Chapter 613: Interrogation
"Those who do not pose a threat will be relieved of their duties, have their salary deducted for the month, and be confined for fifteen days; those who pose a threat will be expelled from the First Army and be subject to your judgment, Your Majesty," Iron Axe replied immediately.
"Well, you've memorized it well. Just do as you said." Since there is no military court at the moment, major faults in the army are personally interrogated by Roland, and Danny's violation of discipline obviously hasn't reached that level. "However, considering that we are in the midst of a great battle, confine him for five days first, and the rest will be carried out after we return to Neverwinter."
"As you command."
"You don't need to worry about the soldiers' reactions either. This is a perfect example for propaganda—no matter what merits the person has earned, as long as there are violations of discipline during the mission, they will be punished." Roland paused, "Of course, the army will not forget the merits he has earned. If anyone asks, just say I have my own arrangements."
In fact, he also has some responsibility for this matter. Although he created a fifty-man sharpshooter team, he did not separate these experienced veterans with shooting talent from the ordinary musketeer battalion. When arranging them, he simply regarded them as a kind of revolving buqiang with a longer range, placed on both sides of the trenches to block enemies trying to approach the jiqiang bunkers from the edge.
And Danny's approach is more like a sniper—freely choosing positions, freely firing, and waiting for opportunities to eliminate the most valuable targets of the enemy. Roland had considered a dedicated sniper squad, but the latter had high requirements for qiangxiè, dànyào, and personnel. Especially for personnel, not to mention subjective initiative, first of all, he had to ensure that snipers would not simply lose contact or passively evade the battle after being sent out.
Perhaps after this war, he can make some improvements based on the sharpshooter team.
"By the way, Your Majesty, I have extracted some... special information from the captured church commander," Iron Axe seemed to be considering his words, "related to the God's Punishment Army."
"What is it?"
"They said that the God's Punishment Army cannot act individually. These warriors must be ordered by an operator to complete the most basic tasks."
Roland turned around, "Oh? Anything else?" Ash had also mentioned this point. It was because of this reason that he dared to lead the entire army north to force the church to start a decisive battle. Otherwise, if the opponent simply sent a small group of God's Punishment Army to split up and wreak havoc in the kingdom's interior, it would be enough for him to suffer.
"The operator can be an ordinary person or a Pure, but once it is set, it cannot be changed." Iron Axe recalled, "Newly promoted God's Punishment Army will complete the following ceremony at the top of the Hermes Cathedral. One of the prisoners even admitted that he personally participated in this secret meeting."
Roland immediately ordered, "Take me to see them and call Agatha as well."
...
Deep in the dungeon, Roland met the four captured prisoners who were being held separately.
If the surface of Quiet Valley Town was just cool and pleasant, the underground could be described as damp and cold. All four were blindfolded, their hands tied behind their backs, and their bodies were wet. Although he couldn't see any scars, they were trembling uncontrollably. Obviously, Iron Axe had used his unique torture techniques again. According to him, few people could survive a day under interrogation.
However, the followers of the church are different from ordinary suspects. Their reverence for God makes their willpower stronger.
"Only the two on the right are willing to confess," the Sandman whispered, "One is the church's inquisitor, and the other is a priest from the Holy City. The remaining two refuse to reveal anything—of course, they don't know that their companions have already confessed."
Roland didn't know much about the church's system and positions, and asked bluntly, "Who participated in the God's Punishment Army's following ceremony? Take them to the interrogation room."
The priest was quickly dragged into a small room next door by the jailers. Iron Axe poured a scoop of cold water on his head, "Farrat, now I have a few questions to ask you."
He trembled all over, then opened his mouth slightly, "Everything I know... I've already said. Just kill me." The priest's voice was weak and hoarse, as if he had suffered great pain.
"Tell me about the God's Punishment Army. How is the following ceremony held?"
Farrat shook his head without answering.
"Listen carefully, this is the last interrogation," Iron Axe bent down and whispered in his ear, "Answer all the questions, and then I'll give you relief."
After a long silence, he confessed again, "The ceremony... is usually held in the Tower of Heaven. Only God's Punishment Warriors, the Pope, and operators are allowed to enter. The scene... must be quiet and silent to ensure that the ceremony goes smoothly."
"Why?" Roland asked.
"Because the newly promoted warriors will use sound to identify the operator."
"The first sound they hear?"
"It can be more than... one," Farrat gasped, "The selected operators recite hymns together. Anyone within a certain period of time can be accepted by the God's Punishment Warriors."
"What about you? Are you also an operator?"
"I am in charge of... a small team, ten God's Punishment Warriors."
"But those ten people also have to obey the orders of their superiors, right?"
The priest nodded, "All God's Punishment Army will obey the orders of His Holiness the Pope."
So that's how it is, Roland thought. He initially thought that there would be methods like brainwave connections or telepathy to command this mindless army, but in the end, it was still sound control. This layered method is undoubtedly extremely complex and inefficient. Not to mention that sound waves are extremely easy to attenuate, just the conflict between the orders of the squad commander and the commander-in-chief would make it difficult for the God's Punishment Army to react.
"You said that once the operator is determined, it cannot be changed. What if the God's Punishment Warriors lose all their operators?" Agatha suddenly asked.
Hearing a woman's voice, Farrat was obviously stunned.
"Answer!" Iron Axe scooped up another ladle of water.
"I... don't know."
"You're lying," Roland quickly received Nightingale's reminder, "If you don't want to stay in the dungeon for ten days or half a month, you'd better not play this trick."
The priest gritted his teeth, "They... will go to the Barren Land on their own. That's all I know."
"The Barren Land?" Agatha said in surprise.
"I also heard about it... In general, other warriors will soon come to stop this, but..." he hesitated for a moment, "Rumor has it that a long time ago, some God's Punishment Army who were not properly controlled escaped to the Barren Land and never returned."
"Do you know how the God's Punishment Army is transformed?"
"This... only His Holiness the Pope is qualified to preside over the promotion ceremony..."
"Then, when the Pope abdicates, how is the control of the God's Punishment Army transferred?"
"No," sweat broke out on Farrat's forehead, "I don't know..."
"How exactly was the church established four hundred years ago?"
"Have you heard of the name Akalis? What about the Union, Taqila?"
After that, no matter how Agatha asked, the priest couldn't answer a word.
"He really doesn't know. Let's go," Roland said after receiving confirmation from Nightingale, "There will be no results if we continue the interrogation."
As the group left the dungeon, Iron Axe chased after and asked, "Your Majesty, these church prisoners..."
"Just do as you promised before."