Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 294 Come prepared
Li Wei turned on the lights and began to examine the scene before him.

The entire editorial office was in a mess, looking as if it had been through a war.

Or rather, it was a war in the first place.

The walls were riddled with bullet holes and bloodstains, the glass was shattered, and corpses were scattered everywhere.

Li Wei walked around the site and quickly reconstructed the entire process.

It was clear that the editorial department was in session at the time, and everyone was busy working at their seats.

Then, a group of people walked in.

The other party clearly had ill intentions, and the editorial staff seemed to have sensed something was wrong, but the other party fired the first shot.

Mainly shotguns and pistols.

Levi quickly made a judgment based on the bullet hole marks. These were items that imperial citizens could easily obtain: shotguns for hunting and pistols for self-defense. Most gun shops only sold these two types of weapons.

If you're talking about machine guns or something... you might dare to buy them, but the seller might not dare to sell them to you.

In short, the first attack caught the editorial staff completely off guard. More than half of them fell in the attack, and it was clear from the location of the bodies that they didn't even have time to find cover before they collapsed and died.

Then the rest of them started to fight back... This part is quite interesting.

Li Wei frowned slightly as he looked at the corpses behind him.

The editors were definitely from MI7, highly trained; they practically immediately tumbled behind the cabinet and returned fire. Logically, even if they couldn't repel the enemy, they could at least disrupt their offensive rhythm. And if they could call the police, they might be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

But the other party didn't give them that chance.

This is very strange.

Because they weren't shot to death.

Li Wei stared at the corpse on the ground, a slight pause in thought. The cause of death was simple: the head had been ripped off the body. Li Wei could practically recreate the scene, grabbing the victim's head with one hand and twisting it off... This was no ordinary person's strength.

It wasn't done by humans, nor by ordinary animals.

It was done by a monster.

Thinking of this, Li Wei's expression became even more serious.

After all, MI7 and the police department are not the same. Li Wei himself has an official title. Ordinary staff like them are, in modern terms, secret workers active on the underground front, and their identities are not easily exposed.

That's why they were killed, and by monsters no less, which makes the problem very serious.

Has someone discovered the organization MI7?
Or did the monsters simply perceive the mysterious events reported by the "Exploration News" as a threat?
Both possibilities exist, but...

Thinking of this, Li Wei's expression suddenly changed. Then he turned his head to look at the entrance of the editorial department. At the same time, a series of hurried footsteps sounded.

Then, the editorial office door was kicked open, and several police officers rushed in. They were shocked by what they saw and quickly raised their guns.

At the same time, Li Wei flicked his right hand, raised the Persuader, and aimed it at the police!
"Don't move!"

"Put the gun down!"

The police officers who came in were even more surprised to see that Li Wei had also taken out a gun, and they hurriedly shouted loudly.

"I am Detective Li Wei, here on official business. No one is to make any rash moves!"

Li Wei hurriedly spoke up, glaring coldly at the policeman opposite him, showing no intention of putting down his gun.

In other places, Li Wei might have been polite to them, but here, he had absolutely no intention of being polite.

The reason is simple: judging from the scene, a fierce gunfight broke out in the editorial department, and judging from the bodies, these people had been dead for two or three hours. And when I arrived, you police officers were "rushing to arrive"?
It's possible that these police officers are in cahoots with the attackers!
So at this moment, Li Wei aimed at the policeman in front of him, his mind completely calm, just like when he was dealing with a monster.

Unleashing monsters to slaughter MI7 agents?

Since you'll all be dead anyway if we find out, why don't we skip the process and just send you straight to the grave?

Li Wei was also radiating murderous intent at this moment, and it was up to these police officers to decide what to do.

If they dare to fire the first shot, Li Wei will absolutely not give them the chance to fire a second shot!

Just then, a voice sounded.

"I never expected that a famous detective would grace us with his presence. It's truly unexpected."

As the sound rang out, Li Wei saw a superior police officer walk into the editorial department, looking at him with a cold smile.

"We weren't notified in advance."

"Where I go is none of your business."

Li Wei raised his head and looked at the other person with an arrogant expression. What he said was not wrong. Li Wei was the Knight of Thistle, a count conferred by the royal family. He could go wherever he wanted. What business was it of yours, a small police station?
"But you were at the crime scene, which makes things complicated."

The superior officer smiled slightly.

"Why don't you put down your weapon and come to the station with us to talk?"

"I am also very curious."

Li Wei looked at his superior officer and gave a cold laugh as well.

"These people have been dead for two or three hours, and you're only just arriving now? What? Is this the efficiency of the Caizablanca police department?"

"This is none of your business, Detective."

"Then, my business is none of your concern, officer."

Li Wei's tone was extremely calm.

"But unfortunately, it's not up to you, Detective."

The superior officer shook his head.

"You are completely surrounded at the crime scene. Your only option now is to lay down your weapons and surrender, otherwise..."

"Otherwise, what do you want to do?"

"The Empire's renowned detective resisted arrest at the crime scene and was shot dead by the police... Isn't that a heartbreaking thing?"

"Heh, do you think people will believe you just because you say it?"

"They have no choice but to believe."

The superior officer laughed again.

"After all, the dead can't come out to testify."

"You're right."

Li Wei nodded.

"I think so too."

“……………………”

Upon hearing Li Wei's words, the superior officer was taken aback for a moment before realizing what Li Wei meant, and his expression immediately changed.

"Do it!"

“Bang bang bang bang bang————!”

A series of gunshots rang out, then stopped.

"………………………"

The superior officer stood there, stunned, gun in hand. What had just happened?

He remembered giving the order, and then the police around him opened fire on Li Wei.

but why?
Why is Li Wei still standing there, while the police officers around him are all lying on the ground?
The superior officer turned his head and looked at the officer not far in front of him, who was still holding his gun with both hands, his eyes wide open, as if he had no idea what had happened.

And in the very center of his forehead was a conspicuous wound.

Just then, the hot muzzle of a gun was pressed against the head of the superior officer, pulling him back to the cold reality.

"Who sent you?"

Li Wei appeared before the superior officer without him noticing, staring at him as he asked questions.

"Yes, yes, Chief..."

"Director?"

“Yes, we received orders from the bureau chief… to come to the editorial office of the *Exploration Daily* to handle the scene and arrest the perpetrator. If they resist, then… shoot them on the spot…”

"Judging by how skilled you are, this isn't your first time doing something like this, is it? What, is the Caisablanca police department just a front for whitewashing people?"

"This, this, this..."

"Tell me, whose dogs are you?"

Li Wei had only ever seen powerful gangsters kill people in the street and then have the police clean up the mess in movies before, but he never expected to encounter it in real life.

“…………………I, I don’t know…”

"do not know?"

"Only the bureau chief knows their identities. We're just doing the work for him and getting paid; we don't know that much..."

"Are you sure you don't know anything?"

Li Wei silently pulled down the hammer, and with his movement, the cylinder spun, emitting a crisp and pleasant "click" sound.

But to the ears of the higher-ranking officers, the voice sounded like the whisper of death.

"I, I, I... I remember! I remember!"

"Oh?"

“When those people were talking to the bureau chief, I had met them once before. They said… they said they were from the Royal Court…”

"The royal court?"

Upon hearing this, Li Wei raised an eyebrow.

"The royal family? Or the royal court?"

“Wang Ting…I’m sure, at the time I also thought I misheard…”

"Oh, that's all?"

"This, no, I..."

"boom."

Before his superior could say anything more, Li Wei pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The next moment, the latter collapsed to the ground and became a corpse.

Li Wei looked at the corpse lying on the ground and put away the persuader.

As this person himself said, dead people don't testify in court.

Now, nobody knows that they killed these people themselves.

Li Wei glanced at the crime scene again, sighed silently, and then turned and left.

I was planning to enjoy myself to the fullest first, but things didn't go as planned.

After leaving the editorial office, Li Wei went to the post office and then used the communication machine to call MI7.

After listening to Li Wei's account, the old butler on the other end of the microphone was also furious.

"This is utterly lawless."

The old butler's voice was calm, but Li Wei could hear the anger hidden behind it.

"Can you be sure it was done by a monster?"

"There are signs of a monster attack, and it was probably done by humans. We just don't know what their motive was for attacking the editorial department."

"What's the situation at the police station here?"

"They have most likely joined forces with the other side."

"Hmph, this godforsaken place, the old capital, is indeed a den of filth and corruption. After all these years, it's still the same awful place!"

As he spoke, the old butler sighed helplessly.

"However, it might be difficult to take action against them immediately..."

“It’s not difficult.”

"Isn't it difficult?"

"of course."

Li Wei sneered.

"You forgot? My special operation? Local governments are forming protective umbrellas, even covering up murders. Naturally, we have to crack down on that!"

"Oh, you mean it..."

Hearing this, the old butler was also taken aback, but he certainly understood what Li Wei meant!
The operation was initially proposed by Levi to deal with the Lower City, but he couldn't just focus on the Lower City, so he initially proposed that the main objective be to investigate the criminal elements within the Empire. Of course, the council members all knew why, and so the operation was approved.

By the way, those councilors are busy dividing up the pie in the lower city right now, and they've probably forgotten all about this.

But that's not how politics in the empire is done.

The most difficult part of a proposal is getting it approved.

Once approved, it will remain in effect until the action is over!

This is why Li Wei went to such great lengths to get this proposal approved!

After all, he doesn't just work on cases in Chongqing; he also works on cases in other places. And when Li Wei goes to other places, he is more likely to encounter things like today.

What to do then?
Of course, we should raise the flag again!
MI7 is an intelligence agency, and even if they suffer in silence, they can only swallow their anger and avoid being exposed. But Li Wei doesn't need to hide his identity. You've really gone too far as to ride on my head! If I don't flatten your local protectionism, I'll change my name!

“I will report to the Queen immediately.”

At this point, the old butler realized he had a legitimate reason to deal with those bastards in Caesarblanca, and he immediately perked up.

"You should also be careful, and it would be best if you could find more evidence so that we can take action."

"No problem, just wait and see."

Li Wei sneered. He no longer cared about the brain in the vat. He could deal with these bastards first, and then slowly search for it.

Anyway, this guy has been locked in a jar for over a hundred years, so a few more days won't make a difference.

(End of this chapter)