Chapter 2 Herbert Company

It took Feng Bujue only 20 minutes to arrive at the "Alfred Hotel" where the mission was.

There was no need to ask for directions or transportation. He just followed those people who had just got off the cruise ship and looked like tourists and walked in one direction. After walking for a while, he arrived.

After all... this island is only this big. Although there are more than one place to stay on the island, this is the only place that can be called a "hotel".

After arriving at the door of the hotel, Feng Bujue did not rush in; he stood on the street, looked into the lobby through the glass wall for a while, and then turned and left.

As a very efficient person, Brother Jue would naturally not join in the fun during this peak check-in period. Anyway, he didn't have any luggage to store, so it would be better to use the time of "queuing in the hotel lobby" elsewhere.

So, Feng Bujue's island survey began...

The weather was very good that day, the temperature was not too high, and the humidity and strong wind unique to the seaside were not so obvious.

Feng Bujue found a small shop renting bicycles near the hotel. With his excellent eloquence and the Chinese's unique bargaining ability, he successfully got a bicycle at a price that even the shop owner felt vaguely "Is he being cheated?".

Then, he took a "travel guide" from the boss, rode the bicycle that was basically borrowed on credit, and set off along the ring road around the island.

…………

Kochikoti Island is a typical tourist town. Such places often have some very subtle commonalities: tourists like it very much, business people do not comment on it, most of the young people among the indigenous people want to leave here or have already left here, and the old people on the island all have an attitude of wanting to spend the rest of their lives here.

This is the life on the island - living here for a day is heaven, living here for a month is the world, living here for a lifetime... Well, almost no one will stay here for a lifetime, even the old people here, they don't stay on the island for their entire lives.

Apart from the prosperous scene during the tourist season, this is just an island town with a relatively backward economy and living standards during the rest of the year.

Luxurious hotel rooms, first-class public facilities, and all kinds of modern products... These are all prepared for tourists; the residents of the island cannot afford such a life, and they just live a very ordinary life of people in second- and third-tier cities.

In addition to the tourism industry, which is profitable only a few months a year, the real support for the economic and social stability of Kochikoti Island is... tuna.

Or... "Herbert Company".

Forty years ago, when old Herbert drove his shabby little fishing boat out to sea, he certainly would not have thought... that one day he would become one of the most influential people on this island and even in Wales.

Now, his photos have spread throughout Europe and even the world, of course... printed on various fish cans.

Seven years ago, old Herbert died of illness, and his eldest son John Herbert took over the company. Today, most of the residents who settled on Kochikoti Island work for John.

Fishing fleets, canning factories, logistics companies... Herbert Company provides jobs for almost all adult residents on the island. Although the "Alfred Hotel" is not run by the Herbert family, they also participated in the investment.

In addition, even the few policemen and civil servants on the island had to give Herbert some face when doing things; after all... their families also worked in other people's factories.

In short, for the residents who live here, this island is more like "Herbert Island" than "Kochikoti Island".

…………

It took longer to go around the island than Feng Bujue imagined, on the one hand because his physical fitness in this script was worse than his in reality, and on the other hand because he often stopped to talk to passers-by during the ride.

At dusk, Brother Jue circled back to the starting point. When returning the car, the owner of the small shop looked as if he was saying: "If I were ten years younger, I would have cut you off long ago."

Feng Bujue was also embarrassed, so he added some money to the owner, and then took away a bottle of drink and two bags of snacks from the owner...

He walked and ate, and walked to the Alfred Hotel again.

At this time, the hotel lobby was much emptier, and Feng Bujue walked slowly to the front desk to check in. As he expected, a "single guest with no special room requirements" like him would not have to worry about not having a room.

Because he had no luggage, he did not need anyone to lead the way. He took the door card at the front desk and went upstairs.

The moment he got the door card, the system voice sounded at the right time: [Task Completed]

Feng Bujue opened the game menu and took a look. He found that the task [Check in at the Alfred Hotel] had been checked, and a new task was swiped below it: [Waiting for the case to happen].

"It's really straightforward..." When Brother Jue said this, he had already walked to the elevator.

Ding——

Just at this time, the elevator came.

A figure appeared behind the slowly opening elevator door.

It was a middle-aged man who looked less than 40 years old. There was nothing special about his appearance. At least in Western Europe, this kind of Saxon-style appearance was very common. He was wearing a dark suit and a new-looking Panama hat on his head. The brim of the hat was pressed down low, as if he didn't want others to see his face clearly.

When Feng Bujue passed by the middle-aged man, there was no eye contact, let alone nodding and greeting. The two of them just passed by each other in a very ordinary way, and neither of them showed any abnormality.

However, in those two seconds, Feng Bujue knew in his heart that this person might be related to the upcoming case.

Because... just this one encounter, Brother Jue had guessed his identity, and had found some clues from him that might be clues.

"Hey! Wait!"

A few seconds later, when the elevator door was half closed, suddenly, a man's voice came from outside, accompanied by hurried footsteps.

Feng Bujue's thoughts were interrupted by the shout, but he still helped the other party press the door open button.

Soon, the elevator door opened again, and the man who had just shouted "wait" also appeared at the door.

"Haa... haa... thank you..." He entered the elevator while panting.

Feng Bujue looked at the young man in front of him: the young man's clothes seemed ordinary at first glance, but if you know the goods, you will find that... he is wearing expensive brand names, but the style is relatively low-key; looking at his appearance, he is obviously still a student, probably less than 20 years old, his height is similar to Brother Jue, but his body is thinner; judging from his face and accent, this young man is most likely Chinese, and by the way... he is quite handsome.

If there is anything special about this young man, it is... the sports bag on his right shoulder is not zipped up, and there is a cat, which is now sticking its head out of the open zipper gap and looking out.

I don't know why... the cat's eyes seem to be staring at the middle-aged man who is gradually moving away outside the elevator.