Lucas didn't expect that when he bought the items, even though he deliberately mixed the items related to summoning the red dragon among bulk goods, the Imperial agents would still notice.
However, the "heart" was destroyed after summoning the red dragon Nielcolone, so it couldn't be given back even if he wanted to.
Might as well play dumb. After all, the red dragon had already been dismembered and was lying in Ela's spatial backpack.
What consequences could there be? If there are consequences, so be it!
Lucas replied indifferently, "Oh, I see..."
Unaware of the details, Karina anxiously said, "Inspector, if we don't capture Ela, the Administration might use this as an excuse to cut off our funding."
Cutting the budget again!
Lucas told Karina, "Reply to the Administration that neither Ela nor the red dragon is something our Seawall District Intelligence Bureau can handle.
The item was stolen in the central district, and Ela bought the summoning tool there. It doesn't make sense for our Seawall District Intelligence Bureau to investigate this case.
I'm new in office, unfamiliar with the work, and unable to handle such a big case.
Moreover… there is no target in the Seawall District worth using a red dragon against."
Hearing Lucas's last sentence, Karina quietly asked, "Inspector, is it appropriate to respond to the Administration this way?"
"Just reply as I said. I'll take all the responsibility. The Administration is pressuring us to divert our attention and efforts from the Mad Axe Gang, cooperating with the Security Bureau to compete for the Seawall Port docks. They don't expect us to capture Ela or find that 'heart.'
These parasites!
In the future, the Administration will certainly try to cut our funding in every possible way. We must accelerate the production and sale of potions. Create a reliable turnover plan to solve our division's funding issues first."
"As you command, Inspector!"
Sigh...
Being an agent in the Seawall District is really frustrating.
The Imperial Intelligence Bureau is supposed to be a special agency directly under the royal family, wielding immense power.
In other parts of the Empire, government departments tread carefully around the Intelligence Bureau, afraid of offending them and being summoned for a "coffee."
But in Storm City, the City Administration dares to assign cases to the Intelligence Bureau and even says all consequences are "your" responsibility.
If this inspector has to be responsible, it should be to the Imperial Royal Family!
The roles in Storm City have reversed, all because of the allure of sweet temptations.
The standard salary for an ordinary Imperial agent is between 6,000 and 7,000 Imperial Marks per month.
In other parts of the Empire, this is considered a lucrative job.
But in Storm City… in addition to the base salary paid by the Empire, Imperial agents can also receive city allowances.
An ordinary agent's monthly income suddenly jumps to over 20,000. Agents with positions get even more.
Shelley, who came to work at the Seawall District Intelligence Bureau with a clean record, could buy a detached house outright after working here for just eight years.
And also own a classic steam engine motorcycle. This shows how lucrative it is here.
Of course, the city administration doesn't pay the Imperial agents this much for nothing; their biggest requirement is… not to work.
Every day, they clock in on time, drink tea, read the newspaper, play cards, and chat, all while collecting their paychecks.
Following the orders of the Administration, they could earn even more money.
Storm City used its immense economic strength to corrupt all the Intelligence Bureau divisions within the city, turning them into parts of its own interest group.
The Empire wanted to rectify the situation in Storm City, but the place was so tightly controlled that there was no entry point.
Officials sent to the city either joined the corruption or faced destruction.
Lucas felt that what he was doing now meant his own destruction was not far off.
What he needed to do now was to use money to build a solid "fortress" for himself in the Seawall District.
By establishing the Flame Sun Smuggling Syndicate and getting more people on board this nascent war chariot, he had taken the first step.
Next...
He had done everything he could for the Mad Axe Gang headquarters. Reinforcements and potent berserk potions would be in place before the curfew; whether they could win was beyond his control.
What he could do was improve his own strength as much as possible.
His devourer beast bloodline provided a good foundation, but it was just brute strength. To fully utilize and refine this strength, he needed to build a complete combat system on this basis.
Like in a game, he now had the level; he needed to enhance his skills and equipment.
Lucas planned his evening activities and then wandered around the bureau pretending to inspect, killing time until evening.
The 500 bottles of potent berserk potions were delivered on time and then sent to the Mad Axe Gang headquarters.
Lambert had managed to hold out last night despite a lack of manpower and potions.
Tonight, with both reinforcements and potions, he could look forward to tomorrow's spectacle.
After dinner, Lucas lay down in his dormitory and logged in.
Logging into Ela… it increasingly felt like playing games at night again.
Tonight's target: the central district.
'Aren't you asking me to be responsible? Here I come!'
...
Boner, captain of the second mobile team of the Storm City Central Division of the Intelligence Bureau, was patrolling the streets with a team of Imperial agents.
In the past, these Imperial agents would have already gone off to enjoy their nightlife. But since "The Heart of Red Dragon Nielcolone" was stolen from the City Alchemist Association, the entire city had been on high alert.
This was a real dragon!
If someone released it inside the city, even for ten minutes, the destruction would be unimaginable.
In recent days, the city's elite had been pressuring the City Administration to quickly recover the stolen "heart" and protect the taxpayers' safety.
Of course, the Administration wouldn't dump such a significant case entirely on the Seawall District Intelligence Bureau, given its notorious reputation.
The Security Bureaus and Intelligence Bureaus across the city had been mobilized to hunt down the suspect, Ela the elf.
Especially at night, patrols were increased around wealthy neighborhoods to protect the elite.
"Captain, did the inspector reward you for finding clues about 'The Heart of Red Dragon Nielcolone' yesterday?"
"Reward? More like a reprimand." Boner and his subordinates chatted as they walked: "The inspector asked why I didn't capture the suspect on the spot! Sigh…"
A dissatisfied agent said, "The inspector should experience the situation firsthand. I was completely numb from the cold at the time. Killing me would have been as simple as a single stroke."
Another agent, still fearful, added, "I heard that elf killed over a hundred people in the Seawall District in one night, freezing them into ice sculptures for display. If the captain hadn't stopped her in time last night, we'd all be dead…"
"Yeah! That elf is too powerful… and very beautiful!"
"Right, so beautiful. I've never seen such a beautiful elf, especially with the ice particles dancing around her. I was mesmerized."
"You were mesmerized too? If only she weren't an assassin!"
Just as the team was discussing the elf's power and beauty, another agent ran quickly from the other end of the street.
"Captain, that elf appeared again, right ahead… She seems to be waiting for the bus to Arcanum Academy."