Chapter 692: Trust in Benjamin’s Character

Hayley’s POV:

Frederick had been at odds with Benjamin, even though he was the one taking the hits. I had been keeping a close watch on them the entire time. But when he suddenly lunged at me, I was caught off guard. Luckily, Hera reacted instantly. Thanks to her, I managed to dodge just in time.

With Benjamin nearby, I couldn’t risk letting Hera take control and expose my true identity. Thus, I swiftly pulled out a silver needle and flicked it toward Frederick’s neck. As expected, he dropped to his knees, clutching his throat. He glared at me with anger and disbelief.

I met his gaze calmly. “Captain Langston, you may not like me, but you should at least have faith in Benjamin’s character. He wouldn’t commit crimes, let alone cover for them. And I won’t betray his trust. You’ve already decided I’m a murderer and think you know the truth. Fine. Stay here and see for yourself if your judgment is right.”

Turning to Zayd, I instructed, “Prepare a room for Captain Langston.” Zayd, ever obedient, glanced at Benjamin for approval. Once he received a nod, he followed my orders. As the others shifted their focus to us, Zayd finally snapped into action and carried Frederick away.

“So, what should we do with this one?” Claudio motioned toward Ryder’s corpse.

“Leave it for now,” I said evenly. “I’ll have professionals conduct an autopsy tomorrow.”

Back in my room, I logged into the SI System and posted a bounty: “Urgently seeking a highly skilled forensic doctor, Beta rank or above. Must be discreet. Double the pay.”

Not long after, a private message popped up from a user named HushJoy: “Send me the address.” I quickly responded, “It’s Astoria. How soon can you get here?” “Tomorrow night: Send the exact location.” After sending the details, the user immediately went offline.

The day passed quickly. At 3:00 a.m., I stepped outside, waiting at the door. In the distance, a shadowy figure slowly approached. Under the dim streetlight, the person finally emerged from the darkness and stopped in front of me.

Hera picked up his scent, confirming he was a high-ranking Beta. It had to be that forensic doctor. When I saw his face clearly, I was somewhat surprised. “It’s you?”

It was Max, the same forensic doctor who had examined the bodies when the college professors died. “Well, what a small world. We meet again,” he said with a smirk. His ID badge still hung around his neck, and a compact toolbox rested on his shoulder. He had clearly just come from the Forensic Department.

I frowned slightly. “Why are you here?”

“To handle your problem, obviously,” he replied. “I’m HushJoy, the one you were expecting.”

I fell silent. A forensic expert from the department—practically law enforcement. If I let him get involved, things could get complicated.

Max seemed to read my mind and chuckled. “Having second thoughts? Too late for that. If you called for an autopsy, it means someone died under suspicious circumstances. That points to a possible crime, and you won’t be able to cover it up.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you planning to turn me in?”

With no one else around, I calmly prepared for Hera to take control.