Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 219 218 Jury
Konate Chen remained calm. "Xi Gaogong and I are merely following orders to serve as jurors. We have no desire to dictate to the Water Control Bureau. If the Admiral has any complaints, please raise them with Archbishop Toverson."

These polite remarks avoided the main point and even dragged Xi Wusheng into it.

As an outsider, Xi Wusheng was confused. Hearing this, he said, "Bishop Konate is right. Admiral Hong, although the Water Control Bureau is investigating its own affairs and outsiders shouldn't interfere, our temple is the victim. That shot was fired impartially, and there must be a result."

Hong Shenghuo's eyes wandered between Konate Chen and Xi Wusheng, but he could not see any clues.

After a moment, he waved his hand and said, "Since you're here, take a seat first."

After the two sat down, Hong Shenghuo pointed at Old William, who was sitting on the iron chair opposite. "This guy is very stubborn. All we know so far is that he is a defector from the Church of Evernight. He is also quite advanced, a master of the Spiritual Wandering Stage. As for why he hid in Fancheng, or what happened that night, he refused to reveal anything."

While speaking, Hong Shenghuo was still sizing up the two people beside him: "If you two have any tricks, please do as you please."

While Xi Wusheng was still hesitating, Konate Chen spoke first: "I'll do it."

Hong Shenghuo looked over and saw Konate Chen spread out his hands, with a formation book appearing in his palms. As the pages turned, a halo began to float and a magic circle was slowly drawn.

Hong Shenghuo suddenly asked, "Bishop Konate, I don't mean to offend you, but before you do this, you'd better tell me what kind of magic circle this is."

Konate Chen paused, then spoke frankly, "I intend to use the banishment circle to banish his spirit to the misty land—no one can endure the pain of gradually losing their spirit. When he can no longer bear it, he'll confess everything."

Hong Shenghuo immediately reached out and closed the formation book.

The light in the sky disappeared.

Konate Chen frowned and looked at Hong Shenghuo: "Sir Admiral, can I understand your behavior as harboring a criminal?"

Hong Shenghuo smiled wryly, "I blame you for not making it clear before. Both the prisoner's body and spirit must remain in this interrogation room. They are not allowed to go anywhere else."

Konate Chen's face looked a little gloomy.

Hong Shenghuo still had that fake smile on his face. "Of course, I'm not doubting Bishop Konate. It's just that if he goes to the foggy land and is rescued, or if someone takes the opportunity to tell him something, then this case will be difficult to investigate. So, do you understand?"

Konate Chen seemed a little angry. He snorted coldly, put away the formation book, and pulled out a short staff from his sleeve. "This is the Water Control Division. Of course, the Admiral has the final say."

Hong Shenghuo ignored his sarcasm and pointed at the short staff and asked, "What does Bishop Chen of Konate plan to do next?"

Konate Chen sneered, "Harsh measures have always been the most effective method."

As he chanted, the short staff pointed at old William.

Several chains transformed from mist emerged from mid-air and wrapped around old William's limbs and neck.

As the force from the chains intensified, old William groaned in pain from his throat.

Konate Chen quickly glanced at Hong Shenghuo and found that Hong Shenghuo was watching the excitement with relish.

Konate Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "You're really tough."

He turned his wrist, and the gem on the front of the short staff flashed a faint light.

The next moment, densely packed sharp thorns suddenly emerged from the chain and pierced into old William's skin.

Hong Shenghuo was quick-eyed and quick-handed, and snapped his fingers.

A flash of fire, and the mist chains turned into sparks and dissipated. Old William was gasping for breath, covered in blood. He subconsciously twisted his neck to confirm that it was only a puncture of the skin, not a fatal injury.

Konate Chen turned his head suddenly, only to find Hong Shenghuo staring at him calmly.

Konate Chen's momentum suddenly weakened.

Hong Shenghuo's eyes were gleaming with a sharpness, as if he wanted to see through Konate Chen's thoughts. "Your Excellency the Bishop, have you always been so careless? Are you interrogating or killing people?"

Konate Chen quickly calmed down and righteously retorted, "Admiral, be careful what you say. It was you who said the prisoner was a Spiritual Wandering expert that I resorted to more radical methods. This level of torture wouldn't kill him at all. It was you, Admiral, who repeatedly stopped me from using torture..."

He turned to look at Xi Wusheng, finding himself an "ally": "No wonder the church and the temple decided to send jurors at the same time. You both protected the criminal right in front of us. If it weren't for us, would you have already acquitted him?"

Xi Wusheng couldn't help but frown.

It was not that he was moved by Konate Chen's persuasion, but that he found that he could not understand the current situation.

In Xi Wusheng's opinion, it was reasonable and logical for the temple to send him as a juror. According to the normal development of the situation, Hong Shenghuo should be the interrogator, and he and Konate Chen should watch, and then provide some help when the Water Control Bureau needed it.

But the current situation is extremely abnormal.

First, Hong Shenghuo was not in a hurry to interrogate, but was rather wary of himself and Konate Chen; then, Konate Chen was unusually active in using torture, as if he wanted the case to be solved more than anyone else.

Hong Shenghuo turned his gaze to Xi Wusheng, wanting to see what he had to say.

Xi Wusheng pondered for a moment. "Let me be fair. This is a case brought by the Water Control Bureau, so the trial must naturally follow their rules. But Bishop Konate is also right. The prisoner is a Barrier Breaking Realm cultivator, so a spell of this level wouldn't be enough to kill him."

Hong Shenghuo's eyes fixed, and he said in a deep voice: "Xi Gaogong is obsessed with cultivation and doesn't care about external affairs. I'm afraid he doesn't know enough about military affairs."

He pointed at Old William and said, "A cultivator with magical powers like this, if he enters the prison of the Water Control Division, will have his magical tools confiscated and his magical powers sealed with talismans. At this moment, he is no different from an ordinary person."

Xi Wusheng suddenly understood.

Konate Chen also frowned and nodded: "Then this is indeed our negligence. It is understandable that we are not aware of the matter of the Water Control Bureau."

Xi Wusheng bowed to Konate Chen and said, "Since that's the case, Bishop Konate, please sit down and rest. I have a plan in mind and will handle it with discretion. I will then conduct his trial."

……

Old William has suffered a lot.

The torture lasted the entire night, and there was hardly a single piece of good flesh on his body, but he managed to endure it all.

He didn't say a word.

During this period, it was Konate Chen and Xi Wusheng who took action, and Hong Shenghuojing just watched from the sidelines - even his main attention was on Konate Chen and Xi Wusheng, not old William.

It was not until dawn that Hong Shenghuo realized that old William's body was about to collapse, so he stopped it in time.

If the trial continues, old William may not speak, but he may die first.

Hong Shenghuo ordered his men to carry Old William away for treatment, and assured Konate Chen and Xi Wusheng that he would notify them when the next interrogation began. Only then did the two of them leave with peace of mind.

(End of this chapter)