Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Rasputin Bar
Welma hadn't slept all night, spending the entire time reviewing Ethan Blake's reports and file documents. It wasn't until dawn that she collapsed into her office chair, her eyes hollow.
On the night Ethan Blake had led the purge of the disguisers, his strategic planning showed no signs of violations. In fact, it was incredibly meticulous, bold, and cautious.
Throughout that night, there was not a single error in Ethan Blake's actions—no flaws, no loose ends.
Even she couldn't match Blake's capabilities.
Welma took a deep breath.
"Something feels off. I must have missed something."
She poured herself a cup of coffee, clearing her head a bit. Suddenly, she recalled something she had overlooked.
Disguiser hideouts were spread across the entire city. How could Ethan Blake have found all the hideouts in just one night and wiped them out so quickly?
It doesn't add up. It doesn't make sense.
Either the monsters were planted by Ethan Blake, or someone had fed him all this information.
The report stated that someone noticed the 'Harbor Hair Salon' hadn't opened for several days, which led Ethan to become suspicious and, from there, trace everything back to the disguisers.
It seemed fake.
"Ethan Blake is hiding something!"
Welma, a seasoned security officer, had written countless reports like this during her time in the capital.
Refocusing, she began analyzing the situation, calculating the resources used.
Her conclusion was simple: even if the entire city's security officers were mobilized to clear out the monsters, it would have been impossible to complete the job in one night.
Welma furrowed her brows.
"The manpower and time don't match up. He deliberately understated the time and number of officers used to clear the eastern, western, and southern districts. He shifted those officers and hours to the northern district."
She smirked.
"At that time, the northern district was likely a security vacuum, with no officers present. How did he expect the security forces there to handle the monsters?"
"This report is a fabrication."
Her sharp instincts quickly identified several potential hideouts. She stood up and headed towards the surveillance department.
The on-duty security officer was asleep, but Welma began operating the system herself.
The security officer jolted awake, startled to see the director in the room.
"Good morning, Director! Please, have a seat!"
Welma frowned.
"Why are there so many blind spots in the surveillance?"
The officer glanced at the screen and replied,
"Many of these areas are in the outskirts, beyond surveillance coverage. Some of the cameras were also damaged by disguisers."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Welma's lips.
"Go grab some breakfast."
The officer, sensing that Welma needed privacy, obediently left the room.
Welma sat down and resumed her work.
Damaged by monsters? Interesting.
She spent the entire morning in the surveillance room.
With years of experience, her sharp intuition led her to identify a few seemingly ordinary individuals. Upon further investigation, she discovered that none of them were from the northern district, yet they had all lingered there the night of the purge and only returned to their respective districts the following day.
After narrowing her focus, she locked onto two individuals.
One was Giovani, the owner of the Imperial Nightclub, and the other was William, a teacher at Bluewater High School.
Both men had left the northern district and later appeared on Shandong Road that same night.
Shandong Road was home to a bar owned by Giovani.
"Seemingly random coincidences often hold the answers!"
Welma started forming a bold, almost absurd theory:
"Ethan Blake, Giovani, William—these three seemingly unrelated individuals share the same pattern of movement. What's really going on between them?"
Welma suspected that Giovani was the mastermind behind everything.
This gangster kingpin likely had the resources to help Ethan Blake complete the monster purge.
Perhaps all of Ethan Blake's accomplishments over the years were thanks to Giovani's assistance, with the goal of installing a captain in the Security Bureau to extend their influence.
"How can I confirm this lead?"
Welma massaged her temples, thinking deeply before chuckling softly to herself.
"If I can't figure it out, I'll muddy the waters, and the fish will reveal themselves."
She picked up the phone and called Vincent.
"Hey, sis, what's up?"
Welma hadn't expected her brother to answer so quickly, and she realized he must not have been out messing around last night.
Maybe he's finally realized how difficult it is to surpass Ethan Blake and has started putting in the effort.
Welma smiled with satisfaction and said,
"Little brother, tonight, bring your security officers and pay a visit to Rasputin Bar."
"Remember, don't reveal anything about going to Rasputin Bar tonight before you set out."
Vincent stayed silent for a moment, then asked, "Is something going on?"
Welma didn't hide anything from Vincent. "I suspect that the person backing Ethan Blake is Giovani. If we confirm this, the position of Captain of the Security Bureau is yours."
She didn't dare involve the martial officers—this had to be handled secretly to prevent Ethan Blake from catching wind of it.
However, the moment she hung up, Vincent sent a text message to Alex:
"Big Brother, my sister is bringing the Eastern District security officers to Rasputin Bar tonight for a mission."
"I'll do whatever you say, but can I stop carrying my phone everywhere? My portable charger broke this morning, and I barely got any sleep after running out to buy a new one. I can't handle this stress anymore!"
Nightfall, Rasputin Bar
Under the dazzling lights, the bar's DJ, dressed provocatively, swayed wildly to the booming music, igniting the atmosphere.
Men and women, seeking excitement and solace for their loneliness, indulged without restraint.
Screams, fireworks, and champagne flowed freely as they vented their frustration with the drudgery of working life.
Alex wasn't fond of such noisy environments. He sat alone in a luxurious booth on the second floor, wearing a mask resembling a crying ghost king, quietly sipping his wheat beer.
He didn't have to worry about looking out of place in the crowd while wearing a mask.
In this kind of establishment, he wasn't the only one masked, and wearing a mask wasn't exclusive to hunters.
Alex's indifferent gaze swept across the dance floor, which had become a hub for low-level hunters.
Many of the men and women wearing masks on the dance floor were low-level hunters who had acquired the "mutation" talent.
The tasks these low-level hunters undertook were typically low-risk, often involving gathering information about spiritual items or tracking down awakened fugitives.
Of course, if they managed to secure spiritual items or kill an awakened fugitive, the points they earned could be exchanged for enough money to live lavishly for quite some time.
A woman at the top of the stairs caught Alex's attention.
She had a fantastic figure, her tight suit perfectly outlining her curves, her chest and hips accentuated in all the right places.
Her face was obscured by a cheap, rough mask, so it was impossible to tell if her looks matched her figure.
She didn't seem to be here for excitement—otherwise, she wouldn't be covering herself up so thoroughly.
Alex sensed a dangerous aura surrounding this woman.
Alex tapped on the table, signaling for the bar manager to come over.
The manager, Sister Hong, was a seductive, mature woman with a flirtatious air about her.
Her figure was voluptuous, and she wore a black suit with the front open wide, revealing a glimpse of her black lace lingerie.
Seeing that Alex had summoned her, Sister Hong swayed her hips suggestively and approached him with a sultry smile. "Sir, what can I do for you?"
This man had been specifically instructed by Giovani to be treated with the utmost care, so she didn't dare tease or play coy with him as she did with other patrons.
She bent over respectfully.
Alex could sense that this woman was also a hunter with a "mutation" talent.
It was clear that she was Giovani's right-hand woman—otherwise, Giovani wouldn't have gone through the trouble of placing her inside the Mercenary Guild.
Alex glanced toward the woman in the suit at the staircase, and Sister Hong immediately understood. She walked over toward the woman in the suit at the staircase.
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise