Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 1172 - 1177: The Secret Deep Within

Chapter 1172: Chapter 1177: The Secret Deep Within

Annastasia quietly stared at Bashanov. After a moment, she spoke again, "Let me think about your childhood. I didn’t do a very detailed investigation, but as far as I know, you came to the United Kingdom when you were seven years old. Your whole family came together."

Bashanov, restrained by others, moved his feet slightly.

Anna continued, "When you were eight—about eight years old—shortly after your family arrived in the United Kingdom, your father left home. He ran off with a younger woman, and your mother had to raise you on her own, working multiple jobs, one of which was as a dancer."

Bashanov suddenly said, "Shut up! Bitch!"

"Your mother started drinking, getting completely drunk every day. You were immigrants who had just arrived in the United Kingdom; you couldn’t speak English, you had no friends. Your mother loved you but also hated you. When she was drunk, she’d beat you. She loved you, but hated your father, and you resembled him a lot."

Bashanov suddenly roared, "How do you know that? Shut up! You bitch!"

"Your mother would beat you when she was drunk, and cry over you when sober. You hated her, yet you loved her too."

"Shut up! Bitch! Shut up! Bitch! Bitch!"

Zhang Yong landed a punch in Bashanov’s stomach, making Bashanov instantly stop struggling and rendering him unable to speak.

"Now, back to the question earlier—why do you wear the hood? Because you want to impose the shadows of your childhood onto women you don’t know. Speaking Russian, pretty women, yet you unconsciously project them as your mother, and so you’re afraid to face them."

"Your childhood was truly tragic. Your mother struggled to keep your life afloat. You’re familiar with nightclubs, with the way Eastern European women survive in the United Kingdom, and it all started in your childhood. You’re deeply familiar with this circle, its workings, and you know how to control those girls—just like your mother was controlled back then."

"Your mother kept you under strict supervision, yet she died when you were fifteen."

Bashanov weakly muttered, "Shut up, you bitch..."

"You despise the word ’bitch.’ You think it’s the worst insult, because people used to call your mother that when you were little."

Bashanov’s face was filled with despair.

Despair, because his innermost secret was being revealed bit by bit. The softest, most painful, untouchable part of his heart was being torn open, and that was the source of his despair.

Annastasia continued dispassionately, "After your mother’s death when you were fifteen, you started living on the streets. You assembled a group of companions who, like you, came from Russia, to hustle for survival. But you were not like any ordinary thug. You had big ambitions, and you had expertise. Remarkable—you started your ’career’ at fifteen."

"Twenty-two—or around that age—I mentioned I hadn’t done detailed research. But, by your early twenties, you’d become quite powerful. However, you weren’t satisfied with the resources you had; you started outright cheating and trafficking Eastern European women. You were good at it. You even personally tricked them because, frankly, you’re quite handsome."

Bashanov couldn’t say a word anymore.

Annastasia stretched out her hand, and Brian, his face dark and rigid, handed her a piece of rope.

Annastasia took a deep breath and then said coldly, "All of this—you think your mother knew?"

Bashanov was completely limp now. Annastasia suddenly began striking him on the head with the rope she held.

"Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

Bashanov was released, yet he didn’t dare to evade her. He simply crouched with his hands over his head, curling into a ball as Annastasia whipped him with the rope.

There was no method to it; Annastasia was simply beating him chaotically. The rope landed on Bashanov’s head, shoulders, and back, yet he only cried out in agony, not daring to dodge.

The beating continued for five minutes straight until Annastasia, exhausted, suddenly shouted, "Tell me! Why did you attack the Dark Night Knight?"

Bashanov replied without hesitation, "Someone ordered me to! Someone ordered me to!"

Bashanov raised his tear-streaked face, peering at Annastasia from between his arms shielding his head. He sobbed, "Someone told me to eliminate the Dark Night Knight. I know they’re strong, and I didn’t want to provoke them. But that person said the police would cooperate with us, that we could use the opportunity to take over the forces protected by the Dark Night Knight. He offered me terms I couldn’t refuse."

Annastasia struck him viciously and shouted, "Who was it?"

"Shahed! A Tunisian—he promised that after removing the Dark Night Knight, I’d be able to expand my human trafficking operations into his territory. He said he’d work with me to select suitable girls from the North African refugees..."

Bashanov broke into sobs.

Yang Yi and his companions exchanged glances, especially Zhang Yong. He looked at his hands, his expression confused.

Zhang Yong was confident in his fists—he knew how much pain they inflicted. But even his fists seemingly couldn’t compete with Annastasia’s rope.

Annastasia continued to whip him, growling, "Speak! Why would the police cooperate with you?"

"I’ve been in this business for years. You can’t survive without maintaining a relationship with Scotland Yard."

"Why did Shahed seek you out?"

"They couldn’t handle it, but we could fight tough battles. Everyone knows the Dark Night Knight doesn’t have many people, but they’re formidable. We lost seven men, but we succeeded..."

Bashanov began to hesitate and eventually stopped speaking entirely.

Annastasia suddenly threw the rope aside and turned to Brian. "His psychological defenses are starting to recover. I’m done with beating him—it disgusts me. The follow-up is your job. At this point, he’s incapable of maintaining his tough-guy act anymore. No—he wasn’t pretending to be tough; he truly is tough. Now though, he can’t hold onto that anymore. So finish it off and get rid of him. I don’t ever want to see this scum again."

Brian’s face twisted into a cruel grin.

Bashanov looked utterly broken and filled with pain. He suddenly shouted at Annastasia’s retreating figure, "Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! You bitch! How dare you hit me..."

Yang Yi turned to Danny and said, "Impressive, isn’t it?"

Danny nodded earnestly and said, "Truly impressive."

Yang Yi pointed at Brian and said, "Not an interrogation expert, but better than most experts."

Danny said seriously, "I was considering calling a doctor, but now it seems unnecessary."

Yang Yi patted Danny’s shoulder and said solemnly, "It’s up to you now. Get all the details. I only have one question—do you have a feud with Shahed?"

Danny frowned and said, "That’s the problem—I don’t even know this person, let alone have any feud or clash of interests with him."