Chapter 148: Chapter 137: Then Give Me My Things Back
"Is the ’big fish’ hiding here?" Belial asked Leighton.
They had been running around the harsh, chaotic outer zones with Leighton for days, and the sudden arrival in the clean, orderly Central District was a bit disorienting.
It couldn’t compare to Zone 3, where they lived, but it was a massive improvement over the other areas in Zone 19.
Mingxi observed his surroundings. There were almost no Mutant Species in sight, and compared to the other zones, there were also far fewer Beastman soldiers on patrol.
Considering the military’s speed in clearing out Mutant Species, they rarely had a chance to make it this far.
But they had learned when they first came to Zone 19 that the Central District’s security screening was extremely strict; neither Mixed Breeds nor criminals were allowed entry.
They had just passed through multiple layers of identity checks to get in, with security personnel guarding every checkpoint.
But in a place like this, the more secure it was, the safer it was for a criminal to hide.
"Hiding?" Leighton said. "You have no idea how comfortably they’re living here."
Belial asked, confused, "Criminals are allowed to live here?"
Beside them, Little Black gave him a look that spoke volumes.
Leighton shook his head. ’A pack of little lions, all brawn and no brains. How could the higher-ups send them out on a case like this? They should have at least assigned an experienced hand to guide them.’
"Are you telling us that high-level officials are colluding with major criminals?" Mingxi said.
Leighton raised an eyebrow. "So you’re not a complete idiot."
"What’s the plan?" Mingxi asked. "Are we just identifying the target?"
"This time is different." Leighton leaned against the snowmobile, took out his pistol, and loaded it. "The order from above is to kill on sight."
Mingxi asked in surprise, "Kill on sight? Aren’t all criminals supposed to be handed over to the military for processing?"
Leighton gave Little Black a look, and Little Black pulled up the target’s file on his terminal for the little lions to see.
Mingxi and the others crowded around to look. On the virtual interface, a Beastman with a buzz cut appeared, dressed in an orange-red prison uniform.
The file identified him as Kuinan, a White Eagle Beastman. His left eye was injured, and the wound looked fresh—though it was impossible to know if that was just because the photo was outdated.
"This guy has been the boss of the Underground Arena for the last two years," Leighton said. "He was supposed to be transferred to military custody, but we discovered he’s colluding with high-level officials in Zone 19. You’re investigating the female smuggling operation, aren’t you? He’s in on it."
"Then we can’t kill him," Belial said. "He’s a crucial lead."
"A lead for what?" Leighton scoffed. "The answer is right in front of you. The military needs us to eliminate this guy before the cleanup is over."
Belial and his teammates exchanged confused glances.
Mingxi thought for a moment before speaking. "This Kuinan is colluding with high-level officials in Zone 19. The military can’t move against those officials right now, so they’re using the police. You sought us out because we happen to be investigating the female smuggling operation, we’re new faces here, and we’re not affiliated with the local police department. That way, if he’s killed, the blame falls solely on us. The officials can’t retaliate against the military or the police. They’ll have no choice but to suck it up. This will also serve as a warning, scaring them into staying put."
Leighton slapped him hard on the shoulder, grinning. "It’s always a pleasure talking to a smart person."
Belial shot back, "But you’re a familiar face, aren’t you? They’ll come looking for you to settle the score."
"It’s perfectly normal for the higher-ups to ask the police department for a hand when they need something done." Leighton pointed to himself and Little Black. "The department only sent two officers. See how low a priority they’ve made it seem?"
Belial: "..."
"Devious!" he cursed.
’No wonder,’ Belial thought. ’Why send only two officers to catch a ’big fish’ when there had been at least a dozen of them for the past few days?’
"Trying to use us? Not a chance!" Belial said to Mingxi. "We have to wait for instructions from Eric. We can’t just go along with his plan."
If this one-eyed Bird Clan Orc was a crucial lead for their mission and they just killed him like this, Eric would have their hides.
Crossing his arms, Leighton watched the little lions huddle together to confer. Chewing on a grass biscuit, he said, "Give me a break. If we leave the investigation to you, you won’t solve it by next year. Your superiors just sent you out here for a bit of field training. Did you really think they expected you to crack a big case? You’ll be lucky just to get back alive."
"I think he has a point," Ming Ze said, glancing at Leighton.
"What do you mean, ’he has a point’?" Belial retorted. "Failing the mission is one thing, but if we get caught up in a power struggle between high-level officials and the military, we’ll drag Eric and the others into it as well."
Mingxi was silent for a moment before saying, "We’re already caught up in it."
