Inside the Duke’s office.
“So… you are telling me that not everyone is poisoned in my family. And that the ones who were not poisoned… are not the culprit?” the Grand Duke asked with a frown, his lips turned down wards as confusion laced his gaze. “What are you trying to say Mr. Zhou?”
“Someone is trying to frame another person in your family.” He smiled. Knowledge, information like this was not something that one could easily get just by hacking. However, the people in the black market had their own ways. Buying information was one of the most popular ways to get the information that one needed. After all, everyone, even the most loyal ones in the blackmarket had a price for the information they held.
Be it blackmail or money. The person being targeted for a certain information won’t have any choice but to swallow their anger and give the information needed by the buyer. This one network of information had been around for so long. Yet, these kings and nobles still wonder in amazement how someone like Zhou Jingren was able to get a hold of this knowledge.
“Of course… I will only tell you everything the moment I am assured that the address you gave me is the right one.” Zhou Jingren glanced at his watch. “A few minutes from now… and my people will confirm it’s existence.”
The Duke clenched his jaws. So far, the information that Zhou Jingren had given him had been pretty vague. However, it was still alarming. Framing a royalty, poisoning the next king, causing the next riot in the country. The plan to overthrow him, the plan of revolution because of the current problems that the country faced.
Every little thing that Zhou Jingren had mentioned were things that he didn’t even know existed. Be it, the plan to ruin his marriage or the plan to make Prince Leandro not being able to have a kid. All this… who would dare plan all this against his family? He stared at Zhou Jingren as he clenched his jaws.
Eliza’s happiness and the location of his family’s bunker was not sacrificed in vain. “Using the computer system of the bunker…” He hesitated for a few seconds. “Using it in the wrong way, could cause war. Please… just for the sake of the good intention that I have towards you and Lily. Please do not let the country face such consequences.” He said in a serious tone.
“Of course.” He understood the ramifications of playing with such resources. However, Zhou Jingren was not planning to play with it. He wasn’t planning to use it to earn money or learn some secrets. He wanted to use it to find the other members of The Order of the Spectre.
The Duke smiled, immediately making the environment lighter. What was he thinking? He had his research about Lily before and he knew she was not the type of woman that would destroy someone who didn’t offend her.
So far, the Duke was confident that he didn’t do anything that would warrant Lily or even Zhou Jingren’s anger. How could Lily allow Zhou Jingren to cause a war that would destroy the small country of Luxembourg? Surely, Lily was not that heartless…. Right?
Slowly, the smile on the Duke’s mouth vanished. He could not help but fear the consequences of this action. What if Zhou Jingren …
He shook the thoughts out of his head as he plastered another smile on Zhou Jingren’s face. “You know… All these things… makes me think that you are in trouble.” He made a deliberate pause when Zhou Jingren turned his attention towards him. “It’s not like you are about to declare war on a country, right?” He laughed awkwardly. How could a banker declare a war on a country?
“Of course…” Zhou Jingren nodded. “I am a pretty peaceful person.” He smiled. “I hate chaos…”
Seeing the calmness in Zhou Jingren’s eyes, the Duke let out a sigh of relief. For now, he would trust everything that Zhou Jingren would say. Not long after, he watched as Zhou Jingren picked up his phone and talked in a language that he was not very familiar with. Was it Cantonese? Japanese? Or Mandarin? In the end, some familiar words reached his ears and he realized that Zhou Jingren was speaking in Korean— fluently.
The Duke waited for him to end his call before he nervously stared at him, waiting for him to confirm the location of the bunker.
“Thank you, your highness.” Zhou Jingren smiled. “I was not expecting Sweden. But… since my people were able to confirm it. Then… I shall tell you the information that you need.”
The Duke gulped. In his mind, there was no way that he would try to trick a man like Zhou Jingren. Someone who was able to gather all this information was surely not a person that he could easily play with. “So? Who is trying to poison my family?” he asked.
“Pierre Weber. The Earl of the Dorf Palace along with his colleagues. Some people in your council, Prince Leandro’s wife who was cheating with his right hand man. Two of the Duchess’ attendants and your Knight commander.”
It was as if a cold bucket of water was poured inside the Duke’s body. He felt as though his mind had stopped working, his body unable to react to any of Zhou Jingren’s words. “You— My Knight commander…” His best friend, the person that he trusted more than his beloved wife. The man who had witnessed all his struggles, defeats and wins. His Chief Knight.
The man practically grew up with him! Memories of them practicing fencing together resurfaced in his mind. The man was there when he rode his first horse and held his first rifle. He was there when he was heartbroken and he consoled him when he cried over a dead horse!
So how? How could he betray him?
The Duke felt his hand tremble. “Stop lying!” He hissed unable to contain his emotions. He felt his chest tightened, his breathing turn shallow. “Stop… lying!”
