Chapter 18: The Mole

Late at night, Manhattan.

A black Mercedes pulled into an abandoned underground parking garage.

Richard got out of the car and looked around cautiously.

The dim yellow light stretched his shadow long across the ground.

The sound of dripping water came from a corner, especially clear in the empty parking garage.

"Richard."

A man wearing a baseball cap emerged from the shadows, his voice low.

"How did it go?"

Richard took out a document from his briefcase and handed it over. "This is the Rosenberg family's cash flow for this month, plus Mira's latest medical condition. As agreed, where's the money?"

The man in the cap tossed over a manila envelope.

Richard caught it and opened it to see thick stacks of US dollars inside.

"Five hundred thousand dollars, not a penny less." The man lit a cigarette and looked around. "How's Mira doing?"

"There was a problem..." Richard's face darkened. "Someone showed up, a guy named Leo. He... he cured Mira."

"What?"

The man in the cap jerked his head up, shock flashing in his eyes.

"That Leo? The one who destroyed the Romano family?"

"That's him!" Richard nodded. "And after Mira woke up, she gave him the highest level of authority, saying that seeing him is like seeing her in person..."

"Useless!"

The man in the cap kicked over a nearby trash can. "Didn't you say this was foolproof?"

Just then.

Slow clapping echoed from deep within the parking garage.

"I'm always quick at finding moles."

Then, an icy voice rang out like a ghost in the empty parking garage.

"Who's there?"

Both men were shocked and spun around.

In the dim light, a young man in a black trench coat with a cigar in his mouth was walking toward them leisurely.

It was Leo.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful."

Leo's lips curved into a cold smile. "So the Rosenberg family's chief legal counsel is the Drake family's dog."

Richard's face went pale as he involuntarily stepped back.

"You... how are you here?"

"Why do you think I wanted to see Mira alone?"

Leo pulled out a cigar from his pocket and lit it unhurriedly. "To draw out the snake. Sure enough, you mole couldn't keep your cool."

The man in the cap snorted coldly and pulled out a gun from his waist.

"Leo? I heard you were pretty arrogant in Chicago. Too bad this is New York!"

He aimed the gun at Leo.

"If you know what's good for you, leave New York immediately and forget everything you saw tonight. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke without even lifting an eyelid.

"Otherwise you'll die a miserable death!"

The man in the cap pulled the trigger.

Gunshot.

However.

The next second.

Leo's figure vanished from where he stood like a ghost.

The bullet hit the concrete pillar behind him, sending up sparks.

"What?"

The man in the cap's eyes widened.

Before he could react, Leo was already in front of him.

One kick!

The man in the cap was sent flying, crashing heavily into a car. The body dented, and the car alarm started wailing.

He struggled to stand up but found several of his ribs were already broken.

Leo walked up to him and stepped on his chest.

"I... I'm with the Drake family!" The man in the cap said through gritted teeth. "If you touch me, Mr. Drake won't let you go!"

"The Drake family?"

Leo sneered and applied a bit more pressure with his foot.

The sound of another rib breaking.

"Ah!"

The man in the cap screamed.

"In my eyes, people from the Drake family are no different from stray dogs on the street."

Leo looked down at him with contempt in his eyes. "You're the one who doesn't know your place."

With that, Leo lifted his foot and delivered a heavy kick.

The man in the cap's head slammed hard against the ground, and he passed out on the spot.

On the other side.

Richard's legs had already gone weak from fear. He knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Mr. Ashford, spare me! I was forced! The Drake family threatened me, said they'd kill my whole family if I didn't cooperate!"

"Is that so?"

Leo slowly walked up to him and stepped on his face. "Then what about those fifty million dollars in your Swiss bank account?"

Richard's whole body trembled.

His secret account... how did Leo know about it?

"You... you can't touch me..." Richard's voice shook. "I'm the Rosenberg family's chief legal counsel. If something happens to me, the family will be suspicious..."

His answer was a heavy punch from Leo.

Richard passed out immediately.

"Olivia."

Leo spoke calmly.

"Yes!"

Several dark figures emerged from the shadows—members of the Shadow squad.

"Take these two to the interrogation room." Leo lit a cigar. "I want to question them properly."

Underground interrogation room.

A basin of ice water was dumped over his head.

Richard, tied to the interrogation chair, was jolted awake by the intense cold.

In the corner of the room were various interrogation tools.

Stun batons, pliers, waterboarding equipment...

Leo sat across from him, leisurely smoking a cigar.

Beside him, Chloe wore a black dress, her face cold.

After learning that Richard was one of the moles who had helped the Drake family back then, she insisted on being present for the interrogation.

"You're awake?"

Leo exhaled a puff of smoke.

Richard slowly opened his eyes. When he saw the situation before him, he immediately shuddered.

"What... what are you going to do?"

"It's simple." Leo stood up and slowly walked toward him. "Answer a few questions for me."

"Twenty years ago, that car accident involving the Rosenberg family. Who exactly planned it?"

Chloe also stepped forward, her eyes full of hatred.

"I... I don't know..."

Richard bit his teeth, his eyes flickering.

"Don't know?"

Leo picked up a stun baton from the table and pressed the switch.

Blue electric arcs jumped through the air.

"I'll give you one more chance." Leo's voice was icy. "That hitman—who was he?"

"I really don't know! Back then, everything was arranged personally by Mr. Drake. I was only responsible for providing the Rosenberg family's travel schedule..."

"Looks like you're not being honest enough."

Leo pressed the stun baton against Richard's thigh.

"Ahhh!"

Heart-wrenching screams echoed through the interrogation room.

After a dozen seconds, Leo withdrew the stun baton.

Richard convulsed all over, foam coming from his mouth.

"I'll talk... I'll talk..."

Richard finally broke down. "I really don't know that hitman's name! His identity is the Drake family's highest secret!"

"But I know... there's someone in the Rosenberg family who knows!"

"Who?" Chloe asked coldly.

"The Drake family's former butler... Manuel Morrison..."

Richard gasped for breath. "He's Mr. Drake's most trusted person. All the dirty work went through him... including hiring the hitman back then..."

Leo and Chloe exchanged glances.

"Good."

Leo stubbed out his cigar and turned to leave.

"Hand him over to the Rosenberg family to deal with. As for that Drake family guy..."

"Keep him. He's still useful."

Walking out of the interrogation room, Chloe followed closely behind Leo.

"Leo, what do we do next?"

"No rush. Even if what Richard said is true..."

A flash of coldness crossed Leo's eyes. "That Manuel might not be easy to find. Let me take you to meet Mira first!"