Chapter 402

Chapter 402: A New Proposal

The members of the first team held nearly the highest authority among humans outside the council members. Due to Lucas’s death and Luke’s takeover of the case, they had been diligently following the progress of these cases until Luke’s disappearance.

However, after Luke uncovered something significant, he vanished from Hope City, and the investigations into the "Believers" ultimately came to a standstill. This matter had now become an almost forgotten enigma.

It should have remained that way, but… if one connects Arthur’s previous hints with the "Believers," they can uncover startling coincidences.

Why did the monster from the incident at the research institute ultimately transform into an empty Black Coffin?

Why did the infection riot that swept through the entire outer city suddenly cease with a blood rain?

Previously, these seemed to be unsolved mysteries, but now, Arthur practically made it clear to everyone:

These matters were resolved by him, or at least he was involved.

And regarding the term "Believers," which originates from the Old Era, everyone present understood its significance.

The so-called "Believers" must have an object of faith, which could be some ethereal existence but might also be… a specific person.

For example, a Speaker who is nearly invincible among humans.

"Is this… a threat?"

"Starfall" also began to grasp the implications. After being in this position for so long, her thinking inevitably leaned towards a negative direction.

She instinctively thought that Arthur meant he had a team hidden in the shadows, and if anyone disobeyed, he would certainly have ways to ensure compliance.

"On the contrary, I believe this is a gesture of goodwill."

"Disaster Core" shook his head and countered:

"He could have easily avoided mentioning Lucas; that way, we wouldn’t be so entangled, but he still brought it up.

"The implication, I personally believe, may be to inform us that he has ample backup and is willing to be candid with us…"

"What about Luke?"

"Fortress" suddenly asked:

"That boy has been missing for some time now; could it be…"

"Disaster Core" pondered for a moment before answering:

"Don’t you think… Arthur is actually a reasonable person?"

Although the Speaker’s bold and decisive actions often left people feeling overwhelmed, no one could claim he was wrong.

The group fell silent, clearly acknowledging this matter.

"So, if you were someone like Arthur, would you eliminate a young investigator for uncovering your clues and then make it look like a disappearance?"

The group imagined this scenario and simply could not picture Arthur doing such a thing. Though he had only held the position for just over a month, his style of conduct had already become a kind of symbol imprinted in everyone’s minds.

Rather than saying he would kill to silence someone, it would be more accurate to say he saw Luke as a potential asset.

"What if Luke…"

"Fortress" still felt uneasy.

"I think it’s better to ask Arthur directly about this matter."

"Disaster Core" said lightly:

"I will ask personally, so there’s no need for you all to concern yourselves.

"If this is the final matter that concerns everyone, I will inform Arthur that we will express our final stance after receiving the answer to this question.

"If the answer satisfies everyone, then this vote will serve as our Retirement Ceremony."

—

In the commercial street, beneath the clinic where Lin Qingliu’s doppelganger resided.

"Which communicator is it this time?!"

The four wheels of the [Skydome] screeched against the ground as it approached a row of communicators, inspecting each one meticulously. It finally selected an unremarkable device and placed it on the edge of its chassis, intending to show it to Lin Qingliu upstairs.

Soon, El’s description of Luke’s current condition was presented to Lin Qingliu.

"Physically sound, with no signs of disability… robust build… actively seeking employment to fulfill needs… sneaks out at night for private investigations…"

Lin Qingliu read the meticulously worded message and murmured,

"He has matured quite a bit, hasn’t he…"

As he perused the Text Message from El, Lin Qingliu felt a surge of emotion. Whether it was El’s transformation from a semi-literate to a low-educated individual or Luke’s evolution from a headstrong youth to the current Energy Arm Strategist, both were rapidly growing and proving to be valuable assets.

El, of course, was indispensable; he not only filled legal loopholes but also served as a hidden blade in the shadows.

As for Luke… it was time to bring his affairs to a close.

Lin Qingliu pondered for a moment before replying via communicator:

[Do not worry about appearance issues; I have arranged facial coverings for you and Li Rui for the operation to capture Luke. There’s no need to expose Luke; let him do as he pleases, as this matter will soon be resolved. You and your subordinates should learn more from him…

[Your Investigation Task concludes on the second-to-last day of this year; please deliver the investigation results to me on the morning of December 30th. On that day, you must also ensure that Luke is near the auditorium in the inner city.]

El quickly received Lin Qingliu’s message and read it several times to ensure he fully grasped its meaning.

It was now December 20th, and his investigation had made significant progress.

To be honest, El’s subordinates, while not entirely incompetent, were at least a disorganized bunch. The smooth progress of the investigation into the factory’s misconduct was largely due to the sheer volume of wrongdoing over the years.

Some individuals would deny everything during daytime visits, only to slip report letters into the cracks of the Ashen Headquarters door at night.

Although they all used pseudonyms, uncovering the identities of those involved was no challenge for El.

The only obstacle in his investigation was monitoring the factory’s upper management, but that wasn’t Lin Qingliu’s directive; it was a collaboration between him and Zhuang Mian.

With the assistance of partners from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, El was able to obtain numerous "genuine fake documents" and internal information, and these resources were certainly not free.

Since both investigations by the two believers pointed toward the factory, even someone as slow-witted as El could deduce that the factory was in for trouble.

A storm was inevitable, and El was now only speculating about its intensity.

But what did this have to do with Luke? He couldn’t quite figure it out for now and ended up incentivizing his subordinates with extra rewards to expedite their efforts.

—

"Ding!"

A notification sound emanated from the terminal, and a new proposal appeared in the private offices of the council members.

Nia casually opened it and saw the title of the document awaiting review:

[Proposal for Live Speech on December 31 of Year 52 of the New Era]

[Submitted by: Arthur]

[Participants: All members of the Hope Council]