In the search room, Ezreal sat in a chair, meticulously examining the documents discovered by the guards in the deceased Baron Cleo's study, cross-referencing them with the results obtained from the investigation based on these clues.
Ultimately, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness, he forcefully tossed the list of Baron Cleo's offenses, left behind by Jinx, onto the table before him and let out a deep sigh.
"Uh… have you finished?" The head of the search team, Ilte Hanking, who was seated behind him, lifted his head from a pile of documents upon hearing the sigh and smiled, "What's the outcome?"
"What else could it be? It's all identical," Ezreal replied, leaning back in his chair, gazing up at the ceiling of the search room, and lamenting, "Who exactly is this Jinx? How is it possible that even the most deeply concealed misdeeds can be uncovered?"
"Take a look at this—Baron Cleo's two transgressions were known only to him and his steward. Those two were so well hidden, yet Jinx managed to uncover everything. How is that even possible?" He slumped further into his chair, pressing his weight against the wooden backrest, and continued in despair, "No matter how I think about it… it just doesn't add up."
"Ha ha…" Ezreal's despondent demeanor elicited a chorus of good-natured laughter from the other investigators in the room.
At that moment, a female officer named Kaliya, carrying a large stack of documents, passed by. Seeing Ezreal's glum expression, she burst into laughter, "Don't be so easily disheartened, Mr. Ezreal! You're our captain's precious ninth-tier expert, and if you lose heart, what will become of us ordinary guards?"
"Besides, no matter how formidable Jinx may be, can they truly surpass a ninth-tier expert? The reason we haven't caught them yet is simply because they're exceptionally cautious in hiding. If one day they inadvertently reveal a clue and we manage to track their movements, with you, Mr. Ezreal, here, we have nothing to fear! It would undoubtedly be a straightforward operation."
With a cheerful tone, Kaliya placed the hefty stack of documents down heavily on Captain Ilte's desk, "Here you go… the files you requested regarding the Cleo family."
"Uh… is there… really this much?" Ilte stammered, taken aback by the towering pile of documents that nearly reached the height of an adult, "This doesn't seem right, does it? A minor baron's family history… could it possibly be this extensive?"
"Indeed, it is this extensive," Kaliya nodded gleefully, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, "Although Baron Cleo's title is modest, his family is quite illustrious. The Cleo family has been a prominent noble lineage long before our time in Debon, though they have gradually fallen from grace… Well, take your time with it. I'm confident you'll finish it within three days. Hee hee…"
"Th-this…" Ilte's gaze, somewhat vacant, drifted to the mountain of documents before him, and he turned his attention to the golden-haired youth, "Um… Ezreal, my young brother…"
"Not a chance!" Ezreal immediately understood Ilte's intentions upon meeting his gaze, shaking his head vigorously like a pendulum, "I'm merely an outsider, not a member of your guard. I'm not familiar with your affairs, and if I were to assist, I would likely only complicate matters. I wouldn't want to be a nuisance… Look, you have so many colleagues here; wouldn't it be easier to ask one of them?"
"…" Ilte stared at Ezreal, his forehead twitching in frustration, "Does reviewing documents require experience? Moreover… you've been in the search department long enough; you must be somewhat familiar with these matters. How can you claim to have no experience?"
"Ha ha… in any case, not happening. I'm still young, unlike you, Captain. I'm busy dating girls, so I don't have that much time!" Ezreal replied with a grin, "Besides, the capable should bear more burdens, so you, Captain, should take on a bit more work… after all, that's what it means to be the captain!"
Ezreal's words sparked a wave of laughter among the officers in the search room, who relished the chaos.
"Exactly, Captain, you're the one who should bear more!"
"The captain is the most capable, so he naturally has to do more to showcase his uniqueness!"
"Indeed, the captain is the best… ha ha…"
Amidst the laughter, Ilte managed a resigned smile, "A bunch of little rascals."
Bang—
In the midst of the laughter, a knock echoed from the door of the search department.
The next moment, the door swung open, and two individuals entered the bustling search room.
"Uh…" The crowd paused, recognizing the lead figure, the captain of the royal guard, Shyvana, but who was the man following her?
With a head of gray and white hair, icy eyes, an expressionless face, a cute little fox perched on his shoulder, and a tattered gray cloak… all these elements combined gave the man an oddly mysterious aura, exuding a chilling presence.
"Captain Shyvana! What brings you here?" Ilte, as the captain, quickly rose and respectfully approached her, "Do you have any instructions?"
"Ah! It's you!" Upon seeing Xiao Mu Yu, Ezreal froze for a moment, then jumped up in shock, "Y-you, you, you… how did you end up in Maple Leaf Snow?"
His finger pointed at Xiao Mu Yu, and Ezreal struggled to articulate his thoughts, "Y-you… how did you get here?"
In his eyes, there was a palpable wariness, along with a hint of… subtle fear.
"…" Glancing indifferently at the tense, on-guard golden-haired youth, Xiao Mu Yu shifted his gaze away, exhibiting no surprise at their reunion, as if encountering a mere stranger.
He stepped forward coldly, bypassing Shyvana to face the others, his frosty gaze sweeping across their faces. Xiao Mu Yu coldly declared, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Night, a criminal expert summoned by your prince, Jarvan. From this moment forth, I will take charge of everything in this search room, including all of you… The investigation into Jinx's case will henceforth be under my purview."
Within the realm of consciousness, a demon's roar suddenly erupted.
(What the hell!! You audacious human boy, how dare you appropriate my name? Ahhh!! You are courting death!)
Yet, as always, the demon's roar received no response.
"…" Xiao Mu Yu's cold gaze lingered on each face, absorbing their expressions, before he coldly stated, "In other words, from today onward… you all report to me."
As soon as his words fell, his frigid demeanor sparked discontent among several young guards, "Hey! Who do you think you are? Out of nowhere… why should I take orders from you? Where did you even come from?"
"…" Casting a chilling glance at the dissenting officers, Xiao Mu Yu coolly rubbed his forehead and replied, "This is a direct order from your prince, Jarvan. If you have any grievances regarding this command, you may address them with him… Of course, if you have issues with me personally, you are free to leave this search room and withdraw from the pursuit of Jinx."
"Because…" Xiao Mu Yu paused, his pitch-black pupils reflecting an unrelenting coldness, "I do not require subordinates who defy orders."