Master the Abyss, starting from an apprentice priest.

Chapter 674 Jolis's Investigation (3k4, Second Update)

The investigation into the flow of funds of the Saint-Léon family has yielded results.

The investigation commissioned to President Jolis yesterday afternoon has already yielded results; President Jolis is highly efficient.

"Okay." Luo Xiu nodded.

"Let's not rush into anything else," Luo Xiu said, turning to walk towards the mansion. He then addressed President Jolis.
"Come in and talk."

……

The mansion, the council hall.

"As you expected... the Saint-Langen family does indeed have many unusual financial flows."

In the hall, Luo Xiu sat in the main seat on the left, while President Jolis sat on the right, reporting respectfully to Luo Xiu:
"They set up a lot of blank accounts, transferred large amounts of funds into these blank accounts, then transferred them to real-name accounts multiple times, and finally transferred them to other sub-accounts, from which they withdrew the funds from banks in foreign gold-producing countries."

“My investigation, based on the records kept by the ‘Golden Window,’ has revealed that at least 30 million Imperial Gold Coins have been lost through this method.”

"The majority of their funds originated from the Gold Country Bank in the capital—the Yagus Bank was merely an important distribution and transit point for their funds. My investigation can only go this far."

"However, one point worth noting is... the Saint-Langen family has withdrawn funds totaling approximately ten million gold coins from several branches of the Agus Bank on multiple occasions over extended periods,"

"Among them, the account of the Supreme Knight stationed in Agus City increased by five million gold, and the total increase in reserves of the other Supreme Knights and officials under his command is also close to ten million."

“I remember… something happened around that time. It seems that two ‘Divine Knights’ were accused of being ‘Order Killers’ and were put on trial.”

"At that time, the Church's Inquisitors, together with the 'Knight of the Heavenly Announcement' Lukel, carried out a massive purge. The High Knights accused of being 'Order Killers' were executed in their respective mansions, and we have not heard of any follow-up to this operation since."

"..."

This is clearly bribery and murder... Luo Xiu thought to himself.

"The Knight of Heavenly Proclamation" Lukel, this supreme knight with six destinies, is already the most powerful supreme being in the city of Argus.

Because Argus City is considered the holy city of the "Holy Court," the role of "Heavenly Knight" Lukel here is more of a supervisory one, but he has clearly been won over by the saints of the "Saint Leron" family.

Moreover, taking this opportunity, Lukel and the Church of Agnes City joined forces to eliminate dissidents—a tactic often used by the [Supreme]. Luo Xiu was not surprised; in fact, it was a logical development.

"Okay, I understand." Luo Xiu nodded.

He then asked President Jolis:
"Focus on monitoring the accounts you've already identified—then restrict all fund flows in the 'Saint Leron' directly registered accounts... How much money is left in those accounts?"

"..."

"The amount registered under the name of the Church of Agus City... is 17,530,000 and 4,321 gold, while the amount registered under the name of Bishop Donovan is 4,320,000 and 830 gold," Jolis replied respectfully.

...There are also whole and odd amounts, Luo Xiu thought to himself.

“Freeze them,” Luo Xiu said. “I will give you the account you specify and transfer it to my name at midnight tomorrow night.”

"...?"

Jolis's expression froze instantly.

"Is this right?"

“That’s right.” Luo Xiu nodded, a smile appearing on his face, and said in a calm voice, “You know, President Jolis, as the person who was granted the title of ‘Red Crown Prince’ by imperial decree and who signed the highest ‘Golden Contract’ with the Florence family, I have the authority to do so.”

"Moreover, with so many unusual fund flows, even if you weren't involved in the Saint-Larion family's actions, President Jolis, at the very least, you have seriously neglected the management of your subordinates, which allowed these funds to be successfully transferred out."

“My goal is to cut my losses in time. You’d better cooperate with my actions, as well as that ‘Knight of the Gods’ Lukel. Freeze the funds in his account and transfer them to the account I designate.”

"Afterwards, the Holy Court and His Majesty the Emperor will definitely send new people to conduct a thorough investigation of the Saint Lelangen family. If the Saint Lelangen family still has clean saints, I will return them."

"Do you understand, President Jolis?"

"..."

Upon hearing what Luo Xiu said, President Jolis's expression became increasingly blank, and he remained speechless for a long time.

He already sensed that what Luo Xiu said carried an unquestionable implication—Jolis could not refuse, and as Luo Xiu said, he came representing the will of the Holy Court and the Emperor, and he had the authority to make such a decision.

President Jolis was simply afraid... He knew that doing so would offend the Saint-Larren family and "Knight of the Sky" Lukel.

But compared to these, offending a "Red Crown Prince" is obviously more terrifying—offending the Saint Lelangen family and "Heavenly Knight" Lukel might only mean you can't survive in Argus City, but offending Luo Xiu might mean you can't survive in the entire empire!
“I understand.” President Jolis nodded.

"I will do as you say and have my subordinates carry it out. However..."

"Are you afraid?" Luo Xiu interrupted him with a smile.

"..."

President Jolis did not respond, which can be considered an admission.

He was just a bank manager, and his status and level of expertise were far inferior to those he was about to be tasked with targeting. It was understandable that he was afraid.

"You can rest assured, after you finish these things, I won't assign you any other tasks," Luo Xiu said gently.

“I will help you preserve the Florence family’s assets in Agus City. However, if anything else happens, such as the bank inevitably being implicated, I promise you, President Jolis, that you will have a place in the San Carlos Territory, which I will be building after I take over.”

"You know what this means, don't you, President Jolis?"

"..."

“…!” President Jolis, of course, understood what this meant.

In other words, if the Golden Country Bank in Agus City is indeed affected and shuts down, I can follow Luo Xiu to the territory of Saint Carlos to establish a new family business, such as setting up a new "Golden Country Bank"!
The visible benefits were far greater than those of staying in Agus City—so much so that Jolis even conceived many ways to deliberately bankrupt his Gold Country Bank!

"I understand," President Jolis said with a sigh of relief.
"I have no more concerns."

"Then, tomorrow, at midnight, I will transfer the funds under the names of the Church of Agus, Bishop Donovan, and Knight Commander Lukel to the account you designate, as you have instructed... But please allow me, Your Majesty, that I must go out today... Hmm, I'm going on vacation for three days. I haven't had a vacation in a long time."

It was ostensibly a vacation, but in reality, it was a refuge—Luo Xiu wouldn't refuse President Jolis's request. He nodded and smiled, saying:
"can."

“I can send people to protect you, or you can protect yourself. You don’t need to tell me where you went. You can come back when you hear that things are peaceful in Agus City, or you can come to Saint Carlos’ territory to find me.”

"well……"

President Jolis stood up from his seat, and Luo Xiu could see that a few fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead. He was obviously still quite scared, but he tried his best to suppress his fear and make his expression look as calm as possible.

Luo Xiu also stood up, smiled, walked up to President Jolis, and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Do you need us to draft a 'Golden Contract' here?"

"..."

"...No, not this time, not this time."

President Jolis shook his head, his voice trembling slightly, and said:

“I will get it done. I know this isn’t a collaboration, it’s my duty, yes, my duty.”

"Then, go ahead."

Luo Xiu nodded, and finally said to President Jolis, "Go do what you're supposed to do."

"..."

President Jolis nodded, then turned around somewhat shakily and walked out of the hall.

Midway through, he even stumbled slightly. A servant who had been standing outside the hall saw this and quickly stepped forward to support him and help him leave.

Luo Xiu watched President Jolis's departing figure.

He secretly released a "mist shadow" and planted an eye in President Jolis's body.

When President Jolis arrived, it was still evening, and when he left, it was already night. Luo Xiu had originally planned to go to church, but after thinking about it again, he decided to rest first and go to church the next morning.

He then returned to his room and slept for a while, waking up in bed around six o'clock as dawn broke.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

After waking up, Luo Xiu went to the dining room on the second floor of the mansion, where head maid Caroline and the maids had already prepared breakfast.

It seems that Franya and Monine returned around dawn, ate breakfast prepared by head maid Caroline around four o'clock, and then left again. Before having breakfast, Luo Xiu asked Caroline about them, and the head maid answered him.

After breakfast.

Caroline.

Luo Xiu called out the name of Head Maid Caroline—

The head maid waited quietly outside the dining room while Luo Xiu ate breakfast. Three seconds after Luo Xiu called her name, she appeared before him, bowed respectfully, and greeted him softly:

“You called me, master.”

"Prepare the carriage," Luo Xiu said to Head Maid Caroline.

“Let’s go to church, you’ll come with me, Caroline.”

“Remember, from now on, I am ‘Roland Florence,’ and you are still Caroline, my personal maid.”

“Yes, Master Roland,” Caroline replied respectfully.

She thought for a moment and asked Luo Xiu:

“If you are planning to go to church… Master, would you like me to help you choose appropriate attire? I think you might need to dress more solemnly, which may be a bit understated, but it would also be more… well, more suitable for the atmosphere of church.”

“You make the arrangements, Caroline,” Luo Xiu replied with a smile.

"Yes, Master."

Caroline turned and left. A few minutes later, she returned with a sandalwood box containing clothes and helped Luo Xiu change into a spacious robe with white as the main color.

This new robe does look much more understated than the magnificent robe Luo Xiu wore before. It only has simple patterns embroidered with gold thread on the shoulders and waist, and six pure gold buttons are sewn on both sides of the front.

Although the robe looked understated, its materials were quite exquisite. When Luo Xiu put it on, it fit him perfectly. Head Maid Caroline had tailored and altered the robe for him, and she had already ironed it before asking him if he wanted to wear it.

Finally, Caroline pinned a pure gold badge to Rosius's left breast, a badge symbolizing the Florentine family's identity. Then they left the manor and boarded the carriage that was waiting in the courtyard, which then headed towards the church.

……

(End of this chapter)