Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Justice Is in the Face gasped, her breath quickening. She instinctively took a few steps back, just as the janitor's voice came through her Bluetooth headset:

"Someone's coming. Hurry down!"

Without hesitation, Justice Is in the Face turned and ran, using Judy's card to exit the floor. As she descended the stairs, she glanced back and was nearly frightened out of her wits. The bloody conduit had caught up, seemingly unaffected by the door. It appeared ethereal, as if it lacked substance, descending straight down the corridor.

Too scared to look back or notice anyone around her, she rushed into an elevator. Fortunately, no one else was using it at that moment. After dashing inside, she frantically pressed the close door button, barely managing to shut the doors before the conduit could enter.

However, the bloody conduit seemed capable of passing through solid objects. Justice Is in the Face remained vigilant, but no further pursuit occurred. As the floors ticked down, and no sign of the conduit emerged, she gradually relaxed. When the elevator reached the ground floor, she stepped out and exchanged a glance with the janitor. Judith and the doctor were approaching from the end of the corridor. The janitor promptly approached them, pretending to accidentally trip and spill a bucket of dirty water.

The sound of the bucket overturning drew everyone's attention, including Judith and her companion. Taking advantage of the distraction, Justice Is in the Face began to change behind a wall, hiding the janitor's uniform behind a potted plant. Casually, she stood in front of the hospital map as if nothing had happened.

Judith approached and tapped Justice Is in the Face on the shoulder. "Why aren't you in the diagnostic room?"

"There's nobody there. It's a bit dull," replied Justice Is in the Face nonchalantly, turning slightly closer to Judith, her heart pounding like a drum.

"Skillful Hands: Success"

This time, she returned the ID card to Judith's pocket. With the task accomplished smoothly, Justice of Beauty could finally relax temporarily and turned her attention to the people standing beside Judith.

There was a doctor and an elderly man in a white lab coat. The doctor was also a woman, wearing light makeup with a cold expression. The elder had gray temples and a kindly demeanor, reminding Justice of Beauty of the neighborly old man who often brought her snacks in reality.

Judith introduced the two to Justice of Beauty. One was a psychologist who would be responsible for her counseling sessions, and the other was Hans Adis, the head of the Bureau's Research and Development Department.

Research and Development Department...

Justice of Beauty's eyes flickered as she asked, "We have such a department in our bureau?"

"Yes," Hans replied with a chuckle. "But you might not see them often. The research area is in Sector D, which has high security. Only high-ranking employee cards allow access to that area."

"I see," Justice of Beauty said, enlightened. "So all researchers work in Sector D?"

"Not exactly. Sector D has the most advanced equipment and laboratories, so most researchers work there. However, I've been working on a special project recently, so I'm temporarily based on the top floor of this hospital."

The top floor...

Beauty Justifies Virtue, having witnessed the scene, pretended to be intrigued and asked, "Oh, is it here? But isn't this place akin to an asylum? How can research be conducted here?"

In reality, inquiring about someone's work was already somewhat crossing the line within the Bureau of Investigation. Judith frowned, ready to intervene. However, the old man, as amiable as he appeared, didn't find anything to hide and kindly replied,

"There's no need to be secretive. It's research on investigators. You see, due to the nature of their work, many investigators succumb to mental breakdowns, madness, or other mental illnesses during missions. My job is to utilize technology to find ways to bring their minds back to this world."

A doctor nearby couldn't help but interject, "I believe that falls under the domain of psychiatrists."

"Of course, of course," the old man said, not offended. "I'm not dismissing traditional treatments. Even the most skilled psychiatrist can't retrieve an investigator lost in the Second Layer of the Dream Gap... Seeing so many heroes in the darkness fall to such fates, some even at the age of my children or grandchildren, breaks my heart. I want to do my part."

The female doctor's expression softened, and she pursed her lips. "I apologize, Mr. Hans. That's not what I meant."

"Hans smiled. "I was the same at your age, not wanting outsiders to meddle in our domain. There's no need to apologize. I'm an old man already, with no intentions of competing. I simply wish to do something for these investigators before I retire."

The elderly man's understanding, tolerance, and kindness almost seemed to overflow from his words and demeanor. On any other day, Yan Jiuzheng would have been filled with affection for such an NPC, but thoughts of what she had witnessed on the top floor, particularly that eerie flesh pipe, kept her nerves taut and unwilling to relax.

"Let's go, it's time for the diagnosis." The female doctor led Justice Yan to the examination room, and Judith waved, "I'll wait for you outside."

Beauty is righteousness itself entered the room, while Judith turned to Hans. "Doctor, would you care to join me for a drink sometime?"

"Certainly, but not during work hours."

"Just a black coffee, then."

They headed to a quiet corner in the hospital's café, where Judith expertly found seclusion. As the server delivered their two cups of black coffee, her expression turned serious.

"Doctor, have you made any progress on that matter we discussed?"

Hans let out a sigh, setting down his cup. "I knew there was a catch with this coffee."

Judith smiled apologetically. "Once this is resolved, I'll treat you to as many coffees as you want."

"No need," Hans replied grumpily, pulling a stack of documents from his satchel. "Here."

Judith eagerly took them, skimming through the pages at an impressive speed.

The information on these pages, if disclosed within the Audit Bureau, would undoubtedly cause a stir.

It pertained to a case from over a decade ago, involving Alchi's father and Old Luke's undercover mission against the foreigners.

Judith was junior to both Charlie and Old Luke, who had mentored her since she joined the bureau. They were both friends and teachers to her, and Judith was well aware of their capabilities. Thus, she never believed that they perished together on an undercover mission against the Outsiders.

Especially Old Luke, who was Charlie's contact. After Charlie's death, he reported the information to headquarters but soon vanished from his own home. Before his disappearance, he sent Judith a peculiar email.

"There's a traitor. Do not investigate. Do not dwell."

This virtually pointed to the complexity of Charlie's death, possibly involving someone within the bureau itself, and this person's identity must have been significant for Old Luke, an experienced investigator, to be so fearful that he disappeared without even conducting an investigation.

Back then, Judith was terrified, yet she maintained composure, pretending everything was normal for the sake of her mentors. However, she never gave up on the matter in her heart. Over the decades, she tirelessly searched for Old Luke and investigated the case.

After years of observation, Judith narrowed her focus onto the Secretariat. This suspicious department had repeatedly made inexplicable moves. Several times during her time as an investigator, Judith nearly caught them red-handed, only for Kurt to disrupt her efforts and transfer her to the position of Inspector. On the surface, it was a promotion, but it distanced her from the frontlines and, due to the constraints of her new role, gradually estranged her from the investigators.

Yet, Judith didn't abandon her investigation. After realizing how formidable her adversaries were, she rallied a faction within the bureau. Among them, the doctor before her was the key ally she sought. A veteran of the bureau and head of the research department, he could provide immense assistance with his experience and connections.

For instance, Judith had asked him to obtain the personnel movement reports of the Secretariat. Normally, due to their special status, they didn't need to report their travels or provide mission trajectories like the investigators, making it challenging to track them. However, all bureau members carried electronic devices, and these devices were developed by the research department.

"Sure enough..." Judith's expression darkened as she saw "Arkham" in Kurt's travel records. It was the city where Old Luke and Charlie had infiltrated the Outsiders.

Judith had long suspected that the Secretariat members were the 'conspirators' Old Luke intended to expose. Their unique positions, high authority, and eccentric personalities made them fitting suspects. Unlike the investigators, the Secretariat solely served the Director of the bureau, yet often engaged in perplexing actions.

"That doesn't prove anything," Hans said, sipping his coffee unperturbed. "They could argue that they were simply there to try the new cakes at Arkham's bakery. This evidence alone won't bring them down."

"I know." Judith took a deep breath to steady herself. "But at least we finally have a lead to follow."

After all these years, patience was key.

Judith rallied. "Besides, the investigators have long been discontented with the Secretariat. To be honest, I have evidence of their misconduct, which Kurt suppressed. If they're truly involved in Charlie and Old Luke's deaths... I don't think the other investigators will stay silent."

The task of the Bureau of Investigation was to combat cultists. They had shed too much blood, shed too many tears, and lost too many loved ones in their fight to protect the public. Investigators and cult members were sworn enemies. If it were revealed that the Secretariat had secretly colluded with the cult, causing the death of their own, it would be a scandal capable of shaking the very foundation of the Bureau.

"What if the Director suppresses this matter?"

"..." Judith's expression wavered. "Why would the Director be involved?"

Hans looked surprised. "I thought that was common knowledge within the Bureau. The Secretariat is an extension of the Director's influence."

"The version I've heard is that the Director has been misled by sinister individuals, allowing the Secretariat to run rampant," Judith said.

"Oh, you're thinking along those lines? In Eastern terms, you'd call it 'cleansing the court'?"

"Whether it's removing a corrupt official or anything else, I just want to bring delayed justice to those wronged investigators," Judith said, carefully stowing away the investigation report. It might one day serve as evidence to topple Kurt.

They tactfully skirted around the possibility that the Director had tacitly approved of Kurt's actions or even ordered them. If that were true, considering the Director's prestige within the Bureau, this would be no mere scandal; it would be a bolt of lightning capable of splitting the Bureau in two.

With the heavy topic behind them, Judith began to casually engage Hans in conversation. Though he had helped her, Hans showed no intention of joining her side. He maintained an ambiguous stance with his research department, seemingly aligned yet distant.

Hans, as usual, wore a jovial facade but remained impervious to persuasion. No matter how Judith tried to entice him with promises, he refused to bite.

Judith sighed, gradually giving up her initial plan. Recalling an interesting tidbit she had overheard in the office, she casually mentioned, "Oh, by the way, Dr. Hans, have you heard a rumor?"

"Oh? What rumor?"

"Well, it's not really a rumor, more like an internal urban legend within the Bureau. It's said that some investigators are no longer who they used to be."

Hans's grip on his coffee cup tightened before he set it down. "Oh? What do you mean by that?"

Judith relaxed and looked out the window, failing to notice Hans's unusual demeanor. She spoke nonchalantly, "I'm not sure. Perhaps someone made it up for fun, a ghost story about a creature that duplicates an investigator's origin ability and memories, replacing their existence. That's why some seem to have undergone drastic personality changes... Ah, it looks like the diagnosis is over. Sorry, Dr. Hans, I must be going."

"Alright," Hans replied, his face expressionless as he watched Judith disappear with the evidence at the coffee corner. Lowering his head, he gazed into the brown liquid in his cup, where the reflection of the old man's kind face momentarily twisted into something eerie.

Psychological assessment confirmed, Justice Is Beauty was indeed qualified - yes, the player put aside their cynical attitude and answered the diagnostic questionnaire with the seriousness of filling out a college application. After the assessment, Judith escorted Justice Is Beauty to the HR department to finalize the regularization process. By then, it was almost closing time.

Of course, players were not accustomed to overtime. Fortunately, Judith didn't have such habits either. After bidding farewell to Justice Is Beauty, she drove away from the Bureau's headquarters.

Judith's apartment was located in a nearby town, not far from the Bureau. Due to its remote location from the city center, the Bureau had initially provided staff accommodations. However, after receiving Luke's message over a decade ago, Judith had moved out of the dormitory and now lived alone.

Upon arriving home, she opened the door, and the familiar scent of her house embraced her. She let out a sigh of relief.

Throwing her coat on the sofa, Judith kicked off her high heels casually before plopping down onto the couch, hugging the cushions with abandon. The image of the strong, organized woman was now in disarray. Her energy seemed drained from the workday as she lazily sprawled on the pillows, burying her head in the couch while fumbling for the TV remote.

"Here you go," someone offered, handing her the controller.

"Oh, thanks," Judith said absentmindedly, turning on the television.

Hmm? Wait?

She lived alone. Who could this be?

Judith felt her blood run cold. Instead of immediately jumping up, she silently reached into the crevice of the sofa where she kept a revolver.

"Um, excuse me, is this Judith Fremont?" a hesitant teenage voice inquired.

Judith had already grasped her gun, swiftly pointing it in the direction of the sound. It was then that she laid eyes on the intruder in her home.

Surprisingly, the individual appeared quite young, with a cherubic face, red hair, and adorable freckles. He had an innocent countenance, his green eyes resembling exquisite emeralds, and his rounded facial features conveyed no aggression.

However, Judith's decade as an investigator had taught her not to judge a person's danger by their looks. She kept the gun raised and flicked off the safety. "Hands up, boy. Don't do anything that could be misconstrued. Your answer will determine whether we'll be waiting for police or an ambulance."

"I don't want either," Lane obediently raised his hands, adopting a pitiful expression as if he were a helpless puppy. "Someone sent me to find you. I had no choice, Miss Judith."

"If you need help, you should go to the police station or an orphanage, not to the home of a single woman. I'm unable to provide any assistance."

Lane replied, "But Old Luke said only you could protect me."

Judith's expression shifted abruptly. "What did you say?"

"Luke Berkeley, and Charlie Hayes, I think those are their names," Lane appeared cautious on the surface but was attentively observing Judith's reaction. "I assume you know them?"

...

Ten minutes later, Lane was seated at Judith's dining table with a glass of juice in front of him. "I can hardly believe they're both still alive."

"In truth, only Old Luke is alive. Charlie has passed away. I only met him a few times," Lane mumbled through his straw.

In those ten minutes, Lane had gained Judith's trust by sharing some details about Old Luke. Of course, he fabricated a backstory for himself. Ian Pan was now a young man who had suffered at the hands of a cult and was brought into the Foreigners by his parents. He was saved by two heroic investigators, one of whom was killed while undercover. Old Luke then took Lane under his wing.

"How is he doing?" Judith asked, looking worried.

"Not too well," Lane replied, staring at the juice. He didn't feel confident enough to deceive Judith with his acting, so he avoided her gaze, which made him appear introverted and silent, fitting his fabricated persona. "After escaping from the cult, he pretended to be insane to avoid their retaliation. He raised me by scavenging for a living."

Well, it's true that Old Luke had been residing in Arkham Asylum, feigning madness – that part of the story isn't a fabrication.

Judith's fingers, resting on the table's edge, couldn't resist tapping in agitation. "Why hasn't he contacted me?"

"Old Luke discarded all his electronic devices and identification to ensure his safety," Lane explained. "But that safety wasn't enough. During the calamity in Arkham, he was attacked by monsters and managed to protect me while escaping, though at the cost of his own…"

As he spoke, he paused, his head nearly dipping to the table's surface. Judith stepped closer, unable to resist the urge to stroke the young man's red hair. "It's alright, it's all behind us now."

"Um." Lane looked up, his eyes rimmed with red – the best acting he could muster. "I found a will in Old Luke's room. It seems he foresaw this outcome and wanted me to come to you."

Saying this, Lane handed the letter over to Judith.

Judith took it, unfolded it, and the moment she recognized the handwriting, the last trace of suspicion in her heart vanished. It was indeed Luke's own handwriting.

Of course, Lane had watched Luke write it.

The contents of the letter matched what Lane had said. It stated that Ian Pan was the child he and Charlie had rescued from the Stranger. He also mentioned that he had encountered the traitor from the Audit Bureau, which was why he couldn't ignore the matter. Over the years, he had been investigating the Strangers and the traitor, and had informed Ian about everything. If anything were to happen to him, Ian would come to her for help.

Reading this, Judith's eyes reddened as well. It was at this moment that the reality of the two elders' departure truly sank in.

Fearful that Judith might still doubt him, Lane began crafting rejoinders in his mind. But before he could voice them, Judith had already lowered herself halfway to the ground and embraced him.

"Thank you, thank you for coming," Judith hugged the red-haired youth in her arms tightly. "Your journey must have been arduous, but our ordeal is not yet over. I promise to do everything in my power to ensure your safety. Will you help me bring those villains to justice?"

Lenard was taken aback by her sudden embrace and instinctively tried to push Judith away. But in the next moment, he hesitated. The lady's emotions—sorrow, distress, and guilt—were palpable in the quivering of her shoulders.

As well as unwavering determination and indomitable resilience.

She was well acquainted with the clandestine dealings within the bureau, having spent a decade in the shadows, fearful of unseen foes. Yet, those long years had not dimmed her unwavering commitment to justice. Time had smoothed the sharp edges of her demeanor, but it could not quell the fiery passion that burned within her heart.

Ten years of drinking ice still fails to cool one's passionate blood; in a thousand years of darkness, a single lamp illuminates all.

Lahn returned her embrace and nodded gently.

"I came for this very reason."