I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 221

Chapter 221: This Seems Off

As the city lights began to shine and the moonlight turned soft,

Tigani hosted a ball on the top floor of the Ritz Hotel in Paris’s 1st District. Most of the invited guests were officers whom Charles had saved during the Battle of Cape Town, though there were also many nobles and socialites in attendance.

As Charles entered the ballroom, everything seemed rather unfamiliar to him. The officers were engaged in lively discussions, their faces full of animated expressions, while the women exuded charm, and the atmosphere was tantalizing. Well-dressed waiters moved swiftly through the crowd, offering drinks to those in need.

On the dance floor, couples swirled in rhythm to the music, creating a scene of harmony and joy.

Tigani was conversing with several elegantly dressed women when he noticed Charles’s arrival. He casually took a wine glass from a waiter, tapped the rim with a spoon, and raised it towards Charles, calling out, “Gentlemen, let us toast to Charles!”

“Cheers!” The officers in the hall cheered, their gazes all turning to Charles.

As Charles walked through the crowd, he was greeted with nods and smiles from the officers and women, all of whom he did not know.

Tigani greeted him warmly and shook his hand. He noticed the golden thread on Charles’s sleeve and said with a smile, “Congratulations, Colonel!”

Charles looked displeased, replying, “I believe I told you not to compliment me about the breakout!”

“I know,” Tigani replied, giving an innocent look, “But it wasn’t my idea. They thought it would be good to meet you, at least to express their gratitude in person.”

Sure enough, several officers approached to introduce themselves, some even mentioning their regimental numbers.

Charles was a bit speechless—there were so many people and so many names that he would forget all of them as soon as he turned around.

“Next time, you can just ignore me at such events!” Charles said, thinking this was a meeting arranged by Wells, but he was surprised to find it was really just a ball.

“Understood!” Tigani agreed, though his smile hinted otherwise, as if to say: “You should get out more, Colonel. This is life!”

Tigani handed Charles a glass of wine and, while casually walking beside him, lowered his voice. “He’s very pleased with your plan, Colonel. He’s already begun work on the destroyers and torpedoes.”

Charles gave a brief “mm” in acknowledgment. This was Wells’s reply—marking the first step of their formal cooperation.

Afterward, a sort of unspoken understanding developed: Wells would provide support for Charles in Parliament and other possible areas, while Charles would occasionally offer suggestions for the shipyard’s development or inventions.

Just then, a burst of loud laughter came from ahead. A woman in her twenties, with a flushed face, was surrounded by officers. She spoke with ease and humor, charming those around her with witty comments.

Perhaps noticing Charles’s gaze, the woman boldly waved at him, her face blooming with a spring-like smile. “Hey, Colonel, my little hero!”

Charles did not respond and turned his gaze to Tigani.

Tigani looked puzzled. “Come on, don’t you recognize her?”

Charles did not answer but instead glanced around, heading toward the food area. The only thing that interested him in the ballroom was the large, bright-red lobster.

“She’s Harley!” Tigani said, following behind. “A dancer, famous in Paris. Many people want to be associated with her!”

Charles snapped off a lobster leg, saying with some sarcasm, “You’re probably one of them, right?”

“No, Colonel!” Tigani shook his head. “But you’ll never guess who she’s with!”

“Who?” Charles asked casually, chewing on the shrimp.

Tigani leaned closer and whispered, “The Minister of the Navy.”

Charles froze, looking at Tigani in disbelief.

He had seen some information about the Minister of the Navy when he was at headquarters. He was over sixty, still interested in such things?

Tigani nodded, then leaned in even closer, adding mysteriously, “She’s the Minister of the Navy’s lover!”

Charles’s chewing slowed.

Thinking about it, he did remember such a woman—one who mingled among officers, presenting herself as a frightened little girl scared of war and engaging them in conversation.

Then, drunken officers, with their protective instincts aroused, eagerly came forward to tell her:
“We have five divisions stationed there!”

“Yes, and two artillery regiments. They’ll wipe out any enemy that comes near.”

“They’ll win. Soon, there’ll be an offensive!”

...

The Minister of the Navy had leaked a lot of intelligence to her. It was estimated that at least three divisions and forty to fifty thousand French soldiers had died because of her.

In the end, the British Army’s Commander-in-Chief, Kitchener, was ambushed by German submarines due to the intelligence leak.

Thinking of this, Charles couldn’t help but glance at Harley again. She was flirting with the officers, totally unaware of the looks from those around her.

This was the current state of France’s intelligence system.

The Third Republic encouraged mutual checks and balances between departments, preventing any one from gaining too much power. As a result, many military secrets were left unguarded.

Take Gallieni’s City Defense Headquarters, for example. It should have been the second-tier command center of the French Army, but it still had many capitalist spies inside.

If capitalists could easily obtain information from the command center, then spies could get it from them, making “military secrets” no longer secret.

This was also why Gallieni often consulted with Charles in the lounge.

Noticing Charles’s changing expression, Tigani asked with concern, “Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing,” Charles replied, turning his attention back to the lobster.

...

Charles returned to headquarters after 10 p.m. and noticed the lights were still on in Gallieni’s lounge.

That was unusual—he should have been asleep by now.

As he climbed the stairs, he faintly heard Gallieni talking to someone. Before he could get closer, Gallieni called out, “It must be him!”

Before the words had even left his mouth, a familiar figure quickly emerged from the light. As soon as he saw Charles, he excitedly embraced him. “Long time no see, my friend!”

Charles looked closely and saw that it was King Albert I.

“Your Majesty!” Charles asked, “What brings you here?”

King Albert I clapped Charles on the shoulder warmly. “I’ve got some matters to take care of in Paris, and thought I’d stop by to see you. How’s everything going?”

“Everything’s good, Your Majesty!” Charles replied.

“I asked a silly question!” King Albert I laughed. “I see you in the papers almost every day. It’s no longer a secret.”

Gallieni, who had come out with him, chimed in, “Colonel, we’ve got some things to discuss!”

Charles couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Something seemed off.

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