Chapter 135: Interrogation

Su Mu smiled faintly. He had a pretty good idea why Sikong Zhen was the one handling this investigation. The sheer value of a Mithril Mine was enough to tempt even the nobles. It wasn't hard to imagine that Qian Zihao had funneled massive amounts of money to the Sikong Family year after year in exchange for their protection. Now that Qian Zihao was dead, the Sikong Family naturally needed to find a new proxy to take over the Mithril Mine.

Of course, the Sikong Family couldn't have been the only ones taking Qian Zihao's money. He surely had dealings with other nobles in the Imperial Capital and various departments. The exchange of favors was never a simple vertical ladder; it was a vast, intricate web.

Deciding who to send to Star City for this investigation had likely sparked a minor struggle among the nobles of the Imperial Capital. The Sikong Family had ultimately won out, arriving to harvest the wealth while incidentally investigating Pride of the Seven Deadly Sins.

"Let's head to the Law Enforcement Bureau. We shouldn't keep our esteemed guests from the Imperial Capital waiting." Su Mu rose slowly from the sofa, elegantly smoothing out a few slight wrinkles in his clothes. He picked up his Snakewood Cane and departed with Nangong Mengli.

Star City Law Enforcement Bureau, interrogation room.

The lighting was dim. Only a single spotlight was turned on in the entire interrogation room, shining directly onto the center of the floor.

The space around the center was completely empty, save for a single Mithril Alloy Chair. The seat was bolted directly into the floor, looking incredibly sturdy.

Murong Yun squinted against the glaring light. His body was firmly restrained in the Mithril Alloy Chair. Staring at the blurred silhouettes hidden in the darkness just beyond the spotlight, an inexplicable nervousness washed over him.

This was his first time entering the Law Enforcement Bureau in such a state. Under normal circumstances, he would have already voiced his displeasure, but knowing this was a direct order from Sikong Zhen, he could only force down his resentment.

He was a noble, true, but nobles were still divided into distinct ranks and hierarchies. If Murong Zhuo were still alive, the Murong Family might have retained a sliver of face before the nobles of the Imperial Capital. But now...

"Murong Yun, detail the sequence of events during the incident. Tell us everything you know, and do not hold anything back."

Mu Lingxi's icy voice rang out from the darkness.

Murong Yun sized her up. Although her silhouette was hidden in the shadows, as a Silver Stage 2 Transcendent, he could naturally see her clearly.

She was beautiful.

Beauty alone meant little; he had plenty of that. What truly caught his interest was her identity. She was an enforcement captain from the General Law Enforcement Bureau. Seeing a beautiful woman cloaked in such a powerful aura of authority certainly stirred an undeniable itch.

Of course, right now, itching was all he dared to do.

This was all due to the pressure exerted by the Gold Nobles.

Murong Yun began to obediently narrate the sequence of events. He recounted everything in great detail and added a certain degree of embellishment. He certainly wasn't going to let anyone know that when his father died, he had stood there like an idiot, not daring to move a muscle.

He occasionally displayed expressions of grief and resentment, playing the part of a bereaved victim perfectly.

Mu Lingxi listened with an impassive face, while the Law Enforcement Bureau staff beside her continuously took notes.

"Captain Mu, I've told you everything I know. You must find Pride and avenge my father. He was a noble of the Empire, he—"

Mu Lingxi cut Murong Yun off before he could finish. "According to what I know, Pride possessed your body at one point. Why didn't you mention that?"

Murong Yun's heart skipped a beat, and his expression slightly stiffened. "I forgot for a moment. But that wasn't a possession, he just stepped out of my body. He... he was like a ghost, as if he had no physical form. I didn't feel anything strange physically at the time, and I had myself examined after I got back. My body is completely fine."

"A ghost? Other witnesses stated that the Murong Family Head suspected Pride wasn't a physical entity, but rather an Illusion Technique. What is your take on that?"

Murong Yun shook his head profusely. "How could it be an Illusion Technique? How could there be such a realistic Illusion Technique in this world? I saw Pride kill with my own eyes. He killed so many people, and his methods were incredibly bizarre. He merely pointed a finger, and whoever he pointed at died. Even my father... he just waved his hand, and my father's... his head fell right off."

When Murong Yun brought up his father, he unconsciously began to choke up, his eyes reddening.

"The only reason my father made that judgment was because Pride didn't disturb the air when he walked. He was blinded by his past experiences. A Gold powerhouse can perfectly retract all their aura and blend into their surroundings. Walking without stirring the wind wouldn't be difficult at all."

"You think Pride is a Gold Transcendent?" Mu Lingxi narrowed her eyes slightly.

Murong Yun grew visibly agitated. "Of course he's a Gold Transcendent. Could anyone other than a Gold Transcendent achieve that? You have no idea—at the time, he said he was done playing and planned to get serious. Then, his powerful presence directly affected the lighting in the banquet hall, making the lights strobe.

"Bizarre ravings echoed from all around, and many guests died on the spot merely from hearing the sound. If that isn't a Gold Transcendent, what is? Who else but a Gold Transcendent could do that?"

He was still exaggerating. The Serpent God's Ravings hadn't actually killed the guests; at most, it had given ordinary people splitting headaches or knocked them unconscious. After all, it was only a mimicry produced by the Soundless Heavenly Melody, so its power was limited.

But Murong Yun still felt the need to exaggerate. Only if Pride was overwhelmingly powerful would he not appear incompetent. If Pride were merely a Silver Transcendent, how could the entire Murong Family ever hold their heads high in noble circles again?

Everyone would be gossiping: 'Did you hear? The Murong Family threw a banquet on their own turf and was targeted by a single Silver Transcendent. Not only did he kill the Murong Family Head in a single move, but the entire Murong Family was so terrified that not a single one of them dared to move.'

"Thank you for your cooperation. Guards, take Mr. Murong Yun away for a physical examination."

Murong Yun's expression shifted. "Didn't I already tell you? I had someone do a comprehensive examination as soon as I got back—"

He began to protest. After all, nobody liked the idea of strangers casually manipulating their bodies. Especially if they used supernatural methods, which might leave unforeseen side effects.

However, no one paid any attention to his protests. A noble from Star City meant absolutely nothing in front of true Gold Nobles.

After Murong Yun was taken away, the staff member beside her spoke up. "Captain Mu, the polygraph triggered several alarms just now. Murong Yun was lying about a lot of things, especially when he expressed grief for his father."

A mocking smirk curled the corner of Mu Lingxi's mouth. "I've seen plenty of his type. He was probably eager for the Murong Family Head to die early so he could inherit the entire family. I don't care about the sordid drama between nobles. I came here for one purpose only: to catch Pride.

"Bring the next one in."

Soon, Nangong Mengli walked into the interrogation room, dressed in plain clothes with no makeup on her face. Her appearance caused Mu Lingxi to narrow her eyes slightly.

Once Nangong Mengli took her seat in the interrogation chair, Mu Lingxi began her questioning.

"Miss Murong, I hear you were the only person at the entire banquet who dared to step forward and question Pride?"