Todd heard Rachel's voice in his ear: "The latest batch of 'Sutherland Potion' produced can equip twenty-six successors, and there are about twelve pairs of mature 'Dragon Bones'. Regarding the selection of those to be sent down, I have made a list, with military members as the highest priority. You can take a look."

After glancing at the list briefly and placing it on his lap, Todd stared at the woman's face and asked, "After the negotiations with the relief organization that day, you seemed to have something to say?"

Rachel glanced back at Todd, then quickly lowered her head: "It's nothing."

Todd sighed. "You don't want the relief fund to enter Twilight Town, do you?"

"Anything that benefits Lord Todd and anything that benefits Muxi Town is acceptable; personal preferences are not important."

Hearing this, Todd, now somewhat annoyed, picked up the list and slammed it heavily on the table, his voice low and menacing: "Ratchet! Your timid and submissive demeanor feels foreign to me, and I don't want to hear these perfunctory words! Tell me, where has the woman I used to know, the one who was so witty and frank at dinner parties, gone?!"

Rachel raised her head, her eyes filled with unyielding sorrow: "Lord Todd, the present is the present, the past is the past, and everything is different now. On our backs, there is a burden called 'responsibility.' Whenever we want to throw it away, we are always afraid that the beauty and preciousness inside will be shattered. Therefore, carrying this burden is our only choice, and there is nothing wrong with that."

“As I just said, I won’t object to anything that benefits you and Muxi Town.” The woman’s eyes regained their calm. She stood up and walked to the door, then suddenly turned back and said, “I always remember that at that banquet, there was someone who deliberately curled up because he was worried about getting my clothes dirty… That was the first time in my life I had ever felt kindness without any benefit or expectation…”

The door to the commander-in-chief's office was slowly closed.

In the large room, only Todd sat at the table, staring blankly ahead.

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Todd, preoccupied with his own thoughts, arrived at the newly built Twilight Academy. He walked to the stage in the lecture hall and looked around. The hall was packed with people: Kendi, Ulysses, Rachel, Joe… These were all core members of Twilight Town and loyal followers of his.

Opening the hastily printed book, Todd chose to temporarily put everything else aside and focus on today's lesson. After introducing the basic subjects, he planned to talk about his specialty—microbiology. The first lesson was about the groups of microorganisms and their place in the biological world.

Why should microbiology be taught?

In the field of xenogeneic research, Todd's individual efforts are simply too limited. There are numerous large-scale experiments, such as phage targeting and classification, functional quantification of xenogeneic bacteria, and measurement and adjustment of supernatural abilities, which he simply lacks the time and energy to conduct. Therefore, a research team dedicated to xenogeneic research urgently needs to be established. However, he intends to maintain secrecy regarding some key technologies, such as the production method of Sutherland bacteria, the cultivation of "Inheritors," and the use of parasites like "Dragon Bones," "Honeycombs," and "Tesla."

After finishing his lessons, Todd rushed back to the Knights' headquarters, summoned Huggins, and planned to give him an important task.

As Muxi Town developed, its resident structure became more complex, with issues such as factional struggles, espionage, and resident conflicts gradually emerging. In response to this complex environment, establishing an organization similar to an internal investigation and intelligence gathering agency became particularly important.

In fact, Todd had already been doing this for a while, assigning intelligence-gathering functions to places like the "Come Back Tomorrow" tavern and the "Sisters' Inn." But this loose intelligence organization was simply unable to control the growing internal risks in Twilight Town.

Todds deliberated for a long time before deciding on the right person. The person in charge of internal intelligence gathering needed to be loyal to him, familiar with the town, and adaptable. After considering all these factors, he concluded that Huggins, who had been the first to swear allegiance, was the most suitable for the position.

"Sir, what exactly is this... the entire Muxi County Bureau you mentioned?" Harkins asked uncertainly after listening to Todd for a while. "In Muxi Town, there's already a guard team responsible for maintaining order. What will this newly established organization do?"

Todd looked at the other man and prompted him, "Do you remember when we were at the monastery preparing to fight the pirates, your men were out gathering intelligence everywhere? The principle is similar. I want you to establish a covert force, operating in the shadows of Muxi Town, to monitor the residents' movements, gather intelligence in a timely manner, and identify potential threats; and to establish a bottom-up intelligence organization by spreading your spies throughout the town."

Harkins finally understood Todd's deeper meaning. After hesitating for a moment, he said softly, "Sir, what about resource allocation...?"

“I will transfer a group of ‘reconnaissance successors’ from the military and assign them to you as your assistant. In addition, I will also allocate a portion of the Holy Treasury as start-up capital for the Security Bureau.”

Todd stood up from his chair, turned around, and walked to the blinds in the Grand Master's office. Looking through the cracks at the bustling crowd on the street, he slowly said, "After the Security Bureau is established, I will give you two tasks. First, the Holy Order Arbitration Court will begin to count and investigate the town's residents, filing population records based on personal information and family affiliation, and issuing 'Muxi Resident Identity Documents.' Your task is to secretly assist them and find the enemy's spies planted in Muxi Town. Second, focus on the core figures of Muxi Academy, monitoring their every move to ensure that certain secrets are not revealed."

Huggins carefully considered Todd's words.

This man, who had once been a knight, served the royal family, fought against enemies, and later spent some time navigating the complexities of society, felt no resistance to such an order. On the contrary, familiar with the 'laws of society,' he believed that Twilight Town needed some 'control' and 'prevention.' But there was one thing he needed to confirm with the high-ranking Grand Master.

Just how much power can such a clandestine organization wield?

Watching Todd's retreating figure, Huggins asked in a low voice, "What should I do if I discover any troublemakers?"

"You want to ask about the Security Bureau's authority, right? First, I allow you to use the 'Inheritor' team; second, I allow you to implement the 'arrest first, report later' policy; third, I allow you to use mental aberrations for interrogation."

Huggins turned his gaze to his toes, his voice even softer: "If some of the treacherous individuals are core members of the Knights, or even your friends, sir, then what should I do?"

Todd stopped moving, and after a long while, his voice was a little dry: "Treat them all the same, without distinction."

Hearing the door close behind him, Todd reached out and weakly gripped the window frame, muttering, "Responsibility..."