Rebuttal

"That isn't within the Special Operations Group's jurisdiction either."

"Do you really believe the Anti-Corruption Branch will deal with people connected to the Six Harmonies Society?"

The moment Swire finished speaking, Roy refuted her without hesitation.

His rebuttal left Swire silent—not because Roy's forceful manner had intimidated her, but because she understood that he was right.

Why had the Six Harmonies Society managed to evade the Guard Department's inspections time and again?

Why could the Six Harmonies Society always destroy the evidence and leave the scene before the police arrived?

Why had the Six Harmonies Society continued to grow steadily under the Guard Department's investigation?

There was only one answer: there was a mole within the Guard Department, and that mole held no low-ranking position!

And since the Lungmen Guard Department Anti-Corruption Branch had been established, how many corruption cases had it truly handled? Everyone present knew the answer all too well.

According to last quarter's public opinion survey, Lungmen residents' trust in the Anti-Corruption Branch had nearly hit rock bottom. Even if they discovered corruption, they would never report it to the Anti-Corruption Branch.

Because they understood that the moment they filed a report, their information might be sitting on the reported person's desk the very next instant, followed by endless retaliation.

At that moment, Swire found herself unable to respond.

"The answer is obvious. Even we don't trust those people, let alone the people of Lungmen."

At that point, Roy looked toward Chen.

She was the commanding officer of the Special Operations Group. Once the proposal stage ended, whether they would proceed according to their current discussion still required her approval. Naturally, there was no point in Roy debating Swire here.

"So, we should gather the relevant evidence and report it directly to Chief Wei. As long as we receive his approval, we can bypass the Anti-Corruption Branch and deal directly with these rotten apples."

"As long as we remove the eyes they planted within the Guard Department, we can turn the tables and seize the initiative."

Several minutes later, at the entrance to the Guard Department.

Chen had not responded to Roy's words in the end, but Roy believed she had her own plans. While handling the Six Harmonies Society case, she certainly would not let those people off. Even if she had no opportunity now, she would definitely punish them in the future. After all, Chen hated evil with a vengeance and was practically impossible to win over or corrupt.

Moreover, one thing had become clear from how readily Wei Yenwu had agreed to Chen's recommendation that day: there was definitely some connection between them. After all, they were both dragons, and dragons were Yan's imperial clan. Perhaps Wei Yenwu had his own considerations, but the connection in their bloodlines had undoubtedly played some part. Roy believed that.

Still, such matters were clearly not something he should be considering right now. What he needed to think about was how to deal with the situation before him.

When Roy returned to his residence and opened the door, he nearly suspected he had entered the wrong place.

He barely recognized either the bright lights or the figures sitting in the room. It was only when he saw Texas that he realized he had met all of them before. Weren't these people from Penguin Logistics?

"Roy?!"

Texas had already changed into a set of Penguin Logistics-style clothing, and even her ponytail had been let down.

Sitting opposite her was the Sankta girl, while the Forte girl sat on the other side. The three of them were seated around the table that had been moved into the center of the living room, each holding several cards. There were drinks on the table as well. Thankfully, there was no cash in sight, or Roy worried he might not be able to stop himself from arresting them and taking them to the Guard Department.

After all, gambling was illegal.

"Looks like you've been getting along quite well."

"Want a bottle, buddy?"

As Roy finished speaking, the Sankta turned around and shook the beer in her hand.

As far as Roy knew, Laterano's Sankta had deeply held religious beliefs, which often made them serious, with some even seeming cold and unapproachable. But this one was different. Roy did not know whether she held the same religious faith as the rest of her people, but compared to the Sankta described in files and books, she seemed much easier to get along with.

One did not slap a smiling face. As he caught the beer she tossed him, Roy walked over and took the empty side of the square table. Unable to spot a bottle opener, he skillfully knocked the cap off against the edge of the table.

"Did you get this from your boss?"

After taking a small sip, Roy curiously asked the Sankta.

The only response he received was that faint smile. Clearly, he had guessed correctly.

"Aren't you going to introduce your coworkers, Texas?"

"This is Exusiai, and this is Croissant."

Her style was as concise as ever, but Roy had gained some understanding of the two. At the very least, he now knew what to call them the next time they met.

Croissant was the Forte girl. Though the first thing Roy thought of upon hearing that name was still a crescent-shaped pastry, it at least sounded like a person's name. As for Exusiai... Roy could not tell whether it was her name or a title, but it did not matter. They were clearly people unlikely to ever walk the same path as him. A passing acquaintance was enough.

"Want to play a round?"

"I'll pass. I don't know how to play cards."

Roy declined Exusiai's invitation. As for whether he knew how to play cards, he had lied about that. In truth, he was fairly skilled and knew a little about most card games. He simply did not enjoy playing them much.

After draining a bottle of beer, Roy placed the empty bottle in a cardboard box to the side, then headed toward the kitchen.

Between his transfer and the meeting, he had not eaten anything all day. He planned to heat up the cold leftovers, fill his stomach, and then get some rest.

Roy had some experience with cooking. In his previous life, he had not been married, and he could not eat takeout all the time during his days off, so he had developed decent cooking skills.

He could not compare with professional restaurant chefs, but his food was far from inedible. At the very least, most people would offer a little praise after eating it.

After finishing his meal, Roy went to his room. After adjusting the curtain divider slightly, he made himself a bed on the floor and went to sleep.

Starting tomorrow, he would be busy. That was precisely why he did not intend to waste even a moment of rest...