Above The Sky
Chapter 553 - 553 522

553: 522 553: 522 “It’s possible that the traitor doesn’t think they are related to the theft of the lone book,”

Regarding Count Phoenix’s suspicions, Ian thought for a moment before suggesting a possibility, “For instance, the traitor might not have been involved in the actual book theft—they might have just been responsible for handing over certain items from within the library to outsiders, or perhaps someone used their identity to quietly take something away, or even simply used some kind of Spirit Energy to erase that particular memory.”

“So a mere memory check might not be useful, by contrast, an investigation of recent movements might be,” Ian said.

“Even if that doesn’t work, we could investigate their interpersonal relationships—there’s always a way.”

The young man had been eavesdropping on the side and hadn’t heard any of the typical criminal investigative methods discussed.

He thought about it and figured that in Terra, with Spirit Energy that could probe memories and possibly even make the dead speak, other methods might indeed be quite primitive.

But it was an idea anyway.

At first, the old Earl frowned slightly, then his expression eased, “That’s right.

Not bad, young man, you are truly clever.”

He smiled, extending his hand to pat Ian on the shoulder, and Count Phoenix curiously asked, “By the way—how did you determine that those books were forgeries?

If one does not flip through them, even I couldn’t distinguish the authentic books from the fakes just by their appearance; their imitation was very well done, even the details were quite in place!”

“And you knew just by a glance…

could it be, your Spirit Energy?”

Ian could feel that the hand patting his shoulder was very gentle.

But remembering how the other had effortlessly almost crushed the neck of a Third Energy Level Great Knight earlier, he still feigned a slight expression of fear.

Only after Count Phoenix, noticing this, carefully withdrew his hand did Ian slowly say, “Yes, my lord Earl…

it was my Spirit Energy.”

“My observational Spirit Energy allows me to see ‘traces left by time.’ Thus back then in South Ridge, I was an Appraiser, a certified professional Appraiser, with a level of expertise quite comparable to my Alchemy skills.”

“Traces left by time?”

Count Phoenix was briefly stunned.

He had a fairly deep understanding of Spirit Energy and instantly came up with seven or eight different abilities that fit Ian’s description and behavior.

He immediately smiled, indicating he understood, “Good luck!

Big dreams!

Very nice, no wonder, I understand completely now.”

—What do you understand?

Ian didn’t know what Count Phoenix had understood.

After all, these higher-level Spirit Energy Users knew more and guessed more, but it had nothing to do with the truth.

However, the old man didn’t continue.

He thought for a moment, and then led Ian outside to stand in front of the Knight Order members and staff who were still kneeling on the ground, waiting for the arrival of the Lie Detection Psychics.

“Ian, take a look and see which one of these people appears more suspicious,” Count Phoenix instructed, keeping a close watch on everyone present as if he were using this method to see if the traitor would slip up again.

Looking around, Ian raised his hand to point at a middle-aged man in the front row of the library staff, “Him.”

“He’s probably the one who colluded with the book thief.”

At this, all those present were shocked.

Count Phoenix turned his head to Ian in astonishment, the middle-aged man who was pointed out widened his eyes, and even the Fae exclaimed ‘Wow!’ ‘Really!’ ‘Father is amazing!’ with praises, oblivious to the suddenly delicate atmosphere at the scene.

“How did you find out?”

Count Phoenix meant to ask Ian why he had said that, as he was fundamentally a rational person, but he couldn’t stop his mouth—even with trust in Ian and the Fae, he couldn’t just believe whoever the young man pointed at was the traitor.

The old man had to make some assessment, right?

But just at that moment, he perceived a strange emotional fluctuation emanating from the accused, which spawned long threads of fear and unbelievable regret, as obvious as a signal light, immediately causing the Earl to turn his head.

His eyes widened in anger, “Is it really you?!”

Sometimes, Higher Ascenders might act more directly, but it’s not because they don’t harbor doubts or look at evidence.

Their power is so immense, it permeates the soul, thought, and the material world—they can see the trembling of particles, discern the truth behind events, and peer through the surface thoughts in most people’s brains and souls.

Therefore, evidence and the process of deduction are unnecessary to them.

For they can see directly, know outright.

“Seize Derunk!”

At that command, the man with pale blue hair and ashen complexion was surrounded and pinned down by the Knight Order.

He trembled as he watched Count Phoenix approach step by step and didn’t even dare to utter the words “I am innocent!”

“Fiery Flame Land?”

Count Phoenix squatted down, grabbed the Deputy Librarian’s hair, and forced him to make eye contact, but he could not find any clues within the man’s soul.

So, he continued, “No?

Then it must be the Dragon Worship Cult, or perhaps the Azure Sky Royal Court?”

Deputy Librarian Derunk was stunned for a moment, and Count Phoenix nodded.

With a flick of his hand, he shattered the man’s spine, paralyzing him on the ground: “As I thought, it’s someone from Fiery Flame Land.”

“You should have continued to pretend to be clueless.

Fiery Flame Land was a good disguise, but when I mentioned the latter two, your soul emitted ‘a sigh of relief’ and ‘what is this old man guessing at’ vibes.”

The old man laughed darkly, his voice filled with wrath: “Hmph, although you learned to mask your soul’s vibes, you haven’t mastered it completely, have you?

The spy training at Fiery Flame Land has been subpar in recent years.”

——What a terrible temper.

And why is it always Fiery Flame Land?

On the other side, Ian watched the scene, reflecting: “But sometimes, it feels good to have such direct leadership to get things done decisively.”

“Of course,” Hua’an said as if it were obvious: “He is one of the more irascible ‘Extreme Flame Fairies’ among the fire fairies.

Raziel has been getting more patient in recent years.

If it had been in the past, the thief would have been left with nothing but a head the instant you mentioned his name!”

“It’s not that exaggerated…” Mo Feng weakly defended his friend: “Raziel isn’t that brutal.

At most, he would just burn off the limbs, which can grow back.”

Ian realized that probably due to being fairies, these little creatures were cute, but they did not care much about physical injuries as Humans cared about the mental state of strangers—they simply didn’t care.

No wonder some fairies had a reputation for being ‘cold-hearted’, especially the young ones.

Watching a Human lose their head, they probably thought ‘It’s just like the main camera falling off, why have they suddenly stopped talking?’

Experienced fairies like Hua’an and Mo Feng only felt that Count Phoenix had been too lenient with a thief.

Indeed, Ian thought the punishment was light, but he retracted that thought when the older Earl said: “Call the Spirit Energy User and the medical team, take his brain out, and soak it in the nutrient solution.”

Clearly, this was not just a figure of speech.

They were actually going to remove the brain and preserve it in a nutrient solution as a brain in a jar.

“Don’t want to confess?”

He sneered: “No matter, Derunk, we don’t need your confession.

Just wait until we dissect your brain and soul into pieces to extract all the information!”

“I’ll confess!

I’ll confess!”

Upon hearing Count Phoenix’s order, the always-defiant Deputy Librarian Derunk immediately broke down, screaming: “I did help someone take things out of the museum, but I didn’t know it was a unique manuscript!”

“Moreover, it was definitely not someone from Fiery Flame Land!

It was a high-ranking person from the Imperial Capital, even with a residence in the Upper City District.

I couldn’t possibly refuse!”

Smack.

Before the fool could reveal more than he should, Count Phoenix placed a hand on the Deputy Librarian’s head, knocking him out—Ian couldn’t even figure out how he would wake up.

Probably only Spirit Energy Users would be able to extract any information.

At that moment, the old man’s expression was grave, his brows knitted tightly.

“This isn’t a lie…”

Count Phoenix muttered to himself, his tone suggesting he found the situation troublesome: “Damn, it really is a ‘Traitor’…

Upper City District…

This complicates matters.”

“Which of my colleagues has done this fine deed?”