Chapter 69: The fate of an Inquisitor

It was only until this moment that Alvin finally noticed the unusual pendant hanging around Winnie's slender, snow-white neck.

The pendant looked more like an emblem; it didn't look eye-catching, and the decoration was also very ordinary, plain and unremarkable.

But if someone who knew that emblem saw it, they would probably be scared out of their wits.

The iconic 'I' shape, with the skull symbolizing human purity printed in the middle, and wing-like shapes on both sides, was the 'Rosette' issued by the infamous Imperial Inquisition to every Inquisitor, symbolizing power and status.

Any Inquisitor holding a Rosette, as long as the reason was appropriate and the evidence was conclusive, could sign an Exterminatus order.

Representing the Emperor's will, burning away tens of billions, hundreds of billions of souls!

It had to be said that the psychological pressure of facing an 'Inquisitor' head-on was far greater than Alvin had imagined.

An official Inquisitor of the Empire could almost make anyone submit to their will, could almost mobilize any resource of the Empire, and shouldered the responsibility of purging heresy, driving away aliens, hunting demons, and destroying worlds.

To summarize the power of an Inquisitor in a relatively common sentence, that is... execute first, report later, imperial authority granted!

Although Alvin knew very well that the signing process of the Exterminatus order required strict review.

But... it could not be denied that every year, the Ordo Exterminatus under the Inquisition would deal with a batch of Inquisitors who signed Exterminatus orders because the execution reasons were unqualified.

Of course, the reason for the execution was largely because the Exterminatus order had already been executed.

Withdrawing his scattered thoughts, Alvin exhaled imperceptibly, and his emotions returned to calm.

By the window, Winnie sat with her legs crossed, looking at Alvin with a kind of scrutinizing gaze.

Her eyes were very beautiful, as if they were the blue sky, pure, transparent, and bright.

If he had to use other adjectives, Alvin would probably say: She didn't look like an Inquisitor, because her eyes revealed a clear stupidity.

And the fact was, in the following conversation, Winnie's performance confirmed this point.

A moment later, she withdrew her gaze, turned to look at Priest Aluman, and nodded slightly to express her greeting: "Nice to meet you, Magos Vera, I have heard about you."

"Please convey my respect to your teacher, Magos Gransol, the most loyal blade of the Empire."

Treating this female Inquisitor, Priest Aluman showed an unprecedented respect in words and actions: "I heard that your mentor, Magos Gransol, has officially resigned from the Inquisition's duties. Unfortunately, I am on the frontier of the Empire and don't know how Magos Gransol is doing?"

"He is very well."

Winnie Winslet lowered her eyelids, seemingly unwilling to discuss her mentor 'Gransol', and turned the topic to Alvin on the side: "Is he the person you mentioned?"

"Yes, respected Inquisitor Winslet."

Priest Aluman gave up half a position and introduced slowly: "Please allow me to formally introduce to you, this kid is 'Alvin Valerius', an Underhive scavenger, who accidentally discovered the traces of the cult's presence, as well as... the blood sacrifice ritual."

When mentioning the 'blood ritual', Winnie's gaze fell on Alvin again, asking with a slightly cold tone: "Can you describe the whole process in detail?"

Priest Aluman stepped back half a step and whispered to Alvin: "This is an Imperial Inquisitor. You don't need to know what an Inquisitor is. Whatever she asks, you answer."

"Okay, Magos Priest Aluman."

Alvin knew clearly that the biggest test was coming.

Facing the interrogation of an Inquisitor, even a slight mistake could lead to suspicion.

Fortunately, with the foundation of Taker's camouflage training course, Alvin learned how to skillfully control the details of facial expressions and hide his true thoughts as much as possible.

"Respected Inquisitor Winslet, the matter is like this..."

In fact, long ago, the whole thing had been repeatedly weighed and screened in his mind.

Using the routine of nine truths and one lie, while mixing in a lot of useless information, to hide the fact that his predecessor was discovered and then died at the hands of Rashid.

"Alvin, are you sure... the psychic you saw that day was Rashid Hadley?"

After listening to the description, Winnie frowned slightly, staring at Alvin with suspicion: "Do you know what the consequences are for slandering a noble?"

"Respected Inquisitor Winslet, I can swear to the Emperor!"

Alvin swore by the 'Emperor' without hesitation. After all, this move was considered the most useful oath for an Inquisitor.

"Very good, remember what you said today."

Winnie looked at him deeply and said lightly: "If you are lying, I swear I will punish you with the white phosphorus torture; no one can obstruct my will."

But when saying the last sentence, she looked at Priest Aluman intentionally or unintentionally, as if she were saying it to him.

"Today's conversation ends here."

Winnie turned around, recording something in the notebook she carried with her, and said without looking back: "The conversation here is not allowed to be leaked."

"I hope you can take action as soon as possible, Inquisitor Winslet."

Priest Aluman used a low tone, seemingly mixed with a little gravity and anxiety, and said slowly: "At the current expansion speed of the cult, perhaps it won't be long... before they start taking action. We don't have much time."

"I will, Magos Vera."

Winnie's recording didn't stop, as if there was no emotional fluctuation: "But before confirming, I need more conclusive evidence, not just the oral statements of the two of you."

"Forgive my bluntness, Inquisitor Winslet, your approach... is indulging the expansion of the cult." For this answer, Priest Aluman was clearly somewhat dissatisfied.

To put it in an unpleasant way, by the time you find conclusive evidence, the cult will have occupied the Hive City!

But even so, Priest Aluman still used as gentle a tone as possible to say: "Inquisitor Winslet, you can question our authenticity, but the expansion of the cult will not stop because of this. On the contrary... upon learning that an Inquisitor has descended, they might accelerate the progress of the plan."

Alvin nodded in acquiescence. Changing his perspective, if he were Rashid, upon learning that an Inquisitor had descended, regardless of whether it was aimed at him, he would accelerate the progress of the plan.

"Magos Vera, do you mean to let me mobilize the Empire's troops without any evidence, just based on the oral statements of the two of you?" Winnie stopped her recording work, and a solemnity flowed between her cold brows: "I am an Inquisitor, and precisely because of this, I cannot fail the power granted by the Emperor!"

"Inquisitor Winslet, I am not questioning your decision."

Priest Aluman's words revealed a deep fatigue and exhaustion: "The cult's current expansion speed is too fast. If we wait for you to investigate clearly, the entire Hive City might fall. I sincerely suggest that you send a star-signal to call for a batch of Astra Militarum; at least this way... we can prevent the cult from suddenly attacking the Hive City."

Winnie put down her pen, her eyes full of gravity, and said word by word: "As far as the current situation is concerned, all the information you provided does not have any 'evidence'."

"Whether there really exists a 'Blood God sacrifice ritual' in the Underhive, and whether Rashid Hadley is related to the cult, all need to be confirmed by me."

"You should know very well that even an Inquisitor does not have the right to directly determine that a Planetary Governor's family is related to cult forces."

"I understand your urgent feelings very well, but... I need evidence!"

Saying that, she continued to turn around, recording something: "The conversation ends here, Magos Vera, I have to work."

Priest Aluman was extremely helpless. He had tried his best, but unfortunately, this 'Inquisitor' was very different from the Inquisitors he had known before.

"Let's go back."

He was powerless, stepped with heavy steps, and left the room first.

Alvin sighed. He had no right, let alone status, to change an Inquisitor's decision, so he could only follow Priest Aluman.

After the two left, Winnie stopped her writing.

Gazing at the notebook that recorded the content, she subconsciously turned to the first page. Deep in her ice-cold light blue eyes, a trace of imperceptible trance flowed out.

Then, she reaffirmed her determination, bit her lip lightly, as if she were saying to herself, and muttered: "Teacher, I will not become someone like you... absolutely not!"

On the first page of the notebook was a passage written by her mentor, Gransol, himself.

"Every Inquisitor starts as a conservative, yearning for purity and justice;

And every Inquisitor's end is a heretic who uses any means, and a madman who is extremely blasphemous—Charles Gransol, gifted to Winnie Winslet." ===== CHAPTER 70 =====