Chapter 45: The Final Interrogation

The butler approached the bandit, who lay on the ground, trembling with fear and pain. With a firm and authoritative voice, he began the interrogation.

"First question," said the butler, "who sent you?"

The bandit, his face contorted with pain and tears streaming down his cheeks, responded in a broken voice, "No one... no one sent us. We are just a group of bandits trying to survive. Please, have mercy."

The butler looked at him coldly, showing no compassion, but a flash of irritation crossed his eyes. "How many of you are there in total, and how many have soul power?"

"There are a few hundred of us," the bandit replied with a trembling voice. "But most are people without soul power. Only a few have soul power, and among them, there are no more than ten who are Spirit Kings like me."

The butler nodded slightly, processing the information, but his expression hardened even more. "Where is your hideout?"

"About two hours on foot, in a hidden cave in the forest to the west of here," the bandit said quickly, hoping that his cooperation would save his life.

The butler paused before the next question, his patience visibly waning. "Do you have any connection with the Count or the Spirit Hall?"

The bandit swallowed and replied, "If selling what we steal to the Count counts as a connection, then yes. But we have no direct link with the Spirit Hall. We are just common bandits. I'll do anything, just let me live."

"Is there anything else we should know? Something that might save your life," the butler asked with his penetrating gaze, his tone growing more impatient.

The bandit responded hesitantly, gritting his teeth as he tried to maintain his composure. His voice trembled, reflecting the fear and desperation he felt. "We were ordered to attack all the carriages that passed through here," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "We knew that after yesterday's auction, there would be many valuable items. If you want, I can take you to our hideout and give you everything we've stolen. I just beg you, don't kill me."

Tears began to stream down his cheeks as he spoke, his body visibly trembling. The desperation in his eyes was palpable, and his offer of cooperation was a last desperate attempt to save his life.

The butler, his eyes filled with contained fury, raised his hand and slapped the bandit with such force that he fell to the ground, stunned. The echo of the blow resonated in the air, and the bandit's cheek turned red.

"Shut up already, idiot! So much begging for mercy!" the butler shouted at him, his voice full of contempt and frustration.

The butler quickly composed himself, straightening his posture and adjusting his tunic with a brusque movement. Then, he turned on his heels and addressed Xue Sha, who was observing the scene with an unperturbed expression.

"What do you think, Young Master?" the butler asked, his tone now respectful and deferential, awaiting Xue Sha's decision on the bandit's fate.

Xue Sha coldly said, "Let's go, take us to your hideout."

The bandit knelt on both legs and, with palpable desperation, began to bow repeatedly. Each time his forehead hit the ground, a dull sound resonated in the air, and soon blood began to ooze from his torn skin. With a trembling and broken voice, he expressed his desperate gratitude: "Thank you, thank you, sir. You don't know how much I appreciate it. I will take you to our hideout, I will give you everything we have. Thank you for sparing my life. Please, accept my gratitude."

While the bandit continued bowing on the ground, his body trembling and his forehead stained with blood, Xue Sha turned his gaze to the eagle hovering above them. The majesty of the bird contrasted with the bandit's misery, creating a scene of palpable tension.

"Bao Qing," said Xue Sha firmly, "if you come out of that state, what is the cooldown time for the Spiritual Avatar?"

The eagle, with its piercing eyes and resplendent plumage, turned its head towards Xue Sha. With a voice that resonated among the trees, Bao Qing replied, "About two hours."

Xue Sha looked at Bao Qing and, with an authoritative voice, ordered, "Deactivate the Spiritual Avatar."

Bao Qing nodded and, in a flash of light, his eagle form disappeared, revealing his human figure.

Xue Sha, without wasting time, approached the butler and said, "Put him in the first carriage, next to the driver," pointing to the kneeling and bloodied bandit. "Let him guide us to his hideout. If you see that he doesn't cooperate." He made a cutting gesture with his hand across his neck, making it clear what needed to be done.

The butler responded with a firm "Yes, Young Master. Don't worry, I'll make sure he cooperates."

Everyone returned to their carriages, except for the butler, who sat next to the bandit beside the driver of the first carriage. The driver, with a mix of curiosity and vigilance, looked at the bandit and asked, "Where are we going?"

The bandit, his voice still trembling and his forehead bleeding, pointed with a trembling finger to the west. "A... about two hours on foot, in a hidden cave in the mountains to the west of here," he replied, hoping that his cooperation would save his life.

The driver nodded and, with a snap of the reins, set the carriage in motion, while the butler kept a vigilant eye on the bandit, ready to act at any moment.

Two and a half hours later, the group arrived near some mountains. In the distance, a dark and ominous cave loomed against the horizon. The atmosphere was charged with tension, and the air was heavy, as if nature itself was holding its breath.

They all got off the carriage, their steps echoing on the rocky ground. As they approached, they saw several carriages entering the cave, guarded by many armed people. The wheels raised clouds of dust that slowly dissipated in the air. The scene was unsettling, as if they were about to enter the mouth of a sleeping beast.

Xue Sha approached the butler, his face unperturbed but his eyes filled with a cutting coldness. With a decisive gesture, he made a throat-cutting signal. The message was clear and admitted no discussion.

The bandit, though nervous, showed more hope than fear. He ran a trembling hand over his sweaty forehead before pointing to the cave with a trembling finger. "There is the entrance," he said with a hopeful voice. "If you go in and walk for a while, you'll find an exit." His eyes shone with a mix of anxiety and longing.

Just at that moment, the butler summoned his sword with a fluid and lethal movement. The blade gleamed under the sunlight before descending rapidly. In an instant, the edge cut the bandit's neck with chilling precision.

The bandit's head fell to the ground, his eyes open in an expression of surprise and terror, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. The body, now lifeless, collapsed forward, and a stream of blood gushed from the severed neck, soaking the ground in a crimson pool.

The sound of the body falling resonated in the ensuing silence, and the blood continued to flow, forming a red stream that slowly spread.