Lambert immediately led Lucas and Shelley into the castle.

  In the first-floor hall, the body of Jumu had already been collected, but the debris and brokeill y scattered on the floor, with the gaping hole above a grim reminder.

  Shelley couldn't help but g it; she knew Jumu's room there.

  Ohey entered a secluded meeting room, Shelley couldn't hold bad asked Lambert, "What happe night? How did Jumu die?"

  Lambert offered Lucas the seat of honor and then took his seat along with the other Mad Axe Gang members.

  With a sigh, he began, "Last night, a female elf calling herself E infiltrated here. She jumped down from the east tower aered the castle through a third-floor window.

  Then... it was a massacre.

  She killed so quickly we couldn't react. From the third floor to the sed floor, we lost over a hundred people. The ehird-floor corridor and sed-floor hall were filled with corpses and blood. Chad, Bernie, Jabir, and Brenda all died by her hand.

  Finally, the elf broke into the boss's room, killed him, and took his head."

  "Took his head?" Shelley frowned and then said to Lucas, "Ior, the elf probably took Jumu's head to fulfill a bounty. There's an assassin tavern in the Seawall District where we might find some clues."

  At this point, a maid served Lucas a cup of tea.

  "Thank you..." Lucas politely thahe maid and then said to Shelley, "We are not here to iigate this case unless you think you defeat her."

  Shelley, knowing her limits, replied, "No, I'm not her match. I doubt anyone iire Storm City could hahis elf. Being able to kill Jumu here proves she is very strong!"

  "The's not discuss the elf," Lucas said to Lambert. "Please uand... our ing here has already stirred up enough trouble, and we won't iigate this intrusion for you."

  Lambert early replied, "We will iigate this intrusion ourselves. We just hope the ior deal with the people outside, especially the security bureau... We ime to get our dispersed members back.

  Once our support arrives, we will have the strength to recim our lost territory and tinue providing dividends to the Secret Intelligence Bureau."

  Lucas sipped his tea and said lightly, "Your support? Pirates, perhaps?"

  The atmosphere in the room instantly froze.

  Pirates had always been a prime target for the Empire, and in a port city like Storm City, there was zero tolerance for anything disrupting maritime trade.

  Captured pirates were immediately hanged as a public warning.

  While the e between the Mad Axe Gang and pirates e in the Seawall District, it was a taboo topic.

  Lucas's suddeion of their collusion with pirates left the gang leaders puzzled about his iions.

  After some deep thought, Lambert cautiously replied, "Ior, the support we are expeg are our friends from offshore, with no direct ties to pirates."

  Lucas smiled and said, "It doesn't matter if they are. When your friends arrive in the Seawall District, let me know. I'll arrange for us to meet, have some tea, and discuss making moogether."

  Lambert was even more perplexed by the ior's iions.

  Is this the right kind of versation for this setting? Are you an imperial secret agent ang leader?

  "Ior, that might not be appropriate."

  "Why not? If I say it's appropriate, then it is. I've long heard of Lady Tasya of Fishbone Isnd. If it's her, I must meet her personally."

  Lambert hadn't expected the new ior to arrive in the Seawall Distrid immediately mention Lady Tasya of Fishbone Isnd, aware of the deep colboratioween the Mad Axe Gang and Fishbone Isnd.

  It seemed the Mad Axe Gang had s from him. What else did he know?

  Lambert recalled the ret theft anized by the Mad Axe Gang, stealing the "Heart of the Red Dragon Niele" from the Alchemy Association ing Tide City for Lady Tasya.

  If this were exposed, even the Secret Intelligence Bureau couldn't protect the Mad Axe Gang. How should he respond?

  "Ior, if I meet Lady Tasya, I will certainly vey yoodwill and invitation to her. However, our retionship with Fishbone Isnd isn't that deep, aing over drinks would require her decision."

  Lambert's reply was impeccable, her admitting to the Mad Axe Gang's ties with pirates nor refusing to facilitate the meeting.

  Lucas wao meet Lady Tasya to prepare a tingen for himself. A wise rabbit has three burrows.

  If he couldn't stay in the Seawall District, the quickest way to escape danger would be to take a sea route to another try.

  Lady Tasya of Fishbone Isnd beloo the legalist fa in the pirate world, adhering to the old "Pirate Code" of prioritizing money over lives.

  Building a good retionship with such pirates would mean more friends and more paths to safety.

  "I'll leave the task ing my meeting with Lady Tasya to you. Of course, that's provided you survive until your support arrives. There are many wolves outside waiting to feast.

  Today is my first day as the new ior of the Seawall District's Secret Intelligence Bureau, and I don't yet have the authority to make them back down. During the day, we help guard you from the outside, but at night, even my people's safety 't be guaranteed. Do you have a way to protect yourselves at night?"

  Lucas's question pluhe room into a long silence.

  During the day, the Security Bureau and the Secret Intelligence Bureau could maintain order, but at night… especially tonight, when the Mad Axe Gang's weakeate was firmed.The Secret Intelligence Bureau might not be able to keep the "wolves" at bay.

  The Seawall District's Secret Intelligence Bureau wasn't as strong as those in other districts.

  After a while, Lambert said, "Ior, if we are attacked tonight, we only rely on this castle for defense. Without support, we might not hold out."

  Shelley then said to Lucas, "Sixty pert of Seaort's docks are trolled by the Security Bureau, the rest by us, with half of that uhe Mad Axe Gang's ma.

  The Security Bureau won't miss this ce to elimihe Mad Axe Gang. Without the Mad Axe Gang, the entire Seaort would fall uheir trol. Our people might even switch to the Security Bureau's side."

  Lucas said, "It seems we o treat this situation as if we are at war."

  Lambert immediately responded, "This is war, Ior. We hope you help us anize a merary force. The Mad Axe Gang is willing to cover all the costs."

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