Ch'en looked at the records of the interrogation and was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected that a man who clearly looked like a brute would be so incredibly eloquent. This Vouivre had managed to verbally dismantle Swire—that Pink Sausage Dragon's favorite "Char Siu"—without using a single profanity, leaving her with no room to fight back. No wonder the "embarrassing cat" was so furious.
"Save a copy and send it to my computer later. I need to find time to study this properly. This guy is definitely better at arguing with Swire than I am."
Ch'en maintained a deadpan expression as she spoke to the officer beside her. She anticipated that Swire would try to suppress the transcript, so she had to seize the opportunity. If she could learn even a fraction of the rhetoric used in this dialogue, she would be nearly invincible in any future verbal sparring matches with that "char siu."
"Officer Ch'en, is that really a good idea? If Officer Swire finds out, my life will be miserable..."
The officer looked at Ch'en with concern, caught in a dilemma where he couldn't afford to offend either superintendent. He hinted that Ch'en should copy it herself so he could claim innocence to Swire later.
"Fine, I'll do it myself."
Ch'en pulled out a USB drive and copied the transcript, intending to study the "grammar" used against Swire later. Even if she couldn't learn anything, it would still serve as a good laugh.
"This is infuriating! Why is his tongue so poisonous? With a build like that, shouldn't he be the type who isn't good at talking?"
On the other side, Swire was being forcibly dragged out by Hoshiguma. The usually elegant Officer Swire was now as angry as if someone had stepped on her tail.
"That's just your prejudice, Officer Swire. Who says burly people can't be good at communicating? Especially a man who has spent years in the underworld," Hoshiguma comforted her, though her expression suggested this outcome was expected. Having fought through the underworld herself, Hoshiguma had heard rumors of this man—a Vouivre who built a physique bulkier than an average Minos and whose tongue was just as unyielding. Legend had it that his big mouth once led enemies to ambush him and saw off his horns, yet he hadn't changed a bit.
"But he was like a mute gourd before! He wouldn't say a word to the rest of you, but the moment I stepped in, he started blasting me. Did I offend him in a past life?"
Swire clearly hadn't calmed down. She couldn't understand why the silent giant turned into a machine gun of insults the moment she tried to talk. When had she, Beatrix Swire, ever suffered such a stifling defeat? She probably thought he was like that Pink Sausage Dragon—someone she couldn't win a fight against... wait, in a one-on-one, she actually would have a hard time.
"That's why if you don't have the eloquence or a deep understanding of your opponent, don't try to play the 'emotional card.' If they flip the script on you, it becomes a massive joke."
Having finished her business, Ch'en looked at the bristling "little tiger" with a gloating expression. At this moment, Ch'en felt her exhaustion from the past few days vanish. The only word for it was: comfortable.
"Pink Sausage Dragon, if you're so capable, go in there and get him to talk! Why mock me? It won't be too late to say those words once you've actually succeeded!"
Swire's anger flared at Ch'en's taunts. She was at least trying to find a breakthrough, unlike this pink sausage who had just been watching the show. Still, she knew Ch'en's eloquence was even worse than her own; if Ch'en went in there for five minutes, she'd probably end up pulling out Chi Xiao.
Suddenly, Swire noticed the fresh face standing next to Ch'en. "Who is this? Strangers aren't usually allowed... Ah, right, you're Jeanne, right? I'm Beatrix Swire. I was planning to look for you these past few days..."
Mid-sentence, Swire remembered exactly who she was. Every major event lately revolved around this girl! What was most impressive was how Jeanne could go through all that and still act like nothing had happened.
"Hello, Officer Swire. I'm here to get some information and perhaps try to help solve the problem of this guy refusing to talk."
Jeanne offered a polite greeting, which moved Swire deeply. Finally, someone didn't call her "Officer Swire" the very first time they met! Swire's expression softened instantly. Jeanne, seeing the "little tiger" look at her with a suddenly strange, appreciative gaze, wasn't quite sure what had happened.
"Tch, char siu cat, stop embarrassing us. Go back to your actual job—managing officer deployments or calculating bills!" Ch'en said with disdain. Her words reignited Swire's fury, but out of respect for Jeanne's presence, Swire held back from a full-blown shouting match.
"You can try if you want, but be extremely careful. That guy's muscles are impossibly huge; it's possible he could snap those handcuffs and lunge at any moment!"
Ignoring the mocking Pink Sausage Dragon, Swire kindly briefed Jeanne on the Vouivre. They had used their largest handcuffs, but against his massive arms, the iron looked like thin wire. If blood tests hadn't confirmed he wasn't an Infected, they would have thought his physique was maintained by some specialized Originium Art.
"Don't worry, I have some confidence in my skills. Even if he lunges, I can protect myself."
Jeanne was confident, but Ch'en wasn't about to be careless. Even if Jeanne could protect herself, it would be a disgrace to the LGD to let a victim fight their own battles.
"Hoshiguma and I will go in with you. Swire will be outside in charge of the crossbows. If that guy tries anything, we'll protect you even if we have to kill him."
When Swire saw Ch'en gripping not just her standard blade but also the Chi Xiao—the sword she usually couldn't fully control—she knew Ch'en was dead serious. Nearby, Hoshiguma picked up her triangular shield, Hannya. Both were ready for a lethal confrontation.
"I didn't think you'd dare come in person," the Vouivre man said as Ch'en and Hoshiguma led Jeanne into the room. A mocking smile played on his lips. He hadn't expected that after his mission failed, the heavens would give him another chance at redeeming himself.
He continued to mock this "coward" who only had the courage to meet him when flanked by two bodyguards, all while secretly hoping she would step just a little bit closer. That way, he could fix his mistake. As for his own life? That didn't matter.
But the moment he met Jeanne's pale gold eyes, an uneasy feeling washed over him.