Chapter 595: Learning

After observing two battles next to the Arena and chatting with Connal for a while,

Wayne was a little surprised that the win rate of the new members who returned with Connal was not as high as imagined in the Arena.

It wasn't that their skill level was poor, but rather that they were more accustomed to 'unrestricted combat' in the real world—the kind where any weapon or method could be used, and a single mistake could cost one's life.

Therefore, they habitually prioritized 'avoiding injury,' and their combat strategy was generally conservative, aiming to 'not profit' but certainly 'not suffer losses.'

However, in the Arena, firearms and most weapons were prohibited from the start, and in principle, irreversible harm was not allowed.

This, in turn, allowed the Agents, who were accustomed to the rules, to employ bolder strategies in the Arena, somewhat giving the impression of 'bullying newcomers who haven't adapted to the environment.'

The 'Water Monkey' tactic, which even caused Connal trouble, was one such example.

In a real fight to the death, if someone dragged another into the water, the disadvantaged party would certainly fight desperately to escape, perhaps even resorting to moves like 'kicking the groin' or 'gouging eyes.'

But in the Arena, no one wanted to kill their opponent; both sides were 'dancing with shackles.' As a result, Connal suffered more. He would be released when he was about to suffocate, pull himself to the surface, take a few breaths, and then be dragged down again, creating a suffocating feeling of 'drink until you're full if you don't surrender,' making him feel like he was dying and coming back to life.

After accompanying Wayne to watch two matches, Connal felt that the performance of the new members he brought wasn't very good, so he quickly spoke up for his companions:

"Their experience and skill level are actually very good. If you give them a little more time, their combat power will definitely not be lower than the average level of the current Agents. At least in the Arena, they can be roughly on par with me."

Wayne understood this very well, just like new characters joining a team in some games: their aptitude and potential might be better, but their level still needed to be trained for a while.

Anyway, the Detective Agency didn't solely judge based on Arena rankings; 'stable' members were actually more reassuring.

Incidentally, Wayne himself didn't like 'river terrain,' feeling that he would easily get soaked.

But fortunately, his explosive ability was even more powerful in water. Throwing a stone into the water could make the fish hiding by the riverbed float up belly-up, directly cutting off any inappropriate thoughts from the 'Water Monkeys.'

Doug, who was previously officiating at the Arena, came over after the change of personnel:

"Sir, the quality of these new members is excellent. Many things don't need to be taught from scratch, and Connal also told them a lot on the way. Basic onboarding training can probably be completed in one or two days. Do the partners have plans for their subsequent arrangements? Perhaps I can supplement some targeted courses."

Wayne thought for a moment, "For now, let them all stay in Richmond. After they familiarize themselves with the workshop, they can rotate to Willie's side to help. Connal said there are a total of more than a dozen people coming this time. We'll arrange subsequent matters once everyone has arrived."

The Detective Agency's current framework has been initially established. Stable sources of income will mainly rely on various offices, restaurants, and workshops.

Willie's 'investigation team' is more akin to a public welfare activity on the surface, with almost no economic income, but what he does is very 'correct,' making it most suitable for 'cultivating the Dao heart' of new Agents before they are sent out, which is more reassuring.

Things were a bit troublesome with Soften; they were all Indigenous people of mixed heritage, and their identities were somewhat complicated.

As for this new batch of members, they were both Westerners and somewhat connected to the Hunter Association. Opportunities could be found to arrange for them to meet each other, but if they were forced together in the short term, there might be some friction.

Although not everyone in the West 'hunted scalps,' Lina's ability should be able to keep things under control, but given America's national conditions, some ideological issues were indeed hard to address. To be safe, it was better to let them gradually adapt.

Thinking of this, Wayne realized that Soften seemed to be at a numerical disadvantage, and he felt that he might be able to balance it out slightly.

So, after checking on the Arena situation, he turned back to the archives, where he found Alicia tidying up newspapers on the floor with Lina.

"Alicia, are you interested in teaching your... hmm... kinsmen knowledge?" Wayne pushed the door open and asked as soon as his head popped in.

The attractive Alicia was nearly startled—she was not very brave to begin with, and compared to Emma, who occasionally 'fell apart,' she was actually more afraid of Wayne. She was the type who would choose to detour if she might encounter him alone in the workshop.

However, this topic clearly piqued Alicia's interest. After reflexively puffing out her chest, straightening her back, and lowering her head, her chin quickly lifted slightly again, "Learning... knowledge?"

Ah, don't you think this 'I'm very scared but I dare not resist' posture easily brings trouble upon yourself?

Wayne could actually guess why Alicia reacted to him this way. After all, 'beautiful mixed-race female slaves' were a relatively mainstream niche hobby in this era, and similar scenarios appeared in jokes where Westerners mocked the stereotypes of various American states.

However, it was better for others to adapt to such matters themselves, so Wayne chose to ignore it and simply continued the conversation:

"Yes, learning knowledge. It might not be possible to teach anything too complex, but learning some simple general education and practical production knowledge, the Beaton Family probably wouldn't mind. All your kinsmen who usually come to help can participate."

Alicia hesitated slightly, "The gardener and carpenter gentlemen at the Plantation used to teach us to recognize some words and tell us some knowledge from books, but I don't know many words myself, so I can't teach others..."

"We can arrange someone to teach you. You learn it first, and then you can teach your kinsmen. Of course, the premise is that it doesn't interfere with work, otherwise the stewards and overseers at the Plantation probably wouldn't agree."

Lina had a 'what trick are you up to now' expression beside them, and Alicia's gaze carefully darted over, "Will Mr. Wayne teach me personally?"

"I don't have that kind of time. Someone else will probably be arranged then. Just answer me directly, do you want to learn?"

Alicia looked as if she was selling her soul to the devil, "Yes..."

Wayne waved his hand, "That's settled then. I'll start arranging someone soon."

The Detective Agency currently had a limited range of choices. For Soften and their group of Indigenous people, it was probably safest to team them with Alicia for now. They were all locals, and the other slaves at the Plantation could also serve as a slight offset.

Some people's value is reflected in their 'irreplaceability.' If Soften and his group could teach Alicia well, and Alicia could in turn help stabilize the slaves who 'worked part-time,' then even if other Agents had some reservations about their identities, they probably wouldn't disregard the Detective Agency's practical needs—otherwise, you do it if you can.

Seeing that Wayne and Alicia had reached an agreement, Lina found an excuse to temporarily send Alicia away before asking, "You're not satisfied with just using the mill, and now you're eyeing the Beaton Family's Plantation?"

"Not at all."

Wayne wasn't in a hurry to reveal something that was still up in the air. "Mainly, I feel that you're a bit short-staffed over here. If Alicia can assist with some document organization, wouldn't that make things easier for you too?"

"Hmm..." Lina's expression still looked a little suspicious, "Who do you plan to have teach her?"

"Since it's intelligence-related documents, it's best for Soften and his group to teach her, and they are all under your management now, so it's convenient to arrange. Seth might also be able to take over after he graduates, but for now, they are the most suitable."

Lina's thoughts were indeed diverted. "But Soften and his group need to collect intelligence everywhere, so they might not have much time to stay in the workshop..."

"Rotating them shouldn't be difficult, right? Spend an hour or two teaching each week, maybe two or three classes per week will do. They can also take turns resting here at the workshop, eat some good food to replenish themselves, and get more familiar with other Agents. The rest will just depend on Alicia's own diligence."

"Alright..." Lina's eyes shifted slightly, "Actually, if Emma hadn't gone back to Georgeberg, I think she could have taught Alicia."

"If Professor Maisel comes for a home visit then, shall we tell him you didn't let Emma go back to class?"

"Then forget it... I hate those stubborn Scholars the most. They're full of theories and don't listen to anyone else..."