Chapter 92 Taicheng - 6 The Guo Family Compound is a typical example...

The Guo Family Compound is a typical Chinese garden, meticulously constructed. Wan Bing was still dumbfounded, and Lu Yi was seeing it for the first time, his eyes revealing interest. Only Tang Bufan, who had visited several similar attractions in the 21st century, appeared relatively calm.

The RV stopped, and Tang Bufan and Wan Bing thought they had arrived and were about to get out when Lu Yi looked outside and frowned slightly.

"Strange," he muttered to himself.

"What?" Tang Bufan asked him curiously.

“This is just the entrance to the mansion,” Lu Yi said. “For a large mansion like this, there’s a road between the entrance and the main house. We don’t let guests get out of their cars right at the entrance.”

It takes ten minutes to drive from the main gate of the Lu family manor to the castle, passing through a large lawn and garden. Lu Yi had seen the holographic map of the Guo family compound and knew that its main house was located in the center of the more than 10,000 square meter compound, and there must be a parking lot inside.

But the convoy outside had already stopped, and Tang Bufan saw Pei Zhishu again through the window, so he said, "Let's go down and take a look."

"..." Lu Yi thought for a moment, then reached out and grabbed Tang Bufan's wrist: "Teacher, I'll go down first."

Tang Bufan, who was about to get off the bus first, was slightly surprised, but seeing Lu Yi's serious expression, he suddenly felt uneasy and nodded.

The car door opened, revealing a squad of well-trained orc soldiers standing on each side. Pei Zhishu, dressed in a suit and tie, stood outside, accompanied by a burly, high-ranking orc.

Lu Yi's gaze deepened slightly as he led Tang Bufan and Wan Bing out of the car.

Pei Zhishu first glanced at Lu Yi, then looked at Tang Bufan and said with a smile, "Madam Tang, due to your special status, the Eastern Federation needs to conduct some inquiries with you."

Tang Bufan's heart skipped a beat. He had been happy to have escaped investigation when he entered the city, but it turned out this was what was waiting for him.

His expression hadn't changed, but Lu Yi's had.

“Mr. Pei, I think the Western Federation’s statement has already been sent to the Eastern Federation,” Lu Yi said in a slightly deep voice, indicating that he did not intend to let Pei Zhishu take Tang Bufan away.

His intervention calmed Tang Bufan down a bit. Looking at the solemn face of the young orc, Tang Bufan felt an inappropriate sense of relief, realizing that Lu Yi was indeed not as young as he had imagined.

But as a teacher, Tang Bufan wouldn't shrink behind his students.

Tang Bufan fixed his gaze and stepped out from behind Lu Yi. "I am willing to cooperate with the Eastern Federation's investigation."

Tang Bufan had thought it through clearly: as a wanted criminal, there were certain procedures he couldn't avoid.

Lu Yi's eyes widened slightly, and he became somewhat anxious: "Teacher..."

Tang Bufan calmly turned to look at him: "Don't worry, it's nothing."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Pei Zhishu in front of him again and smiled slightly: "I believe that the Eastern Federation has no intention of causing conflict between the two federations."

“…That’s natural.” Pei Zhishu looked at Tang Bufan with deep eyes, then gestured for him to follow: “Please come with me, Madam Tang.”

Tang Bufan then started walking with him, and Lu Yi immediately followed. Pei Zhishu did not stop him, while Wan Bing, who was confused, was somewhat at a loss and bewildered.

"Sir, then I am..."

"Chen Lu, please entertain Mr. Wan," Pei Zhishu instructed, and a female assistant carrying a tablet immediately came out.

"Mr. Wan, let's go sit in Tingyu Pavilion." The female assistant smiled at Wan Bing and led the bewildered and uneasy Wan Bing away.

Pei Zhishu led Tang Bufan and Lu Yi out of the courtyard gate again. Tang Bufan saw the magnificent mountain scenery again, but he was no longer in the mood to appreciate it. Although he appeared calm on the surface, he was actually very anxious inside.

Pei Zhishu holds a high position and wields great power; he is certainly aware of the Rebooters organization. However, judging from his reaction, he probably does not yet know that Tang Bufan is an experimental subject of that organization.

Tang Bufan wouldn't be foolish enough to reveal his secrets to a stranger, but he didn't know enough about this world, and he knew nothing about the underground city, so he didn't even need to be interrogated.

He had to find a way to cover himself up. Tang Bufan walked with the crowd, gritting his teeth inwardly. He didn't want to be locked up in prison or studied by others.

In the distance stands a grand building with a Chinese-style roof. It is slightly lower than the Guo Family Compound, with its top ten floors connected to the mountaintop by an arched bridge. Below are high cliffs.

This is the Cloud Top Building, the central administrative building of the Eastern Federation, where Pei Zhishu works.

It only takes about ten minutes to walk from the Guo family compound to here, which is why Pei Zhishu didn't let the two of them get back in the car.

Just as they were about to reach the arched bridge, Tang Bufan suddenly spoke up: "Lu Yi, didn't you introduce this building to me before?"

Lu Yi, walking beside Tang Bufan, was slightly taken aback. She vaguely sensed that Tang Bufan was implying something, but she didn't understand. So she thought for a moment and decided to answer honestly: "No, I introduced the Guo Family Compound to the teacher before."

"Oh~" Tang Bufan drawled knowingly, then sighed, "My memory is still sometimes good and sometimes bad."

"..." Lu Yi instantly understood that Tang Bufan was colluding with him.

Having figured it out, Lu Yi immediately gently took Tang Bufan's hand and comforted him, "Teacher, don't worry, you've only just completed your mutation, you'll get better slowly."

As expected, their conversation attracted the attention of those around them.

Following them were a burly, high-ranking orc and a troop of orc soldiers. The soldiers followed behind them, orderly and quiet, but everyone's eyes were fixed on the four people in front of them. The high-ranking orc then sized up Tang Bufan. He had already noticed that Tang Bufan was thinner and smaller than ordinary sub-orcs, and when he heard that he had just completed his mutation, he immediately understood.

Pei Zhishu led the two onto the bridge, his dark eyes slightly deepening: "When did Mr. Tang mutate?"

"Half a month ago," Tang Bufan said, deliberately putting the time back. Actually, it was a month ago. He then added the truth: "My health was very poor, the mutation was very difficult, and I almost didn't wake up."

"Then I'll arrange for a doctor to come and give you a check-up," Pei Zhishu said considerately.

"No need," Tang Bufan politely declined. "I've been hurt before, and I don't want anyone other than Lu Yi to touch me."

Tang Bufan dared not let Pei Zhishu's people examine him; who knew if they would discover anything unusual about him through his body?

“…Yes.” Lu Yi immediately cooperated, “Teacher was arrested by the underground city before and had an unpleasant experience in prison and hospital, so…”

Lu Yi looked at Pei Zhishu with a serious expression: "Please treat my future wife well during the review, Mr. Pei."

"..." Pei Zhishu smiled politely: "That's natural."

No one around them doubted what Tang Bufan and Lu Yi were saying. With Tang Bufan's face, it would be a miracle if he could have a peaceful life in prison.

After giving Lu Yi his hint, Tang Bufan breathed a sigh of relief. He had already decided to play dumb and get away with it. Lu Yi understood his meaning, so if the two were interrogated separately, Lu Yi would not let anything slip.

The group crossed the arched bridge, and the burly, high-ranking orc gestured to the soldiers behind him, who then stopped following.

Upon entering the building, there was a spacious, open lobby decorated in a modern Chinese style. Pei Zhishu led the two of them into the elevator. This was Tang Bufan's first time riding an elevator in the Beastman Society, which was a full three meters high.

Of course, the space inside was also spacious. Tang Bufan stood with Lu Yi, and couldn't help but stare at Pei Zhishu again.

Pei Zhishu was half a head shorter than him, which made Tang Bufan somewhat envious.

Pei Zhishu was also looking at him.

"How tall is Madam Tang?" Pei Zhishu asked first.

“…193.” Tang Bufan countered, “And Mr. Pei?”

“202.” Pei Zhishu looked down at Tang Bufan with slightly lowered eyes. “You are very cute.”

Tang Bufan's face flushed slightly, not from embarrassment, but from annoyance.

The elevator stopped, and several tall orcs were waiting outside. They were all high-ranking orcs, and judging from their military uniforms, they should all be serving officers of the Eastern Federation.

Lu Yi frowned slightly, while Tang Bufan felt a tremendous sense of pressure under their gaze.

Was he really going to be interrogated by so many people? Tang Bufan felt uneasy, but thankfully he had Lu Yi backing him up, so he wouldn't be tortured by them.

Soon, Tang Bufan was taken to a secret room by himself.

It was a standard interrogation room, with a glass wall on the side that prevented him from seeing outside, a lone chair in the middle, and a smart camera flashing red light directly in front of him.

Lu Yi initially wanted to accompany Tang Bufan inside, but Pei Zhishu politely stopped him. Tang Bufan knew this was against the rules, so he asked Lu Yi to wait outside.

Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Tang Bufan took a deep breath and walked to the chair, sitting down with his head held high and chest out. His dark eyes looked sharply at the smart camera.

He had wandered the wilderness for five years, experiencing illness, death, confusion, and despair. Would he be afraid of this mere AI? He wasn't afraid at all.

Tang Bufan relaxed.

Human resilience is remarkable.

In the observation room behind the glass, Pei Zhishu and the group of officers were all staring at Tang Bufan.

An officer tried to ask Lu Yi to leave, but Lu Yi immediately frowned.

"I hope you understand, sir, that the woman inside is not only my fiancée, but also someone the entire Western Federation has declared it will protect."

Lu Yi's golden-green beast eyes resembled those of a calm hunter. He was young, only just turned 18, but he was also very powerful, as this was the age when orcs were at their most powerful.

The officer froze upon seeing Lu Yi's aura. He realized that Lu Yi's presence was incredibly powerful, whereas he had appeared quite gentle next to Tang Bufan just moments before.

He stood there, caught in a dilemma, until Pei Zhishu said calmly, "Let Mr. Louis stay."

The officer suddenly had a way out. He walked to the side, while Lu Yi frowned slightly and walked behind the glass window to look at Tang Bufan with Pei Zhishu.

"Have you received any news from the underground city?" Pei Zhishu asked an officer.

“Yu Fen said that a criminal did escape five years ago, but the person had already been caught. Therefore, the chief of escort did not report the matter to Old Yu. Two years ago, the chief of escort choked to death on his own vomit at home after drinking.”

Pei Zhishu frowned and pressed, "Who was the one who ran away back then?"

“Liang Chenhao,” the officer said, and the glass immediately displayed the information of a man with a buzz cut: “Five years ago, after he was brought to Taicheng, the Federation assigned him to a battalion commander position. He now has two children. This afternoon, our people went to his house to verify, and he admitted that he did try to escape back to the underground city, but he was caught and brought back after only half an hour.”

Pei Zhishu scanned the documents before him and asked, "Was he a replacement criminal?"

He said he wasn't.

"Where are the others?"

"Of the 100 people from back then, two have already died: one died from a failed mutation, and the other died in childbirth." The officer asked, "Should we send someone to question them one by one?"

“…No need.” Pei Zhishu sighed, “It’s been too long.”

The officer thought for a moment and then stated his conclusion: "We suspect that Tang Bufan escaped at the time, and the chief escort secretly found someone else to take his place without informing Elder Yu. However, the underground city still issued an arrest warrant for Tang Bufan."

That makes sense; when officials make mistakes in their work, they will resort to all sorts of tricks to cover them up.

Pei Zhishu remained silent. He raised his hand and swiped away Liang Chenhao's information, revealing Tang Bufan sitting quietly in the glass.

The interrogation room was dimly lit. The man sat on a plastic chair, which made his skin appear even whiter. Perhaps it was the glow of the white light inside, but he seemed to be radiating light.

Looking at Tang Bufan like this, Pei Zhishu asked the officers behind him in a deep voice, "Do you think someone like this could leave no impression on anyone?"

The officers fell silent, all staring at Tang Bufan through the glass. There was no doubt that if Tang Bufan had appeared in the Eastern Federation back then, it would have caused a frenzy among the orcs.

Pei Zhishu then turned to look at Lu Yi beside him, his gaze sharp: "Does Mr. Louis understand his fiancée?"

Lu Yi appeared calm. He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "I don't need to understand him, because no matter who he is, I like him."

Pei Zhishu: "..."

The officers in the room: "..."

Unexpectedly, everyone was shocked to hear such a heartfelt confession. Their expressions varied, but they couldn't help but think to themselves: the Smith family's reputation for being love-struck is well-deserved.

Unable to deduce Tang Bufan's background, Pei Zhishu no longer hesitated. He looked again at the dimly lit interrogation room across the glass and calmly began to speak:

"a77, begin the interrogation."

The red-glowing camera inside received the command and immediately rotated a few times, precisely focusing on Tang Bufan's face.

Tang Bufan, who was sitting in the chair, noticed this and immediately looked up at it.

Is it finally about to begin? Tang Bufan stared intently at the AI ​​without blinking.

A gentle, electronic male voice rang out in the small, dimly lit interrogation room: "Mrs. Tang, do you have an organization behind you?"

The camera was filming Tang Bufan's face, and everyone in the room behind the glass was staring at him.

“…No.” Tang Bufan answered calmly.

The electronic camera flashed red lights rhythmically, and then an analysis result suddenly popped up on the glass of the observation room:

[I'm not lying.]

A77 is conducting a lie detector analysis on Tang Bufan based on his facial micro-expressions!

Pei Zhishu glanced at the result, his brows furrowing slightly: "Continue."

a77 then gently asked Tang Bufan a second question: "Mrs. Tang, your information is very blank. Could you tell me about your past?"

"..." Lu Yi outside couldn't help but cross his arms and touch his mouth, becoming nervous.

The man inside lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time before slowly opening his mouth: "I... I've forgotten a lot of things. I wandered the surface for five years. When I met Lu Yi, I was already very weak. I had headaches every day and often suffered from amnesia..."

His voice grew softer and softer, but the interrogation room was quiet, so everyone could still hear him clearly. The man's eyes reddened slightly, and he looked up at the camera with a hint of sadness: "I even forgot about Lu Yi several times, which makes me very sad."

a77 stared at him, its red light flashing: "Don't you have any memories of the past?"

Tang Bufan smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I have no memory of the underground city."

"..." a77 remained silent, then its analysis results popped up on the glass of the observation room:

[I'm not lying.]

"..." Lu Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The orc officers in the room looked at the analysis results and pondered them amongst themselves.

“Continue questioning,” Pei Zhishu said.

Given Tang Bufan's amnesia symptoms, A77 flashed red light a few times and asked its third question: "Mrs. Tang, what are you afraid of?"

Tang Bufan's eyelashes trembled slightly, knowing that the AI ​​had finally seen through his abnormality. He had used an evasive answer just now; he hadn't lied, but the AI ​​had detected his hidden fear.

Calm down... calm down...

Tang Bufan quietly clenched his fist, and slowly lowered his eyes.

"What am I afraid of..." he murmured, his eyes growing redder, slowly saying, "I'm afraid of you... I'm afraid of those nightmares... I'm afraid of this apocalypse... I'm afraid of the guilt I bear..."

He suddenly burst into tears, lowered his head, covered his eyes with his hands, and sobbed, "I want to go home..."

The camera was filming Tang Bufan, trying to analyze his words and emotions, but Tang Bufan's hand covered half of his face, making it difficult to draw the correct conclusion.

"Enough...enough!" Tang Bufan's tears made Lu Yi, who was watching outside, anxious. He immediately turned to Pei Zhishu and ordered, "Open the door!"

"..." Looking at Tang Bufan, who was sitting alone in a chair crying, Pei Zhishu sighed and said to his AI, "A77, open the door."

With a "click," the interrogation room door opened, and Lu Yi immediately rushed in, pulling Tang Bufan into his arms.

Tang Bufan quickly buried his face in his chest to cover it, so as not to be photographed by the AI.

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm here, I'm here." Lu Yi softly comforted Tang Bufan, then bent down and picked him up in her arms.

"!" Tang Bufan was startled, but didn't dare to look up. His acting skills had run out, and he had to get out of the interrogation room first. He could only hold onto Lu Yi's sweater and continue to pretend to be weak and broken, and was carried away by Lu Yi.