novelraw Chapter 68: Sea of Darkness - (68)
Chapter 68: Sea of Darkness - (68)
“Behave now. From here on out, I’ll ask questions, and you’ll answer.” Night Cicada gazed at the bruised and battered Zhao Wenyao.
Kui Xin held nothing back but knew how far to go without overstepping.
Since Mechanical Dawn intended to interrogate Zhao Wenyao, they wouldn’t allow him to be killed recklessly. Kui Xin’s strikes could be forceful, but she couldn’t inflict life-threatening harm or render him unconscious, as that would prevent him from speaking coherently.
Zhao Wenyao lay on the ground, unable to even cry due to the multitude of injuries; any movement caused excruciating pain from the wounds on his face.
“Just ask your questions directly; why did you have to beat me up first?” Zhao Wenyao weakly protested, “Go ahead, start asking!”
“I can’t believe this guy is so pathetic.” Night Cicada was speechless.
“You should hurry and ask your questions. Let’s wrap up tonight’s events quickly; I still need to rest and sleep.” Kui Xin pulled out a tissue from her pocket, leisurely wiping the blood from her fingers. “Aren’t the most inept individuals easiest to interrogate?”
“Alright.” Night Cicada approached Zhao Wenyao and looked down at him. “Tell me your name.”
“Zh-Zhao Wenyao,” stammered the trembling figure on the ground, shaking as if having a seizure.
“Zhao Wenyao, are you certain that your name is Zhao Wenyao?” Night Cicada asked. “Do you have no other names, only ‘Zhao Wenyao’?”Confused by Night Cicada’s question, Zhao Wenyao replied, “Well, what else? I am indeed Zhao Wenyao.”
“Before entering this so-called game, was your name also Zhao Wenyao?” Night Cicada queried further.
Zhao Wenyao froze, and then immense terror surfaced on his face.
It took him until now to realize why he had been imprisoned in the isolation room—truly remarkably stupid.
He had initially considered whether it might be due to his parents being too wealthy in the Second World, attracting criminals to kidnap him. He even wondered if there was unhealthy competition between large corporations, which led Rick Technologies’ rivals to abduct the son of a high-ranking executive.
After his capture, he spent a long time speculating while confined in the isolation room, but never once did he consider that the reason for his abduction was the exposure of his identity as a player.
In truth, there were early signs of this predicament, but Zhao Wenyao hadn’t noticed them. He assumed his parents had confined him due to his original body’s unruly behavior as a spoiled rich kid. His sneaking out of his room wasn’t driven by any specific purpose; he merely wanted to explore and experience this vibrant world. Zhao Wenyao knew that his parents in the Second World were puzzled by his sudden change in demeanor, but he didn’t anticipate their suspicions would run so deep that they reported it to Mechanical Dawn, requesting a thorough investigation.
Zhao Wenyao was apprehended haphazardly and subsequently locked up here without fully understanding why.
Kui Xin stared at Zhao Wenyao’s terrified face, thinking—just like how he was captured and imprisoned without comprehension, he might also meet a bewildering death.
In this world, those lacking intelligence cannot survive.
However, intelligence alone is not enough; one must possess determination and a touch of luck.
For individuals who lack both intelligence and resolve, along with even scarce fortune, death can paradoxically be a relatively better outcome. The greatest fear lies in enduring torment worse than death and suffering endlessly.
After Leiniér Brandonberg’s capture, he underwent severe interrogation: his limbs were restrained and all his teeth were extracted, leaving him incapable of suicide. This exemplifies a fate worse than death—he could neither end his life swiftly nor withstand the endless torture, ultimately leading to a loss of will and a mental breakdown.
“I… I…” Zhao Wenyao stuttered, “What are you guys talking about? I don’t understand.”
“Rich Lady, why don’t you give him another beating?” Night Cicada suggested. “Look, he’s still uncooperative; hit him harder this time.”
Hearing this, Zhao Wenyao fearfully closed his eyes but clenched his jaw tightly, refusing to make any sound. Earlier, when Kui Xin had pummeled him, he had wailed pitifully, almost clinging to her legs and pleading for mercy like a desperate ancestor worshipper. Now, however, he unexpectedly showed some resolve, adopting a passive stance as if ready to endure whatever blows came.
Night Cicada prodded Kui Xin’s arm in surprise, saying, “Aiyo, I misjudged him. It turns out this guy has some backbone after all.”
Zhao Wenyao knew what should and shouldn’t be said. His initial groveling stemmed from underestimating the gravity of the situation, thinking it was merely business rivalry or kidnapping for ransom. Concerned for his own life, he naturally chose to spill everything he knew, although whether it was useful information remained doubtful.
However, revealing matters related to players was different—he couldn’t disclose that information.
If he did, people would die—many players would perish.
The sight of him returning to the First World—the bloody survival count on the forum—had left a deep impression on him.
Zhao Wenyao didn’t consider himself particularly clever or someone with strong moral convictions, but he was ordinary—a normal person wouldn’t engage in actions that harm others without any benefit to oneself.
“You probably don’t know this yet, but several of your companions have already been captured,” Night Cicada said. “I advise you to honestly disclose everything; otherwise, the price will be your life.”
“Do you guys have no humanity?” Zhao Wenyao lamented angrily. “You’re beating me up while demanding information. Shouldn’t the usual process involve saying, ‘Tell me your secrets, and I’ll reward you’? Instead, you skipped straight to threats without even attempting bribery. If you had tried enticing me, I might’ve talked. But after brutalizing me and still expecting me to reveal information—no way! Don’t even think about it!”
Upon hearing this, Night Cicada pondered, “It does seem reasonable, doesn’t it?”
This was the typical modus operandi of the Mechanical Dawn, known for its ruthless and cold methods. The previous captive, Leini’er Brandonberg, proved to be a tough nut to crack, leading the Mechanical Dawn to abandon the ineffective tactic of offering incentives and opt for coercion instead.
However, coercion had little effect on Leini’er.
“Have you seen this?” Night Cicada snapped their fingers, and a holographic projection beam shot down from the ceiling. “This is what happens if you’re disobedient.”
Leini’er, drenched in blood, was bound to a restraint chair, having long lost consciousness. His head hung limply, his tangled golden hair clumped with dried blood, while dark brown stains soaked his pant legs. Under the restraint chair, there was also a small pool of partially dried blood on the floor.
Zhao Wenyao’s eyes widened, and involuntarily, he began trembling.
When the woman beside him had brutally beaten him earlier, he felt for a moment that she might actually kill him; her strikes were incredibly vicious. Now, witnessing this gory scene, Zhao Wenyao had no doubt about the ruthlessness of these two mysterious figures before him.
“You…” Zhao Wenyao stammered, struggling to speak. “Are you making me choose between death and a fate worse than death? You won’t even bother with the tactic of offering incentives beforehand and disposing afterward?”
Night Cicada nearly burst out laughing at his words.
At that moment, Kui Xin stepped forward. “Very well, we can give you some assurance. If you provide us with information about the game, I’ll let you live.”
“You’re trying to trick me, aren’t you?” Zhao Wenyao spoke. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”
“I’m merely following your lead and offering an alternative choice,” Kui Xin replied. “You can choose between ‘exchanging information for a chance to live’ or ‘death’… Now, make your selection.”
“Is there a chance to live based on exchanging information? Just a chance?” Zhao Wenyao’s cheeks twitched. “You won’t even give me a guarantee of absolute survival?”
“Whether you survive depends on the value of your intelligence,” Kui Xin stated. “We won’t make excessive promises. The truth is often harder to accept than lies, but if you want to hear lies, I can certainly tell you some comforting falsehoods.”
Zhao Wenyao’s lips trembled as tears streamed down his face.
The newly formed resolve of “not betraying fellow comrades” was nearly crushed into dust by the immense pressure between life and death, threatening to vanish completely.
Night Cicada agreed with Kui Xin’s approach. “Yes, this is a matter concerning life and death after all. We can give you more time to consider. How about ten seconds? As I count to ten, if you don’t respond, it will be taken as tacitly choosing death.”
“Just ten seconds! Is this how you give someone time?!” Zhao Wenyao’s face paled with shock.
Silently, Kui Xin drew a pitch-black gun from her waist and chambered it with a click.
The sight of Kui Xin cocking her gun instantly shattered Zhao Wenyao’s composure. Night Cicada had only counted to five when he fearfully shouted, “I’ll talk, I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
“Congratulations on making the right decision,” Night Cicada said. “Let me warn you, if you lie during the interrogation, what awaits you will be a bullet. We have the ability to discern whether your information is true or false. Don’t forget, we’ve captured more than one player.”
Under normal circumstances, they could immediately determine its authenticity by comparing the intelligence provided by both captives. However, Mechanical Dawn hadn’t obtained any valuable information from Leini’er, so Night Cicada was bluffing to intimidate Zhao Wenyao.
And Zhao Wenyao… couldn’t discern that Night Cicada was bluffing.
He promptly revealed everything he knew.
As Night Cicada interrogated Zhao Wenyao, Kui Xin felt a heavy burden within her, silently observing.
Kui Xin couldn’t intervene; she could only control her heartbeat and emotions while listening to Night Cicada conduct this interrogation. Whenever surprise was expected, she feigned astonishment, and when shock was warranted, she pretended to be stunned, striving not to reveal any weaknesses.
The moment Zhao Wenyao succumbed to the threat, Kui Xin lost her legitimate reason to kill him.
She had considered taking Zhao Wenyao’s life to silence him.
Crucial information about players must not be disclosed. Why did Leini’er maintain his gritted determination even under pressure? Because he knew revealing that intelligence would lead to more deaths, as inhabitants of the Second World would hunt down and eliminate the Players.
However, without Zhao Wenyao, the Mechanical Dawn might still find other players to interrogate for information. Not every player possesses ironclad resolve, and as long as Players continue traversing between both worlds, their existence being exposed is inevitable, sooner or later.
It was an unsolvable knot.
Now, Kui Xin had missed her chance to act. She could only watch helplessly as Zhao Wenyao spilled everything, like beans tumbling out, thoroughly detailing the game’s rules.
He was completely broken; his words were jumbled during Night Cicada’s interrogation, but he didn’t omit any key pieces of information.
The two factions of Deprivers and Proxies, the seven-day cycle for crossing between worlds, the Players’ Forum, the level of technological advancement in the First World, the total number of players…
By the end, Kui Xin’s heart had grown numb.
She didn’t blame Zhao Wenyao; he was just an ordinary person, not yet twenty years old, very young. Living in the peaceful real world, he would have followed a routine path through education and work, far removed from brutal matters like war. He might have worried about mundane necessities, with his life’s scope limited to such concerns. Zhao Wenyao had never contemplated grand and noble questions like, “In the face of enemy interrogation, can I steadfastly uphold my principles?” Consequently, this was how he responded.
One could only say that entering the game world of “Crimson Earth” was a cruel joke played by fate, as the destinies of all players took an unforeseen turn.
An hour later, Night Cicada ceased the interrogation.
Everything during the interrogation had been recorded, allowing these audio and video files to be meticulously analyzed later.
In fact, the interrogation was being live-streamed in real-time. Wei Haidong, behind the scenes, was observing Night Cicada and Zhao Wenyao’s question-and-answer session.
As Wei Haidong listened, he grew increasingly alarmed, to the point where he completely lost his ability to speak. Sitting in his office with his mouth agape, he leaned back dazedly against his chair, oblivious that the interrogation had concluded.
It wasn’t until “that voice” jolted him awake.
“…Kill him?” Wei Haidong exclaimed in shock. “He is such a valuable asset; Zhao Wenyao can travel between two worlds! He’s our window to understanding another realm! We can control him—why should we kill him?”
“Just carry out the order. Command your daughter to eliminate Zhao Wenyao.”
Suppressing his mounting doubts, Wei Haidong established communication with Kui Xin.
“Xiao Xin, the interrogation is over. Zhao Wenyao has no further value now, so dispose of him,” Wei Haidong said.
Kui Xin hesitated. “If the intelligence Zhao Wenyao provided is true, I believe he still has potential use, and it would be best not to kill him. His ability to travel between two worlds means that controlling him effectively controls a vast source of information.”
Not surprising; she thinks just like me…, Wei Haidong thought.
However, he had an imperative command to execute.
“This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with. You must kill Zhao Wenyao,” Wei Haidong insisted.
“Alright, if ‘Dad’ has made this decision…” Kui Xin raised her gun.
Zhao Wenyao looked at Kui Xin pleadingly, but before he could utter his plea for mercy, she pulled the trigger.
“Bang!”
Blood splattered.
Kui Xin silently lowered her gun and said with an expression unchanged, “Isn’t there still Leini’er? Can I go see him?”
“Yes,” Wei Haidong replied succinctly. “Night Cicada, escort her.”
The game overlay flickered.
“You have killed [Proxy Zhao Wenyao].”
“I’ve done my best,” Kui Xin murmured to herself. “I’ve given it all I had while ensuring my own safety first.”
She turned around and followed Night Cicada back into the corridor.
“I also felt a bit regretful; we shouldn’t have killed him so quickly,” Night Cicada observed, arms crossed as they walked down the hallway. “But when it comes to the boss’s demands, our duty is simply to execute them.”