Chapter 167

Chapter 167

Diana stared hard at the composed man before her, her finger tightening slightly on the trigger.

The motion-sensor lights in the hallway went dark after their prolonged stillness, plunging them both into instant blackness.

But in this pitch-black darkness where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, Jack's deep-set eyes seemed capable of penetrating everything.

"Diana," Jack's voice rang especially clear in the quiet darkness, carrying a hint of seduction. "You've worked this state for so many years—busted drug dealers, caught robbers—but you know in your heart, those are just the tip of the iceberg. Real evil often wears the most respectable suits and sits in the highest seats of power."

He took half a step forward, his leather shoes scraping softly against the concrete.

"Duke's detention center—hundreds of people go in every month, but less than half come out alive. Where do the rest go? Official records say 'deportation' or 'accidental death,' but is that really what's happening?"

Diana's breathing hitched for a moment.

She remembered a case she'd once worked—a refugee who'd escaped from the detention center, collapsed bloody in the street, mumbling incoherently about 'laboratory,' 'drawing blood,' 'dissection' with his dying breath. At the time, she'd assumed it was a drug-induced hallucination. The case had gone nowhere.

Could that... could that have been the truth?

"Do you..." Diana's voice came out hoarse. "Do you have proof?"

"I do."

Jack pulled out a manila envelope and tapped it lightly against his thigh.

Instantly.

The hallway lights flickered back on.

Diana studied Jack's face, now clear again under the sensor lights, still wearing that inscrutable, composed smile.

Diana's expression shifted through several changes.

Finally.

She slowly holstered her gun, returning it to its place.

With a crisp metallic click, the weapon settled firmly at her hip. Diana's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, though the wariness hadn't completely left her eyes.

"Come in."

With that.

Diana pulled out her keys and began unlocking the door.

The door swung open. Diana stepped aside to let him pass. Jack didn't hesitate for a second, stepping into this space that was completely foreign to him.

The motion sensor in the entryway lit up, warm yellow light washing over them both, yet unable to dispel the invisible tension hanging in the air.

Diana closed the door, locked it, then turned around and leaned against the shoe cabinet, arms crossed over her chest, her gaze scrutinizing this uninvited guest.

"Have a seat." She gestured toward the living room sofa, her tone still cool but noticeably softer than the standoff in the hallway.

Jack looked around. The living room wasn't large, but it was warmly decorated.

A few landscape paintings hung on the walls, and photo frames lined the TV stand—pictures of Diana with family or friends, from the looks of it.

The whole space breathed with a simple, orderly sense of life.

He sat down on the sofa, casually placing the envelope on the coffee table in front of him.

"You're even more cautious than I expected." Jack looked at Diana, a hint of amusement playing at his lips. "I thought you'd turn me away at the door."

"I should have." Diana took a seat in the armchair across from him, her gaze falling on the envelope. "But I want to know what exactly you're after."

Jack said nothing.

He reached out and pushed the file toward her.

Diana sat down across from Jack.

Diana took a deep breath and reached for the hefty manila envelope on the table.

The moment her fingertips touched the paper, she could even feel her own pulse pounding.

She lowered her eyes, avoiding Jack's penetrating gaze, and slowly unwound the string closure.

As the seal opened, a thick stack of documents and several high-resolution photos slid out.

Diana casually picked up the top document. At first, her expression remained composed.

But when her eyes scanned the page and registered the contents of the first sheet, her pupils contracted sharply, and her previously steady breathing instantly lost its rhythm.

It was an internal supply procurement list from the detention center, densely packed with various chemical reagents, massive doses of anesthetics, and specialized surgical equipment.

And in the lower right corner of this list, a name she knew all too well was boldly signed—Senator Duke's name.

Diana's hand jerked violently, the document's edge trembling under the light.

She flipped the page in disbelief. A photograph fell out.

Diana stared fixedly at the image—cold machinery, horrifying scenes, and... chilling data.

In that moment.

Diana felt a bone-deep chill shoot from the soles of her feet straight to the crown of her head, her fingertips turning ice-cold.

"These... these..." Diana's head snapped up, her usually calm face now covered in shock and disbelief. Her voice shook uncontrollably, and the hand holding the documents trembled violently. "Are these... are these all real?!"

She couldn't believe it—that senator who gave such righteous speeches could actually be part of this massive criminal network!

Jack watched her near-breakdown, not answering immediately.

He simply leaned back slightly against the sofa, hands folded on his knees, a cold gleam flashing in those deep eyes.

"Do you think I'd joke with you about something like this, Diana?" Jack's voice was low and calm, yet it struck like a hammer blow to Diana's heart.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze boring into Diana's eyes. "You've been in this system for so many years—have you never questioned why cases involving refugees who escape from the detention center always get mysteriously buried? Why are missing persons never found?"

Diana's lips went pale. She opened her mouth but found herself unable to make any sound.

All those overlooked details in her mind now pieced together like a puzzle. Those unreasonable case closures, those orders forcing her to halt investigations—it was all... because of this.

"How could he... how could he..." Diana closed her eyes in anguish, her fingers clutching the document so tightly her knuckles went white.

"When power and profit are at stake, nothing is impossible," Jack said coldly.

Jack knew all too well—absolute power leads to absolute corruption.

Behind Duke stood numerous members of The Illuminati. These people were wealthy and powerful without exception.

Duke wanted to be president. He had to secure their support—both financial and political.

So he had to offer something of equal value.

And that something was memory transfer!

No one could resist the temptation of immortality!