Initially, when Fang had talked about the magical beasts, everyone was just surprised. But now, learning about the number of people involved, no one could stay calm.
Even the Aurors who had come from the UK to support the operation began to raise doubts. Some questioned whether the whole thing was legitimate. After all, Alex and others had said the opposition was a Silver Wand group.
Facing a dozen or so enemies might still be considered fighting crime. But now, having to face hundreds at once? It felt like an entirely different, and much more dangerous, situation altogether.
After the operation was completed, there was a concern about not letting those involved become criminals. There were only a few dozen of them, but whether they could handle so many wizards was another question.
Even Amelia and Andre had doubts, especially Andre. He had heard that a wizard army was being trained here, so when he first learned they were going to deal with over 200 people, he didn't object.
According to the reports, many of those were ordinary wizards responsible for daily duties, and nearly a hundred were Muggles. Was it really okay to raid such a place? There was the risk these people might turn around and sue them.
With so many individuals involved, it was impossible to cover up everything, and they definitely couldn't kill them all just to keep things quiet.
Seeing the growing tension, Alex immediately stood up and said, "Silence! I know everyone is wondering why there are so many people in this place and who they really are."
Everyone nodded, understanding this wasn't a joke. As official Aurors, they needed a solid, legitimate reason to attack hundreds of people; otherwise, what set them apart from criminals? The conflicts could easily escalate into full-blown wars.
"Don't worry," he assured them. "I'll provide a clear and reasonable explanation, backed by solid evidence." He paused briefly before adding, "Of course, since much of this involves state secrets, I had everyone sign a magical contract beforehand to ensure confidentiality."
Hearing this, the group gradually settled down, their intense, questioning gazes still fixed on him. "As you've seen, there are indeed over 200 people in the breeding zone," Alex continued. "After thorough investigation, I can confirm that most are civilian wizards. The Muggles and Squibs among them are mostly spouses or relatives of these wizards."
Alex didn't hold back from sharing this surprising information.
One of his subordinates, an Auror whose duty was to protect civilian wizards, looked at him with a puzzled expression. "If these people are civilian wizards, then why are we attacking them?" he asked. Around him, other Aurors nodded in agreement, their confusion mirrored even by the British Aurors familiar with Alex.
Alex responded firmly, "While most are indeed ordinary wizards, this place belongs to the Silver Wand. Take a look." He gestured toward the front of the conference room, and the curtain lit up like a projector screen. Dozens of wizard portraits appeared, mostly candid shots taken from the side or above.
"The individuals you're seeing are the 36 patrol officers stationed at the base, along with Gail, the breeding zone's management secretary," Alex explained. "It's been confirmed that, like the other managers inside the place, they're collaborators with the Silver Wand. You all understand what that means."
Everyone nodded, especially the German Aurors, who had long been battling the Silver Wand and recognized these collaborators immediately.
"So our main targets are these collaborators?" one German Auror asked. "Then why not just arrest them and let the ordinary wizards go? Is it really necessary to round up everyone?"
"And that's a good question," Alex replied thoughtfully. "But the situation is more complicated than that."
After finishing his explanation, Alex turned to look at Director Andre. "Director Andre, everyone here has signed a non-disclosure agreement. Can I go ahead and reveal the secret? So far, I've only shared it with you."
Andre's expression grew serious as he asked, "Do you have solid proof?"
Alex nodded confidently. "Not only do I have proof, I've already gathered all the evidence. If necessary, I'll present it to everyone later."
Andre sighed softly. "Well, since we're all here, there's no turning back now."
Watching their exchange, the others grew curious, wondering what game these two were playing. Alex didn't keep them waiting.
He turned back and continued, "What I'm about to say is strictly confidential. Even though everyone has signed the magic contract, I still want to ask you all to keep this under wraps." His serious tone made the whole room quiet and attentive, some even sitting up straighter.
"To help everyone understand better, I'll show you the evidence directly." With that, Alex raised his finger again, and the images on the curtain shifted. This time, the photos focused on just one person, some close-ups of his face, others showing him from a distance, both inside and outside the place.
"That's... Claremont? The owner of the magic supplies shop?" A few German Aurors recognized the man and whispered in surprise.
"Yes, Claremont is the main collaborator with the Silver Wand and actually runs the breeding zone," Alex confirmed without hesitation.
"But we already knew about his ties to the Silver Wand. Claremont also runs a black market in Berlin. So, it's not surprising that he's in charge of this base, right?" one Auror asked, looking confused. They didn't see what made this secret so important.
Alex gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. There's more to this than you think."
Alex smiled faintly as he began to explain. "Showing these pictures is just the first step, a way to prove that my standing within the Silver Wand isn't insignificant."
He continued, "By chance, I used my position to get in touch with Claremont and secretly installed a small device on him. This allowed me to see and hear everything from his perspective."
With a wave of his hand, the image on the curtain shifted again, this time from a still picture to a video. "This is footage I recorded while Claremont was meeting with the Silver Wand. Watch closely."
As the video played, Alex sank into his seat, his calm demeanor signaling to everyone present that the content was important, likely tied to the secret he and Andre had hinted at. On the screen, they saw Claremont meeting with Golden Snidget in a shadowy room within the black market.
After the initial greetings, Claremont began reporting on his encounter with Alex, offering his thoughts on him. Watching this, the crowd was amazed not only by the technology that allowed such recordings but also by what they learned about Alex from Claremont's words.
None of them expected the young man before them to be so ruthless, he had the audacity to blackmail Claremont the very first time they met. The amount of money involved left everyone silently stunned.