Ark Chess Player.

A Guards officer reported that they were currently guarding the entrances and exits of the Silver Wing Building, but had not yet gone in to search.

This was Swire's order; she had escalated the situation to Level 1 alert in Lungmen and formally requested Wei Yanwu to dispatch the Guard Bureau's special forces to the scene for support. Her team alone, along with the Guard Bureau's Fourth Squad, was insufficient to handle the upcoming mission.

The attack on the Silverwing Security Contractors building was far more severe than the attack on the Rhode Island Pharmaceuticals building by infected individuals.

“Listen up… Leave the scene as it is and wait for professionals to come and handle it. Don’t do anything on your own.”

Swire calmly analyzed the situation. Following the police officer's directions, she arrived at the parking lot and witnessed Alexander Anlongdor's incredibly gruesome death.

If the murderer and Anlongdor did not have a deep-seated hatred, then the other party might be a psychopath who used every means to torture people.

However, the deaths of the other victims in the parking lot were different. They were clean and efficient, clearly indicating that they were either highly experienced killers or seasoned mercenaries.

"Is this some serious crime? I just swore a few times in the car, and suddenly Alexander's family members died."

Swire muttered to herself, suddenly feeling a bit scared, and decided to think twice before cursing in the future.

"Give me the telescope."

"Yes."

Swire took the tactical equipment from her subordinate, took a deep breath to make sure she was getting enough oxygen, and confirmed that her mind was clear and there was no possibility of hallucinations. Then, she used the mechanical vision to look at the main entrance of the building on the stairs where blood was flowing backward.

The malfunctioning fire suppression system continued to spray water, and the luxurious marble floor was covered in dark red streams. Countless corpses formed a hellish picture. Limbs and scattered organs were everywhere, resembling a bloody hodgepodge.

"Ugh—Ugh!!"

Swire nearly vomited; she covered her mouth tightly, her pupils dilating in terror.

As a senior superintendent of Lungmen Police Department, Swire's position was not obtained through family connections, but rather through her own hard work and step-by-step efforts.

During her years working at Lungmen, Swire handled four exceptional cases that resulted in numerous casualties. To prevent the situation from escalating, she also personally executed some of the most heinous criminals. But none of the killings she witnessed or experienced firsthand were as impactful as the Silver Wing building incident she was now facing.

Swire suddenly understood why Chen Huijie was sent to guard the area outside Lungmen's outer ring, while she was ordered to stay in the safe center of Lungmen. Perhaps in the nighttime attack a few days ago, the bodies of the infected had piled up like this, forming small mountains.

Only those who have truly overcome the cruelty of death can remain true to themselves in purgatory and not be blinded by fear.

It really is...frustrating.

"I'm not a paper tiger, much less a mascot kept in a greenhouse by the Royal Guard! Don't look down on me!"

Swire suppressed the rising frustration in her chest, slowly exhaled, and raised her binoculars to continue observing the situation.

She had to do everything she could before the special forces arrived.

Investigate the surrounding area for potential dangers, determine if the deceased died from Originium Arts, and assess whether there are any signs of large-scale weapons of mass destruction at the crime scene. Then, identify the type of weapon based on the deceased's wounds and check if it matches the list of suspected criminal candidates in Lungmen's database.

The more he observed, the more bewildered and puzzled Shi Huai-ya became.

Judging from the signs of battle at the scene, the dead were not confronting each other, but rather collectively targeting a single location... or even a single person, launching a sweeping attack. The crossbow bolts and arrows left on the ground near the main entrance, as well as the dense bullet craters on the walls, all corroborated her suspicions.

This is not a conflict between mercenary groups, but an individual against an entire group.

What kind of person would dare to barge into the headquarters of a private armed security contractor?

No jewelry store or bank in Longmen has the security force to contend with such a powerful individual.

If the motivation is money, then choosing the latter is naturally easier.

Shi Huaiya nodded thoughtfully.

Based on this, it can be basically determined that it was a personal grudge.

Swire took out his mobile terminal and logged directly into the Guard Bureau's system to review information about Silverwing Security Contractors.

Because of Edward Wenger's extreme methods, Silverwing Corporation had quite a few enemies. Swire lightly ran her index finger across the densely packed page. Her emerald eyes darted back and forth, her gaze sweeping over the forces represented by these information, and she couldn't help but frown. These corporate conglomerates, and even high-ranking officials and dignitaries, couldn't possibly possess this level of private military force; otherwise, Wei Yanwu would definitely have taken action.

Is there something I've overlooked?

Swire tapped the back of the mobile terminal with her fingers, suddenly remembering Edward Ugg's confession.

The infected who attacked the Rhodes Island pharmaceutical building identified themselves as part of the Reunion Movement, yet they had mercenaries from Silverwing Security Contractors supporting their actions. So, to be a slightly bolder guess, perhaps there were no members of the Reunion Movement to begin with, and this was all a scheme orchestrated by Silverwing Security Contractors themselves?

Swire, considering the case in an exaggerated direction, understood: Rhodes Island was seeking revenge, directly attacking Silverwing Corporation. "Great, case solved, job done..." How could this be?! If Rhodes Island had that kind of power, they would have been famous throughout Terra by now! Why would they stay in Lungmen to sign such a cheap supply contract? Even the location for the supporting building in Lungmen was chosen in a remote, desolate area—they didn't give them any face at all.

I must have made a mistake.

Swire shook his head, put the mobile device back in his pocket, and patted his cheeks.

Sure enough, there's a limit to how long you can work on duty; it's not worth ruining your brain.

Criminal investigations can involve bold speculation, but they cannot be too fantastical or detached from reality.

Ten minutes later, the distinctive sound of a helicopter came from afar, and searchlights shone directly on the top floor of the Silver Wing Building.

The Lungmen Guard Bureau's special operations team, codenamed Hidden Dragon, made its debut in the most high-profile manner.

The helicopter continued to descend, maintaining an altitude of approximately ten stories above the ground.

A 30-meter-long rope was thrown to the ground, and members of the Lungmen Guard Bureau's Submarine Squad, using the grappling hook, quickly descended and landed steadily. After landing, the helicopter slowly ascended, with a sniper and an observer remaining in the cabin to conduct air-to-ground observation and provide suppressive fire if necessary. Of course, no one wanted this situation to occur.

"I am Charlotte, the captain of the Hidden Dragon Squad. I have come to provide support under the orders of the Governor."

Charlotte was quite young, practically a boy, looking no more than twenty. He wore the full protective gear of a Guard Bureau special forces team; this hazmat suit was adaptable to various terrains and also offered some resistance to Originium radiation. Charlotte spoke gently and politely, and if the current location were changed to a casual place like a coffee shop, it wouldn't feel out of place at all.

“I am Beatrice Swire, Senior Superintendent of the Royal Guard.”

Without further ado, the two, knowing time was precious, exchanged keys on the spot for verification.

After confirming her identity, Swire took command of the Hidden Dragon Squad as the regional leader, and she was in charge of the overall command.

Charlotte had no objection to this.

Because the Governor of Longmen, Wei Yanwu, had instructed him beforehand that Swire would be in charge of this matter.

"We cannot determine at this time whether the perpetrator is still at the scene. The information we can obtain from the distinct wounds on each body is extremely limited. What we can confirm at present is that most of the victims suffered close-range, high-volume gunfire, but only one shell casing was found on the ground."

With the support of the Hidden Dragon Squad, Swire and her four direct team members immediately secured the first floor of the building to guard against a sudden attack. Using her experience in criminal investigation, Swire determined the perpetrator's weapon through a process of elimination.

These dead bodies showed virtually no signs of being cut by sharp objects. If they were injured by blunt force, it would be difficult to explain the lingering smell of gunpowder in the air and the etched bullet marks made of Originium scattered around.

"Could they be Laterans?" Charlotte asked.

As the captain of the Lungmen Special Forces, Charlotte has a good understanding of firearms.

Charlotte glanced at the corpse on the ground. The power of a gun that could pierce through an entire chest with a single shot, or even cut a person in half... This could only be done by a large gun, and it would also require expensive, rare etched bullets.

The price of an etched bullet on the black market is far higher than the life of a mercenary.

The intruder used the etched bullets as if they were water, seemingly without a care in the world, suggesting that this person was someone of great importance.

There are many people in Longmen who can spend money like water, but only a few can burn money by the truckload for fun.

Charlotte pondered this. If Silverwing had offended the people at the Lateran Arbitration Institute, perhaps those lunatics really could have done it.

Although many people say that firearms are too difficult to master and have low practical value, and are not as good as any Originium Arts trigger device, firearms, if used well, can unleash power far exceeding that of cold weapons.

For example, the corpses on this site are the best proof right now.

"Unfortunately, based on my experience, I cannot deduce the race of the perpetrator from just a few corpses... or even dozens of corpses."

Swire sighed, muttering under her breath, "If criminal investigation were this simple, I would have solved the age-old mystery of Lungmen long ago. The one with the highest case-solving rate in the Royal Guard wouldn't be that woman, but me."

Charlotte pretended not to hear her last murmur; he knew when to answer and when to remain silent.

After reviewing the useful information on the first floor, Swire decisively ordered an exploration upstairs.

The special police officers of the Hidden Dragon Squad stood in the front row, Charlotte and Swire stood in the middle, and the members of Swire's squad were responsible for bringing up the rear.

Outside the building, helicopter snipers provided pinpoint support, while the spotter stared tremblingly at the shattered floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor, as if he'd seen a ghost. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt as if he saw some black, misty substance floating around, watching him.

Second floor, third floor, fourth floor, fifth floor...

The higher they went, the more depressed they felt, as if they were walking behind the Grim Reaper.

At first, Swire still had the energy to analyze the causes of death of the victims on these floors, but gradually, she became numb.

Because Swire saw so many corpses, she had no choice but to step over them and move towards the top.

With each floor he cleared, Shi Huaiya's mood grew heavier.

She felt a sense of dread, wondering if a powerful criminal was lurking in the shadows, watching her.

She tried hard to shake the thought off her mind, but the more she reminded herself not to think about it, the clearer she remembered it.

She would glance at the dark corner from time to time, always feeling that someone was hiding there, holding a huge gun.

The blood-red scene remained unchanged until the group arrived on the twelfth floor, when some changes occurred.

Swire felt the air seemed much better, and she didn't see any corpses scattered on the ground. She was somewhat happy; having seen so much terrible stuff, a little bit of peace was enough to move her.

"These are... cartridge cases?"

Swire picked up a brass bullet casing from the ground. At the end of the corridor, there were bullet casings scattered everywhere.

Detective Swire rubbed the spent cartridge case in her hand, sniffing it before bringing it to her nose; the smell of gunpowder was still strong. She shifted her gaze to the paint chips on the wall from stray bullets, then looked down and followed the roller tracks on the floor, a scene flashing through her mind.

The narrow corridor was surrounded by walls on all sides, with no way out but a dead end. More than twenty mercenaries, armed with rapid-fire guns, launched a barrage of fire at the intruders who had stormed in from the first floor... Wait, where did all these mercenaries, skilled in using firearms, come from? This must be some kind of defensive equipment or combat platform. Currently, the military industry is heavily developing weaponry that requires no human intervention, which is why drones are so prevalent.

Swire has her own portable drone, but she usually uses it as a megaphone to accurately convey her commands to her subordinates.

Given Silverwing's capabilities as a private security contractor, it's only natural that they would purchase some defense equipment from companies like Raytheon Industries.

"That's strange, why isn't there any blood at all?"

Swire was puzzled. If it were her, she probably would have been riddled with bullets from the comments. But the intruders didn't seem to be injured; at least, Swire hadn't found any evidence of that, not even a fragment of clothing. Damn it, she'd thought it was a clue, but could it be that the intruders deliberately cleaned up the scene to erase their traces? It didn't seem like it… Ah, she'd found it!

Chapter 267 Root of Fear (5K)

"Stop!"

"Schweigah shouted."

Everyone stopped in their tracks and instantly assumed a defensive posture.

"what happened?"

Charlotte asked, raising his hand to reassure the other members of the Hidden Dragon Squad.

Along the way, almost everyone was affected, even the special forces team.

If someone can look at all this indifferently, they're either missing a screw in their head or they've seen it all before.

"These must be the footprints of the intruders."

Swire arrived in the middle of the corridor, about two hundred meters from the other end.

She carefully observed the dust on the ground, then assessed the walls on all sides and the undamaged ground behind her.

"The intruder was quite robust, but rather short, and weighed at least 200 pounds." Swire searched for clues, gradually conjuring up an image of a short man, about 1.5 meters tall, as strong as an ox, who could withstand the city's level of military weaponry with his own body.

The imagery is incredibly vivid, like a protagonist in a Chinese martial arts novel who has mastered unparalleled skills and is using his bare hands to withstand a warship.

Swire suddenly realized that the other party might be wearing gauntlets imbued with Originium Arts, capable of tearing mercenaries apart with their bare hands, one punch at a time. This would perfectly explain why no firearms or bullets were left at the scene.

“Let’s go. I have a feeling they’re after Edward Wenger, the president of Silverwing Security Contractors.”

"I love you," Shi Huaiya said in a deep voice, and took the lead, stepping on the brass cartridge cases scattered on the ground as he left.

As she reached the end of the corridor, her gaze fell upon the broken floor-to-ceiling window in the distance. This explained why the air on this floor felt so fresh. The building's central air conditioning had failed, leaving them drenched in sweat and their clothes reeking of blood after climbing up from the first floor.

Huh? How come there are corpses here too...?

Swire glanced at the corpse less than five meters from the floor-to-ceiling window.

She thought about it and decided to come and check again, and sure enough, she found something.

The cause of death for these victims was multiple irregular penetrating wounds all over their bodies, so severe that almost no part of their bodies remained unscathed. These injuries were akin to being struck at close range by a fragmentation grenade, instantly killed by hundreds of blades and metal projectiles.

Swire focused intently and carefully examined the body, only to find that something else had become even more perplexing.

There wasn't a single metal fragment left in the bodies of these deceased individuals. Furthermore, there were no signs of an explosion of flammable Originium materials on the ground. These people couldn't possibly have been pierced through by sword energy that appeared out of nowhere, could they? Although I've been reading a lot of Chinese novels lately, how do you explain something like this?!

Swire's abilities were limited, so he decided to have a forensic doctor conduct an autopsy later.

She turned and headed towards the thirteenth floor, where everyone was waiting for her.

To everyone's surprise, no one died on the thirteenth floor, the surroundings were quite clean, and even the public facilities were intact.

Shi Huai-ya instructed the members of the Hidden Dragon Squad to focus their search on this area, as something unusual must be going on.

The more intact it was, the more uneasy she felt, like the calm before a storm.

Minutes later, the members of the Hidden Dragon Squad found no suspicious individuals, and Swire's direct squad also came up empty-handed.

This made Swire wonder... Could it be that the intruder was seriously injured on the twelfth floor and, having no other choice, chose to jump off the building? No way, this is the twelfth floor! More than thirty meters high, if someone jumped, they would be gone, and their body should be on the first floor of the building.