She is a natural disaster.

Chapter 68 Head-to-Head

After some time, the three investigators who had gone to the courtyard to conduct their inspection returned to the main building.

None of the three investigators found anything unusual in the courtyard. The servants were busy with their own tasks, the gardener was pruning the branches, and the private guards were patrolling. Everything seemed normal.

On the surface, Bill Montagu not only had no intention of using the opportunity to harm Lonkinswit, but also provided Lonkinswit with the opportunity to harm him, because there were too few guards on duty.

After completing their inspection, the three investigators returned to the main building. They only saw Iris Warren at the door, but did not see the other team member.

Could it be that there are too many rooms in the villa and they haven't finished checking them yet? The three investigators had the same thought.

However, when the three saw Captain Warren's terrible expression, they all rejected the idea.

Immediately afterwards, the three investigators saw Anastasia standing with her hands behind her back.

Today, Anastasia is no longer the penniless private detective she once was; at least within the Bureau of Extraordinary Investigations, she has made a name for herself.

The three investigators approached cautiously, their footsteps light and their breathing slow, as if afraid of disturbing Anastasia, whose face was as cold as ice.

Even when reporting to Captain Warren, the three of them kept their voices very low, making Warren's ears itch.

"Is the check-up complete?" Anastasia asked. "Can Lonkinswait come in now?"

"She won't hit us, will she?" the three investigators thought in unison.

In the eyes of the three investigators, Anastasia was notorious, a fierce woman who single-handedly wiped out a combat squad.

Moreover, Anastasia has a long-standing feud with the Bureau's top brass, and until her conflict with the higher-ups is properly resolved, the combat team and investigators could become her scapegoats.

"Go and inform Mr. Lonkinswit," Iris Warren said. "The sooner we start, the sooner we finish."

Iris Warren didn't want to stay at Montague Estate any longer and just hoped that the negotiations between Montague and Lonkinswit could end as soon as possible.

Once the negotiations are over, Warren can leave the manor with Mr. Stone, and will no longer have to endure Anastasia's powerful aura and that indescribable sense of oppression.

Perhaps there was a communication problem, or perhaps Warren's team was never truly united. The three investigators left together, leaving their captain Warren alone to bear the immense pressure from Anastasia.

"Your team members are quite united; they always act together wherever they go."

Anastasia casually uttered a sarcastic remark, and Iris Warren secretly gathered her strength to suppress her inner rage.

"I hope that Miss Angel's future team members will also be this united."

In Warren's view, even if there was a rift between the Bureau's top brass and Anastasia, once she officially joined the Bureau, she would at least start as a captain.

"Wild beasts always roam alone, while cattle and sheep flock together. Don't you even understand this simple principle?"

Anastasia didn't think the Bureau's higher-ups would assign her any decent team members; it would be a miracle if they sent any normal people at all.

"I hope Miss Angel can say the same thing when she's facing her teammates."

Iris Warren dared not provoke Anastasia, so she could only retort with a few words that were neither too harsh nor too soft, and intentionally or unintentionally emphasized that they were all colleagues.

"I won't say that, because I'll tell them: if you want to die, you'd better die somewhere else and not dirty my eyes."

For Anastasia, the Bureau of Anomalies was merely a tool she used to investigate her own secrets. Who cared about the thoughts and rules of a tool? Anastasia, for one, didn't care.

As the two chatted idly, Lonkinswit's carriage passed through the two imposing wrought-iron gates and entered Montague Manor.

Two people were sitting in the carriage: one was Lonkins, the main figure in tonight's negotiations, and the other was a long-haired man named Dulles.

In the swaying carriage, Mr. Lonkinswit looked out at the courtyard view and said disdainfully, "Montague certainly knows how to enjoy life; the estate is made to look like a palace."

"Montagu has become too fond of enjoying life, so he has lost his ambition and his former drive," Dulles said, subtly praising Lonkinswait.

Compared to Mr. Lonkinswit, who spent all his time in the laboratory doing research, Bill Montagu seemed like a pleasure-seeking mediocre ruler.

"Swans." Lonkinswit's tone grew increasingly contemptuous. "Montagu really knows how to pull off all sorts of tricks."

The long-haired man, Dulles, chuckled in agreement. Unlike Lonkinswit, he wasn't confident; he had a feeling that something big was going to happen at tonight's meeting.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the manor's main building.

Lonkins looked out the car window, his face immediately darkening. He felt he wasn't being treated with the respect he deserved.

At this moment, only two women were in front of the honey-colored main building. The manor owner, Montagu, was not there, nor was Stone from the Bureau of Anomalies.

"You get out of the car first," Lonkinswit instructed.

"Yes, sir," Dulles said.

As soon as he finished speaking, the long-haired man, Dulles, opened the carriage door and stepped down.

Then Dulles closed the car door and slowly walked toward Anastasia and Warren.

Anastasia ignored Dulles as he approached. She looked over Dulles's shoulder at the closed carriage door and then at Lonkinswit.

"Miss Warren, is this how the Montague family treats its guests?" Dulles expressed his dissatisfaction.

Iris Warren inwardly groaned. Anastasia and Dulles were both people she couldn't afford to offend. As the leader of the combat squad, she was truly frustrated.

There's nothing we can do about it; among the extraordinary group of those who transcend, might makes right.

"This... um, sir," Anastasia began slowly, "there's a lake ahead. Go to the lake and look at your reflection. See if you look like a guest."

"This must be Miss Angel!" Dulles said, looking at Anastasia. "The manor owner hasn't shown up, nor has the middleman, leaving you all standing here alone—tsk tsk!"

What Dulles meant was that Anastasia was just a barking watchdog.

Iris Warren, standing to the side, was secretly alarmed. The negotiations hadn't even started yet, and the atmosphere between the two sides was already tense. It seemed that tonight's negotiations would be difficult to resolve peacefully.

In addition, what alarmed Warren was that Dulles, with his long hair flowing down his back, was so brave that he was actually challenging Anastasia. Was he planning to fight before negotiating?

Logically, Iris Warren, as the middleman, should have stepped in to dissuade the two sides from actually coming to blows. However, Warren did not choose to speak up to ease the tense atmosphere; some shady thoughts kept her mouth shut.

"Some people enjoy being treated like dogs by others and think that others do too, not realizing that they are the most worthless and despicable person in the world."

Anastasia turned her gaze away from the carriage and looked at Dulles, saying, "Is it... um, sir?"

Compared to the tactful and subtle Dulles, Anastasia was much more direct; she practically called Dulles a dog kept by Lonkinswit.

"Oh, wait a minute!"

Anastasia suddenly shook her head.

She continued, "Dogs are man's best friend, loyal and reliable. How could I insult a dog?"

Anastasia dislikes men with long hair, and upon their first meeting, Dulles made a negative impression on her. The fact that Dulles was also an enemy only compounded this negative impression.

"Sharp-tongued," Dulles scoffed. "I wonder if your sword is just as sharp?"

Anastasia didn't speak again; she just smiled at Dulles, who was spouting nonsense, as if he were a dying man.

Seeing the smile on Anastasia's face, Dulles was startled. He felt surrounded by a palpable killing intent, as if a gleaming blade was pressed against his neck.

Iris Warren, who was standing to the side, was a little surprised. The two of them had just been at odds, so why were they suddenly not talking to each other?

Warren did not sense Anastasia's murderous intent; this intense killing intent was directed only at Dulles.

Enveloped in murderous intent, Dulles was terrified, but he forced himself to remain composed and refused to back down even a step. If he showed any weakness now, he would truly be doomed.

Suddenly, the tightly closed carriage door opened.

Dulles felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and he quickly retreated to the side of the carriage to act as a human armrest for Lonkinswit.

"Miss Angel is quite impressive," Mr. Lonkinswit said as he walked, his tone seemingly showing no regard for Anastasia.

"No matter how powerful I am, I can't compare to Mr. Lonkinswait," Anastasia said with a laugh. "I could never commit such robbery as Mr. Lonkinswait, wouldn't you say?"

Instead of flying into a rage like he had at the research institute, Mr. Lonkinswit did not burst into laughter.

"It's a waste for someone like you to follow Montague," Lonkinswit said, not to sow discord, but from the bottom of his heart.

Compared to the obsequious Dulles, Lonkinswitter admired Anastasia's arrogance more. He seemed to see his younger self in her, equally arrogant and disdainful of everyone.

"Mr. Lonkinswit, you're wrong," Bill Montagu's voice came from the foyer.

Soon, Bill Montague and Mr. Stone came out.

"Anatasia is my guest. Someone like her should not be subservient to anyone, much less should she be."

As Bill Montagu spoke, he glanced at Dulles, the human-shaped handrail, seemingly casually. People who are obsequious are always looked down upon.

"Mr. Lonkinswait, I'm so sorry we're late," Mr. Stone explained. "Mr. Montague was showing me his collection, and I lost track of time."

Mr. Stone's words seemed to favor Bill Montague, which displeased Lonkinswitter.

"Alright, alright, now that Mr. Lonkinswait is here, let's begin!" Mr. Stone looked at Bill. "Mr. Montague, what do you say?"

"Of course, I also hope to shake hands and make peace with Mr. Lonkinswait as soon as possible," Bill said.

"Wait a minute," Anastasia suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Stone, aren't you going to have these two checked? What if they're armed?"

Driven by a strong desire to protect his master, Dulles stepped forward and stood in front of Lonkinswait.

While both the inspection of the estate and the physical search are intended to ensure that tonight's negotiations proceed smoothly, they are not comparable.

A body search, especially of Mr. Lonkinswit's belongings, was not only disrespectful to him, but a blatant humiliation.