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Heir of the White Lotus (Web Novel) - Chapter 1474 Five Domains
Chapter 1474 Five Domains
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
It took Adam an entire week to confirm the routine of people entering and leaving the study.
He found it suspicious that the room was occupied throughout the night on most days, especially since the Marquis slept in his own room, but it was reassuring to learn that the study was left empty every third night for some reason.
Although he still found this suspicious enough not to venture forward, time was of the essence. He had to finish his work here in the next day or two and then return to being Kenny.
Or else he wouldn't be able to explain his whereabouts in the past few days if asked. No matter how fond Lebu was of Kenny, if he found anything even remotely suspicious about the youth, he would have no other choice but to report to higher-ups.
The Twilight Brotherhood was a spy organization, after all.
On the ninth day since he had begun living as Henry van Booth, he finally found the opportunity to make his move.
He entered the study just after midnight. The corridor outside was empty. Guards had rotated minutes earlier. He used Sebastian's key, turned the lock once, and slipped inside.
As the doors closed behind him without a sound, he silently heaved a sigh.
The room was dark, but he didn't need the light anyway. His eyes could see through the darkness.
The study was large and orderly. There was a central desk, tall shelves filled with books and trade records on the sides. A globe sat on the desk. There were two cabinets, and one wall was lined with the map of Europa.
There was nothing openly suspicious about the layout.
Heh, isn't that the point? Adam silently scoffed.
The youth tested the drawers first. Even without using the Sphere of Resonance to focus on the furniture, his training over the past several years allowed him see a false bottom drawer within moments.
A third, hidden drawer resisted slightly when pushed all the way in. Beneath the wooden panel was a thin compartment. The documents he found inside caused his lips to curl into a cold smile.
There was a correspondence ledger of some kind, bound in plain leather and marked only with dates. Inside, he found resource allocations to five unknown groups, symbols instead of names, repeated monthly payments far beyond official budgets.
In the margins, he found small sigils. He quickly memorized all the information and put away the ledger exactly where it had been.
Off to a good start, he mused.
No, this is great!
Since he needed to hurry out of this place, he spread his senses outward, covering the area around him to look for any discrepancies.
The map of Europa on the wall… the frame appeared slightly crooked. He lifted the frame, and inside, he found meeting summaries.
Without proper context, he couldn't understand them. But he still memorized all the symbols.
The right cabinet had a back panel that didn't quite match the grain. He pressed the board, and a section slid inward.
With a faint smirk on his face, Adam read the trade manifests inside. The destinations were three ports, two border towns, and one city in the Haynam Empire.
Illegal trade supplies, Adam thought, his eyes gleaming sharply.
The globe on the desk was his text target. The globe's stand had a seam. He twisted it, and a thin metal cylinder slid out.
Inside, he found the Brotherhood's cypher codes, reports on agent deployments, and internal investigations. The recipients' addresses were linked to known Cult fronts.
Intelligence leakage! Adam mused. He finally found proof of it.
Adam moved to the next target.
The inkwell on the writing desk was heavier than it should be. He unscrewed the base, and inside…
Adam's eyes narrowed.
Compromised agent dossiers? He wondered.
Names marked as 'Turned', 'Controlled', and 'Observe Only'.
But these are just the names of Cult spies at the Mana Foundation and Mana Liquefaction Rank. What about the Wardens? Damn it, was I too hopeful?
No… this is still good! This proves internal corruption!
He memorized the names of those traitorous rats by heart.
The left drawer was shielded by ward magic. Adam easily disabled it and looked inside. He found small folios displaying the names, ages, and aptitudes of children. They were marked 'Selected', 'Moved North', and 'Delivered'.
Unfortunately, the destination up north wasn't marked or even hinted at, even remotely.
Adam turned to the final drawer. In the desk's central beam, he pulled a hidden latch. Concealed behind a layered parchment was a hand-drawn network chart.
It displayed five crime domains.
Black market trade, intelligence leaks, child procurement, financial laundering, and finally, oath and control, Adam read the chart in his mind.
Five domains, five domains, five… factions?
This is in line with what Lebu once told me. The winning side inside the Brotherhood consists of five factions. So do these five factions control these five domains?
At the center of the chart, a symbol linked all five.
Adam knew that symbol well. Very well.
The Cult of Bones!
After reading all the concealed documents, he came to a horrifying conclusion.
This was not merely infiltration.
It was total control!
The five factions were not just compromised. They were running the Brotherhood for the Cult.
All this while I assumed that the Brotherhood had been gradually infiltrated by the Cult, but what if…
What if it had always been under the Cult?!
The more he thought about it, the more solemn he became. The conspiracy ran deeper than he had imagined. Although these were just his assumptions, he had a dreadful feeling that he was right.
Right at that moment, he sensed two figures entering the manor from the basement and climbing the stairs.
He didn't have enough time to check the identities of the two people. He had to leave the study quickly!
Adam replaced every panel, every drawer, and every frame, making sure to erase any and all traces of his presence. A few moments later, the study looked untouched.
He cast one final glance at the room and then stepped outside.
Adam quietly eased the study door shut and stepped into the hallway. He had taken no more than a few steps when the sound of footsteps sounded from the far end.
Sebastian turned the corner first. Another man followed at his side.
The butler of the house couldn't help but frown when he saw Henry in the hallway. "Young Master, what are you doing outside so late at night?"
Henry shuddered at the voice, letting out a frightened yelp. He quickly turned around and glanced at the butler. "S-sebastian! It's you. I was just—"
And then he froze.
His gaze settled on the person standing next to Sebastian.
It was someone familiar.
Deeply familiar.
For a brief moment, Adam felt his mind turn completely blank.
Sebastian saw the copper jug in the youth's hand and came to a realization. "Did no one leave water in your room?" he asked.
Henry snapped back to his senses. "Ah… I-I guess not. They must've forgotten."
He then turned to the man standing beside Sebastian and asked in a low voice, "And who's this? I… I didn't know we had a guest."
Marden gave Henry a single, indifferent glance. Without answering, he ignored him entirely and walked into the study.
Sebastian, meanwhile, deeply looked at Henry and said, "Please return to your room, young master."
"Y-yes, of course!" Henry nodded quickly.
He turned at once and headed toward the attic.
After a few steps, he paused, glanced back at the closed study door, and his narrowed eyes gleamed with a cold light.
His mind, a storm of tangled emotions, echoed with a single thought:
We meet again.
