In the name of the true god

Chapter 120 Investigation and Interrogation

November 14, 448 (Wednesday), 1:00 AM.

The news of the escape of the "forty-two heretics" had reached the ears of the Cardinals of the Holy Church of the Wind and King Leonard of Florence. After a brief conversation, both sides quickly made arrangements: the Holy Church of the Wind dispatched eighty priests, the Kingdom of Florence mobilized the Second Division of the Royal Guard, and tens of thousands of police officers from various police stations to jointly seal off the entire city and conduct a carpet search centered on the capital's heavy prison.

At 1:15 a.m., the first batch of support priests entered the tunnel to search for the "heretics".

At 1:30 a.m., the old priest Cole Sanders returned to the prison with several wizards of varying ranks from first to third, and began to arrange for them to use the Law of Contact to reconstruct what happened and deduce the whereabouts of the "heretics".

The sorcerers who had defected to the Holy Church used the coffee cups, the moved idols, and the severed arms left in the heretical prison to confirm that the guard on duty, Aaron Granger, was a resonance sorcerer. It was he who poisoned the coffee, causing the two priests to be greatly weakened and die suddenly, thus allowing him to escape silently with the other heretics.

Meanwhile, the wizards also used Allen's severed arm to establish a causal connection with him, verifying that he had left the royal capital Montorus and was currently in the southwest of the capital.

At 1:40 a.m., a group of priests, having received the latest intelligence and orders, headed straight for the southwest.

At 2:00 a.m., given Allen Granger's status, all members of his prison guard squad, as well as all those who had come into contact with him, were reassigned to interrogation rooms in the administration building for individual interrogation.

Inside the interrogation room.

Two prison guards, a priest, and a shaman sat opposite him, staring coldly at Captain Foster, whose hands were temporarily handcuffed.

"name."

Orian Foster.

"Who is Allen Granger to you?"

"My subordinates."

"When did he join your team?"

Three years ago.

"What kind of person is he?"

"Very kind, doesn't know how to refuse others, and never argues with others—" Captain Foster followed his memory and earnestly gave his impression of Allen.

"When did he start going to play cards with the priests every time he came to the heresy ward for his duty?"

"It started only a few months after he arrived at the prison, and everyone was already used to it, just thinking that he was trying to curry favor with the priest."

"Didn't you notice anything unusual about him before?"

"No," Captain Foster shook his head and said, "He has never shown any inclination towards heresy in the past three years. Of course, that's only during work hours. Outside of work, I don't know."

After a detailed inquiry, the priest, with his arms crossed, gave a wink to the shaman beside him, who was also wearing shackles.

The haggard wizard stepped forward obediently, reached out and touched Foster's shoulder, his eyes gleaming with gold: "—What he said is true."

"name."

"Colin Chandler."

"Who is Allen Granger to you?"

"Colleague! Really just a colleague!" Colin emphasized nervously.

The prison guard in charge of the interrogation glanced at the interrogation record: "Several of your other colleagues said that you and Allen Granger were very close, and you even made a pact to go to a ball together when you were on the day shift."

"Yes—yes, that's true, but he invited me first. I thought he wanted to find a partner through the ballroom dance, so I... I agreed." Colin quickly explained, "I really didn't know he was a heretic! If I... if I had known, I would have..."

We'll expose them immediately!

"Don't get so agitated, just answer the questions truthfully."

"well----"

"You're very close to him both at work and in your personal life. Have you noticed anything unusual about him?"

"No, really no! The only unusual thing is that he's always eager to play cards with the priest, and he always loses a lot of money. I—"

I even tried to persuade him, saying—" Colin glanced warily at the priest in front of him, "that flattering the priest is useless, but he just wouldn't listen. The captain and the others can all vouch for that!"

"Have you noticed him coming into contact with any strange people?"

"A strange person? You mean—"

There are no standards. Just say anything you think is strange.

"—No." Colin tried hard to recall, but his mind was still blank. "I didn't have much interaction with him in private. We only had a few meals together and went to a few social dances. And—and it wasn't just the two of us at the meals and dances. Anders, Jude, and the like were there too. You can ask them if you don't believe me."

Are you sure?

"I'm sure! I'm absolutely sure!"

"Next question————"

"name."

"Jude Viera." Jude sat upright, neither feigning panic nor trying to appear calm, but his composure was tinged with genuine emotion.

It was a mix of truth and fiction, and there was definitely some tension.

His behavior was observed by two interrogating prison guards, a priest, and a witch doctor involved.

"Who is Allen Granger to you?"

"colleague."

"Just colleagues?"

"Just colleagues."

"I heard from other colleagues that you and Alan are very close, and that you even drove to a ballroom dance together?"

"We went to a ball together." Jude didn't admit to being very close. "At the time, I was rotating to the death row and solitary confinement ward. It was the first time I had witnessed and handled the bodies of prisoners who had been electrocuted. Captain Foster was worried that I might be traumatized, so he suggested that Colin take me to a ball to relax. Later, Allen Granger and Anders Marlowe also said they wanted to go together."

Get to the point.

"On the day of the ball, Allen saw that I had a car, so he hitched a ride with me to the entrance of the ball to meet up with Colin, Anderson and the others—" Jude deliberately interspersed a lot of useless information, "Oh, right, we also ran into Warden Melanie at the ball."

"Warden Melanie Gilbert? She went too?"

"Yes, and she even danced with me."

The interrogating guard noted down the contents with surprise: "When you were rotated to the heresy ward, you even played cards with Alan at the priest's place?"

"I played. I think it was—twice?" Jude nodded, looking at the priest in front of him with a hint of confirmation. The priest turned his head away as if trying to avoid him. "I was just bored staying in the lounge, so I thought I'd play cards with the priests. It would help me build relationships and kill time. But I always lost more than I won. My monthly salary is only 100 gold grams, so I definitely couldn't afford to play. That's why I stopped after playing twice."

"During the card game, did you notice anything unusual about Allen Granger?"

"Yes. Absolutely." Jude pointed out enthusiastically, "It's like he's deliberately losing money. Normally, playing blackjack is half about decision-making and half about luck. He's been playing for so many years, even if he's stupid, he shouldn't be losing every single day."

I have a feeling that his entire monthly salary, after deducting basic expenses, goes into the priest's pocket.

The priest sitting next to the interrogating prison guard was a long-term resident member of the capital's heavy-duty prison. And so it was only natural...

He has played cards with Allen and Jude.

After hearing Jude's words, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Allen's behavior was indeed abnormal, and anyone could tell.

But that is the case.

Why do these priests who guard the heretical prison area keep calling people over every day?

Isn't it all just to earn that little bit of gambling money?

They tacitly agreed to each other's actions, regarding Allen's willingness to lose money as bribery and flattery.

Now things have blown up. The fact that they allowed heretics to infiltrate the prison for gambling money has led to the escape of 42 involved wizards and resonance sorcerers. If the church holds them accountable, they will all be implicated.

The interrogation continues.

"Tell me your impression of Allen Granger."

"He's easy to get along with, a really nice guy."

"That's it?"

"That's all." Jude shrugged. "I've only been working at the Royal Capital Heavy Prison for a little over a month, and I haven't even gotten to know all the people there yet."

"And how much do you really know about him?"

The two prison guards exchanging a glance.

Makes sense.

Aaron Granger had been lying low for three years, plotting to rescue his kind.

Jude, a newcomer to the prison, could undoubtedly provide the most limited clues.

"As far as I know, it was Connor Viera, the First Warden of the Heretics Ward, who assigned you to work under Captain Foster?"

"Yes." Jude didn't shy away from admitting that he got in through connections, since it was common knowledge in the prison anyway. "My brother said that Captain Foster is very meticulous and thorough in his work. In such a dangerous place as the Royal Capital Heavy Prison, having a reliable captain is more important than anything else."

It also makes sense.

Orion Foster has always had a good reputation and is one of the strong contenders for Second Warden.

If it were them arranging for their own younger brother, they would also choose someone like Foster.

"I have a question that might be slightly off-topic, but I feel it's necessary to ask you." The interrogating guard had subconsciously ruled out Jude as a suspect, and given Jude's close relationship with Warden Connor and Deputy Warden Steele, his attitude was unconsciously much more polite than when interrogating others. "Prison is so dangerous, why do you still choose to work here?"

This is a question that countless people have asked Jude over the past month.

He seemed to have returned to his comfort zone, answering with increasing composure: "My brother suggested I pursue higher education, and Deputy Warden Steele also considered giving me a more respectable job—but to be honest, I don't like school, nor do things that require mental effort. In prison, with my brother and Deputy Warden Steele looking after me, the work isn't too strenuous, and the pay is several times higher than what I earned as a stevedore at the docks—I feel great here; it's like home."

It feels like home here.

What an arrogant description!

But they really do have the credentials.

His older brother is both a priest and a first-class warden, and his brother and sister-in-law are both deputy wardens and come from the Fernando family.

With such strong connections, isn't the prison practically his own home?

"The questioning is finished." The interrogating guard nodded to the priest.

The priest immediately ordered the implicated sorcerer to step forward and verify the truth of Jude's words.

Jude watched as the shackled sorcerer slowly approached him, and he obediently shifted his body slightly to make it easier for the sorcerer to touch him.

"—He." The wizard paused, somewhat stunned, after touching him. "What he said isn't entirely true."

It's not real?!

The prison guards and priests all turned their gazes toward it.

"Heh—" Jude had expected this, and merely chuckled dismissively. Then, he glanced at the group with feigned mystery, asking meaningfully, "Do some things really have to be said so bluntly?"

"Wh--what do you mean?" The interrogating prison guard was somewhat confused.

"Fine, I'll cooperate with you." Jude leaned back in his chair, looking annoyed. "You think that prison is so dangerous, the work is so arduous, and the monthly salary of one hundred gold coins is less than the pocket money my brother casually gives me? Why should I come here to suffer?"

"You are not—"

"Of course, it's all about climbing the ranks," Jude said matter-of-factly. "Captain, Second-Class Warden, First-Class Warden—isn't sitting in an office easier than being a regular prison guard?"

It still makes a lot of sense —

With such a powerful background, how could he possibly be willing to be just an ordinary prison guard?

Saying things like "I just don't like to use my brain" or "My salary is already quite generous" are, of course, just polite remarks.

Since they've come, they must be aiming for a higher position.

"Satisfied?" Jude adopted a defensive stance, "Would you like me to explain in more detail the career plan my brother and Mr. Steele have tailored for me? Could you give me some feedback?"

"No need." The interrogating guard waved his hand, not daring to offend Jude. "We are just conducting a routine inquiry. Please forgive us if we have offended you in any way."

"Come back." Feeling pressured, the priest summoned the wizard back to his side.

Seeing this, Jude secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately.

Using the pretext of his own purpose in prison, he concealed the truth of some details.

Moreover, Allen heeded President Frost's instructions and stirred up the waters thoroughly, bringing in dozens of people for interrogation alone. Even operating at full capacity, these wizards who had sided with the church could at most apply the Law of Contact once to each of them.

At the same time, he was "of impeccable lineage," his brother was a priest, and his brother and sister-in-law were deputy wardens. No matter how you looked at it, it was absolutely impossible for him to be in cahoots with a heretic like Alan.

Most importantly.

Logically speaking, since Allen was exposed and took all the imprisoned wizards and resonance sorcerers with him, if there were still "heretics" in the prison, they should have left with Allen and the others after their hiding place lost its meaning. They certainly wouldn't have stayed there foolishly and waited for the church to find them.

A combination of various factors.

This resulted in a seemingly strict but actually lax interrogation, which felt more like a formality.

Jude, who had prepared in advance, was able to successfully pass the first test.

later----

No one knows whether, after figuring out Allen's recent whereabouts, checking the tunnels, lifting the city's lockdown, and bringing the pursuit of the escaped heretics to a close, the church and prison will refocus their efforts on internal investigations and launch a new round of rigorous interrogations.

But at least for now.

The mere question of "who built the tunnel" was enough to give the prison and the church a long-term headache, consuming most of their energy.

By the time they uncovered all these miscellaneous matters, he had already left his job, and the relevant clues became increasingly difficult for the contact lawyer to uncover as time went on. Even if they found him, they couldn't possibly get any more valuable clues than what he had today.