Chapter 18 Volunteer Expert Qiao Mani

"Why are you delivering food here?" Clayton stared at Joe Mani.

Joe Mani held a spoon in his hand and looked shocked: "Why are you eating here?"

"Because I donated three hundred gold pounds, I can personally inspect the living conditions of the recipient of my donation."

Clayton made bold statements.

The restaurant was filled with people wearing old clothes and haggard faces. There were people ranging from children to middle-aged people, but no one too old. Clayton stood out among them.

At this moment, they were all queuing up with bowls in hand, looking eagerly at Joe in a white apron, waiting for him and the caregiver next to him to scoop out the food from several buckets on the floor.

There was simply no logic to Clayton's arrival, but Joe didn't wonder for long because he had to work.

He scooped a bowl of strong-smelling stew for Clayton. There were also diced potatoes and carrots in it. It smelled like there might be some minced meat, but Clayton didn't get any in his bowl. In addition, there was a piece of soup.

Palm-sized black bread.

After getting the food, Clayton returned to the long table and found a seat to eat.

"How"

"Forget it, it's nothing. I thought they found you."

There are also some growing mint leaves floating on the surface. I don’t know why.

He pointed at the note: "When I got it, it had an envelope on the outside, and there was paint with the Holy Grail pattern on it,"

The atmosphere became silent, and Clayton's integrity destroyed something invisible.

After dinner, the recipients dispersed to their temporary dormitories. Clayton easily caught Joe in the corridor.

Although night has fallen, his work has just begun.

"have no idea."

The priest promised to keep it a secret for him.

There are some rooms on both sides of the corridor on the top floor in addition to offices and warehouses.

Qiao opened his mouth and then reacted: "Do you think I lied to you on purpose?"

Joe finally counted his keys, raised his head and handed them to Clayton: "These are not the keys to the workhouse, they are the keys to the workhouse next door. To be precise, I work as a volunteer there, but I occasionally come here to help at night.

, because their shared restaurants are in this building.”

"That's really amazing. The director of the studio must believe in you." Clayton was happy for Joe Mani.

The stew is such a mess. The taste of these things is not bad, but the portion is not enough to satisfy adult men who often work hard.

Qiao waved his hand: "Actually, I'm not that sad. I've been separated from them since I was a child, and I'm used to not having them."

"Well, then I take back my apology."

Clayton's performance made the caregiver relieved.

"Then give me the key."

"Speak softly and follow me."

Clayton regretted: "I thought so for a moment, but I told them that you and I were not in the same party, and even had a grudge. If they believed this, they would directly ask me to take care of you after seeing you.

Just say something, or just tell my assistant, there is no need to be so formal."

But Joe was indifferent to his praise, and became even more indifferent.

"Aren't you going? That's your home?" Clayton asked him.

"I'll take a look for myself later, you don't have to follow me," Clayton told him.

Usually the person who manages the workshop is the deacon or priest of the parish, but the church in St. Solot Parish was abandoned due to a fire and has not yet been repaired. The neighboring parish of St. Mellon does not have a workshop, so the clergy are relatively free.

So the task fell on them.

Joe's eyes quickly glanced at the stairs at the end of the corridor, and then quickly looked back: "Forget it, I have more important things to do now."

Qiao held his forehead. He felt that he knew why his old boss was still unmarried. Just like it said in the Bible, Heavenly Father would never make a person perfect.

Joe went downstairs again carrying a lantern, but this time he was followed by a group of tiptoeing children and two serious-looking church deacons.

It was also the first time for Clayton to hear the news: "I'm sorry."

The noisy halls and corridors are deserted during the day, and the children must return to their rooms at half past eight.

"Probably mom."

Joe held a lantern and walked along the corridor, pushing each door gently to make sure they were locked. He checked all the rooms on the lower two floors before going up to the top floor, where there were already two men in black.

The church deacons were waiting for him, with bottles of holy water on their belts and armed with revolvers.

Those brown-red wooden doors had signs that prohibited entry, and the deacons faced them as if they were facing an enemy.

"Maybe, but they died long ago."

The beast-like pupils of a werewolf can shrink very small, making the person being stared at fully aware that they are being targeted.

But since he no longer used a false identity to hang out in the church, and even took off his disguise, maybe Joe has confessed to the church.

Generally, such formal mailings only appear in exchanges between government departments or prominent families. The pattern on the lacquer requires a seal and a ring seal, so ordinary people cannot respond reciprocally.

The silent sounds of the recipients eating on both sides of the long table suppressed his frustrated voice.

Clayton observed his expression carefully, but found nothing unusual. He might not know it.

To be able to hand over so many keys to his management shows that the people in the studio recognized Joe as a respectable gentleman.

Clayton said frankly: "I really didn't know you were here. I came here following the clues of another member of the Holy Grail Society. It was just a coincidence that I met you."

Joe Mani lifted one side of his apron, took off a large bunch of keys, and counted them, looking for the keys to his old house, making a rustling sound.

Clayton looked at him suspiciously, this was really not something that someone who was chased by the Holy Grail Society not long ago could say.

"Maybe your parents know."

"How is it possible? It's surprising that you can find me, Lieutenant." Joe pressed his neck uncomfortably: "I thought no one could find me here."

"I didn't think so, but you should really try to remember."

The so-called workhouse is an institution jointly run by the government and the church, which specializes in sheltering and raising abandoned babies and orphans.

"What is your current position in the studio?" With a sense of recognition, Clayton asked Joe.

But Joe's attitude was very firm, and he had no choice but to stop there.

"Then don't use a positive tone, Lieutenant." Joe looked around and saw that there was no one in the corridor, so he rubbed his hands: "I told the priest everything, but it didn't involve you. They said

I will resolve the Holy Grail Club matter immediately. So now I am just studying here."

Shocked, Clayton left the workhouse.

The workhouse and workhouse here are in a large building, but they are not connected internally. There is a layer of spiked iron fence separating the outside of the building. Up to the main entrance, there is only one door that allows them to pass through.

Contact outside.

Clayton took out the note that the Holy Grail Society stuffed into the store and shook it in front of Joe: "Then I think the priest's response was not very 'immediate'. The Holy Grail Society's theater was not closed, and a threatening letter was sent to my store.

.If you think about this behavior, it’s as if they thought ‘Rusted Silver Coins’ was your family’s shop. But that was at least four years ago.”

The nurse who brought him in for the visit sat next to him during the meal and stared at him nervously from the moment Clayton put the food in his mouth, for fear that he would shake his head or complain.

Qiao took out the keys from his waist, counted the keys corresponding to the numbers on the doors in front of him, and opened them one by one.

"What do you mean?" Joe looked confused.

"You acted very quickly. You contacted the Holy Grail Society so quickly. Have you concluded the negotiation with them?"

Qiao's eyebrows flew up: "They came in too?!"

Clayton frowned. The size of the key made him doubt that the other party could open the doors to all the rooms in the almshouse.

"Dean trusts you so much?"

"But I really don't know anything." Joe sighed desperately.

"It's been four or five days."

The nurse subconsciously retorted, but Clayton just narrowed his eyes and frightened him.

Joe Mani also returned to the studio next door early.

"Couldn't it be that because they couldn't find me, they had to send the threatening letter to the only person who seemed to have any friendship with me?"

"When did you tell them these things?" Clayton asked him.

Mentioning this matter, Joe Mani's face suddenly showed an indescribable emotion, which was a complex emotion that included regret, fear, helplessness, decadence and other negative emotions.

There are no prohibited items inside, and behind each door is a layout similar to the dormitory downstairs. Plus there is an almost dirty but energetic child.

"If you must find out about this matter, go to my old house and have a look. If my parents have anything to do with the Holy Grail, they might leave the evidence there."

These children, without exception, have one characteristic - they receive education from Godfather Gilly together with Joe Mani.

When they arrived at the open space behind the studio, they finally didn't have to control their voices and started playing freely.

Or they dig holes in the ground with picked up sticks, or they chase each other.

The moonlight shines on the children's bodies, illuminating the uncontrollably stimulated animal hairs, scales and tails, creating a warm and strange atmosphere.
Chapter completed!