"You shouldn't put it that way, Mr. Ivan. You must realize that as the City Lord's secret partner, you are the one who knows the most about his secrets! Even for those matters where the evidence has been completely erased, you surely have backups in your hands, don't you?"
Grand Councilor Witte's tone was as if he were chatting with an old, familiar friend. When he spoke to Ivan, his voice was extremely relaxed, as if none of this were a big deal.
But look at Ivan. Although he maintained the composure and elegance of a nobleman, his hands had already begun to tremble slightly. Even though he had gained enough power in Chernobog to stand on equal footing with Count Boris, he still felt a sliver of terror when facing an official sent by the Emperor.
The man before him could make everything he owned vanish like a bubble with a single sentence—without so much as a ripple. And Ivan believed that when that time came, the group behind Boris would never risk offending the Emperor to protect him; instead, they would find ways to make him and his family disappear.
He was currently like a person on a seesaw atop a cliff; both ends were bottomless abysses. Whichever side he leaned toward, he risked being crushed to pieces if the board spiraled out of control.
"Since your Excellency's side already intends to move against Boris, why look for me specifically? If there's a problem, wouldn't it be enough to just seize Boris and interrogate him?"
Ivan tested the other party with a suggestive remark. Just as he said, if they wanted to replace the City Lord and know the truth, who would be more suitable than the man himself? Given Boris's cowardly nature, he didn't seem like the type to risk his life to hide secrets. When the time came, they probably wouldn't even need to use torture; he would likely confess even the color of his underwear.
However, Ivan was also curious: why go through such a massive detour and spend so much energy seeking information from him instead?
"That is different. Boris may be a man who fears death and clings to life—a scoundrel who would sell out anything for his own comfort—but he still has things he will absolutely never speak of."
Hearing these words from Grand Councilor Witte, Ivan's heart skipped a beat. He immediately understood that he could not refuse this matter. Right now, Ivan wanted nothing more than to seal Witte's mouth, hoping he wouldn't say another word. Otherwise, he would be inextricably entangled in this mess.
He quickly sifted through all the tasks Boris had arranged for him in his mind, trying to find which specific matter might have caught the attention of these powerful figures...
Damn it, he had done too many things for that guy! He didn't have the mental energy to slowly deduce which one had attracted their gaze. By now, Ivan's inner panic had reached a certain peak. He had a feeling that if he couldn't give a clear explanation, he might not walk out of this room alive.
He carefully observed the attendant, who stood there like a transparent person. Was he really just a tool for communication? That posture didn't look like a waiter serving others; it looked more like an assassin.
Though in his prime, cold sweat poured down Ivan's forehead. He used his willpower to support himself, trying his best not to show any abnormal emotions. He felt like a prisoner in a courtroom waiting for a verdict; speaking out meant betraying the nobles behind Boris, while staying silent meant betraying the Emperor...
"I heard that Count Boris sends you to transport a batch of secret materials every so often. I wonder if such a thing exists?"
If such a thing exists? You should ask how many there are! Every single piece of Boris's smuggled goods passed through my hands; is there anything I don't know the destination of?
Ivan grumbled inwardly, but his mind dared not stop. He recalled every batch of supplies he had helped Boris smuggle. He was very clear that the other party wasn't asking about insignificant things like caviar, vodka, or chocolate.
Boris was a psychopath, always buying heaps of those cheap goods and making him send them near the Northern Tundra—and for free, no less!
This also brought back a memory: Boris had a special transport team under Ivan's command. Every time they sent those unremarkable trinkets, that specific team was involved...
Wait, those fellows would head elsewhere after delivering those worthless goods! But they would never tell Ivan where they were going, claiming it was all a secret and that he was better off not knowing.
"I have several transport workers under Boris here, said to be veterans of a transport team retired from the Fourth Army. Their behavior is very strange; they keep running toward the tundra..."
Councilor Witte's spirit was instantly galvanized upon hearing Ivan's words. His guess was correct—this guy who collaborated with Boris on dirty work definitely knew some inside information!
Ever since Kashchey revealed that the War Faction was selling national resources, they had begun to speculate exactly where those resources were being shipped abroad. They had already started a secret investigation. Chernobog, where the War Faction nobles had personally intervened to frame the previous City Lord, was naturally a focal point of their suspicion.
In this context, Witte believed that the Rostov family, who had long helped Boris with his shady deals, was the key to tearing open this deeply hidden curtain.
"What is the next destination for those goods? Do you know?"
The question Witte asked made it very clear to Ivan: what they were looking for was within those men and their cargo. But... they had never told him their next stop.
"I... I don't know! They never told me where their destination was, and I was sensible enough never to ask..."
"You must know, Ivan Rostov! You definitely investigated their background! As someone involved in the underworld, you would never quietly allow yourself to be manipulated by them. You must have a lead!"
Witte's decisive words cut Ivan off, bluntly exposing Ivan's attempt to hide information.
"Relax, Mr. Ivan. I am well aware of what you fear in your heart, but I can guarantee you one thing: after you tell us the truth, we will not liquidate you or your family."
Witte knew exactly what Ivan was worried about: if he sold out Boris, would he be discarded by the Emperor? Or would he bring ruin to his own family?
"Can you truly promise to spare my family? I don't matter, but I only hope your Excellency can spare the Rostov family. The ancient Rostov name cannot endure more turmoil!"
"By the Emperor, of course, my friend! We will not trouble a 'black glove' responsible for smuggling! As long as your steps follow behind us, we will overlook such trivial matters!!"