#426Interrogation, the combat power ceiling with a question markAI Model: gemini-2.5-flashChapter 426: Interrogation, the question mark of combat power ceiling
Pfft!
A cup of cold water was splashed on the human youth's face, and he groggily opened his eyes.
He instinctively tried to touch the wound on his face, but his bound hands made him shiver, and he quickly sobered up.
"Who are you? Where is this place?
And what was that… dwarf that attacked me?" The youth's calm voice held a hint of tension.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Aaron couldn't help but clap his hands. "Good questions. What you want to know is also what I want to know."
Before the youth could react, a cold longsword was placed at his throat.
"Name?" Aaron asked coldly.
"Caspian." The youth's mouth twitched, and he added, "The Tenth, Caspian the Tenth."
"Looks like someone of status, either a noble or royalty!" Aaron scrutinized him playfully, then continued, "Gender?"
"Huh?"
Caspian looked bewildered.
Does this person have a problem with his eyes? Is that even a question?
"Didn't you understand? Or do you want me to see for myself?" Aaron glanced at him with disgust. "Damn, what a pervert!
It makes even a handsome fifteen-year-old like me want to wash my eyes."
"Male, male, I am male." Caspian quickly said, then seemed to realize something. "You're only fifteen?"
"Don't I look it?"
"No, I mean, you're fifteen and kidnapping people... that's a bit inappropriate, isn't it?"
Aaron nodded, letting out a long sigh. "I can't help it, I'm in a difficult situation too!"
Caspian immediately felt a sense of relief. This youth seemed to still have some conscience. "How about you untie me first?"
"Heh heh!"
"I'm not a bad person, and I won't hurt you, really."
"Tch!" Aaron curled his lips in disdain. "Our family motto says that bad people never say they're bad people."
Hearing this, Caspian almost laughed out of anger. "What will it take for you to untie me?"
"If your answer satisfies me." Aaron said lightly, "What is this place?"
"A forest!"
Slap!
The cold blade lightly tapped Caspian's cheek. "Brother, do you think I'm easy to fool because I'm young?
I'm not uneducated, so don't be so dismissive, okay?"
Feeling the cold touch on his face, Caspian swallowed. "I don't know where this place is either. The forest was designated as a forbidden zone a long time ago. This is my first time here in my life."
"I'm very dissatisfied with that answer." Aaron shook his head helplessly, then slowly stood up, raised his longsword, and made to strike.
The cold glint slashed down, and Caspian instantly turned pale, hastily saying, "I know where this is."
"That's better. A wise man submits to circumstances!" Aaron sheathed his sword, then made a 'please' gesture. "Continue."
"If I tell you, will you let me go?" Caspian said tremblingly.
Aaron's earlier sword-wielding aura had truly frightened him. It was an aura he had never felt before in his life; not even the kingdom's generals, or even his uncle, could compare.
"Do you think you're in a position to negotiate with me?"
"This is all I have left, my life." Caspian gave up completely. "If you don't agree, just kill me."
"Hahahaha..." Aaron couldn't help but laugh, then gave Caspian a thumbs up. "I like your rebellious attitude. I hope you can be this arrogant later."
Caspian's heart sank. Was he going to be tortured?
Why am I so unlucky? Out of the wolf's den and into the tiger's maw. Whose brat is this?
Aaron didn't know what Caspian was thinking. He poured a cup of cold water from his kettle, then lifted a sheet next to Caspian and splashed it on him.
Pfft! Cough cough!
The dwarf instantly sobered up, and the next moment he clearly understood his situation.
He remained very calm, looking directly at Aaron and saying, "You're the one who knocked me out."
"Both you and he are tied up, and there's no fourth person here." Aaron smiled shyly. "Unless something unexpected happened, it was me."
"Despicable, attacking by surprise, woo woo woo..."
Mid-sentence, the dwarf's mouth was stuffed with a piece of bread.
Aaron skillfully drew his sword and placed it at the dwarf's throat. "From now on, I ask, you answer.
If I'm not satisfied, you know the consequences."
In utter helplessness, the dwarf could only nod in submission.
"Name?"
"Nikabrik."
"Gender?"
"Can't you tell? I'm male."
"Race?"
"Dwarf."
Aaron revealed a satisfied smile, then looked at Caspian. "I'll give you another chance, otherwise, I think he'll tell me some information that you know, but don't know much about. Am I right?"
Caspian nodded blankly, but his heart was filled with gloom.
He had thought he could bargain, but he didn't expect the other party to simply switch buyers.
"I'll tell you." Caspian said bitterly, "This forest might be Old Narnia..."
"Only this forest?" The dwarf coldly interrupted, "You Telmarines are really good at falsifying history."
"No..."
"You appeared in our kingdom hundreds of years ago, destroyed our homes, massacred our people, and used our wealth and resources to build an impregnable Castle. The survivors could only hide in the forest and barely cling to life." The dwarf angrily shouted at Aaron in a low voice.
"Uh... a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding.
Don't look at me with such hatred. I'm not a Telmarine."
"You're not a Telmarine?" Caspian said in astonishment, but he quickly thought of something. "That's right, Telmarines all know Prince Caspian, but you know nothing about it.
Who are you?"
"No need to tell you, Your Highness." Aaron chuckled. "If you're really curious, I can make something up, like a traveler from across the sea.
But the history here is pretty much what I've analyzed: a group of pirates destroyed a magical kingdom, built a new kingdom on its ruins, and settled here for hundreds of years... it's quite bizarre."
Caspian was speechless for a moment, and weakly turned his gaze to the dwarf. "I thought the Narnians were extinct."
"Heh! I'm sorry to disappoint you."
"Gentlemen, please recognize your situation, okay?" Aaron waved his hand. "I have a few more questions. If your answers satisfy me, I'll let you go."
"Are you serious?" Caspian asked, full of doubt.
"Of course." Aaron nodded very solemnly, then looked at the two seriously. "Who is the strongest among the Narnian remnants and the Telmarines?"
"I can't answer that." Nikabrik said, "Unless something unexpected happens, it should be the Minotaurs. They are very large."
"May I ask, are you referring to their size relative to a dwarf?"
"Of course not." Nikabrik felt insulted and explained, "They are much taller than humans, and also very strong."
"Alright! I understand." Aaron thought that the Minotaurs should be similar to Trolls, but with relatively higher intelligence.
He turned his gaze to Caspian. "What's your answer?"
"The most formidable in the kingdom should be the General. His swordsmanship is a little stronger than mine." Caspian said.
"Just swordsmanship?"
"In a sword fight, he can defeat five elite soldiers."
Hearing this, Aaron's eyebrows raised slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.
Assessment complete. The current inhabitants of this world pose no threat to him. He is the true ceiling of combat power, standing at a height others can only look up to.
"I am very satisfied with your answers." Aaron clapped his hands. "Although my trust in you isn't high, I can see that you haven't lied to me."
"Second question, does Narnia have supernatural powers, such as magic?"
Caspian and Nikabrik exchanged glances.
"There is such a legend." Caspian said, "When Aslan roars, winter ends, and when he shakes his mane, spring returns."
"Aslan?"
"A lion." Nikabrik said lightly.
"In the legend, Aslan defeated the White Witch who controlled a hundred years of winter, bringing spring to Narnia.
He crowned four human kings, bringing peace and prosperity to Narnia." Caspian further explained.
Hearing this, Aaron's heart immediately sank by half, feeling that his 'combat power ceiling' should have a question mark next to it.
A Witch who could live for over a hundred years was definitely not to be trifled with, let alone Aslan who could defeat her.
Coupled with the magical Potion in his pocket, he suddenly felt that this world was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Those who could rival him were definitely few, but they were not nonexistent.
"When our homeland was invaded, the four kings did not appear, nor did Aslan." Nikabrik said pessimistically, "They abandoned us, abandoned Narnia.
Perhaps it's just a legend, and they don't exist at all."
"No, past experience tells me that legends are based on reality. What he says is nine times out of ten true."
"It is true." Caspian said, "My tutor spent a long time finding Queen Susan's horn, the one I blew earlier."
"That's also why I didn't kill you immediately." Nikabrik said, "I don't believe in legends, but that doesn't mean others don't."
"Does this horn have any special meaning?" Aaron asked curiously.
"Most Narnians believe that horn can summon back the four kings of Old Narnia."
"What the f*ck!"
Aaron immediately gave Caspian a glare.
Why did you blow it for no reason?
If it summoned four ordinary people, it would be fine, but if it summoned four powerful Wizards, then he would be in trouble. More importantly, the four pieces of equipment on him were, in all likelihood, those of the four kings. What would he do then, give them back or not?