Faced with Lucas's exorbitant demand, Virgil asked, "Inspector Meteor, if the City Administration gives you 400 million, can you guarantee that you will catch the elf Ela?"
"As long as the money is in place, and Ela is in the Seawall District, I can catch her."
At this moment, Lucas completely lacked the demeanor of a senior imperial official and instead resembled a swindler ready to take the money and run.
Of course, Councilman Virgil couldn't possibly gamble that kind of money on the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau.
He also realized that this new Inspector was an extremely difficult person to deal with. No wonder Holt had suffered such a significant loss at his hands.
This was a rogue!
Virgil decided not to continue entangling with Lucas, as it was too undignified.
"Inspector Meteor, please write a detailed report on how you plan to search for Ela in the Seawall District and the necessary expenses, and submit it to the City Administration.
We will allocate funds based on the actual situation. You may sit down now."
Virgil intended to play for time, but Lucas was not one to be easily brushed aside.
"Councilman... a 400 million special fund requires a 400 million search plan for Ela, and a 1 Mark fund requires a 1 Mark search plan.
If you don't specify a detailed amount for the special fund, I won't know how to draft the search plan! If the amount I ask for doesn't match what you provide, and problems arise, you'll be asking me for explanations that I may not be able to give."
Councilman Virgil didn't expect the new Inspector of the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau to be both a rogue and a scoundrel.
He dared to put on a stance of demanding money at such a serious meeting, refusing to relent until he got it.
"Inspector Meteor, we can discuss the funding separately. Please sit down and do not disrupt the meeting."
"Councilman Virgil, I now seriously doubt your motives. You demanded that the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau handle the 'Nielcolone's Heart' theft.
Then you repeatedly sent communiqués ordering us to capture Ela, seeming certain she was hiding in the Seawall District, knowing well that with our current resources, it was impossible to catch her.
Now, as I'm preparing to mobilize the entire district's resources to search for Ela, why are you so eager to make me sit down? Are you feeling guilty?"
Karina, being very perceptive, quickly found all the communiqués sent by the City Administration to the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau and placed them next to Lucas.
Lucas picked up a stack of documents and displayed them to everyone in the meeting room.
"These are the original communiqués sent to me by the City Administration, all signed by Councilman Virgil. And now you want to talk to me privately! Are you planning to bribe me?"
Lucas continued to heap blame on Virgil.
Enraged, Virgil pounded the table and stood up. "Inspector Meteor, you are slandering an imperial knight, a senior imperial official, a councilman of Storm City.
You must take responsibility for your words. I will report your insolent behavior to His Majesty!"
Lucas threw the documents onto the table forcefully.
"Fine! I will also report these documents to Her Highness the Princess. I will explain in detail to Her Highness the actual situation of the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau and the Seawall District Security Bureau. Including how I'm now trying to fully pursue Ela, yet you are maliciously obstructing me."
"When did I ever obstruct you?"
"Not providing funds is using your status as a councilman, an official, and a noble to obstruct me!"
Virgil was nearly overwhelmed with anger.
"I never said we wouldn't provide funds, but we need to discuss the allocation of this special fund with other district safety departments."
"If Ela is in the Seawall District, who else would you discuss it with if not me?"
Virgil questioned, "Are you certain Ela is in the Seawall District?"
Lucas tapped the documents on the table. "You said she was in the Seawall District!"
The meeting had turned into a chaotic argument between Lucas and Virgil, resembling a marketplace.
Everyone watched their heated debate with great interest, including Rear Admiral Nelson, who had earlier reminded Virgil. He seemed keen to see who would win this argument.
Virgil now wanted nothing more than to snatch those documents and burn them.
When he sent those communiqués, he never imagined they could become a weapon against him.
Unfortunately, the Storm City Administration and the Secret Intelligence Bureau were not hierarchically related, and Lucas's wild accusations couldn't be countered directly in this setting.
Virgil quickly took out a bottle of pills from his pocket and swallowed a few.
This was too humiliating, too damaging to his dignity.
Blaming others was a traditional skill of the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau, and it seemed Lucas had already mastered it upon taking office. Continuing the argument would only make things worse.
This had to end quickly! He just wants money... give him the money.
Virgil took a deep breath, calming himself to avoid lashing out, and said in a steady tone, "Inspector Meteor, though your words are a bit harsh, your eagerness to capture the criminal is something we should all learn from.
It is my judgment based on comprehensive intelligence that Ela is hiding in the Seawall District. Therefore, the Seawall District Security Bureau and the Secret Intelligence Bureau need to take on more responsibility.
The City Administration will also provide you with more funding.
According to the pre-meeting allocation plan, the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau will receive 10 million Imperial Marks for personnel supplementation and various expenses needed to capture Ela."
Ten million Imperial Marks was a significant amount for the Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau, which usually received only 2 million Imperial Marks per month from the City Administration.
Karina's eyes lit up at this number. Her least favorite daily task was managing the budget, always finding money scarce.
But this sum was nothing to Lucas... it was simply a pittance compared to his expectations.
He continued standing there, silent, flipping through the documents on the table one by one.
Virgil knew he had lowballed his offer.
"Of course, this was our pre-meeting allocation. Given your extensive search plan, this amount is indeed insufficient.
I believe 50 million should cover your Seawall District Secret Intelligence Bureau's expenses for this operation. The bounty for Ela will be set by the City Administration."
Going from 10 million to 50 million, Karina almost wanted to stand up and agree on Lucas's behalf.
But she noticed that Lucas remained unmoved. He continued standing there, flipping through the documents.
Virgil, now with a dark expression, said, "A district-wide search will indeed disturb the residents. Providing them with some compensation is appropriate and will encourage them to actively provide us with leads.
I believe... an additional 30 million from the special fund should be allocated for public appeasement expenses. Inspector Meteor, are you satisfied now?"
Virgil emphasized his words heavily.
Lucas knew it wasn't realistic to squeeze 400 million from the City Administration. Fifty million plus thirty million made 80 million.
With this money, many things could be done immediately.
"Satisfied, I am very satisfied... Councilman Virgil, your dedication to the Empire is commendable. I apologize for misunderstanding you earlier."