Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening-Chapter 31: Interrogation (1)

Caleb had been locked in the Knight Garrison’s cells for two days without a single word.

It was his first experience in such confinement, and the lack of contact or light seemed designed to chip away at his psyche, even if only slightly.

The cell was filthy, and finding a comfortable spot to sit or rest proved challenging.

On the bright side, the knights hadn’t resorted to physical violence during his detainment, which Caleb considered a small relief.

His hands were bound in special cuffs that restricted the flow of mana, effectively nullifying his ability to cast spells—not that he had any significant mana reserves or spells to begin with.

What caught his attention, however, was the material of the cuffs. The system identified it as Astrium.

[Astrium—a magical metal with a dark silvery sheen. Properties: high tensile strength, density, and mana suppression.]

The cuffs were tough, but not unbreakable. Breaking free would be a challenge, even for him.

"Good stuff," Caleb muttered, frowning. He hadn’t known such a material existed, and its presence raised concerns about whether his physical strength alone would suffice.

He had to tread carefully. One misstep, and they might put him down like a rabid animal. This required a calculated approach—any rash action could spell disaster.

’If something like this exists, then there must be more materials with incredible properties. But...’

Caleb’s thoughts trailed off as he noticed two knights approaching the bars. Both had weapons at their waists. One stepped forward to unlock the cell.

"Prisoner Caleb, it’s time for your first interrogation," the knight announced as the bars creaked open.

Caleb rose to his feet, moving forward with slow, deliberate steps. The knights, weapons ready, watched him with sharp vigilance.

’These guys are well-trained. They mean business,’ Caleb mused as the knights grabbed his arms, one on each side, and escorted him out of the cell.

’So far, none of them have tried to provoke me. Their discipline is admirable. But I doubt this is the standard everywhere.’

The knights guided him through dim corridors until they arrived at a room meant for interrogation.

Once inside, Caleb scanned his surroundings. The room was spacious, with a table and two chairs placed opposite each other at the centre.

On the table rested a rectangular artefact, grey in colour with intricate runic inscriptions. At its top was what appeared to be a small screen.

The artefact caught Caleb’s attention—it was unexpected. Then again, he had just arrived in this world and hadn’t had much time to explore.

In the corner of the room was another desk, where a man was seated. Papers were spread out before him, and his role in the interrogation was clear at a glance.

"Here," one of the knights said as they guided Caleb to one of the chairs at the central table, his back facing the clerk.

The two knights then retreated to stand in opposite corners, directly facing him.

’I’m guessing the interrogator will be here soon,’ Caleb thought, glancing around the room.

Aside from the door and the light source above, there were no windows. Yet, the room felt comfortable enough, suggesting some kind of magical air conditioning system was in place.

After a brief wait, the door opened, and a woman stepped inside—an elf, to Caleb’s surprise. He hadn’t expected to see an elf in this kind of position.

’What am I even thinking?’ He shook off the thought, focusing on her appearance.

The elf was dressed in a sharp knight’s blue-black uniform with a white shirt underneath, exuding professionalism.

Her golden hair was neatly tied back, and her striking green eyes gleamed with intelligence. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Unlike the male knights, she wore a skirt of matching colour that ended just above her knees.

She carried no visible weapons, but Caleb quickly deduced her role. She was part of the kingdom’s law enforcement and investigation unit.

"Good morning, Mr. Caleb," she greeted as she took the seat across from him. "My name is Velanna Shade, and I will be conducting your interrogation."

"Hey..." Caleb replied, his tone halfhearted.

Velanna didn’t seem to mind. With a professional air, she signalled to the clerk with a glance before turning her attention back to Caleb.

"So, this is how this is going to go," Velanna began, stretching out her right hand, clearly asking for Caleb’s.

Caleb placed his bound hands in her palm without hesitation. She guided them onto the rectangular artefact, which began to hum faintly.

"I will ask you questions, and you will answer," she explained. "This is a truth decipherer. It will determine whether your words are true or false."

Caleb nodded, already having guessed its purpose. He didn’t need his system to appraise it to understand what it was for.

As his hands rested on the device, Caleb felt a foreign energy attempting to invade his system. A notification promptly appeared on his display.

[Warning: Contaminated energy signature detected. Purification protocols have been triggered. Foreign signature eliminated.]

The system immediately tagged the invading energy as contaminated and eradicated it.

Although the energy remained active and performed its intended function, the foreign elements had been neutralized.

Caleb smirked slightly and asked the system, ’System, can you bypass the decipherer’s magic?’

No response came.

’Damnit,’ he muttered internally. ’Looks like I’m on my own.’

He exhaled silently and glanced at the artefact. Its magical effect was waning but had already completed its task. A faint trace of its magic lingered within him, linking him to the device.

"Should you lie, the device will generate a response. If your words are true, it will remain silent. Are we clear?" Velanna explained, her expression stoic.

"Yes," Caleb replied, leaning back slightly in his chair. His calm and composed demeanour remained intact, something that didn’t faze the elf in the slightest.

Unbeknownst to Caleb, the artefact was already active, and his simple response had been verified as truthful. Though trivial, it was still a confirmation of his honesty and a testament to his state of mind.

"Good." Velanna nodded, locking her gaze on Caleb. "What is your full name?"

The first question was straightforward and unsurprising. Still, they needed to determine whether his name was genuine or just an alias.