Chapter 548: Judgment

"If it weren't for the bond of him following me all the way, on what grounds could he be my deputy? Because he's handsome? Or because he has a sweet tongue?"

He's a bit too detached, isn't he?

And what's the point of saying this to her? Go tell the members of their faction.

I suppose now the members of the New Federation each have some grievances, at least a little.

A deputy who has been serving the leader, handling unsavory matters, can be packaged by this leader and handed over to another faction's leader,

If any of those ordinary members get into trouble, wouldn't their fate be even worse?

Cheng Shuili gave no answer, but her gaze lingered on Adams a little longer.

Adams felt a bit uneasy under that stare, scratched his head and said, "Um... Wuya Lao Da, why are you looking at me like that? Which faction doesn't have some unsavory business? I'm no saint."

Cheng Shuili nodded, but still didn't speak.

Other people's affairs have little to do with her; no matter how many reminders she gives, if Adams doesn't take them to heart, it's all for naught.

As a leader, if one can't even realize this, problems will arise sooner or later.

Amid Adams's confusion, the group walked to a small hut in front of the main Black Feather building.

This is Black Feather's interrogation room; although it's been used only a few times, once someone enters, there's no reason for them to leave.

Cheng Shuili pushed open the hut's door and stepped in first.

Inside, the light was dim; the windows were set high, and only a few slanting sunbeams streamed in, cutting bright shafts through the air.

Mingri was pinned to a chair, a towel stuffed in his mouth, his eyes wide and round.

Cheng Shuili sat behind the table, lifted her gaze toward the two people pressing down on Mingri.

"Take the towel."

The towel was pulled out.

Mingri gasped heavily, and after catching his breath, twisted his mouth as if to laugh.

But this time, his smile lasted only a second.

Because Cheng Shuili produced a gun, casually loading bullets into it.

What does that mean? Weren't we supposed to be interrogating? Why is the gun out?

Mingri's smile froze on his face.

He stared at the silver gun in Cheng Shuili's hand, silent for a long while; when he finally spoke, his voice sounded weak: "What? You want to kill me? Fine, make it quick."

Adams was also a bit stunned; the interrogation was promised, how did it become an execution?

He stared at the pistol for a while, then dryly said, "Uh, this pistol's pretty, huh?"

Of course it's pretty; when Cheng Shuili first got the gun, she thought it was some beautiful junk, but after reading the description she realized how overpowered the Judgment Silver Eagle truly is.

Only… since she got it, she hasn't used it.

If it weren't limited to holding only three bullets, Cheng Shuili could, just by the number of rounds, turn someone into a wasp nest.

Naturally, there was no need to explain this to Adams; Cheng Shuili ignored him and kept loading bullets.

One.

Two.

Three.

She loaded them slowly, so slowly that each bullet's clink into the magazine was audible, as if deliberately letting everyone in the room hear clearly.

Mingri's Adam's apple rolled, and he swallowed dryly.

"You... what exactly are you trying to do?"

Cheng Shuili finally lifted her head and gave him a glance.

Her gaze wasn't frightening, yet Mingri felt a chill in his heart.

"Don't worry," Cheng Shuili said, her voice light as if comforting someone, "this gun can't kill a person."

Adams shivered beside her.

Wu Ya Dalao's deliberately softened voice was even more terrifying than normal speech.

Mingri was stunned for a moment: "Huh? Can't kill? What a joke, this is a gun, you think I'm a fool—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

Because Cheng Shuili had already aimed the barrel at him.

"But it can make you tell the truth."

Mingri's smile froze again.

He stared at the black, hollow barrel, suddenly realizing something was off.

"You... what do you mean?"

Cheng Shuili gave no explanation.

She just looked at him, her eyes dark and deep like two bottomless wells.

Her finger moved lightly, and a gunshot rang.

The bullet pierced Mingri's shoulder; no spray of blood, no torn flesh.

Mingri was stunned for a moment, looked down at his unscathed shoulder, then burst into a hearty laugh.

"So that's it? Wu Ya Zuo Fei Ji, that's all you've got? I thought you were impressive, turns out you're just good at scaring people—"

His voice abruptly stopped.

Mingri suddenly felt something odd; he could sense that something had changed, but couldn't tell exactly what.

He furrowed his brows and examined carefully.

It was a strange sensation, as if a door in his mind that had always been shut was suddenly pushed open by an invisible hand.

All defenses, all lies, all pretenses collapsed in that instant.

At that moment, Cheng Shuili's voice rang out.

She holstered her gun, leaned back, and, with composure, asked, "Who had you spread those statements on the regional channel?"

Mingri's brows remained furrowed; they tried to shut their mouth, but the mouth wouldn't obey, and they tried to look away, but the eyes wouldn't obey.

He tried to keep that mocking smile, but was startled to find that even his expression was beyond his control.

"I…"

Mingri opened their mouth, and the voice sprang from their throat on its own, completely uncontrolled: "What did you do?! What have you done to me?!"

Terror surged in his eyes.

What is happening? What is happening?!

Mingri's terror was almost spilling out of their eyes.

He struggled desperately to shut his mouth, but the mouth seemed to have its own will, still spewing words uncontrollably: "I can't control myself… What exactly did you do?!"

Cheng Shuili gave no answer, merely watching him silently.

Her gaze was as calm as before, but at this moment, in Mingri's eyes, that calm was more terrifying than any fierce expression.

Adams was also dumbfounded.

He instinctively stepped back half a step, and when he looked at the silver pistol in Cheng Shuili's hand, his expression had completely changed.

What on earth is this divine weapon?

Can it force people to tell the truth? Or is it coercive?

He suddenly recalled that he had just praised the gun's beauty, and now wished he could slap himself twice.

Wu Ya truly is terrifying!

"I ask you," Cheng Shuili said again, her voice steady, "Who had you spread those statements on the regional channel?"

Mingri's face flushed bright red, veins bulging, the whole body trembling.

They fought desperately, using all their strength to try to restrain their mouth.

But it was useless.

"It... it..."

He gritted his teeth, his teeth chattering, yet the sound still squeezed out between his teeth: "It... it was Jack Floyd. He had me find someone, spread the news, and said it wasn't dangerous, said Black Feather couldn't trace me, so I could be at ease."

"He... he gave me way too much, and even promised that I could join the Wings of Freedom later. Adams... is literally a disgrace to the Xi Da Qu! He even got so close to the Dong Da Qu, he is... a traitor!"