Chapter 64: The Government Takes Notice

Just before Hanni opened the car door, she turned back with a face full of anger from being mocked. Her rage had turned into a sinister, fierce expression. "I don’t understand why Miss Irene refuses to accept the Norman family's gifts! If that's the case, Miss Irene should refrain from doing any business with the Norman family in the future!" Irene’s thin lips curved slightly, her eyes devoid of any humor. “That would be ideal. And remember, the Norman family has an ancestral rule: before doing anything, one must first learn how to be a decent person. Clearly, you pride yourself on being part of the Norman family, but you can't even manage this basic principle.” Hanni said nothing more, casting a cold glance at Irene before slamming the car door shut. The bodyguards followed, with the lead bodyguard hesitating momentarily before whispering a warning to Irene as he passed, “This woman is crazy, Miss Irene. Be careful.” Irene stood there, fiddling with her phone stand. Wasn't the Norman family known for its strict and fair principles? How could it be that when their young lady was being bullied, no one from the family stepped up to defend her? Even the bodyguards seemed to show deference to a mere housekeeper. Frowning, Irene felt like she was peering through a thick fog of confusion. However, these matters ultimately didn’t concern her directly. As the group of people left, Yuna approached with concern, “Irene, you must be careful. They won’t try to harm you, right?” Irene looked at Yuna, finding her particularly endearing. She had been so angry earlier, but now she was setting aside her own feelings to worry about her. Irene smiled, “Don’t worry, Yuna. They’re just one of my clients, and I’m not short on clients.” Yuna still looked uneasy, “But they don’t seem like good people. What if they try to harm your grandmother while you’re not home?” Irene’s smile was calm, “They’re a legitimate business family. They wouldn’t stoop that low.” Finally reassured, Yuna went home. When Irene entered the house, Madame Kashi was intently watching TV. Being a bit hard of hearing, the old lady hadn’t noticed the commotion outside. When Irene told her that her live stream had gone viral, the old lady was overjoyed, clapping her hands in delight. After laughing, she insisted on going to the supermarket to buy some good food to make a celebratory meal for Irene. Despite Irene and Emma’s efforts to stop her, she was determined. After Madame Kashi left, Emma asked curiously, “Sister Irene, what did you say to that woman to scare her so much?” Irene smiled, her gaze deepening, “I only said two words: handgun.” Emma nodded thoughtfully. Seeing Emma’s expression, Irene added, “You sensed something was off too, didn’t you?” Emma, who had been hesitant, now nodded firmly, “Yes! At first, I didn’t think much of it, but that woman picked up the handgun when no one was looking!” Irene nodded. She had noticed that too. That handgun was a very precious collector’s item, crafted by a master gunsmith who only made two of each model. One of them was on Stefan’s desk, and today Irene had finally seen the other one. But why did Alice have that handgun? And it was modified. Fortunately, the handgun was unique enough that a careful examination of purchase records would reveal its origins. Irene’s fingers tapped absently on the phone stand. Should she tell Stefan about this? Such matters weren’t for the general public to know. Only those active on the dark web would be aware. Without prior knowledge, most people would assume the special marks on each handgun were just material patterns. However, Irene soon had other things to think about. The fact that her live stream went viral not only made Madame Kashi happy but also gained attention in A City’s political circles. The first to share it was the secretary to the mayor of A City. Quickly, someone commented under the video: Who is this person? Lynch Cecil, the secretary, soon replied: A highly skilled detective. Most politicians in the state knew about the reinstatement of private detective laws, but they were curious: was this person really that capable? Secondly, was this being brought up at the mayor’s behest? Soon, their second question was answered. The mayor of A City commented under the video, “Lynch, private hobbies shouldn’t be posted on the official account.” However, the next moment, the governor, Thompson Bell, commented: “Lynch, you did the right thing. With the new law passed, we should set a good example for all detectives and clean up the chaos in the detective community!” The mayor was speechless. What? Not only the governor but even usually ill-tempered university professors were praising the live streamer. Eventually, they all turned on the mayor: “You said this needed to be deleted?” The mayor promptly deleted his comment. Because these comments spread like wildfire across various politicians’ social media accounts, the mayor saw them everywhere. He immediately confronted his secretary, Lynch, “Explain this to me, what’s going on?” Lynch adjusted his glasses, smiling innocently, “Which politician doesn’t fear having issues at home being used against them? Perhaps that’s the reason.” The mayor scoffed, “There are plenty of good agents in the FBI, not to mention skilled police detectives. Each one is battle-hardened with rich practical experience. Why would anyone need a private detective?” Lynch nodded, “Perhaps because of the Decker incident, people are now inclined to find a familiar private detective to help.” The mayor was silent. Indeed, the Decker incident had not only influenced politicians’ choices but also affected the public’s trust in the government and police. “Moreover, Miss Irene is a genuinely good person. Decker looks down on ordinary people, but not Irene. If there’s any injustice, she’ll see it through to the end.” The mayor pondered. “She does sound like a good candidate.” A very suitable image for promotion. The mayor decided to see for himself. He found Irene’s live stream online, followed it, and asked, “How do you send gifts in this live stream?” Lynch hurriedly stopped him. Don’t. If one person sends a gift, others will follow suit. Soon, dozens of politicians crowding Irene’s live stream could lead to either positive or negative consequences. After all, the public’s attitude towards the government in Q Country was extreme.