Chapter 981: Interrogation and Last Wish

Chapter 981: Interrogation and Last Wishes

Every organized legion converged, coalescing into a fleet of staggering magnitude, escorting the entirety of the Kundu vessels as they charted a course toward Beacon Star.

A dense swarm of warships trailed the luminescent wake of warp drives, their tight formations and interlacing exhaust plumes weaving a shifting sea of light that churned brilliant waves across the obsidian void.

Imperial dreadnoughts formed a steel cordon along the periphery, while encircled within lay tens of millions of Kundu arks, bearing the entire population of their species.

All shipboard armaments had been stripped away, energy cores throttled to the bare minimum required for propulsion, and gossamer shields rendered fragile enough to pierce with a touch; bereft of all martial might and wholly commandeered by Imperial troops, these Kundu vessels had been reforged into prison hulks.

The Kundu flagship had endured the most thorough conversion, its decks carved into holding cells and every fixture gutted until the heavy industrial machinery gave way to stark minimalism, leaving little more than load-bearing bulkheads.

Imperial soldiers had already secured the command deck when two holographic projections materialized abruptly within the hall: Han Xiao and Talrokov.

"Salutations, Commander-in-Chief."

The moment their avatars synchronized, the crisp, unified snap of Imperial salutes echoed through the chamber.

Han Xiao had arrived by sheer coincidence; Old Tal had scheduled an inspection of the captives for that very day, dispatching advance notice so the garrison stood ready to receive them.

High-ranking Imperial officers commanding the various legions were also present, each accompanied by an adjutant, their remote projections gathered in solemn assembly.

"You have all labored hard," Talrokov offered with a gentle smile and a courteous nod, his demeanor warm and approachable.

This cadre of young, elite officers represented the military's rising stars, destined to inherit the mantle from aging veterans like himself; witnessing such an abundance of talent, Talrokov felt a profound sense of solace.

Han Xiao cast a glance over the assembled officers, unable to suppress a theatrical twitch of his brows.

Good heavens, every last one of them was a heavyweight.

A host of future legends and military titans stood in rigid formation awaiting inspection, as though portraits from the Imperial Hall of Valor had stepped down from their frames.

Knowing precisely who these men would become, Han Xiao found the scene deeply historic, fighting the urge to capture a commemorative photograph.

"Lord Black Star, you have joined us as well."

Tainy stood among them, offering a greeting with a faint smile playing on his lips, his spirits evidently high.

"We meet again," Han Xiao acknowledged with a nod, and as every officer turned their gaze upon him, he raised his voice clearly: "Congratulations on securing victory in this war. To boast military minds of your caliber is the Empire's greatest fortune."

A broad-spectrum charm offensive, and its effects were nothing short of remarkable.

Black Star's stature spoke for itself; though merely an ally, his current prestige already eclipsed that of these young elites who had yet to reach their zenith.

No soul is immune to flattery, and upon hearing praise from such a luminary, gratified smiles blossomed across every face.

"You are too kind, Lord Black Star. The intelligence you provided formed the very cornerstone of our triumph; by any measure, the greatest merit belongs to you."

"We merely shouldered the grunt work. It is your contributions, Lord Black Star, that paved the way for such a decisive victory."

Courtesy demands reciprocity, and several immediately launched into polished exchanges of mutual praise, though a few stoic, taciturn officers merely nodded in silent agreement.

Han Xiao navigated the pleasantries with a smile, then paused abruptly, his gaze locking onto an adjutant standing beside an Imperial general—a man wearing a faint, enigmatic smile: Gao De.

"Oh? You are..."

He narrowed his eyes, studying the man for a moment, only to find his memory entirely blank.

Noticing his scrutiny, Gao De offered a placid smile and spoke first. "I have long admired your reputation, Lord Black Star."

"Allow me to make introductions. This is Gao De, one of the Empire's priority-trained espers. I hear he survived a primordial psionic detonation—a truly exceptional feat," Talrokov chimed in with a chuckle.

"A pleasure, Gao De."

At the words, Han Xiao offered a casual greeting while secretly shifting his perception into the quantum network, pulling up the Imperial internal interface, logging into his account, and querying Gao De's registered military dossier.

Vetting a person's background upon first meeting had long become second nature to him.

Given his clearance, accessing basic records of Imperial personnel posed no difficulty.

The next second, Gao De's file materialized within his mindscape; Han Xiao skimmed it, noting a spotless record of service that appeared entirely unremarkable.

He swiped downward, intending to delve into classified details, when the interface instantly flashed an insufficient clearance warning.

"Locked out? It seems he is held in rather high regard."

Han Xiao had no idle desire to breach Imperial networks and incur the wrath of the high command, so he dismissed the interface and fell into thought.

Old Tal mentioned Gao De made the priority training roster? Given the Empire's scale, such investments invariably aimed at cultivating Beyond Grade A seeds, or even full Beyond Grade A entities. Priority espers generally fell into two categories: those with unique abilities, or those with monstrous potential. This fellow was at best a Calamity Grade; surviving a primordial psionic blast strongly suggested the former. What manner of power did he wield... Han Xiao mused silently.

In his past life, Mechanic Han's primary allegiance had lain with the Crimson Empire, and he knew its pantheon of figures intimately; if Gao De were truly a state-sponsored prodigy, he ought to ring a bell.

Yet he could state with absolute certainty that he had never heard the name; his mind held not a single fragment of memory regarding Gao De. In the Crimson Empire of his previous life, no such person existed.

"Has the narrative shifted again..." Han Xiao muttered inwardly. "Who knows where this newcomer sprang from."

Though puzzled, he was hardly astonished.

Having altered so many events, the butterfly effect had long since taken hold; the sudden emergence of obscure figures from his past life was hardly surprising.

If nothing else, Intepus, who now helmed the Sprout Consortium, was a prime specimen he himself had uprooted from some forgotten corner.

Fixing his gaze upon Han Xiao's handsome features, Gao De's lips curled into a faint smirk:

"Lord Black Star, perhaps we shall become colleagues in the days to come."

"Are we not already?" Han Xiao shelved his musings and returned to the present.

"Heh, you understand my meaning," Gao De replied, his smile serene.

"...Ambitious. I shall look forward to it, then," Han Xiao remarked, arching a brow.

Did he mean to imply he would inevitably reach Beyond Grade A? The man certainly possessed no shortage of confidence...

Committing Gao De's name to memory, Han Xiao averted his gaze.

After exchanging a few more words with the assembly, he finally deployed the universal parting phrase of "I'll treat you to a meal when the opportunity arises," prompting the officers to gradually disconnect their projections.

Left alone with Talrokov, Han Xiao followed the escort of onboard soldiers as they began their inspection of the vessel.

The Kundu civilians were herded into mass confinement while the high command was isolated in separate cells; Han Xiao accompanied Old Tal to survey the civilian holding sectors first.

Cramped and suffocating, the space resembled a refugee internment camp.

Countless Kundu civilians huddled together, their eyes brimming with terror, anxiety, and bewilderment, occasionally darting toward the Imperial sentries standing guard.

Before the war erupted, many civilians had refused to evacuate; having never glimpsed the enemy's shadow, countless souls dismissed the so-called invaders as mere fiction.

Now, only sheer panic remained in their hearts, like prey awaiting the butcher's blade, trembling in agonizing uncertainty.

A race that once lorded over this star cluster, priding itself on its superiority, had been reduced to captives of a higher civilization; within every Kundu civilian festered a devastating sense of fallen grace.

Having completed the civilian rounds, the pair proceeded to the high-command isolation block, halting outside the Kundu leader's interrogation chamber to observe him through a one-way glass.

Though reduced to a prisoner, the Kundu leader sat upright with rigid posture, clinging to his dignity as he rested alone in the chamber, eyes closed in meditation.

"When you conduct the questioning later, I will simply sit in as an observer," Han Xiao said, glancing at the leader before turning to Old Tal.

Talrokov would preside over the interrogation; Han Xiao was merely a spectator, and the Kundu leader likely did not know him anyway.

Talrokov nodded his assent, then jerked his chin toward the nearby guard.

"Open the door."

...

Within the interrogation room, the Kundu leader remained seated, straining to keep his spine perfectly straight.

Beneath his tranquil exterior, turmoil raged, yet he was compelled to feign composure; in his eyes, he embodied the final shred of dignity for the Kundu race.

"Swish—"

The great door slid open; hearing the sound, the Kundu leader opened his eyes to see two figures step inside.

One was the enemy commander Talrokov, whom he had met before; the other was a complete stranger, draped in an intricately ornate black trench coat threaded with gold, worn with an air that unmistakably marked him as a figure of consequence, though his origins remained a mystery.

"This marks our second meeting." Talrokov swiftly assumed his role, his face set in a stern mask as he spoke coolly. "We have honored our pledge and refrained from slaughter. Now, you will tell me everything you know: the thoughts and logic behind your decisions, your reasons for striking us, the entire chain of cause and effect. Remember, your answers will dictate how we handle your people. I advise against deception, for I will not be the one to regret it."

Virtual technology could plunder an enemy's intelligence, but it could never extract the inner workings of their judgment or the currents of their thoughts; that was the crux of today's interrogation.

The Kundu leader knew this moment was inevitable; he harbored no intent to conceal anything, nor would it have served any purpose. With a heart heavy as lead, he laid out every detail, leaving nothing unsaid.

As he listened, Talrokov periodically typed notes into his report; Han Xiao leaned in for a glance, catching sight of terms such as "xenophobia," "indigenous arrogance," "vengeance-driven culture," and "incompatibility with coexistence."

Hardly flattering words... He blinked.

This interrogation report would likely shape the Empire's final verdict on the Kundu race, and those particular terms were undeniably perilous.

After a while, the Kundu leader finally reached the end of his account:

"...Your arrival stole our room to grow. Thus, we would rather seek an undisturbed new home than share space with you, which would only condemn us to a long, passive struggle, forever capping our civilization's horizon."

Hearing this, Talrokov nodded, making no effort to hide his stance. "You are correct. We will never permit your rise."

Few civilizations are saints; the Crimson Empire's development of the Shining World was hardly born of altruism, nor did it harbor any intention of letting the natives ascend. The utmost mercy they offered was merely carving out a sliver of space, allowing the others to simply survive.

For most backward natives, this was no tragedy; assimilation into the interstellar society of the Three Great Civilizations amounted to an advanced enlightenment. But for a race like the Kundu, already scaled and venturing into the stars, it was an unmitigated catastrophe.

The Three Great Civilizations had no interest in nurturing more upstart rivals to eye their throne; they would inevitably shackle the development of any advanced native civilization.

Deep down, the Crimson Empire did not truly resent the Kundu's decision to strike first; it simply provided a righteous pretext to conquer them by force.

"However..." Talrokov shifted his tone. "By now, you must have realized that the crashed vessel you recovered was supplied by certain rivals of ours, solely to use you as a blade against us.

Their data contained genuine technology to bolster your might, and while the tech was real, the intelligence regarding the Empire was a fabric of lies. They never told you the true tier of the Crimson Empire's power, deliberately leading you to believe you stood a chance.

That fallen ship was a poisoned fruit; beneath the sweet allure of advanced technology lay a lethal toxin.

Thus, in your eyes, acquiring psionic energy, warp drives, stargates, and the like seemed to bridge most of the gap between us. You believed you now wielded the same arms as we do, like an ancient warrior facing a modern soldier, both clutching cold steel; though eras differ, the clash might seem uncertain. Yet the truth is, our weaponry surpasses yours by several generations. It is as though you still swing a sword while we level you and your entire planet with a single star-annihilating cannon.

You have seen the result. We could have coexisted peacefully; though you would have forfeited your upward trajectory, you could have at least preserved your civilization's independence. Sometimes, swallowing one's pride is not a poor choice."

At this, the Kundu leader shook his head, his voice dropping low:

"To watch our path blocked and do nothing is not the Kundu way. We would rather gamble everything."

"Well said. A civilization without ambition has no future. I understand you; surrendering one's homeland is indeed a bitter pill."

Talrokov did not object; instead, he nodded in approval, then softened his tone and shook his head. "Your only mistake was choosing the wrong enemy."

The Kundu leader bowed his head.

He did not regret his choice, though his heart remained brimming with resentment.

Yet, his deepest hatred was no longer for the Crimson Empire, but for the shadowy manipulators who had used the Kundu as a weapon!

In his eyes, they were the true root of his people's ruin!

"That will be all. Thank you for your cooperation."

With that, Talrokov rose, gestured for Han Xiao to follow, and prepared to leave the interrogation chamber.

"Wait!"

The Kundu leader spoke suddenly, his voice grave:

"You do not actually intend to exterminate us, but to pen us like livestock, correct?"

"Hmm, that is a possibility... However, we will not resort to your methods of physical intellectual castration. At most, we will approach it through cultural means."

Understanding dawned on the Kundu leader; he drew a deep breath. "So... I am to die, then."

Talrokov paused, choosing not to conceal the truth, and nodded. "You are a symbol upon which wrath will be vented, a target for your people to scorn, a lesson etched into history, a convenient instrument of propaganda."

Han Xiao shook his head at the exchange.

These people spoke in veiled metaphors, but fortunately, he could parse them.

If the Empire opted for cultural restructuring, they would need a puppet to lead the Kundu, and that puppet would certainly not be this leader.

This man's purpose was to serve as the Empire's marionette, performing a grand spectacle of deflection.

And the play would conclude with his execution.

"I understand. Wrongs require a scapegoat, and I care not if my name is cursed." The Kundu leader had long accepted his fate. "I will fully cooperate in your theater, but I have two requests... Do not look at me like that. I know I have no standing to bargain, but I can only speak to you. Consider these my dying wishes."

"...Speak them, then."

"First, we have surrendered. My death matters not, but I ask that my surviving kin be settled properly, with no further bloodshed. Second..."

The Kundu leader's tone suddenly turned ferocious. "I want those who manipulated us from the shadows to pay the price!"

As the words fell, Talrokov remained unmoved, feigning deafness, and turned to leave.

Seeing this, the Kundu leader silently lowered his head.

He knew full well his plea would be rejected, but this might be his final chance to speak; he had no other recourse.

Just then, a dark silhouette suddenly drifted into his downcast field of vision.

The Kundu leader looked up to see the mysterious man in black, who had stood silent since entering, now stepping before him, looking down from a position of absolute dominance.

Before bewilderment could take root, what he heard next nearly made him leap from his seat, questioning his own hearing.

"I accept your request."

"!!"

The Kundu leader froze.

Talrokov's steps halted; he whipped around, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.

Han Xiao's expression remained tranquil as he continued:

"I will petition the Empire to settle your people within my territory and see to their welfare. As for making the masterminds pay, that is hardly a difficult task."

True to his nature of never acting without profit, the moment the Kundu leader voiced his final wishes, a new quest had indeed popped up on his interface, exactly as he had anticipated.

The instant he glimpsed the objectives and rewards, Han Xiao made his decision—he would take this quest!

"Who are you?!"

Hearing those words, the Kundu leader could no longer restrain himself from asking about Han Xiao's identity.

"You may call me Black Star. As for who I am... well, my titles are rather lengthy, and I doubt you would grasp their meaning anyway. Let us keep it simple; you only need to know one thing..."

Han Xiao offered a faint smile.

"I alone am enough to crush your entire civilization."