My queen is rebelling!

Fingel's words made Vaughn frown even more deeply.

Could Helmut have been the target from the start?

It seemed he really had found something that implicated Helmut.

Vaughn hesitated for a moment, unsure of exactly what Fingel had uncovered.

The Collins family's influence in Effaine was deeply entrenched, with immeasurable wealth and power.

Similarly, to maintain that wealth and power, Vaughn, including the Collins family behind him, had done many things that couldn't be made public.

And many of these things were personally arranged and implemented by his trusted aide and confidant, Helmut White.

Having done so many shady things, there were bound to be slip-ups.

Vaughn didn't think there was anything wrong with that; every family did the same.

At his level, there was no right or wrong.

It was simply a matter of unequal distribution of benefits.

What Vaughn didn't understand was whether Fingel's proactive visit was his own idea, or on behalf of the Queen and the Prime Minister.

Lost in thought, Helmut spoke:

"My Lord, I was just thinking of having a good chat with this promising young Director Fingel!

Didn't you have an appointment with the Minister of Agriculture for tea? I wouldn't want to disrupt your schedule."

Vaughn felt a subtle sense of relief; he knew Helmut's capabilities.

How could a student soldier, still wet behind the ears, possibly deal with him?

However, he still needed to confirm Fingel's background.

And whose instructions were behind his actions!

After Vaughn left, Helmut smiled at Fingel and said:

"Director Fingel, please ask anything you want to know; I will answer everything without reservation."

Fingel's expression remained calm as he nodded and said:

"Thank you for your cooperation!"

From within the Shadow Plane, Cohen had been observing Fingel's every move since he knocked on the Collins family's door.

The more he observed, the more he felt his investment was worthwhile.

Fingel was indeed a rare talent; with a little more experience, he could definitely become his right-hand man.

Cohen silently listened to the conversation between the three, and when Vaughn left, Cohen's heart stirred, and he followed.

Vaughn twisted and turned through the luxurious viscount's residence, and soon arrived at a secret room.

After entering the secret room, Vaughn activated the magic circle while taking out a purple communication stone.

Cohen saw everything clearly from the Shadow Plane.

Vaughn was contacting Prime Minister Angus Angrian.

The communication quickly connected, and after some polite greetings, Vaughn tentatively inquired about Fingel's true identity.

Angus's response made Vaughn frown slightly.

He said that the Military Intelligence Agency was still in the preparatory stage, and all work was being personally overseen by Her Majesty the Queen.

Even as Prime Minister, he couldn't interfere too much.

However, Angus promised to inquire on his behalf.

Hanging up the communication, Vaughn shook his head lightly. At the same time, the magic circle in his hand was completely activated.

Scenes began to appear in the secret room, showing Fingel and Helmut talking in the reception room.

At the beginning, there were only some routine simple questions.

Such as Helmut's position and daily work in the viscount's residence.

A trace of confusion appeared in Helmut's eyes; he really couldn't remember for a moment.

He replied uncertainly:

"Probably, I don't remember very well."

As soon as he finished speaking, Fingel took out a yellowed red-headed letter of appointment from his briefcase.

It clearly stated that on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, Helmut White was appointed as a special commissioner for land planning and management in the northern region of the country.

The signature below was that of the then Minister of Industry, Vaughn Collins.

Seeing this letter of appointment evoked Helmut's distant memories.

He suddenly remembered this incident twenty years ago, and a trace of gloom appeared on his face.

Being able to find such a letter of commission from the vast sea of documents and materials was enough to show that the other party was prepared.

He really didn't know what they had found.

Also, the power of this Military Intelligence Agency was indeed boundless, even able to retrieve such long-standing secret documents from the archives department.

A look of solemnity appeared in Helmut's eyes as he replied:

"That's right, I remember now, I did serve as this special envoy twenty years ago."

Fingel's lips curled into a lukewarm smile, and he continued:

"Twenty years ago, Viscount Vaughn Collins, the then Minister of Industry in the Cabinet, submitted an assessment report to the late King regarding the chaotic land management in the northern region.

This assessment report was drafted by Mr. Helmut with two officials from the Ministry of Industry, am I correct?"

Helmut replied with a smile:

"This… I have drafted no less than ten thousand reports for the viscount.

Twenty years ago… I really can't remember very well."

Fingel continued to take out two transcripts of inquiries from his briefcase and said calmly:

"These are the written records of the inquiries of the two Ministry of Industry officials who accompanied you in the investigation and assessment back then, would you like to take a look?"

Helmut pursed his lips into a line. Twenty years had passed; who would remember two unknown small clerks?

He slowly nodded:

"I remember now, there was indeed such a thing, I drafted this report!"

Fingel put away the transcripts of the conversation, and his voice suddenly became a little more stern:

"According to the descriptions of these two Ministry of Industry officials, the land in the northern region did not have management problems as serious as those in the report during your investigation.

They confessed that you used someone's influence to interfere with them in making this false investigation report!"

Helmut's lips curled into a sinister smile, and he leaned back slightly, saying indifferently:

"Slander, baseless slander.

Where are these two officials? I can confront them in person!"

Arrogance and contempt hung in the corners of Helmut's eyes. If Fingel's trump card was just the insignificant testimony of two Ministry of Industry officials, then he felt that he had overestimated this young upstart who dared to come to his door!

Fingel didn't care and quickly replied:

"That's right, that's what I thought too.

How could someone valued by Viscount Collins do such a low-down thing?"

Helmut didn't take Fingel's veiled sarcasm to heart at all.

In his opinion, this was just the rage of the weak.

Even if he had indeed forced the two officials to tamper with the investigation report back then, so what?

Not everyone dared to stand openly against the Collins family like Fingel!

He was completely confident that once those two officials confronted him in person, they would immediately recant!

The truth of the matter twenty years ago was that the northern region of Effaine had vast and fertile land.

It was also a famous grain-producing area in the entire Northwest Continent.

Therefore, the emerging noble Collins family regarded this place as a new target for their wealth expansion.

Vaughn Collins, who became the Minister of Industry and entered the Cabinet, began his carefully planned land annexation action, which was also the first pot of gold for the Collins family's rise.

He used his position in the court to submit an assessment report to the King, claiming that the land management in the northern region was chaotic.

It needed to be re-planned and rectified.

This assessment report was personally drafted by his confidant Helmut.

The King believed him and appointed him to be responsible for the sorting out of the northern land.

Vaughn took the opportunity to insert his confidants into the execution team.

After these people arrived in the north, they began to measure and assess the farmers' land for various unreasonable reasons.

They deliberately expanded the land area, claiming that the farmers had underpaid a large amount of taxes over the years, and confiscated the land on this pretext.

Some farmers also tried to resist, taking land contracts and family inheritance certificates to the local executive government to appeal.

But these petitioners were all sent back by the Minister of Industry, who had influence, and his connections.

A few troublemakers were also imprisoned, and the Collins family's private armed forces also participated in this looting spree.

These armed men rode tall horses, wore heavy armor, and held sharp long swords, rampaging through the northern countryside.

They drove away farmers, burned down houses, and forcibly dragged away those who were unwilling to leave the land.

In this process, many peasant families were torn apart and displaced.

At the same time, Vaughn continued to use his methods in the court to prevent other ministers from understanding the situation in the north.

Whenever a minister questioned the land consolidation work in the north, Vaughn would take out some fabricated data and reports, claiming that all work was proceeding in an orderly manner, and the re-planning of the land would bring more benefits to the country.

He also pulled the then Minister of Finance into his camp of interests.

Let the Minister of Finance restrict the funds of those departments that might threaten his plan, so that they could not conduct in-depth investigations.

In addition, the Collins family also colluded with some bandits and robbers to create a series of terrorist attacks in the northern region.

Then the Collins family entered these areas under the pretext of protecting land security.

They forcibly acquired the land of farmers and ranchers at extremely low prices, and those who were unwilling to sell were directly framed for colluding with robbers and put in prison.

In this way, in just five years, large areas of high-quality pastures and farmland, the country's grain and animal husbandry production areas, were all taken into the Collins family's bag.

The Is family also jumped from a middle-class noble to Effaine's top powerful family.

Frankly speaking, the Collins family's actions were not brilliant.

As long as you carefully investigate, you can always find some clues.

Therefore, it is not that no one has noticed the evil deeds of the Collins family.

But even if they noticed, so what?

Behind the Collins family is a real Minister of the Cabinet.

Is one of the most supreme people in this country.

It was nothing more than seizing a few more pieces of land and killing a few more people.

For a cabinet minister, these were not even considered matters.

It was even a publicly acknowledged unspoken rule.

Several cabinet ministers were each responsible for one or two areas of the country, which was each minister's own territory.

As long as one didn't overstep within their own sphere of influence and didn't interfere with the interests of other ministers,

the others wouldn't interfere with your plans either. Everyone carried the sedan chair together, giving each other face and backing each other up.

Everyone worked together, happily sucking the blood of this rich and abundant country.

They didn't care what kind of disaster their actions would bring to the country.

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For them, the concept of the country was very weak; the family was their only and fundamental goal.

When Koen's father, Victor Corleone, was in power, he had always wanted to solve this problem.

The collusion between these families was deeply entrenched. It couldn't be reversed overnight.

Especially at that time, Effie's development was too strong and was targeted by the Kingdom of Ceylon.

In order to resist the suppression from the Kingdom of Ceylon, Victor had to relax domestic controls.

This led to these families becoming even more unscrupulous, trying every means to frantically seize benefits from the country and the people.

After Yadel took office, it goes without saying.

Although she had a passion to protect this country for her husband,

the pressure she faced was too great. The first to bear the brunt was the Corleone royal family.

The first thing these large families and nobles did when they wanted to develop was to bribe the Corleone royal family.

Her husband couldn't provide any help, so she didn't have much of a way to deal with her husband's family.

However, after this period of investigation, Koen had a general understanding of the domestic situation.

Perhaps the great turmoil that would happen soon would be an opportunity for Effie to be reborn from the ashes.

These families who were sucking the blood of Effie all day long probably didn't have any loyalty.

Perhaps he could use this opportunity to fish, catch all those bastard families and kill them all, making room for his subordinates!

And those few scoundrels in the Corleone royal family.

When Yadel was in power, they gave her a lot of trouble. Koen wanted to vent his anger for his queen sister.

Koen's thoughts were all in an instant. In the reception room, Finger continued:

"In addition to these, I also want to inquire about a person from Mr. Helmut. He was an administrative officer who worked with you twenty years ago."

"He was the administrative secretary of Kansas County in the northern region at the time, Baron Harold.

I wonder if Mr. Helmut has any impression of this person?"

Hearing this name, a trace of unnaturalness flashed across Helmut's face. He slightly shifted his gaze and said:

"I seem to have a little impression. The name sounds familiar. I should know him."

Before he finished speaking, Finger had already placed several meeting records in front of Helmut, each with the signatures of Helmut and Harold.

The time span of the meeting records was as long as five years.

In addition, there were two property certificates next to them, one from Helmut and one from Harold.

The property locations were 128 Central Avenue in Kansas County and 129 Central Avenue.

Colleagues who had worked together for more than five years and had even been neighbors for a period of time.

These materials were enough to prove that the relationship between the two was very close.

A fierce look appeared in Helmut's eyes.

Watching all this through the surveillance magic circle in the secret room, Viscount Vaughn Collins's face also turned ashen.

It wasn't because the materials Finger produced could prove that Helmut had done anything,

but the fact that Finger could produce these materials was enough to explain a lot!

The meeting conversation records from twenty years ago, how did the other party find them?

And the fixed asset certificates involving Helmut, his confidant, from which channel did the other party obtain them?

His political sense, honed over many years in the officialdom, told him that an invisible net was slowly enveloping him.

Effie Military Commission Investigation and Statistics Bureau!

Were they going to make an example of him?

Yes, the new department naturally needed to show its new authority and declare its strong political existence.

The Collins family, which had faded into the political arena for many years, was indeed a good target.

Having figured this out, Vaughn's lips curled into a sinister smile.

In the reception room, Helmut's expression had obviously changed, and the look on his face was also unnatural. Facing Finger's questioning gaze, he replied with some lack of confidence:

"I remember now. I did have dealings with this Baron Harold for a while.

But it's been too long. We haven't been in contact for a long time. I almost forgot about him.

Is he doing well now?"

Finger shook his head and said in a solemn voice:

"Not good. Baron Harold has passed away for more than ten years."

A well-placed look of astonishment appeared on Helmut's face, and he asked:

"Passed away? That's unexpected. I completely remember now. Harold was a good young man.

We worked together very happily. It's a pity..."

"A pity what?"

Helmut came back to his senses, the emotion of remembrance deep in his pupils flashed away, and he said calmly:

"It's a pity he died young. Didn't Director Finger just say that Baron Harold passed away a long time ago?"

Finger's face became much more solemn:

"Yes, it's a pity.

It seems that Baron Harold left a very good impression on you.

But I'm sure you never knew his other identity."

Helmut's expression completely returned to calm, and he asked:

"What identity?"

"He was also a secret agent arranged by the Minister of Supervision to Kansas County."

Helmut's heart skipped a beat.

Did they even find this out?

This department, which had just been established a few days ago and hadn't even determined a specific office location.

Had they already investigated to this extent so quickly?

Helmut's eyes unconsciously showed appreciation, an appreciation for the kind of young man who could be cultivated.

Although the two belonged to opposing sides, Finger was able to unravel everything related and unrelated in just a few days and investigate an old case that had been buried for twenty years so clearly.

In addition to being shocked by the energy of the Military Intelligence Bureau, Helmut also highly recognized the ability of this Level 4 Investigation Director Finger.

Helmut hid the emotion in his eyes and said in a deep voice:

"This is the first time I've heard of this."

Finger's tone became much lower:

"Then you certainly don't know that Baron Harold had a secret that even his wife didn't know.

As a secret agent of the Minister of Supervision, he clearly knew the situation he was facing and that he could encounter misfortune at any time.

Therefore, every time he investigated a piece of evidence—those forged evaluation reports, letters colluding with robbers, evidence of bribing various departments in Kansas County…

he would make a copy with a shadow stone and then bury the stone in the Bay Garden in the city center!

This was also something that Mrs. Lucy found out from a diary left by Baron Harold not long ago."

Hearing this, Helmut's breathing obviously became much more rapid.

However, he remained calm on the surface, and his tone did not change at all:

"There's actually such a thing. I wonder what force Baron Harold was investigating that he had to be so careful!"

Finger shook his head and said:

"Unfortunately, the Bay Garden began to be renovated five years ago, and the secrets buried by Baron Harold in the flower beds are probably long gone.

That's really a pity!"

Helmut did not speak, but remained silent.

Finger packed up the documents and materials he had brought and slowly stood up:

"Okay, I've finished asking my questions. I won't bother Viscount anymore. Please say hello to him for me. It was a pleasure talking to you. I hope there will be a next time."

Helmut was very surprised by Finger's abrupt end to the questioning. The other party didn't take the opportunity to pursue it further?

Why was that?

Was he just here to demonstrate?

Helmut shook his head and had to suppress the hundreds of guesses in his mind.

Before leaving, Finger suddenly asked a question:

"Mr. Helmut, do you still go to commemorate Mr. Harold every year?"