Chapter 236: Scientific Interrogation, Terrifying Indeed! Seeking Guaranteed Monthly Tickets
“Sir, the Emperor has sent reinforcements!”
Song Zhong entered the Signing Room where Zhang Biao was, and reported cautiously:
“He also said that your life belongs to him, and he will not allow you to die.”
“Hmph! My life is mine to control, not his!”
Zhang Biao pouted, then quickly changed the subject, saying, “How is the interrogation of Commander Geng’s personal guard going? Has he spoken?”
Song Zhong seemed accustomed to Zhang Biao’s disrespect towards Old Zhu, and could only shake his head and sigh helplessly. But upon hearing Zhang Biao ask about the interrogation results, he replied somewhat awkwardly:
“Reporting to you, sir, that scoundrel is tough. Please grant a few more days.”
“Waste!”
Zhang Biao interrupted unceremoniously:
“Don’t you Imperial Guards have your methods? How can you not even interrogate people? You’re just wasting my time!”
After saying this, he stood up from his seat and waved his hand:
“Follow me. I’ll show you today what scientific interrogation is!”
Song Zhong was stunned for a moment, seemingly not understanding Zhang Biao’s new term, but he still followed Zhang Biao to the prison cell.
As soon as they entered the prison cell, the air filled with the stench of blood and rot assaulted them.
The personal guard had already been beaten to a bloody mess, barely alive, but his eyes were like dead ashes, and he gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a single word.
“Sir, this scoundrel’s mouth is foul and hard. Ordinary torture… I’m afraid it won’t be effective.”
A heavily-built Captain of the Imperial Guard, wiping sweat from his forehead, reported to Song Zhong with some helplessness.
Song Zhong’s brows furrowed.
He had seen many tough individuals, but such devoted soldiers who feared no death were indeed the most difficult to deal with.
Just then, Zhang Biao impatiently walked over.
He glanced at the personal guard, who was tied to a rack and barely recognizable as human, with no pity on his face. Instead, there was a look of scrutiny and a hint of strange admiration.
“Not bad, he’s a man.”
Zhang Biao nodded, his tone casual, as if he were appraising an object.
The personal guard didn’t even lift his eyelids, remaining silent.
Zhang Biao didn’t mind; he began to chat aimlessly, as if discussing everyday matters.
“What’s your name? Who else is in your family? Are your parents still alive? Do you have a wife and children?”
“How long have you been with Commander Geng? How did he treat you?”
“What did you eat last night? Is the food at the garrison decent?”
“Are you interested in men?”
No matter what Zhang Biao asked, the personal guard remained like a clay statue or a wooden carving, showing no reaction, not even a change in his breathing rate.
Several experienced interrogators from the Imperial Guard nearby secretly shook their heads, thinking Zhang Biao was wasting his energy.
For such a strictly trained, iron-willed devoted soldier, persuasion and idle chatter were useless.
After Zhang Biao had chattered on for a long time and saw that the other party remained unmoved, he finally stopped.
He rubbed his chin, a look of “just as I expected” on his face.
“It seems conventional methods are indeed ineffective on you.”
Zhang Biao smacked his lips and added, “You don’t even fear death, so physical pain is naturally nothing.”
The personal guard’s lips seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly, with a hint of disdain.
Zhang Biao changed his tone, a familiar smile mixed with madness and intelligence appearing on his face, the kind that Song Zhong and the others knew well:
“However, do you know what people fear the most?”
The personal guard remained silent, but a fleeting, extremely subtle ripple seemed to pass through the depths of his eyes.
Zhang Biao didn’t need him to answer. He continued on his own, in a tone that was almost chanting, with a hypnotic, magical quality:
“It’s not pain, not death. It’s clearly and slowly feeling the flow of your life force, hearing the footsteps of death approaching… yet being powerless.”
“It’s that feeling of knowing you’re about to die, but being left utterly alone in the darkness, slowly waiting for the final moment to arrive… extreme fear.”
These words, like cold vipers, quietly burrowed into the personal guard’s ears.
Even Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards standing nearby inexplicably felt a chill creep up their spines.
Zhang Biao finished speaking and cut to the chase. He instructed Song Zhong:
“Old Song, find an absolutely quiet, empty room. Cover all the windows with black cloth so that not a single ray of light can penetrate.”
“Also, prepare a sturdy stool, a basin of clear water, and a piece of opaque black cloth.”
Although Song Zhong was filled with doubt, he immediately complied.
Soon, everything was ready.
The personal guard was taken down from the rack and dragged into the modified room.
The room was not large and was empty, with only a stool and a basin of water placed in the center.
The doors and windows were tightly covered with black cloth, with only a dim oil lamp providing a faint light source, casting distorted shadows of everyone, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.
The personal guard was forcibly seated on the stool, his hands tied behind the legs of the stool.
His face still bore its usual numbness and lifelessness, but in the depths of his eyes, an imperceptible alertness and unease involuntarily showed.
Zhang Biao picked up the black cloth and walked to the personal guard, slowly covering his eyes.
Instantly, the personal guard was plunged into complete darkness.
“What… are you going to do?”
He finally couldn’t help but ask in a hoarse voice, the first words he had spoken actively since his capture.
Zhang Biao did not answer.
Immediately after, the personal guard felt someone grab one of his hands and forcibly straighten his index finger.
Then, he felt a slight stinging pain at his fingertip, as if he had been nicked by something sharp.
It was a dagger!
The wound was shallow and not too painful.
The personal guard’s confusion deepened. He had no idea what Zhang Biao was up to.
This small injury was nothing compared to the torture he had endured before; it was like a tickle.
However, just as he was inwardly sneering at Zhang Biao’s crude methods—
“Drip…”
An extremely faint, but exceptionally clear, dripping sound echoed from behind him in the absolute silence and darkness.
Immediately after—
“Drip… drip…”
The sound of dripping water began to occur at a steady, slow rhythm, continuously.
The source of the sound seemed to be not far behind him, near the basin of clear water.
Zhang Biao’s voice rang out again, cold and calm, as if from the depths of hell:
“Do you feel it? Your blood is dripping, drop by drop, into that basin of water.”
“A human body has about four to five thousand drops of blood.”
“At this rate, it will take… hmm, about seven or eight hours for your blood to run dry.”
“You’ll start by feeling thirsty, then your body will grow cold, your consciousness will begin to blur, and finally, you’ll die slowly in endless darkness and loneliness.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t disturb you. We’ll leave you here alone, to quietly… listen to the countdown of your own life.”
After speaking, Zhang Biao gave Song Zhong and the others a look and made a gesture for a ‘tactical retreat.’
Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards were now on edge, looking at Zhang Biao as if he were a devil who had crawled out of hell.
They had never heard of or seen such an interrogation method before.
Yet, the psychological pressure it created far surpassed any physical torture.
Everyone held their breath and quietly withdrew from the room.
“Creak—”
The heavy door was slowly closed, emitting a final soft sound.
For the personal guard, whose eyes were covered and who was tied to the stool, the entire world was reduced to an endless, suffocating darkness, and that continuous sound, as if striking his heart—
“Drip… drip… drip…”
For the first half hour, there was no sound in the room.
The personal guard, relying on his strong willpower, tried to convince himself that this was just a scare tactic, that the wound was shallow, and that the bleeding would stop on its own soon.
He even sneered inwardly, thinking Zhang Biao was nothing special.
However, as time passed, the ‘drip’ sound seemed to gain a kind of magic, piercing his eardrums and directly entering his brain, echoing endlessly in the depths of his consciousness.
He began to count the dripping sounds involuntarily.
One hundred… five hundred… a thousand…
He felt a faint, chilling sensation of blood loss from his fingertip.
He began to feel dry and thirsty.
The darkness amplified all his senses, and also amplified the fear in his heart.
He began to try to struggle, but the ropes were tied tightly.
He pricked up his ears, trying to hear any sound from outside the door, but there was nothing, only that damnable, endless ‘drip’ sound.
It was as if the whole world had abandoned him, leaving only him and the terrifying sound symbolizing the loss of his life.
“Hey! Is anyone there?!”
He couldn’t help but start cursing, using the most venomous language to curse Zhang Biao and all the Imperial Guards.
“Zhang Biao! You bastard! Give me a quick death if you dare!”
“Song Zhong! You lackeys of the imperial court! May you die a terrible death!”
Outside the door, Song Zhong and the others observed the situation through a tiny crack left in the door, simultaneously looking in disbelief at Zhang Biao, who was sitting calmly and even yawning.
Zhang Biao gestured to them for “patience.”
The personal guard’s curses continued for a while, but he received no response.
After he tired of cursing, he stopped.
The room was once again filled only with the ‘drip’ sound.
And this time, the sense of fear brought by the silence and darkness was ten, a hundred times stronger than before.
He felt as if he had been abandoned on a deserted island, slowly being submerged by an invisible tide.
One hour passed…
The personal guard’s mental defenses began to crack.
He could “feel” his vitality draining away with each ‘drip’ sound.
The agony of waiting for death to arrive was a thousand times more terrifying than facing the executioner directly.
“Let me out… please… give me a quick death…”
His voice became choked with sobs, transforming from initial roaring to pleading and whimpering.
There was still no response from outside the door.
“Drip… drip…”
In his ears, this sound was no longer of dripping water, but of the Grim Reaper’s footsteps, each one landing on his heart.
Another half hour passed…
The personal guard’s mind completely broke down.
The extreme darkness, loneliness, and the personified fear of his life slowly ebbing away finally destroyed his tough exterior as a devoted soldier.
He felt as if he had “seen” himself become a withered corpse, abandoned in this endless darkness.
“I’ll confess! I’ll confess—!”
He let out an extremely mournful howl, like a dying beast:
“Save me quickly! My blood is running dry! I don’t want to die!! I don’t want to die like this!!”
Hearing this howl, Song Zhong and the others trembled, looking at Zhang Biao in disbelief.
Zhang Biao then slowly stood up, with no surprise on his face.
He signaled to an Imperial Guard to open the door.
“Creak—”
Light poured in, illuminating the miserable figure of the personal guard inside, tears streaming down his face, his body trembling violently, on the verge of collapse.
The black cloth covering his eyes was already soaked with tears and sweat.
Zhang Biao walked up to him and said coldly, “Tell us what you know, truthfully.”
The personal guard, as if grasping a lifeline, pleaded with a choked voice:
“First… first save me… stop the bleeding… my blood…”
Zhang Biao remained unmoved, his voice as cold as iron, “Speak! You don’t have much time.”
The fear of death completely consumed the personal guard. He no longer dared to hesitate, and began to confess incoherently:
“I don’t know who is behind Commander Geng… I really don’t know. Commander Geng met people very secretly each time…”
“But I know… at Black Wind Gully… in that cave… there are still account books that haven’t been destroyed… and some strong bows and leather armor…”
“They are the remaining goods after taking military equipment with the ‘Beast Token’ last time… and related hidden accounts… Commander Geng said… there was news from above… to deal with it quickly.”
“Before the goods were dealt with, those two Imperial Guards found us. You know what happened afterward.”
“That’s all I know… I really only know this… save me quickly… please…”
Zhang Biao received the crucial information, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He then gestured to the Imperial Guard beside him.
An Imperial Guard stepped forward and examined the personal guard’s finger.
The shallow wound had already healed on its own, and even a scab was forming.
The so-called ‘drip’ sound was merely an effect created by Zhang Biao having someone drip water from a leaky pot nearby.
When the personal guard felt someone touch his finger, he was startled at first, then realized something, and his entire body froze, his face showing an expression of extreme absurdity and breakdown.
Zhang Biao no longer looked at him and turned to Song Zhong, saying:
“Immediately gather your men. Target Black Wind Gully cave!”
Song Zhong looked at Zhang Biao’s retreating back, then at the personal guard who had completely collapsed mentally and was slumped on the stool, and felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Is this scientific interrogation?! It’s terrifyingly effective!
He did not dare to delay even for a moment and replied in a deep voice, “Yes!”
On the other side.
It was still in the secret chamber of that secluded Prince’s Mansion.
The candlelight flickered, casting the figure of the Prince in the main seat long and short on the wall.
“Your Highness, an urgent report from Raozhou Guard! Commander Geng… has been exposed!”
The warm jade pendant in the Prince’s hand suddenly stopped rotating. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze in the shadows as sharp as a knife, “Speak carefully! How far has he gone?”
The man in black spoke at an extremely fast pace:
“Zhang Biao saw through Commander Geng’s trick of faking the scene of Blue Dragon’s demise.”
“Duke of Liang, Lan Yu, suddenly arrived in person, and the situation got out of control.”
“Commander Geng has been decisively eliminated by our people. The rear courtyard has also been set ablaze according to the emergency plan, to destroy as many traces as possible.”
“However, Zhang Biao has not stopped. He has completely taken over Raozhou Guard, is interrogating Commander Geng’s remaining personal guards, and is actively searching for a River Gang leader named ‘Water Monkey,’ as well as investigating a batch of timber previously used for smuggling supplies.”
The Prince listened quietly, showing no trace of regret or anger at Commander Geng’s death, only cold calculation.
Upon hearing ‘Water Monkey’ and ‘timber,’ a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
“That useless Commander Geng, he still left a loose end.”
The Prince’s voice was calm but carried a chilling killing intent.
“How much do his subordinates know?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, according to protocol, Commander Geng operated on a single-line basis.”
“His ordinary personal guards and garrison soldiers only followed orders and were unaware of the internal affairs, let alone Your Highness’s existence.”
“However, that ‘Water Monkey’ was an outsider developed by Commander Geng himself, specifically responsible for transferring certain sensitive supplies through the River Gang network. He might know more details.”
“The origin of that batch of timber is also a hidden danger.”
“Hidden danger…”
The Prince softly repeated the word, tapping his fingertips on the armrest.
“Zhang Biao is now like a shark smelling blood. He won’t let any clue go. We must get ahead of him and clean up all ‘hidden dangers’.”
He looked up, his gaze piercing, and issued his orders:
“First, regarding that ‘Water Monkey,’ he knows too much. Have our people in the River Gang act. Do it cleanly, making it look like a gang dispute or an accidental drowning.”
“Second, regarding the origin of that batch of timber, all related craftsmen, supervisors, everyone who could trace it back to us, must be dealt with. All accounts must be completely burned.”
“Third!”
A sharp glint flashed in the Prince’s eyes. “This is the most important. Zhang Biao is now like a headless fly. Any clue he finds could be an opportunity for us to eliminate hidden dangers.”
With that, he leaned forward, lowered his voice, and spoke with unquestionable decisiveness:
“Send out our most elite ‘cleanup team,’ divided into two groups.”
“One group will secretly follow Zhang Biao and his subordinates’ investigation team. Do not alert them, just keep a distant watch.”
“Once they find any substantive evidence, such as account books Commander Geng might have kept privately, secret letters exchanged with ‘Water Monkey,’ or the actual flow records of that batch of timber, stop at nothing to act first and destroy the evidence!”
“If the situation is urgent, you are allowed to kill the person who obtained the evidence without revealing yourselves!”
“The second group will take the initiative.”
“Based on the locations where Commander Geng might have left clues, such as his secret residence in the city or his usual secret contact points, conduct a carpet search first. Destroy any papers, marks, or tokens that might implicate us!”
“Remember!”
The Prince’s tone was chilling. “Our advantage lies in being in the dark. Zhang Biao is in the open, helping us find hidden dangers we might have overlooked. We must use this.”
“Let him ‘clean up our house’ for us, but not a single spark must reach this Prince!”
“Yes! Your Highness is wise!”
The man in black bowed deeply, understanding the cruelty and urgency of the mission.
This was not just passive defense, but an active utilization of Zhang Biao’s investigation to conduct a more thorough internal cleansing.
“Your Highness, there is one more matter, concerning His Highness Prince Qi.”
The man in black continued to report:
“Mr. Cheng has sent word that he has begun making arrangements and will find a way to guide the Emperor’s attention, especially Zhang Biao’s next line of investigation, towards Prince Qi.”
“He said… Prince Qi’s meddling in Qingzhou and the Grain Transport is enough to attract attention.”
Hearing this, a very faint, perhaps even satisfied, expression finally appeared on the Prince’s face, which had previously been as calm as still water.
“Mr. Cheng is a seasoned statesman. Having him assist Old Seven makes me very pleased.”
The Prince’s tone carried a condescending appraisal, as if Prince Qi and Mr. Cheng were merely pawns on his chessboard.
“Old Seven is impatient and greedy for gain. He has indeed left many handles in Qingzhou and the Grain Transport. They are perfect for attracting that mad dog Zhang Biao.”
He pondered for a moment, rapidly processing information in his mind.
Although Zhang Biao had escaped the trap of the Grain Transport line, he had inadvertently torn open the ‘Raising Bandits for Self-Importance’ line.
In his view, while this was dangerous, it also presented new opportunities.
“Tell Mr. Cheng that his idea aligns perfectly with mine.”
The Prince issued his orders, his thoughts clear:
“First, regarding our side, proceed as I have just ordered.”
“Second, cooperate with Mr. Cheng’s actions. Discreetly leak some vague clues that we possess about Prince Qi’s ‘abnormal’ dealings with certain border garrisons through the Qingzhou Grain Transport nodes to Zhang Biao’s subordinates.”
“Remember, they must be vague, indirect, and not directly connect to us.”
“Third, give more effort to Kaifeng. Leave a few more ambiguous items at the scene of Zhu Youjian’s ‘revenge killing’ that could implicate Prince Qi’s mansion.”
“Make everyone believe that Prince Qi resorted to murder for fear of the Prince Zhou’s Mansion line being exposed.”
He paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes:
“Zhang Biao likes to investigate, doesn’t he? I’ll point him in the right direction! Let him follow the line of military equipment loss all the way to Prince Qi!”
“Old Seven’s reckless actions in his fiefdom and the Grain Transport over the years are finally giving him a chance to share His Imperial Father’s wrath for me.”
“Yes! Your Highness’s plans are flawless! Your subordinate will arrange it immediately!” The man in black bowed deeply.
The Prince waved his hand, and the man in black silently withdrew.
In the secret chamber, the candlelight crackled.
The Prince sat alone in the shadows, slowly stroking the jade pendant in his hand.
Losing Commander Geng was a setback, but not necessarily a bad thing.
It forced Zhang Biao to reveal his intention to investigate the garrisons earlier, allowing him to plan his strategy sooner and divert the trouble towards Prince Qi.
“Old Seven, Old Seven, don’t blame me for being heartless.”
The Prince muttered to himself, a cold arc curving on his lips:
“Blame Zhang Biao, that mad dog, for biting too tightly. Blame yourself… for not knowing how to restrain yourself.”
“Your Highness!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a report came from outside the door: “The Duke is here.”
The Prince’s brow furrowed, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Why would he come here suddenly?
The Prince tidied his robes and then instructed the guard outside the door, “Let him in.”
“Yes.”
The guard outside responded.
The secret door slid open silently, and a burly middle-aged figure entered, carrying a hint of dust from travel.
…
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