Soon after that, Dero Buro assembled a band of trusted men, boarded a private plane, and headed straight for Ironvale. The trip was rushed, quiet, and deliberate.No formal notice was sent ahead.No one in Ironvale was informed.That alone showed how serious this was.When the plane landed at Ironvale Airport, there was no welcoming party, no officials, no ceremonial reception. Under normal circumstances, a vice mayor arriving would have caused a stir.This time, nothing.Dero did not head to the mayor’s residence, nor did he bother with formalities. The moment he exited the airport, he got into his car and ordered his driver to go straight to the Ironvale Investigation Unit headquarters.His objective was clear.Minutes later, a convoy of vehicles screeched to a halt in front of the Investigation Unit building.Before anyone inside could react, Dero stormed in with his men.The officer guarding the entrance was startled by the sudden intrusion. He stepped forward instinctively, ready

The subordinates were completely dumbfounded.They had no idea what was going on anymore.Just moments ago, they had been ready to force Zed Walker to release Boulder Lancelot. Now, their own leader was scolding them in front of everyone.Still, rank was rank.No matter how confused they were, they could only obey.One by one, they stepped back and stood aside, heads lowered, not daring to say a single word.After dismissing his men, Dero adjusted his jacket and walked toward Jaden with a wide, overly polished smile. His tone softened instantly. “Mas—”Jaden raised a hand calmly, cutting him off mid-word. “You’re not my subordinate. Don’t call me that.”Dero froze for a split second.Then it clicked.Jaden did not want his identity exposed here.Dero recovered quickly, his expression smooth and respectful. “Understood. My mistake.” He nodded. “Then I should address you as Mr. Rift.”He turned, grabbed a chair, personally wiped the seat with his sleeve, and placed it neatly in front of

With that, Jaden motioned calmly toward the door.“Bring them in.”Dero, Zed, and the remaining officers stepped back into the room without hesitation. Their movements were careful, almost restrained, as if they were entering the territory of someone far above them.Dero straightened his posture and spoke first, his voice noticeably lower than before. “Mr. Rift. How may I assist you?”The moment those words left his mouth, Boulder Lancelot, who was slumped against the wall with shattered ribs, nearly coughed up another mouthful of blood.His eyes widened in disbelief.Assist him?Dero Buro, the vice mayor of Shadowmoor, the man Leon Nagger personally dispatched, was speaking to Jaden Rift with respect.Boulder’s mind spun.Wasn’t Dero sent here to rescue me?Wasn’t I Leon Nagger’s favorite disciple?Then why… why was everything going so wrong?Before Boulder could even piece together the answer, Jaden calmly pulled out a document and handed it to Dero.It was a death certificate.Jade

Dero lowered his head slightly, his posture rigid as he spoke in a steady, solemn voice.“As stated in the report, criminal suspect Boulder Lancelot attacked Jaden Rift inside the detention room. Mr. Rift acted in self-defense. Boulder was beaten to death on the spot.”The room fell into a heavy silence.Leon Nagger did not react immediately. He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlocked, eyes fixed on Dero as if trying to peel him apart layer by layer.After a moment, Leon spoke calmly, almost casually. “And you were the one who signed this document, Mr. Buro?”Dero’s jaw tightened.“Yes,” he replied after a brief pause. “I was the highest-ranking officer present. The responsibility was mine.”Leon nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.Too calm.That calm made Dero even more uneasy.Leon had noticed it from the moment Dero stepped into the room. Something was off. The man standing before him was not the Dero Buro he knew.Dero Buro was arrogant, domineering, and famously tempe

“Although Dero is technically of the same rank as Franklin Wilson, he belongs to the police force,” Alfred said carefully. “Compared to the army, the police naturally wield less influence. Franklin, on the other hand, comes from the North Army. That difference alone puts Dero at a disadvantage.”Leon tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest, his eyes half-lidded.“I can understand why he doesn’t want to offend Franklin,” Alfred continued. “And why he’s reluctant to cross Jaden Rift.”Leon let out a faint chuckle, one that carried no warmth. “Reluctant or not, that doesn’t change the fact that Jaden has crossed my line.”His gaze hardened.“Lawson Sultan’s son had his leg broken by Jaden,” Leon said slowly. “On top of that, the Sultan family has been eyeing the liver cancer vaccine project for a long time now. Since Lawson is already itching for revenge, I’ll give him the chance.”Leon paused, then added calmly, “Let Lawson handle Jaden now that Boulder is dead.”Alfred straighte