Key Evidence

In the moment, Duke briefly recounted today's events to Alexander over the phone. A low curse came from the other end, "Damn it, I knew it. This guy isn't a good person. He actually used an Awakening technique against a child."

After swearing, Alexander continued, "Duke, don't be afraid. I'll arrange for people to protect you."

Duke hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure if he should reveal the truth to Alexander right now. If Alexander was also working for Greg, he might put himself in even greater danger. Duke wasn't just making baseless assumptions; his years in the slums had made him sharp and alert. He knew well that protecting himself and his sister in this dangerous environment wasn't easy.

"What are they searching for, exactly?" Duke decided to withhold the information for the time being.

"Since you're involved, I'll make things clear for you too. I don't actually know what they're looking for, but if you find or hear about anyone picking up something suspicious, make sure to let me know."

"I suspect that this Greg is connected to the infected individuals from that day."

"The infected?" Duke's pupils contracted.

Duke had previously speculated that the list might be related to people who owed debts and might be evidence of Greg's violent collection methods. But the infected? If that were true, Greg's actions were audacious in the extreme. In official circles, this was an absolute taboo. Anyone who touched this topic would face dire consequences.

"Yes, we've been investigating the origin of those two infected individuals. We've traced a lead. Those lunatics were seen fleeing from Greg's underground casino, injuring several people in the process."

"Lunatics?" Duke was taken aback: "Infected individuals?"

Alexander explained, "Infected individuals are those who undergo a transformation from awakened individuals. They exhibit a state of madness before fully succumbing to infection."

"The whereabouts of those two lunatics remain unknown, and their identities are a mystery. If we can compare the names of these two infected individuals with the names on the list, we might confirm Greg's suspicion."

At that moment, a flood of clues and connections rushed through Duke's mind. Everything seemed to fall into place. He finally understood why the two names had felt so familiar when he saw them.

Frankie and Rick, those were the names of the two infected individuals from before. After genetic analysis, their information had been released by the authorities. But Duke had just glanced over it, so it didn't leave a strong impression. The names of these two infected individuals were on Greg's cousin's memory card, and their note was marked as "Accepted."

Accepted for what? Could it's infected ? A shiver ran down Duke's spine. If that were true, Greg's actions were truly audacious. The information on this memory card wasn't merely affecting his business; it could become evidence that would put him in a life-threatening situation.

If there were any lingering thoughts of luck, thinking that Greg might not pay attention to someone like himself, those illusions completely vanished from Duke's mind upon hearing this news.

"Hey, Duke, why the silence? Did I scare you?" Alexander asked.

Duke thought for a moment and intentionally hesitated before saying, "This is too terrifying. If it's really like this, why haven't they arrested him yet?"

Alexander sighed, "Kid, investigations need concrete evidence. I can't just interrogate J City's big businessman without solid proof. I'm not the head of the J City Law Enforcement Bureau."

Alexander's words were filled with helplessness and exasperation. 

"Alright, since you haven't seen anything, this matter has nothing to do with you. You can consider what I've said as if you never heard it. Study well for your exams."

Alexander's words sounded friendly, but Duke was considering more than that. He understood that Alexander's speculation was likely correct; the item in his possession could indeed become a crucial piece of evidence. Even if he didn't hand over the information, Greg's people wouldn't likely let this potential risk slide.

Holding his phone, Duke scrolled through the list and suddenly saw an address: "Desmond, 72 years old, Address: Block 37, Zone C, Outside-the-Wall Slums."

Duke's brow furrowed; this address was very close to him! The two individuals previously marked as "Accepted" had turned into the infected. But what about the person marked as "Refused"? Was he still alive? If he was, he might be able to shed light on the meaning of "Refused."

Duke understood that these individuals on the list might be a breakthrough. If he could uncover the truth, perhaps he could anonymously release this information on the internet. He might not even need Alexander's help; Greg could be caught in a trap.

However, there was one thing that troubled Duke. These people were all awakened individuals! Even though the youngest among them was over 50 years old, Duke still didn't dare take the risk. 

While he hesitated, Alexander's voice came through, ""I got disconnected on the phone. Don't overthink things. The most important thing now is preparing for the Awakening Day exam."

"Wait, actually, they want what they're looking for. It's with me."

Alexander's relaxed smile vanished instantly from the other end of the phone.

"You'd better hand it over personally."

After saying this, Duke hung up the phone without hesitation. Beside him, Monica stared at Duke, sensing that something was off. Over the past few years, Duke had worn this expression only in moments of extreme crisis.

"Monica, I have a task for you," Duke whispered something to her. Although Monica seemed displeased, she ultimately accepted her brother's arrangement.

Inside the law enforcement bureau, Alexander gathered a few key members for a meeting, taking only ten minutes.

"Captain Alexander, it's so late. Why are we having a meeting?"

"I was just celebrating something."

Several team members initially approached with relaxed expressions, but upon seeing Alexander's serious face, they immediately tensed up.

Alexander scanned the room; his gaze was sharp, "In the past six months, J City has experienced six incidents of infected individuals causing harm, a frequency far higher than what a city with a million residents should have. We've been investigating for quite some time, but strangely, these infected individuals seem to undergo sudden mutation."

"You all know that usually it's young awakened individuals who undergo mutation due to their eagerness for advancement or breaking through bottlenecks. These people are all in our files, regularly monitored and advised, so they haven't caused significant issues. However, in these incidents in J City, all the infected individuals have been elderly junior-stage awakened individuals. I've suspected that someone is scheming behind the scenes."

The team members exchanged puzzled glances. Mutated infection was nearly the greatest threat to humanity besides the wilderness aberrations. Who would dare scheme in this field?

"I have a suspect, and it's a local celebrity in J City, Greg. Now, divide into three teams, two members each. Monitor Greg's casino, underground boxing arena, and entertainment city. Report any findings to me immediately." Alexander's gaze swept over the team members; he hadn't gathered the entire team because he understood that if Greg was indeed behind this, the fewer people involved, the less likely it was to be exposed.

"Martha, I have an urgent matter. You'll be in charge of coordination."