Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 434: Total Domination

Marcus added with absolute confidence, "If we can trace the equipment theft to the original culprit, we will likely drag the mastermind behind the Seabed-173 case into the light!"

He straightened his back, waiting for the inevitable approval.

The Chief Commander looked at Marcus, his tone level. "Nancy and Simon have already been assigned a more critical mission. You may proceed with your flight to the port to investigate the equipment theft as a secondary lead."

Marcus felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face was a mask of disbelief. "Why? I practically have my hand on the killer's throat!"

The team members behind him also looked indignant. To them, this was blatant favoritism on Nancy’s part toward her brother.

However, at that exact moment, the main screen in the conference room flickered to life.

Simon’s comprehensive case analysis report appeared in full detail. High-definition photos of the weld comparisons, field records of the octopus detections, data on the involved vessels, and a complete suspect profile flashed across the screen.

The officers in the room erupted into chaos as they processed the information.

The Commander’s voice rose above the noise, steady and powerful.

"Simon’s team has used concrete evidence to confirm that the Seabed-173 case is highly correlated with the Blackshark remnants. The team has already departed for the port to begin surveillance, and a major apprehension operation is expected to follow."

The report was displayed page by page, each link in the chain so solid it was staggering.

"He actually found a breakthrough in the welding patterns. Simon’s observation skills are terrifying."

"I've been in criminal investigation for over a decade, and this is the first time I've seen an octopus hired as a forensic expert. Talk about an eye-opener."

"Their intel arrived two hours late, yet they beat everyone to the punch. Now that is what I call pure talent."

"If you ask me, the combination of Simon and Nancy makes the most complex investigations look easy."

The whispers shifted from shock to pure admiration. The earlier rumors of team conflict or an inability to deliver a report were crushed under the weight of ironclad evidence.

Marcus froze where he stood, his look of triumph hardening before draining into a blank stare. He stared at Simon’s undeniable report on the big screen, his mouth hanging open. He sat back down in silence.

He held a mere theory. Simon held a complete chain of evidence that pinned the killers directly to Blackshark. It was a brutal display of expertise that made everyone else look like amateurs.

Suddenly, the leaderboard refreshed. Simon’s team members were awarded five points each, while Simon himself received seven. Their team total hit twenty-seven points, crushing the competition and seizing the top spot.

By then, the team that everyone was chasing was already on a plane to the port. Beneath the cabin doors and above the clouds, the real contest with the criminals had only just begun.

Nancy was wasting no time. She had already coordinated a land and air surveillance web using Master Crow and Tabby King to track Zermatt.

Since Zermatt’s small, illegally modified boat had been seized by the coast guard last month, he had been out of work and staying at his home in a nearby seaside fishing village. The village was a magnet for stray cats because of the constant supply of fish guts and scraps, leaving the local feline population well-fed and sleek.

Tabby King had quickly befriended the local strays and returned with his tail held high.

"I've got the scoop," he reported, licking the lingering scent of fish from his muzzle with satisfaction.

"That human, Zermatt, has been cooped up in his house for nearly two weeks since his boat was taken. He barely sticks his nose out the door."

Tabby King leaned closer to Nancy. "But an old dock cat told me that during the nighttime feline assemblies, she saw Zermatt sneaking off to an abandoned warehouse several times in the dead of night. He was meeting a few guys who smelled like rust and gunpowder."

The cat licked a paw, narrowing his eyes. "When they met, their heads were spinning like owls, looking every which way. They were incredibly nervous."

Nancy’s eyes lit up. "Midnight meetings and the scent of gunpowder. Zermatt is definitely connected to Blackshark!"

She pulled out a wet wipe and gently cleaned the fishy residue from Tabby King’s whiskers. "We keep watching until he makes his next move. That boat of his definitely wasn't carrying legitimate cargo. He’s been cooped up far too long. He’s bound to surface soon."

Her eyes flashed with anticipation. "When they meet again, we take them all down in one go!"

Tabby King and Nancy shared a high-five before he returned to the village to lie in wait. With the assignments set, Nancy didn't forget her promise to her temporary workers. She and Samantha pushed the small trolley toward the patrol boat, preparing to release the five octopus detectives back into the deep sea.