novelhk Chapter 441 Inquiry
Chapter 441 Inquiry
Chapter 441 Inquiry
Faced with Leo's reaction, François quickly calmed down. No wonder such a successful businessman as Leo ended up in prison.
It turns out he had no idea what he was holding.
Leo pondered for a moment, then became frighteningly calm.
His hands were handcuffed with metal chains, and the pendulum of the hanging clock behind his head swung incessantly.
This is to remind visitors to cherish their time during their visit.
The faint "tick-tock" sound was barely audible until Mr. Leo spoke, at which point it was completely drowned out.
"You mean—the power of spices?"
"Yes," François nodded, "Sir, don't you know anything?"
"I do have some doubts, but I don't think that force would warrant a government going to such lengths, even breaking the rules, to arrest me. Mr. François, may I ask, what do you know?"
"I do know some information, but—"
François wanted to tell Rio more information, but the more Rio knew, the more dangerous his situation became.
Moreover, François is currently a specially appointed alchemist of the Federal Parliament, and the fact that spices can help in the creation of perfect alchemical potions is a closely guarded secret.
He knew how powerful the clockwork technology in the council was, and that their conversation might be being eavesdropped on by a third party.
Therefore, for Leo's sake and for François's own, he could not give Leo the complete information in this location, which he could not fully control.
"I'm sorry—" François finally chose to say, "but the value of the goods you sell may far exceed your imagination."
Mr. Leo stared at François for a moment with his eyes narrowed before slowly saying, "Although I don't know what you're worried about, Mr. François, it seems that I can only rely on you right now."
"Rely on me?" François waved his hands repeatedly upon hearing this. "No, I am not worthy of your reliance at all. I am just here to remind you and to bring you some information."
"So, you're willing to help me?"
François leaned back involuntarily: "I didn't come for that. I—I just guessed it was you, and you're someone I know, someone who took care of me before. Also, you're someone Mr. Mosley knows, you know, he—"
"...But you did help me," Leo interrupted François. "Regardless of your motives, once you chose to come to me, you couldn't avoid this outcome."
"This, this, yes, perhaps."
François's voice became hesitant, and he couldn't help but feel a little scared when Mr. Leo's attitude suddenly hardened. "It would be my pleasure if it were of any help to you."
"So you don't object to helping me, Mr. François. I can see your true thoughts hidden deep in your heart."
As he spoke, Leo suddenly reached out and grabbed him. "Sir, please, you must help me."
"Well—maybe you're right, but I'm an unreliable person and not someone you can trust."
“You underestimate yourself, Mr. François,” Leo said. “Besides, I can certainly find a way to get your help, without compromising your own safety, of course.”
Although he wasn't entirely at ease, Leo's confident demeanor made it hard for François to refuse.
In that instant, François even felt as if he himself was the one facing imprisonment.
François sighed and asked:
"Mr. Leo, what do you want me to do for you?"
"Help me investigate two things: how much Parliament cares about spices, and who is the highest-ranking official in my case."
François hesitated, saying, "But I don't know how to investigate."
"It's alright, I'll teach you," Leo said. "Didn't you say you have some acquaintances in the council? You can ask them first."
"What if we can't get anything out of those people?"
"Then let's start the investigation from my level and work our way up."
"However, I really feel that I am not capable of doing this job."
"Here's what we'll do," Leo said. "I'll give you the address of a chamber of commerce. Go there and find Franklin; he should be able to give you some advice."
Finally, the brass pointer pointed to the appointed time, and François had to leave the prison's visiting room.
François entered prison empty-handed, but came out burdened with responsibility.
"Ugh—" François cried out in his heart—" I really don't want to shoulder the fate of others.
However, it was too late for François to regret it.
Okay, I'll give it a try.
Mr. Leo then provided some more details; in fact, François only needed to do as Leo said.
Upon leaving prison, François had to return to the parliament immediately.
Frankly, François had not expected that after arriving in Parliament City, leaving his workplace would be so difficult.
You must apply to go out.
They were required to report the specific time and location of their absence and to return to the laboratory within a specified time.
Although it was a bit of a hassle, François didn't mind too much.
After identifying themselves to the soldiers guarding the bridge in the Parliament Hall, the drawbridge was lowered.
François returned to the laboratory and found that Officer Ike was also there.
"—You despicable academic thief, do you know, Sir Rand, that we found quite a few blueprints for clockwork mechanisms in their stolen research? Perhaps one of those inventions alone could be enough to influence the entire course of events."
Mr. Rand nodded slightly and saw Leo return:
"You're back, Bachelor François."
François nodded to the two men: "Scholar Rand, Officer Ike."
"You've come at just the right time, Bachelor François," Ike said with a smile, spreading his right hand. "I've been sent by Councilor Zod to commend you both for your outstanding contributions to this case."
"You flatter me," François said with an awkward bow.
"Only verbal praise?" Rand asked rhetorically.
"Of course not," Ike said with a smile. "Congressman Zod is planning to grant you a special research grant."
Rand nodded in satisfaction: "That's more like it."
"In fact, through this incident, the two of you have completely won the trust of Councilor Zhuo De. Although I am a clockwork fanatic, I have to admit that the two of you have also made me realize the potential of alchemy. Therefore, you can make any requests to me in the future."
"Um—" François began.
Ike smiled and looked at François: "What can I do for you, Scholar François?"
"I'd like to ask you about something."
"Please speak."
"Spices," François's Adam's apple bobbed beneath his fat, "how much does Parliament actually know?"
Upon hearing this, Ike's eyes suddenly turned cold.
Upon seeing this, François felt a chill run down his spine.
But Ike finally replied, "The council valued spices long before they knew about you."