That Friday morning, Krishna gathered his team over dinner.

"There is a reason why we need to settle this while we are having dinner."

Rozman, Casdee, and Izhan sat together as Krishna displayed the investigation plan on the screen.

The atmosphere was casual, but everyone understood the seriousness of the matter.

Roger was not present. He was away attending an Assistant Engineer course outstation. Before leaving, he had forwarded his findings and technical observations to Casdee, who would represent his input during the investigation.

Krishna looked at the screen.

"Let's begin."

Casdee took over the presentation.

She displayed the findings regarding the project.

"These are the major issues identified."

The first slide appeared.

1. Poor cement quality.
2. Unavailable sewage system.
3. No clear water supply.

The room became silent as they reviewed the problems.

Then, the next slide appeared.

Izhan's findings on AZA Contractor.

She had compiled several reports and records documenting prior concerns about the contractor's reputation.

Casdee looked at the screen, then turned towards the intern.

"How did you get these?"

Izhan smiled.

"Roger had a few contractor contacts who helped verify the information."

Casdee was about to move to the next slide when Izhan paused.

"Actually... there is something else about AZA Contractor."

The room went quiet.

Krishna looked at her.

"What did you find?"

Izhan opened another file.

"The contractor's name appears more than once throughout the project records."

Rozman leaned closer to the screen.

"More than once?"

She nodded.

"There are some connections that don't look like a coincidence."

Casdee narrowed her eyes.

"Are you saying they were involved?"

Izhan looked at the documents again.

"I'm not sure yet."

Krishna remained silent.

"Then we investigate."

The forged signature was no longer the only mystery.

Someone else might have been part of the plan.

"Izhan."

As Krishna called her name, she looked up from her lemon tea.

"You'll be the guitarist."

Izhan nearly choked.

"What, sir?"

Casdee slid the charity dinner invitation across the table.

"They're having a live band."

She tapped the event's theme.

"Rock and Roll."

Rozman raised an eyebrow.

"A rock-and-roll charity dinner?"

"You were blasting Hysteria by Muse in the DEO's car the last time you sat beside him," Casdee said matter-of-factly.

Krishna remained expressionless.

"Which is precisely why you're our most suitable candidate."

Izhan stared at the three of them.

"...You're being serious?"

"Very."

Krishna continued, "While you're performing, Rozman and I will quietly inspect the administrative office."

Casdee nodded.

"If our presence has made the culprit nervous, there's a chance they'll try to remove or replace the documents before we can secure them."

Rozman leaned back in his chair.

"And we're not the only ones going undercover."

Everyone turned to him.

"The police will be there as well. They're tracking someone connected to the contractor."

Izhan blinked.

"So... two operations at the same event?"

Rozman grinned.

"Exactly."

He held up two fingers.

"Double shots."

A smile spread across the room.

For one night, the charity dinner would host two separate undercover operations—one searching for a forged document, the other closing in on a suspect linked to the contractor.

Nightfall arrived, and the charity dinner came alive with guests dressed in their best rock-and-roll attire.

Casdee channelled Hayley Williams of Paramore. Krishna opted for Bon Jovi's classic look. Rozman completed his transformation with the iconic makeup of KISS.

As for Izhan...

She looked strikingly like Andy Biersack.

Rozman looked around at the four of them before letting out a chuckle.

"We don't look like investigators."

He grinned.

"We look like a freshly debuted band."

Even Krishna couldn't suppress a smile.

The four of them took their seats, blending in with the crowd as the dinner programme began.

Rozman discreetly scanned the hall before lowering his voice.

"According to Izhan's findings, we have three potential suspects."

Krishna folded his arms while Casdee opened the seating plan.

Rozman continued.

"Hadi, the school clerk."

He shifted his gaze across the hall.

"Chan, the PK HEM."

A brief pause followed before he mentioned the final name.

"...and Sally."

Izhan looked up.

"The headmistress herself."

Silence settled over the table.

For now, everyone in the hall was simply a guest.

But one of them might have forged the DEO's signature.

A tall figure dressed in a black suit approached Krishna's table. His face was concealed behind a Slipknot mask, blending perfectly with the evening's rock-and-roll theme.

He stopped beside Krishna and spoke quietly.

"DEO, my team is in position."

Krishna gave a subtle nod.

"We'll remain on standby throughout the performances."

"Understood."

Without another word, the District Police Chief melted back into the crowd, indistinguishable from the other masked guests.

Rozman watched him disappear.

"Looks like we're not the only ones putting on a show tonight."

The evening officially began with a welcoming speech from Sally, followed by a montage showcasing the school's achievements and the charity projects planned for the year.

As the lights brightened, the emcee returned to the stage.

"To accompany tonight's dinner, we'd like to invite our live band to perform!"

Just before the announcement continued, the floor manager hurried over and whispered something into the emcee's ear.

The emcee smiled knowingly.

"It seems we have a special guest from PPDKB who has graciously agreed to join tonight's performance."

At the PPDKB table, three pairs of eyes slowly turned towards Izhan.

"...No."

Krishna simply nodded toward the stage.

"You're up."

The applause had already begun.

Izhan walked onto the stage to a warm round of applause.

She adjusted the microphone and smiled at the audience.

"Good evening. I'm Izhan from PPDKB."

Her hand reached for the electric guitar resting on its stand.

"For tonight, I'll be performing 'Hysteria' by Muse."

"A spectacular choice," the emcee remarked before stepping aside.

Izhan adjusted the guitar strap and checked the tuning one last time.

Behind the applause, the operation quietly began.

Casdee excused herself and casually made her way towards the buffet area, blending in with the guests.

Rozman rose from his seat.

"I'm heading to the restroom."

Only Krishna remained at the VIP table, calmly observing the hall while appearing to enjoy the performance.

He murmured to himself.

"Here we go."

Izhan struck the opening note.

The unmistakable intro of Hysteria echoed through the ballroom.

Conversations faded.

Cutlery rested on plates.

Guests turned their attention to the stage, many instinctively reaching for their phones to record the unexpected performance.

For a few minutes, every eye was on the guitarist.

Exactly as the PPDKB team had hoped.

While the audience cheered for the performance, Rozman quietly slipped away from the banquet hall.

A shadowy figure broke away from the crowd and headed towards the administrative office.

"As expected..."

Rozman stopped at a distance.

"The grille door is unlocked. No signs of forced entry."

He discreetly sent a message to Casdee.

Target moving to the office. Keep watch.

A moment later, Casdee acknowledged the message and repositioned herself.

Around the compound, several undercover police officers also began moving into place, careful not to draw attention.

The trap had been set.

Now, all they needed was for the culprit to make the next move.

The figure moved past the counter and headed straight towards Sally's office.

With a glance around, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The office was dark.

He began searching through the files, flipping through folders and scattering documents across the table.

He was looking for something.

The forged document.

What he did not know was that the document he desperately wanted had already been secured by Rozman.

Outside the office window, Casdee kept her distance, standing beside an undercover police officer while observing the shadowy movements inside.

Neither of them moved.

They waited.

The suspect was revealing everything they needed to know.

"Looking for these?"

A familiar voice cut through the silence.

The figure froze.

Slowly, the light from a flashlight illuminated the room.

Rozman stood by the doorway, holding the documents in his hand.

"Headmistress Sally."

The room fell silent.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The forged document that started the entire investigation was no longer missing.

It was right in front of the person who wanted it back.

"Tuan Rozman..."

Sally's voice trembled.

"How could you be here?"

Rozman held up the document.

"The forged signature itself was already a wrongdoing."

He glanced at the scattered files on the table.

"The SISPAA system has no record of this project complaint, and there was no follow-up action regarding the reported repair."

He adjusted his glasses.

"That means this document was never processed through the proper channel."

Sally remained silent.

Rozman continued.

"And there is one more thing."

His voice became firmer.

"Director Roshin was never notified about this matter."

He placed the document on the desk.

"Normally, when a serious issue involving document forgery occurs, warnings and instructions would be circulated at the state level."

A pause.

"But instead..."

Rozman looked directly at her.

"You bypassed the system and came straight into PPDKB with a forged approval."

The room fell silent.

The question was no longer about a missing signature.

It was about why someone needed Krishna's name in the first place.

"On the other hand..."

Rozman turned his attention back to Sally.

"The clerk was forced by you, wasn't he?"

Sally's expression changed.

"The contractor card was found on his desk."

Rozman walked closer.

"Hadi may be skilled with documents. He may even be capable of imitating certain writing styles."

He pointed at the forged document.

"But the signature was never his responsibility."

A pause.

"It was yours."

His eyes moved towards the Chinese calligraphy displayed on the office wall.

"You have excellent brush control. I could tell from the way you signed the invitation."

He added, "The same stroke on the DEO's forged signature."

The sound of Izhan's guitar solo grew louder from the ballroom, masking the chaos unfolding inside the office.

Suddenly, another figure emerged behind Rozman, raising a stack of files.

"Rozman! Watch out!"

Rozman reacted quickly.

He turned and struck the attacker's arm away before the undercover police officers rushed in and restrained the figure.

The masked suspect was brought down.

Moments later, Casdee entered the office with the final piece of information.

"PK HEM Chan."

She looked at Sally.

"He was the one taking the additional funding."

The room went silent.

"He was also connected to AZA Contractor — the supplier involved with the RMT project. The company holder was his wife."

Casdee continued.

"And he was responsible for overseeing the faulty toilet repair."

She held up Roger's findings.

"Thanks to Roger's technical report, we were able to connect the project failures with the people involved."

The forged signature was no longer just a document.

It was evidence of a much bigger scheme.

"Explain, Sally."

Rozman's voice remained calm, but firm.

Sally swallowed hard.

"Chan pressured me..."

She looked down at the document on the table.

"He was one of the biggest contributors to the school. His support helped fund many of our programmes."

Rozman stared at her.

"And because of that, you allowed him to bypass the proper procedures?"

Sally remained silent.

"You took a shortcut."

He held up the forged document.

"You didn't just betray PPDKB."

A pause.

"You betrayed the trust placed in your position as a headmistress."

The undercover officers stepped forward and placed handcuffs on Chan and Sally.

The District Police Chief was immediately informed.

However, they decided not to disrupt the charity dinner. The guests remained unaware of the investigation unfolding behind the scenes.

The music continued.

The applause from Izhan's performance echoed through the hall.

The District Police Chief approached Krishna quietly.

"Mr DEO, let's meet at the lobby once the dinner has ended."

Krishna nodded.

The operation was complete.

The forged document had been recovered.

The people responsible had been identified.

"They've solved the case."

0000 hours

SJK(C) Yit Foh Lobby

The charity dinner had finally ended.

Krishna and Izhan joined the others at the lobby, where the atmosphere was much quieter than before.

Krishna looked at Sally before shaking his head.

"Can't believe you almost made me the scapegoat, Sally."

Sally lowered her gaze, unable to answer.

A moment later, Hadi appeared with the officers.

"Hadi," Rozman said, "you are free now."

The clerk sighed in relief.

"However, you still need to remain available as a witness for the investigation."

The PDRM officers prepared to escort Chan and Sally to the station for further statements.

"Mr DEO, we'll see you this morning," the District Police Chief said before leaving.

The group watched them disappear.

Rozman finally let out a long breath.

"That was a tough case."

He looked back at the school building.

"One mistake almost ruined all of us."

Casdee folded her arms.

"Luckily, your leave only lasted two days."

Rozman smiled faintly.

Meanwhile, Izhan leaned against the wall.

"I'm exhausted. That performance drained me."

Krishna looked at her.

"Drowsy after playing one song?"

He glanced at Rozman.

"Rozman can carry you."

Izhan immediately shook her head.

"No thanks."

Everyone laughed.

After a night of investigation, the menders finally had a moment to breathe.

Once Krishna finally reached home, the exhaustion of the night began to settle in.

Before putting his phone aside, he opened his gallery.

A picture caught his attention.

Izhan, standing under the stage lights with her guitar in hand.

He smiled slightly and sent it to Pans.

Kris: Look who became the rock star tonight. 😁

A few moments passed.

No reply.

Krishna checked again.

Pans was already asleep.

He chuckled.

"Too late..."

He placed his phone aside, unaware that the person he was praising had been beside him all along.

Some mysteries were solved that night. Others were still waiting to be discovered.