Special Forces Medic

Chapter 992 961: Prototype—Testimony

Edmund faced a room full of corpses and the semi-coagulated blood, his stomach churning indescribably. What happened here? His tightly furrowed brow never relaxed, and it was clearly a professional job—there wasn't a single fingerprint left at the scene, not a trace.

"Chief!" An agent took a plastic bag from the officer's hand, inside was a curved saber embedded with several gemstones. "This is the murder weapon left at the scene."

"Murder weapon?" Edmund raised his eyebrows. The initial reports claimed it was a shooting, confirmed by the residents nearby.

"There is an inconspicuous fingerprint on this curved saber. We've asked the forensics department to take it back for analysis, and the results..." Edmund stopped the agent from continuing, pulling him aside for a quiet inquiry.

"Has the 'Vargonei' said anything about this heinous incident?"

"Not yet! But on your way here, someone sent an anonymous letter to the bureau, and the attention on this incident comes from several major families. The victim's identity is quite complex."

"What anonymous letter?" His phone rang at an inopportune moment, forcing Edmund to pause his inquiry and step aside. "Yes, yes, Director, I'm inspecting the scene, uh, what?" Edmund suddenly exclaimed, looking around as he walked further away to continue his call. "Director, this matter..."

Mo Luo exhaled a ring of smoke before slowly speaking. A heavy smoker and an aficionado of cigars, though not yet fifty, his hair had thinned considerably, leaving a bald patch in the middle, with just the stubble of new growth visible. "Edmund, this case has been transferred to another department. Have your men tidy up the scene and wait for the transfer team to take over."

"Director, this case is no ordinary shooting. We found a possible suspect's fingerprint on a knife at the scene. Furthermore, the crime scene is in 'Vargonei'. I suspect this is an organized assassination by insurgents targeting the gangs, which falls under our crime division's work." Edmund's tightly furrowed brow was as wrinkled as dried orange peel.

"Alright, Edmund, I have important guests here. Write me a report later." Mo Luo put down the receiver, extinguishing the cigarette butt beside him. The cigar was intensely flavored and long-lasting, a sort of intoxicating aroma Mo Luo greatly enjoyed; the slight dizziness it induced only sharpened his mind.

"Sir, are you satisfied with how I've handled this?" Mo Luo addressed the man before him after a pause.

"Director Mo Luo, thank you for cooperating with our work!" The man across from Mo Luo adjusted his black fedora with his left hand, exuding a sinister aura in every gesture. For Mo Luo, a veteran cop, his instinct was often accurate—this man possessed the explosive power to kill seemingly effortlessly.

"It's an honor to serve your boss." Anyone can offer polite words, and Mo Luo, who navigates between senior leadership and families, is particularly adept at it. The proverbial 'speak to people the way they understand' comes naturally to him, mastering the art of reading between the lines.

"This is a token of gratitude from my boss." The man in black pulled out a check, writing a figure before pushing it toward Mo Luo. "Running back and forth must be exhausting for Director Mo Luo. Please accept our little token of appreciation."

Mo Luo restrained his laughter at the zeros on the check, lightly coughing. "My thanks to your boss. Mo Luo is always ready to broker relationships for him, so rest assured."

"That would be best. This is just a deposit; the final amount will be deposited into your private Swiss account at double the original amount." Despite disguising it, Mo Luo's eyes glittered with gold, his smile stretching naturally behind his ears. Double the amount—he wouldn't make that as a director in a lifetime. "However..."

"What more could the sir require of Mo Luo's services?"

"It's not about serving me, it's for my boss."

"Yes!"

"Regarding this case, I trust Director Mo Luo knows how to proceed. But I now have another thought; given Chief Edmund's intense interest, to avert troubling the director, you should let him handle it. I just hope it follows my intention, understood?" The man in black leaned forward, his hands slightly spread, with a few black feathers fluttering down onto Mo Luo's neat desk.

"Though Edmund lacks capability and is cautious, he's quite obstinate. I worry handing him the case will lead to a mess." Mo Luo tapped his fingers on the desk, the check within arm's reach.

"Rest assured, director. Just direct suspicion towards Xiao Lin, and we will handle the subsequent work for you." The sinister man chuckled; his blood-red lips curled on one side, though Mo Luo felt no genuine humor. "Director has wanted to rid those disobedient parties. If you handle this correctly, it may fulfill your wishes and aid in your promotion. Palermo needs a stable society, indeed, all of Sicily needs a benevolent mayor like you."

Mo Luo laughed heartily. "Recently, Palermo has witnessed numerous shootings tied to murder cases. Many witnesses confirmed the person in your information was seen at the crime scene. Three days ago, Edmund caught the criminal named Xiao Lin, but then the Genovese Clan took him away."

"Heh, Director Mo Luo, gangs have their rules, nothing to fret over. Since the 20th century's purges, today's gangs aren't nearly as formidable as before. We Chinese have a saying: once a matter is understood, all the roots can easily be pulled out, naturally falling into place."

"Hahaha, I'm a fan of Chinese culture, so I understand your meaning. Just wondering when the boss will arrive so I can show my hospitality."

"Soon." The man in black's boots clicked on the floor with a metallic sound. "Pleasure working with you!"

His cold hands reached Mo Luo's heart, prompting a sibilant breath. The awkward smile congealed on his face after bidding farewell to the visitor. For a moment, he regretted, yet was glad of their chance encounter. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)