Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"You mean, that old man Bell was 'invited' by Reinhard to the execution facility?" In the parliament hall, Harold leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, and his mood became much brighter.

That guy Bell always causes him trouble on a daily basis.

Relying on the shady power behind him, he opposed him everywhere and tried to trip him up openly and secretly.

Although Harold appeared calm on the surface, he was already filled with rage in his heart.

Hearing this news now is like drinking a bowl of ice water in the hottest days of summer, making me feel refreshed from head to toe.

"Yes, sir." The confidant standing beside him bowed slightly, "However, Commander Reinhardt took him away in the name of 'assisting in the investigation', so on the surface, there will be no handle left."

Harold sneered when he heard this, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"Assisting in the investigation? Reinhardt is a good way to save face. Bell is an old fox. He is usually arrogant, but this time he hit a wall."

The confidant lowered his head, a trace of cold sweat seeping out of his forehead. Although he knew that his master had long been dissatisfied with Bell, he could not say it out loud.

He added cautiously, "Sir, the other members of the parliament may react. After all, Bell is a member of the parliament. If the matter gets out of hand, it may cause unnecessary trouble."

Harold waved his hand. "Reaction? How can they react? Since Reinhardt dared to take action, it means he had already thought of a way out. Besides, Bell has offended many people every day. Now that he has been taken away, I am afraid that many people are secretly applauding."

"Go tell those two guys not to be so rough and show up for a hearing tomorrow." Harold glanced coldly at his men.

He had to make Lin Yi and Reinhardt understand that they could interrogate Bell, but they must not leave any obvious traces.

Otherwise, when the hearing comes, Bell, that old silver coin, will bite back and things will be troublesome.

The men followed the order and left, while Harold narrowed his eyes, seeming to be thinking about something.

Bell is an old fox who is usually very cunning. Although he has been caught this time, he must not take it lightly.

You know, those old guys in the parliament are not easy to deal with.

An hour later, Lin Yi, instructed by Harold, arrived at the underground interrogation room of the execution agency.

Under the dim light, Reinhardt and several interrogators had been waiting for a long time.

Originally, this kind of work was assigned to Old Hank, but unfortunately, Old Hank died in the last battle with the Ghost Ring Organization.

Reinhardt had to re-select a few people with good skills to take over this "dirty work".

Lin Yi sat on the chair and looked coldly at Congressman Bell who was handcuffed on the chair.

The atmosphere in the interrogation room was suffocatingly depressing. The walls were hung with all kinds of torture instruments. The air was filled with a strong smell of rust and blood. Every breath made people feel the shadow of death.

Bell's eyes flickered, and he was obviously trying hard to hide his inner fear.

Lin Yi and Reinhardt both knew that an old fox like Bell would never speak easily.

But for them, it was just a matter of time.

"Senator Bell, you should know very well why we asked you to come here." Lin Yi's voice was cold, without a trace of emotion.

"I... I don't know what you are talking about! I am a senator of the empire, you have no right to treat me like this!" Although Bell's voice was trembling, he still maintained his last dignity.

"Ghosts, demons, you should be familiar with these, right?" Lin Yi's tone remained calm, but every word was like a heavy hammer hitting Senator Bell's heart.

Bell's lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he clenched his teeth.

He knew that once he opened his mouth, an endless abyss would be waiting for him.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I am a member of the Imperial Parliament. You can't force me to confess." Although Bell's voice was still tough, his confidence was obviously insufficient.

"It seems that you are not going to cooperate." Lin Yi slowly stood up, walked to the wall, and took out a black leather whip.

The whip was covered with tiny barbs, which glowed coldly under the dim light.

Just a slight pull and the barbs will embed deeply into the flesh, and another slight tug will tear off a large piece of flesh.

Lin Yi gently swung the whip in his hand, making a "swish" sound as it broke through the air.

"Senator Bell, you should be well aware that every tool here is enough to make you regret your choice. Now, I will give you one last chance - cooperate, or don't cooperate."

An undisguised fear flashed across Congressman Bell's eyes, but his tone was still tough, with a bit of bluffing: "You are abusing lynching! I will complain to the parliament about you! This is illegal! You will pay the price for this!"

Reinhardt glanced at Lin Yi and indicated whether he should use torture.

Although the severe punishment could indeed quickly pry open Congressman Bell's mouth, using torture on a congressman is too risky.

Once leaked, it will not only cause dissatisfaction in parliament, but may even set off a political storm.

"Reinhardt." Lin Yi suddenly said, "Go and get 'that thing'."

Reinhardt was slightly stunned, but soon understood Lin Yi's intention.

He nodded, turned and walked out of the interrogation room.

There was a hint of doubt in Senator Bell's eyes, but more of it was fear.

He didn't know what "that thing" Lin Yi was talking about, but he knew that it was definitely not a good thing.

Just then, footsteps were heard in the corridor, coming closer and closer, and every step seemed to knock on Senator Bell's heart.

Reinhardt pushed the door open and walked in, holding a black metal box in his hand.

Lin Yi took the box, pressed the lock of the box, opened the lid, and revealed a bottle of dark red liquid inside.

"This thing is called 'Perception Amplification Potion', and its effect is very simple - it can make your senses extremely sharp. Touch, hearing, smell, taste, and even pain will be amplified several times, or even dozens of times." Lin Yi glanced at the several members of the execution agency behind him. Two interrogators had already walked forward, holding him firmly on the left and right.

Their grip was like an iron clamp, preventing Congressman Bell from moving.

This potion was originally invented for the purpose of flirting, however, the inventor soon discovered that its effect was too strong.

Many people died from excitement after using it due to excessive sensory stimulation.

Because of this, it was quickly listed as a banned drug and prohibited from circulation on the market.

However, it was later discovered that this drug was extremely useful during interrogations.

Severe punishment can easily cause serious injury or even death to prisoners, but this kind of medicine can make the other party speak at a very small cost.

It does not leave any external injuries, but can make people experience pain that is more terrible than torture.

Because of this, it has become a secret weapon for violent agencies such as executions agencies.

However, since the materials used in this medicine are extremely rare, even the law enforcement agencies will only use it when faced with extremely important cases.

Ordinary criminals do not deserve this kind of "treatment" at all.

But now, Senator Bell has a special status, and the information he possesses is enough to shake the foundation of the entire empire.

Using this medicine to make him speak is undoubtedly the most appropriate method.

"No...you can't do this! I am a member of the Empire's parliament! You have no right to use this method against me!" Senator Bell's voice trembled as he tried to resist with his last bit of dignity.

Lin Yi sneered: "Member of Parliament? A member of Parliament who colluded with demons and betrayed the empire is qualified to talk about rights? Your identity is just a fig leaf to cover up your crimes."

Because he was held down tightly by two interrogators, Congressman Bell couldn't close his mouth at all.

Lin Yi unscrewed the bottle cap and poured all the medicine in his hand into Senator Bell's mouth.

The dark red liquid slid down his throat, bringing a burning pain, as if countless tiny flames were spreading in his esophagus.

The effect of the potion quickly became apparent, and Senator Bell's body began to tremble violently.

His senses were infinitely magnified, as if every cell was peeled off and exposed to the air.

He could feel the subtle flow in the air, and every gust of wind felt like a knife cutting through his skin.

"Ah--!" Senator Bell let out a heart-wrenching scream and his body shook violently.

His senses were magnified to the extreme, and even the dim lighting in the interrogation room became blindingly bright, as if it was burning his retinas.

Lin Yi looked at him coldly and took out a thin silver needle from the wall.

He walked up to Councilman Bell and gently placed the tip of the needle against his arm.

"Next, you will feel torture worse than death."

Senator Bell's eyes were filled with despair. He was just an ordinary man and did not have the willpower to resist this level of torture: "No... Don't! I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"

Lin Yi did not stop the action in his hand, and the silver needle slowly pierced into Senator Bell's skin. Under the effect of the perception amplification potion, the slight stinging sensation was infinitely amplified, as if a red-hot blade had passed through his arm, and every bit of pain penetrated deep into his bones.

"Ah--!" A heart-wrenching scream broke out from Senator Bell's throat again. His body twitched violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat dripped like rain.

"It's... it's the 'Shadow Council'!" Senator Bell's voice was filled with tears, almost begging, "They asked me to help them control the parliament and promised to let me become the supreme ruler of the empire!"

Lin Yi stopped what he was doing and signaled the clerk behind him to start recording: "Shadow Council? Where is their headquarters?"

"I... I don't know either." Senator Bell's voice was intermittent, and his throat felt like it was being rubbed by sandpaper, and every time he spoke it brought a knife-like pain.

Under the effect of amplified perception, he could even feel the collision of every dust particle in the air. The pain almost made him collapse. "In the past, they always came to find me... If I needed to contact them, I would go through the guy in the study..."

"The guy in the study? You mean, the Soul Devourer?"

Senator Bell nodded weakly, his voice almost squeezed out from between his teeth: "Yes... yes. It was sent by the Shadow Council to monitor me. Every time I need to contact them, I pass the message through it."

Lin Yi frowned. The Soul Devourer had been killed by him and Reinhardt. This clue was obviously broken.

But he was not in a hurry. He gently turned the silver needle in his hand, and the tip of the needle once again penetrated into Senator Bell's arm.

"what--!"

"Stop... stop torturing me! I really don't know any more!" Senator Bell's voice was filled with tears, almost begging.

"Then, the next question is, what is the connection between the Ghost Ring Organization and you?"

"The Ghost Ring Organization...actually has nothing to do with me. The Shadow Council asked me to help...I actually have no contact with them."

Lin Yi stared at Congressman Bell's expression, trying to catch any hint of lies or concealment in his eyes.

However, Congressman Bell's eyes were unfocused, his pupils had lost focus, his spirit was on the verge of collapse, and he was obviously incapable of making up any more lies.

"The Shadow Council asked you to help? What exactly did they ask you to do?"

"They...they asked me to use my influence in the parliament to facilitate the Ghost Ring Organization. For example...help them cover up some actions, or promote some motions in the parliament that are beneficial to them."

It seems that this so-called Shadow Council is much more troublesome than he imagined.

Not only do they secretly manipulate demons and ghosts, they also try to infiltrate the core of the empire through the power of the parliament.

This method of double penetration is obviously intended to build an invisible shackle between humans and demons, and they are the manipulators behind the scenes.

"So where is the base of the Ghost Ring Organization now?"

Senator Bell's lips trembled a few times, and his voice was almost inaudible: "I...I really don't know. The Shadow Council never told me this. They just asked me to facilitate them in the parliament."

The tip of the needle touched Senator Bell's skin again, and the cold feeling made Senator Bell shiver all over.

"No...no! I really don't know! Please, let me go!"

Lin Yi looked at him and did not continue to pierce the silver needle in his hand.

Congressman Bell's spirit has collapsed, and further questioning will not gain anything.

Moreover, Harold has already hinted that Congressman Bell should not be treated too harshly, otherwise the trial in the parliament hall tomorrow will easily fall into a passive position.

"go on."

Senator Bell's voice was barely audible: "I... I only know that the Shadow Council is planning a large-scale attack recently, targeting the Empire's newly built train station."

After hearing Senator Bell's answer, not only Lin Yi, but also Reinhardt looked over.

This piece of news was like a bombshell, blasting the entire interrogation room into silence.

"Reinhardt, go and arrange for personnel to strengthen security at the station where the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held in three days. If there are not enough personnel, go to the military. Remember, don't go to the subordinates, go directly to the general. The subordinates can no longer be trusted."

Reinhardt nodded without hesitation, turned around and quickly left the interrogation room.

Time is running out, and every second now may affect the safety of the empire and even the survival of countless innocent lives.

In the interrogation room, Congressman Bell slumped in his chair, as if all his strength had been drained out of him.

"Put him in the dark cell and keep him under strict watch." Lin Yi instructed the interrogators behind him, "Remember, don't let him have any chance to contact the outside world. If anything goes wrong, you know the consequences."

The two interrogators nodded and quickly dragged Congressman Bell out.

The effects of the perception amplification potion do not last long and will wear off after an hour.

By then, Congressman Bell's health will not be affected too much.

Just after Lin Yi learned important information from Senator Bell, the reminder sound of Samsara Paradise sounded again.

[You have completed the main mission: The mysterious Senator Bell (first round)]

【Task completion rate 90%.】

[You obtain Soul Crystal (Complete) x 1. ]

[The second round of the main quest has been opened. The hunter is the first to open the second round of the quest. You will get additional information.]

Organization Name: Shadow Council

Organizational Background: The Shadow Council is the most secretive dark organization on the Phantom Continent, composed of great demons, high-level Phantoms with more than 15 eyes, and awakened people who betrayed humanity. Their goal is to overthrow the rule of the Zul Empire and completely transform the Phantom Continent into a paradise for Phantoms and demons. The Shadow Council hides in the shadows of human society, manipulating wars, plagues, and disasters to create opportunities for the reproduction and growth of Phantoms.

The members of the Council rarely appear in public, and they pass on their orders through proxies or secret rituals. The power of the Shadow Council comes not only from powerful individuals, but also from their sophisticated planning and infiltration of human society.

Speaker: The ancient great demon named "Dark Eclipse".

Characteristics: Calm, cruel, good at manipulating people's hearts, and the absolute leader of the Shadow Council.

Deputy Speaker: A high-level ghost with more than fifteen eyes, named "Eye of the Void".

Characteristics: Cunning, responsible for formulating strategies and executing plans.

Councillors: Consists of three great demons, five high-level ghosts and two traitors.

Responsibilities: Responsible for intelligence, resource allocation, war planning, etc.

[Main Quest: Shadow Council (Second Ring)]

Difficulty level: Lv.45
Mission Description: Find the forces of the Shadow Council.

Mission information: Eliminate the Shadow Council from the Zul Empire (eliminate at least 50% of its members).

Task duration: 30 calendar day
Mission Reward: Depends on the completion of the mission. After receiving the reward, the third ring of missions will be unlocked.

Mission penalty: Forced execution.

……

After seeing the specific information about the Shadow Council, Lin Yi instantly made a judgment in his mind.

This organization is far more troublesome than the previous Ghost Ring.

The members of the Shadow Council include not only high-level phantoms and great demons, but even awakened ones who betrayed humanity.

No wonder the other party was able to infiltrate the high-level of the Zul Empire. With these traitorous awakened people as undercover agents, the Shadow Council's actions were naturally smooth and pervasive.

About an hour later, Lin Yi, accompanied by Reinhardt, met the general who controlled the entire military - Bernard Quinnier.

Although Bernal's position was much higher than the other two, Lin Yi and Reinhardt had special identities, and even the highest military commander had to pay attention to their requests.

Bernal sat behind a large desk, crossed his hands on the table, and glanced at Lin Yi and Reinhardt who were sitting opposite him.

"Tell me, what are you doing with me?"

Bernal looked at the two of them. His daily schedule was very tight, and it was already a great honor for him to take the time to meet them.

Lin Yi didn't waste any words and said directly: "General, please transfer some people from outside Zul City."

Hearing this, Bernal frowned slightly and thought quickly in his mind.

Although Lin Yi's words were brief, the meaning was very clear - there might be a traitor among the army in Zul City.

Otherwise, Lin Yi could have directly contacted the military to find the person, so why would he have to come to him specifically?
"What happened that requires your execution agency and sanatorium to be so careful?" Bernard's expression finally changed, and there was a hint of solemnity in his tone.

Although he disliked the two violent institutions, the execution house and the sanatorium, Bernal had to acknowledge their strength.

Especially in the last battle when Su Xiao besieged the Ghost Ring, the performance of the execution agency was amazing, and even the military could not ignore the performance of the execution agency. (End of this chapter)