wanted to see me?" "He didn't say it, but he never said such things. What have you been doing lately?" "Oh, messing around. Any news about the future to hear?" "You tell me. I'm just making a living." We laughed together, and then he went back to his horoscope column.Judging from the content of his writing, the luck of Virgos may not be very good tomorrow. I returned to the central aisle and tiptoed towards the editor-in-chief's office.I don't know what Julian knows, or thinks he knows, but I'm not going to give him any unnecessary information.Here, mastering information is mastering power, and the whole of Night City is like this.Most of the staff at the newspaper pretended not to notice me, which I'm used to.An unmanned typewriter on the left is busy typing reports, because its owner is a reporter who was murdered a few years ago, but the sacred mission of pursuing the truth of the news does not stop because of the trivial matter of death , so he became one of the few true ghost reporters in the Nightside Times.As I approached the editor's office, a gossip columnist slid out of his seat and blocked my way.This person is a shapeshifter, nicknamed "Thousand-Eyed Argus", who has the ability to transform into anyone, and can easily sneak into heavily guarded places to inquire about news.All the gossip news can't escape his eyes, and he will definitely make all the news he finds out to the world.His curiosity never ends, but his shame approaches zero.He had received more death threats than all the other employees of the newspaper combined, and for this reason, Argus never showed his true self.Legend has it that his sex life was so complicated that rumors abounded because he liked to incarnate as the world's most famous reporter, Christopher Levi's Clark Kent in the "Superman" movies. "Tell me," he said. "Are the rumors about Suzy Huett true?" "Maybe," I said. "Who did she kill this time?" "Oh, the gossip this time is much more exciting than that kind of thing. According to reliable sources, Susie has been hiding some ulterior family secret in her heart..." "Don't follow this line." I said coldly. "Otherwise, even if Susie doesn't kill you, I will." He sneered twice, and then suddenly turned into me. "Maybe I should pretend to be you and ask her directly." I grabbed him by the throat, lifted him from the seat, and pulled him in front of me. "Don't do that," I said. "Now is not a good time to become me, and besides, I don't need you to swim in my muddy water." "Put him down, John," cried Julian Advent.I turned around and saw him standing at the door of the office looking at me. "You know you'll need something more powerful than a flamethrower to kill this guy. Come in, and I want to talk to you." I threw Argus back on the chair.He stuck his tongue out at me, and turned into Walker.Reminding myself to buy a flamethrower next time, I walked into Julian's office.He closed the door and beckoned me to the visitor's seat.After we were seated, we looked at each other for a while in unison. "Nice jacket, John," he said at last. "It doesn't suit you." "Can a man who hasn't changed his look since the nineteenth century say that?" Julian Advent smiled, and I smiled too.Maybe we have never become friends, and we don't agree with each other's style of doing things, but I don't know why, we have always been able to get along happily; maybe it's because we have too many common enemies. Julian Advent was a famous Victorian adventurer, the greatest hero of his age.This person is skilled and bold. He once fought against countless evil forces alone in Queen Victoria's era, and has never been defeated by any villain.He was tall, muscular and masculine, with shiny black hair and bright black eyes, and a rugged elegance in his expression.His handsome appearance is not lost to any movie star, but it is a pity that the overly stern eyes and serious mouth shape spoil the overall picture.Entertainment of any kind had never been a thing in Julian's life.For so many years, he has been wearing a black and white Victorian dress. The only color on his body is a purple scarf around his neck and a sterling silver brooch presented by Queen Victoria himself.I have to mention that although Julian's costume is not much different from the previous Ominous Man, he looks much more elegant and has his own style. There are many books, films and even TV series that tell the story of the Victorian adventurer, and most of them deal with the reasons why he suddenly left everything behind and mysteriously disappeared in 1888.It wasn't until 1966, when he suddenly appeared from a time rift in Nightside, that the mystery of the century was solved.It turned out that he was betrayed by the only woman he ever loved in his life, and was lured into a trap set by his old enemy, the evil "Murder Mask" couple.He was tricked into a time rift by these three villains, and he was trapped in the future, never going back to his own time. But a great man is a great man wherever he goes, and Julian Advent soon established himself in the future.He joined the Night City Times to run news, and soon became a top investigative reporter, because he was never afraid of any power, and these powers were not his opponents.Now Julian is still fighting against evil and punishing crimes, but in a different way.Part of his success is due to his vast wealth.Before disappearing in 1888, he had deposited a sum of money in a secret account of a bank. After nearly a hundred years of compound interest, he no longer needed to worry about money.It didn't take long for Julian to be promoted to editor, and finally to become the boss of the newspaper. With his efforts, the Night City Times became the only conscience in Night City, the soul behind all the bad guys. Like it or not, everyone in Nightside reads the Nightside Times; although some just want to make sure their names are on the paper. Julian Advent is a hero created by himself in all aspects, and he is not born with the characteristics and talents of a hero.He was originally just a small chemist, living off the limited research funds in the laboratory.Later, he invented a unique magic potion, which can lift the hidden limits of human body and mind, and at the same time transform people into absolute justice or evil.He could have chosen to be a selfish beast, using magical powers for his own selfish ends; but he was so righteous and good that he drank the potion and transformed himself into a hero.He became tall and strong, quick in action, quick in thinking, brave and tenacious, coupled with impeccable chivalry, and finally became the greatest top adventurer of that era. He was so perfect that even his appearance became incomparably charming.For many years, he tried to recreate the potion recipe, but was never able to successfully concoct it again.He has never been able to find some unknown raw material, some impure factor... So, to this day, Julian Advent is still a unique and original hero. As for his old enemy Murder Mask - the most notorious leader of a criminal organization in Night City in the Victorian era, a husband and wife team who always wears a red mask - it has long been buried in the torrent of history and will never be found again Any clues become a term that is only mentioned in the legendary stories of Victorian adventurers.Some people say that they failed to keep up with the trend of the times, so they were replaced by other villains; some people said that they were old, tired, and unable to fight, so they were pulled down by the younger generation.Julian had used all the resources of the Night Times Times to track down their whereabouts afterwards, but Murder Mask seemed to be lost in the mists of history and legend just like him. And the woman who betrayed Julian was not qualified to enter the legend at all, and even her name was forgotten in the end.Julian once said that wishing to be forgotten was a woman's greatest punishment.Other than that, he never mentioned that woman to anyone again. Now he sits behind the editor-in-chief's desk, looking at me through dark eyes and a mocking smile.Julian's world is still only black and white. No matter how many storms and waves he has experienced in Night City, he has never added any gray areas to his moral views.It is for this reason that it is difficult for him to define whether I belong to the good or the evil side. "I'm investigating the cause of the Night City blackout," he said suddenly. "I suppose you must have no idea?" "certainly." "Then it's just a coincidence that Walker came here to look for you in a huff?" "I suppose so, Julian. I'm all set on a new case right now. I'm investigating the Cavendishes." Julian frowned. "Oh, that's right, the low-key Cavendish couple. They are not good people, but they always have a way to walk on the edge of the law. Although they have great influence in Night City, I still can't grasp it. No real evidence of a crime. Maybe it's time I start chasing them again, and see what they've been up to lately. It's been a while since they sued me anyway. But don't change the subject, John, what the hell is Walker What are you looking for?" "Don't ask me." I said sincerely. "As you know, Walker is always looking for me for different reasons. Will you tell him I've been here?" Julian smiled. "Probably not, dear boy. I don't like you, but I hate him even more. He has too much power, but not enough judgment to use it well, and besides, I am completely convinced that he has no morals." Concept. One day I'll expose his scars and do a good feature. I asked him if he had any inside information on the blackout, but he didn't reveal anything. He knew more than he showed....but , He never looks like this." "How bad are the after-effects of the blackout?" I asked cautiously. "It's bad. Almost half of Night City's electricity has been affected. In some places, the power has been out for a long time. It is estimated that property damage has reached millions of pounds, and the number of people injured exceeds thousands. So far no death reports have been reported, but there are still constant There's an update coming in. Whoever did this has done a lot of damage. Of course, we're not affected. The Victoria House has a dedicated generator as we've been trying to make sure the newspaper can operate independently .John, you were seen at Prometheus Power shortly before the explosion." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Their company was recently sabotaged by unknown people, so they asked me to do a security assessment. It's just that it was too late when I arrived. I was very lucky to be able to escape in real time." "Who did it?" I shrug again. "It will probably be a mystery that will never be solved." Julian sighed wearily, "I can tell you're not telling the truth, John." "I know." I said. "But this is what I say to the outside world. No matter who asks, it is the same set of words." He stared at me and said, "I can put all kinds of pressure on you, John." I smiled slantingly: "You can try it." We laughed together.At this moment, the door suddenly opened, and Otto, in the form of a whirlwind, burst in with a bang, and threw an 8x10 photo onto Julian's desk. "Excuse me for interrupting you, sir, but the photo editor would like to know if this picture of Walker may be used in the next paper." Julian glanced at the photo and said, "No way. This one doesn't look treacherous enough. Tell the editor to dig through the photo file cabinets and find one that's crooked enough to put it in. It shouldn't be difficult." "No problem, boss." Otto picked up the photo and rushed out of the office without looking back. I don't want Julian to get too hung up on Prometheus Power to bring up the issue of Rosengal's fans committing suicide in Caliban's hole.When Julian heard this, his eyes lit up on the spot. "Are you at the scene? Did you see the riot?" "That's pretty clear, Julian. I was there from the beginning to the end." Then, of course, he sent a reporter in right away, trying to get all the details out while my memory was still fresh.I confessed all I knew without concealing it, firstly to divert Julian's attention, and secondly because I needed his help.Julian was one of those people who felt uncomfortable when he owed a favor, and I was the exact opposite.Using the walkie-talkie on his desk, he called in a young female reporter named Annabelle Peters.When I saw Annabelle I felt uncomfortable because I knew her and she knew me better.Since I returned to Nightside after five years away, she has published several reports about me. In addition to digging into the reasons for my return, she has also speculated on many possible impacts on Nightside. Several of them The guess was surprisingly accurate.She rushed into the office with a mini tape recorder in her hand, wearing a colorful sweater, full of vitality, but her face was stinky, her smile was stiff, and her eyes were cruel.I held out my hand to her and she shook it briefly. "John Taylor! Nice to meet you, it's such a pleasure. I'd love nothing more than to sit down with you and have a good chat." "Really?" I said. "You described me as a ticking time bomb in Night City in your last report." "Well, you are." She said naturally. "What are you doing at Prometheus Power, John?" "I didn't ask you to talk about that," I insisted. "I'm going to talk about the riot outside Caliban's Cave." "Oh? Losinger's suicide! Very good! Great, great subject! Did the brains of the deceased really splash all over her feet?" "Bad news travels so fast," I said.Annabella sat down across from me and pressed the button on the tape recorder.I have told the whole story, but downplayed as much as possible my own part in the incident.I told her I was there to investigate the Cavendishes, and I didn't mention anything about Rosechinger, because I never discussed the case with reporters.Besides, as long as the Cavendishes are brought in as villains, it will be better to persuade Julian to help later.Although the two of us have cooperated several times for a common goal, the experience of each cooperation is always not pleasant.My story ends with myself being kicked out of Caliban's Hole with all the fans and standing outside as an audience at a safe distance.Julian nodded, seemingly satisfied with my story.Annabelle turned off the mini recorder and smiled at me happily. "Thank you very much, John. When I cut out some unimportant details, I can write a good report. It's a pity that you didn't personally participate in this riot." "Sorry," I said. "I will try harder next time." "One last question..." She surreptitiously turned on the tape recorder again, but I pretended not to notice. "Recently there have been rumors that Night City was first born for a specific purpose, and the origin of the entire Night City is closely related to your missing mother. Do you have anything to add to this rumor?" "Sorry," I said. "I never believe any rumors. If you find out the truth, remember to tell me." Annabella sighed and turned off the tape recorder.Julian opened the office door, and she couldn't wait to run back to her desk to write the report.After closing the door, Julian walked back to me. "You don't usually cooperate like this when facing the media, John. If you guessed right, do you need my help?" "I think asking you for help will definitely not violate your conscience, Julian. If I say that I plan to bring down the Cavendish couple, you shouldn't object, right?" "No, they are human scum and parasites. Their existence will corrupt Night City, just like the murder masks of my era, but they still lack a little style. However, Cavendish is rich and powerful, You have a wide network of contacts, how could you think that you can move them?" "I'm chasing a clue," I said cautiously. "It has something to do with the popular singer Losinger they are promoting now. How much do you know about this woman?" Julian thought for a while, and then called Argus, the gossip columnist, through the walkie-talkie.Aggin burst in like a gust of wind in the form of Kylie Minogue in a nun costume.She sat down next to me and adjusted her position so that her thighs were completely bare.Julian glared at her, and she sat up straight in fright. "I'm sorry, boss." "Lochinger." Julian said.Argus understood the name as soon as he heard it. "Well, I've heard of some fan suicides. Of course, everyone has heard of it. Some people say that the reason why fans commit suicide is related to Rochinger's singing, but so far no one has been able to come up with any real evidence.证据。本来大家都认为整件事只不过是宣传伎俩，反正死者之中还没出现任何重要人士，当权者也就不会介入调查；这些所谓的当权者若非迫于形势根本就不会管事。然而……传说卡文迪旭夫妇这次是赌上了所有资金押在洛欣格尔身上。他们必须捧红洛欣格尔，还得要捧到大红大紫才行，因为他们真正的财力状况远比大家想象的要拮据。他们大部分的资金都投资在夜城的房地产里，天使战争过后，房地产全面崩盘，这些钱也就血本无归——保险公司当然不会理赔上帝与魔鬼之间的战争所造成的损失。这些条款都有印在保险合约上，只是字比较小而已。卡文迪旭夫妇签约的时候应该看得更仔细点才对。” “总之，他们重金打造洛欣格尔成为稳赚不赔的摇钱树，在正式进军唱片业之前绝不允许出任何差错，尤其是在之前的席维雅·辛恩出事之后。你不知道她，约翰。她是在你离开夜城的那段时间里走红的。当时她是最闪亮的明日之星，不但嗓音宛如天籁，还兼具天使般的面孔以及魔鬼般的身材，拥有无可比拟的群众魅力。但是她消失了，就在成名的前一刻有如空气一般神秘蒸发。没有人知道她如今身在何处。当然有很多关于她的谣言，不过已经有超过一年的时间没有任何人见过她了。” “她本来可以拥有一切的。”朱利安说。“名利双收，成就非凡。然而为了某个不知名的理由，她选择放弃一切，销声匿迹。这在夜城来说可不是件容易的事。” 就在此时，外面的大办公室传来一阵骚动。所有超自然威胁警报同时响起，不过却已然太迟了。 朱利安跟我立刻从椅子上跳起，冲到玻璃窗旁向外看去。只见一条黑暗的身影正在大办公室里大闹，掀翻办公桌椅、砸烂计算机设备。记者跟其他员工纷纷寻找掩护，“真相”跟“记忆”则大叫特叫地在办公室中盘旋乱飞。阿格斯透过我的肩膀看着外面的景象，惊讶得说不出话来。黑暗的身影突然停止动作，似乎在找寻着某个特定的目标，而我也直到此时才认出对方竟然是洛欣格尔。她穿了一身黑衣，看来十分弱小，但同时又极度危险，脸上的表情完全不带任何人类的情感。她发现朱利安跟我在看，于是举起一张沉重的木桌对我们丢来。木桌飞越整问大办公室，砸烂总编室的玻璃窗，在对面的墙上狠狠一撞，这才终于落在地下。 朱利安跟我立刻又回到碎裂的玻璃窗前察看形势，阿格斯则躲到总编的办公桌下面去。 “妈的，她是怎么突破防御跑进来的？”阿格斯大叫。 “不要说脏话，拜托。”朱利安头也不回地说道。“答案很明显，你被人跟踪了，约翰。她是你带来的。” “喔，拜托，朱利安。有人跟踪我一定会发现的。” “她不是真的洛欣格尔。”朱利安冷冷地道。“人类不可能有这种力量。多半是卡文迪旭夫妇召唤的恶灵，他们偷偷在你身上放了某样东西吸引这只怪物来找你。” “没有人在我身上偷放任何东西！”我怒道。“没有人那么厉害！” 话是这么说，我还是搜了搜身上的口袋，特别是皮欧给我的那件夹克上的口袋，结果什么都没有发现。这时假的洛欣格尔正朝一群记者疯狂地冲去。朱利安无法继续坐视，于是冲入大办公室，往洛欣格尔直奔而去。虽然他这几年都在担任报社编辑的工作，不过依然保有所有超级英雄的能力。我迟疑了一下，然后跟着他身后跑去。尽管我还是不认为那怪物是我引来的，不过朱利安就是有办法让我觉得那是我的责任，他最擅长这种事了。阿格斯继续躲在办公桌下。 洛欣格尔在大办公室里到处乱闯，纤细的手臂随便一挥就有一台计算机屏幕被砸得稀烂。众员工背对着她到处乱跑，尽可能远离她的魔掌。她力大无穷、威猛无匹，仿佛行走在一个纸扎的世界，脸上的微笑丝毫没有动摇，两眼也完全不需眨眼。有一名记者跑得稍微慢了点，被她一把抓在肩上，当场抡到墙上，发出一阵清脆的骨折声响。就在朱利安即将扑到她身上的时候，她突然放开手中的尸体转过身来，对着朱利安就是一拳。朱利安低头避过，接着一拳击中对方下巴，不过似乎对洛欣格尔没有造成任何伤害。 我继续对他们前进，而喧闹鬼奥图这时跑到我身边。“你一定要阻止她，泰勒先生，不能让她毁掉整间报社！” “有什么好建议吗？”我眼看着朱利安闪过另外一计猛拳，担心地说道。“我怕伤害这怪物会同时伤害到洛欣格尔的真身。” “喔，你甭担心这个。”奥图说。“她不是真实存在的。嗯……既然她正在破坏我们的办公室，我想她的确是存在的。不过我可以肯定那怪物不是人。她是所谓的'图尔帕'，也就是一种以他人形象凝聚而成的意念实体。你身上一定有某样属于洛欣格尔的东西，一样小到让你忽略掉的东西。” 我努力回想，肯定洛欣格尔没有亲手交给我任何东西，这也表示一定有人偷偷在我身上放了什么。我再度检查所有口袋，还是没有发现任何不寻常的事物。朱利安出拳如风，一连串猛攻下来打得假洛欣格尔站立不稳，不过还是没有伤到她分毫。哥布林变装男从后面突袭洛欣格尔，将她的双手扣在两旁。朱利安一看机不可失，立刻抓起一张办公桌对准对方头上砸下。洛欣格尔眼睛也不眨一下，手肘向后一顶，甩开哥布林的束缚，接着又对朱利安扑了过去。眼看她在如此激烈的打斗之下居然连呼吸也没变急促，我只好心不甘情不愿地加入战团。 我走到洛欣格尔身后，拿起一个纸镇对准她的后脑勺砸下。她立刻转身面对我，不过朱利安又在这时一脚踢向她的左膝。洛欣格尔重心一失，身形一晃，朱利安跟我同时趁机出拳。可惜不管我们击在她身上的力道有多重，她始终没有受到丝毫损伤。我们向后退开，她则缓缓转过身来，目光保持在我们身上。我四下寻找任何合用的武器，很快就发现了一样看来十分完美的尖锐物体。我对着那个物体冲去，不过安娜贝拉却愤怒地在我身后大叫。 “不准动它！你这个浑蛋！那是我的年度最佳记者奖座！” “太完美了。”我说着拿起那具丑陋的玩意儿猛力向前掷去。洛欣格尔一把抄下奖座，顺势又丢了回来。我向下一蹲，险险避过。朱利安回头对着总编辑室大叫。 “阿格斯，你这懦夫快滚出来！我想到一个办法！” “管你有什么办法，我才不出来呢！付我这点薪水就想要我去对抗恶魔？” “给我出来，不然我就删减你的经费！” “流氓。”阿格斯小声道着，颇不情愿地自总编辑室走出，脸上的表情极尽和蔼可亲之能事，在朱利安的注视下慢慢接近我们。 “变成洛欣格尔！立刻就变！” 阿格斯立刻变成跟洛欣格尔一模一样。那只图尔帕看着新出现的假洛欣格尔，神情十分困惑。朱利安比了比倒在地上的一张桌子，我马上了解他心里所打的主意，于是跟他一同抬起那张桌子。我们趁着图尔帕还在晃神的时候从后面撞了上去，接着两个人一同跳到桌上，将她紧紧地压在桌下。她发狂般地挣扎着，使尽吃奶的力气想要挣脱束缚。我利用这一点空档的时间开启天赋，终于找出了她跟洛欣格尔之间的连结。原来有一根洛欣格尔的头发黏在我的夹克肩膀上，由于头发跟夹克都是黑色的，所以之前一直没有发现，八成是我将洛欣格尔抱在怀里安慰的时候黏上来的。正所谓好心没好报，这句话在夜城尤其令人体验深刻。我把那根头发拿给朱利安看，他立刻拿出一只雕工精美的黄金打火机点起火来。头发瞬间烧光，压在我们身体底下的桌子也立即停止晃动，桌下的怪物消失得无影无踪。 我跟朱利安互相扶持地从桌上爬起，两个人都几乎喘不过气来。办公室乱得有如飓风过境一般，记者跟其他工作人员缓缓地从残骸中爬了出来。有人找到一支没坏的电话，立刻打给医院叫救护车。朱利安看着我，眼中的神色十分冷酷。 “一定是卡文迪旭夫妇干的，简直欺人太甚。胆敢攻击夜城时报就必须付出代价。我想首先要寄一份赔偿账单给那两个自大的猪猡，然后派出所有最好的记者去调查他们的意图究竟为何。另外，约翰，我建议你去找'死亡男孩'，如果有任何人知道席维雅·辛恩的下落，那一定就是他了。” I nodded.这就是我想请他帮的忙。 宋利安·阿德文特转身看了看乱七八糟的办公室。“攻击夜城时报的人绝对要付出代价。”