I've Come Again

Luke had not expected that even though he had deliberately mixed the items related to summoning the Red Dragon among a large bulk purchase, the Imperial Secret Agents at the time had still noticed.

However, the "heart" had been destroyed after Red Dragon Nilcolon was summoned, so even if he wanted to hand it over, he couldn't.

It was better to play dumb; in any case, the Red Dragon had already been dismembered and was lying in Clear Sky's Spatial Backpack.

What consequences could there possibly be?

If they want someone to take responsibility, then let them!

Luke replied indifferently, "Oh, I see..."

Kailina, who was unaware of the inside story, said anxiously, "Detective Chief, if we cannot capture Clear Sky, I fear the City Administration will use this as an excuse to cut off our funding."

Cutting funds again!

Luke said to Kailina, "Tell the City Administration that neither Clear Sky nor the Red Dragon is something our Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau can handle."

"The items were stolen in the Central District, and Clear Sky bought the summoning tools in the Central District; no matter how you look at it, it isn't the turn of our Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau to solve this case."

"I have just taken office and am not yet familiar with the work; I lack the ability to be responsible for such a major case."

"Besides... there is no target in the Cape District worth using a Red Dragon for."

Hearing Luke's last sentence, Kailina asked in a low voice, "Detective Chief, is it appropriate to reply to the City Administration like this?"

"Reply exactly like that; I will bear all the consequences. The City Administration is pressuring us like this surely to divert our attention and energy away from the Mad Axe Gang, so they can cooperate with those fellows at the Security Bureau to seize the docks at Cape Port."

"They don't expect us to catch Clear Sky or find that 'heart'."

"These parasites!"

"In the future, the City Administration will definitely try every possible way to reduce our funding. The production and sales process of the magic potions must be accelerated. You draft a reliable turnover plan, and we will solve the branch's funding problem first."

"Understood, Detective Chief!"

Sigh...

Being a secret agent in the Cape District is truly stifling.

The Imperial Secret Intelligence Bureau is a secret service agency directly under the Imperial Family, possessing immense power. In other parts of the empire, which government department wouldn't be cautious when facing the Secret Intelligence Bureau, terrified of offending these people and being invited for a cup of coffee?

Yet in Raging Wave City, the City Administration actually dares to assign cases to the Secret Intelligence Bureau and even dares to say that "you" are responsible for all consequences.

If this Detective Chief is to be responsible, it is to the Imperial Family that he shall be responsible!

In Raging Wave City, the status of both sides is reversed; all of this is the fault of sugar-coated bullets.

The salary standard for an ordinary agent of the Imperial Secret Intelligence Bureau is 6,000 to 7,000 Imperial Marks per month.

In other parts of the empire, this is considered a very lucrative profession.

But in Raging Wave City... besides the basic salary issued by the empire, Imperial Secret Agents can also receive a city subsidy.

An ordinary agent's monthly income immediately jumps to over 20,000.

Agents with official positions receive even more money in their pockets.

Shelley came to the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau completely penniless, and after working here for just eight years, she was able to buy a detached house in full.

She even has a classic steam-engine motorcycle.

One can see just how abundant the kickbacks are here.

Of course, the city treasury doesn't pay Imperial Secret Agents so much money for nothing; the City Administration's biggest requirement for the Imperial Secret Intelligence Bureau is... don't do any work.

Clock in on time every day, drink tea, read the newspaper, play cards, and brag—that's all it takes to collect the money.

If you do as the City Administration says, you can get even more money.

Raging Wave City uses its powerful economic strength to corrupt every branch of the Secret Intelligence Bureau into becoming a part of its own interest group.

The empire has the heart to rectify Raging Wave City, but the place is managed like an iron bucket, leaving no room to strike.

The officials sent here either become complicit or are humanely eliminated.

Luke feels that what he is doing now is not far from the time he will be humanely eliminated.

What he needs to do now is to use money to build a solid "fortress" for himself in the Cape District.

Establishing the Blazing Sun Smuggling Group and tying more people to this newly started chariot is the first step.

Next...

As for the Mad Axe Gang Headquarters, he has already done everything he should. The reinforcements and high-efficiency Berserk Potion will arrive before the curfew; whether they win or not is no longer something he can control.

What he can do is continue to improve his own strength as much as possible.

The Troll Bloodline provides a good foundation, but that is merely brute strength. To unleash and refine his power, he needs to build a complete combat system based on this foundation.

It's like playing a game; now that he has the level, he needs to keep up with his training and equipment.

Luke planned his activities for the evening, then pretended to be on an inspection tour, wandering around the district and slacking off until nightfall.

500 bottles of high-efficiency Berserk Potion were delivered on time and then sent to the Mad Axe Gang Headquarters.

Last night, despite the shortage of men and medicine, Lambert was able to hold the line.

Tonight, with men and medicine, he can just wait to see the good show tomorrow.

After dinner, Luke returned to his dorm, flopped onto his bed, and logged in.

Logging into Clear Sky... It really felt like the old days of playing games at night.

Tonight's target: the central district.

Didn't you guys ask me to take responsibility?

Here I come!

Bonar, captain of the Second Special Task Force of the Raging Wave City Central Branch of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, patrolled the streets with a team of Imperial Secret Agents.

In the past, these Imperial Secret Agents would have long since found a place to enjoy their nightlife. But ever since the "Heart of Red Dragon Nilcolon" was stolen from the City Alchemist Association, the entire city had become like a besieged fortress.

This was a real dragon!

Once it was released within the city, even for ten minutes, the damage it could cause would be unimaginable.

In recent days, the city's dignitaries had been pressuring the City Government Office, demanding they quickly recover the stolen "Heart" and protect the lives of taxpayers.

The Government Office naturally wouldn't place the entire burden of such a major case on the Cape District Secret Intelligence Bureau; their case-handling style was well-known.

The Security Bureaus and Secret Intelligence Bureaus of all districts in the city had been mobilized to pursue the suspect, the Elf Clear Sky.

Especially at night, additional patrols were deployed near the wealthy residential areas to protect the dignitaries.

"Captain, you found a lead on the 'Heart of Red Dragon Nilcolon' yesterday. Did our Detective Chief reward you?"

"Reward? I was reprimanded, if anything." Bonar chatted with his subordinates as they walked. "The Detective Chief asked me why I didn't apprehend the suspect on the spot! Sigh..."

A subordinate agent grumbled, "We really should have let the Detective Chief experience the situation back then. I was so frozen I lost all feeling. Killing me would have been as easy as a single stab."

Another agent said fearfully, "I heard that Elf killed over a hundred people in the Cape District in one night, and displayed them all frozen into ice sculptures. If you hadn't stopped the Elf last night, Captain, we would all be dead..."

"Yeah! Yeah! That Elf is too strong... and very beautiful!"

"Right, too beautiful. I've never seen such a beautiful Elf. Especially when ice dust danced around her, I was mesmerized."

"You were mesmerized too? If only she wasn't a killer!"

Just as the team of agents shifted from discussing the Elf's strength to her appearance, an agent ran quickly from the other end of the street.

"Captain, that Elf from yesterday appeared again, just ahead... She seems to be waiting for the bus to Aolu Academy."