Chapter 559
"Fools, this might be his conspiracy all along, quickly, take me to the prison, we must deal with Adam as soon as possible."
"Yes... I... I’ll lead the way right now..." The chief official panicked instantly, their small town hadn’t seen a cultivator in hundreds of years, now that one had suddenly appeared, how were they supposed to handle it?
Chrome’s tone carried unquestionable resolve, he knew time was tight, and every moment of delay risked complicating matters further, he followed the chief official without hesitation, heading straight for the prison.
Under the night sky, the small town appeared exceptionally peaceful, but beneath that calm, undercurrents surged, everyone harbored unease in their hearts.
At the prison entrance, the guards saw Chrome’s group approaching and bowed, stepping aside.
Chrome entered the dark, damp cell block, the smell of mildew and rust rushed against his face, forming a sharp contrast with the fresh air outside, his gaze swept the surroundings like a torch, locking onto the deepest cell where Adam was held.
"Open that door," Chrome ordered, his voice deep and commanding.
The guards exchanged uncertain glances but complied, slowly pulling the cell door open.
As the iron door creaked, an even thicker, gloomier aura poured outward, Chrome strode inside, his two cultivator guards followed immediately.
Adam sat quietly in the corner, clothes neat, an indescribable light flickering in his eyes, he looked up at Chrome, a faint smile curving his lips, as if he had anticipated this moment all along.
"You must be the newly arrived alchemist, what brings you here so late?" Adam’s voice was calm and composed, entirely at odds with the oppressive atmosphere.
Chrome did not answer immediately, he scrutinized Adam carefully, trying to read something from his expression, but there was nothing on Adam’s face except indifference.
"Zeon, do you know your crimes?" Chrome finally spoke, his tone carrying the weight of interrogation.
"Crimes? What crimes have I committed?" Adam returned the question, a trace of disdain in his voice.
"Were those men in black sent by you? And that bizarre toxin, how much do you actually know?" Chrome pressed closer with every word, each one landing like a heavy hammer.
Adam chuckled and shook his head, "Alchemist Chrome, you are being far too arbitrary, I am imprisoned here, how could I possibly send assassins after you? I don’t even have that capability, as for that toxin, I have never heard of it."
"Do you think I’ll believe your nonsense?" Chrome shouted angrily, his short sword left its sheath in an instant, the tip aimed at Adam’s throat.
𝖿𝗋𝑒𝐞𝕨𝗲𝓫𝗇𝚘𝔳𝕖ℓ.𝘤𝘰𝒎
Adam showed no fear, he merely smiled faintly, "Lord Alchemist, if you truly want to find the truth, use your brain instead of acting on impulse, otherwise, you will only let the real mastermind escape."
Chrome frowned, calm, this person was far too calm, he did not look like a prisoner at all, granted, it was an ordinary cell without physical restraints, but three cultivators stood before him, why could he remain so composed?
Either the man was a fool, or he was genuinely confident.
"There were three parties involved, why are you only investigating me?" Adam’s smile held steady, "Why do you all believe I would lie, but not that Vance would?"
"He has been pining for Miss Zella, yet she liked me, is it not normal for love to turn into hatred?"
"Why is it that so many of you, all experienced veterans, have never once suspected him?"
Chrome’s expression shifted, he had never considered the case from Vance’s perspective, but Adam’s words cut through like a clear spring breaking barriers in his mind, forcing him to re-examine the entire incident.
Adam made sense, under normal circumstances, Vance absolutely warranted suspicion.
"What evidence do you have to prove this?"
Adam smiled faintly, a smile carrying both helplessness and relief.
"Evidence? In this small town, there may not be physical proof pointing directly to Vance, but the emotions and motives of the human heart are often more complex and real than any material evidence, Vance’s infatuation with Miss Zella, and his reaction upon learning of the bond between Zella and me... is that not enough as a starting point for suspicion?"
"Lord Official, think about Vance’s emotional state recently, has he shown even a shred of genuine sadness?"
The chief official fell silent, he recalled Vance’s expressions over recent days and realized that since Miss Zella’s death, Vance had not been sorrowful at all, instead, he had been frantic and fearful, such behavior seemed pitiable on the surface, but on second thought, if this was truly love turned to hatred, then Vance’s motive appeared terrifying indeed.
The chief official shared his observations with the group.
Chrome lowered his head in thought, "But that toxin... it can only be refined by evil demons."
He was still unwilling to concede, searching for a way to refute Adam based on the toxin’s origin.
"The toxin?" Adam shook his head gently, "Everything in this world can become poison, the key lies in who wields it, if Vance truly set his mind to it, finding or creating such a toxin might not be impossible, if he was blinded by jealousy and hatred, nothing he did would be surprising."
"For example, he might have also been corrupted by evil demons."
Adam’s words struck like a bolt from the blue, exploding in everyone’s minds.
Chrome’s pupils shrank, he had never considered this possibility, the atmosphere in the cell turned exceptionally heavy, his hand on the sword hilt trembled slightly, as if fighting to suppress the shock surging through him.
"Are you saying... Vance might also be colluding with evil demons?" Chrome’s voice was deep and hoarse, every word seemingly ground through his teeth.
Adam’s eyes remained calm, he nodded gently, "The affairs of the world are often more complicated than we imagine, Vance’s motives, his behavior, and the source of that toxin all deserve re-examination, perhaps the truth hides within these seemingly inconspicuous details."
Chrome drew a deep breath, fighting to steady himself, he understood this was no time for impulse, he had to remain calm to find the true mastermind behind the scenes.
"Lord Official, immediately send men to monitor Vance’s every move, at the same time, strengthen the town patrols to prevent evil demons from seizing this opportunity to cause chaos," Chrome’s order was decisive, his voice carrying unquestionable authority.
The chief official nodded hurriedly, turned, and left in a rush.
A/N:
Extra Chapters
Dragon - 1 Extra Chapters
Magic Castle - 5 Extra Chapters𝗳𝓻𝖾𝙚𝙬𝗲𝗯𝗇𝐨𝚟𝓮𝔩.𝓬𝒐𝓶