Bell-mère nervously swallowed. "Go ahead."
"Good. It's been said that after Povo Village was suppressed by the Royal Guard, you were spotted, along with a Marine warship. Is that true?" Steele took out a piece of paper, asking the question without looking up.
"Don't attempt to deceive me. CP exists to gather intelligence. Don't think being a Marine exempts you from our judgment. We represent the World Government."
Steele's icy words placed immense pressure on Bell-mère.
In the silent office, it was so quiet she could hear her own heart pounding.
"Yes, I rushed to the scene after the Povo Village tragedy."
Steele didn't look up, merely jotting down her words. "Very well. Whose warship was it, and who was the commanding officer?"
Bell-mère fell silent. She didn't want to betray Raleigh.
Steele lifted his head, his lifeless eyes fixing on her.
"Hiding the truth is useless. CP can investigate a warship's route. If you don't tell the truth, I'll have to assume this fleet had connections with the Mad Blade Pirates."
Hearing this, Bell-mère clenched her fists. "Impossible! How could the Marines have any ties with pirates?"
"Heh. You're not being honest. If our intelligence is correct, the officer on that warship was the former commander of Branch 133—Christian Raleigh, right?"
Bell-mère's pupils dilated.
She had thought she could bluff her way through, but she hadn't realized how deeply rooted CP was.
They had the authority to review the Marines' public operations.
"I'll give you one chance. Tell the truth, or I'll escort you to the CP base for interrogation."
Bell-mère lowered her head, making it impossible for Steele to see her expression.
"What exactly did you and Christian Raleigh discuss?"
"Nothing much. Captain Raleigh thought it was a pirate attack, so I explained the situation to him."
Steele nodded, then pressed further. "What was his expression? Did he say anything?"
"Captain Raleigh showed no expression. He seemed unbothered by it all."
Steele set down his pen, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing straight through Bell-mère.
"I've investigated. Before this incident, you were a Marine Third Class with very low combat ability. But after this incident, your strength improved rapidly. You were promoted to Petty Officer First Class in a short time. So, you've been hiding something from me."
"No, Captain Raleigh encouraged me to train hard, that's all."
"Hah."
Steele put down his pen and suddenly moved.
Soru!
'So fast!' Bell-mère only saw a blur as Steele's hand shot toward her throat like a venomous snake.
Without time to think, Bell-mère abruptly retreated backward.
"Oh, interesting."
Seeing Bell-mère also use the Marine Six Styles, a flicker of surprise passed through Steele's eyes, but it quickly returned to calm.
The Soru Bell-mère executed seemed about one-third slower than the standard version.
Steele pushed off powerfully again, closing in on Bell-mère at an even faster speed.
Thud!
Before Bell-mère could retreat out of attack range, Steele caught up, his hand firmly clamping around her neck.
Her body was slammed hard against the conference room wall.
A suffocating sensation surged in Bell-mère's mind.
Desperate for air, she lashed out at Steele with punches and kicks, but he merely maintained his tight grip, completely ignoring her attacks.
Soon, Bell-mère's face turned purplish-red from lack of oxygen.
Watching her on the verge of being strangled, Steele released his right hand, letting her collapse to the floor.
"Cough... cough... cough..."
Suddenly freed, Bell-mère had no strength left.
She lay sprawled on the floor, greedily gulping down the air.
"I suggest you tell me the truth," Steele said, looking down at her crumpled at his feet. His eyes showed not a trace of pity; he was like an icy killing machine.
"This time, I've spared your life. Next time, I'll make you wish you were dead."
Without warning, his foot came down hard on Bell-mère's hand.
"Ah!!!"
Bell-mère's scream echoed through the conference room.
"Bell-mère!"
Boom!
The conference room door burst open as Captain Duncan charged in, shouting anxiously.
When he saw Bell-mère lying on the floor with her hand pinned under Steele's foot, even this usually steady man grew furious.
"Get your filthy foot off my comrade's hand!"
Duncan lunged straight at Steele.
Though he didn't know the Six Styles, his extensive battlefield experience made his speed formidable, his right fist swinging fiercely.
Steele watched Duncan coldly, then lightly leaped backward, effortlessly evading the attack.
Duncan quickly helped Bell-mère to her feet, then turned and roared at Steele, "CP, you has gone too far! We have no problem cooperating with your investigation, but who gave you permission to attack a Marine?"
"Just wait! I will report your behavior to Marine Headquarters!"
Steele seemed unfazed, merely staring coldly at them.
"This Marine officer has concealed information, which could lead me in the wrong direction and delay World Government affairs. You cannot bear that responsibility."
"Since she refuses to speak here, I have no choice but to take her back to the CP organization for interrogation."
"How dare you!"
Duncan's eyes widened in fury. F
ollowing his angry roar, a team of elite Marine soldiers armed with rifles burst into the conference room.
"Let's see who dares to take Bell-mère away today!"
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