180: Chapter 0180 Illegitimate Daughter

The living room of the apartment was currently filled with the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee.

Lilith sat upright on the soft velvet sofa, intently tapping away on the arcane typewriter in front of her.

Her golden hair was meticulously swept up into an elegant low chignon, and the gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose reflected the moonlight streaming in from the window.

As her fingertips moved across the keys, her entire being exuded the decisive aura of a professional elite.

Seeing Li Size and the others return, Lilith spoke up:

"dear, you're back just in time! Flora arrived ten minutes ago and brought important news."

At that moment, Flora emerged slowly from the shadows, her silver-purple long hair cascading down like a waterfall.

Illuminated by candlelight, her amber eyes shimmered like gemstones.

She was dressed in tight leather, perfectly outlining her smooth waistline, with a faint tattoo visible at her collarbone.

She spoke:

"Master, today is Wednesday. We tailed Graham to a secret manor on the outskirts of the city—"

"He did not return to the Viscount's residence, but instead held a meeting with over a dozen city government officials and wealthy merchants in the manor's basement."

Her fingertips gently traced the short sword at her waist, her voice carrying a hint of gravity:

"They were discussing the war that will erupt between the two nations three years from now.

One man wearing a police uniform particularly caught my attention because his shoulder insignia bore three silver stars.

That is the mark of a Deputy Director of the Gele City Police Department."

Upon hearing this, Gelia suddenly shot up from the sofa.

The silver stars on the insignia of her crimson uniform gleamed, and her ice-blue eyes were filled with disbelief:

"Deputy Director? Could it be... Malcolm?

He was emphasizing the crackdown on treason just last week during a meeting at the bureau!"

Her fingers gripped the hem of her uniform tightly, her knuckles turning white from the excessive force; it was clear she could not accept this cruel reality.

Flora nodded in confirmation, then continued her report:

"There is one more thing—"

"Graham mentioned that Viscount Wiseman plans to send his illegitimate daughter, Isabella, to the Feiting Federation next week.

This girl is very important to the Viscount; she is one of the offspring he cares about most.

Graham also mentioned that Isabella will be leaving with a smuggling team from the Miners Brotherhood, and she will be accompanied by five Knight Rank guards."

Her amber eyes looked towards Li Size, quietly awaiting the next command.

Li Size gently stroked his chin, and a faint golden light flickered on the Mental Energy pattern between his brows—

His brain was working at high speed:

"Flora, continue investigating Isabella's detailed information, including her preferences, habits, and arcane talent.

Gelia, based on the physical description Flora provided, check the officials and wealthy merchants in the manor one by one, and then compile a list for me."

His gaze swept over everyone present, and he said with great determination:

"All these people are accomplices in Wiseman's treason; we must catch them all in one sweep!"

Felina walked up to Li Size, her golden curls falling near his arm, her pale purple eyes full of trust:

"Husband, let me help you organize the investigation files. If necessary, we can also have the phantom Bobby track their movements."

Her fingertips lightly traced the back of Li Size's hand, bringing a touch of warmth.

Violet brought hot milk from the kitchen, her silver long hair shimmering enchantingly under the light, her pointed ears faintly visible behind the strands:

"Brother-in-law, I can help older sister with some tasks too, so don't worry."

As soon as Flora's report finished landing the previous night, Li Size had Lilith organize all the intelligence details overnight, binding the documents into thick folders by category.

Early the next morning, he arrived at the Internal Affairs Department early.

Pushing open Director Sven's office door, a faint smell of ink mixed with the aroma of coffee rushed out:

The walls were covered with documents marked "Confidential," and behind the desk, Sven was looking down at a report, the black coffee by his hand still steaming.

Li Size closed the door behind him, clutching the folder in his palm; the intelligence fragments Flora reported last night were still swirling repeatedly in his mind.

He walked quickly to the desk and slapped the folder down in front of Sven, his voice deliberately lowered with a hint of urgency:

"Director Swin, urgent intelligence—

Viscount Wiseman is sending his illegitimate daughter Isabella to Feiting next week.

Over a dozen city government officials and wealthy merchants are plotting war matters in a secret manor, including Malcolm, the Deputy Director of the Gele City Police Department."

His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of the folder, his fingertips slightly hot from tension:

"All these people are traitors!"

Sven abruptly looked up and saw the "Top Secret" label on the folder, his eyes instantly brightening.

He snatched the folder, flipped through a few pages, and then suddenly slammed the table and burst into laughter; his hearty laughter caused the coffee cup on the desk to shake slightly:

"Li Size, you kid are truly my lucky star!

Since we jointly launched the Counter-Espionage Plan with you and Felina three months ago, the resulting merit points from continuous missions have allowed me to jump two ranks directly from captain to Director of Internal Affairs!

The news you brought this time is practically another grand gift for my promotion!"

He paused, suddenly dropping his smile, his tone becoming coldly serious, clearly already rapidly sorting out the deployment plan in his mind:

"I'll give you one week to secretly intercept Isabella—

It must be done without anyone noticing; we absolutely cannot let Wiseman detect the slightest abnormality.

I will arrange for a veteran wizard proficient in 'Disguise' arcane arts to pose as her and continue along the original route to Feiting. This way, we can follow this thread to dig out the core evidence of Wiseman's treason.

Furthermore, submit the list of personnel from the secret manor meeting to me as soon as possible—

These Wiseman cronies are not ready to be netted yet, but they must all be brought under surveillance. I will dispatch undercover personnel for 24-hour tailing; we absolutely cannot let them escape."

Having said that, he stood up and walked to Li Size's side, patting his shoulder, his voice carrying clear temptation:

"If this mission is completed with Perfection, you will have enough merit points for promotion to Deputy Director, with plenty to spare!"

When Li Size left the Internal Affairs Department, the sunlight was casting mottled shadows through the plane tree leaves of Gele City's central square.

He tightly gripped the secret mission dispatch handed to him by Sven, his fingertip rubbing against the Internal Affairs Department crest on the wax seal—

That silver eagle crest shone coldly in the sunlight, pressing down on his heart like an invisible shackle.

Upon returning to his apartment in Gray Mist Mountain Town, Felina was sitting at the arcane workbench reading an arcane book, her golden curls falling over her shoulders, her pale purple eyes reflecting the dim light of the rune lamp.

"Sven's arrangements?"

She looked up and asked, her fingertip turning the flyleaf of the book.