I've Become the King of Villains in the Game

Chapter 289: Chapter 210: Interrogation (Vote for monthly ticket!)
 

‘Do not walk forward…?’

Chen Lun’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.

‘What does this mean?’

Although it was just a dream that Floey had, Chen Lun took it very seriously. After all, Transcendents were different from ordinary people, and dreams were an important portent in Mystery Studies, especially since she was a “Sequence Eight-Executioner” and also bore the “A-ranked Mysterious Object-Sun-avoiding Potted Plant.”

Chen Lun couldn’t figure out what the dream meant for the moment, but he still kept the words in his mind.

‘Don’t think too much…’

Chen Lun offered a word of comfort.

‘If you can’t sleep at night, let’s just take a casual stroll in the manor.’

‘Mm.’

Floey showed a slight smile and nodded her head.

*

*

*

In Amber City’s Inner City District.

The secret base of the Shelter.

Inside Mona’s office, the leader of the Executioner squad, Talelang, was flipping through the files on the table, while Mona was quietly sipping tea.

After a while,

‘We still haven’t confirmed the Dark Knight’s location?’

Talelang looked up and frowned slightly.

Mona nodded.

‘The last Executioner squad encountered his ambush in the Spirit World near Amber City… But after a secret investigation, no trace of him was found in Amber City.’

‘Understood… I will request assistance from above later, use the Divination class Mysterious Objects to locate the Dark Knight, and then suppress him.’

Talelang said indifferently.

‘Is there anything we need to do?’

Mona asked.

‘Nothing is needed. This operation will take place in the Spirit World and is not suitable for ordinary Investigators to intervene. Besides, the Shelter in Amber City lacks high-end combat power, with only one Mid Sequence Transcendent, so just stay here and keep watch.’

As Talelang spoke, he glanced at Ralph standing next to him.

‘In addition, regarding the Dark Knight’s matter, an elite Transcendent squad from the Sun Church and the Moon Church will soon arrive. Try not to cause too much noise in the physical world to avoid unnecessary panic.’

‘Understood, we will cooperate fully,’ Mona said.

At that moment, a female member of the Executioner squad, Laisley, walked over, whispering a few words into Talelang’s ear and handing him a paper report.

After reading it, Talelang handed it back to her and casually waved his hand.

‘Akebin Kowal is not our focus right now, and as for the man they took away, I’ve already received some information from Mona…’

He spoke, his gaze lowered and expressionless.

‘Just bring him over for a brief interrogation. It would be best if you can get any information related to Akebin. If nothing is yielded, never mind, it’s not important.’

‘Yes, Captain.’

Laisley saluted and withdrew.

Just then, a pendant on Talelang’s bracelet lightly touched her.

It was a finely carved female stone figure, only the size of a little finger, in a praying pose.

Laisley paused for a brief moment, then clandestinely glanced at the other people in the room before leaving.

Walking alone in the corridor, her eyes flickered with contemplation.

When she was touched by the stone figure, the captain’s voice echoed in her mind:

‘That man is named Jack Spett, who took over the Mutual Aid Society’s subordinate organization ‘Circus’ a year ago. That’s also why Akebin and his companions wanted to capture him… But he is now a cooperating party of the Amber City Shelter, and is also backed by the Silver Dragon Trade Association. Without evidence, he cannot be touched rashly.’

Laisley understood what the captain meant – outwardly, they couldn’t take too drastic actions, after all, the person in charge here was Mona, the favorite student of Rudolph, the Judge of Fossil City.

A minimum level of respect had to be given; as for how to proceed, that was left to Laisley’s own judgment.

‘I understand…’

Laisley’s expression remained stoic.

*

*

*

Chen Lun was a bit bewildered when he received the subpoena.

However, when he looked up at the three members of the Executioner squad standing erect at the manor entrance, he began to understand.

The Peeping Eye of Fate told him the identity of the other party, and a thought crossed Chen Lun’s mind.

‘The higher-ups of the Shelter have entered the stage… just like the prophecy of Divination.’

Laisley wore an expression of official indifference. Behind her stood two other male Executioners, all clad in black.

“Mr. Jack, would you please come with us… After investigation, the fugitive of the Shelter, Akebin Kowal, was in contact with you yesterday. We need to know what dealings you had with him and what you discussed,” Laisley said.

She even took out the Executioner squad’s exclusive badge, a gold badge engraved with the letters “CMP,” along with a flintlock gun and a crossed palm pattern.

“You should understand what this badge means, do not attempt to resist or flee, or we will suppress you under the charges of ‘resisting legitimate interrogation’ and ‘endangering the security of the Empire’… It concerns the truth behind the plague ravaging the Gem State, please cooperate with the investigation,” Laisley added.

Chen Lun’s eyes narrowed; he didn’t like the condescending attitude of the other party, but soon he showed a polite smile.

‘Of course, as a law-abiding citizen of the Empire, how could I not comply with the Shelter’s regulations… Let’s go.’

He said, very cooperatively.

Laisley nodded, stepping aside to reveal the Shelter’s exclusive carriage, signaling him to get on.

‘Leader!’

Golov called out with some worry.

Alongside him stood Floey, Noah, and Maggie, all silent.

Chen Lun turned his head, saw their concerned looks, and Floey’s particularly cold expression. He knew that if he just said the word, his companions would not hesitate to take action and start a battle with the three members of the Executioner squad.

But he just smiled and said,

“No worries, I’ll be back soon.”

Laisley and the other two on the side let out a cold laugh.

Chen Lun adjusted the brim of his black hat and walked straight toward the carriage. As he stepped on the footboard, one of the male executioners approached him, producing a strange stone handcuff.

“Mr. Jack, please put this on,”

he said coldly.

Chen Lun glanced at him and then at the handcuffs in his hand.@@novelbin@@

He was familiar with the device—it was a type of restraint forged by the shelter’s supernatural workshop, extremely sturdy. Even an average Mid Sequence Transcendent would struggle to break free. Moreover, it had a constraining effect, capable of suppressing some supernatural powers.

But a gentleman does not stand under a collapsing wall, and Chen Lun would not let himself fall into undue peril.

He outright ignored the other man and turned to board the carriage.

The executioner immediately frowned, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.

Just as he was about to speak, Laisley waved her hand and said indifferently,

“Forget it, let’s head back to the shelter first.”

*

*

*

The secret base of the shelter.

Inside an interrogation room.

The cramped room had no windows, only walls coated with gray-black paint and the light that shone down from an incandescent lamp on the ceiling.

A metal table, secured to the floor, was placed squarely in the center of the room, with a man and a woman sitting opposite each other. Two men in black stood next to the woman.

“Tell us, Mr. Jack, what happened in the Spirit World yesterday.”

Laisley was ready to record the interrogation process with pen and paper in hand.

Chen Lun raised his eyebrows and chuckled twice before speaking,

“They came looking for trouble with me, and then I chased them off.”

Laisley put down her pen, her gaze turning even more indifferent.

“Please take this seriously, Mr. Jack… I’m not joking with you.”

Chen Lun’s smiling face became serious as well.

“Yes, I am not joking with you either, ma’am.”

“Laisley, this guy is clearly not planning to cooperate… He’s talking nonsense, intending to get this over with,”

a male executioner said with a grave voice.

“He might think that with the Silver Dragon Trade Association’s protection and Mona’s guarantee, he doesn’t have to disclose the truth to us.”

Another executioner sneered.

Laisley remained silent, just quietly observing Chen Lun.

Chen Lun glanced at the two men in black and leaned back in his chair, looking quite relaxed.

“The Circus once belonged to the Mutual Aid Society. The Gallery kidnapping case nearly wiped them out a year ago. I took in the remnants and then chose to join the Silver Dragon Trade Association, becoming a legitimate force of Transcendents on record…”

He continued,

“Later, we even cooperated with the Amber City Shelter to assist in maintaining city order and suppressing illegal Transcendents and Undead Foreigners… Unfortunately, given our past association with the Mutual Aid Society, Akebin causing trouble for me was within my expectations.”

Chen Lun leaned forward, looking at Laisley’s expressionless face, and said earnestly,

“But I did not yield. I fought a life and death struggle with them, and only just managed to drive them away… I also sustained severe injuries.”

“Do you expect me to believe that, Mr. Jack?”

Laisley interlaced her fingers.

“Believe it or not, that’s the truth.”

“The truth…?”

Laisley laughed softly.

She pulled out a document, which contained the contents of a letter Chen Lun had once forwarded to Mona.

“You once investigated the plague incident and suggested that its outbreak might not be related to Akebin, hinting that someone else was the mastermind behind the scenes… Can I presume that you have actually joined the Mutual Aid Society in secret and plotted this severe plague incident with Akebin, providing cover for him?”

Laisley’s tone became sharp, as if she’d already concluded that Chen Lun was full of lies.

Chen Lun was somewhat speechless, wondering why this woman’s train of thought was so peculiar.

‘It’s outrageous; it’s like the audacity to be ridiculous moved in next door to ridiculousness itself… How on Earth did she surmise that I joined the Mutual Aid Society? And I certainly did not orchestrate any plague. Framing me, are we?’

“Do you have any evidence?”

He asked, unenthused and no longer willing to waste words.

“Mr. Jack, the fact that you are sitting here is the best evidence… I don’t believe you have the ability to survive Akebin and his accomplices without being in league with them. There’s no other explanation.”

“What a waste of my time, ma’am,”

Chen Lun’s expression chilled.

“Your so-called evidence is just self-righteous subjective judgment? I’m sorry, but I don’t want to continue this boring game of deduction with you.”

He stood up, intending to leave.

But the two male executioners blocked his way.

“Who gave you permission to leave?”

one of them said coldly.

“You are now a suspect in collusion with Akebin, implicated in causing the Gem State plague incident… Without the leader’s orders, you cannot leave this place.”

“But Floey is waiting for me to come home for dinner…”

Chen Lun shook his head in distress.

He pushed past the two men and, ignoring them, reached for the doorknob.

“Dammit! You dare to defy the rules, trying to flee!”

One of the executioners immediately shouted angrily.

“Since that’s the case, we’ll have to take necessary measures!”

They reached out their hands to grab Chen Lun’s back head and shoulder.