MWC – Chapter 117 Killing Cockroaches

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Husky Hotel Conference Room.

This was a team leader-level meeting, attended by Deputy Office Director Jordan, Team One Leader Gao Shinian, Team Two Leader Liu Teng, Team Three Leader Zhang Xianhe, and Special Action Group Leader Cantona.

As the assistant to the commissioner, Han Annie sat at Lu Ming’s back right, taking notes of the meeting.

All the progress from each group was laid out on the table for analysis.

The Special Action Group was the furthest ahead, currently keeping a close watch on every move of Little Renault and investigating everyone associated with him to find out who “Booker” really was.

Gao Shinian’s group was interrogating those involved with St. Anthony’s Orphanage in the Xinfa District. With Director Wang’s accounts thoroughly checked and No. 5 Madis’ testimony, the evidence was solid.

Lu Ming had also specifically mentioned two children from the orphanage, Zhao Xuecheng and Gao Xiu’e. Their whereabouts had been found, and Director Wang kept records of the times the children were sold, all of which were to Booker.

Among these, No. 5 Madis had participated in the killing of Zhao Xuecheng, whose body had been found, though in a state too horrific to recognize.

“It seems that catching Booker will cause this organization to crumble,” said Team Two Leader Liu Teng optimistically.

However, Team Three Leader Zhang Xianhe sighed, “Catching Booker will only mean a partial success. The White Rose Movement is not a tightly-knit organization but an extreme ideology. Even a small group of people can claim to be part of it. As long as this soil is not eradicated, it’s hard to eliminate completely.”

He paused and continued, “Moreover, this organization requires substantial financial support. Those caught are mostly lower-class whites. Where did they get the money? These extreme ideologies thrive among them, believing that the world belongs to whites and that Zhongzhou people in Donghai should be eradicated. Their poor living conditions and low income are blamed on the Zhongzhou people.”

Cantona and Jordan looked awkward, sipping their coffee.

Zhang Xianhe went on, “But looking at their weapons, hiding places, and the price for so-called ‘prey,’ they require significant funding.”

“So where does this funding come from? For example, did Sir Renault provide financial support?”

The meeting room became quieter when Zhang Xianhe mentioned “Sir Renault.”

Everyone had thought about whether Old Renault was a financial backer of the White Rose, and if so, how many other elites in Donghai supported the movement.

If Sir Renault indeed funded extremist groups, should he be investigated? After all, he held a title and was the most famous movie mogul in the empire.

Lu Ming nodded. Zhang Xianhe made sense. According to the booklet given by Old Ghost, the extreme organizations Lu Ming had encountered were just the tip of the iceberg.

He pondered and said, “Team Leader Zhang is right. We have probably only scratched the surface.”

“Let’s call the group we’re investigating, led by Booker, the ‘Number Four White Rose.'”

“As the saying goes, when you spot the first cockroach, there are likely many more under the floorboards.”

“The Number Four White Rose is the first cockroach we’ve found.”

“But the Number Four White Rose is undoubtedly the most extreme and brutal, which is why we caught them.”

“Our task now is to take down the Number Four White Rose, and we must do it decisively. This will serve as a deterrent to all other cockroaches.”

“If we can send most of the Number Four White Rose members to the gallows, I believe other cockroaches will be too scared to challenge the social order, at least for a while.”

“And to eradicate all the cockroaches is beyond our current manpower and resources. It must be done gradually.”

“It could take years or even decades to achieve.”

“If that’s the case, this office will lose significance to Chief McCann, and we will lose the support of the Grand Prosecutor’s Office.”

Everyone smiled wryly. Commissioner Lu spoke bluntly, likely because he was not bound by the usual constraints, but he was right.

“The Grand Prosecutor’s Office and Chief McCann need us to produce results quickly.”

“The Number Four White Rose will be our first major result.”

“This result can be significant. As Team Leader Zhang mentioned, is Sir Renault the feeder of this first cockroach?”

“Of course, everything needs to be investigated!”

Zhang Xianhe nodded repeatedly, “The commissioner is right. Our focus should be on investigating Old Renault.”

Lu Ming smirked. He was starting to understand that Zhang Xianhe harbored resentment against the Western elite, making it difficult for Zhongzhou people to advance in the hierarchy. Despite his capabilities and many outstanding cases, he was still just an assistant prosecutor.

Jordan, on the other hand, was in his twenties, parachuted into the Grand Prosecutor’s Office, rising almost yearly, now a prosecutor and the second in command of the office.

Ambition made it hard to balance psychologically.

As for Lu Ming, he was an outsider, possibly returning to being a lawyer after this case. His achievements were impressive enough to overshadow others’ envy and resentment.

But if he continued to rest on his laurels without notable new cases, he would eventually fade into obscurity.

He looked at the others and saw their strange expressions when Zhang Xianhe mentioned “investigating Old Renault.”

Lu Ming pondered, “Actually, looking at the expenses of the Number Four White Rose, Little Renault could fully support them.”

Jordan immediately said, “Yes, commissioner. I have a thought. If the funding for the Number Four White Rose mainly comes from Little Renault, and according to testimonies, Little Renault and Booker always discuss plans privately, analyzing Little Renault’s profile—he’s intelligent and controlling. Would he really let someone else dictate his armed group? It doesn’t make sense.”

“If Little Renault is highly intelligent, I suspect Booker is just his puppet, a smokescreen. In case of failure, Booker reduces his liability. Most testimonies indicate Little Renault rarely participates directly in killings. If coerced, he might not be sentenced for long.”

Jordan, McCann’s handpicked deputy director, was indeed no fool. He saw things similarly to Lu Ming.

Everyone nodded.

Lu Ming turned to Zhang Xianhe, “Later, bring Silov to me, but keep it confidential. I’ll put him in witness protection.”

Zhang Xianhe was puzzled. Silov was just a petty thug, unrelated to the White Rose, only used by Little Renault to spy on the star Nicole. Releasing him wouldn’t affect the case against the White Rose.

Why put him in witness protection with the commissioner’s personal resources?

But he nodded, “Okay.”

Lu Ming thought of a possibility. If things developed in a certain direction, Silov might become the most crucial witness.