Interrogation (Part 2)

Halperin closed his eyes, and Li Jiehao muttered under his breath, "This is too melodramatic—"

"So melodramatic?" Isaac looked at him.

"Oh, it just means outrageous!"

Isaac nodded, thinking to himself, what does absurdity have to do with melodrama?

However, Halperin's betrayal by Annabelle seems to have involved not only a power struggle but also deception based on personal feelings.

Halperin sighed. "Schuster, you're right, she was my lover. I thought she was truly devoted to me, that she was loyal to me—"

"Then she destroyed your life box."

Halperin corrected, "She didn't completely destroy it; she placed some kind of seal on it, temporarily severing its connection with me. This way, I won't die, but I'll be in an extremely weak state—she spared my life because she wants to extract more secrets from me."

"Do you really think so, or are you wondering if she still has feelings for you?"

Halperin was speechless for a moment, while Carlo crossed his legs. "But even if she's your lover, you wouldn't just tell her the location of the phylactery, would you? That's the lich's lifeline."

"Don't tell me she asked you directly. Your brain can't just not process it, can it? Or are you actually just love-struck? Looks like I can only judge a book by its cover."

Halperin's voice lowered. "Three years ago, there was an attack targeting me within the Cult. Although I escaped, my life was..."

The attack caused cracks, so I had to move it and reinforce it again.

"During that time, Annabelle stayed by my side and helped me with the aftermath. She knew I was transferring the life box, and probably knew where I put it and what it looked like, but she didn't betray me even when I was at my weakest."

"Now it seems that the attack was probably also orchestrated by her, just to force me to reveal the location of the Life Box."

Carlo nodded. "First, arrange an assassination to make you nervous, then use your trust in her to obtain the exact location and shape of the Life Box, and finally strike at the right moment. This Miss Anna has no shortage of patience and ambition. So how many resources of the Vista Ghoul Cult does she currently control?"

"Most of my original confidants, I think, were either recruited by her or eliminated by her."

"So what's her next plan? You mentioned before that she was trying to awaken Morzul, or rather, the Tree in the Lake. How far has she gotten?"

"As far as I know, she's collecting three Holy Relic."

"Which three things, and how did you know?"

"Before she betrayed me, she was already inquiring about the whereabouts of some holy artifacts related to Morzul. At the time, I thought she just craved power and didn't think much of it; after all, who in the Cult wouldn't want to advance further? She asked me about the legends surrounding those Holy Relic, and I told her what I knew."

"Those three items are the Withered Beard Ring, the Unfading Flower, Remains of Feona."

Carlo turned to Isaac: "Asa, take out the ring and let me see it."

Isaac took the ring out of his pocket and handed it over. Carlo took it and showed it to Halperin: "This is the withered beard you mentioned."

"Abstinence"

"----yes."

"What are the remaining two? Tell me."

Halperin looked away from the ring. "The Unfading Flower, it is said to never wither, containing enormous life energy, almost enough to sustain a person for thousands of years."

"And the Remains of Feona are said to be those of King Morzul, the God of Decay during the War of the Churches." He was blessed by Morzul, and on the battlefield he could fight against a hundred men single-handedly. His wounds would heal within a few breaths, and even if his head was cut off, he could pick it up and put it back on himself.

"Although he was later said to have been destroyed and killed by a demigod, his remains were placed in a coffin to be repaired, awaiting his resurrection and return to fight for Morzul once more."

Carlo stroked his chin. "You're wrong about the Remains of Feona."

Halperin was taken aback. "What?"

"King Fiona wasn't a warrior of Morzul during the War of the Churches." Carlo tossed the ring back to Isaac. "Vist Language is a Vestal term for tribal leader, not a specific person's name. The so-called King Fiona, translated, is actually 'King of Chiefs,' a title used when tribes united."

Halperin looked somewhat bewildered: "But Annabelle told me—"

"Don't you have any idea how much of what she told you is true? You were tricked into giving you your life box, and you were held captive by her for a year. And you still believe the information she gives you?"

"However, judging from this, she probably knows what the real Fiona is referring to, and the target is indeed the Tree in the Lake."

Li Jiehao raised his hand. "Boss, what exactly is this Remains of Feona?"

Carlo shrugged. "How should I know? It could be some ancient zombie, or it could refer to something else entirely, like some remnant of the Tree in the Lake in the present world, or a location, or even a person."

He turned to Halperin: "It seems the most valuable information you can provide is Anna's rise to power and the fact that she's collecting three Holy Relic. However, whether there are actually three Holy Relic, and whether they are the three you're referring to, is something only she herself probably knows."

Halperin sighed. "I've said everything I know."

"That's not necessarily true, but I'm not in a hurry to ask about the rest. Let's take it slow." Carlo stood up. "You don't have many options right now. First, wait for forced rest. The process is simple: I'll write a report stating that you are extremely dangerous and recommending immediate disposal. Parker will sign it, and you can rest in peace."

"Second, cooperate fully. You need to provide all the locations, personnel lists, and contact information you know, and cooperate with the Joint Investigation Bureau's operations when necessary."

"I choose the second one." Halperin almost without hesitation.

"Don't rush, I haven't finished explaining the conditions yet," Carlo said. "This cooperation isn't contingent on you regaining power in the future. After the cleanup operation, you'll be under special supervision by the Joint Investigation Bureau and subject to regular audits. If you perform well, maybe in eight or ten years, we can give you a new identity, or even recruit you."

Halperin remained silent for a long time before finally nodding. "I understand."

"Very good." Carlo clapped his hands. "That's all for today. We'll discuss it in more detail tomorrow. Jacob, go see if there are any empty detention cells."

Li Jiehao responded and turned to leave.

Isaac looked at Halperin, who was nailed to the chair. The man who once controlled the Vista Cult now hung his head, like an old tree that had been uprooted, blown down by the wind, but still wanted to live.