"That is the man," Cole nodded slowly. "He has spent years embedding his people across the precinct with solid entrenched connections, and he stands close to Wade’s former subordinates. You have your name tied to quite a number of cases, so he will target you without hesitation.""He holds direct jurisdiction over Teams Four, Five and Six." A helpless look crossed Cole’s face. "I tried to reassign you to Teams One and Three under my direct management, yet he stalled and brushed off my requests with empty excuses. Lay low within Team Four for the time being.""Still, I have locked in the deputy team leader position for you. Keep a low profile for now, and I will transfer you over the second an opening presents itself."Irritation gnawed at Kane’s chest, though he fully understood Cole’s predicament. Cole had done everything he could to pull strings on his behalf, and all Kane loathed was the newly arrived Jude. His hard-earned promotion had been snatched away, leaving him trapped under

He scanned the room from windowsills to floors and hidden corners—every inch had been scrubbed spotlessly clean. All dirty laundry had been washed and neatly folded. For all the boy’s stubborn, sharp tongue, deep down he was riddled with inferiority and oversensitivity. His harsh words from the previous day had cut deep into the kid after all.Living under another’s roof was the cruelest torment for the soul. Terrified of being cast out, Dash had opted to slip away without a word.Kane bolted out of the house at once and raced straight to Margo’s shop for any trace of Nova. He then chased out of the city well into the night.……A frigid night hung over Novara’s border checkpoint.Sparse streetlights glimmered as a long line of freight trucks idled at the barrier, while soldiers rotated guard duty in shifts. Dash huddled alone on the roadside, staring blankly at the streams of vehicle headlights passing by.These past three months had marked the very first time in his life he had known

Early the next morning at police headquarters.Word spread through officers chatting in the office wing. Public suspicion had fallen squarely on Atlas as the killer behind the disappearance case. Furthermore, he had been maintaining close contact with Wade’s faction as of late, with rumors circulating that the two sides were working together to consolidate the local criminal market.Kane halted in his tracks upon hearing the talk.Dusk spoke plainly. "This is the textbook unsolved case protected by powerful figures. The victim was just an ordinary civilian, so no one bothers digging into the truth, and those in high places have suppressed every trace of the incident."A stern look settled over Kane’s face. "Fetch the case file. We’re going over every detail of this case."……On the opposite side of the city.Brown slouched against his sofa and gripped the phone, questioning in a frigid tone. "Are you certain the entire shipment has been delivered long ago?"The voice on the other end

Kane held out a cigarette. "Have a drag."Ivor shook his head hastily. "I-I don’t smoke."Another slap landed, far harder than the last. Stars burst across Ivor’s vision, his cheek swelling up instantly.Kane’s gaze turned razor-sharp. "You turn down a kind gesture when it’s offered?"Ivor flew into a full rage. "What the hell do you want from me? Let me out of here, and I’ll get you back sooner or later!"Ignoring the threat entirely, Kane cut straight to the critical question. "Were you the one who buried Darion and Ivy?"Ivor stiffened on the spot and feigned ignorance forcefully. "I don’t know those people."Kane repeated his question. "Want that cigarette?"Ivor flinched and shrank backward.A third slap crashed into his face, sending blood pouring from his nostrils once again."Do you think I would dare lay a hand on you without solid proof?" Kane spoke rapidly, pressing him relentlessly with each word. "Thirty-five kilometers out in the wilderness, headlights killed at the fork

Director Ingram fell silent for a long moment before speaking in a heavy tone. “Novara is the only precinct that has rejected headquarters orders. We have exhausted every possible measure. Beyond written regulations lie human sentiment, authority, and vested interests. The verdict is final, and no one can overturn it.”Kane clenched his fists tight, unable to utter a single retort. The cold harshness of the institutional system cut far deeper than any violent criminal ever could.Rapid footsteps echoed from outside the door.Dusk burst through the door with an urgent report. “He’s finished his paperwork and is about to leave. Father Darion has completely lost control of his emotions.”……Beneath the police station building, the snow stretched bleak and frigid.Atlas leaned against the doorway smoking a cigarette, unrestrained with his newly regained freedom and wearing a mocking grin. Several loyal subordinates waited beside luxury vehicles, radiating an overbearing aura.Father Dario