Chapter Thirty-Seven: Naming

By the time they returned to the manor, it was already past three in the afternoon. With news from Daniel still pending, Viraque headed upstairs to his bedroom to process the information Chloe had gathered so far.

Chloe was highly efficient, having already clarified the backgrounds of over twenty individuals listed as payees on the ledger:

Pierre Trische, Deputy Governor of the Bressi Central Bank. Fifty-seven years old, born in Pusiga, and a graduate of both the Bressi National University of Engineering and Technology and the Bressi National School of Administration. He served as Minister of Finance three years ago and assumed his current position as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank a year ago. Seven months ago, he was accused of perjury in a credit-related case but was ultimately acquitted by the court.

Louville Rhode, Chief Justice of the Lezein High Court. Sixty-two years old, born in Lezein, and a graduate of the Bressi Imperial University School of Law.

...

Every person who had significant financial dealings with the Thomas family held a high-ranking position within the Bressi power structure—a clear case of collusion between politics and business. Judging by the earliest dates in the ledger, Carmine had spent twenty years forging deep connections with powerful figures who held sway over his business, effectively building a massive umbrella of protection for the Thomas Corporation.

Over the years, Carmine had funneled millions of gold marks to individuals like Pierre and Louville alone. In total, the ledger accounted for nearly ten million gold marks in expenditures. While the cost of keeping these powerful figures tethered was exorbitant, it had allowed the Thomas Corporation to sail smoothly to its current status as a formidable financial conglomerate, with the latest quarterly profits exceeding fifteen million gold marks.

"My god..." Viraque couldn't help but exhale softly after reviewing the profiles of the twenty-plus individuals.

The depth and reach of the Thomas family's network far exceeded his imagination. Even if he could uncover the specific, illicit nature of their transactions, the evidence of bribery would likely be intercepted by Carmine's "allies" long before it could reach anyone capable of threatening the Thomas family's existence.

It seemed that contending with the Thomas family would not be so easy. Viraque realized he had been moving too smoothly of late, and combined with his lack of understanding regarding the conglomerate, he had severely underestimated Carmine. Having reached such a position, Carmine would not be easily defeated by Viraque.

However, Viraque did not feel entirely helpless.

This information was useless in his hands alone, and even if he dragged the revolutionary organization into it, it would be difficult to maximize its potential. But if he were to hand it over to the Thomas family's rivals, the situation would be entirely different.

In the complex web of Lezein, the Thomas family was not the only player, and they were certainly not all-powerful. If this ledger were handed to a competitor of comparable strength, they would inevitably use it to crush the Thomas family and then ruthlessly consume them.

If this ledger truly carried such weight, its value was worth far more than ten million gold marks.

Viraque's eyes glowed with intensity. Previously, he hadn't placed much value on the ledger, treating it merely as a trump card for self-preservation. Now, it appeared this was his greatest treasure.

Even if it wasn't worth ten million, a million was well within reach. This figure aligned perfectly with Viraque's goal. In other words, if he could sell the ledger for a million gold marks, he could leave Lezein immediately.

As for how to sell it safely, that was the problem Viraque needed to contemplate next.

If he shifted his focus to selling the ledger, he could secure the funds to flee much sooner. Dealing with other conglomerates carried high risks, but remaining here only increased the danger. Without knowing for sure which path was correct, Viraque could only take things one step at a time.

After tucking away the ledger and the information Chloe had collected, Viraque planned to have Daniel ask her to investigate which companies were hostile toward the Thomas family. He would then approach them under the guise of the revolutionary organization, selling to the highest bidder.

At six o'clock, a car horn sounded outside. Viraque went to the window, saw that Daniel had returned, and went downstairs to meet him.

"How did it go?" Viraque asked once he was in the car.

"Comrade Chloe says that tomorrow's meeting is primarily to discuss the organization's future development plans in detail and to decide on a formal name," Daniel replied.

"A name?"

"Yes. Comrade Chloe says that since the organization has been established for over a year without an official name, it makes us appear vague, which hinders the recruitment of new members and the dissemination of our ideals."

"That makes sense..." Viraque agreed. It wouldn't do to keep calling themselves the "revolutionary organization," a name that sounded inherently dangerous and failed to clarify their specific appeals or positioning, leading to misunderstandings.

When he first heard the name, he too had assumed that Chris and his colleagues intended to overthrow the Bressi regime, when in reality, they only wanted to dismantle the current, unreasonable system to grant workers and other marginalized people more freedom and equality.

While both goals were subversive to the Bressi regime and its conglomerates, the latter certainly sounded more "harmless."

"I understand," Viraque said, considering whether to cancel tomorrow's meeting.

After weighing his options, he decided to attend. Detailed planning and naming were urgent issues for the organization; he could cancel the meeting, but he couldn't hide forever. Rather than delaying the progress of the plan, it was better to resolve these issues early and lighten the burden.

"Tell Comrade Chloe that I will attend tomorrow's meeting on time. I hope they can be more cautious to avoid being tracked," Viraque decided. "Also, inform Comrade Chloe to investigate the companies and factions hostile to the Thomas family. I need detailed information on them."

He would see Chloe tomorrow, but he wanted Daniel to pass the message along today. Every extra day he spent in Lezein increased the danger, so the sooner he had the information, the better.

"Very well, Mr. Chris." Daniel showed no signs of annoyance at the errands, maintaining his eager and diligent attitude.

"Go on your own, and don't drive. If Fletcher or anyone else sees you leaving in a car for hours at a time, it will arouse their suspicion," Viraque cautioned.

Daniel's honking in front of the manor earlier had already made him quite nervous. This young man was still a bit reckless.

"I'll go now, then." Daniel stepped out of the car.

"Take care on the road. We are still in a tense period," Viraque added in a low voice.

"Understood." A look of seriousness and resolve crossed Daniel's face before he turned and left.

Watching Daniel depart, Viraque let out a long sigh and returned to the manor.