Chapter 499: Release Her!
Facing De Hongchen's act of "carrying a bundle of thorns to plead guilty," Xu Haolong felt full of resentment.
Here it comes again, here it comes again!
Every time this old man had a request, he would put on this posture—seemingly confessing guilt, but in reality applying pressure.
Xu Haolong couldn't possibly allow the empire's first-ever Level 10 Spirit Engineer to relinquish all his power.
Many of the Sun Moon Empire's spirit tool designs involved his participation, and his own overwhelming personal strength was also a crucial pillar of Xu Haolong's confidence in declaring war on the Douluo Continent.
Seeing De Hongchen still going on and on with his "apology," Xu Haolong couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "Imperial Teacher, this is a misunderstanding. That student named Meng Yun has not violated the empire's laws…"
"Oh?" Not only did De Hongchen's indignation not subside, it grew even stronger at Xu Haolong's words. "She has not violated the law? Then why did the Secret Intelligence Division make such a grand show of entering my Sun Moon Royal Spirit Engineer Academy to arrest a student? Your Majesty, I wish to impeach the Secret Intelligence Division! How dare they treat the future pillars of our empire like this!"
"These lovely children are actually subjected to such cruel treatment by the Secret Intelligence Division!" De Hongchen clutched his chest in apparent agony, trembling as if he might faint at any moment. "Just imagining it makes this old man unable to sleep or eat!"
Xu Haolong watched expressionlessly as this Level 10 Spirit Engineer acted as though he might die in the next second, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Meng Yun was a breakthrough point that the Secret Intelligence Division had finally managed to find. They had only just captured her and begun questioning…
No—this time, he couldn't yield so easily to the Imperial Teacher!
"Imperial Teacher, please don't be like this. I guarantee that not a single hair on that disciple named Meng Yun will be harmed," Xu Haolong sighed softly.
"Although you haven't attended court recently, Hall Master Hongchen should have already informed you of the general situation. Someone from the Douluo Continent has infiltrated the Sun Moon Continent—Han Shi is one of them. Meng Yun happens to know Han Shi's boss, Qi Han, so there are some matters we need to ask her about. This concerns important affairs—please understand, Imperial Teacher."
"I understand." De Hongchen lowered his eyes slightly. "This old man is old and useless now. Your Majesty need not concern yourself with my dignity anymore—just a simple inquiry is enough reason to casually send the Secret Intelligence Division into the academy to arrest people."
Xu Haolong: "…"
Why won't he budge, no matter soft or hard tactics?
Even after explaining this much, and although the Imperial Teacher had always been protective of his own, wasn't this going a bit too far?
Xu Haolong frowned.
After months of seclusion, the Imperial Teacher's temper had grown even worse… probably because his spirit tool research hadn't been going smoothly, and he had pent-up frustration.
Forget it…
At this stage, the empire needed De Hongchen the most. He couldn't afford to upset him, otherwise this notoriously temperamental Imperial Teacher might refuse to cooperate with the empire.
Calculating the time, it had probably been about ten minutes since Meng Yun was taken to the Secret Intelligence Division.
Within the division, there was a seven-ring Spirit Engineer skilled in hypnosis and mental control. This interrogation was mainly handled by him. Meng Yun had only just absorbed her fourth spirit ring—her strength wouldn't last long under his methods.
Based on the intelligence gathered earlier, although Meng Yun knew Qi Han, their connection wasn't particularly deep. Ten minutes should be enough to extract key information.
"Imperial Teacher, I will have the Secret Intelligence Division release her immediately. Will that suffice?"
"…Very well." De Hongchen clearly knew when to stop and promptly reined in his expression.
Seeing De Hongchen relent, Xu Haolong let out a sigh of relief and quickly summoned someone from the Secret Intelligence Division in front of him, ordering them to go and release her.
With his purpose here achieved, De Hongchen casually took out a list from his robes and handed it to Xu Haolong. "Regarding the improvements to the life-detection spirit tool you asked me to research last time, the previous materials have nearly been used up. Here's a new list."
Since he was already here, how could he leave empty-handed… ahem, how could he possibly return without taking something?
Xu Haolong's expression twitched slightly. After taking the list and glancing at the various rare metal resources written on it, his heart ached a little. "No problem. I hope the Imperial Teacher can complete the improvements to the life-detection spirit tool as soon as possible."
"Soon enough." De Hongchen nodded reservedly. "With this batch of materials, it should be finished in about two more months."
This was probably the only good news Xu Haolong had heard today. His expression eased slightly, and he quickly ordered people to prepare all the materials listed by De Hongchen.
…
"How did you come to know Qi Han?"
Inside a special interrogation room of the Secret Intelligence Division, a middle-aged man with an unusually sinister face stared intently at every subtle change in Meng Yun's expression, asking in a completely emotionless voice.
"We've only met once. There's nothing more," Meng Yun replied, her pretty face pale.
"Only met once? But when you saw him at noon, you looked quite pleasantly surprised." The man's expression gradually turned colder. Meng Yun's lack of cooperation was making him increasingly irritated.
If this were his usual interrogation procedure, he would have already started using torture.
But this one was a student of the Sun Moon Royal Spirit Engineer Academy. With that status, using private torture would lead to extremely serious consequences. Under pressure from Mingde Hall, even the Secret Intelligence Division wouldn't be able to protect him.
Because of Meng Yun's special identity, the one originally assigned to interrogate her was not him, but another Level 7 Spirit Engineer skilled in hypnosis and mental control. That person's abilities could easily make Meng Yun confess without any physical torture.
But now that Meng Yun had already been captured, that interrogator still hadn't arrived. With no other choice, he had to question her himself first and wait until that person arrived to begin the formal interrogation.
"I was just surprised because it felt like a coincidence," Meng Yun said softly, doing her best to control her expression.
After being brought to the Secret Intelligence Division, she quickly learned why she had been arrested.
It was completely different from what she had expected. Her arrest had nothing to do with Qi Sen's death, but everything to do with Qi Han.
Just knowing Qi Han was enough to get her arrested by the Secret Intelligence Division?
What kind of person is the boss, really?
At this moment, countless questions filled Meng Yun's mind, but she knew very clearly what she needed to do.
That was to reveal nothing about Qi Han to the Secret Intelligence Division.
Because she couldn't be sure whether something she said might bring enormous trouble to him.
But… how long could she hold out?
She stole a glance at the sinister middle-aged man sitting across from her.
So scary… she had heard that the Secret Intelligence Division's interrogation methods could make people wish they were dead… would she also be tortured?
At the thought, Meng Yun's face grew even paler.
Seeing that Meng Yun looked frightened but continued to evade and give vague answers, the middle-aged man's expression became increasingly unpleasant. His already grim features grew even more sinister.
Damn it, why hasn't that guy arrived yet?!
Without being able to use torture, his usual methods were useless. How was he supposed to interrogate her like this?
He never expected that he, known among the division's prisoners as the "Living King of Hell," would ever feel so powerless.
Just as his frustration peaked, the middle-aged man suddenly sensed someone push open the door and walk in behind him.
He's here?
Turning his head to look at the person who entered, his expression grew even worse.
This wasn't the interrogator he had been waiting for.
"Why hasn't Yan Si arrived yet?"
Within the Secret Intelligence Division, members never addressed each other by their real names. "Yan Si" was the codename of the Level 7 Spirit Engineer skilled in hypnosis and mental control.
The newcomer shook his head, indicating he didn't know, and spoke with a somewhat strange expression. "By His Majesty's verbal decree—release her."
"What?" The middle-aged man shot up from his seat. "Do you even know what you're saying?"
"The interrogation hasn't even started, and you're telling me to release her?!"
The messenger glanced at Meng Yun, whose pale face was now filled with surprise, then transmitted his voice to the middle-aged man using spirit power. "The Imperial Teacher pressured His Majesty. This is the only option."
"Damn it!" the middle-aged man cursed angrily, glaring fiercely at Meng Yun before slumping back into his seat and waving his hand helplessly. "Release her!"
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