"Fuck!"
Ryan kicked a thug flying and shouted, "Get these pieces of trash under control! Anyone who resists gets a bullet!"
The Augustus Empire was nowhere near as "civilized" as his previous life. Whoever had a gun was boss. Imperial law gave Security Officers considerable flexibility, so they still had quite an intimidating presence among ordinary people.
Otherwise, why were you holding a gun?
For decoration?
If you dared cause trouble, he dared make you eat a bullet!
"The rest of you, with me!"
Leaving several people behind to deal with the Snake Mouth Gang, Ryan led the others toward the overturned train. The dust quickly settled, and they approached with their guns raised, only to be stopped by an invisible force.
There was clearly nothing there, yet it was as though an invisible wall stood before them, blocking Ryan and the others' path.
"Captain Ryan, this..."
Several Security Officers exchanged looks.
"Don't panic. It's not a big problem. Hold the perimeter."
Ryan offered no explanation. In truth, he could not explain it either. He could only roughly assume it was some kind of barrier created by a Supernatural Being to isolate reality from the Inner World.
Supernatural Beings had to be fighting inside. Even with guns, they would most likely only be walking into their deaths.
After all, this high-end barrier was completely different from what had happened at 228 Black Ding Street. Ryan wisely chose to keep everyone outside.
At the same time, he had "Lin Qi" prepare for battle as well, though there was little chance she could get involved in the current situation...
Not long after, the barrier suddenly vanished.
Several figures rushed out of the train cars.
Ryan fired twice but missed. Without even looking back, those people sprinted toward the station exit.
They were so fast that nobody present could react. Soon afterward, Jonathan emerged from the train car as well. He rubbed his ass with one hand, pinched out the cigarette in his mouth with the other, tossed it to the ground, and started cursing.
"Those fucking bastards!"
"Director!" Ryan looked from the train car to the fleeing figures. "What happened?"
"Forget it. The Princess isn't there."
"She isn't?"
This train belonged exclusively to Caslathdi. It had only four cars, and aside from the engine, the three cars behind it had all landed steadily on the ground.
Yet no one had come out of them at all. Jonathan waved his hand, signaling Ryan to withdraw the team and head back first.
Luring the tiger away from the mountain? Or secretly slipping past under cover?
Ryan could not have been more eager to leave, but before going, he had his men tie up every Snake Mouth Gang thug. The matter had blown up so much that they needed some explanation for the public, right? Well, they could just call it a gang disturbance.
An hour later.
Ryan and Jonathan returned to the Bureau of Governance branch office.
The latter received a call from the mayor's office.
"Her Highness the Princess changed the date." Jonathan hung up and shook his head. "She'll be coming to Berman City the day after tomorrow instead."
"She really played everyone for fools." Ryan spread his hands. "Still, at least we cleared some mines in advance."
"Exactly. Her Highness the Princess's move was ruthless, but the Hand of Darkness withdrew decisively. We didn't catch them."
"Are those people really that formidable? Even you couldn't deal with them, Director?"
"That's part of it. The restrictions are another part," Jonathan said. "You'll understand later. Heretics are also called cultists not because they worship the Outer Gods, but because of their way of doing things. Saving people is always harder than killing them. Starting a fight rashly without certainty could have too great an impact."
The top priority of this mission had been ensuring Caslathdi's safety. Once Jonathan confirmed she was not in the train cars, he had no intention of fighting the Hand of Darkness to the bitter end.
After all, they had been at a train station. If they truly fought without restraint, the casualties would be impossible to predict.
Ryan sighed. "Good people are always the ones getting guns pointed at them."
Jonathan paused, then laughed. "That actually makes some sense. Still, being a good person feels better than being a bad one, at least in my opinion."
"Director, you are truly righteous."
"Stop flattering me. Go interrogate those Snake Mouth Gang members."
Jonathan had not expected a bunch of thugs to provide any useful leads, but the procedure still had to be followed.
And that was exactly how it turned out. The Snake Mouth Gang's boss knew nothing at all, looking every bit like an idiot who had been used as a weapon.
However, Ryan knew Adler had most likely been behind it. But trying to bring him down now would put Ryan in danger as well, so this outcome was actually better.
That evening, just as Ryan was preparing to get off work, Jonathan suddenly came back.
"Come to my office."
The colleagues around him, who were packing up to leave, cast sympathetic looks at Ryan.
The Bureau of Governance had been working overtime every day lately. They had finally gotten a chance to leave on time today, so naturally they were delighted.
"Vice Captain, we'll be heading out first~"
"The Vice Captain handles countless affairs. You're the Director's right-hand man."
Watching his subordinates prepare to leave with grins on their faces, Ryan's lips curled into a dragon king's smile. "Jason, Katenna, you lot go investigate the Mafia's recent activities. The day after tomorrow is when Her Highness the Princess comes to Berman City. We absolutely cannot have another incident like today."
"Wah! Vice Captain, no!"
"This can wait until tomorrow!"
"Go on. I'll count it as overtime."
"You're a damn demon!"
Amid a chorus of wails, Ryan entered the Director's Office with great satisfaction.
Jonathan held a report in his hand. It contained the Burning Covenant's interrogation results for Sam.
"There's something I need you to investigate."
There were Blood Cult members in Berman City. That was nothing suspicious; those people were like cockroaches in sewers, everywhere and impossible to eradicate.
But with everything now made sensitive by Caslathdi's arrival, several locations had been identified through Sam's interrogation as suspected Blood Cult hideouts. Jonathan wanted Ryan to check them out.
"Remember to go at noon. Morning and evening are when trouble is most likely," Jonathan reminded him.
There were fewer people around in the mornings and evenings, making them dangerous. If he went during the day with two subordinates and guns, there should be no problem.
"Alright."
Ryan glanced at the locations he was supposed to investigate and quickly understood. In the game, the Hand of Darkness was the enemy on the surface, while the Blood Cult was Berman City's main storyline, because the person backing them was Mayor Bill.
What was the meaning of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it?
The wisdom of his ancestors was displayed to the fullest in another world.
But Bill would not make a move at this point, so the Blood Cult posed little threat.
And those locations were actually only occupied by small fry lying in wait.
He just needed to be careful when he took people there tomorrow.
"Tonight is the fifth day." Ryan returned home and eagerly opened the game. Today was the final stage of "Lin Qi"'s Job Change Mission, and he was desperate to find out what hidden class she would obtain.
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