Ark, Just Tell Me Whether the Mission Was Completed

"I never expected him to have fallen so deeply. If I'd discovered the truth about him sooner, perhaps it wouldn't have come to this."

"Perhaps when he kissed the sole of my shoe just now, he was hinting that if he'd met me a day earlier, I might have been able to save him."

"I have to admit, I really am an unqualified leader."

Hearing such a blunt admission of fault from the proud and tsundere Superintendent Swire, the Villain Group members were all deeply moved.

They had nearly followed Motley down the wrong path. If Superintendent Swire had not knocked some sense into them, they might have been transformed into monsters by some unknown method as well.

"Superintendent, this isn't your fault. It was all Captain Motley's own doing."

"I always thought there was something off about him. So he really was a spy for outside forces."

"Superintendent, we can't hold back anymore. Give the order—lift the weapons restrictions and kill this monster here as soon as possible."

"Alright." Luo Chen nodded and picked up the radio, shouting to everyone:

"Under emergency crisis response procedures, the threat posed by the criminal has escalated. Weapons restrictions are lifted. Crossbows, guns, Originium, and other potentially lethal weapons are authorized."

However, the equipment was all in the vehicles, and the reserve squad needed to retrieve it.

But the Second Squad, which was holding the line ahead, could no longer hold on.

Seeing this, the Third Squad, which had been directing civilian evacuations, moved in to support them. Some courageous citizens stepped in as well.

Among them was the helpful citizen Texas. Quick-eyed and nimble-handed, she snatched up a baton dropped by an officer, then flashed behind Motley.

Seizing her chance, Texas brought the baton down hard on Motley's forehead. Though the blow was heavy, Motley merely staggered and did not fall.

He turned around, fury blazing in his eyes, and immediately engaged Texas in a fierce struggle.

Texas was swift and agile. She deftly evaded Motley's attacks while searching for openings to counterattack. Her movements flowed like water, every strike precise and forceful, leaving Motley struggling to defend himself.

Motley, meanwhile, relied on his astonishing strength and speed, launching one savage attack after another in an attempt to subdue Texas.

Soon after, the squad that had finished changing gear returned to the battlefield. Wielding heavy crossbows and Originium weapons, they launched a fierce assault on Motley.

Dozens of bolts and spells rained down on Motley, leaving his body covered in wounds.

Texas also took the opportunity to receive an Originium light-energy blade from an officer. The blade flashed as she swung it, effortlessly severing the tendon in Motley's leg with a single slash.

Motley immediately lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. The Lungmen Guard Department officers acted at once, throwing out capture nets that tightly bound Motley.

Several police vehicles quickly drove forward as well, working together to drag Motley to the ground.

Under the barrage of attacks, Berserk Motley soon withered, collapsing on the ground with barely a breath left in him.

Someone wanted to step forward and finish off the monster that endangered Lungmen with a single slash.

But Luo Chen raised a hand and stopped him:

"Although this bastard has committed countless evils, we, as Lungmen Guard Department officers, must obey the law and cannot abuse vigilante justice against him."

"In my judgment, he should first be detained and interrogated. Once he confesses how he colluded with outside forces to alter his body, we will deal with him according to the law."

Upon hearing Swire's words, the reporters all raised their cameras and began snapping pictures of her furiously.

Facing the reporters' cameras, Luo Chen's lips curled upward slightly, forming a confident and charming smile.

What showed in that smile was not merely confidence, but her firm resolve to uphold the dignity of Lungmen's laws.

"Although Motley has fallen to such depths, and his actions have gravely violated society's moral standards and legal principles, we still believe in the fairness and majesty of the law as a law-governed society."

"Therefore, we must let him stand trial and complete every necessary legal procedure, ensuring that his crimes receive their due punishment. At the same time, in order to safeguard fairness and justice in society, the Lungmen Guard Department will certainly eliminate the hidden threat behind him that endangers Lungmen."

"I, Beatrix Schwire, swear here that I will spend the rest of my life making Lungmen the end of all evil, a paradise where all people live in harmony."

"In the future, thieves, robbers, gangs, cults, and the like will all disappear from Lungmen."

"..."

Before the cameras of every media outlet, Swire's voice was clear and powerful, her words filled with her commitment to justice and respect for the law.

Every word of hers was like a sharp sword, pointing directly at Motley's crimes and Lungmen's future plans.

The Lungmen citizens present were fired up by the grand vision Swire painted for them, shouting, "Long live the Lungmen Guard Department! Long live Superintendent Swire!"

She really was a respectable and wonderful superintendent.

Lower City, Luo Chen's home.

Swire lay on the bed, turning her head to stare fixedly at the interview playing on the television. Her face gradually turned pale as paper, as though all color had drained from it.

Her heart was filled with confusion and disbelief. Why had no one recognized that person was not her?

The butcher in the interview wore a police uniform similar to hers, and his mannerisms were like her shadow. Even his voice was imitated with uncanny perfection. Watching that pervert portray her so flawlessly, fury and humiliation intertwined in Swire's heart until she could barely breathe.

What she found even harder to accept was that the pervert was more photogenic than she was. Every movement and expression seemed carefully designed, making it impossible to look away. Swire's heart filled with jealousy and resentment. She could not accept this fact, much less this reality.

Yet what tormented Swire more than any of that was one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

The good news was that the torturous IV drip was finally empty. The bad news was that she was full of water and about to burst.

Meanwhile.

After delivering her impassioned speech, the fake Swire on television began visiting the injured officers and Texas, the helpful citizen who had courageously stepped in.

"Beautiful miss, thank you for lending a hand. If not for you, that man would have caused even more innocent civilian casualties."

"You are an example and role model to all the people of Lungmen. On behalf of the Lungmen Guard Department and all Lungmen citizens, I sincerely thank you."

As Luo Chen spoke, she had the Lungmen reporters turn their cameras toward Texas.

"May I ask the name of this helpful young lady?"

Before the cameras, Texas seemed somewhat shy. She gave a slight nod to the viewers, showing a faint smile as she sized up Swire standing before her.

That delicate face, those eyes and brows—her every gesture was full of warmth and kindness.

The Lungmen Guard Department must have so many officers willing to help others because of this superintendent's leadership.

Texas vaguely remembered Swire instructing those officers half an hour ago.

The officers doing volunteer work on the streets today had apparently all been problem officers who had made mistakes in the past. Yet now they had become helpful people, which surely had everything to do with this beautiful and kind Lungmen Guard Department superintendent.

"Respected Chief Superintendent." Texas hesitated for a moment before speaking before the television media. "I only did what anyone would have done. Bringing down that monster was entirely thanks to this superintendent's excellent command. I'd rather not reveal my name."

Since the helpful citizen did not wish to give her name, Luo Chen said with slight regret:

"Just call me Officer Swire. I don't deserve to be called a respected superintendent."

"I failed to guide that monster onto the right path. I failed to save a lost lamb. How could I possibly be worthy of respect?"

These words left Texas silent.

She realized that the superintendent before her was completely different from the important figures she had met in the past.

There was none of a politician's hypocrisy in her eyes, none of a family elder's greed, and none of an aristocrat's falseness.

She was like an idealist who had risen above vulgar interests.

Her purpose in existing on this land was to fulfill the oath she had just made during the television interview.

Just as Texas was marveling that Lungmen possessed such an outstanding high-ranking official.

Luo Chen lowered her eyes, a trace of sadness flashing through them, and her voice could not help but soften:

"That man was once our colleague in the Lungmen Guard Department. I wanted to help him put down his obsessions and become a good person, but not only did I fail, I could only watch helplessly as he fell into a monster."

"Whoever turned him into a monster must be a shameless, vile creature."

"I will spend the rest of my life fighting this shameless, vile creature!"

"And you, helpful citizen of Lungmen, I sincerely wish to invite you to join the Lungmen Guard Department in building a united line of defense between police and civilians."

Luo Chen spoke with such righteous conviction, then pulled out her business card from her shoulder bag and handed it to Texas:

"The Lungmen Guard Department needs good people like you, warmhearted people like you who dare to stand up for justice."

"This has the number of my assistant, Luo Chen. Call me... my assistant anytime. The doors of the Lungmen Guard Department will always be open to you."

Texas immediately waved her hands.

"No, no, no... I have a job. I won't be joining the Lungmen Guard Department. I'm very satisfied with where I work now."

"I see." Luo Chen sighed regretfully. "It's fine if you can't join the Lungmen Guard Department for now. Whether you wish to join us in the future or run into any difficulties and need help, call my assistant Luo Chen anytime. We will provide all the help we can."

Elsewhere, Wei Yenwu's convoy from the Governor's Office stopped at the entrance to Lungmen Guard Department headquarters.

The moment he stepped out of the car, Wei Yenwu saw Chen Huijie, who had come to receive him.

Chen Huijie gave him a blank-faced salute, then reported calmly:

"Chief Wei, although you arrived at the Lungmen Guard Department ahead of schedule, regrettably, the exercise has already ended early under Superintendent Swire's command."

When Wei Yenwu saw Huijie's damn stern face, he put on a damn stern face himself. The two of them, one with a big damn stern face and the other with a smaller damn stern face, conversed without emotion:

"I watched the live broadcast on television in the car just now... That girl... Superintendent Swire handled it very professionally. What does Superintendent Chen think?"

What did Chen think?

To be honest, when Chen Huijie saw Swire's exercise turn into an armed confrontation to capture a spy, she was startled at first.

She hurriedly asked what Luo Chen had been doing.

Only after learning that Luo Chen was off work today and had not come in did she breathe a sigh of relief, then arrange for a professional squad to assist Swire with the aftermath.

If this incident had happened because of Luo Chen's meddling, only to end with Swire's impassioned speech, she would have praised Swire's capability for managing to smooth over the mess Luo Chen had made. But under the current circumstances, all she could say was that Swire's performance was passable.

If Chen herself had gone, she would have easily suppressed that modified spy without needing a helpful citizen to intervene.

"Superintendent Swire's handling was fairly professional. Still, being able to resolve a sudden incident so perfectly already proves Superintendent Swire's capability."

"I see. Then let's wait for Superintendent Swire's triumphant return." Wei Yenwu nodded and raised a hand, indicating for Chen Huijie to lead the way.

Chen Huijie still wore that damn stern face as she walked in front.

Wei Yenwu followed behind without saying a word.

However, when the two reached the reception room entrance, Wei Yenwu suddenly asked something that Chen Huijie could not keep herself together over:

"Did you date anyone in Victoria?"

Luo Chen could not suppress her urge to do good deeds again.

Upon hearing Wei Yenwu's question, Chen Huijie's first thought was to find out where he had learned this.

Only Hoshiguma and Luo Chen should know about it. Hoshiguma would not spread it around, and no matter how much Luo Chen courted death, she probably would not make an issue of this.

That meant Wei Yenwu had most likely only heard rumors. After all, many rumors claimed Luo Chen had gotten in through Chen Huijie's connections.

So Wei Yenwu asking this question was, at most, an attempt to confirm whether the rumors were true.

"No!" Chen Huijie answered firmly at once.

"Really?" Wei Yenwu asked coldly, as though he did not believe her at all.

Seeing his attitude, Chen Huijie became irritated as well.

"So what if it's true? No matter what, that's my private matter. It has nothing to do with Chief Wei, does it?"

Chen Huijie's sour-faced answer reminded Wei Yenwu of something Wenyue had said the night before.

Wenyue had said that little Chen was tsundere. When she was embarrassed to answer certain questions, she would use irrelevant excuses to brush them off.

Now it seemed Chen Huijie really was tsundere.

There was an eighty percent chance she had some unspeakable secret with that boy called Luo Chen.

Although Wei Yenwu was already agonizing inside and desperately wanted to clarify the relationship between Chen Huijie and Luo Chen, he still kept a straight face and pretended not to care: