Chapter 9 Esdeath's Interest

What is the chance for a random soldier to survive a forest fire? Statistics will show some low percentages. What about a debris flow followed by the forest fire? Well, the law of probabilities multiplies the two tiny numbers into something that can be described as merely impossible. What about a mini ice age after the two natural disasters?

…

Looks like someone is receiving some miracles.

"What the f*ck!?"

How would you feel if disasters after disasters fall upon you in a single day? Your survivability can, logically, only be determined through the numbers of statisticians; however, the statisticians will never produce a probability of absolute zero. There is a chance for everything.

As the only living revolutionary soldier scrambles pass the remains of the forest, the blocks after blocks of frozen debris is freaking him out in every possible way.

Shivering by external and internal coldness, he stumbles across the now-demolished basin, unknowingly revealing his position in the shinning daylight.

"How…?"

Taking the view of the obliterated field into his mind, he walks step by step toward the only possible exit out of this hellish wreckage.

"Hey you there! Don't move!"

And seems like his luck just came to an end.

"F*ck."

…

Interrogation.

A technique used to gather valuable information about your enemies. It can be extremely inhumane at times, but it gets the job done. However, this type of matter naturally should be handled by the lower military officials, not the supreme leader of the entire empire army.

So… Why is Esdeath so interested in the interrogation of this specific revolutionary soldier?

The peaceful smile shown on the general's face would never tell you she had just lost about thirteen thousand troops.

"So, I only have one question."

Esdeath stands in front of the kneeling man, a small grin emerges onto her face slowly.

"Who, exactly, annihilated thirteen thousand empire troops with only five hundred desperate soldiers?"

A morbid flush slowly develops on Esdeath's pale cheeks, her eyes overran with internal excitement.

Shocked at the empire generals' statement, the soldier loses his instant ability to formulate his thoughts together.

"Thirteen thousand troops…"

Hei has done the impossible.

What a monster.

Now, he has to decide if he is going to tell everything he knows about Hei, and how he is going to live though his current predicament.

After sighing heavily, the beaten soldier looks up to the Empire's Strongest.

"I can tell you everything I know about that man, but I want your promise to spare my life."

"Go on."

Esdeath proceeds to answer without a single sign of hesitation.

A small grin appears on the soldier's face, the feeling of revenge suddenly overwhelms him with that sinful joy. Straightening up his body, he starts to tell the story of Hei. From meeting him to taking him to the camp, from formulating his plans to betraying the revolutionary army, the soldier lashes out words of hatred whenever he mentions Hei's name.

"Hmm… so his name is Hei…" Esdeath lightly drops her eyelids, looking as if she just solved a conspiracy theory.

"Such an interesting man…"

"Interesting? Hei? No, no, no, no… he is the most emotionless person you will meet in your life. From the way he looks at you to the way he talks, from the way he walks to the way he eats, he does not show a single action of opinion!"

The soldier is clearly still sunk within his own fantasy of revenge on this traitor, but Esdeath cuts him back to reality with a cold sentence.

"I am done. Kill him."

She straightens her white military cap, turns around, her blue hair swings across her shoulder, and the sound of her military boots slowly lowers as she walks out of the tent.

"General! Please do not poke fun at me! You have promised to…"

"The strong will never respect the words of the weak. You will learn that from hell."

…

"Hei… hmm…"

Ignoring the begging man behind her, Esdeath slowly raises her head to look at the sunset on the other side of the mountains, and murmurs something to herself.

"That man… his mind… is quite unique and powerful… however, this is where the fun is. Conquering him will definitely bring a satisfactory feeling…"

She lifts up her messy hair on the side of her ear.