Observation Room, Amethyst Merchant HQ

0125, 7 Jul 2025

After information was obtained from the Northern Coalition's leaders, the next process was to confirm the truth. The method was by mixing the interrogation formula into the Northern Coalition leaders' drink.

The interrogation formula would not make the Northern Coalition leaders automatically speak the truth. However, for a few hours it would hinder their ability to think. This meant that they would only be able to access their memories whenever they answered a question.

Before targets receive the interrogation formula, they must also be conditioned as relaxed as possible. If targets were pressured even only a slight, they would subconsciously form a self-defense which would reduce the effectiveness of the interrogation formula.

Meanwhile, if the victim was unconscious, the border in accessing memory and thinking creatively would disappear. This means that the information provided may contain the victim's imagination, not purely a real event recorded in memory.

Slowly but surely, the Northern Coalition leaders sank under the influence of the interrogation formula. Every time a question was asked, they would answer at length with pleasure, and even though their sentences were irregular and chaotic, IDG personnel were still able to confirm the truth of intel they had previously provided.

The problem was that after the confirmation was complete, there were still no clues that led to the involvement of the North Coalition leader with the Berril Plains incident.

Vex took a deep breath before turning his head towards Major Maxwell. "Are you sure there was nothing wrong with the interrogation formula?"

"I and two other officers confirmed it before the interrogation formula was given."

Major Maxwell massaged his forehead for a moment before continuing.

"The Northern Coalition leaders are not involved in the Berril Plains incident, unless they have had modern counter-interrogation training."

Vex once again let out a long sigh. "Then I'll change TF Pollux menu to standard hostage rescue until we have identified the target. Meanwhile, invite and dig up as much intel as possible from the Northern Coalition's nobles."

Major Maxwell nodded firmly and answered, "Understood."

- - - - -

Super Supreme VVIP A Room, Maple Palace Hotel.

0700, 7 Jul 2025

Lady Naomi walked over to Count Weizz with a cup of warm black tea. "The quality of sugar and black tea at this place are amazingly good, and they provide it massively."

Count Weizz accepted the black tea with a smile. "Did they treat you well?"

Lady Naomi nodded slightly. "Don't worry, the facilities, culinary, and service in this place far exceed the standards of the Royal Mansion in Makai Royal City. Lady Mier and the hotel's manager are also very kind to us."

"Good."

Count Weizz smiled with satisfaction before taking a sip of the tea. A moment later, he had returned his focus to the list of nobles in Tarai Region whom he would summon to Magwurt City.

When Count Weizz a few days ago asked what if she had to stay in Magwurt City indefinitely, Lady Naomi immediately realized that her husband was considering the option of relinquishing his position as ruler of Tarai Region, and asked for protection from Tuscan Region in return.

Lady Naomi's suspicion got even stronger after her husband asked her and her children to go to Magwurt City with him.

If not careful, a noble family that lost their power could end up tragically at the hands of those who hold a grudge against them. That's why, since the first day she became Count Weizz's wife, Lady Naomi has begun to make preparations if the worst scenario happened to her family.

So naturally, even with a very limited time Lady Naomi still had time to pack a large number of banknotes, gold coins, and other liquid assets belonging to the Weizz Family.

She also had time to send a message to her family, that they should start sending their assets out of Tarai Region with the most important family members of the younger generation.

- - - - -

Study room balcony, Villa Hagel.

0800, 7 Jul 2025

Lassac looked out over the side yard where his prisoners were mixing soil samples taken from the fields with charcoal, sand, and some other material.

He was clueless about agricultural techniques, but he could see that Peggie's methods were much better than the previous Maester.

The previous maester directly applied their technique to the fields that needed to be repaired. Meanwhile, Peggie and her colleagues chose to take soil samples and then did the experiment using small plots and documented the progress of each testing plot. The experiments were also not limited to one or two solutions, but 14 solutions simultaneously applied into 14 separate plots.

'I've got to get the other stuff Peggie asks for as soon as possible,' muttered Lassac as he looked at the long list in his hands.

Peggie asked for dozens of items that at first glance had nothing to do with agricultural engineering. However, because Peggie insisted that these items were very important for her experiments, Lassac promised to get them as soon as possible.

Lassac also greatly admired the lilies that Peggie and her colleagues planted. The lilies were a legacy from his father and were planted in pots. But now, it was moved to the front yard and formed a very large and striking '505' pattern.

Lassac did not understand the symbol's meaning, but since Peggie said the '505' pattern represented luck and blessings in farming, he did not ask any further.

Moreover, every morning and in their spare time, Peggie and her friends would care for the collection of lilies wholeheartedly as if they were a valuable treasure.

"Hopefully our efforts are not in vain."

For more than a month, Lassac prepared his men so that they were able to pass through Landei Gorge while pulling Cloud Hawk on a wagon. This was no easy feat and needed steel determination, plus he also had to lose several of his subordinates.

However, the toil and the casualties suffered in the attempt to kidnap Amethyst Merchant's personnel was nothing compared to the rewards obtained.

Lassac smiled faintly before returning to his desk. He couldn't wait to write a report to Baron Eslei that the farmland in Liqua Region could be saved.

- - - - -

XO Office, FOC South 860.

1615, 14 Jul 2025

Over the past week, various information had been gathered from nobles of the Northern Coalition. However, there were no specific leads regarding the incident on the Berril Plains. Even so, it did not mean that hypotheses could not be formulated.

Of the dozen hypotheses compiled by IDG personnel, one of them caught Major Maxwell's attention, and he immediately shared it with Vex.

"The condition of farmland and food stability in the Liqua Region was in a very bad shape.

Last year, the farmland in the Liqua Region turned out to be no longer suitable for Nouel and could only provide about 60% of the food needs. Meanwhile, this year the percentage fell to 45%.

After the peace agreement was signed, Liqua Guard even had to carry out house-to-house inspections to confiscate leftover foodstuffs. Currently, Liqua Region's residents could only rely on the distribution of porridge twice a day which was managed directly by Liqua's authority. The Liqua Region's higher-ups had concealed the truth from their people, but IDG field personnel had already confirmed it."

Major Maxwell cleared his throat before adding, "And to this day, the only influential figure in the Northern Coalition who hasn't come here is Baron Eslei, on the reason that he is seriously ill."

Vex immediately asked, "What do you suggest?"

"Focus our search on the Liqua Region and launch intensive observations at Baron Eslei's residence."

Vex immediately took the log-book containing the mission and operational rotation of ACG's assets from his desk drawer. After studying it for a while, he then turned to Major Maxwell.

"We will still conduct aerial tracking in other two Regions, as well as add 4 units Reapers and 2 units Poseidons to Liqua Region."

Major Maxwell instantly smiled. "I will immediately prepare a team to make observations at Baron Eslei's residence."

*****