Rise of The Demon General Chapter 964. Interrogated

After passing several districts, Amon finally arrived at the Citizen Center. As an organization that prioritized order, this Citizen Center was much busier than the other parts of the city he had passed. The center didn’t serve solely as a place to apply for a citizen crest. It also handled various administrative matters for those who lived in the city.

The Disenchant shield talisman hidden under Amon’s clothes disintegrated into dust when Amon passed the entry door of the Citizen Center. His disguise, however, remained intact.

Xia Lung handed Amon to an initiate, who then brought him to a deacon. The deacon led Amon to a small room with no windows. Amon was told to strip and place all his belongings into a basket. The basket was brought away, and Amon was given a plain robe.

Amon watched as the basket containing the Corrupted Justice and his black space ring left the room.

The deacon gestured for Amon to sit in a prepared chair. After Amon did, the deacon asked, "Name?"

"Hei Mo," Amon answered.

"Where do you live?" The deacon asked the next question while scribbling on a note.

"Nowhere. I live a nomadic lifestyle with the troupe serving Caravan Master Peng Chi."

The deacon glanced at Amon for a brief second before returning his attention to his note. "Name of your father and mother."

"Hei Gong and Hei Pho."

"Mm... We will check those names with our registry."

"I doubt you will find anything. As far as I know, they never mingled with outsiders. We spent our lives in our hut in the middle of nowhere and never ventured far. I left there only after their passing. Caravan Master Peng Chi is the first outsider I met, and this is my first time entering a city."

The deacon glanced at Amon again. This time, frowning. "Where exactly is this hut you used to live in with your parents?"

"I don’t know the name. I can show you on my map, but you took all my stuff away."

The deacon went to a corner and took a rolled-up map from one of the drawers there. He put it on the table in front of Amon and asked, "Where?"

Amon stood up, looked at the map for a while, before pointing. "Here."

The deacon looked at it and said, "That’s in the middle of nowhere."

"That’s what I said," Amon replied. The spot he pointed at was where the secluded village was located, where the mind practitioners were from. If the Holy Temple sent people there to check, they would get lost inside the illusion protecting the village. He doubted, though, that they would send people into the middle of nowhere to check out one inconsequential person’s background.

The deacon asked Amon more questions. He asked every detail about Amon’s past, and Amon answered every question effortlessly, as if the answers were from memory, while they were instead all lies.

After several hours, the deacon finished his interrogation and told Amon to wait. He left the room, leaving Amon alone.

The deacon didn’t go far. He went to the next room. Inside, another deacon watched a holographic image that showed Amon.

"How is it?" The first deacon asked.

"Judging from all the readings from the formation inside the interrogation room, he is telling the truth," The second deacon answered. "Or at least he believed it to be real. I don’t think he is making things up, though. It is almost impossible to keep such consistency in all his answers if he was lying."

"You said almost, so not entirely impossible."

The second deacon shrugged. "If you ask me, I said just give him the citizen crest. We still have a lot of tasks that need doing. From what I heard, he entered the city with Bishop Tian Jung. The bishop even sent one of his follower priests to bring him here. I say that is a show of confidence in him."

"Hm... I’m not sure. Other than his story about travelling with Caravan Master Peng Chi, almost none of the things he told us can be checked and confirmed, unless we are willing to go to that place where he said he lived with his parents."

"I’m not wasting my time going there. You can go there if you want to."

"Hm... Do you think I should use the talisman that removes disguise?"

"Why? If he wore a disguise, it would have already been revealed when he entered this building, and do you think those talismans grow on trees? You must submit a report specifying its usage. Do you want to go through all that? You will look bad, especially if it turns out to be nothing, which I think it will be."

"What about his stuff?"

"Aside from this dagger. Everything else is junk."

"Wow... Even a layman like me can sense the aura from this dagger. What is its grade?"

"The sensor device told me it is a low-tier divine weapon."

"Di–Divine...?!" The first deacon blurted. "Are you sure? Maybe the sensor device is broken?"

The second deacon gave him a look as if he had just said something stupid.

The first deacon wasn’t done yet with his surprise. "How can someone who used to live in the middle of nowhere possess that kind of weapon?"

"Did he not mention it before?" The second deacon asked back.

When the first deacon gave him a questioning look, he shook his head and said, "You are the one who questioned him, yet you forget. Didn’t you ask him if he possesses any precious treasure? He mentioned he has a weapon passed down from his deceased father. The father told him that the weapon was a gift from a friend a long time ago, when his father still adventured around the world."

The first deacon checked his note and realized there was indeed such a statement. "I didn’t pay any attention to this story, because a precious treasure of a commoner is most of the time rubbish to us. I didn’t expect it to be a divine-grade weapon."

The first deacon made a face as if he realized something. He made a mischievous expression and said, "How about we confiscate this weapon? It is too fine for a nobody like him. He won’t be able to do anything."

"I don’t think that’s a good idea," the second deacon replied.

"Why?"

"Firstly, the sensor device also told me that this weapon has an imprint, which should be on him. Only he can use this weapon. Any attempt to forcefully erase the imprint will most likely damage this dagger. Secondly, are you not worried about his father’s friend from his story?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who do you think possesses divine-grade weapons? Not many, especially among commoners. It was even more so if the person can give away such a weapon as a gift. His father’s friend is most likely a higher-up in our order. If this person learns that you stole from his friend’s son, do you think you will be fine?"

The first deacon swallowed hard after hearing the explanation.

"I suggest we focus on our job. Don’t do anything fancy. Furthermore, if it is a good idea to confiscate this dagger, Bishop Tian Jung would have done so. Why do you think he let a commoner keep it? There must be a reason. Don’t do anything rash for greed. Isn’t that what the Divine taught us?"

"You are right, brother. I thank you for reminding me so I don’t stray from His path."

"You are welcome, brother. So, are you going to give him his citizen crest?"

"Hm... Not yet. I still want to follow the protocol. I want the presence of an inquisitor to proceed."

*

The first deacon returned to Amon’s room. He brought the basket that contained Amon’s possessions.

Amon took his possessions back and asked, "So, everything’s good?"

"You said you are working for Caravan Master Peng Chi. I would normally interrogate him about this fact, but Priest Xia Lung’s report on their trip has confirmed this, so everything is good."

"Perfect," Amon said. "Does that mean I can get my citizen crest now?"

"Not so fast, Hei Mo," the deacon replied. "We still have one final step before I can issue you your citizen crest."

"What is this final step?"

"An inquisitor will interrogate you."

"... When?"

"The inquisitor is still busy with a case. I’ve contacted her. She will make time in either two or three days for now. If you want your citizen crest, don’t leave this city before then."

Amon showed a conflicted face. "As you know, I am currently working for Caravan Master Peng Chi. His job prevents him from staying in one place for too long. I don’t want to make him wait too long."

"Don’t worry. A caravan group also needs rest between deliveries. A three-day rest is reasonable."

Amon nodded. He wasn’t worried about delaying the caravan’s departure. He was worried about the inquisitor. He doubted he could trick the inquisitor as easily as these deacons, especially if the inquisitor most likely possessed a revealing artifact.