nashuaworldcup Chapter 47 Inquiry
Chapter 47 Inquiry
On the other side, in the black market in the west of the city, near the old teahouse—
Nightingale sat in a private room by the window on the second floor, a pot of tea in front of her that had long since gone cold.
Today she changed into a relatively low-key dark gray hunting outfit, her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and she wore a metal mask that covered the lower half of her face, revealing only a pair of calm and expressionless eyes.
Outside the teahouse, the streets were much quieter than usual.
Nearly half the number of vendors were gone, and the few pedestrians who did appear hurried along, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily.
Li Rui's bloody demonstration of authority the day before yesterday had a significant effect; fear, like an invisible film, coated everyone's hearts.
The sound of unhurried footsteps came from the stairs.
Qin Xue came up.
She was wearing the Bureau's white uniform skirt suit with a beige long trench coat over it, and her face was expressionless.
Behind her were two men in plain clothes, but with sharp eyes. They were Tie Bi and Diao Chan from the investigation team. The two stood guard on either side of the door to the private room and did not go in.
Qin Xue walked into the private room alone, her gaze lingering on Nightingale for a moment before she nodded slightly.
"Ms. Nightingale".
"Miss Qin Xue." Nightingale stood up, gesturing for her to enter. Her voice, though slightly muffled through her mask, was clear enough.
"Please sit down."
The two sat down facing each other.
Qin Xue got straight to the point:
"Thank you for agreeing to the talks. I am Qin Xue from the Special Operations Section of the Resource Dispatch Office of the Ninth Nature Reserve of the Administration Bureau."
I was ordered to investigate matters related to Chen Tianxiong, the former police chief of Jiangcheng City.
As we understand it, you recently took over the black market in the west of the city, and previously you were a member of Chen Tianxiong's private bodyguard.
The nightingale nodded, her tone calm:
"Yes, I used to belong to the Shadow Raiders squad. After Chen Tianxiong died, the squad disbanded, and the black market fell into chaos."
I needed to protect myself and also needed a foothold, so I eliminated the scorpions.
Qin Xue picked up the teacup, her fingertips gently tracing the rough ceramic surface, her eyes fixed on the nightingale:
"Ms. Nightingale, there is one more detail I need to verify with you. I have reviewed the police station's brief records regarding Scorpion's cause of death."
As mentioned above, the scorpion's death is related to suspected possession of high-risk, catastrophic monsters and violent resistance to arrest. The police officer who handled the scene was... Detective Lin Yu?
She paused, observing the nightingale's reaction:
"The records show that you were present at the time and identified Scorpion's crime."
Detective Lin's report stated that he went to investigate after receiving a tip, encountered resistance, and was forced to kill the target.
I want to know, how exactly did all this happen? What kind of monster is the scorpion that it raises?
Agent Lin... how did a Level 2 agent handle a Sequence 8 Beyonder and the monsters they kept?
Upon hearing this, Nightingale's expression remained unchanged beneath her mask, and she began her narration in a calm tone:
"Scorpion has been secretly raising a Corpse Vine in his basement, feeding it with missing homeless people and disobedient citizens from the black market."
This wasn't a complete secret in the lower echelons of the black market, but nobody dared to interfere.
Nightingale slightly adjusted her posture to make the narration seem more authentic:
"My takeover of the black market and the purge of Scorpion's influence is the first step."
But I knew there was that monster in his basement, and it was too risky to force my way in.
Coincidentally, Detective Lin Yu from the police station was also secretly investigating Scorpion, possibly because of several previous disappearances, or perhaps for something else.
It's not surprising that Poison Scorpion, with his arrogant behavior, left behind incriminating evidence. After that, I assisted Detective Lin Yu in killing Poison Scorpion.
As an eyewitness at the scene and a former member of the Shadow Assault team, I have both the obligation and the ability to testify against the witness's incriminating evidence.
The facts are clear: the scorpion is raising catastrophic monsters, violently resisting law enforcement, and attempting to attack police officers.
Inspector Lin's report, in my opinion, accurately reflects the situation at the time. As for how he was able to handle it as a second-class inspector...
The nightingale paused slightly, seemingly considering its choice of words:
"Miss Qin Xue, the detectives of Jiangcheng Police Station, especially those who can survive and gain a foothold in the planned development zone, often have some unusual abilities."
I witnessed Detective Lin's skills and courage that day; they truly exceeded the scope of a typical second-level detective.
He is decisive, far-sighted, and calm in the face of adversity. I think with his abilities, he should be more than just a second-level agent.
Qin Xue nodded: "Detective Lin has indeed been promoted."
She didn't dwell on the matter for long and continued to press for answers:
"Did Chen Tianxiong instruct you to keep anything safe before he died? Or was there anything he valued highly, perhaps even more than the Crimson Dragon Crystal, in his legacy?"
The nightingale was silent for a few seconds, seemingly recalling something, then she shook her head:
"Chen Tianxiong is suspicious and will not entrust truly important things to his subordinates for safekeeping."
The Crimson Dragon Crystal was his greatest asset. Apart from that, most of the strange objects and valuables he collected were scattered and hidden. I knew of a few places, but when I checked them before and after I took over the black market, they were basically empty.
It's highly likely that someone else beat them to it.
"Others?" Qin Xue keenly seized on this word: "Who do you think it could be?"
"I don't know. It could be one of his other secret confidants, or it could be an enemy who has been eyeing him for a long time."
"Jiangcheng is a place with many hidden dangers."
Qin Xue stared into Nightingale's eyes, trying to find traces of a lie.
But the nightingale's gaze was too steady, without any ripples.
Meeting Qin Xue's gaze, Nightingale sneered inwardly. Last night, Lin Yu had tested her reactions dozens of times.
Lin Yu had already guessed some of the questions Qin Xue asked, and she was now calm and righteous.
"After you took over the black market, did you discover any unusual transactions?"
"Or, is there a stranger trying to contact Chen Tianxiong through the channels you left behind?" Qin Xue changed her approach.
"No." Nightingale shook her head slightly.
"I hope you're telling the truth." Qin Xue narrowed her eyes, her voice devoid of emotion.
"The Administration needs to clarify all the potential risks left behind by Chen Tianxiong. Your cooperation is crucial, but if we discover that you have concealed anything..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.
"I understand. I will keep my subordinates in check and will also keep an eye out for any clues that may be related to Chen Tianxiong and report them to the investigation team in a timely manner."
The meeting lasted another ten minutes. Qin Xue asked some questions about the details, and Nightingale answered them one by one, maintaining a humble yet assertive attitude throughout.
Finally, Qin Xue stood up:
That's all for today. Keep our communication channels open; we may need your assistance again.
"I'll be at your service anytime." Nightingale also stood up.
Qin Xue turned and left, the hem of her white trench coat sweeping through the air, carrying a chilling aura, with Iron Wall and Insight following closely behind.
Only after hearing the footsteps go downstairs and disappear into the distance did Nightingale slowly exhale a breath.
She walked to the window and watched Qin Xue get into the official car parked on the street corner and leave. Then she took out an old-fashioned cell phone with an ordinary design and dialed the only number.
"Master, the meeting is over."
Lin Yu's calm voice came from the other end of the phone:
"Understood. Keep an eye on it. Qin Xue might try to approach it from other angles, such as investigating your specific movements and the people you contacted during the days you took over the black market."
Brush the tail clean.