"Baron, they won't open their mouths at all."
Criminal organizations like the Yakuza, Triads, and Mafia are famous for their strict adherence to loyalty, despite being made up of criminals.
Even when committing murder, blackmail, or fraud, they claim they’re different from lowly thugs, refusing to betray their comrades even if it costs them their lives.
In return, the bosses of these organizations take responsibility for the families of those imprisoned, and when they’re released, they are given a lump sum—sotis thousands or even millions of dollars.
It seems these guys belong to the sa breed of truly vile criminals.
"Have we tried all possible thods of torture?"
At my question, the rcenary clicked his tongue.
"We’ve pulled out their fingernails, toenails, teeth, stabbed them with knives, and even burned them. But still, they show no sign of opening their mouths. They’re tough bastards."
When a man who’s been through all sorts of hardships speaks like that, it’s clear these guys are no ordinary hardened criminals.
If this interrogation ends here, we won’t be able to punish those who dared to touch my territory and massacre my people.
No matter what thod it takes, they have to open their mouths.
‘Pirates and criminals, yet they have the loyalty and ruthlessness of a true scum, so much so that it’s infuriating.’
Anyone hearing about this might think we're the villains in this situation, fighting for a noble cause while they give their lives and families for the greater good.
"It seems their silence is due to fear?"
"Not out of loyalty or devotion to their employer, but out of fear?"
I don’t know who hired these bastards to raid the seaweed farm, but they’ve certainly hired soone with real skill.
These guys are trained so well that the fear of betraying their organization outweighs the suffering they endure from torture.
These kinds of n will never speak, even if you tear their limbs off and slice their flesh while they’re still alive.
The employer is definitely soone cruel and vile.
A figure so vile that it’s no wonder they’re infamous in our industry.
"They aren’t going to talk through torture."
The rcenary who had been conducting the interrogation was covered in blood, aning I can only imagine the extent of the torture they’d endured.
Yet, even with all that, they still haven’t shown any sign of speaking?
Even though these criminals are like a Yakuza-style gang, using ordinary thods won’t get us anywhere.
"I suppose I’ll have to take matters into my own hands."
The rcenary tried to stop .
"They’re the type who wouldn’t even speak with normal thods. Even n like us, seasoned in interrogation, have our hands tied."
For criminals with clear charges, torture is usually the most effective thod.
However, not everything in this world can be solved with just one thod.
If torture isn’t working, we can always try sothing a little different.
"There’s nothing impossible in this world. Especially when it cos to making scum like that speak—there are plenty of ways beyond just torture."
This is the truth.
After all, it’s not for nothing that global intelligence agencies like the CIA and NSA have excluded torture from their official thods.
"Open the door to their cell."
**
The storage room where the criminals were kept reeked of blood.
Their bodies were all cut up, and to prevent them from bleeding out, there were signs they’d been cauterized with hot irons.
If Chloe or the other wives had seen this, they would’ve thrown up instantly.
Of course, I feel no sympathy for these n; they’ve committed cris that deserve death.
"Are you the bastards who dared to steal the Rothschild Barony’s technology and massacre my people? You’ve got so nerve. Do you have a death wish, or are you hoping that you’ll die twisted if you don’t speak?"
One of the criminals spat at .
"I heard you seduced the granddaughter of Duke Visconti. You look like a pervert who enjoys having your face slapped by n. Anyway, I’m going to die, so before I go, let ask one thing. How does it feel to sleep with a man?"
These criminals, who claid to be loyal to their employer, sure have quite the tongue.
Any other noble would’ve lost their temper and imdiately drawn a sword to cut off their head after hearing that.
They could easily make it to the national team in any online ga just by talking like that.
"After all the torture, you’re still so cocky. I’ll ask again—do you really have no intention of revealing who’s behind all this?"
"I’d rather go to hell than break the blood oath I made with my comrades."
He glared at as if he were about to kill .
The rcenaries were about to beat him, but I stopped them with a raised hand.
"Clean these two up and give them clean clothes. They must be hungry, so feed them well with at and wine."
The rcenary who had been interrogating them asked, confused.
"Did I hear you correctly?"
"You heard right. Clean them up, feed them properly. Though the circumstances of us eting aren’t great, I liked them. I’d almost want to recruit them as my retainers."
Naturally, this is a lie to deceive them.
But the last part was sincere.
If I had subordinates who were so loyal to , I’d want to take them in as retainers, regardless of their status or abilities.
‘They’d be the perfect candidates for highly sensitive tasks that require confidentiality.’
"After they’ve eaten, we’ll talk again."
I waited leisurely until they finished their al.
These pieces of trash dared to raid my territory, steal my technology, and murder my people, so I’d like nothing more than to personally dismber them right now.
But I couldn’t let my emotions cloud my judgnt. The most important thing was to get the information about who their backer is.
After a long wait, they returned looking much cleaner.
"What are your nas?"
At those words, one of the criminals spoke.
"My na is Luca, and this scruffy guy with the beard is Martin."
They’d endured all the torture, been bathed, and fed expensive beef, and their attitudes were finally starting to shift toward cooperation.
This was a good sign for .
"Alright, then why did you raid the Rothschild Barony, specifically Vio Village, which possesses the seaweed farming technique? Tell honestly."
"We’re grateful for the expensive beef, but we weren’t born as noblen like you, living an easy life. We’re not the kind of scum that sells out our comrades. You, on the other hand, lived a lazy life, relying on others."
Although I started with a good position as the second son of the dici Baron family, I’ve co this far through my own efforts.
Instead of getting angry at their words, I smiled and answered.
"You have great loyalty to your comrades. It’s admirable, really. But your comrades, Luca, Martin, they’ve long since abandoned you."
"Shut your mouth, you noble bastard!"
I could see the slight quiver of emotion in his voice.
If I press just a little more, I’ll likely get a confession.
"I’ve decided to take you two as my retainers. Let’s forget about the tragic things that happened, and I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking from the perspective of the leader of your organization."
Before World War II, it was common to use torture, threats, and intimidation—thods of "fear"—to interrogate prisoners of war.
However, after WWII, through statistical data and studies, it was proven that these thods were actually inefficient.
From then on, the "good cop, bad cop" thod beca more popular, where one side pressures the criminal while the other side tries to coax them.
"Now it’s my turn to play the good cop."
The rcenaries perford the bad cop role through torture and threats.
Now it’s my turn to play the good cop for these bastards.
"If I were you, I’d have expected to betray once I captured you. You’d think that after the terrible torture by the Rothschild Baron, it wouldn’t be surprising for you to talk."
Yakuza mbers place great importance on loyalty.
That’s why they say "a drink with a superior is like family," and even play stepfather and stepson roles.
From another perspective, emphasizing loyalty to that degree might be because betrayal is common enough that they have to reinforce loyalty with these childish gas.
It’s abnormal for these rotten individuals to not betray their comrades.
"So, those who have already betrayed are beyond saving. Now, I’m going to set an example. The dead are irrelevant, but your families are in the hands of the leader, aren’t they?"
Upon hearing this, cold sweat started running down Martin and Luca’s faces.
"If it were up to , I’d kill you to set an example."
This is a thod commonly used in North Korea.
When soone is certain to be dead after a mission, their family is given a great reward under the title of "revolutionary martyr," and their status is elevated.
However, if soone is captured, it’s highly probable they’ve betrayed their comrades, so their families are sent to the labor camps.
This serves as a lesson to never get caught.
The sa goes for scum like these pirates or cri bosses.
"No, no. Do you have a daughter? Or maybe a beautiful wife?"
For the first ti, their faces changed.
"It’s unfortunate. Truly unfortunate."
People are creatures of imagination.
So, the key is not saying too much, as silence can be more effective than words.
Tight clothing, barely noticeable clothing, has the sa allure as being seductive.
"I’m sure your families have already suffered a great misfortune. I express my condolences."
After hearing that, both Martin and Luca clenched their teeth and began to shed tears.
Was it because they were thinking of their families that they held out without speaking?
Well, once they entered my territory with weapons and killed my people, their fate was sealed.
"Don’t you want revenge? If you join , I’ll give you the chance for revenge. And we can start a new life."
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