"If they hadn’t decisively cut off contact and escaped with their tails intact," the man with the mustache also said softly, "our operation last night wouldn’t have gone so smoothly."
"A gecko escapes by severing its tail because its tail can grow back," Reid brought the coffee to his lips and continued, "This implies they have sothing more important to protect, even if it ans losing those rcenaries and gang mbers. It’s worth it to them."
He took a sip of his coffee, "Their choice to hide indicates this thing likely no longer needs external assistance or motivation, which is not a good sign."
"That’s why we’re here," Chen said in a low voice.
"Whatever they’re planning, we need to catch them before their plan succeeds," the man with the mustache also whispered.
"We need a breakthrough," Reid took a sip of coffee, then turned his gaze to He Ao who was browsing through so files.
Everyone’s gaze also focused on He Ao.
"This street kid probably didn’t even finish high school," the man with the mustache glanced at He Ao, "I’ve seen many such punks; they not only fail to offer any advice but also indulge in trickery and deceit, they are unreliable and might betray us at any mont."
He leaned back in his chair, "To be honest, Reid, having a street kid listen in on our eting of three is rather inappropriate in itself."
Chen, nearby, took a sip of his coffee without speaking.
"Loren is actually quite capable, and he’s currently attending a private secondary school nearby," Reid said, pulling back his gaze as if He Ao hadn’t heard the conversation at all, his tone gentle.
"He dresses like a street kid," the man with the mustache put down his coffee, "doesn’t look like soone who studies seriously. You wouldn’t believe how many reports we get about such street kids every day; they’re practically the source of all cri in Xiluo City."
At this mont, He Ao finally put down the tablet in his hand, lifted his head to glance at the people around him, and said calmly, "A clue—nine years ago, the Vilensis Future Building collapse incident and the Lorinse Street Welfare Orphanage."
"Vilensis’ disaster?" Chen, sitting opposite He Ao, asked softly, "What connection does it have with that orphanage?"
And beside him, Reid seed to realize sothing and bowed his head in thought.
"That’s what you need to investigate," He Ao said, pointing to the tablet on the table as his gaze swept over the mustachioed man, who was lost in thought.
"In the house I’m living now, there’s a little girl nad Sui. Her parents died in the Future Building collapse nine years ago,
"Then, six years ago, she was sent to the Lorinse Street Welfare Orphanage and beca the last ’new child’ there."
He lifted his head and looked around at everyone, "That night, a fire broke out at the orphanage, and everyone was burnt to death."
"So, you think there’s a connection between the two?" Reid, beside He Ao, holding a cup of coffee, asked softly.
"The clues here don’t seem that ’solid,’" Chen said softly from across the table.
"There’s another reason," He Ao shrugged, leaning back in his chair, "My parents also died in the Future Building collapse."
His gaze swept over the slightly surprised expressions of Chen and the mustachioed man, and continued, "I was also sent to the orphanage."
He paused, gazing at everyone, and continued, "The sa orphanage, just three months before Sui."
"That fire?" Chen’s voice was tinged with astonishnt and a hint of curiosity.
"I escaped. On the day Sui arrived at the orphanage, I climbed out," He Ao shrugged, his gaze sweeping over the mustachioed man, and casually said,
"The chief is right; I indeed spent so ti as a street kid, trying to survive in any possible way. I was relatively lucky and managed to stay alive in the end."
The eting room suddenly plunged into a brief silence.
"Alright," the mustachioed man leaned back in his chair, sowhat reluctantly saying, "I admit you’re a bit different from other street kids."
"No, they’re all the sa, officer," He Ao looked calmly at the mustachioed man and gently shook his head, "I know you were provoking just now, but there’s really no difference between and other street kids. We’re all wandering the streets, not knowing when we’ll have our next al."
He glanced at the pop-up window displayed on his glasses and casually said, "When survival itself is an issue, morality and law are just intangible concepts,
"He shrugged, "Although there are certainly bad people in this world, when the entire city is filled with holess drifters, is the root of the problem really with the street kids who just want to survive? What do you think, officer?"
Again, the eting room was enveloped in brief silence.
He Ao turned his gaze to Reid, "How long until the money cos through?"
Reid raised his wrist and checked, "The finance departnt at Vilensis should be at work now; it should be received in one hour at the earliest, two hours at the latest."
"Okay," He Ao nodded, "The Bounty Hunter Organization sent a ssage saying the goods have arrived; I’ll go take a look."
"Understood," Reid nodded, "Your clues are very useful; we’ll proceed with our investigation based on them."
"Good."
He Ao nodded, turned, and left the office, casually closing the door behind him.
Once again, the office fell into silence.
"This kid has quite a strong sense of revenge." The man with the mustache sipped his coffee.
"Your provocation was too aggressive," Chen, nearby, raised his coffee with a smile, "Young people, in general, can’t stand that kind of tactic."
He looked up, observing the direction He Ao had left, "However, honestly, I think what he said might have so rit?"
Once more, the office lapsed into brief silence.
"Did you notice the necklace on his neck?" the man with the mustache murmured.
"So things, no matter how securely they are locked down, can’t be guarded against," Chen lowered his head, downing the remaining coffee that hadn’t lted and spoke softly.
He shook his head, "But that doesn’t really concern our Federal Bureau of Investigation for now."
He lifted his head, looking at Reid, "So what do you think about that clue? Honestly, I feel we can’t rule out the influence of coincidence, since the Future Building collapse is still an unsolved case."
"Let’s give it a try," Reid also finished his coffee, "we’re out of other leads anyway."
"Alright, then," Chen stood up, "since we’re here, I’ll contact colleagues at Vilensis for the list of victims in the Hope Building collapse."
"I’ll investigate the orphanage fire," the man with the mustache also stood up.
"Then I’ll arrange for personnel to take over the remaining search work," Reid placed his coffee cup on the table, "Let’s get moving, then."
Outside the window, gusts of wind swept across the snow-white land, and the snowplow pushed away the snow-covered streets.
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