Waiting for Nightfall

Shelley and Pilt stood on either side of the car, and everyone's attention was focused on the Secret Intelligence Bureau vehicle, speculating what these two powerful figures from the Cape District would discuss.

Once inside the car, Holt said to Luke, "I am also acting under orders. Even if you threaten me with my family, the Security Bureau will not let the Mad Axe Gang go. If I am transferred, someone else will naturally take my place."

Luke looked outside and said to Holt in a relaxed tone, "Director, look at the people outside, look at their expressions. They all know that every word you and I say here could mean that many people here won't live to see tomorrow. Including you and me. You have your duties, and I have mine. On my first day, I watched you destroy the Mad Axe Gang. How am I supposed to manage my subordinates?"

"The Mad Axe Gang is an illegal gang, they collude..."

"Director Holt, since I'm talking to you alone here, don't give me any of that empty talk. The Mad Axe Gang is an illegal gang, but are the people following your Security Bureau necessarily clean? Today you use this excuse to deal with the Mad Axe Gang, and tomorrow I can use the same excuse to deal with the people under you. If you kill all the people doing the work, who will be the laborers to transport goods for the masters in the Rich District?"

Holt said vigilantly, "What are you talking about? I don't understand. What does this have to do with the masters in the Rich District?"

"Holt, the death of the previous detective from the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau was very suspicious! The Grand Princess's first task for me was to investigate the cause of death of my predecessor, but I know the waters in Raging Wave City are very deep, and I don't want to risk my own life. I just want to muddle through for a year or two and then be transferred. Therefore, I hope you don't push me too hard. Isn't it good for the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau to maintain the status quo?"

Luke's words made Holt fall into thought. The higher-ups wanted him to regain full control of the Cape Port docks, but they also didn't want to disrupt the normal transfer of smuggled goods. The reaction of the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau today clearly showed they were protecting the Mad Axe Gang. If the Security Bureau destroyed the Mad Axe Gang today, the Secret Intelligence Bureau would retaliate tomorrow by destroying one of their own branches, and if they kept retaliating like this, all the people doing the work would be killed. The masters in the Rich District would not send their own people to transport goods. In the end, the Cape District Security Bureau would still bear the responsibility. Moreover, pushing people too hard could endanger their families. If this new detective was willing to maintain the status quo... although it would be difficult to explain to the higher-ups, it wasn't impossible. The new detective of the Secret Intelligence Bureau expressed his willingness to cooperate. As for whether it was genuine cooperation or just lip service, that was a matter for the future.

"Do you have any suggestions? Even if I'm willing to let the Mad Axe Gang go, the people outside probably won't agree."

Seeing Director Holt relent, Luke said, "It's my first day on the job, and I'm not familiar with the Mad Axe Gang. I don't fundamentally intend to protect them. But I have to consider the attitudes of my subordinates. You should know that Black Mamba and Pisco are not easy to control."

Holt looked at the two people standing outside the car and agreed with Luke's assessment, even saying with some sympathy, "Those two are the ones who give every detective in the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau a headache."

"Since you understand my difficulties, I suggest... that the Secret Intelligence Bureau and the Security Bureau both withdraw from here and do not directly send people to participate in this incident. You and I will simultaneously restrain our subordinates from causing trouble during the day, and at night, it will be each to their own. Director, what do you think?"

Luke's suggestion avoided direct conflict between the Secret Intelligence Bureau and the Security Bureau, limiting the struggle to the level of gang warfare. If the flames of war didn't burn upwards, they wouldn't affect the higher-ups. Especially their families. Holt didn't know how the Secret Intelligence Bureau had found his well-hidden family, and now he could only minimize the risk.

"I hope you can keep your promise."

Luke extended his hand to Holt, "That's what I should be saying. I'm the one who least wants to escalate things. The sooner we withdraw, the sooner the docks can return to normal operations. We've delayed for so long, and a lot of goods must have piled up."

Holt shook Luke's hand lightly and then pushed open the door to get out of the car. Luke rolled down the car window and said to Shelley, "Notify our people, retreat!"

Shelley asked, "Retreat now? What about the Security Bureau's people?"

"We'll all retreat..."

The security officers surrounding the Mad Axe Gang's headquarters, under Holt's command, began to withdraw in an orderly fashion. Shelley also waved her hand, signaling the Special Task Force agents to fall back. The convoy, honking its horns, returned to the Secret Intelligence Bureau sector as if they had won a great victory.

As soon as they reached the second floor, a clerk from the Secret Intelligence Bureau said to Luke, "Detective, an old woman calling herself Helm has been waiting here. She said you asked her to come and that you would help her find her son."

Luke looked in the direction the clerk pointed, and indeed, the old woman who sold hot dogs was standing there timidly. Seeing Luke look over, the old woman immediately bowed.

"I did ask her to come." Then Luke said to Shelley, who was following him, "This is your case, you handle it... consider it a test for you."

Shelley said with difficulty, "Detective, I still need to contact people to support the Mad Axe Gang. Besides, I only know how to kill, not how to find people."

Luke's decision to take on Helm's son's missing person case was purely impulsive. Seeing Shelley so brazenly talk about eating for free, he wanted to put her in her place. However, helping the Mad Axe Gang through their difficulties was indeed more important now. Furthermore, if Shelley were to truly handle this case, she might not find the son and could even endanger the person's life. But he had already promised Helm.

When Luke was in a difficult spot, the clerk volunteered, "Detective Chief, you can give this case to me."

Luke looked at the clerk before him.

A very young man, looking eager to prove himself to his new superior.

Somewhat familiar.

After careful observation, Luke finally recognized who this familiar person was.

Wallis Thomas!

A five-star hero, a legendary secret agent of the Golden Shield Empire. Because of his meticulous methods and outstanding achievements, he was recruited by the Grand Princess into the Secret Intelligence Bureau's highest special agency, "Raven."

His codename: "Silence."

Later, during the Grand Princess's struggle for the throne against the First Prince, he successfully assassinated several key figures from the First Prince's faction, becoming one of the ten ace secret agents bestowed titles by the Grand Princess.

Of course, Thomas now was not the "Silence" of the future. Judging by his age and appearance, he should be a rookie who had just joined the Secret Intelligence Bureau.

Luke hadn't expected to encounter the young Thomas at the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau.

Interesting!

Seeing the Detective Chief staring at him, Thomas said a little sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Detective Chief. I know I'm a newcomer and don't have the ability to handle cases independently yet. But I hope you can give me a chance. I will do my utmost to help Helm find her son."