Chapter 16: Grand Discipline Officer Pays a Visit

A shocking murder case occurred in Kawanyi.

The victims included an Academy Official, for a total of nine people.

This can no longer be described as a major case.

You should know that among the dead is an Academy Official, and moreover the most powerful Academy Official in Kawanyi.

Moreover, scattered paper books were found at the crime scene.

Now the nature of the matter has become even more serious.

Paper books.

These are strictly prohibited from circulation by the Academy.

Not to mention desert dwellers, even people in the rainforest area are not allowed to use paper books, lest the Academy's knowledge leak out.

But at the crime scene.

The Thirty-Person Squad found a large quantity of paper books from the deceased desert dwellers, ranging from rhetoric and literary poetry collections to academic treatises, and even a compendium of jokes and an image collection of Fontan, covering everything comprehensively.

Undoubtedly, this is also a major case of smuggling books and leaking Academy knowledge.

Although one might find it hard to agree that even the joke compendium and Fontan image collection count as Sumeru knowledge, the Academy Official who came to handle the case insisted on classifying all these books as Sumeru knowledge, leaving no room for objection.

In short.

The matter has blown up.

Not only did the Academy Officials and the Thirty-Person Squad become busy, but even the Discipline Officers stepped forward.

Among them.

A white-haired, red-eyed youth wearing a wolf-head hat stood out particularly.

And after the Discipline Officers respectfully addressed him as 'Your Excellency the Grand Discipline Officer,' this extraordinarily handsome youth made people unable to help but glance at him repeatedly.

Grand Discipline Officer.

This is a high-ranking official whom ordinary Sumeru people rarely come into contact with.

At the same time, he is a terrifying figure in the Sumeru Academy whose very name makes people feel uneasy.

Seno.

This is the name of that Grand Discipline Officer.

He is young in age, possesses extraordinary strength, is upright and unyielding, enforces the law harshly, and anyone who falls into his hands cannot escape his pursuit.

As for his duties.

They are to apprehend those who violate the Academy's edicts, halt prohibited research, maintain discipline within the Academy, and handle all matters related to the Academy's six great prohibitions.

This Academy Official assault incident originally had nothing to do with him.

But the reason he stepped forward is.

One is that he had just returned from capturing criminals in the desert and was resting in Kawanyi these two days; the other is that this murder case involves knowledge leakage, which also falls within the Discipline Officers' patrol duties.

"Lord Seno, the inventory is complete."

"The total number of books found here is four hundred thirty-seven, of which seventy-two are works from Adomieli Academy and seventeen are from Vaherendana Academy."

Seno listened attentively to his subordinate's report of the investigation results, then furrowed his brows: "Which tribe are the tribespeople who traded with Sumera?"

Sumera is the name of the slain Academy Official.

"It has been ascertained: the Tanit Tribe."

Saying that, the Discipline Officer handed over several Tanit tribe emblems.

Seno casually picked up an emblem, examined its pattern, then squeezed it hard to confirm it was genuine, and snorted coldly: "Again them—how many times has this happened?"

"According to the Discipline Officers' records, this is the fourth time."

Smuggling paper books—once or twice might go unnoticed.

But if the quantity is large,

it will definitely be recorded by the Discipline Officers.

The activity of selling paper books in the desert region is extremely rampant, with the Tanit Tribe being the most outrageous; however, their operations have always been clean, so previously we only knew they were smuggling books but never managed to catch evidence, only able to apprehend a few book‑smuggling criminals and bring them back.

This time, however, they were caught red‑handed.

However, Seno did not have the idea of immediately setting out to deal with the Tanit Tribe.

He then said to his subordinate in front of him: "Notify the Thirty-Person Squad that the Tanit Tribe in the desert is a major suspect in knowledge theft; send people to investigate this matter, the principal culprit must be apprehended, and any paper books hidden there are to be collected and returned to the Academy."

After thinking, he added: "Also notify the Adventurers' Guild that the Tanit Tribe will soon be investigated; they and the Tanit Tribe may be affected, so let them have a sense of what to expect."

Having arranged these two matters, he turned to leave.

Seeing this, the Discipline Officer hurriedly asked: "Lord Seno, there may be more paper books here than these; the killer might have escaped with some books."

"I know."

Seno did not even turn his head.

He left only a dashing silhouette for his subordinate.

Golden Sand Journey.

Luo De sat honestly before Dixiya, accepting her scrutinizing gaze.

He had just returned in the early hours when he was caught red‑handed.

Then Dixiya dragged him into her room, and besides, she splashed a cup of wine on him, leaving him reeking of alcohol as if he had been carousing all night.

"Come on, when did this happen?"

Dixiya crossed her arms, placed her right leg over her left, and her expression turned stern.

"Well, it was probably around three in the morning."

"That group of Tanit people were trading with an Academy Official, so I seized the opportunity and dealt with them all; rest assured, I am very careful in my work, leaving no evidence—even if the Thirty‑Person Squad investigates, they won't find anything on me."

Having been caught red‑handed in person, there was nothing left to hide, so Luo De laid everything out frankly, telling the whole story.

However, after Dixiya finished listening, she did not mention Luo De's midnight killing sortie, but instead asked with a stern expression: "I'm asking you, when did you sneak out?"

Uh

Around midnight, I guess.

Luo De gave a time.

You sneaked out at midnight, and I only noticed you were back after 3 a. m.

Heh—

Dixiya burst out laughing.

However, hearing that laugh, Luo De found it increasingly creepy.

He awkwardly chuckled along.

Sure enough, what he feared came true.

What Dixiya minds now is not that Luo De went out to kill, but that he could actually sneak out to kill without her noticing.

How long has Luo De been studying martial arts?

At most, it's less than half a month.

Yet he managed to deceive Dixiya, who has been training martial arts since childhood and has over a decade of real combat experience in the desert.

Who would believe that if it got out?

Moreover, let alone being spoken of, this fact is blatantly before Dixiya, and she can hardly believe it.

A complete novice who knows nothing.

Having studied martial arts for less than half a month, he actually managed to sneak out to kill without being noticed.

Moreover, Dixiya only realized Luo De was missing because his room was unusually quiet; she furtively peeked in and found it empty, only then noticing.

Less than half a month of training surpassed his years of diligent practice.

To be honest.

It is indeed hard to accept.

Fortunately, Dixiya is not a petty person.

Regarding Luo De's performance, she only said this: "Don't let a second person know you've only studied martial arts for half a month."

Hmm.

I understand.

Luo De nodded, his face relaxing into a smile.

While the two were talking,

Suddenly, a noisy sound came from downstairs of the Golden Sands Journey.

Luo De was about to get up to look, but Dixiya called him to stop.

"Sit down, drink."

"No matter who comes asking later, just say you kept me company drinking all night here."

(End of chapter)