Chapter 500

「……」

So… the thing I did at that restaurant back then has already been found out by you?

Seeing Li Ang's expression suddenly turn grim, the female police officer couldn't help blinking in disbelief.

I thought you were acting with impunity—so you really thought you hadn't been exposed?

「Don't you usually read newspapers? 」

After dropping that hint, seeing Li Ang's puzzled expression, the female police officer couldn't resist retorting:

「Your cover was actually decent—you kept your face covered the whole time, and after the assault, you immediately went to a crowded shopping mall, where you could just slip into any restroom to change clothes, and we'd have no way to track you.

But your luck was absurdly bad—you got crushed by a collapsing cash box and ended up in the hospital, and photos of you were taken by a Sun Gazette reporter and made the front page of the society section as a quirky story.

The editor of The Daily Bulletin saw the paper and recognized you in less than three seconds, and after our Secret Investigation Bureau checked the hospital records, we naturally locked onto your identity. 」

Oh…

Although getting crushed by a Holy Spirit and ending up in the hospital was an act of fate, having just criticized someone else for being reckless only to trip up himself, Li Ang's expression twitched slightly in embarrassment.

「So you…」

「So you've been exposed all along! We just didn't arrest you because you're from the Cleanup Bureau!

Besides, even if I'm a bit impulsive, I'm still a secret police officer—do you really think I'm that stupid? 」

Having been repeatedly outmaneuvered by Li Ang, the female police officer finally got her chance to regain dignity, tilting her head up and snorting:

「Now do you understand? I've been watching you for a reason! After discovering that rebels had infiltrated the Police Department, how could I possibly ignore it? I had to guard against you with every fiber of my being! 」

After hearing this, Li Ang fell silent for a moment, then asked in return:

「Your 'guarding with every fiber of your being'… includes sneaking up and attacking my ass while I was shooting? 」

「…」

Hearing Li Ang's words, the female police officer's face dropped.

「I couldn't help it at the time… you damn rebel! Didn't we agree not to bring this up again? 」

「Fine, I won't mention it. But in exchange, you'd better forget about my business too. 」

After a few more barbs, the two, having cleared up their misunderstanding, developed a much better impression of each other—from seeing each other as a lunatic and a damn rebel, to viewing each other as a brainless brute and… a police officer even more radical than a rebel.

Recalling Li Ang's "political views," she couldn't help but feel he had nothing in common with the Lyon family; reassured, she tucked the list he'd given her into her pocket and asked:

「We've found what we needed to investigate—what now? What do we do next? 」

「Next…」

Glancing at the darkening sky, Li Ang turned to look at the female prisoner, bound like a dumpling on the sofa, then said:

「My business is done. But since you helped me a lot, I can help you investigate what you're looking into. 」

My investigation… the interrogator from six years ago?

Understanding Li Ang's meaning, the female police officer's expression turned solemn. She stood up and walked to the sofa, speaking seriously to the gagged prisoner:

「You know you can't escape anymore. When we return to the Secret Investigation Bureau, you'll face nonstop interrogation until you fully confess. 」

「Mmm! Mmm! 」

「Don't worry—I'm not asking you about the rebels right now. 」

Watching the prisoner struggle and glare at her, the female police officer took a deep breath, then said sincerely:

「I know you don't trust me. You'd rather take revenge on the Lyon family yourself than clear your husband's name—but I still hope you'll cooperate with my investigation.

The assassination of the princess is too big a matter. Once we return to the Secret Investigation Bureau, all interrogation will focus solely on the rebels themselves. Your husband's case will likely be ignored. So this isn't just my last chance—it's yours too. 」

After speaking, watching the prisoner stop struggling, the female police officer tentatively asked:

「Will you cooperate with my investigation? If yes, blink once. 」

The prisoner hesitated, then slowly turned her head, glaring at Li Ang far away. 「Don't worry—I've already asked nearly everything I wanted to know. 」

Understanding she feared he'd suddenly interrogate her and extract more rebel intel, Li Ang raised an eyebrow and replied:

「And you might as well think about it—if I intended to extract information from you, would your silence make any difference? 」

「…」

Hearing Li Ang's retort, the prisoner's expression deflated, and she blinked wearily in resignation.

Indeed—his bizarre interrogation method seemed to require only that she be awake. Even if she refused to speak, he could still get the answers…

…

「Huh…」

After the cloth was pulled from her mouth, the prisoner glared at Li Ang with resentment, then took a deep breath and stared coldly at the female police officer.

「About my husband—how do you want to investigate? 」

「Start by confirming his identity. 」

After preparing paper and pen, the female police officer frowned slightly:

「Among those capable of harming your husband, the former Defense Minister of the military has already been executed by the princess's order. The remaining suspects are your husband's superior, and the Lyon family's…」

「No need to investigate my husband's superior. 」

Interrupting her, the prisoner sneered, then added with grim satisfaction:

「He's from your Secret Investigation Bureau. He disappeared four years ago while off-duty, and the rotting corpse they found was his. You only need to look into who ran the arms company under the Lyon family back then. 」

Four years ago…

The female police officer's heart jolted. She quickly asked:

「The former head of the Interrogation Division? 」

「I don't know. 」

The prisoner shook her head and sneered:

「I only know he didn't remember my husband at all—until I reminded him repeatedly, and only then did he recall he once had such a stupid subordinate. Isn't that funny? 」

"..."

"Still, he wasn't completely useless."

After glancing at the female police officer whose expression looked a little pained, the female prisoner let out a self-mocking laugh and said:

"Speaking of which, I really should thank him. If he hadn't begged desperately before he died, saying he was just the one handling the job and that someone else was the one really going after my husband, I wouldn't even have known who exactly I should hate."

"..."

So... in the end, it was someone from the Lane family who did it?

Pressing her lips together, she crossed out "superior" and wrote in Lane Arms Company, then the female police officer turned her head to look at Hearing Li Ang beside her.

"Six years ago, the one running the arms company was..."

"Bobby Lane."

After recalling the relevant records, Hearing Li Ang briskly spat out a name, then said thoughtfully:

"On the list I gave you, the second one is him. This man is the current Lane family head's younger brother, nearly twenty years younger than his older brother...

Oh, one more thing — his older brother has no children, so if nothing unexpected happens, he should take over the Lane family later and become the next Lionheart Duke."

(End of chapter)