Chapter 98: 97 Target

97 Target

“…”

So… the thing I did at that restaurant was already discovered by you?

Seeing Leon’s expression suddenly sharpen, 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 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 slip into any restroom to change clothes and vanish.”

“But your luck was absurdly bad—you got crushed by a falling cash register and ended up in the hospital, and a reporter from The Sun took 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…

Though 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 impulsive, I’m still a secret police officer—do you really think I’m that stupid?”

Having taken a beating from Leon, the female police officer seized this rare chance to regain her dignity, tilting her head up and snorting:

“Now do you understand? I’ve been watching you for a reason! Once I found out rebels had infiltrated the Police Department, how could I 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… 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 each other as a brainless 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 coat and asked:

“We’ve found what we needed to investigate—what now? What do we do next?”

“Next…”

Glancing at the darkening sky, Leon turned to look at the female prisoner tied up like a dumpling on the sofa, then said:

“My business is done. But since you helped me a lot, 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 stood 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.”

“Mm! Mm!”

“Don’t worry—I’m not asking you about the rebels 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 seek 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 against you will focus solely on the rebels. Your husband’s case will likely be ignored. So this isn’t just my last chance—it’s yours too.”

After speaking, seeing the prisoner stop struggling, the female police officer cautiously asked:

“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 need to know.”

Understanding she feared he’d ambush her with sudden questions to extract more rebel intel, Leon raised an eyebrow and countered:

“And consider this—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 in resignation.

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

…

“Huh…”

After the cloth was removed from her mouth, the prisoner shot Leon one last resentful glare, then turned coldly to the female police officer.

“About my husband—how do you want to investigate?”

“Start by confirming identities.”

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

“Of those who could have harmed 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 back then…”

“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 around four years ago while leaving work—his body was found rotting. 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.”

The prisoner shook her head and sneered:

“I only know he didn’t remember my husband at all—until I reminded him repeatedly, and then he recalled 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 someone else was truly behind my husband’s death, I wouldn’t even have known who to hate.”

“…”

So… it was ultimately 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 answered 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 unless something unexpected happens, he’ll inherit the Lyon family and become the next Duke of Lionheart.”