When Lancer returned to the branch, he casually asked someone and found out where Kureo Mado was.
Pushing open the door, a strange smell of medicine hit him, and Lancer couldn't help but frown.
"Who?"
Kureo Mado, who had been hunched over his workbench, suddenly raised his head.
Kureo Mado face, still stained with blood, was as terrifying as a demon, making people shiver, but Lancer, who had been here before, naturally didn't care. His eyes went directly to the kagune on the workbench.
"Lancer? You came to find me? Is there something? Are you interested in this?"
Although his expression didn't change, Kureo Mado voice was noticeably slower. There was no doubt that he treated his 'subordinate' better, and it was also possible that he was satisfied with the number of ghouls Lancer had defeated.
"This kagune is obviously not suitable for a 'Spear-type'."
"Tsk tsk~ Whatever you want."
In fact, kagune for making 'Spear' are still quite common; they just need to be long and thin enough. But this kagune was serrated, which was more suitable for a sword or something similar than a gun.
"First-Class Investigator Mado."
The small talk was over. Lancer stood up straight, and this slightly unfamiliar address also made Kureo Mado put down his work and look at Lancer with a serious expression.
Usually, Lancer would call him 'Mr. Mado' or 'First-Class Mado'. Calling out his full title like this meant that what he was about to say would probably be very troublesome. For example, the last time Lancer applied to join the action team to sweep ghouls. What was he planning this time?
"First-Class Investigator Mado, I found some strange things while capturing ghouls recently."
"Oh? Strange things? Tell me."
"As far as I know, there are various ghoul organizations in every region of Japan fighting against our CCG, but our 20th ward doesn't seem to have any well-known ghoul organizations besides 'Jason' who appeared recently. What do you think is going on?"
Facing Lancer question, Kureo Mado didn't answer directly. Instead, he sat up straight and stared directly at Lancer. The emotions in his eyes made Lancer feel a little flustered.
Surprise, relief, and conflict.
The surprise was naturally that Lancer would bring up this question. The relief was because Lancer had noticed the undercurrents in the 20th ward. As for the final conflict, as an old-timer of the CCG, he didn't want to involve Lancer in some unnecessary things.
However, what Kureo Mado didn't know was that Lancer not only knew these things but also knew more than they imagined.
He not only knew that the reason why the 20th ward could maintain its superficial peace was because the 'SSS-rated ghoul, The Non-Killing Owl,' who was the manager of Anteiku coffee shop, had been controlling the peace of the underground 20th ward, but he also knew the identity of the other 'One-Eyed Owl.'
Lancer said all that not to report the Anteiku coffee shop but to 'mislead' the CCG.
"Regarding what you said, although I haven't been in the 20th ward for long, I have indeed noticed the abnormality of this area. The number of ghouls is far less than in other regions. Logically, ghouls who can't get by in other regions should gather here, but the reality is not the case. Ghouls from other regions seem to be deliberately staying away from here for some reason, and even the newly appeared 'Jason' can't have such strength. After all, he is just an 'S-rated ghoul'."
Kureo Mado naturally understood Jason's strength. Although he was one move short in today's fight, the other party's strength had definitely not reached SS-rated. As long as he had enough time to set up and enough subordinates, he was confident that he could kill or even capture the other party.
"You mean you already have a lead?"
"I have some, but I'm not sure yet. And the matter of the 20th ward is probably going to be very troublesome. It not only involves ghouls but also 'ordinary people'."
When Kureo Mado heard what Lancer said, a chilling aura suddenly erupted from him.
When it came to achievements, he had once captured 'The Scavenger (Kirishima dad)' with others, and participated in dozens of large and small operations. As for the number of kills, dozens of ghouls died directly at his hands every year, and at least five times that number died indirectly at his hands. The number of ghouls he had killed ranked in the top five of the entire CCG.
Lancer didn't understand what 'killing intent' was, but he could feel that Kureo Mado at this moment was terrifying.
"Who is it?"
If there was anything more annoying than an 'enemy,' it was a 'traitor,' and it was especially so for CCG investigators.
"The Tsukiyama family."
Lancer didn't hesitate at all and directly sold out the 'enemy'. Kureo Mado, who had been exuding a terrifying aura, suddenly put it away.
Could it be that the other party already knew?
This thought just appeared and was immediately thrown out of his mind. If it were someone else, they might compromise for various reasons, but this person in front of him was impossible.
He was older and had a brilliant record. He could have stayed at the headquarters to retire or be promoted to associate special-class and only be responsible for some special cases, but because of his hatred, he was willing to fight on the front line of the ghoul suppression. His paranoia had reached an incredible level.
"Are you sure the Tsukiyama family is related to ghouls?"
Not only was he sure they were related, but their family members were ghouls!
But this kind of thing could never be said because if he couldn't give a clear and detailed answer, he would probably be isolated and investigated for a long time before the Tsukiyama family was raided.
"Sorry, I can't, that's why I came to you to discuss it."
"The Tsukiyama family is not a very big family in all of Japan, but the 20th ward is within their sphere of influence. Most of the finance, industry, and even the council members in the 20th ward are related to the Tsukiyama family. If you can provide useful leads, our CCG will definitely completely eradicate these scum of humanity, but just based on your words alone..."
There was no doubt that Kureo Mado words were a refusal and a denial of what Lancer had said before, but Lancer didn't mind. After all, from the beginning, he hadn't expected to rely on his own words to cause the CCG to investigate the Tsukiyama family, but it was enough. Knowing the CCG's attitude towards this matter was enough!
"Yes! I will collect enough evidence."
Kureo Mado didn't say anything more about this matter. He knew that Lancer understood what he meant, but before he lowered his head to work, he seemed to remember something. He took out his phone and wrote a name on a piece of paper.
"This is the number of 'Associate Special-Class Investigator Shiki Kijima.' He is my friend, and unlike most associate special-class investigators who have a fixed area of responsibility, he operates throughout Japan. If you can find enough evidence, giving it to him is more useful than giving it to me."
After saying that, he didn't say anything more and continued his 'work'.