Chapter 13: He Has Very Strong Yang Energy |
"Alright, next, we can just ask him directly who the murderer is."
After finishing his spell, Allen raised a hand to wipe the fine sweat beading on his forehead.
As soon as the words fell, a sharp sound of something cutting through the air tore through the night. Shaw actually erupted into action on the spot, his figure ghosting across several paces in an attempt to subdue Allen.
"Speak—" His voice carried a bone-chilling coldness. "Who are you?"
Although Wen Lei was suspicious of Allen, her body moved instinctively. She took a sideways step, forcefully blocking the path in front of Allen, raising her arm to parry the dagger Shaw thrust at her.
Clang!
Metal clashed, scattering a few sparks. The two exchanged several swift blows amidst the grave mounds.
Only after protecting Allen did Wen Lei inwardly curse herself for being an idiot.
She had been pretending to be Allen's attendant and feigning ignorance up until now, had she even feigned ignorance into her brain?
Stella was also not to be outdone. Although her small face was deathly pale, she still pulled a round engineering grenade from her bosom, her small hand gripping the pull ring, ready to yank the fuse at any moment.
"Shaw, stop!"
Varian's voice suddenly rang out, carrying an indisputable authority.
Shaw's movements halted, his offensive abruptly ceasing. He retreated half a step, but the dagger remained in his hand, his gaze wary as he stared at Allen.
In the surrounding darkness, several lurking figures also restrained their actions. They were SI:7 agents, arrows already nocked, awaiting only a single command.
The mass grave fell back into silence, with only the rustling sound of the night wind blowing through the withered grass.
Varian stepped forward several paces, moonlight illuminating his young face.
"Mr. Prestor." His voice was calm, yet carried pressure. "Why do you know how to use necromancy?"
Allen took a deep breath.
He had already prepared an answer for this question.
"As you are aware, Alterac's Mad King, Aiden Perenolde, once collaborated with the Horde."
Allen met Varian's gaze, his speech unhurried, his expression composed. "Those green-skinned monsters shared some... bizarre and unconventional spells with him. Although my family did not agree with the Mad King's actions, records of those spells were scattered abroad. By a stroke of luck, I happened to learn a portion of them."
He paused, spreading his hands in a gesture of openness. "But I only learned a few not-so-evil spells. Like this one. It's called 'Communicate with the Dead'."
He pointed at the still-sitting corpse.
"I am merely awakening a deceased person to have a brief conversation with them. Nothing more can be done. We can ask him five questions. After that, he will return to his eternal rest. If you truly do not trust me..."
Then he looked at Varian again, his gaze sincere. "You can ask the questions yourself."
Allen waited.
He waited for the system's Persuasion Check prompt tone.
However, nothing happened.
Varian merely stared at him for a few seconds, then, to everyone's surprise, nodded.
"I believe you."
He turned to Shaw, his tone brooking no argument. "Lower your weapon. Shaw, you ask him who the murderer is."
Allen was stunned.
He... just believed it?
Shaw was also stunned, but he immediately sheathed his dagger, took a deep breath, and walked up to the corpse.
Under the moonlight, the corpse's empty eye sockets faced him, the scent of decay lingering at his nostrils. Shaw forcibly suppressed the discomfort in his heart and asked:
"You... are you Captain of the Guard for the de Montmorency family, Harvey Granger?"
Harvey clumsily turned his head, the movement like that of a rusted machine.
"Yes." His voice was hoarse, as if coming from the bottom of a deep well. "I am."
Shaw let out a long sigh of relief, turning his head to look at Allen. "There are four questions left, correct?"
"Yes." Harvey nodded.
Shaw turned his head back in shock. "No, no, no, I wasn't asking you just now!"
Immediately, he twisted his head back to confirm with Allen. "Did that count as one question just now?"
"Yes." Harvey nodded affirmatively again.
Shaw slapped a hand against his own forehead, producing a crisp smack.
"Friend," his voice carried a slight tremor, "please only answer when I am speaking directly to you, alright?"
"Alright." Harvey nodded.
Wen Lei, watching from the side, felt the corner of her eye twitch uncontrollably. She finally couldn't hold back, planting her hands on her hips to interrogate Shaw:
"Why do you add a 'correct?' at the end of every sentence?"
"I did not." Harvey shook his head.
After saying this, as if it had completed some mission, it neatly and decisively leaned backwards—
Thump.
It lay straight back into its own coffin, not a trace of vitality remaining.
The mass grave fell into deathly silence.
The night wind blew, withered grass rustling. In the distance, an owl's cry sounded, as if mocking something.
Allen appropriately added the finishing blow from the side, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather:
"Alright, where are the shovels? I think we can continue digging now."
-----------------
Some time later.
Before another grave mound, Shaw alone was silently digging into the earth.
The shovel plunged into the soil again and again, his movements fast and fierce, as if venting something.
Moonlight shone on his face, his expression so gloomy it could drip water.
He was filled with extreme regret.
He had actually performed a farce with a corpse in front of Varian, wasting the few precious question opportunities completely.
He took a deep breath and continued burying his head in the hard digging.
Finally, the shovel struck wood. He pried open the coffin lid and stepped aside.
Varian walked forward, placed a hand over his chest towards the corpse in the coffin, and offered a low apology.
Then he turned to Allen, a trace of helplessness in his eyes.
"I think... it's better to let you ask the questions yourself."
Allen nodded, not saying much more, and walked up to the corpse once again.
He closed his eyes, and low, obscure incantations once again flowed from his lips. Those ancient syllables drifted on the night wind, carrying an aura that did not belong to the living.
The corpse trembled, then sat up.
Allen thought about it and felt Shaw's earlier method of confirming identity was actually correct.
After all, it was a mass grave. If they dug up the wrong person, not only would the information obtained be useless, it might even mislead the investigation.
"Are you a guard of the de Montmorency family, Davey?"
"Yes." Davey replied.
Allen nodded.
"Who killed you?"
Davey was silent for a moment.
The empty eye sockets gazed at the night sky, as if recalling something.
"I didn't see clearly," he said.
"Were there any orcs seen near the de Montmorency family villa?"
"No."
Allen fell silent for a while.
He changed his angle.
"On the day you died, were there any outsiders in the de Montmorency family villa?"
Davey fell silent again.
Time passed second by second. Just as Allen thought he wouldn't answer, it spoke:
"Yes."
"Three distant relatives came that day." His voice was intermittent, as if piecing together fragmented memories. "They were the master's... cousin's family... stayed overnight..."
He paused for a long time again.
Then, he said, "And also..."
"And also the tutor the master hired for the young lady..."
Allen's heart skipped a beat.
"What was the tutor's name?"
Davey struggled to remember, finally speaking.
"Stalvan..."
His voice grew fainter and fainter, like a candle flame in the wind.
"Stalvan Mistmantle."
After uttering the final word, the corpse's eerie glow completely extinguished. It fell backwards, lying back in the coffin, returning to eternal silence.
Comments 1