Soren stood in a corner of the study, gazing intently at the map as if searching for a clue. He spoke slowly, breaking the silence in the study, "Hilton, what do you see?"
Hilton snapped out of his thoughts, took a deep breath, and replied, "I see a huge mystery, a conspiracy that could involve the entire military system."
Soren nodded, a glint of approval in his eyes. "That's right. What this map reveals...
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...may be much more complicated than we think. We need to investigate further and uncover the truth of it all."
The two men's gazes fell once more on the names in the map, the lines and names seeming to tell a story yet to be revealed.
Facing the complex web of relationships hanging on the walls, Soren felt a deep sense of pressure.
The vast network involved as many people as there are stars in the sky, and the cases involved were even more numerous and intricate.
Soren realized that trying to unravel this mess on his own would be a fool's errand. Although the Ministry of Military Affairs outwardly appeared to be fully cooperating with his investigation, Soren knew that there must be internal agents of those involved hidden within the Ministry.
Their so-called "cooperation" was more like a subtle form of surveillance, constantly watching his every move.
Although his own intelligence organization was beginning to take shape, it was still not up to the task of conducting such a large-scale investigation.
Soren fell into deep thought, realizing that to uncover this fog, he had to seek stronger assistance.
Therefore, he decided to ask his father for help, requesting to mobilize the power of the Shadow Guard and Cabrons, the two major intelligence organizations.
These two organizations were known for their efficiency and mystery, and their involvement would undoubtedly bring a breakthrough in the investigation.
When Gustav received the letter from Soren, his brow furrowed and a look of displeasure crossed his face. "That kid finally remembered to write to his father. I thought he was so engrossed in the outside world that he didn't want to come back."
He muttered, gently tearing open the envelope.
At this moment, Gustav was having dinner with Empress Dowager Affina, Empress Elizabeth, and Imperial Concubine Maria Sacha in the Amber Palace.
The atmosphere was originally relaxed and pleasant, but Soren's letter was like a stone falling into a calm lake, creating ripples.
As soon as Imperial Concubine Maria Sacha heard that it was a letter from Soren, she subconsciously craned her neck to try to peek at the contents. However, she quickly suppressed her curiosity, sat back in her original position, but her eyes couldn't help but dart towards the letter in Gustav's hand.
"Oh? Is my good grandson writing back?" Empress Dowager Affina asked with a kind smile, "Read it out loud and see what he has to say."
Gustav was about to respond to the Empress Dowager, but when his eyes scanned the first paragraph of the letter, his expression suddenly became serious.
This was not just a family letter, but a request for assistance.
In the letter, Soren described in detail the complex case and the urgent situation he was facing. He wrote: "Father, this case involves a wide range of people, and it is really difficult for your son to investigate it alone. Although the Ministry of Military Affairs appears to be cooperating on the surface, I am worried that there are hidden agents within it, making it difficult to trust them completely. The Shadow Guard and Cabrons have always been known as elite organizations, and I implore you to dispatch these two organizations to assist in the investigation and dig out all the worms in the military."
Every word in the letter revealed Soren's firm determination and urgent need to uncover the truth.
At the same time, he also listed the serious problems of the continuously rising military expenditure and the gradual weakening of the army's combat effectiveness in recent years.
Especially after the outbreak of this national war, this drawback was even more exposed.
Gustav took a deep breath and handed the letter to the Empress Dowager and Empress beside him to pass around.
Soren's request was not only about the truth of a case, but also involved the future and destiny of the entire empire.
Empress Dowager Affina took the letter and carefully read every word.
As she read on, her expression gradually became gloomy. Her maternal family, the Box family, as the empire's premier knight family and an important force in the military, had always enjoyed a lofty reputation and status.
If Soren's investigation proved to be true, the Box family would hardly be able to stay out of it.
However, so many years had passed, and there had never been any relevant news from the family, which undoubtedly made people suspect that they had chosen to remain silent, or even had inextricable links with those corrupt elements.
Gustav keenly captured the change in the Empress Dowager's expression, and was shocked in his heart, but maintained his composure on the surface. He quickly comforted her, "Mother, there is no conclusive evidence yet, perhaps it is just Soren's speculation. We don't need to worry too much."
Empress Dowager Affina did not relax her vigilance because of Gustav's words. She knew the importance of this matter and understood that if the Box family was really involved, it would have a huge impact on the entire empire. She said in a deep voice, "We must immediately conduct an investigation according to what Soren said, and it must be done secretly, without alarming anyone."
Gustav was secretly delighted. He had long been dissatisfied with the expansion of the Box family's power, and now he could take this opportunity to strike at them and weaken their strength in the military. He respectfully replied, "Don't worry, Mother, I know what to do."
At this time, Imperial Concubine Maria Sacha also spoke up in a timely manner: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, this matter is no small matter.
Soren is now alone in the Northwest Provinces, and I am worried that if he finds out anything, someone will become desperate and harm him."
Gustav was furious when he heard this: "Who dares! Soren is the crown prince of my empire, the future emperor. Anyone who dares to harm him is harming my entire empire!"
His emphasis on Soren was evident. This son, who was both civil and military, had continuously helped him solve many thorny problems, and Gustav even planned to let Soren supervise the country in advance, so that he could wholeheartedly cultivate and break through to the realm of the Eighth Order Great Knight Commander.
Gustav pondered for a moment and said, "I will dispatch the Shadow Guard."
Hearing that Gustav directly dispatched the Shadow Guard, Empress Elizabeth and Imperial Concubine Maria Sacha were immediately shocked.
The Shadow Guard was an intelligence organization, filled with powerful experts. Besides the leader Sophis, there were also the Five Shadows, who represented the strongest combat power of the Shadow Guard. Each of them was a half-step Saint realm expert, who would not be easily mobilized on ordinary days, and had always been Gustav's personal guards.
