Soul Trigger

Chapter 661 The Honest Machine
However, the atmosphere in the living room wasn't very good; there was a subtle tension between Sica and Dead Water Knight Bordeaux.

"Don't misunderstand, I was just doing what I was supposed to do. I can cure mercury poisoning, you don't need to look at me like that..."

“You didn’t explain things clearly in your conversation with the raven back then.”

"Didn't I say that was just a delaying tactic? Otherwise, how could I secretly use Command Seals right under his nose?"

Sika snorted coldly:
"Should I thank you?"

"Honestly, buddy, you really should thank me..."

"Enough," Angelica interrupted their argument.

When the group hunted the "Ghost Nun" earlier, the Dead Water Knight didn't care about Sika's survival. Everyone was concerned about her, let alone Sika herself.

"That's enough, Mr. Love. While I appreciate your timely arrival, I hope you can restrain your behavior and integrate into my team as soon as possible."

Because the two belonged to different factions, and because the Dead Water Knight's previous actions had indeed caused unpleasantness, Angelica didn't hold back in her words.

Bordeaux shrugs:

"Of course, I appreciate the camaraderie and fighting style of your team, and I offer my sincere apologies."

He had now shed his previous state of soul armor and revealed his true form.

He had a short, black buzz cut, blue tattoos on his face, and a thick, bushy beard tied in a small ponytail. He looked quite rugged, but there was nothing unusual about his expression.

Angelica has been subtly probing him a lot these past two days, but apart from apologizing for what happened before, the Dead Water Knight hasn't shown any unusual behavior.

She didn't seem interested in the captured gravedigger, and there was no indication that Angelica had intended to communicate with him.

Even as a supreme ruler, he had no objections to Angelica's arrangements and did whatever she asked him to do, which was unusually normal.

We'll find out soon enough whether it's really normal.

Angelica's gaze met that of the knight squad members one by one:

"Where's Andrew? Wasn't he just here?"

"He's inside taking a phone call. Do you remember the nurse who took care of him at the hospital?" Sika laughed.
"They are from the same hometown."

"People from the town upstream?"

"Yes... I'll go and urge him."

Angelica agreed.

Ji Li became curious about this conversation:

"Upstream town?"

Angelica turned her head and explained:
“Andrew is from Saint-Germain. He was born in a town upstream, which is where we investigated the anomalies before. That’s his hometown, so it’s normal for him to run into some acquaintances in your town.”

Soon, Sika returned with Andrew, and the group went into the basement one after another.

Angelica and others used portable psionic circuits to make simple and effective modifications to the basement.

That's a method of inscribing spiritual circuits onto a tortoise shell, which can also be considered a man-made spiritual tool, enough to seal and isolate the basement with spiritual energy.

The gravedigger sat in the innermost room of the basement, bound by special shackles that sealed the resting place of the human spirit.

"Let me first introduce the special support that the city has sent today—"

Angelica sipped her red drink while lifting the black cloth covering something beside her:
"B-117 'Torture' full-body armor and A-089 'Honest Man' fax machine."

It was a black thorn armor and a small, dark blue fax machine.

"The Torture Armor is designed to be opened before wearing, allowing the internal spikes to pierce through the entire body, causing intense pain while simultaneously draining the wearer's spiritual energy and blood."

The greater the pain inflicted on the wearer, the stronger the amplification.

It possesses the characteristics of a living being; as long as it absorbs some of its blood, it can become a fighting partner.

Strength depends on the blood supplied, ranging from a minimum of a fifth-tier Overlord to a maximum of a peak Overlord, lasting for thirty minutes.

Since this is my first time using it, I've already tested its activation with my blood, and the time isn't over yet.

As she spoke, Angelica glanced at the Dead Water Knight, who suddenly stepped forward and bowed to the crowd, startling Aquile.

She leaned closer to Ji Li and whispered, "This is really weird."

"Don't be afraid." Ji Li patted her shoulder, and his younger sister glared at him.
"I'm not scared, I just have a few goosebumps!"

Ji Li smiled and raised his hand to suggest:

"How about letting Aquil try it on?"

"Get out of here! I'd rather die than wear that!"

The two's playful banter brought smiles to everyone else's faces, even Dead Water Knight was amused, except for Jason, who was pouting in the corner.

“We don’t plan to wear this armor unless there are special circumstances, in which case Sika and Andrew can wear it.”

"Why?" Ji Li asked sharply.

Let's gather some information.

Angelica glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Ji Li raised his hand:

"We'll be teammates from now on, so let's get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses?"

Angelica didn't intentionally hide anything, nor was she afraid the Dead Water Knight would hear it. After all, since they were both in the same system, the Dead Water Knight had definitely already seen their files. On the contrary, Ji Li and the other two didn't know.
"It is indeed necessary to explain this to you:"
Sika's sustenance comes with the cost of an 'alcohol allergy,' which amplifies his pain several times over, perfectly aligning with the 'torture' rule. Therefore, wearing it grants Sika immense power.

“But I’ll be in excruciating pain, and I won’t be able to wear it for long.” Sika glanced at the dense spikes on the armor and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

“Andrew is the most physically and mentally resilient and quickest to recover among us, so he is also a good fit.”

As for me, I'll just supply it with blood and let it move around on its own.

Theoretically, Angelica should wear the armor for maximum power, but the armor's blood-sucking properties make this "vampire" hesitate.

"The second item is the 'Honest Man' fax machine. It can open a 'Honest Realm' that lasts for a certain period of time, during which everyone in the realm will become honest and simple, but it will restart the machine after a strike lasting more than 24 hours."

Alternatively, you can ask it a total of three questions, and it will give you fairly accurate answers. For a long period of time, each person is limited to one opportunity.

However, in return, we must honestly answer the questions it raises or complete the tasks it assigns, otherwise we will be punished.

This is the main function we utilize, along with its very powerful inherent characteristics—”

Angelica turned around and glanced at the cell, where the gravedigger, who hadn't spoken for days, was imprisoned.
"No one can remain silent in the face of it."

A mortis that makes people "honest"... that sounds dangerous to him, especially the first ability.

A glint flashed in Ji Li's eyes:

But there must be limitations, otherwise this thing would be a divine artifact.

He looked at Jansen in the corner and conveyed a message to him in Odin's name:
Go forth, my believer, it is your turn to step in and serve as the mouth double.

Jason was startled, first delighted, then solemnly raised his hand, drawing everyone's attention:
"Why not just ask it where the 'holy site' is located?"

“You can certainly try, but don’t get your hopes up too high.” Angelica shook her head.
"If it were truly that powerful, many high-risk incidents within White Island wouldn't have occurred. When dealing with beings above the level of immortals, his answers would be influenced by unknown factors, rendering the intelligence unreliable."

Furthermore, it also possesses the characteristic of being alive, attracting beings of the immortal level and above. From this perspective, it could also be used to locate hidden high-level resting objects or Dead Apostles.

Ji Li's lips stiffened slightly:

"attract?"

"...Hmm, it's a bully who picks on the weak and fears the strong. Pulitzer, you go first."

No, what's coming?
Ji Li, who was called upon, looked at Angelica:

"?"

"We need it to get the tomb keeper to talk, but to verify the authenticity of the tomb keeper's information, we can only ask it."

Given that he is alive, we need someone to confirm his mood today.

If you are unable to answer its questions and are forced to accept punishment, you can make safety preparations in advance.

"But why me?"

Angelica laughed:

"Because you have been an awakened being for the shortest time."

Ji Li, Ai Guier, and Jansen, who were present, were all judged by the Knights Squad to be third-tier apprentices, but Ji Li was the only one who had become an Awakened in the shortest time, which meant he was roughly the weakest.

The most effective test can be conducted to address the fax machine's tendency to bully the weak and fear the strong.

Equillon chuckled, then quickly looked away from Ji Li's expressionless gaze.

Jason also smiled, happy that he could beat Pulitzer.

Ji Li glanced at the pager, then slowly stepped forward under the intense gazes of the crowd. Although he was an immortal, in his current form as "Kisame," he shouldn't be within the scope of attracting this guy's attention...

But if it were exposed, Moon Devourer has only just completed the cultivation of Pride, Gluttony, Envy, and Lust; he still needs three more.

The Command Seals on the back of the Deadwater Knight's hand can still be used, if he releases the power of the Shattered White Ring again...

Forget it, I'll just kill them all.

In that case, the first thing to do is to cut off the Dead Water Knight's hand, no, kill him outright.

Angelica was also observing. She wasn't suspecting Ji Li, who had already been cleared of suspicion, but rather observing the Dead Water Knight's reaction.

Now that things have come to this, the truth about whether there was a relationship between him and the gravedigger will be revealed during the formal trial.

If that's the case, then he shouldn't be so calm right now.

It's not so much that he's calm; the Dead Water Knight's current state is more like composed and intrigued.

There wasn't a single flaw...did our guess really go wrong?

Just as Angelica began to doubt herself, she suddenly met Ji Li's gaze and saw what Ji Li had been looking at:
The left wrist of the Dead Water Knight.

Her pupils suddenly contracted:
wrong.

From the very beginning, Bordeaux has been clutching his left wrist... What is he worried about?
His left wrist is where his Command Seals are stored, and his Command Seal is Exile, which can only be applied to one being.

If things change, even if Angelica is banished, the "torture" armor and other squad members will still exist, and he will definitely not be able to escape.

Or is he wary of something else?

Ji Li, who was already standing in front of the fax machine, witnessed this scene:
How do I begin?

"Press the 'Start Fax' button. Once your name appears on the small screen, ask your questions directly. Remember, you can only ask three questions. Just ask any three you like; after all, it's just to test its mood for the day."

Following Angelica's instructions, Ji Li pressed the button, and a string of characters immediately appeared on the screen—

【season……】

Bang! ! !
He suddenly pressed the button on the small screen, startling Aquile behind him:
Pulitzer?

Others also cast suspicious glances, but from their perspective, Ji Li's body had completely blocked the small screen on the fax machine.

He casually placed his other hand on the corner of the fax machine, making a natural gesture of supporting himself on the table, after all, it was a low table:

What color are Jason's underwear today?

The sudden hum of the fax machine stunned everyone, and Jason flew into a rage:
"Hey, what do you mean?"

Ji Li had already picked up the paper that the fax machine had ejected:

[Jansen wasn't wearing underwear today.]

Jensen's face immediately flushed red and heated up:

"you……"

He scanned the strange looks coming from all around him and roared:

"Doesn't anyone feel more comfortable not wearing anything?"

Jessica rubbed her face, trying not to laugh:
“It’s alright…it’s just a personal habit, Pulitzer, ask the next one…”

Ji Li continued:

Where should I find what I want?

The fax machine started working and soon spat out a new sheet of paper:

[Where your things belong.]

Ji Li: "..."

Angelica smiled:

"He seems to be in a good mood today; he's even cracking jokes."

"But shouldn't we be given a definite answer?" Aquile wondered.

“Perhaps Pulitzer’s ideas were too far-fetched. For example, ‘How can I become a god?’ or ‘How can I become immortal?’ That’s when the fax machine started babbling,” Angelica explained.

Ji Li was just thinking about where he could find his missing memories.

So apart from him recognizing my true identity on the small screen, there weren't many problems with the question and answer itself.

This means the fax machine wasn't attracted by its immortality and gave some strange answers.

So, regarding the third question...

Where is the mastermind behind the dense fog at sea?

As the fax machine started operating, a palpable seriousness appeared on the faces of the entire Knights squad as they watched the paper being dispensed:
This room.

It was like dropping a bombshell into everyone's minds; in that moment of astonishment, everyone's gaze immediately turned to various directions.

The Dead Water Knight and Jason were looking at the prison cell, Equiel was looking at Ji Li, and the others were looking at the Dead Water Knight.

The reason Aiquier looked at Ji Li was because she thought of "Raven".

Compared to the later abnormality of the Dead Water Knight, the raven that appeared in her life was more memorable, so she subconsciously looked at Ji Li, who had been "resurrected" by the raven.

"Don't move, don't panic. It must be referring to the gravedigger."

Angelica said in a deep voice.

This was just an excuse on the surface; the tomb keeper's strength was clearly insufficient to support a conspiracy like the sea fog.

So the only one that can be mentioned is the Dead Water Knight?
Faced with the stares of the crowd, he finally revealed his displeasure:

"You doubt me? What a joke! I'd rather see this as proof that the person behind it all is immortal."

If the question pertains to immortals, the fax machine's answer will be affected, therefore the fax machine is talking nonsense and cannot be trusted—this is the logic in his words.

Angelica remained noncommittal.
"Whether it's everyone's doubts or your statement, there's some truth to them. But in any case, let Pulitzer complete the final procedures first."

Ji Li also had to answer questions about the fax machine.

"Be careful what you say, he might ask you some embarrassing questions or inquire about your secrets."

Angelica gave him a serious warning, but the phrase "a little secret" made Jason concentrate. Having just had his underwear pulled down by Ji Li, he was now looking forward to seeing Ji Li make a fool of himself.

But under everyone's watchful eyes, the fax machine slowly spat out the papers:
What did you have for breakfast today?

Ji Li looked puzzled:

"Egg sandwich and bacon rolls."

The fax machine quickly quieted down, and the noise disappeared.

Ji Li looked at everyone and saw the utter disappointment in their eyes, especially in Jason's.

"Is this the end?"

Even Angelica was somewhat puzzled:

"Such a simple question... Strange, could it be that it's really in a good mood today?"

Ji Li stared at the fax machine, remaining silent.

He always felt that the fluctuations in this thing were very strange.

Ji Li's test was somewhat dramatic, but this was just the appetizer; the main course was about to begin.

Angelica glanced at the Dead Water Knight Bordeaux, gesturing for him to stay outside with her, and then had Ji Li carry the fax machine into the cell before coming out.

Sika went inside, as he was in charge of today's interrogation; the others just needed to watch from the outside, or rather, keep the Deadwater Knight at bay.

The gravedigger sat upright in his chair, facing Sika, who had sat down in front of him and placed the fax machine there. His eyes remained calm and serene.

But after Sika explained the function of the fax machine, his calm expression instantly turned to terror, and he blurted out:

You're bluffing me!

The next moment, he froze, abruptly covering his mouth, and touched his hand with bright red blood—

They seeped from his mouth and nose, gushing forth in Sika's astonished gaze:

"No, no, no, I didn't break the contract! I didn't mean to... Please, I didn't mean to..."

He raised his blood-soaked face and looked at Sika:
"Sir, I'll tell you everything... I'll tell you everything! Help me, save my life!!!"

Sika stood up with a drastically changed expression, intending to use spiritual ethanol to knock the other party unconscious, but to no avail. In desperation, she tried to rush out the door.

But then a sticky sound of violent friction of oral mucosa was heard, and a large hand suddenly emerged from the gravedigger's mouth, pressing bloody hand against Sika's forehead!

(End of this chapter)