Chapter Thirty-Six: The Crow

“The Deathbird mission? The DC District?”

DC District was the largest and most chaotic district in Biyang.

All kinds of people were mixed together there.

Lin Lei raised an eyebrow slightly, then composed another message:

“I have something urgent to deal with and probably won’t be able to make it. Take our people there and explain everything clearly to the gang leader…”

The more people he encountered, the easier it would be for him to give himself away.

Lin Lei did not even know which person was the gang leader, let alone what he looked like. Naturally, he ought to avoid an occasion of such magnitude if he could.

In truth, he did not even know where the Purple Dragon Gang’s headquarters in DC District was…

Long Er replied: “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll explain everything to the gang leader and the others.”

Lin Lei raised an eyebrow and put away his phone.

Just then, his other phone began to ring.

“What a coincidence?”

It was a call from Li Xueshu.

Lin Lei picked up the phone in surprise, and Li Xueshu’s voice soon came from the other end.

“It’s time, Lin Lei. There’s an operation against the Blood Cherry Society today. It’s happening now. Have you… made the necessary preparations?”

Hearing this, Lin Lei thought of the message he had just received from Long Er and could not help pausing.

“What’s the exact location?”

“Locust Tree Street in DC District.”

A glint flashed in Lin Lei’s eyes.

“All right. I’ll be there at once.”

After hanging up, Lin Lei’s expression turned somewhat peculiar.

The Deathbird and the Investigation Bureau were both carrying out operations in DC District at almost the exact same time. It was unlikely to be a simple coincidence.

…

Li Xueshu had already told Lin Lei that the Investigation Bureau would be taking action against the Blood Cherry Society.

Thus, Lin Lei had long since prepared himself mentally for an operation that might begin at any moment. He did not hesitate and left immediately.

He changed into the Investigation Bureau’s combat uniform, slung the sword case over his back, and headed straight for Locust Tree Street.

However, the weapon inside the sword case was not his alloy longsword, but his bone sword.

The sun had already set, while the Scarlet Moon had yet to rise.

Driving, Lin Lei reached Locust Tree Street in less than half an hour.

From far away, he could already see the cordon stretched across the street, along with numerous fully armed personnel.

He got out of the car and proceeded on foot.

“Armed exercises ahead. Please take another route!”

Someone came forward to drive him away as soon as he approached.

Lin Lei instead produced his credentials from the Special Operations Division.

The man saluted and immediately let him through.

Lin Lei had barely walked any distance beyond the cordon when he heard a timid young girl’s voice from nearby.

“Inspector… Inspector Lin.”

Lin Lei turned around and saw a petite girl standing not far away, likewise fully armed.

“Qiao’er? You’re taking part in this mission too?” Lin Lei raised an eyebrow.

Hong Qiaoqiao gave him a shy smile and nodded.

“Inspector Lin, the team leader asked me to come and receive you. Please follow me!”

Lin Lei smiled.

“Sorry to trouble you.”

Hong Qiaoqiao quickly led him to a nearby building.

The girl stopped and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.

“This is the place. Inspector Lin, I’ll be leaving now.”

Lin Lei raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“Be careful during the mission.”

The girl murmured her agreement twice, then trotted away.

Lin Lei stepped into the room.

At a glance, he saw Li Xueshu seated on one of the sofas, speaking with a middle-aged man.

Around twenty people were gathered in the room. Each had distinctive features, and they varied in age, height, and build.

Lin Lei recognized several of them. They were all investigators from the Ninth Team, and at the very least, they were veteran investigators of the Second Realm—or even the First Realm.

Seeing that Li Xueshu was still speaking with someone, Lin Lei did not interrupt. Instead, he joined the few investigators he knew.

After exchanging greetings, Lin Lei learned that the group consisted not only of members from the Ninth Team, but also personnel from another operations team—the Third Team.

The middle-aged man speaking with Li Xueshu was named Ling Hongyang. He was a Fourth-Realm expert and the leader of the Third Team.

Only a Level Three investigator could serve as a team leader in the Investigation Bureau.

However, not every Level Three investigator had reached the Third Realm.

“The Blood Cherry Society’s strongest member is only at the Fourth Realm. With Ling Hongyang and Li Xueshu, who is no weaker than a Fourth-Realm expert, their leader will probably have a hard time holding them off…”

Although the Blood Cherry Society was powerful and mysterious, its raw strength was far inferior to that of the Investigation Bureau.

But the Investigation Bureau had more to deal with than merely the Blood Cherry Society. Naturally, it could not commit all its forces here.

“Inspector Lin, I heard this mission is related to the Blood Cherry Society. Do you know the exact situation?” a burly man asked curiously.

The man was named Tai Chao. Lin Lei had met him in physical combat class. He had joined the Investigation Bureau six months ago and was already a Second-Realm source-energy user. His Gift rank was C+, though he did not possess a physical-type Gift, so the value of his advancement was nowhere near Lin Lei’s former achievement, much less comparable to him now.

His family background seemed unusual, however. His family had supplied the materials required for his breakthrough, which was why he had not needed to endure the Investigation Bureau’s lengthy waiting list.

Rice Ball Book Finder

Tai Chao knew how formidable Lin Lei was, and he treated him with considerable respect.

Lin Lei shook his head.

“I don’t know any more than you do. Ask the team leader later.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Just then, several figures suddenly entered from outside.

The man at the front wore dress trousers and a shirt. His hair was slicked back, and he wore gold-rimmed glasses with a cigarette dangling from his lips. He looked like a carefree playboy, yet his presence exerted considerable pressure on everyone around him.

At his side walked a striking woman in a red dress, her voluptuous figure accentuated by the close-fitting fabric.

Every source-energy user nearby, man or woman, could not help turning their eyes toward her.

She was not an unparalleled beauty, yet she possessed an almost极致魅惑?