Catastrophe Card King

Chapter 730: Chapter 237 Visitors from the X Bureau_4

“…”

Upon hearing this, Vera Williams’s eyes showed a trace of confusion. She knew the nature of a special agent’s work at the X Bureau.

That’s why she was puzzled about what her connection to the X Bureau might be.

But it didn’t seem to matter much to her, and she addressed the group of guards, “Uncle Sam, you go get your wound treated first. Everyone else, please leave.”

“Yes, Miss.”

The crowd complied and left.

At that moment, the three X Bureau agents looked at Leonard Churchill, who still remained in the room, and the team leader in black repeated, “This one…”

Vera Williams promptly said, “He’s a trusted friend of mine. You don’t need to avoid any issues on my account, no matter what you ask.”

Leonard Churchill wasn’t thick-skinned enough to stay just to eavesdrop on any business secrets; instead, his intuition told him that these X Bureau folks had information he was interested in.

Upon hearing this, the three agents in black measured up Leonard Churchill with a glance but said nothing further.

The young female assistant pulled out a card, activated it, and a [Phonograph] relic appeared in the room.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

She checked its functions; it could block sound transmission and record audio.

The team leader in black got straight to the point, “Miss Williams, I’d like to know whether your Commerce Guild has been involved in the war between Count Fremont and Councilor Boen?”

Vera Williams responded directly, “No.”

The team leader in black looked at her for a moment before asking, “Do you know why those bandits were trying to assassilate you?”

Vera Williams did not wish to mention the Treasure Map and answered with poise, “It’s possibly a hired killing by a competitor. As for who it might be specifically, I do not know.”

Team Leader: “Is there anyone in your family acquainted with Count Fremont?”

Vera Williams: “Not to my knowledge; at least I don’t know any. We are merchants, almost all nobles in the Federation are our customers.”

Team Leader: “Your Commerce Guild has been frequenting Bolton Town recently, have you noticed any unusual incidents?”

Vera Williams: “No.”

Team Leader: “Sorry if these questions have been offensive. It’s partly for your own safety. I can’t divulge more details. However, we have seen several bounties targeting you in the Black Market; Miss Williams, please be careful in the coming days.”

Vera Williams nodded, “Hmm…Thank you.”

…

As Vera Williams conversed with the team leader in black, Leonard Churchill listened carefully from the side.

He was quite familiar with the X Bureau’s operating procedures, most of their agents being “Riddlemen.”

The questions seemed irrelevant on the surface, yet beneath them could hide key intelligence.

Leonard Churchill also analyzed the potential implications of each question in his thoughts.

It was now clear that these agents were here because of the vampire bandits. The known source of the vampires was the conflict between Count Fremont and Councilor Boen…

But… from the way he framed it, was this affair connected to Vera Williams?

If it were just a few hired bandits, it certainly wouldn’t warrant such a grandiose display.

But the fact that the special agent team had arrived to apprehend people indicated they had some solid leads.

Leonard Churchill listened for more.

But it seemed the three from the X Bureau had finished asking.

The male assistant beside the team leader must have had some method to discern truth from lies, as his gaze never left Vera Williams’s face.

After realizing they could not extract any more information from Vera Williams, the three didn’t press any further questions.

“Sorry for the disturbance, Miss Williams. We’ll take the bandits with us now.”

“Alright.”

The three agents had made their entrance by breaking through the wall and now leapt through the same hole, vanishing into the dark of night.

…

Outside, things started to get lively as well. With the noise of fighting, lights came on in the surrounding buildings.

The City Guard had also surrounded the Rose Chamber of Commerce’s apartment complex.

But, in the end, they were a step behind.

Fortunately, the assassin had been apprehended, however it had been accomplished.

The Chamber of Commerce Manager negotiated briefly, and only then did the crowd disperse.

Still, the number of patrolling City Guards visibly increased on the streets.

Once the X Bureau agents had left, Vera Williams didn’t worry about the mess, but instead, she looked with concern at Leonard Churchill’s arm, which had been injured by the spray gun, asking, “Mr. Leonard Churchill, are you okay?”

Leonard Churchill shook his head, not paying much heed to the small flesh wound, “Minor issue.”

Thinking over it, he counter-asked, “Have you ever considered that someone within your family might be in collusion with those bandits?”

“I don’t know.”

Vera Williams was clever; she had already considered this possibility when listening to the questions.

Both had initially thought this was a case of hired killing, but now, with the X Bureau agents showing up at their doorstep, things suddenly didn’t seem so simple anymore.

Leonard Churchill’s eyes shifted as he asked another question, “Has the Song Family become entangled in that conflict?”

Previously, she had been cautious with her words around outsiders.

Now that they were alone, Vera Williams spoke without reservation, “Behind any war, there lies the financial backing of business conglomerates. Our Song Family also has an arms industry, and it’s likely that uncles in the family have been supplying arms to the battlefield… but I haven’t been involved in that business at all.”

“…”

Leonard Churchill remained silent upon hearing this.

The answer was too broad to yield any useful clues.

After a pause, Vera Williams added, “However, among the family, it is my Third Uncle whose arms business is the largest…”

Upon hearing this, Leonard Churchill thought, isn’t this suspect named already?

He pondered for a moment and then said, “Have you ever thought about why the bandits ‘had to’ kill you?”

The afternoon’s assassination attempt could still be chalked up to a monetary job.

Yet they came again tonight, despite the high risks involved, which might extend beyond just a financial motive.

Those bandits seemed to have a compelling reason to ensure the death of Miss Williams of the Song Family.