I! Cleaner!
Chapter 124 - 124: 0107 Person with Enough Weight_1

Critic News: "Ryan Blood Night, Over a Hundred Officials and Personnel with Casualties!"

New Industry News: "Massive Loss of Middle-level Members of Ryan Family, Arms Company Suspected of Shutting Down!"

Royal Mail News: "Solemn Remembrance of Ryan Family's Fallen Members"

Corner Alley News: "Lionheart Fallen? Kingdom's Two Pillars Might Withdraw from the Stage of History"

The Sun News: "Shocking! The Ryan Family Massacred Last Night, the Culprit Is..."

"..."

*A simple investigation nearly led to the annihilation of a family? Is this how you reassure me?*

After reading the front-page headlines of more than a dozen newspapers, the Red-haired Director felt a rush of blood to his head, as if he were going to float away.

*Year-end is approaching! The end-of-year reviews are almost here!*

*At a time like this, a massive casualty event occurs in the Capital City, and the deceased are from the Old Nobility. This would send the fledgling Virgin bureau's performance this year plummeting straight to the bottom!*

Moreover, apart from the performance collapse, there appeared to be an even worse scenario...

Looking at the front page of The Sun News, the photo of Leon stretching his bloodied hand towards Bobby Layne's body even in death, coupled with the bold and enlarged label, "Culprit," the Red-haired Director couldn't help but sigh deeply, feeling overwhelmed.

*Although it's just The Sun News, not the Capital Times or the Royal Mail News, how did you end up getting yourself thrown into a death cell while out on an investigation?*

...

"What? The Ryan family is gone? And it's the handiwork of that damned rebel?"

"Sit down, sit down!"

Seeing the policewoman sprang up from her chair upon hearing the news, the scar-faced brawny man couldn't help but frown and motioned her to sit back down.

"The Ryan family is still here, just that nearly two hundred core members and some high-ranking clansmen died all at once. The old Duke suffered a severe blow, and he's probably on the brink of collapse."

"As for the culprit... it might not be that rebel; the Ryan family's incident is quite peculiar."

Taking a deep drag off the cigarette in his mouth, the scar-faced brawny man pondered aloud,

"Though that rebel did appear at the scene and killed the primary heir, Bobby Layne, there were no signs of other intruders in the manor. It's unlikely for him alone to have wiped out the Ryan family's middle-level members in one night."

"And, according to the old Duke's testimony, he was awakened at midnight by a maid who put scissors to his neck, forcing him to abdicate early in favor of his brother Bobby Layne. I'd say what happened to the Ryan family yesterday seems more like internal strife."

"I see..."

Upon hearing this, the policewoman slightly relaxed; then, with flickering eyes, she asked hesitantly, "If it's an internal strife, why not investigate thoroughly who the culprit is instead of locking that rebel in the death cell?"

"Yisha, get used to using your brain!"

The scar-faced brawny man tapped his forehead with a finger while smoking, answering calmly,

"Whether that Leon the rebel is the culprit doesn't depend on what he did but rather on which scenario is more suitable: 'rebel assaulting a duke's family' or 'a duke's family internal strife.'"

"I don't understand..."

"Simply put, the truth doesn't matter; benefits and stance do."

After extinguishing the cigarette on the table's glass top, the scar-faced brawny man pointed with his nicotine-stained finger at the stack of newspapers on the table, patiently explaining,

"Notice anything? Except for The Sun News which treats it as amusement, the other newspapers either commemorate the fallen, describe the situation, or focus on the event's impact. No one gives a clear answer regarding whether it's internal strife or an attack."

"These newspapers aren't avoiding the scoop or waiting for our investigation results; rather, people behind them have reminded them not to rush to take sides. It's better to wait until the wind direction is established."

"Wind direction?"

"I mean the intentions of the Old Nobility represented by the Ryan family, the reformist faction led by the Princess, and the loose alliance formed by new nobility, big merchants, legislators, and the Prime Minister."

"These three forces are the real leaders of the Kingdom. The consensus they reach after competing and vying will be the only correct direction."

Upon explaining the concept of wind direction, the scar-faced brawny man lit another cigarette and spoke slowly,

"Among them, the reformist faction represented by the Princess prefers the event to be seen as noble internal strife, giving them an excuse to take action against the Old Nobility and relieve the Minister of Defense's pressure."

"And as for the loose alliance, they would prefer it to be a rebel attack because the rebels' disruptive behavior affects merchants the most, which in turn affects legislators supported by the merchants and the Prime Minister who needs their votes."

"So, if this is determined to be a rebel attack, they can urge the other two parties to cooperate and prioritize dealing with the rebels to stabilize the business environment."

*Kind of understood, but also kind of didn't...*

The policewoman pondered with a furrowed brow before asking,

"Then what about the Old Nobility? What do they think?"

"They don't care."

Hearing the policewoman's question, the scar-faced brawny man chuckled slightly, revealing a peculiar smile.

"Be it internal strife resulting in deaths or being attacked by rebels, both are equally disgraceful for them. 'Internal strife' gives the Princess an excuse to cut into them, and 'attacks' will lead to losing more seats to legislators due to their inability to handle the rebels."

"In any case, regardless of how the 'Ryan Blood Night' is ultimately characterized, they have already lost the most."

"..."

*Who cares about winners and losers!*

*I listened all this while and still don't know what will happen to Leon. Not knowing how to ask directly, the anxious policewoman repeatedly clenched her fists before probing cautiously,*

"So, Director, what do you think will happen eventually? What fate awaits that damned rebel?"

"That's not up to me to decide."

Glancing at the policewoman's wrinkled sleeve corner, the scar-faced brawny man casually turned towards the window, smoking and continued indifferently,

"It depends mainly on the Princess. While legislators and merchants carry weight, their scattered goals make the alliance loose. If the reformist faction led by the Princess is persistent, they will eventually retreat."

"So how things unfold really depends on whether someone influential in the Princess's camp can stand up and reinforce her determination to target the Old Nobility."

*Someone influential... I understand!*

A little while later, after the scar-faced brawny man extinguished his cigarette and turned around, the policewoman had already disappeared.

But the brawny man didn't seem too concerned about his competent subordinate's abrupt departure. Instead, he leisurely returned to his desk, unfolding a map of the Capital City.

*Let me think... Next month's plan should be to demolish the theater in the southeast of the Capital City. So when it comes to setting the defense, let's draw the line to the west first~*

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.