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The Moon Demon. Just two casually spoken words, yet they caused everyone present to involuntarily hold their breath. For the past five years, he had loomed over the Inspection Bureau like the very night outside; heavy, oppressive, and ever-present.

As long as the Moon Demon remained alive, the Inspection Bureau would never see a day of resurgence.

“Doesn’t the Moon Demon only come out to commit crimes during a full moon?” The Fifth Inspector voiced his doubt.

The others also cast puzzled looks toward her. After all, the full moon theory had originally been proposed by Lauren herself. Yet tonight was not a full moon. In fact, the Three Moons Festival was still several days away. Was she really going to overturn her own theory so casually?

“I only said that the Moon Demon becomes stronger during a full moon. I never said he could only commit crimes during a full moon.” Lauren’s expression remained completely emotionless, as though nothing in the world could shake her anymore. “He can act whenever he wants. He’s simply not as powerful as he normally is. And precisely because of that, he needs poison.”

The crowd immediately understood. If there was anyone in this world who wanted the Inspection Bureau destroyed, and anyone who wanted Adrian dead more than anyone else, then the Moon Demon would undoubtedly rank first.

Just as Adrian’s lifelong obsession had always been killing the Moon Demon, the reverse was equally true. Therefore, the theory that the Moon Demon was responsible barely needed supporting evidence. His motive alone was the strongest and most irrefutable one imaginable.

“But if the Moon Demon possessed such abilities and methods, why didn’t he use them earlier?” The First Inspector stared at Lauren and asked. This was already the third or fourth time he had challenged her conclusions, almost seeming deliberately argumentative.

Yet this was not mere nitpicking. It was a necessary part of investigating a case. No one could consider every possibility perfectly, which was why others had to raise doubts and objections to test the validity of a theory. Only through such constant questioning could they move closer to the truth.

“I think… perhaps he couldn’t bear to use it.” The horrifying image of Adrian’s tragic corpse surfaced once more in Lauren’s mind, and a trace of pain flickered in her eyes.

“A poison capable of killing a ninth-stage expert instantly must be extraordinarily precious. And it’s probably something that can only be used once. Otherwise, neither our Inspection Bureau, nor the City Lord’s Manor, nor even the Three Great Families would have any right to challenge him.”

“That makes sense.” The First Inspector nodded in understanding. Maplefall Town possessed quite a few ninth-stage experts. While not abundant, there were still around a dozen if one gathered them all together.

Yet, as though cursed, the city had failed to produce a single saint-level expert for several hundred years. That was also why the major families of Maplefall Town remained locked in a constant stalemate.

Each possessed considerable power, yet none could truly overpower the others. What they lacked was an individual powerful enough to break the balance.

So if the Moon Demon truly had a reliable method of effortlessly poisoning ninth-stage experts to death, then nobody in the city would be capable of stopping him.

“The Ye Family… and the Moon Demon. The road ahead for our Inspection Bureau seems rather difficult.” The First Inspector stroked his beard and let out a weary sigh.

“But we still have to keep walking it, don’t we?” Lauren clenched her fists tightly. Her face remained calm, but the flames burning within her eyes had never diminished.

Everyone knew the name of those flames. Hatred. And until they reduced the murderer to ashes, they would never be extinguished.

***

**Clack.**

The bright lamp flickered on, its harsh beam shining directly into Lilith’s face.

Lilith frowned in irritation. Being blasted with such intense light in the middle of the night was hardly anyone’s idea of a pleasant experience. Squinting, she looked at the bailiff seated across from her.

“Hey, is there really a need for such a bright light? If it darkens my skin, which one of you is going to compensate me?”

“Cut the nonsense!” The bailiff sat opposite her and slammed his hand onto the table with a bang. “Mind your status. As a prisoner, you have no right to voice complaints. Your only right is to answer our questions.”

“That’s a little inhumane, don’t you think? And please address me as a criminal suspect. Which of your eyes actually saw me commit a crime that gives you the confidence to call me a prisoner?”

“Shut your mouth!” The bailiff’s expression became exceptionally stern. As one of the few people currently aware that Chief Inspector Li had been murdered, Jack was naturally a veteran of the Inspection Bureau whose seniority and experience were second to none.

It could be said that if not for his low power level and mediocre talent, he would undoubtedly have secured a place among the Twelve Inspectors. Absolute loyalty to Adrian was a trait shared by all of these old veterans. Given that, how could he possibly show any kindness toward the criminal (suspect) sitting before him?

“So you claim you’re a doctor?” Jack glanced at the report in his hand.
Lilith nodded.

“And you’re from outside Maplefall Town?”
Lilith nodded again.

“You’re very close with Liana?”
Lilith thought for a moment before nodding once more.

“Then where is Liana right now? Do you know?”
Lilith shook her head.

“Answer me!” Jack roared. “What, are you mute?”
Lilith continued shaking her head.

“Damn it!” Jack was furious. Had Deputy Chief Inspector Lauren not specifically instructed him beforehand, he would have already started teaching this arrogant little girl a lesson through less pleasant means.

“You should understand that you’re in the Inspection Bureau right now. Do you know how miserable the consequences of defying us can be here?”

Lilith shook her head. But when she noticed Jack’s expression growing darker and darker, she immediately switched to nodding.

“Speak, damn you!” Jack was on the verge of a breakdown. “Is that mouth of yours just for decoration?”

“……” Lilith stared at him in confusion for quite some time before finally speaking. “Didn’t you tell me to shut up?”

Jack: “……”

“This isn’t a place for you to play clever word games!” Jack ground his teeth in frustration.

“But I’ve been following your instructions the whole time.” Lilith looked at Jack’s face, which had turned the color of pig liver from holding back his anger, utterly baffled. ‘Did he have constipation too? I’ve been this cooperative already. How was that still not enough?’

“You—!” Jack was thoroughly provoked by Lilith’s casual attitude. Just as he was searching for a legitimate excuse to teach her a lesson… A cool, clear voice sounded from behind him.

“Let me handle this.” It was Lauren. After the meeting concluded, she had come here directly. No matter how unlikely it was that Lilith was the murderer, she had still been the first person to discover the crime scene. Perhaps there were details she had noticed without realizing their importance.

“D-Deputy Chief Inspector Lauren.” Jack immediately sprang to his feet, his expression turning ingratiating. “Something as trivial as interrogating a suspect hardly requires your personal attention.”

“It’s fine.” Lauren glanced at him and noticed the exhaustion hidden in his eyes. Only then did she remember why he had learned of Chief Inspector Adrian’s death so quickly in the first place. He had been on duty that night.

“You’ve worked hard tonight. Go get some rest. Starting tomorrow, the entire Inspection Bureau is going to be very busy.”

“Understood.” Though Jack was one of the bureau’s veterans, rank was rank. He did not dare disobey and respectfully withdrew. Before leaving, however, he shot Lilith an irritated glare, clearly unhappy that he hadn’t managed to teach her a lesson.

Lilith paid no attention to it. Nor could she be bothered to care. Instead, she turned toward Lauren. Once she got a clear look at her under the bright light, her eyebrow rose slightly in surprise. “I thought you’d be grieving for much longer. I didn’t expect you to recover so quickly.”

Lauren’s devastated appearance when Adrian’s body had first been discovered had left a deep impression on her. Lilith had even assumed she would completely lose her rationality and immediately identify her as the murderer.

Truthfully, Lilith had held a fairly favorable impression of Lauren. If Lauren had truly decided she was the killer and tried to take revenge by killing her… then that would have been a bit unfortunate.

Fortunately, that hadn’t happened.