Chương 166: Conversation with Jiying's Considerations

Roland, leaning on his cane, walked to the desk and slowly sat down in the large black leather chair. His empty eyes, which could not see anything, were now calmly "gazing" at the petite figure opposite him.

In those few short seconds, the seriousness and vigilance on his face caused by the discovery of the intruder disappeared, replaced by his usual gentleness and composure.

It was as if this mysterious presence that had suddenly infiltrated his office was just an ordinary visitor.

"Please have a seat, sir." He gestured to the sofa opposite his desk, his voice calm and composed, without the slightest hint of emotion.

"I don't know how I should address you, sir?"

Ji Ying's dark red eyes flickered slightly. She didn't answer immediately, but instead walked steadily to the sofa.

She remembered clearly that five days ago, she, as Xing Shuang, was sitting in this very position. However, at this moment, her identity, appearance, and even her state of mind were completely different from then.

Ji Ying gracefully sat down, the hem of her knee-length black trench coat tracing a smooth arc in the air.

She even slightly raised her long, slender right leg, encased in black knee-high boots, and calmly met Director Roland's "gaze" with a seemingly relaxed but actually wary posture.

Then, she casually gave her code name: "Silent Shadow".

Director Roland raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly, his smile remaining gentle, but a hint of undisguised surprise flashed deep in his eyes.

From the very beginning, he used that special perception technique to "see" the general shape of the uninvited guest in front of him—a petite figure that was undoubtedly quite different from his guess.

But before Ji Ying actually spoke, he subconsciously thought that this might just be some kind of clever disguise by the other party, such as deliberately changing his body shape with virtual energy.

After all, a powerful figure capable of sneaking into his office as the bureau chief without a sound should not be a girl who sounds so young.

Only now, when that clear, melodious, and pure girl's voice reached his ears, did Roland finally realize with some astonishment that the powerful being who called himself "Silent Shadow" and was able to sneak into his office without a sound was actually a petite girl.

This realization did not lessen his vigilance against the infiltration of an unknown and powerful enemy; rather, it involuntarily added a touch of something indescribable—strange and absurd.

But after all, he had been the director of the Jiangchuan City Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs for many years, and had long since developed a calm and composed temperament that remained unchanged even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him.

He quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart caused by the unexpected turn of events, maintaining his gentle smile as he asked in a relaxed tone, "So, Miss Jiying, if I'm not mistaken, the purpose of your visit is to—have a good talk with me, is that right?"

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Ji Ying's beautiful dark red eyes narrowed slightly, a half-smile curving her lips as she asked with a hint of mockery, "Why does Director Roland think so?"

"Perhaps—I came here specifically to silently eliminate you, the highest leader of the Jiangchuan City Bureau of Extraterrestrial Affairs, so that our great will of the virtual world can descend into the real world and remove an obstacle along the way?"

She deliberately adopted an aloof posture, subtly releasing a faint fluctuation of ethereal energy, her words filled with disdain for humanity and the Bureau of Extraordinary Events.

This was an attempt to further observe Roland's reaction and see if he would show any inappropriate agreement because of his arrogant remarks.

—If the other party is truly a traitor colluding with Jingjue, then after hearing this declaration, they should at least show some different reactions, right?

However, Director Roland simply picked up the cup of black coffee on the table, which had long since gone cold, and took a slow sip. His gentle smile remained unchanged, as if Ji Ying's threatening words were nothing more than a harmless joke.

He gently shook his head and said with certainty, "No, I am absolutely certain that you, Lord Jiying, did not come for this reason."

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details." Ji Ying leaned forward slightly, looking at the composed old man with great interest.

Director Roland put down his coffee cup and calmly analyzed, "It's very simple. If you really are here to take my life—"

"So, given the amazing ability you just demonstrated to sneak in here silently, it probably wouldn't make much difference to you whether you killed me or took care of my secretary, Xiaoyue."

"The fact that you chose to let her leave unharmed even after I became aware of your presence is enough to show that your primary goal was not simply killing."

"Or to be more precise, you don't intend to take my old life right away."

He paused, a knowing smile playing on his lips, "Moreover, I'm starting to suspect that, Miss Jiying, you deliberately let slip a bit of your presence after you heard I was going to a meeting, so I could sense your presence."

"So, you're creating a perfect environment for us to have a private conversation like this, so that you can get some information that might interest you from this old man?"

At this point, he picked up his coffee cup again, took a leisurely sip, and continued in a relaxed tone, "I just don't know—Miss Jiying, what exactly do you want to know from me?"

"If you're just interested in the mundane daily life of this soon-to-retire old man, I'd be happy to share a bit with you."

"However—" he changed the subject, his tone still gentle but with an undeniable firmness, "If it involves any classified information about the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs—then I'm afraid I cannot disclose it."

"You guessed right, I do have some things I'd like to discuss with you." Ji Ying nodded slightly, readily acknowledging Roland's guess.

She gazed at the elderly man before her, who was blind yet possessed wisdom and composure far beyond that of ordinary people, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

—As expected of someone who can hold the position of Director of the Jiangchuan City Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, his keen insight and impeccable handling are truly extraordinary.

He had only made a simple gesture of emerging from the shadows to speak, yet in such a short time, the other man was able to accurately determine the true purpose of his trip and even deduce that he had deliberately exposed his whereabouts.

Yes, she did come to talk to Roland, and she came with great risk and uncertainty.

Ever since the attack by Jingjue that night, and after making a judgment based on the information she had gathered, one thought has lingered in her mind: there is a traitor lurking within the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, and this traitor's level is definitely not low!

So, could Director Roland, who is blind yet has a firm grip on the entire Jiangchuan City Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, be the traitor hidden deep within?

Once this thought arises, it grows like weeds that sprout wildly and can no longer be suppressed.

She forced herself to calm down, analyzing the various possibilities in her mind over and over again: —If Roland really is a traitor—he has the highest authority in the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs and can access all core secrets. Could his blindness just be a clever disguise?

—With magical girls disappearing one after another in Jiangchuan City, did he really do his best to investigate? Five days ago, she met him as "Star Frost". Was every word he said and every promise he made just a performance to lure her into lowering her guard?

These terrifying speculations sent chills down her spine. If this was the truth, then stepping into this office at this moment would undoubtedly be an extremely dangerous act.

But what if—Roland wasn't a traitor?

Jiying recalled the genuine concern for the future of magical girls in Director Roland's eyes during their last meeting, as well as the solemn expression on his face when the threat of the Void Realm was mentioned.

His outward expression of emotion did not seem like an act, and if his blindness was not a pretense, it would make him more easily deceived by the real mole.

Perhaps the real traitors are the others lurking around him?

Countless thoughts collided fiercely in her mind, making it difficult for Jiying to make a final judgment.

But she knew that regardless of Roland's true identity, today's meeting was fraught with unknown risks, and she was even more certain that she had to come.

High risk comes with high reward. If Director Roland is innocent, then he will be the strongest and most reliable ally for our side in fighting against Mirror Lord and finding the mole.

The resources and intelligence network controlled by the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs are, to some extent, something that these magical girls can never match.

Moreover, we cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom; we must take the initiative. Mirror Lord's conspiracy is like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads, and the mole within the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs is a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

If she continues to passively wait for the enemy to make a move, she will only put herself and those around her in increasingly dangerous situations. She needs intelligence, support, and to break this information asymmetry deadlock.

Of course, she also has strong confidence in her own abilities. The "shadow jump" she possesses in this form provides her with a certain degree of safety.

Even in the worst-case scenario—that Roland is indeed a traitor and a trap has been set here—after replenishing a large amount of ethereal energy, I can still completely deal with him.

Opportunities often come with risks. If they shrink back because they are afraid of potential dangers, they will never be able to truly take the initiative and will only be able to passively wait for the judgment of fate.

This is the fundamental reason why she chose to come here first and have a face-to-face meeting with Roland before officially meeting Xingxian.

She needs to understand Roland's position, determine if he is not a mole and then win him over as an ally, or, if she confirms he is a traitor, then eradicate this cancer completely.