I! Cleaner!
Chapter 171 - 171: 0149 Investigation Suspicions (Part 2)_1

Was this... a warning to be cautious of him?

After receiving the reminder from the Red-haired Director, Leon couldn't help but stiffen.

Unlike last night's "drunken limited edition," the Director was now sober and had returned to her normal state. In this state, she was quite reliable.

So if she advised him to be wary of this old investigator, there must be a reason! Even that deliberate "provocation" just now likely had some consideration behind it—her warning should absolutely not be ignored!

"By the way, Mr. Lyon."

Unaware that he had been "marked," and after waiting a few seconds without seeing Leon engage in conversation, the old investigator turned around, asked gently,

"I saw in your file that you've been working for over a month now, right? Have you adapted to your time at the Virgin Branch?"

"Well, quite accustomed."

After stealthily switching out the [Elite Performer] badge, Leon suppressed the vigilance in his eyes, smiled, and replied,

"Although there aren't many people in the Bureau, and the work content is quite dangerous, both the Director and the seniors have taken good care of me; everyone in the Bureau is a good person."

"..."

Everyone in the Bureau... is a good person?

Hearing Leon's words, the corners of the old investigator's mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.

If it were another investigator, they might not be all that clear about the state of the Virgin Sanitation Bureau, but him visiting so often for investigations made him quite aware. While the people in the Purification Bureau's Virgin Branch were not outrightly evil, they weren't exactly close to being good either.

There was no need to mention the Scarlet Hair Lady, who wiped out a nation with ruthless intent and left behind slaughter of over a hundred million. Even Tom the Ill-fated Gambler and Emma the Corpse Pivot Executioner, two First Level disaster handlers, were regulars of the investigation department too.

The former violated countless rules but was extremely careful, leaving no evidence for the Bureau to catch, while the latter's methods were too brutal and ruthless—the aftermath of her cleanup missions was more terrifying than the havoc caused by anomalous objects. Despite being repeatedly warned, she never changed her ways.

The rest, such as Tape Man Harry, Sewer Emperor Jerry, Silver Demon Pioni, and Plague Alchemist Amien... None of these Level Two individuals were any easy to deal with. In those large inter-branch joint enforcement missions, they were universally hated, and basically, no one wanted to engage with them.

To be honest, the biggest reason these guys have been able to stay at the Virgin Sanitation Bureau for several years is probably not due to the personal charm of the Scarlet Hair Lady, but because other branches simply didn't want to take them on; leaving the Virgin Bureau, they had nowhere else to go.

And to get along well with such a group of people, even sincerely believing they are all good people...

Looking at Leon, whose appearance was handsome and smile was gentle and who otherwise just seemed like an ordinary Kingdom civil servant, the old investigator couldn't help but take a deep breath, then subtly sensed the aura surrounding Leon.

The demonic flame was immense... Someone who could get along with this bunch couldn't possibly be a normal person.

Feeling the aura behind him that was no different from that of a typical demon and even more ferocious and dark, the old investigator couldn't help but sigh inwardly, already starting to ponder a nickname for this new employee at the Virgin Branch.

This person had a high affinity with demon-type anomalous objects, appeared thin and scholarly like those cultured people in universities, and had proposed a metric called the Leon Value for anomalous objects, seemingly quite adept in research...

How about calling him the Demon Scholar!

...

Unaware that the old investigator was secretly giving him a nickname, Leon followed him into his office, first invited the two investigators to sit on the sofa, then got a chair to sit opposite them, and cooperatively spoke up,

"You two, you can ask your questions now."

"Then I'll begin."

The female investigator had already regained control of her emotions. Although her expression remained icy, it was no longer the hostile stance from before. She took out a stack of documents and flipped through them, then said with an air of businesslike formality,

"The first question: Do you have a personal grudge against members of the Ryan family, especially Bobby Laien, who controls the Heart of Ambition?"

"This... I'm not sure if it counts..."

Hearing this, Leon hesitated for a moment but ultimately spoke truthfully,

"Before joining the Purification Bureau, my sister contracted a lung disease due to a leak of waste gas from an alchemical factory, and because we couldn't get the compensation we deserved, she almost died in the hospital.

The alchemical factory was a subsidiary of Ryan Military Industries, and the compensation case was handled by someone related by marriage to the Ryan family, effectively making him a member of the Ryan family.

Although they were just a side branch of the Ryan family, if you look at it that way, I do have some animosity with the Ryan family."

"..."

Hearing Leon's candid answer, the female investigator couldn't help but freeze for a moment. She then looked down at the file in her hand and bit her lip somewhat reluctantly.

What Leon said was precisely what she had painstakingly discovered today.

According to the public facts, the other party didn't have substantial contact with the Ryan family before the Ryan Blood Night, so to avoid suspicion, they would likely outright deny any grudges against the Ryan family.

At that point, she could lay out these facts to puncture his "lies" and "covers," then during the subsequent questioning, subject his answers to more "reasonable" doubts.

But he unexpectedly admitted it directly, frankly saying there might be a grudge with the Ryan family, and given how extensive the Ryan family's reach was, it's inevitable for anyone living in the Capital City to have some interactions with them, with only minor animosities on the sidelines, not nearly enough motive to initiate the Ryan Blood Night.

The information she'd painstakingly gathered ended up being a pile of useless paper due to his honesty, at best it could only serve as slight supporting evidence...

Damn, how could someone under investigation not shake off suspicion but actively draw it upon themselves?

Frustrated, she bit her lip and quickly shoved the file to the bottom, then coldly said,

"Next question: After the Ryan Blood Night, have you been able to benefit from it?"

"Yes."

Leon sighed,

"I was not capable enough to stop Bobby Laien's atrocities. On the day of the Ryan Blood Night, I nearly got killed by him several times and was significantly injured.

However, it seems I am a member of the Ryan family. The people ahead of me in the line of succession were all incapacitated by Bobby Laien, so while I was convalescing, I was dragged over and forcibly designated as the new Duke. The succession ritual is on Tuesday."

Hearing Leon's words, the female investigator couldn't help but perk up, her lips curling into a cold smile,

"So you're basically admitting that you're the biggest beneficiary of the events following the Ryan Blood Night, correct?"

"Incorrect."

Leon shook his head,

"I have no interest in this title at all, neither in the wealth it represents nor the power behind it; they hold no significance for me.

When the succession ritual comes, I plan to suggest transferring all the industries to the royal family through a marriage alliance, thereby forcing them to replace me as the inheritor of the title.

Fortunately, the succession ritual is tomorrow; if you don't believe me, you can wait a day and see if I do it then."

"..."

Damn it... Could he really be willing to part with the entire ducal estate?

Seeing Leon's expression, appearing genuine and seemingly prepared to do just that, the female investigator nearly bit through her lips. After sensing the demonic aura all over Leon, she clenched her fists tightly and finally couldn't help but taunt,

"Ha, it sounds saintly... But if you don't want anything, how do you explain this aura more evil than a demon's on you?"