Chapter 45: The First Interrogation

“Screech—Thud—”

The heavy iron door groaned open, admitting a group of people into the dimly lit security office.

A solitary yellow lamp, suspended from the ceiling, cast a sickly glow, adding a chilling layer of horror and oppression to the already heavy atmosphere.

Fran drew a deep breath, his footsteps growing noticeably heavy.

This was the first truly urgent situation he had faced since embarking on this mission, feeling even more perilous than the time he had shielded Yuli from a hail of bullets.

Fran offered a silent prayer, knowing he could only rely on his luck now.

As the officers entered, the Teutonic soldiers within the security office snapped to attention, saluting Yuli and the others before delivering their report.

Quidar stepped forward, walking before everyone, and sternly questioned the soldier in charge of interrogating the arrested members.

“How far has the interrogation progressed? Has anyone confessed?”

“Report! Most of the arrested individuals had already fainted from their gunshot wounds, so the interrogation started late. We’ve only questioned a portion of them so far, but a few have already confessed!”

The soldier’s words sent a jolt through Fran’s heart, yet…

It seemed only natural. Under the Teutonics’ methods of torture, it was entirely foreseeable that some would break and confess.

However… this also meant he was now in an extremely dangerous position.

Quidar’s interest was piqued. He nodded, refraining from further questions, and instead commanded the soldier, “Take me to the interrogation room where those who confessed are. I’ll question them myself.”

“Yes, sir!”

The Teutonic soldier saluted, then led the way. Quidar glanced back at Fran, a cold smile playing on his lips, before following.

Lyon stood beside Yuli, seemingly about to speak to her, but Yuli, resolute, tugged on Fran’s hand and pulled him along. She believed in Fran; there was nothing to fear.

****

The group stepped through the heavy door of the interrogation room. As they entered, the first sight that greeted them was a man’s figure.

Fran scrutinized the man, a jolt of alarm running through him. Though he didn’t recognize the man, his entire body was crisscrossed with whip marks, swollen red welts, and black scabs. The blood staining the floor was a terrifying sight.

The man was bound to a pillar, and the Teutonic soldiers overseeing the torture still held their whips, occasionally flexing their wrists, perhaps weary from their efforts.

This half-dead state gave Fran his first true glimpse into the horrors of intelligence agency interrogations. Even more terrifying was the realization that such flogging was merely one of the most common methods.

Quidar took a seat at the secondary interrogator’s table. Yuli pulled Fran to sit on the other side, but… there were only two seats in the interrogation room. Fran could only stand beside Yuli.

Regardless, standing by Yuli’s side offered Fran a small measure of reassurance. Lyon stood on the other side. With everything ready, a bucket of cold water was suddenly splashed over the unconscious man.

“Ahhh…”

The icy water pierced his skin, and the agony from his wounds instantly surged through every part of his body, penetrating to his very bones. The man jolted awake once more, and then, the unbearable pain threatened to plunge him back into unconsciousness.

Another Teutonic soldier delivered a whip lash to the man’s body. Unable to endure it any longer, the man collapsed to his knees, letting out a pained wail before begging incessantly, “I told you, I’ve told you everything! Please, no more beating, I beg you, no more…”

Listening to the man’s mournful cries, Fran’s heart ached. He gazed despairingly at the suffering man, then thought of the many other rescue team members suffering like him, imprisoned in the security office. They…

They had all come to save him, swayed by that rumor. They had wanted to… save him, yet now he could only watch them in this state, utterly powerless.

Fran closed his eyes, unable to bear the tragic scene any longer. Yuli, too, found it difficult to watch. She slammed her hand on the table and murmured, “Captain Quidar, there’s no need for more torture for someone who has already confessed everything. Just ask your questions quickly.”

“Heh, Miss Yuli, how can we be sure he hasn’t left anything out if we don’t interrogate him further?”

Quidar’s sinister smile sent a shiver down Fran’s spine. He even cast a glance at Fran. Clearly, his decision to personally interrogate the man, rather than simply asking the soldier what had been confessed, was driven by ulterior motives.

The most likely possibility was that he intended to expose Fran’s identity as a spy in front of Yuli, thereby humiliating her.

Lyon and Yuli both saw through his intentions, but… Fran’s identity was currently a delicate matter. While Yuli trusted Fran, she still felt a certain unease.

Quidar wasted no more words. He directly questioned the man, “Speak! What is your name? Who are you? Why did you attack the security office?”

“I… my name is Crete…” The man stammered nervously, terrified of being whipped again if he answered too slowly. His psychological defenses had utterly collapsed, and he spilled almost everything on his mind in one breath.

“I am a member of the Purburg Patriot Alliance. We attacked the security office… The reason we attacked the security office was to rescue a child named Fran.”

“Oh?” Quidar sneered, nodding. He then stood up, walked over to Crete, lifted his head, and pointed back in Fran’s direction, interrogating him word by word, “That person, do you recognize them?”

Crete gasped in fear, the oppressive aura emanating from Quidar almost suffocating him. He turned his head to look at Fran, his mind a tangled mess.

The rapid, ragged breathing wasn’t just Crete’s; it was Fran’s current state too. Fran looked at the man, at his face.

He shouldn’t know him; he had no impression of Crete’s face, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that Crete recognized him.

Fran’s heart was pounding in his throat. He pondered: the Purburg Patriot Alliance…

He had never heard of this organization. Had… his teacher forgotten to tell him about it?

As he was lost in thought, Crete suddenly shook his head and said, “No, I don’t.”

“You really don’t recognize them?!”

Quidar’s voice suddenly boomed, and for a moment, Crete almost regretted telling the truth.

He truly knew nothing about Fran’s face, but he could clearly sense that Quidar was dissatisfied with his honest answer.

But…

He couldn’t lie. Otherwise, the other party would undoubtedly ask more questions. Since he didn’t recognize the person being pointed at, if he couldn’t answer later, he would only be beaten more severely.

“I really don’t recognize them!”

He shouted desperately, “I truly don’t recognize them! I’m just a small fry in the organization, I really don’t know that person. I was just carrying out orders!”

Quidar released his grip and stood up, looking puzzled.

Then…

That’s strange?

Quidar looked at the man before him with a bewildered expression. “You don’t recognize him? You don’t know that the person right in front of you is Fran? If you don’t recognize him, why did you come to rescue him?”