Chapter 207: Chapter 116: Quiet, Don’t Move
Lisi asked urgently, "What do we do about the parasites? If the array isn’t repaired soon, there’s no telling how many more people will be infested by the Bone-Eating Worms."
Yegor, who found her impatience a real headache, said, "That’s why the higher-ups have decided that we, the Secret Investigation Department, will handle the parasites first."
"...We handle them?" Lisi pointed to herself, then to Kali beside her.
"The entire Secret Investigation Department, of course."
Yegor blew a smoke ring in her face, fighting the urge to smack her. "The Investigation Department and the Combat Department will be fully deployed," he continued. "They’ll sweep the entire city-state, day and night, to eliminate all Bone-Eating Worms and parasites."
"Also, given our relationships with the nobility and the church, the higher-ups have only been able to get the City Guard to assist with this operation for now."
Hearing this, Lisi nodded. "Then I’ll head back and make the arrangements."
"Wait!"
"You and Kali won’t be participating in this operation. Your mission is to guard this place and ensure nothing else happens to the City-State Array. And of course, I’ll be here with you."
"..." Lisi opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped.
Yegor’s expression grew more somber. "Before I came, Vice Director Nifa made a prophecy..."
"Vice Director Nifa?" Lisi’s face grew serious as well. "Is this incident going to become a major disaster?"
"A level-three disaster, at the very least."
"’At the very least?’ Does that mean there’s a chance of a level-four disaster?"
"Perhaps..."
Yegor gravely recited the prophecy’s contents: "Gunfire resounds, the death knell tolls. Death descends. We step into the Abyss of Despair, or find eternal life in the Dawn."
"According to Vice Director Nifa’s interpretation, the gunfire represents us, the Secret Investigation Department. The death knell refers to the bells of Krimms Cathedral, which were still tolling when the parasites were discovered."
"And ’Death descends’—that means the entire city-state will be plunged into a massive crisis!"
Hearing this, Lisi’s face was grim. "’A level-three disaster... Vice Director Nifa’s prophecies are always accurate...’"
Kali was even more distressed, clasping her hands together as she prayed that Caster City State would be spared such a disaster.
"Right now, we can only hope they find and eliminate the Bone-Eating Mother Worm."
Yegor sighed. "This is the situation. There’s not much more we can do. We should focus on what’s in front of us. If anything else happens to the City-State Array, the consequences will be even more severe."
"Understood," Lisi nodded. Then, a thought occurred to her. "What about Marco and the others?"
"I already notified Alianna before I came. He’ll be in temporary command of the Investigation Department. I’m confident his abilities are up to the task."
"Both of you, stay sharp. There are several high-ranking officials outside, including Director Ales. Nothing major will go wrong."
Lisi replied, "...Let’s hope so."
’In truth, I’d much rather be the one out there on the front lines, leaving Alianna to guard the array.’
"Also, Kali,"
Yegor looked over at the Candidacy Saintess. "Your Guardian Knight is just outside. He just asked me to pass on a message, asking if you need him to come in."
"Are you referring to Melbel, Minister?"
Kali hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you and the Captain agree, Melbel is strong enough that he should be able to help."
As Kali looked toward her, Lisi pursed her lips. "Let him come. We can use another guard."
"Mm."
Yegor casually had a guard go notify the Guardian Knight, then led Lisi and Kali into the stone tower. His face was grim as they waited for the results of the sweep and for any potential attacks.
...
...
Meanwhile, Wei’en had already brought Tina back to the Secret Investigation Department.
Seeing the three people in the office and the somewhat tense atmosphere, he couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong with you three?"
"Wei’en, you’re just in time. Captain Alianna says he’s in charge of us now," Marco said indignantly.
"Marco, I said *temporarily*, temporarily!" Alianna looked even more frustrated.
’He’d only left out a single word, and it had already caused Marco and Lydia to get upset. If he’d known this would happen, he would’ve just relayed Minister Yegor’s order word-for-word.’
Lydia huffed, "We don’t believe you unless you have official orders from a superior."
Wei’en was speechless. "..."
’What was he supposed to say to this?’
"Captain Alianna, may I ask what’s going on?"
Marco and Lydia were both taken aback. They had been so focused on the fact that Alianna shouldn’t be leading them that they’d forgotten to ask *why* the higher-ups had made such an arrangement.
From what they knew of Alianna, he would never dare to come and poach their team members so brazenly.
’Although poaching between Investigation Department One and Two was a time-honored tradition...’
"We’ve received orders from Minister Yegor. For the foreseeable future, we are to coordinate with the Combat Department to clear all parasites within the city-state."
Alianna glared irritably at Marco and Lydia, muttering, "And at the same time, we’re to investigate the location of the Bone-Eating Mother Worm."
’Clear all of them?’
Wei’en and the others all frowned. "Then what about Captain Lisi?"
"Her?"
At the mention of her, Alianna grew even more sullen. "She has a more important mission. Damn it, if it weren’t for the Minister’s orders, I wouldn’t have come here looking for a headache."
"Oh, I see," Marco said, the realization dawning on him. "You should have just said so from the start! You made us misunderstand the whole thing."
"You..."
Wei’en watched the three of them bicker. ’Meanwhile,’ he thought, ’I should be thinking about how to deal with the parasites and the Bone-Eating Mother Worm.’
’Someone with Matteo’s power isn’t an opponent that Investigators like them can handle...’
’Maybe I should just reveal the Bone-Eating Mother Worm’s location directly to the Director and the others. Let them get a headache over it!’
