Super Righteous Player
Chapter 81 - 80 Tightening the Noose _1

Chapter 81: Chapter 80 Tightening the Noose _1

So-called steal overpowers steady, steady overpowers rash, rash overpowers steal.

While Annan maintained caution at all times, he could also launch a powerful F2A at any moment, and decisively switch "homes" in a timely manner.

That would mean being invincible in battle—

"...What exactly do you want to do?"

The old viscount’s complexion was gloomy as he sat in his seat, looking at Annan, his expression still very wan.

He had just been awakened by Annan.

Seeing that damned young brat standing in front of him with a smug smile, looking completely unafraid, he prudently chose not to call out for Justin.

Because Alvin was also a clever man.

He could easily infer that since Annan Winter dared to knock him out alone and wake him while Justin was still in the room...

It meant he didn’t want to kill him, but had something he needed his help with—otherwise, he could have killed him while he was still unconscious and utterly defenseless.

—But it also meant that he wasn’t afraid of him calling for help.

Old Alvin knew that Annan Winter was only fourteen this year and had been frail and sickly since childhood, having nearly died several times.

That was precisely why Duke Ivan had chosen the name "Annan" for him—it was a neutral name with slightly feminine connotations. When pronounced with a Winter accent, it should be read as "Anna."

Its original meaning was "kindness"—hence in the Duchy of Winter, only girls were usually given such "weak names."

However, Ivan had not hoped for Annan to grow up to be a kind person.

He simply wished that the grandmother would harbor more kindness for this child, so that his fate wouldn’t be so rough, allowing Annan to grow up safe and sound.

Old Alvin still believed that, given Annan’s physical condition, there was no way he would dare to fight with such a robust Hunter in enemy territory. He couldn’t even run.

After all, he was not a noble from his own country, least of all the direct descendant of the enemy’s supreme ruler.

Being captured alive would mean a fortune and a meteoric rise to glory.

No matter how you looked at it, Annan wouldn’t be likely to kill him. But he also wouldn’t dare to let him call for help.

So...

What was his reliance?

The wary old viscount awaited Annan’s answer without uttering any superfluous words.

"...You’re quite clever, huh."

Annan chuckled lightly, "But you’d best not attempt to call for help or reveal my identity to anyone else, whether verbally or in writing. Because before you can shout for help, you will forget what you were about to say...

"At the same time, you will die of cardiac paralysis. For an old man your age, a sudden death would truly be nothing out of the ordinary."

"...Cardiac paralysis and Forgotten Secrets?"

The old viscount guessed darkly.

Annan was somewhat surprised.

He paused for a moment, then revealed an amiable and gentle smile, "It seems you’re not as ignorant about the Transcendent world as the rumors suggest."

"Hmph, naturally."

The old viscount didn’t say much, just let out a low, cold snort.

Annan’s words were indeed true.

But there was one difference—

He hadn’t inflicted the Curse Binding of Inhibited Speech on the viscount, but instead, I Am Not Here.

That way, when the players entered the room afterwards, they also wouldn’t notice the viscount’s presence—they were all genuine ordinary people, with no resistance to curses.

This also meant that Annan had directly sealed off any channel for his identity to be leaked.

But he did not kill the old viscount.

Because he wanted to see if he could interrogate and extract some secret information from him before the players entered the scene.

Given the identity of Viscount Barber, he was bound to know quite a lot.

"Nevertheless, I still can’t fathom why you would attack me."

The old viscount asked somberly, probing Annan, "We can talk things over..."

Realizing he wasn’t going to die just yet, he had regained his composure.

The two maintained their prior distance, still sitting in their respective seats, with the same expressions as before.

But the atmosphere between them had completely changed.

Annan just sighed, with a face full of pity for the world:

"Believe it or not, I am merely here to give you a heads-up."

"Heh, I have never seen such a manner of reminding someone."

The old Viscount let out a forced laugh, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Perhaps your father specifically taught you these unique techniques?"

"Believe it or not, I am simply here to advise you... to be more patient."

Annan, however, was unmoved, merely smiling serenely.

He stood up from his chair and walked slowly towards the elderly man. This action made Alvin tense up, his mindset subconsciously on guard.

"Though I am young," Annan said softly, "I know much.

"Did you not once fail because of a rash decision? If you had just been a little more patient back then... wouldn’t your situation be much better now?"

Upon hearing these words, the Viscount was taken aback, momentarily lost in thought.

Patient... yes, patience.

He remembered it now.

Indeed, there had been such an incident...

"I am also aware that you have always been a person of rich emotions," Annan said gently, slowly nodding his head as he stood still, "You just... are not good at expressing them. Or rather, you can’t be bothered to express them because it is meaningless.

"So people misunderstand you, thinking you are an indifferent person. But I know you are not like that."

"...Heh, you think you know."

The old Viscount murmured mockingly, shrinking tiredly into his chair, mumbling something inaudible.

It was some time before he looked up again, eyes refocusing on Annan.

"What exactly do you want to know?"

The elder’s voice was deep as he asked bluntly, "Just speak frankly, no need for niceties."

Though that’s what he said,

the terrible expression on his face had relaxed considerably.

——All this was within Annan’s expectations.

These were simply straightforward conversational tactics... also known as cold reading.

The words Annan had spoken could just as effectively apply to others, an example of the Barnum effect—when people are described with vague adjectives, they tend to easily accept and believe these descriptions truly characterize them.

First, Annan knocked out the Viscount with Lazy Eye and then boldly let him wake up in a safe place. This caused the Viscount to doubt his current safety, no longer trusting that "he was still in a safe area."

On this basis, Annan constrained the Viscount’s behavior with Curse Binding, putting him under the pressure of death. In this situation, a factual coercive relationship formed between him and Annan.

Annan held the key to his life and death, and he could not resist Annan.

But Annan did not bully him, nor did he forcefully coerce him.

Instead, he used cold reading in a friendly manner to draw closer to him... With this push and pull, the Viscount’s guard against Annan would crumble.

On one hand, he believed, "I am utterly powerless before him," while also thinking, "Maybe this child can understand me," and still regarding Annan as a "young man," holding onto a psychological sense of superiority due to Annan’s age.

Furthermore, judging from the Viscount’s detailed reactions, Annan could tentatively presume that the elderly Alvin was someone disinclined to trust others, more inclined to believe in his experiences and conclusions, and who had a thinking pattern that was overly cautious and suspicious.

Based on his core personality, Annan watched the old Viscount’s eyes and continued to ask in a gentle voice.

"I’m just asking casually, so don’t mind it too much..."

——This question is crucial, you must think carefully before you answer.

"Of course, even if I don’t get an answer that satisfies me, I won’t persecute you. There are other areas where we could collaborate."

——You are indeed useful to me. But your response had better satisfy me.

Annan paused for a moment, ensuring the old Viscount had fully processed his hints before asking softly:

"If you had to choose between the third Prince and Duke Winter... who would you choose?

"——And why would you make that choice? Please answer quickly; we may not have much time to talk."

Annan asked slowly, his voice calm as he gently tapped the blood-stained kitchen knife on the table, revealing a bright and tender smile: "You know what I mean."

Undoubtedly, this was an interrogation.

But different from what Alvin understood.

Annan didn’t care about the answer to the first question. It was merely a ruse to distract and lower his guard.

What he truly wanted to ask was the "why"!

To coax an honest and correct answer from the Viscount without rousing his suspicion... an answer that came from his subconscious.

In his daze, Alvin felt that Annan’s ice-blue eyes, though gentle as water and devoid of malice...

Gave off the impression of a deity.

——Aloof, utterly devoid of emotion.