Ke-style law enforcement officers

Chapter 132 The Fenich Manuscript

“Valrokan, right? If I remember correctly, it’s great to see you again, especially after hearing that you were on a field mission.”

This was the first thing Charles Winton, the chief of the West Side Enforcement Office, said to Milo after meeting him.

He clearly remembered Milo, and it was obvious that he missed him.

As for the specific reason, Milo wasn't entirely sure.

……

The West City Law Enforcement Office building is newly built and looks much more impressive than the South City office where Milo is located. It has almost no trace of classical architectural charm and instead brings the cruel aesthetic style of the law enforcement system to the extreme.

Simple, cold, and unapproachable.

This was probably the first impression that the newly built law enforcement office gave Milo.

However, compared to the solemnity and oppressive atmosphere of the architecture and overall ambiance, the coffee beans used to serve guests here were exceptionally fresh and sweet. Milo wasn't particularly fond of this Western beverage, but he had to admit that for a second or two, he was captivated by the complex nutty aroma in the coffee.

In Charles's office.

Milo went straight to the point and showed the letter that Colin had written on his behalf.

"Regarding the so-called missing persons list, I think I might need your help to clear things up, Chief Inspector."

But Charles did not answer Milo's question directly.

He placed his hands, fingers interlaced, on the table, calmly looking at the blood-stained area on the shoulder of Milo's shirt, and said:
"Actually, that letter was supposed to be given to you before you went on your mission. It didn't have any special meaning; it was just to give you... a kind of reminder."

"What kind of reminder is it?" Milo's brow twitched slightly.

“A friendly reminder,” Charles explained casually.
"I don't know if you've heard that every year, many colleagues in the law enforcement system mysteriously disappear while handling cases. This missing persons list has already excluded those law enforcement officers who have clearly died in the line of duty. I think you should know that those who die, no matter how they die, will eventually have their law enforcement weapons recovered and used as burial items. But for those who go missing, not even a piece of clothing can be found, let alone their bodies."

“Do you think I might become a missing person during the mission?” Milo narrowed his eyes.

“You can interpret this as a form of care from within the law enforcement system. After all, the number of new recruits to the law enforcement system each year can't keep up with the personnel losses during law enforcement, especially for a rare talent like you. We don't want any unfortunate events to happen to you prematurely,” Charles said.

“Thank you for your kind reminder, but I have a feeling that your intentions go beyond that.” Milo nodded politely.

That's why I say you're a rare talent.

Charles burst into hearty laughter when he heard the second half of Milo's sentence, a laugh that made the two nasolabial folds on his face appear even more pronounced.

After suppressing his laughter, he then said to Milo:
“It seems neither Rebecca nor the Inspector has mentioned these matters to you. I think I need to talk to you about the other people in your office now. You must be curious about where the rest of the criminal investigation department of the South City Police Station have gone, right?”

“My superiors told me those people went out on a special mission. Let me guess, are their names on the missing persons list?” Milo asked Charles calmly, touching the ceramic coffee cup in his hand.

"There were seven people in total, seven experienced and well-trained law enforcement officers. Some of them even came to my house for drinks. Come to think of it, I haven't seen them for a year."

Charles tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

It's easy to see that this is a habitual action of his, because the paint coating on the tabletop that was being struck had peeled off, exposing the solid wood to the air.

“Rebecca and Nero have never mentioned this, nor has old Theon, so, barring any unforeseen circumstances, what we're discussing now must involve classified information, and information that someone of my rank shouldn't have access to, right?” Milo smiled enigmatically. “Mr. Charles, you've made me and Colin violate law enforcement regulations.” “You're right, but let me explain my reasons patiently, and perhaps you'll understand my predicament.” Charles gazed at Milo.

"Please speak," Milo said, all ears.

Charles took a deep breath and slowly began to speak:

"Of the seven law enforcement officers who should have been sitting in the same office as you, one is my twin brother, Eric Winton, my only brother."

Milo nodded: "I think I understand what you mean."

Charles spread his hands and said, "The disappearance has been sealed off by orders from higher-ups. Almost all the first-hand information is in the hands of the chief of law enforcement in the south of the city, Rebecca. No one else has the right to ask questions. This is a consensus reached by all the higher-ups. No one knows what mission those seven people went on to carry out, nor does anyone know what they encountered... As a law enforcement officer, my duty requires me to obey the orders of my superiors, but as an older brother, I have the right to know what happened to my younger brother."

“That makes sense.” Milo nodded again.

“But for some reason, all my requests for transfer of investigations have been rejected. I contacted your superiors privately and was punished for it, but that didn’t stop me.” Charles looked into Milo’s eyes, his gaze devoid of any coercion, only sincerity.

“I don’t expect you to provide me with any direct help. For example, I won’t say things like stealing classified information, because that would be making a joke of your black trench coat. I just hope you understand that I’m not speaking to you as the Chief of Staff, but as an older brother.”

“I want to know more.” Milo did not explicitly state his opinion.

“I know very little about the case from back then,” Charles shook his head blankly.

“No, I want to hear about your brother Eric,” Milo corrected.

“Eric… Actually, Eric and I don’t get along well, as you can probably guess. I’m not afraid you’ll laugh at me, but he’s an upright person, while I am not. I think that’s why we can never work together. He’s eight years younger than me, and the scythe of judgment is the supreme thing in his mind. Some of my past actions, in his eyes, may have tainted this totem, so we parted ways.”

When Charles mentioned his brother, a rare, complex look of regret appeared on his rough face:

"Eric's world is black and white; he can't tolerate even the slightest imperfection. Coincidentally, he was blessed with considerable talent and willpower. He should have created more value in the law enforcement system instead of disappearing in such a muddled way."

“That’s enough.” Milo nodded, then asked, “As the chief of law enforcement in the same city, do you really have no knowledge whatsoever about the mission he was on? Not even a rumor?”

“The Fenicchi Manuscript,” Eric said decisively.
"This is a clue that I bought at great expense from other channels, and it is also the only clue. There are many different opinions about this book. Some people even say that it is just a fabrication and that there is no physical object, because no library in Nanwei City has any record of it. However, some very mysterious and bizarre events did happen back then, which are rumors circulating among students in various colleges. The stories in the rumors are even more unreliable than the content of the ghost stories."

"What kind of story?" Milo raised an eyebrow.

With his current perspective, he is capable of accepting those horrifying and bizarre events, and unlike ordinary people, he doesn't habitually categorize them as purely fabricated ghost stories.

“Forbidden rituals, they say, the manuscript records some forbidden practices from the previous era.” Charles shook his head: “Don’t laugh at me, I really did look into those things, but most of them were just ridiculous and embarrassing things that ignorant children did to woo someone, and they have no reference value at all.”

“The Fenich Manuscript, right?” Milo noted down the title.

He muttered to himself, "If it really was just some ignorant kids messing around with religious rituals, it shouldn't have warranted the law enforcement agency sending seven criminal investigation officers to investigate, right? There must be some hidden story here."

"I can inquire a little, but I can't promise anything. Please understand."

"I am already very satisfied with your reply."

……

(End of this chapter)