Chapter 881: Chapter 879: I’ve Never Seen Someone So Shameless
Richard continued: “Cheka Inspector, you find it odd that I singled out a fourteen-year-old pregnant girl. In fact, I find it equally odd that you singled out a type of ore from the mining site.
Indeed, this ore is somewhat different from the others, but it is just ore. Why assign it meanings beyond its nature?
You think my extensive mining and storage of it in a hidden underground warehouse is abnormal. Let me tell you why I do this. It’s because this ore constantly emits corrosive energy that, when in long-term contact with living beings, can trigger mutations, making them extremely violent.
If I were to explain this matter, we need to go back a long time. Back then, you hadn’t arrived at the branch yet. Mysterious incidents involving demonized creatures attacking people occurred near Shambala Town. To maintain peace, the branch specifically sent Wizard Joseph to handle it.
Before handling it, Joseph had brief contact with me to deliver a crystal ball. It was then I gave him feedback on the crystal ball and also learned from him about Shambala Town and the situation with the demonized creatures.
Later, Wizard Joseph dealt with the demonized creatures. By chance, I visited Shambala Town and conceived the idea of mining there. With the mining of ores in the town, I discovered a type of ore that could trigger demonized creature riots, shedding light on Wizard Joseph’s mission.
However, I wasn’t completely certain initially. Out of caution, I could only have people concentrate on mining these ores, pack them into lead boxes that isolated energy, and store them in a hidden underground warehouse.
After sealing them, to prevent outsiders from accessing them, I had people guard them strictly. To figure out the mechanism by which these ores caused demonized creatures to mutate, I specifically invited Wizards Audric and Bar to test them, but they didn’t give me satisfactory answers. So I’ve been trying to study it myself.”
“You want to study it yourself?” Cheka said icily.
“Yes, I want to study it myself,” Richard replied. “What’s wrong with that? Before joining the organization, I was a wizard in the Prolo Society, with a strong pursuit of the unknown.
In fact, I find the Prolo Society and the Truth Society quite similar. They both pursue something eternal. — The Prolo Society seeks endless knowledge, while the Truth Society seeks absolute truth.
It was this similarity that made me decide to join the Truth Society, to contribute to it, and have it help me grow.
But now, I see that there might be some misunderstandings. Maybe the Truth Society isn’t as wonderful as I once imagined.
Otherwise, why is it that merely wanting to research an unknown ore brings deep suspicion from some, thinking that I’m harming the organization’s interests? Such an organization doesn’t seem grand but instead carries a whiff of decay, rigidity, and targeted harassment.
I think maybe I’ve blocked someone’s path, or perhaps I’ve been used as a pawn. If so, then quitting the Truth Society would be a wise choice for me.”
“You feel targeted and persecuted, so you want to leave the Truth Society?” Cheka gritted his teeth, squeezing his words through his teeth, “Wizard Richard, there’s no need to speak so ambiguously. If you think I’m persecuting you, if you believe I’m retaliating against you for some reason, you can say it outright!”
“Really?” Richard gave Cheka a deep look, not hesitating at all, nodded, and said, “Okay then, Cheka Inspector, I’m talking about you. I now believe you are persecuting me, targeting me, using me as a pawn against someone else.”
“Bold! Rubbish!” Cheka slammed the table hard, shouting.
But Richard wasn’t afraid, he glanced at Supervisor Long Mei’er who didn’t express any stance, then looked at Cheka and continued without any face-saving measure:
“Bold? Rubbish? Cheka Inspector, frankly, I think these two terms are more suitable for you.
You previously said you have a title, ‘Hound’, which you earned after making six significant contributions to the organization, a source of pride for you. I respect that.
However, using this title as evidence, using your intuition as reason to accuse me of potentially harming the organization, I can’t accept that, and I think you may have mixed up some logic.
You should know, you got the ‘Hound’ title by finding loopholes and making contributions, not that having the ‘Hound’ title allows you to find loopholes and make contributions.
A title is an honor, representing past achievements but it’s not a sign of competence. It doesn’t mean you can falsely accuse others just because you have a title. I admit you rank higher than me. You’re an inspector. I’m just an outer member of the organization, and you’re from headquarters while I’m merely at a branch. But regardless of your higher rank, reasoning should still matter.
What justifies your immediate suspicion of me from the start? If I indeed have issues, please provide evidence, and if there’s no evidence, return my innocence.
You find the ore suspicious, potentially threatening the organization. Then please, clarify how exactly it’s suspicious, how it threatens the organization’s safety!
If I’m not wrong, since you seized the ore powder, you’ve likely attempted identification, trying to get to the bottom of it. But to this day, you haven’t gotten any results, so you can only raise your voice questioning me about what this ore powder is and what it’s for.
But in reality, I don’t know either. I can’t possibly give you any answers. It’s like someone accusing me of theft. When I’m clearly innocent, why would I admit? Even if the other threatens, using their status, I still wouldn’t admit it, and I believe the bystanders wouldn’t believe it either.
Indeed, this is a normal world, where most people are wise. Only a very few are so excessively wise that their brains are somewhat confused, finding this affair reasonable. If by now, the other party keeps nagging to the point of unequivocally accusing me as a thief, then I have just one thing to say.
That is, their shamelessness and wisdom truly surpass everyone I’ve ever met, indeed, everyone.”
“You!” Cheka’s eyes widened as he pointed a trembling finger at Richard, his whole body shaking continuously.
His face turned an alarming shade of purplish-red, blood vessels protruding, like shriveled dying worms writhing continuously beneath his skin.
“Puh!”
Suddenly, Cheka spat a mouthful of fresh blood, falling backward to the floor, the abruptness startling most in the conference room.
However, Richard wasn’t surprised, he merely watched Cheka calmly, with a hint of lingering satisfaction on his face, as if ready to say more once Cheka got back up.
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