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Chapter 161: Interrogation
Author: Great Demon Spirit
"Lieutenant Tony, may I ask where you were when the Headquarters was attacked?"
An internal Military interrogation session was underway. All surviving low and mid-rank officers had to be questioned, as the Military high command demanded detailed intelligence from the battlefield.
Tony, who had served as the temporary commander after Ross and the others were attacked by the spaceship, and who was also the hero credited with covering the main force's successful retreat, was naturally subjected to the most rigorous questioning.
Many of the questions were actually logical traps. If Tony answered just one incorrectly, he would expose more flaws under the interrogator's questioning, allowing them to pick up on something amiss.
Once a human tells a lie, they have to use even more lies to cover it up.
"I was on the front lines, leading my Legion in battle." Tony looked calmly at everyone present. "I killed most of the enemy soldiers."
"Lieutenant, a soldier told us that you disappeared from the battlefield for a while," the interrogator asked.
"You make it sound like you can play a video game on four accounts with both your hands and feet, while also fucking studying black hole theory." Tony sneered. "Why don't you try controlling over a hundred war mechs at once?"
Many people watched Tony's every move with sharp eyes. In hidden corners, numerous Lie Detectors had been installed—not that those things were very useful. The most effective tool was the machine that captured micro-expressions.
When people lie, in the instant they speak, they reveal micro-expressions they themselves are unaware of.
Many were watching, and countless soldiers were on high alert, ready to act in case Tony was exposed and lashed out.
But Tony was very composed. He acted naturally, merely seeming uncomfortable with the situation, revealing nervousness, disgust, and the displeasure of a hero being subjected to interrogation. He even showed a fleeting look of anger when provoked by the interrogator's gaze.
All of this was captured by the high-tech instruments.
"Is there a problem with him?" someone asked from behind the scenes.
"No, everything is normal."
"Do all his reactions seem like those of an ordinary person?"
"No, sir. At times, he's very angry and dissatisfied. Although he hides it well, we've captured it on camera. Moreover, our instruments show no signs of Activation."
The man nodded in satisfaction, letting out a small sigh of relief.
It was normal to have negative emotions like dissatisfaction. Anyone in such a situation, even if they had a clear conscience and spoke nothing but the truth, would psychologically fall into a moment of self-doubt: *Did I really do something so terrible?*
Having more emotional reactions was what truly proved that the current Tony was blameless.
If Tony had remained perfectly calm, with hundreds of micro-expressions showing no change whatsoever, that would have been the biggest problem of all.
The interrogator continued his aggressive questioning.
"Lieutenant, why weren't you by Ross's side? Before engaging the people of Wakanda, Ross never gave a clear order for you to go to the front lines. You acted on your own authority."
"Because I am a Military Advisor, and I have my own independent Legion! No one can command my Transformers but me! I have a duty to protect our soldiers!" Tony met the man's gaze, his expression growing increasingly hostile.
"You should know, Mr. Interrogator, that within the main force, I was closest to the small unit engaged at the front, and my mobility far surpasses that of the other Legions." Tony mocked him bluntly. "Interrogator, do you still wear split-crotch pants? Need a grown-up to hold it for you when you take a piss?"
The crowd roared with laughter, especially the other low and mid-rank officers who were also being interrogated. They began to jeer and mock loudly.
Many of the senior officers loudly reprimanded Tony, but inwardly they nodded in approval. The tension they felt eased slightly.
Tony's behavior was exactly what one would expect from a victim, someone who had been through hell. With his accomplishments and power, of course he would dare to confront a petty interrogator head-on.
"Then why did you incite the Military to get involved in such a brutal war? We suffered forty thousand casualties."
"Watch your wording!" Tony slammed his hand on the table in a rage. "It was General Ross who proposed occupying Wakanda to the Military! It was General Ross who requested to be the commander! I didn't even want to go, but General Ross dragged me into it! Now that he's dead, you're trying to pin the blame on me?! Is it because too many soldiers died, and it's affecting your political career?"
Tony's words ignited the rage of many officers who had fought in the war. The solemn hall erupted into a clamor as they began cursing the unscrupulous politicians who sent innocent soldiers to their deaths while they sat in the rear, reaping all the glory.
The entire interrogation hall descended into chaos. The interrogator banged his gavel repeatedly, but he couldn't quell the wave of discontent.
"I have one more question..." the interrogator shouted.
"What a coincidence, I have a question too. Can I fuck your whole family?" Tony suddenly spun around and roared at the soldiers in his thunderous voice, "How about it? I'll lead the way, you wanna come? There's enough for everyone, and we'll even count the shares for the forty thousand who died!"
The defiant officers, who had long been simmering with rage over the interrogation, roared in agreement, laughing and saying they wanted to pay a visit to the interrogator's home.
"Remember to form a line," Tony sneered, his suppressed rage seemingly boiling over. "I tried to talk nicely with this bunch of idiots sitting up there, but all they want to do is shift the blame for the dead onto the officers who fought! They're terrified—terrified that their careers are over!"
Many people rushed forward to stop Tony, but he brutally sent them flying one by one with his fists. The soldiers crashed against the walls, spitting blood.
The interrogation devolved into utter chaos.
The interrogator's face was ashen, and he was drenched in a cold sweat. He cast a pleading gaze at others, but they hastily avoided his eyes as if he were a viper.
The higher-ups behind the scenes also remained silent.
Faced with the rage of these arrogant and fierce soldiers, the interrogator wanted to cry but had no tears.
Tony had completely turned the solemn and dignified hearing into a pit of profanity. All sorts of curses, dirty jokes, and 'greetings' for the interrogator's family spewed from people's mouths, a cacophony of laughter and insults.
Tony had single-handedly torpedoed the interrogation, metaphorically slapping them in the face in the process.
Amid the uproar, Tony sneered, ignoring the nervous soldiers. Surrounded by his fellow officers, he smashed the great doors with a single punch and swaggered away.
His arrogance and audacity were simply outrageous.
The interrogator rushed to find the higher-ups to report Tony.
But the senior official just laughed. "Unacceptable? This isn't the first or second time Tony's been provoked. When has he ever been reasonable? Which time didn't end with heads rolling? If we're talking about reasons to hate him, that guy deserves half the credit for the collapse and chaos of the Vampire Kingdom."
He stood up and waved his hand dismissively.
"Let's leave it at that for now. Close the investigation file on Tony's conduct on the battlefield. For the time being, he's clear."
(end of chapter)
Author: Great Demon Spirit
"Lieutenant Tony, may I ask where you were when the Headquarters was attacked?"
An internal Military interrogation session was underway. All surviving low and mid-rank officers had to be questioned, as the Military high command demanded detailed intelligence from the battlefield.
Tony, who had served as the temporary commander after Ross and the others were attacked by the spaceship, and who was also the hero credited with covering the main force's successful retreat, was naturally subjected to the most rigorous questioning.
Many of the questions were actually logical traps. If Tony answered just one incorrectly, he would expose more flaws under the interrogator's questioning, allowing them to pick up on something amiss.
Once a human tells a lie, they have to use even more lies to cover it up.
"I was on the front lines, leading my Legion in battle." Tony looked calmly at everyone present. "I killed most of the enemy soldiers."
"Lieutenant, a soldier told us that you disappeared from the battlefield for a while," the interrogator asked.
"You make it sound like you can play a video game on four accounts with both your hands and feet, while also fucking studying black hole theory." Tony sneered. "Why don't you try controlling over a hundred war mechs at once?"
Many people watched Tony's every move with sharp eyes. In hidden corners, numerous Lie Detectors had been installed—not that those things were very useful. The most effective tool was the machine that captured micro-expressions.
When people lie, in the instant they speak, they reveal micro-expressions they themselves are unaware of.
Many were watching, and countless soldiers were on high alert, ready to act in case Tony was exposed and lashed out.
But Tony was very composed. He acted naturally, merely seeming uncomfortable with the situation, revealing nervousness, disgust, and the displeasure of a hero being subjected to interrogation. He even showed a fleeting look of anger when provoked by the interrogator's gaze.
All of this was captured by the high-tech instruments.
"Is there a problem with him?" someone asked from behind the scenes.
"No, everything is normal."
"Do all his reactions seem like those of an ordinary person?"
"No, sir. At times, he's very angry and dissatisfied. Although he hides it well, we've captured it on camera. Moreover, our instruments show no signs of Activation."
The man nodded in satisfaction, letting out a small sigh of relief.
It was normal to have negative emotions like dissatisfaction. Anyone in such a situation, even if they had a clear conscience and spoke nothing but the truth, would psychologically fall into a moment of self-doubt: *Did I really do something so terrible?*
Having more emotional reactions was what truly proved that the current Tony was blameless.
If Tony had remained perfectly calm, with hundreds of micro-expressions showing no change whatsoever, that would have been the biggest problem of all.
The interrogator continued his aggressive questioning.
"Lieutenant, why weren't you by Ross's side? Before engaging the people of Wakanda, Ross never gave a clear order for you to go to the front lines. You acted on your own authority."
"Because I am a Military Advisor, and I have my own independent Legion! No one can command my Transformers but me! I have a duty to protect our soldiers!" Tony met the man's gaze, his expression growing increasingly hostile.
"You should know, Mr. Interrogator, that within the main force, I was closest to the small unit engaged at the front, and my mobility far surpasses that of the other Legions." Tony mocked him bluntly. "Interrogator, do you still wear split-crotch pants? Need a grown-up to hold it for you when you take a piss?"
The crowd roared with laughter, especially the other low and mid-rank officers who were also being interrogated. They began to jeer and mock loudly.
Many of the senior officers loudly reprimanded Tony, but inwardly they nodded in approval. The tension they felt eased slightly.
Tony's behavior was exactly what one would expect from a victim, someone who had been through hell. With his accomplishments and power, of course he would dare to confront a petty interrogator head-on.
"Then why did you incite the Military to get involved in such a brutal war? We suffered forty thousand casualties."
"Watch your wording!" Tony slammed his hand on the table in a rage. "It was General Ross who proposed occupying Wakanda to the Military! It was General Ross who requested to be the commander! I didn't even want to go, but General Ross dragged me into it! Now that he's dead, you're trying to pin the blame on me?! Is it because too many soldiers died, and it's affecting your political career?"
Tony's words ignited the rage of many officers who had fought in the war. The solemn hall erupted into a clamor as they began cursing the unscrupulous politicians who sent innocent soldiers to their deaths while they sat in the rear, reaping all the glory.
The entire interrogation hall descended into chaos. The interrogator banged his gavel repeatedly, but he couldn't quell the wave of discontent.
"I have one more question..." the interrogator shouted.
"What a coincidence, I have a question too. Can I fuck your whole family?" Tony suddenly spun around and roared at the soldiers in his thunderous voice, "How about it? I'll lead the way, you wanna come? There's enough for everyone, and we'll even count the shares for the forty thousand who died!"
The defiant officers, who had long been simmering with rage over the interrogation, roared in agreement, laughing and saying they wanted to pay a visit to the interrogator's home.
"Remember to form a line," Tony sneered, his suppressed rage seemingly boiling over. "I tried to talk nicely with this bunch of idiots sitting up there, but all they want to do is shift the blame for the dead onto the officers who fought! They're terrified—terrified that their careers are over!"
Many people rushed forward to stop Tony, but he brutally sent them flying one by one with his fists. The soldiers crashed against the walls, spitting blood.
The interrogation devolved into utter chaos.
The interrogator's face was ashen, and he was drenched in a cold sweat. He cast a pleading gaze at others, but they hastily avoided his eyes as if he were a viper.
The higher-ups behind the scenes also remained silent.
Faced with the rage of these arrogant and fierce soldiers, the interrogator wanted to cry but had no tears.
Tony had completely turned the solemn and dignified hearing into a pit of profanity. All sorts of curses, dirty jokes, and 'greetings' for the interrogator's family spewed from people's mouths, a cacophony of laughter and insults.
Tony had single-handedly torpedoed the interrogation, metaphorically slapping them in the face in the process.
Amid the uproar, Tony sneered, ignoring the nervous soldiers. Surrounded by his fellow officers, he smashed the great doors with a single punch and swaggered away.
His arrogance and audacity were simply outrageous.
The interrogator rushed to find the higher-ups to report Tony.
But the senior official just laughed. "Unacceptable? This isn't the first or second time Tony's been provoked. When has he ever been reasonable? Which time didn't end with heads rolling? If we're talking about reasons to hate him, that guy deserves half the credit for the collapse and chaos of the Vampire Kingdom."
He stood up and waved his hand dismissively.
"Let's leave it at that for now. Close the investigation file on Tony's conduct on the battlefield. For the time being, he's clear."
(end of chapter)