Chapter 98

A bit later in the evening, inside the suite located on the east wing of the main building at Leon Manor.

“Mr. Thomas.”

With a respectful bow towards the blond middle-aged man, the butler responsible for hosting Leon and his companion began reporting:

“The two guests entered the exhibition building, first tying up the third person and placing them on the sofa before heading into the lineage hall where they stayed for nearly six hours.”

“We tallied as per your request; approximately seventy records were reviewed by them, primarily focused on the last sixty years. The content involved chronologies, major events, lineage records, missing and death lists, as well as industrial reports across six categories…”

Well, everything else aside, how did they get to the missing and death lists? “Hold on!”

At this point, the blond middle-aged man furrowed his eyebrows and raised his hand signaling the butler to stop, then asked:

“You’re sure they remained on the first floor, never went upstairs or left?”

“Yes,” nodded the elderly butler.

“After learning their intentions, I locked the second and third floors, keeping the keys with me at all times. I also had two maids stationed in the tea room and assigned a servant to sweep leaves in the yard. If they had left, we would have noticed immediately.”

They really didn’t leave…

Seeing the old butler’s confident expression, the blond middle-aged man couldn’t help but tighten his brow even further.

So… was I overthinking it? Are they really here to trace family ties? But if that’s the case, what an odd combination…

After pondering for quite some time without figuring out why these three people were there, the middle-aged man could only lower his head, brows furrowed, looking at the visitor registration form beside him.

The daughter of the Minister of Defense, a new employee at the Clearing Bureau, and a rebel involved in the assassination attempt on the princess—none of these three families are on good terms with ours.

Especially the daughter of the Minister of Defense, whose father is a reformer in the Military Department and the first high-ranking official to side with the princess. He has been eyeing our arms business even before ascending to power.

During this assassination incident, those damn rebels deliberately used weapons from our arms company, likely capitalizing on this conflict to incite the Minister of Defense.

And as expected, under our influence, the special investigation team was about to ignore this clue until the daughter of the Minister of Defense joined and immediately proposed investigating the source of the weapons.

Fortunately, Mr. Bobby reacted quickly, using his wife’s birthday as an excuse to invite many old nobles to a banquet, turning the investigation into a signal that the princess was about to move against the old nobility, temporarily suppressing the progress of the investigation.

Had he not done this, dragging out enough time to clear evidence and personnel, our arms company would surely have been hit hard, losing a large chunk of its profits! Thinking about that female police officer who sent dozens of investigation letters, determined to pin this on us, the blond middle-aged man’s face darkened slightly.

Her father is a vicious and ruthless old dog, and her style follows suit—once she bites down, she won’t let go! As for the remaining two individuals, the rebels need no explanation. Their original slogan was merely to drive the incompetent royal family off the throne, transfer primary powers, and limit the authority of the nobility and their seats in parliament.

But recently, for unknown reasons, these rebels have become ten times more radical, even claiming that the royal family and the nobility are like lice in one’s pants, destined to be grabbed and crushed eventually! They are now our sworn enemies!

And then there’s the Clearing Bureau…

Lightly tapping the registration form on the table, the blond middle-aged man made a deep mark with his nail on Leon Lane’s name, then waved his hand dismissing the butler. Holding the form, he left the suite and walked through the connecting archway to the main building of the estate.

“Thomas?”

Upon hearing the knock, the young man sitting at the desk, reviewing reports, looked up in surprise and smiled warmly at the middle-aged man standing at the door: “It’s so late and you’re still working? Are you actually this diligent?”

“Mr. Bobby.”

Greeting politely, despite appearing to be in his twenties or early thirties, Thomas, who already had numerous wrinkles around his eyes, bowed respectfully:

“You flatter me. Compared to you, my diligence is negligible.”

“Ho ho, it’s different.”

After inviting him in, the young man smiled brightly and said,

“I am diligent because I plan to take another step forward—not only inheriting my older brother’s title but also aiming for the position of head of the family.

You, however, already hold the elder’s seat, manage one-sixth of the family’s wealth, and serve as the representative for external negotiations. To maintain all of this already exceeds your capabilities. Why work so hard?”

“…”

Looking at Thomas, whose eyebrows were beginning to sweat coldly, the young man chuckled softly and said,

“Thomas, it seems there have been quite a few issues with the things you’ve been handling recently. Working this late… isn’t it because I’ve given you too much responsibility? Do you need help lightening your load?”

“Mr. Bobby… Master Bobby… please let me explain…”

Tasting the deep dissatisfaction in the other’s words, the blond middle-aged man hurriedly spoke,

“The situation with Chal Department Store, I’ve truly been trying my best. Under normal circumstances, that company would definitely have been dragged down.

But no one expected Old Chaer to come up with a compensation scheme, binding all those victims who should have attacked the department store to his side, making the municipal government hesitant to act.

And after noticing the situation was wrong, I didn’t just sit idly by but immediately contacted the other two companies for support, even managing to summon a Holy Spirit.

If that Holy Spirit causes a large-scale casualty event, the Road Administration will have an excuse to intervene and halt Chal Department Store’s promotion. However, the Clearing Bureau…”

“Enough, no more explanations.”

Knocking twice on the table with his knuckles, stopping Thomas’ explanation, the young man calmly said: “I know you’re just unlucky, not stupid beyond redemption, otherwise you wouldn’t even have the chance to explain yourself to me.”

Looking at the blond middle-aged man who unconsciously sighed in relief, the young man narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice colder as he emphasized:

“But whether it’s excusable or unavoidable, you’ve still failed at the task I gave you!

Thomas, tell me, how long will it take you to seize control of Chal Department Store and obtain what I want?”

“Almost there! It’ll be soon!”

Seeing the young man’s narrowed eyes, Thomas couldn’t help but tense up, drenched in cold sweat,

“The boss’s only daughter of Chal Department Store has already been kidnapped by us and is currently detained in Rose Manor of the Marcellini Family. Although the old man is still holding out, it’s estimated that he won’t last long and will surrender, handing over what you want!”

“Is that so?”

After verifying the blond middle-aged man’s expression, confirming he wasn’t lying or stalling, Bobby Lane nodded, maintaining a calm demeanor:

“I’ve already told you before, when dealing with merchants who have risen through the waves, neither commercial tactics nor administrative pressure can match direct violence.

It was you who coveted Chal Department Store’s assets and worried about retaliation from the Chamber of Commerce and the legislators, asking me to hold off. But after going around in circles, you’ve ended up back at square one…”

Looking at the trembling Thomas, the young man shook his head, somewhat disinterested:

“Well, since you’ve been useful these past years, I’ll forgive your foolishness this time. But you’d better guarantee that you can deliver, or else… don’t blame me for disregarding our years of friendship.”

“I… within two weeks… no! Within a week! At most a week, I will definitely retrieve what you want!”

“You’d better.”

After reprimanding his inefficient subordinate, the young man lowered his head and continued flipping through the arms company’s reports, then asked: “By the way, what brings you here tonight?”

“Ah? Good news! It’s good news!”

Upon hearing the young man’s inquiry, the blond middle-aged man finally remembered his purpose, cautiously stepping forward and placing the registration form on the table with both hands.

“Master Bobby, the person marked on this form is a new employee at the Clearing Bureau.”

A new employee at the Clearing Bureau?

The young man raised an eyebrow behind the desk, picked up the registration form, and looked at it, somewhat surprised:

“Leon… Lane? That woman from the Clearing Bureau actually hired someone from our family?”

“No, that person has black hair, and their ancestral home is Leon County, so it’s probably just a coincidence of names.”

After briefly explaining Leon’s situation, the blond middle-aged man’s expression became somewhat excited:

“But this person visited today, saying they suspect their ancestors may have some connection to the Lane family, possibly hinting at tracing family ties.

Your ‘that’ ability can absolutely control your bloodline and subordinates. So, if I add him to the family register, you can plant a spy within the Clearing Bureau!”

An employee of the Clearing Bureau… coming here to trace family ties? After hearing Thomas’s words, the young man frowned again, his fingers unconsciously tapping the registration form on the table, starting to suspect if the Clearing Bureau had discovered something.

After all, a newly joined member of the Clearing Bureau, not yet strong, willingly comes to recognize kinship and steps right into your “power” range—it’s like a gift falling from the sky, too good to be true.

But could such a good opportunity be a trap set for you? Hmm… this possibility seems lower…

Recalling the terrifying achievements of a certain red-haired woman, the corner of the young man’s mouth involuntarily curved upward, mocking his own suspicion and wild imagination.

Setting traps… Have I always been so honest, almost never using my abilities outside the Lane family? What for? With that woman’s strength, once she suspects or even targets you, even a divine being descending would end up with a headache, potentially getting eliminated directly! At my current level, do I deserve such elaborate schemes?

“Alright, count this as one of your merits!”

After mocking his own suspicion, the young man finally showed a hint of a smile, speaking to the middle-aged man full of joy:

“If this matter can truly be accomplished, allowing me to plant a spy within the Clearing Bureau, not only will I secure your position, but I can also offer you unimaginable rewards.

Besides the youthful appearance which I cannot provide, a healthier body, stronger functions, and even extended lifespan—all of these can be yours!”

“Thank you, Master Bobby! Thank you, Master Bobby!”

“Don’t thank me, you’ve earned it.”

Looking at Thomas, whose face was flushed with joy, the young man smiled:

“Mistakes must be punished, and doing the right thing deserves rewards… However, I won’t be directly involved in this matter.”

Staring at the blond middle-aged man for a moment, the young man smirked and said gently:

“The fewer people who know about my ability, the better. Therefore, I will give you a portion of ‘dominance’ power, allowing you to control Leon, making you the intermediary between him and me.

In the future, intelligence obtained from the Clearing Bureau will be organized by you and presented to me alone. No one else is allowed to see it… Oh, and one more thing.”

Raising his hand to his mouth and making a zipping gesture, the young man looked at the delighted cannon fodder in front of him and added with a soft chuckle: “I’ve just placed a new command on your soul—if you reveal my existence, your soul will instantly self-destruct.

Therefore, while communicating with Leon, be mindful of your words. I certainly don’t want you to turn into a shapeless lump of rot due to a slip of the tongue!”

Hearing the young man’s warning, Thomas couldn’t help but stiffen, hastily agreeing.

“Understood… understood… Master Bobby, please rest assured, I will certainly…”

“Enough, no need for unnecessary talk.”

Finally hearing some good news, the young man, in a relatively good mood, lowered his head and continued working while asking:

“Thomas, any other news? If not, you should get to work.”

“I’ll go right away! This time, I promise not to disappoint you!”

Not only successfully escaping punishment, but also gaining a significant benefit, the blond middle-aged man eagerly promised, then returned to his room, summoned the butler, and went overnight to find the clan elder in charge of family member identities, preparing to register the person named Leon.

However, less than five minutes after he left, a figure dressed in a black coat, taking advantage of the night’s cover, silently drifted to the fifth floor, then eerily opened the locked window from the outside, directly entering the blond middle-aged man’s bedroom.

(End of Chapter)