Chapter 500: Target

「……」

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

Seeing Leon's expression suddenly turn serious, the female police officer couldn't help blinking in disbelief.

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

「Don't you usually read newspapers? 」

After dropping that hint, seeing Leon'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 swap clothes in any restroom and vanish. 」

「But your luck was absurdly bad—you got crushed by a falling cash box and ended up in the hospital, and a Sun News reporter snapped your photo and turned it into a front-page human-interest story. 」

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

Oh no…

Although getting crushed by a Holy Spirit and ending up in the hospital was beyond his control, having just criticized someone else for being reckless only to trip himself up, Leon's expression twitched slightly with 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 impatient, I'm still a secret police officer—do you really think I'm that stupid? 」

Having been thoroughly outmaneuvered by Leon, the female police officer seized this rare chance to regain her dignity, tilting her head up and huffing:

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

Leon 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 Leon's words, the female police officer's face dropped.

「I couldn't help it in the moment… 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 everything about me. 」

After a few more bickering exchanges, 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 one another as a mindless brute and… a police officer even more radical than a rebel.

Recalling Leon's "political views," she found it impossible to believe he was aligned with the Lyon family; reassured, she tucked the list he'd given her into her pocket and asked:

「We've confirmed what we needed to know—what now? What do we do next? 」

「Next…」

Glancing at the darkening sky, Leon 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 quite a bit, I'll help you investigate what you're after. 」

What I'm investigating… the investigator from six years ago?

Understanding Leon's meaning, the female police officer's expression turned solemn. She rose 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 interrogations will focus solely on the rebels themselves—your husband's case will likely never be touched. So this isn't just my last chance—it's yours too. 」

After speaking, she watched the prisoner, who had stopped struggling, and ventured:

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

The prisoner hesitated, then slowly turned her head, glaring at Leon across the room. 「Don't worry—I've already asked nearly everything I needed to know. 」

Understanding she feared he'd ambush her with sudden questions to extract more rebel intel, Leon 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 Leon's retort, the prisoner's expression deflated. She blinked wearily.

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 directly…

…

「Huh…」

After the cloth was removed from her mouth, the prisoner shot Leon one last resentful glare, 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. 」

Preparing paper and pen, the female police officer frowned slightly:

「Of those capable of harming your husband, the former Defense Minister of the military has already been executed by the Princess's order. That leaves only your husband's superior—and the Lyon family back then…」

「There's no need to investigate my husband's superior. 」

Interrupting her, the prisoner snorted coldly, then added with grim satisfaction:

「He's from your Secret Investigation Bureau. He disappeared around four years ago while leaving work—what you found was already his rotting corpse. You only need to look into who ran the Lyon Arms Company back then. 」

Four years ago…

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

「The former head of the Interrogation Division? 」

「I don't know for sure. 」

The prisoner shook her head, sneering:

「I only know he didn't remember my husband at all—only after I kept reminding him did he recall he'd once had such a stupid subordinate. Isn't that funny? 」

「…」

「But he wasn't entirely useless. 」

Glancing at the female police officer's pained expression, the prisoner gave a bitter laugh:

「Actually, I should thank him. If he hadn't begged desperately before dying, claiming he was just a tool and that someone else was truly behind my husband's death, I wouldn't even have known who to hate. 」

「…」

So… ultimately, it was someone from the Lyon family who did it?

With lips pressed tight, the female police officer crossed out "superior" and wrote "Lyon Arms Company," then turned to look at Leon beside her.

「Who ran the arms company six years ago…」

「Bobby Lyon. 」

Recalling the records, Leon stated the name cleanly, then added thoughtfully:

「He's the second name on the list I gave you. He's the younger brother of the current Lyon patriarch—nearly twenty years his junior…」

「Oh, and his brother has no heirs—so barring accidents, he'll inherit the Lyon family and become the next Duke of Lionheart. 」

(End of Chapter)