Smuggling Syndicate

After much pleading from the group, Luke finally spoke: "Originally, I only intended to provide a source of goods; I did not want to get too deeply involved in this. But the fact that you all answered my summons at a time like this proves that you are all loyal and righteous partners.

I am at ease leaving the goods in your hands! If you push me to be the leader, then I can take on the role!

From now on, I am your boss, and I have only one requirement for you, which is also very simple.

You must obey my orders. Can you do that?

Don't be in a rush to answer... this concerns your lives, so you must think it through carefully."

The conference room fell silent, and the atmosphere grew oppressive.

This requirement was indeed simple, but upon closer inspection, it was anything but.

An inexplicable pressure caused sweat to bead on the foreheads of all the sponsors.

They were all unruly, defiant men, yet at this moment, they dared not look directly at the Secret Intelligence Bureau Detective Chief sitting at the head of the table, as if their lives hung on his every whim.

Even if they left this place, their survival remained in his hands.

After a while, one man stood up and bowed to Luke: "Detective Chief, I am willing to obey all your orders!"

The others stood up one by one and bowed to Luke: "Detective Chief, I am willing to obey all your orders!"

"Good, very good. This is what a smuggling group should look like. Sit down; let us first discuss the matter of supporting the Mad Axe Gang..." Once the new subordinates were seated, Luke thought for a moment and said: "We should give our smuggling group a name. Let's call it Blazing Sun. What do you all think?"

The new subordinates looked at each other in dismay.

We are in the black market smuggling business; wouldn't such a bright, radiant name be unlucky?

But since it was the Meteor Detective Chief who named it, who dared to say it was bad?

"The Detective Chief is truly learned!"

With the name confirmed, the Blazing Sun Smuggling Group was officially established in the conference room of the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau in Raging Wave City, Golden Shield Empire.

Next, the agenda turned to discussing how to support the Mad Axe Gang.

The Mad Axe Gang had to be saved!

This would be the battle that established the prestige of the Blazing Sun Smuggling Group, and they could not yield a single inch of the wharf's interests.

The key members of the Blazing Sun Smuggling Group vied to report the manpower they could provide, and both the quality and quantity were a significant step up from yesterday.

A reinforcement force of two thousand men was easily assembled.

Luke also brought out his own assets: 500 bottles of Potent Berserk Potion, to be delivered to the Mad Axe Gang Headquarters before the curfew.

There would be another 500 bottles tomorrow!

500 after 500—the fact that the Detective Chief was sending such a massive amount to the Mad Axe Gang Headquarters meant he definitely had a large stock on hand.

After winning this battle, everyone would get rich following the Detective Chief!

The morale of the Blazing Sun Smuggling Group's key members was soaring; some who considered themselves capable even decided to lead the reinforcements to the Mad Axe Gang personally, hoping to put on a good performance in front of Boss Meteor.

Just as the atmosphere in the conference room reached its peak, Pisco pushed the door open and walked in.

He placed a safe he had been carrying onto the table.

"Detective Chief, the people have been captured and are currently being held in the interrogation room. This is the safe you wanted; it was exactly where you said, under the tenth floorboard to the left of the captain's cabin on the Lucky Princess."

Luke said: "In a moment, you and Black Mamba go interrogate those two. Get the confession that Hamilton masterminded the assassination of the previous Detective Chief."

Black Mamba replied with great confidence: "Please rest assured, Detective Chief."

Shelley and Pisco, this "golden duo," would certainly be able to "extract" the confession.

As for the rest...

The safe was the size of a suitcase, painted green, and covered in rust due to the dampness of the sea.

The previously lively meeting fell quiet, and everyone stared at the safe.

And at the Meteor Detective Chief.

Luke stood up and walked over to the safe. He did not open it, but instead placed his hand on it and gave it a meaningful, gentle pat.

"Inside is the evidence that Hamilton murdered the previous Detective Chief... would you all like to see it?"

Sweat began to bead on the foreheads of the newly recruited subordinates once again.

Does it matter if Hamilton murdered the previous Detective Chief or not?

It does not!

Is there a need to see the evidence?

Is this something we are allowed to look at!

Regardless of what is inside, if the Meteor Detective Chief says Hamilton killed the previous Detective Chief, then Hamilton killed the previous Detective Chief.

Wanting to see... implies suspicion!

"Detective Chief, the evidence for Hamilton's murder of the previous Detective Chief is ironclad. The fact that you solved this cold case on your second day in office has truly opened our eyes to your investigative prowess."

"With you here, the Cape District will soon be stable and prosperous."

Indeed, they were all influential figures in the Cape District, sharp and well-behaved.

Luke did not open the safe.

"Good! Very good! It's getting late, and you still need to go back and prepare to support the Mad Axe Gang. I won't keep you for dinner.

From today onwards, we will carve out a territory in Raging Wave City!"

Luke threw the High-Efficiency Berserk Potion in his hand onto the ground.

"We will carve out a territory in Raging Wave City with Meteor Detective Chief!"

More than ten empty potion bottles were smashed down together, and the crowd grandly left the Secret Intelligence Bureau to rush back to their respective lairs to gather manpower and support the Mad Axe Gang Headquarters.

In the now empty conference room, Shelley looked at the broken glass on the floor and the Detective Chief sitting there, lost in thought.

She couldn't help but ask, "Detective Chief... We are Imperial Secret Agents. According to our duties, we should suppress and eliminate them. You, as a high-ranking Imperial official, are involved in smuggling and even forming a gang.

Isn't this wrong?"

Luke took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth. He raised his right hand again, and Dragon Snake extended its head, spewing a breath of dragon fire to light the cigarette before disappearing back into his skin as a tattoo.

He took a deep drag.

The spicy smoke entered his chest, warm and stimulating, and quickly stabilized his rapidly beating heart.

"Besides being a high-ranking Imperial official, I have another identity. Shelley, do not question me, do not question the Grand Princess. Do your job." Luke stood up and looked at Shelley, saying in an irrefutable tone, "Prepare the evidence for Hamilton's murder of the former Detective Chief... Case closed!"

Shelley stood at attention. "Yes, Detective Chief, Pisco and I will have all the evidence ready before work tomorrow."

Luke patted Shelley's shoulder encouragingly. "Keep up the good work!"

Leaving the conference room, Luke returned to his office.

As soon as he sat down, Kailina pushed the door open and walked in.

"Detective Chief, the City Administration Hall just sent you an urgent circular. Last night, an Elf named Clear Sky purchased an item suspected of activating the 'Heart of Red Dragon Nilcolon' at the Whisperer's Mystic House in the Central District.

The Administration Hall requires our Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau to immediately apprehend the Elf Clear Sky and recover the 'Heart of Red Dragon Nilcolon' before she causes significant destruction.

Otherwise..."

Hearing Kailina pause there, Luke asked, "Otherwise what?"

"Otherwise, you will bear all the consequences."