CHAPTER 63: INTERROGATION - INCOMING WAR

XENON WINGATE

PRESENT DAY - INTERROGATION

I can’t remove the grin on my face. Remembering that I have killed Cheng Du makes me want to jump in joy. If only I’m not restrained on an electric chair right now, I’ll be hosting a party in this grim dark room. My eyes are flaming with happiness. 

“Cheng Du… Cheng Du is dead.” I laughed. “I knew it. I knew he would die in my very hands.”

[You needed Cheng Du alive! Why did you have to kill him!?] The interrogator raised his tone.

“I never needed Cheng Du alive. All I want in the very first place is for his corpse to be melted by a nuclear explosion.” I laughed.

[You didn’t think through your actions! Doctor Cheng Du is the inventor of the Psychic Amplifier, and Alterra needed him in custody to stop Eldritch’s plan! He has the best knowledge when it comes to the Psychic Amplifier, and yet, you killed him! We needed him alive!]

“I don’t care what you need!” I shouted at the interrogator even though I could not see him. “Cheng Du is dead, and he deserved to die! With the Psychic Amplifier destroyed by Lady Danielle Keine, it doesn't matter anymore!”

[It does matter, Xenon. Danielle Keine only destroyed the prototype. The world domination schemes are held by Michael Eldritch. Even though Cheng Du is dead, his plans will still commence. Only Cheng Du can tell us everything we needed, but your reckless and selfish actions made it impossible to obtain the information we want.]

“Stop crying over spilled milk.” I mocked the interrogator. “That happened a year ago, and no matter how you torture me, the dead ain’t gonna come back.”

There was a long silence as if the interrogator is in deep thought himself. Or maybe he's checking the files for the next questions he wanted to ask. This gave me enough time to catch my breath. My sweat is getting cold, and my body is getting a little weaker. The Memory Reading device is straining my brain, and I can even feel my magic being sucked every time I get a flashback.

Fleeing this scene is almost impossible. I wanted to break free and save Serena from the hands of these pussies who are hiding their faces in the dark, but I will admit that I don’t have the power to do so.

[During the operation, we saw from your memories that you met Sakuradrop. Everything from then on, your memories became corrupted, and you were next seen during the fight against Lothar Pendragon. Tell me, Xenon. What happened during the gaps in your memories? You did not kill Sakuradrop or stole her eyes as Necross Messiah instructed. What happened during your encounter with her?]

“How should I know?” I scoffed. “You said it yourself. My memories have been corrupted. Even if I think through it, all that appears in my mind are blank.”

There was silence again. It took about five seconds until the interrogator concluded that I’m not telling a lie. He has a lie detector test after all.

[Let’s move on. The death of Cheng Du made a lot of implications between Alterra and Elysia, mainly their political relationship. Emperor Michael Eldritch was extremely furious for his loyal subject’s death, and it became a main trigger for the incoming war to come.]

Suddenly, the hologram globe flashed a video clip containing a broadcast from Elysian Royal Castle more than a year ago. There, Eldritch is seen standing on the podium, with his wife Trystgade standing behind him. His filthy mouth came out convincing lies that made every idiotic people believe in him.

“My dear friends, this is a truly sad day for us. The loyal scientist, Doctor Cheng Du, has been killed by the dragon knights of a foreign land. Our so-called honorable neighboring country of Alterra prostituted and betrayed us. They destroyed our hope. They destroyed our future. They destroyed our peace. They destroyed our order. They destroyed a dear person, with his blood spilled on their soil. Alterra… They are the invaders.”

Suddenly, the wall behind him opened, revealing a statue of a fat square man holding a wine on his hand, ready for a toast. It is a perfect replica of Cheng Du, which is the symbol of their prosperity. At the stand of the statue, it reveals a truly ridiculous title for that whale-fat man to have. It says: “Duke Cheng Du - Hero of Elysia.”

Marisse Trystgade-Eldritch steps in front as the representative of the United Human Nations and continued her husband’s announcement. “Now that Alterra has violated a simple agreement of peace, I have now concluded that we will cut all ties from that wretched country. They will forever be not welcome in joining the United Human Nations, and all countries: Elysia, Sargus, and Fleija will have an embargo to Alterra. There will be no more trade deals nor treaty. They have impliedly declared war unto us, and we shall do the same to preserve our great nation.”

The video clip ended with the people of three countries making an uproar. Fully enraged, the people made a furious warcry, asking for justice for the death of their fallen hero that is actually a sham.

[It is not only the United Human Nations that hates Alterra. The dragonoids also went into an inner state of rage when the scandal about the party on that hotel broke out. Serena Maizono and Duke Marcus Corasell originally planned to promote the Dragonoid Rights Bill on that event, and it turned out to be a bloodbath when the Psychic Amplifier went on.]

“That is right,” I muttered. “After the incident, the dragonoids blamed Duke Corasell for the massacre at the party. He was framed even though he had good intentions for the dragonoids, and now, he is getting all the hate from the dragonoid community. They no longer trust him and his proposed bill. Even Serena’s career went downslope when the news of the incident spread out.”

[Alterra denied the claim of the declaration of war against the United Human Nations. On Emperor Elkyria’s defense, he alleged that Doctor Cheng Du was the one who made a secret war for creating a device that can control all dragonoids in the vicinity. Of course, nobody believed that such a device exists. Nobody has proof that the Psychic Amplifier, which can control dragonoids exists.]

“It’s all Cheng Du’s fault. That is why he has to die.” I muttered.

[It is your fault, Xenon! If only you followed your orders, Cheng Du might be able to provide the information to prevent the incoming war. He should have been the one being interrogated. Now that he’s gone, the Psychic Amplifier’s existence can never be proved.]

I went silent. The interrogator is right about me being the trigger for the incoming war. Cheng Du is needed by Alterra alive. But it does not matter. Even if I could rewind time over and over again, I would still choose to kill Cheng Du. Maybe I’ll just change methods in killing him like stabbing a pencil on his eye or ripping his jaws off with my bare hands. 

“...As I said before, I do not care if this world burns. All that matters is my revenge. I would spend everything I have just to see them killed. Eldritch, Cheng, Trystgade. They must die.”

[You are willing to spend everything you have.] The interrogator repeated my words. [Does that mean that you are willing to sacrifice Serena just to kill the remaining two people on your list?]

A chill went down to my spine as the interrogator penetrated my heart with his words. When I lost my friend, my love, my honor, and my life, Serena was there to replace all of those. She became my friend, my love, my honor, and my life. I treasure her more than my life, and I see her as a daughter I wanted to protect with all I have. My ideals are conflicting. I want to give up everything for my revenge, but I don’t want to lose Serena. I can’t understand myself.

“No,” I muttered. “Serena is a precious person to me. I’ll do everything to make her happy.”

The interrogator gave a dead air of five seconds. Then he jumped to another topic.

[Let’s resume on taking back your memories. Months after the Psychic Amplifier incident and the death of Cheng Du, you continued your deal with the Emperor and challenged the fourth Pentagram Knight.]

The hologram globe revealed a screen that displayed the face of a white man with a clean black haircut. This man is a little matured on his looks, with thick lips and empty black eyes. His shaved mustache and beard left a gray mark around his mouth, which makes him look like a western man who’s always oversleeping and habitually late for work.

“The fourth Pentagram Knight… It’s Christian Reines. Also known as the Crazy Knight. He has unique schizophrenia which also makes him a little bit bipolar. He did not hold back, unlike the other three Pentagram Knights I’ve faced.” I said.

[Before the fourth Pentagram Knight challenge, you were seen with Serena going to the Goldcliffe City Slums. What did you do in that filthy place?]

“Serena owned a bar in the Goldcliffe City that entertains dragonoids. She used her spare money to create a pub for her business purposes, and also, she made it the shelter for dragonoids who have lost their way. I almost never visit the bar and only came there once. During that one time, I only fetched a made-to-order weapon that was created by Serena’s friend. I needed to get a new shield because I converted mine into a nuclear missile.”

[During that time, you made a promise to the dragonoid that you consider your dearest.]

“Yes…” I bowed down. “A promise I was not able to keep again.”

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