Let's put aside the matter of adding points for now.
The priority was to assess the scene.
This slaughter... battle was far easier than expected.
Agent Ruth, who had ignored warnings and forcibly entered the underground base, was subsequently executed by the thugs. She died in the line of duty, her lips forever sealed. Apart from her, no one else was injured.
Reality is not like the movies.
In an unguarded toxic fume attack, the fact that anyone could still move and attempt to flee already showed their quick reflexes.
The saying goes: murder and arson.
Dean and the others, as public servants of Los Angeles, guardians of order, and incarnations of justice, certainly wouldn't stoop to such vulgarity.
Dick and these enthusiastic citizens helped the NSA operatives drag body after body out from inside and outside the church. They verified identities, took photographs, stripped the corpses of their belongings, and then tossed them onto Beck's truck like dead dogs, forming a veritable assembly line for body disposal.
Apart from Dean's older brother Beck and a few cowboys he brought along, who hid in a corner vomiting from nausea, the rest seemed unfazed by the grisly scene.
Dean noticed that, possibly because of the previous attack on him and Harry, these people didn't have many weapons left—the main reason Dick and his men remained unharmed.
Furthermore, in the church's underground prison, the team carried out seventeen young children. Captured recently, they hadn't yet been broken. This was why they survived, merely knocked unconscious by the poison gas.
Before long, a man with a scar on his face ran up to Dean and reported, "Boss Dean, we compared the photos you provided and found twenty-three matches among the men and women. There are still eleven people we didn't find among the bodies!"
This man was the leader of the Lucchese Family's Sweeper team, brought by Dick. As an old Mafia family, they maintained a strict internal hierarchy with clear distinctions between ranks, adhering to ancient Mafia codes.
To these men, who constantly diced with death, a ruthless individual like Dean was undeniably more charismatic, earning the respect and admiration of these Mafia Sweepers!
Dean was initially puzzled upon hearing the report.
The system panel had already issued a reward. So how could the numbers not add up?
He only breathed a sigh of relief after checking the names of those not found among the corpses. Those missing were all students of Mike Smith, but they were employed outside California, not within the state.
Clearly, not everyone had completely fallen from grace.
Considering these individuals were, like Mike Smith, potential threats...
Dean handed the photos and details of these eleven individuals to Doug, who had just finished reporting to Amon. "Squad Leader Doug, these eleven people didn't participate, but they're severely influenced. I'll leave it to you to decide how to handle them."
Doug took the photos and documents, nodding. "No problem. Also, Supervisor Amon has something to discuss with you."
Dean nodded and picked up his phone, only then realizing he had missed calls from Amon.
He had a hunch what this was about. Now that the fun part was over, it was time to deal with the aftermath. Amon would manage the trouble from the FBI. It was just a matter of distributing credit. As for the deceased Agent Ruth... she was already compensated for dying in the line of duty. What more could anyone expect? The biggest headache, however, was the Ashton family head's youngest son. That brat probably knew what happened here and was pressuring Amon!
Dean clenched his fists, a chilly glint in his eyes.
Hopefully, the kid would know what's good for him. He was far more powerful now than when he had wiped out the Carmen Family!
Picking up the phone, Dean called Amon.
"Amon, has the Ashton family contacted you?"
"Yes, a brat, thinking he can threaten me, haha! Dean, since you guessed, it seems you knew all along?"
"Yep. Like you said, just a kid. If I've offended him, so be it. I can't let those fanatics from the Source of Agony live; otherwise, my family's safety isn't guaranteed."
"Alright," Amon replied casually on the other end. "You don't have to be so anxious. I've handled it for you. Their main concern is that this case isn't linked to Mike Smith. That's the advantage of the NSA; we're far more forceful than those wimps at the FBI."
There's a big difference between the two. The FBI can handle all cases within federal jurisdiction nationwide, from serious murder cases to minor traffic violations. If they wish to get involved, they have the authority to insert themselves. They act as a jack-of-all-trades, a troublemaker, and are also the agency most often impersonated or made a scapegoat by other departments.
The NSA, however, is different. They are solely responsible for major crises and threats to national security within United States territory, wielding extremely high authority. In an emergency, the NSA has the authority to mobilize the National Guard! On this point alone, the FBI has no choice but to back down.
Dean expressed his gratitude for Amon's goodwill.
After hanging up, Dean headed to the corner where his brother Beck was hiding, teasingly calling out, "Beck, can you still stand up and walk?"
Beck wiped his mouth, his eyes full of resentment. "Dean, you bastard! You actually made me bring my men to drag bodies. Just wait and see how you'll explain this to Grandpa when you get back!"
He still has the nerve to talk.
The other cowboys, seeing Dean approach, were already trembling uncontrollably. For them, murder itself wasn't scary. What was terrifying was someone who could order the massacre of so many people without batting an eye!