In an underground level of one of the Baihua Sect's administrative buildings within Jingyun City, Adam sat alone inside an interrogation room.

There was a small table at the center, with one of the seats occupied by him, while the other remained empty. Three sides of the room were made of thick concrete walls, while the fourth one consisted of a two-way mirror.

It had been almost an hour since the disciples of the Baihua Sect had taken Adam into custody. Of course, the latter had no other choice but to cooperate with them. He may have gone mad, but he still retained some rationality.

Outside the interrogation room, a small group of Baihua Sect disciples had gathered, observing Adam with strange expressions.

Suddenly, Elder Zhen Ren entered, causing the group of disciples to respectfully greet him with cupped fists.

"Greetings, Elder."

Elder Zhen Ren waved his hand. He turned towards the mirror and looked at Adam on the other side of the room. A moment later, he couldn't help but grimace.

"I instructed you to only observe him. Why have you brought him in for questioning?" The elderly man reprimanded. "Especially when he hasn't committed any crime."

"Reporting to Elder." A Mana Liquefaction Magus stepped forward and cupped his fist. "We were initially secretly observing the target, but… we were found out."

"Found out?" Elder Zhen Ren frowned. "By a blind man?"

"Uh…" The disciple was at a loss for words. "His senses are quite sharp, Elder."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "After he realized that he was being tailed, he promptly chose to leave the city through the eastern gates, and that's where we intercepted him. I believe his suspicious behavior is reason enough to apprehend him."

"Hmm." Elder Zhen Ren nodded ever so slightly. "Was he carrying weapons?"

"No, Elder," said the disciple. "Just a leather rucksack bag that contained food and sake. There was also some money inside. We have stored away the bag for now."

Elder Zhen Ren glanced at Adam through the two-way mirror. He stroked his long, white beard, deep in thought. Just as he was about to ask a follow-up question, something strange happened.

Inside the interrogation room, Adam burst into a mad fit of laughter.

He laughed and laughed and laughed.

Elder Zhen Ren's lips twitched. "What's the matter with him?"

The disciples glanced at one another in an awkward manner. Then, one of them said, "That's how he is, Elder. He laughs for no reason every minute. I think… I think he's crazy."

The other disciples nodded in agreement.

Elder Zhen Ren, on the other hand, frowned. He thought to himself:

Tendency to laugh out loud every minute… That's exactly what Hisaki wrote in the letter.

"Has he said anything?" He asked.

"No, Elder." One of the disciples shook his head. "He seems to be a mute. Or he could just be pretending not to talk. But based on our observations, we believe he really can't speak."

Elder Zhen Ren remained silent. He observed how Adam's hands and neck were covered in thin strips of white cloth, and how he was still wearing a mask.

"What's with the mask and the bandages?" He asked, though he already knew the reason.

"He has heavy burn marks throughout his body, Elder," said the disciple. "Based on the reports of the guard captain who allowed him entry, his face is disfigured and his eyes are… well, he doesn't have eyes, just a pair of hollow sockets."

"Yet, he was able to realize he was being watched?" Elder Zhen Ren sneered.

The disciples lowered their heads in shame. The Elder didn't reprimand them any further, however. If this masked man was truly the same man Hisaki had met, then it would make sense.

Though there were no mana fluctuations radiating from the youth, he was undoubtedly an expert with exceptional mana control.

Elder Zhen Ren sighed, thinking to himself helplessly, This is not how I imagined my first meeting with him would go. Oh, what a conundrum!

"You all may leave," he said, waving his hand. "I'll interrogate this man myself."

The disciples glanced at one another, but the next moment, they cupped their fists and bowed.

"Yes, Elder."

With that said, they left. Meanwhile, Elder Zhen Ren took a deep breath and entered the interrogation room.

***

Adam thought of the various ways he could get out of his current situation.

None of them could include violence, of course. His only way out would be to be on good terms with the people of the Baihua Sect.

But how could he achieve that? He couldn't even speak their local language. Moreover, he was pretending to be a mute.

No matter how he saw it, this was a very difficult situation. The last thing he wanted to do was to get imprisoned in this city.

If he were to be honest, he would have done the same thing if he were in the other person's shoes.

He was truly a shady character!

Adam burst into laughter.

I'm so fuc—

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to the interrogation room opened, and an elderly man, wearing white robes with the Baihua Sect's insignia emblazoned on them, entered.

A Mana Vortex Magus, Adam thought.

And… he's strong.

"Auhh!" He waved at the newcomer.

Elder Zhen Ren's lips twitched. "Can you really not speak?" He asked as he took his seat.

"Auhh." Adam shook his head.

"Well, at least you can hear," Elder Zhen Ren said with a light chuckle.

Adam turned silent, intently observing the man.

What's this? He's not hostile at all, he thought, perplexed.

He decided on his next course of action, then pointed at himself, and then finally at the door. "Auhh."

"You wish to leave?" Elder Zhen Ren asked.

"Auhh!" Adam nodded.

"Oh, that would be quite difficult." The elderly man shrugged. "You've been flagged for suspicious activity, so I'm afraid you'll be detained here for a period of time. We take the security of our city very seriously, you see."

Adam's heart sank.

Must I really shed blood to leave this place? He thought to himself.

"There is an alternative, of course," Elder Zhen Ren said with a light smile as he stroked his beard.

"Auhh." Adam gestured for the man to continue.

"Rather than being detained here and treated like a petty criminal, why not spend the rest of your time in the city under my supervision? Once I've determined you are not a threat to the city and its people, you may leave."

Adam was rather dumbfounded.

"Auhh?"

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