After a series of retrace actions similar to "video rewinding", Natsuki returned to the other side of the street, and everything resumed flowing again.

"..."

Looking at the watch shop across the street, he remained silent and frowned slightly.

There is no doubt that what just happened started when Lawrence stood up. Everything paused at that moment and then started to rewind.

In other words, his getting up should be a trigger point. If this problem is not solved, he will not even have a chance to talk face to face.

After thinking for a moment, Xiamu didn't choose to go there again. That would be meaningless. He had to figure out what happened.

And his experience over the years also told him that all characters in the Secret Realm of Rules can communicate with each other, and sometimes... he can also get important clues from other people.

So, Xia Mu observed it for a while, and then walked towards a newsstand not far away on the left hand side of the street.

When he passed by a gentleman in a suit and a top hat, he bumped into him intentionally and took away the wallet in his inner pocket.

"Sorry sir."

He apologized to the other party, but continued walking forward without stopping.

It wasn't until the gentleman disappeared from sight that he stopped, opened his wallet and looked at it.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, this guy is so well-dressed, but I didn’t expect him to be a poor guy, with only a pitiful ten-yuan note in his wallet.

Hmm... But that was enough. Xiamu threw his wallet into the trash can next to him, then turned around and returned to the newsstand.

"Hello sir, the weather is really nice today, isn't it?"

He used the classic ancient European conversation method very skillfully.

"Well, yes, it rained for half a month, and today we finally see the sun. It's a lucky day."

The newsstand owner was not disgusted by this. Maybe he was also a talkative person, so he started chatting with him casually.

"How is business lately? Has it been affected in any way? During this period, everything is not peaceful."

Through the era of Lawrence's life and his age at this time, plus the seasons shown by the surrounding environment, Xia Mu can determine the approximate year and month of this secret realm.

In order to be able to deal with all kinds of strange stories, he memorized the entire history of the world. From this, it can be concluded that ancient Europe should be facing the crisis of economic depression.

"You know, the situation is like this now. Even the most sophisticated guys are reluctant to spend a coin to buy a newspaper, let alone the others."

The newsstand owner frowned when he mentioned this, and it was obvious that he was very worried about it.

"Don't worry, sir, I have inside information. This situation won't last long. It will start to pick up in another month at most."

Xia Mu put her face towards him mysteriously, whispered something, and then handed over the banknotes that came just now.

"Bring me a newspaper. You don't have to change the money. This is proof of what I said."

His expression was very confident, and he seemed to be telling the truth, but in fact he knew very well that it would take at least three years to improve, let alone a month. This was considered good luck for the ancient Europeans.

The newsstand owner was stunned when he saw this, and then showed a grateful expression... However, after receiving the banknotes, he still checked them carefully. After all, in this world, people cannot be gullible!

"Sir, please take your newspaper."

A newspaper earned ten euros, and the boss was very happy, with a smile on his face.

Xia Mu took the newspaper, but was not in a hurry. He just continued chatting with the boss about various things.

During the chat, he intentionally or unintentionally revealed his wealthy family background and extensive connections, and occasionally talked about the time he spent with celebrities of those times.

Although this makes him behave a bit like a charlatan, his strange costumes and lavish actions have to be convincing.

After chatting for a while, he felt that it was almost done, so he pretended to have finally remembered something, patted his forehead and said:

"Oh, by the way, I had so much fun chatting with you that I almost forgot what I was here for, sir...

I heard that there is a very good watchmaker nearby, and I would like to customize a pocket watch from him. Is this the shop across the street?"

"If you are looking for the most outstanding watchmaker, it is indeed Lawrence. No one can fault his craftsmanship, no one!"

The newsstand owner nodded and replied with certainty.

"It's just... he seems to have been in a little trouble recently. He hasn't made a new pocket watch for several months, and he doesn't seem to be in a good mood."

When Xia Mu heard this, he knew that his choice was correct, because the newsstand was the only place where people of any identity could visit, so it naturally had the most information.

It seemed that he had found a breakthrough, so he made a curious expression and asked:

"Oh? What happened?"

"To be honest, Mr. Lawrence, as a friend of Lawrence, I shouldn't disclose his situation. This is not good...

But you are so generous and kind-hearted, I believe that your arrival will be helpful to him, so I am willing to disclose it to you.

In fact, Lawrence's wife's condition had worsened a few months ago, and his mood had become very bad and unstable since then.

After that, he no longer accepted customization of pocket watches, and simply sold some existing finished products, while all the rest of his thoughts were focused on his wife... and the pocket watch he is currently making."

"Pocket watch in progress?"

Hearing this, Xia Mu raised his eyebrows, feeling that he should have grasped the key.

Seeing that he was very interested in this, the newsstand owner did not hide it and continued to nod and said:

"Yes, he has been making a pocket watch for the past few months. According to him, it was an anniversary gift for his wife.

They have been married for fifty years this year, and he wanted to give her a surprise, so he stopped accepting new orders."

"Sorry, can I ask what disease his wife has? Maybe I can help."

Xia Mu thought for a while and felt that Lawrence's wife might be a key, so he wanted to know more about it.

But this time the newsstand owner shook his head and sighed, with a look of helplessness in his eyes:

"It's useless. You also know that Lawrence is not short of money or connections. This is not something that can be solved with money at all.

His wife had cancer, which was at an advanced stage. Even the best doctors in the country were helpless. She had only a few days to live.

This poor guy only loved two things in his life, one was his wife Monica, and the other was those clocks.

Now he will soon lose one of them, and the other...if it will be better in a month as you said, he should be able to keep it, I hope."

When thinking of Lawrence's experience, the newsstand owner seemed to feel the same and looked sad.

When Xia Mu heard this, he already understood the general situation. What he saw Lawrence tinkering with behind the console just now was probably the pocket watch he wanted to give to his wife.

It should be the piece that the timepiece got!

"Thank you sir, I understand the situation and I will find a way to help him."

Xia Mu smiled slightly, nodded to the newsstand owner to express his gratitude, and then turned around and walked towards the opposite direction of the street.

Lawrence, Monica, and the pocket watch Lawrence is making are the most important elements in this story.

To find the core of the virus in this secret realm, there is no doubt that we must start from these three aspects. The core must be hidden inside.

So far, Xia Mu doesn't think that other people can't detect this information. The biggest difficulty is the "time backtracking" just now.

"Time Rules"

It is a rule with a very high priority.

It is indeed difficult to break through just by relying on the abilities of D-level and C-level.

If he guessed correctly, the thing that controls time in the secret realm is the pocket watch Lawrence is making. This is why time stops completely as soon as he stops his hand.

In this case, if you want to contact it, you must have the ability to be immune to time interference. This kind of ability Xia Mu did not have before, but now...
Chapter completed!