Shelley and Pilt stood on either side of the car, their attention fixed on the Bureau of Confidential Affairs vehicle. They speculated on what the two official figures of authority in the Cape District might discuss.
As they got into the car, Holt said to Luke, "I am also acting under orders. Even if you threaten my family, the Security Bureau will not spare the Furious Axe Gang."
Looking outside, Luke casually replied to Holt, "Chief Holt, look at the people outside and their expressions. They all know that every word we say here can endanger many lives, including ours."
Holt interrupted, "The Furious Axe Gang is an illegal gang, and they collude—"
"Chief Holt, since we are alone here, don't bother with those empty words. The Furious Axe Gang may be an illegal gang, but the people in your Security Bureau may not be so clean either. Today, you use this excuse to deal with the Furious Axe Gang, and tomorrow, I can use the same excuse to deal with your subordinates."
"Eliminate all those working under you. Who will serve as laborers to transport goods for the elites in the wealthy district?"
Holt, alert, asked, "What are you talking about? I don't understand. What does this have to do with the elites in the wealthy district?"
"Holt, the previous Chief of the Bureau of Confidential Affairs died under mysterious circumstances! The first task Princess Zhang assigned me was to investigate the cause of the previous chief's death. But I know the depths of the Furious Tide City. I don't want to risk my life. I just want to survive for a year or two and then be transferred."
"Therefore, I hope you won't push me too hard and let the Bureau of Confidential Affairs maintain the current status quo. Wouldn't that be better?"
Luke's words made Holt ponder. The higher-ups wanted him to regain complete control of the Cape Harbor, but they also didn't want to disrupt the normal transport of smuggled goods.
The Bureau of Confidential Affairs' reaction today made it clear that they were firmly supporting the Furious Axe Gang. If the Security Bureau were to eradicate the Furious Axe Gang today, tomorrow the Bureau of Confidential Affairs might retaliate by wiping out one of their factions. Engaging in such back-and-forth destruction would ultimately kill off those who did the actual work.
The elites in the wealthy district wouldn't send their own people to transport goods.
If things escalated, it would bring disaster to their families.
If this new chief was willing to maintain the current situation... Although it wouldn't sit well with the higher-ups, it could still be explained.
The new chief of the Bureau of Confidential Affairs expressed his willingness to cooperate.
Whether it was sincere cooperation or mere words remained to be seen.
"Do you have any suggestions? Even if I'm willing to spare the Furious Axe Gang, others outside may not be."
Seeing that Holt was beginning to understand his difficulties, Luke suggested, "Since it's my first day on the job, and I'm unfamiliar with the Furious Axe Gang, I don't have any intention to protect them. However, I must consider the attitudes of my subordinates. You should know that it's not easy to control Black Mamba and Piscol."
Holt glanced at the two figures standing outside the car, agreeing with Luke's point and even expressing some sympathy. "Those two are a headache for every chief of the Bureau of Confidential Affairs."
"Since you understand my predicament, I suggest... the Bureau of Confidential Affairs and the Security Bureau both withdraw from here, not directly involving our people in this conflict. You and I will simultaneously restrain our subordinates from causing trouble during the day. At night, everyone will rely on their own abilities."
"Chief, what do you think?"
Luke's proposal avoided a direct conflict between the Bureau of Confidential Affairs and the Security Bureau, limiting the struggle to the competition between factions.
If the flames of war didn't rise higher, the upper echelons wouldn't be affected.
Especially the families of the upper echelons.
Holt didn't know how the Bureau of Confidential Affairs had managed to find his well-hidden family members, but right now, he could only minimize the risk.
"I hope you keep your promise."
Luke extended his hand to Holt. "This should be my line. I'm the one who least wants to escalate the situation. The sooner we withdraw, the sooner the harbor can return to normal operations. So much time has been wasted; it must have affected the transport of many goods."
Holt shook Luke's hand through the window before pushing the door open and getting out of the car.
Luke rolled down the car window and said to Shelley, "Inform our people to withdraw!"
Shelley asked, "Should we withdraw now? What about the Security Bureau?"
"We'll withdraw together."
Under Holt's orders, the security officers surrounding the Furious Axe Gang headquarters orderly withdrew.
Shelley waved her hand, signaling the Bureau of Confidential Affairs' undercover agents to regroup.
The convoy sounded their horns all the way, returning to the Bureau of Confidential Affairs headquarters with an air of victory.
Just as they reached the second floor, a Bureau of Confidential Affairs clerk said to Luke, "Chief, there's an elderly woman named Helma waiting over there. She claims that you sent her and that she needs help finding her son."
Luke looked in the direction the clerk pointed and saw the timid old woman who sold hot dogs standing there.
As soon as the old woman saw Luke looking over, she immediately bowed.
"It was me who sent her
." Luke then said to Shelley, who was beside him, "It's your case, so you take charge... Consider it a test for you."
Shelley hesitated and said, "Chief, I still need to contact our support for the Furious Axe Gang. Besides, I'm good at killing, not finding people."
Luke had spontaneously brought up Helma's missing son case, and seeing Shelley assert herself so confidently, he wanted to knock her down a peg.
But helping the Furious Axe Gang through this crisis was indeed more important.
Moreover, if Shelley were to handle this case, there was a chance she might not find the woman's son and even endanger the woman's life.
But he had already promised Helma.
While Luke was pondering, the clerk volunteered and said, "Chief, you can entrust this case to me."
Luke looked at the clerk before him.
A young man, eager to prove himself in front of the new leader.
He seemed familiar.
After recognizing him, Luke finally remembered who this familiar person was.
Wallace Thomas!
A Five-Star Hero, a legendary secret agent of the Gold Shield Empire. Due to his meticulous work and outstanding achievements, he was recruited by Princess Zhang into the Bureau of Confidential Affairs' top special operations unit, "Raven."
Codename "Silence."
Later, during the struggle for the throne between Princess Zhang and the Crown Prince, Wallace successfully assassinated several important members of the Crown Prince's faction, earning a place as one of the ten ace secret agents personally appointed by Princess Zhang.
Of course, the current Thomas wasn't the future "Silence." Judging from his age and appearance, he had recently joined the Bureau of Confidential Affairs as a rookie.
Luke didn't expect to encounter the young Thomas in the Bureau of Confidential Affairs in the Cape District.
Interesting!
Thomas, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, "I'm sorry, Chief. I know I'm a newcomer and don't yet possess the ability to handle cases independently. But I hope you can give me a chance. I will do my best to help Helma find her son."