Lin Yi drove a black car and quickly drove out of the gate of the sanatorium and rushed towards the city center of Zul.
The night was like a huge black curtain, completely covering the city of Zor.
There are few pedestrians on the street, only scattered street lights and mottled lights. Occasionally, a few vehicles are passing by in a hurry, and the taillights draw a short red track in the dark.
A few minutes later, the vehicle was parked in front of a luxurious building.
The outline of the building is particularly eye-catching in the night, and the glass curtain wall on the exterior reflects the surrounding lights, like a dazzling crystal palace.
At the entrance of the building were several security guards in black suits, and it was obvious that the security measures here were extremely strict.
Lin Yi parked his car at the corner of the street and swept his eyes over the building.
Winnie pushed open the car door, Lin Yi raised her hand to tidy up the collar of her coat, and the two walked side by side towards the club door.
The security guard at the door immediately stepped forward, his body shaped like a wall, blocking the two of them.
His eyes swept over Lin Yi and Winnie, with a hint of vigilance in his tone: "Sir, this is a private club, please show your membership card."
Lin Yi didn't say much, but just took out a black card from his pocket, and flicked his fingertips and the card fell into the security guard's hand.
The security guard took the card, checked it carefully, and his eyes stayed on the dark patterns and codes on the card for a moment.
After confirming that, his expression relaxed slightly, nodded slightly, and turned sideways to make way.
"Please come in, sir." The security guard's tone became respectful, his eyes stayed on Winnie for a short moment, but quickly moved away.
His professional qualities tell him that he should not ask more questions, let alone read more.
Although most of the VIPs who come here are fun, there are also female guests who bring them.
He is just a little security guard, and it is best not to care about things that exceed their job responsibilities, otherwise, the last senior who suddenly disappeared will be his fate.
The interior of the club is extremely luxurious, with crystal chandeliers and marble floors all highlighting the aristocratic atmosphere here.
In the middle of the hall, a young man in a high-end suit was sitting leisurely on a genuine leather sofa.
He held a glass of red wine in his hand, and the liquid swayed gently in the cup, radiating a deep red luster.
The moment Lin Yi stepped into the hall, the young man's eyes slightly condensed, then he stood up and raised his wine glass, and signaled to Lin Yi slightly: "Director Lin, I don't know what you are doing when you are visiting late at night?"
Lin Yi's eyes briefly met with Edmund von Klein: "Mr. Klein, I'm sorry to bother you late at night. However, there are some things that can only be clearly discussed here, right?"
Edmund chuckled, gestured to Lin Yi to sit down gracefully, and then he sat down again: "Director Lin might as well say something."
"Some people hiding in the shadows may think they are acting secretly. Unfortunately, their traces have long been captured."
Edmund chuckled, picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and looked calm. "People in the shadow? Maybe they are just small characters who are not good at making any storm. Dean Lin, why bother with these irrelevant people?"
"Little character? Mr. Klein, you are too modest." Lin Yi sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Some people are glamorous businessmen, nobles, and even philanthropists on the surface, but their ambitions are not limited to these false names."
A faint fluctuation flashed in Edmund's eyes, but it was soon covered by him with a smile.
He put down his wine glass, folded his hands on his knees, his expression still calmly.
"Director Lin's imagination is amazing. However, this kind of unfounded speculation may only make people worry, right?"
"Some roads can be turned back if you take the wrong path, but some roads can never look back once they go too far."
Edmund was silent for a moment, then chuckled, with a hint of carelessness in his tone: "Dean Lin, what you said is quite philosophical. However, I have always only followed the path I have determined. The boundaries of this world are already blurred, right?"
Edmund stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night sky in the distance: "It's late at night, it's time for you to go back. I wish you a good journey."
Lin Yi knew that Edmund had understood his hint, and he didn't say anything more and turned around and left the box.
At the moment when he was just confronting Edmund, Lin Yi could feel the gaze coming from the dark, locking him tightly like a poisonous snake.
As long as he makes a little move, the guards hidden in the shadows will take action.
As one of the great nobles of the Zur Empire, it would be strange if the Klein family did not have a trump card in their hands.
The smile on Edmund von Klein's face disappeared the moment Lin Yi left, replaced by a touch of gloom and solemnity.
He walked back to the sofa, and the red wine glass in his hand was placed heavily on the table, making a dull impact.
A few drops of liquid in the cup splashed, scarlet red like blood, and it smudged on the table, as if it was a sign of some ominous sign.
"Sanatorium..." He whispered the name, with a hint of depression and fear in his tone.
He sat back on the sofa, crossed his hands against his forehead, and Lin Yi's words were like a thorn, deeply piercing his heart.
"How much does he know?" Edmund murmured himself, with a hint of uneasiness in his voice, as if a beast being forced into a desperate situation, trying to find a way out in the dark.
His fingers unconsciously hit the armrest of the sofa, with a messy rhythm revealing his inner anxiety.
He closed his eyes, and every word, every look, and even every subtle expression of Lin Yi appeared in his mind.
He tried to find the flaws from it, but found that Lin Yi was like a pool of deep water, so calm that it made people feel palpitations.
Lin Yi's words were like an invisible knife hanging above his head, forcing him to face the problem he had been escaping.
Edmund took a deep breath, and the cold air poured into his lungs, but he could not calm down the fluctuations in his heart.
"Sir, are you okay?" A low voice came from the shadow of the box, and a man in black appeared quietly.
"I'm fine, how is the old man?"
Edmund looked up and looked at the man in black. The gloomy eyes were slightly restrained, but his tone was still a little tired and anxious.
The man in black bent slightly, his voice low and respectful: "Everything is fine on the old man's side, but he is a little weak recently. The doctor advised him to rest more. However, the old man still insisted on handling family affairs every day and refused to let go completely."
Edmund frowned, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
Although the patriarch of the Klein family, his grandfather, is old, the majesty and means of the old man remain unchanged from that time, firmly controlling the power of the family, like an old but still ferocious lion.
Edmund knew very well that every move he took was under the old man's attention.
"The old man is still so stubborn."
"The old man asked me to tell you that the situation in Zur City has not been peaceful recently, so you must be careful."
Hearing the words of the man in black, Edmund fell into silence.
The old man sent someone to warn him, obviously he had noticed his movements, and might even have known about his involvement with the "Shadow Council".
"Harold..." Edmund whispered the name, with a hint of fear in his tone.
Harold was meticulous and had already made arrangements in secret, trying to weaken the power of the major nobles.
Although the Klein family is deeply rooted, in Harold's eyes, it is just a pawn.
The reason why Edmund's grandfather refused to delegate power was because of his fear of Harold.
The old man knew very well that once any mistakes occur within the Klein family, even the slightest negligence, Harold would tear the entire family to pieces like a cheetah smelling blood.
He understood that the old man's warning was not only about his concern, but also about the entire family.
"Sir, the old man also asked me to tell you that the future of the family is in your hands. He hopes that you can think carefully and not destroy the foundation of the Klein family for generations because of temporary ambition."
Upon hearing this, Edmund's mouth curled up a bitter curve, and a deep self-deprecating laughter: "The future of the family? Ha... Does the Klein family still have a future? Harold has long been eyeing us. No matter what we do, he will not let us go."
The man in black was silent for a moment, then whispered: "Sir, what the old man means is... As long as we no longer provoke Harold, he will not attack us for the time being. The Klein family still has a certain foundation, and he will not easily tear his face."
"Don't provoke him?" Edmund sneered, the chill in his eyes became stronger and stronger. "Harold's ambition has long been revealed, and he will attack us sooner or later. Instead of waiting for death, it is better to take the initiative to find opportunities, perhaps... there will be a glimmer of hope."
After saying that, Edmund turned around and walked to the wine cabinet, and took out a bottle of strong wine, which was shining with a cold luster under the light.
He poured a glass, the amber liquid shaking in the cup, emitting a pungent alcoholic smell. "Boil the frog in warm water..." He repeated the word in a low voice, with a hint of bitterness in his tone, "Harold's plan is indeed brilliant. He never rushes for a moment, but uses slow and continuous means to weaken us bit by bit. By the time we react, we are powerless to resist."
"Tell the old man that I will not let the Klein family be destroyed in my hands. But if there is a storm, I would rather stand in the center of the storm than hide in the corner and survive."
The man in black stood aside, silent, and he knew that what Edmund said was the truth.
The Klein family, once one of the most prominent nobles of the Zur Empire, controlled a huge industry and military power.
Their names symbolize power and glory, and are a stroke that cannot be ignored in the history of the empire.
But in recent years, Harold's methods have gradually made the Klein family lose control of their core resources.
The family's industries gradually shrank, the once prosperous trade routes were cut off, and mines and factories were eroded by other forces.
In the parliament, the influence of the Klein family was also gradually weakened, and former allies turned against each other, leaving only a few people still holding on.
Even the confidants in the army were transferred from important positions by Harold in various names, and replaced by his minions.
The Klein family is just a piece on the chessboard and is gradually being forced into a desperate situation.
"Grandpa... actually saw through all this a long time ago." Edmund put down his wine glass, with a complicated look in his eyes. "But he did not choose to resist, but chose to compromise. He thought that as long as the Klein family kept a low profile, Harold would let us go. But it turned out that he was wrong."
The newest ⊥Xiao⊥Speak⊥Send⊥Six⊥9⊥Book⊥⊥⊥⊥Back⊥⊥⊥⊥!
"The old man may just not want to put the family in a greater crisis. After all, Harold is too strong. If there is a head-on conflict, we have almost no chance of winning."
Edmund sneered, with a hint of mocking in his tone: "There is no chance of winning? Should I just sit and wait for death and watch the Klein family die step by step? No, I will never allow such a thing to happen."
Is Edmund unaware of the dangers of the Shadow Council? No, he knew it too well.
That organization is a group of madmen hidden in the dark, whose ambitions and means are far more crazier and uncontrollable than Harold.
Cooperating with the "Shadow Council" is tantamount to seeking a skin with a tiger. If you are not careful, the Klein family may be completely swallowed up, and there will be no bones left.
But what Edmund knew better was that the Klein family now had no choice.
Harold's suppression follows like a shadow, and the family's industries and power are being eaten up little by little, like prey entangled by poisonous snakes, gradually suffocating.
If you continue to sit and wait for death, the Klein family will sooner or later become history and become another forgotten name in the Zur Empire.
And the "Shadow Council" may be the only opportunity to win a glimmer of life for the family.
Although this opportunity is like a dance on the tip of a knife, if you are not careful, you will be cut and covered in bruises.
Edmund understood that this was a big bet. If the bet wins, the Klein family might be able to regain their life and stand at the peak of power again; if the bet loses, the entire family will be doomed and completely disappear into the dust of history.
Edmund turned around and walked to the sofa, sat down heavily, sinking into the soft leather sofa.
"Is there anything unusual about Harold?"
"No."
Upon hearing this news, Edmund's expression stuttered slightly, and his originally tired eyes instantly became sharp.
He sat upright, frowning, as if he was digesting the message.
"The nursing home didn't tell Harold about this..." he murmured in a low voice, with a hint of disbelief and vague expectation in his tone, "What does this mean? What are they planning?"
Even the Klein family knows little about the nursing home institution.
Herbert, the director of the nursing home, is a troublesome figure, and even a behemoth like the Klein family, it is difficult to insert spies into his sphere of influence.
"Prepare the car, I need to go back and discuss it with the old man."
The man in black was stunned after hearing Edmund's words, obviously not expecting that he would make such a decision.
Edmund hasn't been back for a long time since he had a falling out with his family two years ago.
Lin Yi, who had chatted with Edmund, took Winnie back to the execution agency. At this time, the execution agency was full of busy running personnel.
In this chaotic scene, not only are there personnel from the execution organs, but also many chiefs of staff wearing well-decorated military uniforms.
This operation of the Shadow Council has touched the core interests of the Zur Empire.
Now the power of the parliament has briefly condensed into a rope, and the goal is to solve the trouble in two days.
The two walked into a conference room, which was already filled with senior executives of the execution organs and military staff.
"You are here." Reinhardt breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lin Yi appearing at the door.
For him, the battle on the battlefield was much more enjoyable than these cumbersome details.
If he had chosen, he would rather face a fifteen-eyed ghost than sit here and be tortured by these trivial matters.
"How is things going?"
Lin Yi casually pulled a chair and sat in Reinhardt's left hand position and began to inquire about the progress of the investigation.
"With a little bit of eyebrows, with the help of Nightmare, the Deputy Speaker of the Shadow Council, "Eye of the Void", has probably locked the traces by us."
As he said that, he pushed a document on the desktop in front of Lin Yi.
The documents are densely recorded speculations and analysis of the possible hiding place of the Eye of Void.
After layers of screening and exclusion, only three locations have not been completely eliminated.
The first location is a slum located in the south of the city.
There was like a huge quagmire, mixed with fish and dragons, and crowds were surging, as if every inch of the air was filled with chaos and danger.
Gangs, terrorist organizations, ghosts, mixed-race species... These forces wandering in the gray area are like poisonous snakes in the shadows entrenched there.
Because of this, it is very difficult to conduct an investigation in the slums.
Once the figures of official forces appear, the hidden forces will hide instantly and will not give you any chance.
The second location is the workers' gathering area in the west of the city.
This area is only 1.2 square kilometers, but it is filled with 50,000 workers.
The living conditions here are not much better than those in slums. The narrow alleyways, dilapidated houses, and crowded people form a complex and closed social network.
To find the traces of the Eye of Void here is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The third place is a street in Zur City. This street is called Wish Street in Zur City, because this street only opens stores in the early morning and sells shameful goods.
Behind every store is a powerful boss, otherwise he would not be able to gain a foothold in such a place.
According to the information obtained by Lin Yi, even Harold had intervened in the business here, which was enough to prove the chaos and danger of this street.
At present, the Eye of Void is most likely to hide in one of these three locations.
However, the official forces were unable to send people to investigate, because the particularity of these places determined that any official action would alarm the enemy.
"Everyone obeys the order!" Lin Yi's voice exploded in the conference room like thunder. "Within 24 hours, you are required to completely surround the slums and factory areas and disperse all members of it. The safety of the empire is above everything else. Anyone who dares to hinder action is regarded as a traitor and directly suppress it!"
After the words came, all the military personnel in the conference room stood up in unison.
They have long disliked these two ghost places. Since Lin Yi has spoken, they can finally take action on these two places.
"As for Wish Street... Reinhardt, you lead the elites of the execution organs, come with me."
The forces behind Wish Street are intricate, and they can move the whole body with one blow.
There is a real den of a dragon's and a little carelessness will lead to unpredictable consequences.
Therefore, he decided to lead the team himself to ensure that everything was foolproof. (This chapter ends)