Chapter 499: Grandfather and Reconciliation

Although the female police officer said "if," her slightly evasive gaze made it nearly equivalent to a direct statement.

After being greatly startled, Li Ang couldn't help asking the woman before him, who looked hesitant: "When you were going through the list, did you find something?"

"I did find something… but it's still not certain, so I just said 'if'…"

After silently sighing, the female police officer took the "List of Missing Persons" and the "Brief Genealogy of the Lionheart Clan," pointed to one name that had been crossed out, and said softly with an uneasy expression:

"This person… shares the same name as your grandfather. He was a fairly skilled mechanic who once vied with the previous head of the Lionheart Clan for control of Lyon Arms Company.

But because his foundation was shallow, after losing the struggle, he not only lost his position at the arms company but was also driven out by the previous head through underhanded means, and eventually had to move his entire family away from the capital to… Lyon County…"

"… "

The same name, mechanic, Lyon County… there was indeed a hint of suspicion, but…

"That still doesn't mean I'm a member of the Lyon family, does it?"

After thinking for a moment, Li Ang frowned and said:

"Lyon County may be a small county, but it has several million permanent residents. One person sharing the same name and surname…"

"It's not just the same name and surname."

She had clearly entertained similar doubts; upon hearing Li Ang's words, the female police officer shook her head and brought over a third book she had prepared.

"Look, this is a photo from a ball at the time. The man on stage is your grandfather."

"You want me to identify him from the photo?"

Looking at the middle-aged man on stage, radiant and confident but with unfamiliar features, Li Ang frowned:

"Due to certain events, I have almost no memory of my grandfather, so…"

"Even if you don't recognize him, don't you find this person familiar?"

The female police officer pointed to someone in the crowd below and said helplessly:

"This woman is your grandmother. Her appearance is simply…"

Simply a mature version of Anna!

Looking at the woman in the photo—whose facial features bore a striking seven-tenths resemblance to his sister, aside from minor details—Li Ang now also felt this could hardly be coincidence.

Returning to his seat with the three books, Li Ang, frowning deeply, quickly flipped through the relevant records and searched for the corresponding genealogy.

He then found himself utterly dumbfounded: if all this were true, he wasn't just a member of the Lyon family—he appeared to be of high rank, so much so that even the current head of the Lyon Clan would have to call him uncle!

Although this uncle belonged to a distant branch with no significant inheritance and his claim to the title ranked beyond the thirtieth in line, he was undeniably a member of the Lyon family and even barely counted as part of the main lineage's offshoot.

Seriously? Is this really happening?

As he saw more and more suspicious points before him, Li Ang, though reluctant to acknowledge this kinship, had to admit he likely was indeed a Lyon.

One or two oddities might be coincidence, but so many coincidences together were simply implausible—especially a grandmother who looked seven-tenths like Anna…

This was… originally, recognizing kinship was just an excuse to investigate the anomaly, but now the tripe hasn't even been found yet, and he's already recognized his family!

"Li Ang…"

Watching Li Ang rub his temples repeatedly, his expression uneasy, the female police officer couldn't help asking again:

"What are you going to do?"

"Do about what?"

"About investigating the evidence!"

"These two matters are separate. Investigate as you please." With a dismissive wave, Li Ang pulled out pen and paper, copying down the relevant records while thinking of Anna's secret.

He was a transmigrator; he had no memories of his grandfather, and even details about his parents came only from Anna's stories.

But Anna was different: although her parents had died of plague, considering her age, she must have seen them as a child—she might know the truth about her own origins.

So… was this the secret Anna had been hiding from him?

But if it was, why didn't she want him to see the photo? And was there really any need to hide this from him?

…

Carrying a flood of questions, after copying all records related to his grandfather, Li Ang folded the paper and carefully tucked it against his body, planning to ask Anna when he returned.

Then he glanced at the female police officer beside him, who looked as if she wanted to say something but held back, and pushed over another sheet of paper he'd written.

"Here, these are the people I found whose rise to power was suspicious, likely achieved through dishonorable means. If you want to investigate the Lyon family, prioritize checking these individuals."

"Huh? Thank you…"

After taking the "List of Suspicious Individuals," and seeing Li Ang had returned to his calm demeanor, the female police officer clenched her fist, her expression complex as she spoke:

"I never expected you were really from the Lyon family…"

"Stop."

Raising a hand in a stop gesture, Li Ang said seriously:

"My Lyon is Lyon County's Lyon, not the Lionheart Duke's Lyon… at least, I have no intention of claiming it, and my family never mentioned it, proving they have no interest in acknowledging this kinship.

So I hope we end this here. You're free to investigate the Lyon family however you wish—I have no connection to this clan."

As he spoke, Li Ang paused slightly. Though the female police officer didn't seem like the gossipy type, to be safe, he pulled out his authorization logbook.

"Let's say what just happened is classified—only you and I know. If I find out anyone else knows…"

"Don't write a note! I'm not that kind of person!"

Scowling at Li Ang, and seeing his determined effort to sever all ties with the Lyon family, the female police officer unexpectedly felt a wave of relief, then looked at him with faint admiration:

"The Lyon family may have a bad reputation, but it's a noble house with over five hundred years of history, and your grandfather was of the main line. I thought you'd…"

"What you assume isn't necessarily true. Besides, how do you know I wasn't just lying just now—what if I turn around and go to the Lyon family to claim kinship?"

Cutting her off, Li Ang, mindful that she hadn't concealed this discovery or secretly investigated him but told him the truth, couldn't help warning her:

"You're not a bad person, but you're too impulsive—you make decisions on a whim.

For example, now that you know I'm connected to the Lyon family, why tell me directly? And earlier, it was just a misunderstanding—why did you instantly decide I was a rebel?

Your judgments are too hasty. Next time you face something similar, think twice before acting. You can't keep being this reckless."

"I… I'm not completely thoughtless…"

Hearing Li Ang's assessment, the female police officer, younger than him, felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment and hastily tried to save face:

"I told you directly because I thought you weren't a bad person—you wouldn't collude with the Lyon family!

As for why I thought you were a rebel… just because you punched the editor of 'Daily News'—who wouldn't think you were a rebel after hearing that?"

(End of Chapter)