Chapter 44: Interrogation of Shadows and a New Destination
In the heavy silence that followed the stern command to kneel, the moment didn't last long. Tian Heng gave a curt hand gesture. "Stand. I have work to do." Then he turned his back to the trembling elves and walked toward the two human captives, who were huddled in the corner of the cave, shaking under Lilith's cold gaze. Faela watched from a distance, a faintly mocking smile playing at her lips.
Tian Heng began the interrogation. He didn't resort to direct violence—there was no need. His chilling, commanding presence, the molten gold of his eyes that seemed to pierce through lies before they were even spoken, and the memory of Failar's swift execution for attempted betrayal—all of that, combined with the nearby presence of a demoness and a shadow elf, was more than enough to crush the prisoners' spirits.
He asked precise, direct questions in a calm, steady voice, but each word carried an unmistakable icy threat."How many are you? Where is your main hideout? Who is your leader? What do you know of the guard patrols in Oakhaven? Have you noticed any unusual activity recently? What about the old ruins in the eastern forest that people whisper about?"
The two captives stumbled over each other in their rush to answer, each trying to prove himself more useful than the other in hopes of survival. They confessed everything: the small size of their group (around twenty men), the location of their hideout in caves a few hours away, the weakness of their drunken leader, the laziness and flaws in Baron Vargas's guard patrols, and the paths they avoided due to the presence of dangerous beasts.
When he mentioned the ruins, real fear appeared in their eyes."Those ruins… they're cursed, sir!" one said, his voice shaking. "No one goes near them at night. We hear strange sounds, see pale lights. Some of our men who tried to explore never came back. They say it's haunted by ancient ghosts… or something worse."The other added in a whisper, "But… we've seen strangers go in and out during full moon nights… wearing black robes and carrying strange crates. They trade in things we don't recognize."
Mysterious nighttime traders? Haunted or guarded ruins? This intrigued Tian Heng far more than the petty details of bandits. Could they be cultists of a dark order? Smugglers of rare materials? Or perhaps… connected to the "Builders" or lost Vault technology?
He questioned them further about any crystals or strange metals they'd seen or traded—hinting at smoky quartz or conductive alloys—but it was clear they knew nothing of such materials. Their dealings were limited to stolen goods, food, and drink.
Once he had extracted every useful piece of information, Tian Heng fell silent, golden eyes staring into space as he processed the data. The prisoners now held no further value. They were merely witnesses to his power—and to Failar's betrayal. If they escaped, they posed a security risk.
He looked at them with complete coldness. No further words were needed. With a simple gesture of his hand, Lilith understood at once. She moved swiftly and silently. Before the captives could cry out or even realize what was happening, she ended their lives with a deadly touch of her shadow magic, leaving behind two lifeless bodies.
Elara and Lyra stared in wide-eyed horror, then quickly turned their faces away, trembling once more. Faela observed the scene with detached indifference.
"Dispose of them. Far from here," Tian Heng ordered. Lilith nodded and efficiently dragged the bodies into the darkness of a side tunnel.
Now, with the intel secured and the witnesses eliminated, it was time to plan the next step. The baron's weakness and the presence of bandits could offer future opportunities to seize control of the region, but the princess's current presence made any direct move toward Oakhaven too risky. The mysterious ruins, avoided by bandits and visited by suspicious figures at night, seemed a far more intriguing—and safer—short-term target. They might hold answers or resources found nowhere else.
Tian Heng gathered his remaining team once more—Lilith, Faela, Elara, and Lyra. This time, he didn't command them to kneel, but the deep, fear-laced respect in their stance was unmistakable.
"Our next mission is to investigate the ruins in the eastern forest," he declared calmly. "The information we gathered suggests suspicious nocturnal activity there. I want to know what's happening."
"The ruins…?" Elara murmured, worried. "But the bandits said they're dangerous… haunted…"
"Danger," Tian Heng replied coolly, "is often another word for opportunity. I will go with Faela and Lilith under the cover of night. Faela, your knowledge of shadows and infiltration will be crucial. Lilith, your power is our protection. Elara and Lyra—you'll stay here to secure the base and continue work on the data and condenser experiments. Any concentrated energy you collect, store it carefully."