Chapter 2659: Field Duty Procedures

Subsequently, under Dumu's guidance, Xia Duo quickly found the investigation report regarding the recent incident where a reconnaissance squad was attacked and went missing. This report appeared very detailed and was signed by multiple responsible parties.

From the moment the incident was first discovered, to the initiation of the investigation, and finally to the conclusion reached, every step of the process was clearly and accurately recorded, yet Xia Duo still discovered something unusual.

For instance, the report mentioned that the reconnaissance squad, which Misailaitiao had joined as an accompanying expert, tracked a suspected Demon Descendant a month ago and submitted the target's aura to the Alliance Demon-born Research Lab as a tracking clue.

Afterward, the Mages at the Demon-born Research Lab tested it and found that the target's aura was insufficient for real-time tracking, so they recorded it as a case file according to procedure, and the reconnaissance squad also applied for an accompanying expert according to procedure.

It was mainly used for real-time tracking of clues discovered along the way.

Logically speaking, even if the aura sample submitted by the reconnaissance squad was insufficient for real-time tracking, it should have been preserved, especially given the situation where the entire squad plus the accompanying expert went missing; it was even more necessary to verify the previous sample materials.

And yet—

The investigation report stated it quite clearly, claiming it was consumed during a routine re-examination, but Xia Duo was not an ordinary person ignorant of this field; he knew very well that so-called aura testing would not completely consume a sample.

Or rather, the consumption for this type of test is extremely, extremely low, to the point of being negligible; the reason it could not be used for tracking was mainly because the directionality was insufficient.

Or rather, the total amount of the sample was sufficient, and the (target aura) concentration was sufficient.

Xia Shao himself is skeptical; I think either there is indeed no problem with the Taiweiman side, or someone is framing Taiweiman, attempting to push Taiweiman into some conspiracy.

Compared to whether or not the bodies were found, whether this incident can be successfully concluded might be more important.

If there hadn't been the subsequent disappearance incident, then a detour to Yierlansa wouldn't have been considered a serious mistake; it is quite normal to go sightseeing while out on field duty, but it just so happened that an accident occurred later.

The report mentioned that when the reconnaissance squad entered Taiweiman territory, they followed the advice of the accompanying expert—who was Misailaitiao—and went directly to the area the target might have headed toward.

Besides this, Xia Shao also discovered flaws in the procedures within the investigation report; it wasn't that there was a problem with the post-incident investigation, but rather that the missing reconnaissance squad had engaged in behavior that violated procedures while tracking the target.

But the premise for doing so is that the sample still exists; otherwise, even if the method could be improved, there would be no sample to use!

Of course, from the perspective of the Northland Alliance, confirming the location of the incident is equivalent to closing the case; after all, there are too many Magic spells in this world that can destroy a corpse.

The records themselves were preserved intact, and there were even records of the missing reconnaissance squad—this is something the reconnaissance squad must do themselves; the itinerary report before each operation is a series of records, and the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab has specialized Document clerks to organize them, only the final return record was missing.

Even more coincidental is that the tester who performed the routine re-examination of the aura sample was also from Taiweiman; can there really be such a coincidence in the world?

Whenever there is news involving Demon Descendants, various countries will directly forward it to the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab; as for whether they conduct investigations privately, that is a matter for the countries themselves.

But the investigation report also mentioned that the reconnaissance squad left Yierlansa alive, tracked for a while longer, and only then did the accident happen.

This is full of the scent of conspiracy; to say there is absolutely no problem is not very likely.

But no one expected that this missing reconnaissance squad had an accompanying expert, and because the timing of the incident was sufficiently coincidental, it caught Xia Shao's attention.

Xia Shao noticed that in the last few months, the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab's field duties were mostly conducting investigations or tracking Elves suspected of being Demon Descendants, with only a few combat incidents.

This could actually be improved by refining the testing method to increase the success rate of the test, which is to say, increasing the directionality to achieve the level of real-time tracking.

If he deems it necessary, then it is transferred to higher-level Mages to conduct Spell investigations; at this step, if it is discovered that it is indeed related to Demon Descendants, then it is reported to the Alliance higher-ups to ask how to proceed.

And if it cannot be discovered to be related to Demon Descendants, then it needs to be transferred to long-term tracking and observation, which is when it is the reconnaissance squad's turn to take action.

Even if there are suspicions, it is difficult to elevate it to a serious issue.

The subsequent disappearance might be within the realm of reason.

But the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab would definitely conduct a preliminary investigation and confirmation after receiving the news; this part would be handled by specialized Mages performing Spellcasting Scrying and divination to determine if there is a need for further investigation.

This was not mentioned in the reconnaissance squad's itinerary report, but it was uncovered during the post-incident investigation.

Therefore, Xia Shao suspects that perhaps the reconnaissance squad discovered some clues, but it was leaked to the Taiweiman side by the Taiweiman Elf in the team, and then they led the squad to Yierlansa.

There was no problem with this step, because the reconnaissance squad was authorized by the Northland Alliance and did not need to have any direct contact with the Taiweiman side, but later, the reconnaissance squad strangely deviated from the tracking route and went to Yierlansa.

After finishing the entire content of the investigation report, Xia Shao's intuition told him that there was a problem here nine times out of ten, yet he had no evidence.

But in reality, it might just be a small conflict between neighbors.

Usually, these are all about suppression or capture.

And investigations or tracking often stem from an uncertain piece of news; for example, an Elf reports that their neighbor is acting suspiciously at night, suspected of performing some evil ritual.

……

From this, it can be seen that the hierarchy of the reconnaissance squad in the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab is relatively low, and this also means that while the disappearance of a reconnaissance squad looks like a big deal, it is very easy to calm down.

The process for the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab's field duties is usually like this—

It is mainly known that a squad is missing; as for who exactly the squad members are, that is not important.

"Sigh—"

Xia Shao sighed silently in his heart, then put down the investigation report in his hand and turned to check the field duty records of the Demon-born Intelligence Research Lab from the last few months.

……

As for the Taiweiman Mage who used up all the sample aura during the previous re-examination, that matter itself was not a major mistake, and they had already been punished for it.

When seeing the words in the investigation report about the initial target aura sample being completely consumed, Xia Shao really had an inexplicable sense of déjà vu, just as familiar as the police always being the last to arrive in movies.

Of course, it is also possible that the records of combat incidents are kept in other archives.

Moreover, the post-incident investigation did find the location where the squad was attacked, but they did not find the bodies of the squad members, and all clues ended there.