Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 433: The Lead

He paused, his fingers tracing the air to pull up a data model of maritime crime trends from recent years.

"Second, these men have retired and are making dirty money by performing illegal modifications for boat owners. After all, welding is their trade."

At the dock, Nancy narrowed her eyes as she scanned the pristine hull of the small impounded vessel.

"Based on the case from three years ago," she said softly, her voice steady against the sea breeze, "the first theory is more likely. People who have tasted that kind of profit rarely walk away."

In the AR office, Simon’s gaze sharpened.

"Then we start with what is right in front of us."

He raised his hand, instantly magnifying the image of the small modified boat on the screen.

"Find the owner of this vessel seized last month. He likely still has ties to the Blackshark remnants."

Separated by hundreds of kilometers, the siblings stood before the same map of clues, their eyes landing on the same name.

Samantha quickly synchronized the new data with Nancy and Simon.

"The owner of the modified boat seized last month is Zermatt Bones, thirty-six years old. He runs a small shipping business and his background looks ordinary."

An ID photo followed. Zermatt had dark skin and an honest face, his demeanor no different from the countless boat owners who spent their lives at sea.

Simon made an immediate call. "Deploy personnel to place Zermatt under covert surveillance. Focus on his social circle and any suspicious contacts he has made recently."

"Covert surveillance?" Nancy’s eyes lit up, her tone turning playful. "Our animal scouts are the absolute best at that."

A hint of an expectant smile touched Simon’s voice. "Good. Nancy, I am reporting this to headquarters immediately to request a rendezvous and initiate the monitoring protocol."

…

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the conference hall back at the training base was electric.

The elite teams had been submitting their case analysis reports one after another. Marcus’s team had not only been the fastest and most detailed, but they were also the first to propose a clear investigative direction: the local diving clubs.

As a result, Marcus was awarded two points, and his team members received one each, bringing their total to six points and securing a temporary lead.

Just as all eyes were on him, Marcus’s phone rang. It was a manager from a diving club.

The contact provided a vital piece of information. Three years ago, just two months before the incident on the Seabed-173, a club called Salty Bay had been burglarized. Five complete sets of professional diving equipment had been stolen.

A sharp light flashed in Marcus’s eyes. He stood up immediately and reported loudly to the officer in charge.

"I suspect these five stolen sets were the tools used in the murders! I request permission to lead my team to the port immediately to investigate this lead on the ground!"

The lead was logical and timely, drawing a wave of quiet admiration from the room.

"As expected of the youngest deputy leader of the Bellwood task force."

"That investigative instinct is the real deal."

"Those six points were well-earned."

The leaderboard updated in real time. Marcus’s personal score hit three points, placing him firmly at the top of the rankings, with his team leading the overall standings.

The officer in charge nodded. "Understood. I will report this progress to the Commander." He turned and left the room.

For a moment, many envious glances were cast toward Marcus and his team. Though they tried to remain composed, the pride in their eyes was nearly impossible to hide.

It was then that someone noticed Simon’s team seats were still empty. A voice rose above the chatter.

"Simon’s team still hasn't submitted their report? Wasn't the deadline a while ago?"

Someone nearby confirmed in a low voice. "They haven't. They were given four hours for the analysis, but with the intelligence delay, they only had two actual hours of work time."

"It's not just that they missed the deadline. They haven't even put out a placeholder report."

This drew several meaningful looks between the officers. One of Marcus’s teammates let out a short laugh, his tone mocking.

"Maybe the report was so bad they were too embarrassed to show it?"

A few low murmurs of agreement followed. In a room where most had already settled their business, those empty chairs were glaringly obvious and invited plenty of speculation.

The other participants began to whisper among themselves.

"What is going on with Simon?"

"That group is full of experts. They can't even get a basic report together?"

"Putting too many experts together is asking for trouble. They probably haven't cooperated before and no one wants to listen to anyone else. Teamwork matters more than individual talent."

As the gossip intensified, the Chief Commander strode into the room, a clear look of excitement on his face.

Seeing this, Marcus assumed his new lead had been recognized. He stepped forward, his voice ringing out. "Chief, I request permission to fly to the port immediately. I also suggest Ms. Nancy accompany us to assist in the investigation of the stolen diving gear."