"Captain Lisi, please begin. There are less than three hours until the red moon rises," Collins said respectfully, not following them inside but standing guard at the door.

"Hn."

Lisi scanned the room before looking at Wei’en. "The Investigation Department’s work is actually quite simple. You just find clues, use them to identify the perpetrator, and finally, arrest them."

Wei’en put on the air of a student listening intently, but in reality, he wasn’t particularly interested.

’Compared to these routine investigation procedures, he was far more concerned with how to deal with aberrations, how to eliminate Vengeful Spirits, how to kill off any and all potential risks...’

"In most cases, we can use the equipment provided by the Secret Investigation Department to complete missions with ease... like this."

As she spoke, Lisi took out a small vial of a Magic Potion and tossed it onto the ground. "A Revealing Potion. It lets you see the figures of anyone who has been in this room within a certain timeframe."

A gray smoke then rose from the Magic Potion, gradually spreading throughout the room.

"Everyone?" Wei’en asked, his eyes fixed on the residue of the Magic Potion on the floor.

"Of course not. Exception for any Extraordinary who specializes in manipulating shadows."

’Shadows?’

’It seems the creation of this Revealing Potion involves some kind of shadow-related ability.’

’Just from the name, Wei’en had thought it was a Magic Potion for revealing footprints or bloodstains in the room.’

’If he’d known a Magic Potion like this existed, he wouldn’t have bothered asking if there was only one way in or out...’

’Awkward.’

Seeing this from the doorway, Collins couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. "Mr. Sayam’s decision was the right one. Leave professional matters to the professionals..."

Before he could finish, the smoke began to replay past events like a film.

An old man in a black noble’s robe walked in with a sorrowful expression, knelt by the altar, and whispered something...

’That must be Mr. Sayam, right?’

Then, several men in black armor barged in, and their leader started arguing with the old man...

Next was a dignified-looking lady—well, a bit on the older side...

After that, it was probably the scene after the Divine Statue was discovered missing. The old man was roaring furiously at the people around him. Judging by his constantly moving mouth, he must have been wasting a lot of saliva...

The playback continued until the faint image of the Guardian Divine Statue appeared on the altar. It looked a lot like an octopus, the kind often seen in the Deep Sea.

’But what’s an octopus doing with a pair of wings?’

’Can it fly out of the Deep Sea?’

Then, Wei’en saw a young man appear in the image. He was dressed in a silver-white silk robe, had long, curly, grayish-brown hair, and a somewhat sinister look in his eyes as he carried away the Divine Statue...

At this point, Collins couldn’t help but exclaim, "It’s him?!"

Marco studied the young man and asked casually, "Collins, you know who he is?"

"He, he... He’s Young Master Rutger..." Collins stammered. "But how is that possible? Why would he..."

"Looks like we’ve found our target."

Lisi seemed to have anticipated this outcome, but she had no interest whatsoever in catching a petty thief.

"The commission only requires us to find the Divine Statue, not to investigate the full story. Now that the person has been identified, I trust the Ceres Clan doesn’t wish for us to intervene further?"

Collins bowed and said apologetically, "My apologies, Captain Lisi. I... I was out of line. As you said, this is enough. Please allow us to handle the subsequent investigation."

"At the same time, I will explain the situation to Mr. Sayam. The promised remuneration will be delivered to the Secret Investigation Department shortly."

Lisi nodded. "That would be best."

"Please, follow me."

Butler Collins’s expression returned to normal as he respectfully led the group outside.

Wei’en followed, pulling a skipping Tina along, and muttered, "It’s over already?"

He grumbled internally, feeling that this kind of detective work was a bit too perfunctory...

’If this stuff existed in my past life, police officers would have had it easy.’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

’Who would need surveillance cameras? Just SMASH a bottle of Revealing Potion at the scene, and the suspect would be revealed instantly.’

Marco, who was closest, overheard him and chuckled. "As long as an Extraordinary isn’t involved, cases committed by ordinary people are just this simple."

"The Secret Investigation Department has been around for three hundred years. In that time, we’ve invented plenty of gadgets to make investigations more convenient."

"The equipment we have here in Shetland is nothing. I hear that in the Doss Empire’s Secret Investigation Department, in the heart of the Eastern Continent, every Investigator is equipped with a two-wheeled mechanical vehicle. Now that’s impressive."

’A two-wheeled mechanical vehicle... isn’t that just a mechanical motorcycle?’

’It’s certainly much faster than walking on two legs.’

Wei’en shrugged. "I just didn’t expect it to be this simple."

He thought it would involve a conflict between the Dawn Church and the Storm Church, or revenge from the Balbas Race, or a struggle for family inheritance, or something...

’And this is it?’

Apparently, real life wasn’t a stage play; there weren’t that many twists.

"It was a bit too simple," Lisi said without turning her head. "After the celebration tomorrow, I’ll take you to check out some other places."

Wei’en grunted in acknowledgment and asked, "That Revealing Potion just now, is it also provided by the Property Management Department?"

"Of course, but it’s not standard issue. You have to buy it yourself. It’s not expensive, just 5 gold pounds a bottle."

"5 gold pounds? That expensive?!"

Wei’en’s eyes widened. ’Is this a robbery?’

Marco clapped him on the shoulder. "That’s just how it is. The formula for this Magic Potion was developed by the Property Management Department. It’s exclusive to the Caster City-State Secret Investigation Department."

"I heard Somlay say last time that this is the discounted internal price. If other regions want to buy a Revealing Potion, they wouldn’t be able to get one for less than 10 gold pounds."

’10 gold pounds?’

Wei’en’s eyes lit up. This was the kind of profit he imagined one should make from selling Magic Potions.

Compared to the 3 gold pounds he earned for making a single perfect-grade Magic Potion, the Revealing Potion was practically a gold mine.

"They’re pretty impressive, then."

"In a way, Somlay and his group are indeed skilled. It’s just that they have terrible personalities, acting like misers all day long, only letting money in and never letting it out."

The group chatted as they walked out of the main building.

"Captain Lisi, thank you so much for your help. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known where to even start looking..."

"Don’t forget to send the payment to the Secret Investigation Department," Lisi cut him off with a wave of her hand, clearly not wanting to chat. "As per the contract, that Magic Potion will be an additional charge."

Collins said respectfully, "Rest assured, I’ll send it over as soon as I’ve taken care of... things."

"That would be best."

With that, Lisi led the other three away.

"Wei’en, simple cases like this are the exception. Most of the time, we’re facing all sorts of twisted, corrupted aberrations."

"I know."

Marco, beside them, grinned. "Don’t be so serious, Officer Lisi. The commission may have been simple, but the pay is generous, isn’t it?"

"How much?" Wei’en was very interested in this.

"50 gold pounds, plus the cost of the Revealing Potion, for a total of 55 gold pounds."

’55 gold pounds?!’

Wei’en counted on his fingers. Even at a 5% cut, he would get more than 2 gold pounds...

That was certainly a much better deal than fighting for his life.

’But the captain seemed reluctant to take this commission before. Was it because of the Ceres Clan, or something else?’

"Wait."

Just then, Lisi stopped, her brow furrowing slightly. "It seems this case isn’t so simple after all."

Marco seemed to have sensed it too. He waved his hand.

A small whirlwind slowly coalesced, and he tilted his head as if listening to something. "Something’s definitely happened. There’s the smell of blood over there, and sounds of fighting..."

’The smell of blood, sounds of fighting?’

Wei’en: "..."

Wouldn’t you know it, the unexpected had actually happened.