[Yang Chengze spoke pleasantries in front of you, speech value +56]
[Yuchi Shen spoke coldly in front of you, speech value +61]
[Yu Wan spoke angrily in front of you, speech value +98]
This included all sorts of talk: idle chat, jokes, sarcastic remarks, truth, lies, dirty language, boasting, whispers... Any action related to speech could strengthen her.
She was also able to suppress others with their own words. Proficient in many languages, she could identify what type of speech a person was using. Then, utilizing the sound waves produced by their speech, she could interfere with their thinking, pressing down on opponents with that particular type of talk.
"This time, the desolate beast is very cunning; the students' one-sided testimonies can't prove anything. The situation is now severe. The desolate beasts you're facing are all very powerful, so we must first make sure that your thinking hasn't been influenced by the desolate beasts," she said.
Mu Yiqing surveyed everyone, her gaze lingering on Xiang Beifei for a moment.
Although the students here had strong system attributes, their cultivation wasn't high. The Ghost Mustache of Remnant Visage was an intelligent creature. If the students' resistance to desolate beasts wasn't strong enough, they might be unknowingly manipulated into lying.
"I hope every student will cooperate with our inquiry, and I ask all professors to be present to listen to their experiences. You are all experienced seniors. We urgently need you to deduce everything about this desolate beast from the students' responses. We are encountering this type of desolate beast for the first time. We need to pool our wisdom, classify this desolate beast, and then see if there's a way to find its lair," Mu Yiqing continued.
"That's exactly my intention," Elder Luo said.
Ren Jianghai darkened his face and was the first to speak up.
All the university professors had no objections. With such a significant incident, it was indeed necessary for everyone to investigate the matter thoroughly.
A light appeared in Mu Yiqing's hand, and a sphere emerged into the air.
"This sphere has the ability to discern truth from falsehood. You may begin asking questions now. If a student is influenced by the desolate beast, leading to insincere speech, there will be fluctuations in the sphere," she said.
Mu Yiqing was essentially a very powerful lie detector. She could distinguish whether a person was telling the truth or not.
The sphere was actually a manifestation of her ability, called [Word Spirit]. It could record everything others had said and then determine truth from falsehood by analyzing their words.
"Let's start with the students who have directly confronted the desolate beast," she suggested.
Ren Jianghai glared at Xiang Beifei intently.
Xiang Beifei had crushed Hou Chengwu, humiliating Qingzhou University fiercely. Now, not only was Hou Chengwu dead, but they had also lost many SRs, and their school's team had disintegrated.
On the contrary, Liangzhou University's team was unscathed, which made him very suspicious.
"Why is it that other schools suffered such heavy losses, yet your team is safe and sound? Did you make some deal with this intelligent desolate beast to avoid disaster?" he asked.
Ren Jianghai's question was very sharp, pointed directly at Xiang Beifei.
When he asked this, many people frowned.
Especially the people from Liangzhou University and Yongzhou University. Their teams had narrowly escaped disaster in the Withered Forest, and now they were being accused of making deals with the desolate beasts?
Elder Luo said coldly, "Ren Jianghai, what are you implying? Trying to sling mud?"
"I'm just following the procedure," Ren Jianghai snorted, saying, "What if they have been controlled by the desolate beast? Who can be sure? This is just official business. Whether it's true or not, it can easily be found out."
"Find out my ass! Throwing around big accusations from the get-go, is that official business? Whose side are you leaning towards with your questions, and you still claim it's official business?" Elder Luo was equally blunt with Ren Jianghai.
Ren Jianghai's question was clearly intended to be provocative, unilaterally speculating that the Liangzhou University student team had some trick up their sleeve during this competition.
"Professor Luo, please do not interfere with our investigation. If they have nothing to hide, just say so, and whether they're telling the truth or not, we will find out soon enough. What are you so afraid of?" Ren Jianghai snorted coldly.
At this point, Zhao Yubo from Yongzhou University was visibly annoyed: "Whether it's Liangzhou University or our Yong University, we will cooperate in the investigation, but we must not be treated as criminals! They are victims, not suspects! I won't allow you to treat my students ."
Zhao Yubo, a professor at Yongzhou University, is also a man of understanding. When their school competed against Liangzhou University, they got to choose not to confront Xiang Beifei and he was the one who was overjoyed and got carried away.
Although Di Sheng from Yongzhou University was later defeated by Li Zimu, after the withering forest incident, he also asked his students about what happened. He was very grateful to Xiang Beifei from Liangzhou University. Without his warning, his own team might have had a grim fate.
Therefore, both emotionally and logically, he had to stand by Professor Luo. Otherwise, once Ren Jianghai finished questioning Xiang Beifei, it would be their turn at Yongzhou University.
"I am just being thorough in investigating this matter. After all, everyone's teams have been severely damaged, while yours have not suffered at all. It is difficult not to associate them with something else. Given that Ghost Mustache of Remnant Visage is so cunning, how could he possibly spare your students? I must investigate all possibilities!" Ren Jianghai said coldly.
Elder Luo's eyes bulged: "Stop talking nonsense! As the host of the outer wilds, Qingzhou University did not thoroughly investigate the desolate beast situation, leading to this series of tragedies. Instead of reflecting on yourselves, you start by interrogating my students like criminals, asking if they colluded with desolate beasts? So, survival equates to complicity? Have you got no sense at your age?"
This was initially just about Liangzhou University students assisting with the case and answering questions. Xiang Beifei and the others were survivors and victims.
But with Ren Jianghai's attitude, he was directly treating Xiang Beifei and the others as suspects!
Victims and suspects are fundamentally different!
If this wasn't stopped, it was clear that Ren Jianghai would only ask more outrageous questions next, and then lead everyone to target Xiang Beifei and his group.
Xiang Beifei and his group would be mired in all sorts of suspicion, criticized by various universities.
Elder Luo would not allow his students to be treated as suspects without cause!
However, Ren Jianghai snorted: "You are so eager to protect your students, are you afraid of the truth being uncovered?"
"Are you insinuating with your insinuations because you want to shift the blame onto my students? Could I then also interpret it as you having dealings with the desolate beasts, and now, frightened of being found out, you're biting back first?" Elder Luo said, matching him blow for blow.
"Luo Yunxian, watch how you speak! Do not smear others without basis!" Ren Jianghai said, quite irritated.
"Now you know how frustrating it is to be falsely accused? When you suspect others, it's all business, but when I suspect you, it's smearing? Quite the double standard! Well, let me tell you, this is how I speak!"
Elder Luo roared suddenly, and a powerful aura emanated from him like a stormy surge, sending Ren Jianghai stumbling several steps back.
Ren Jianghai hadn't expected the other party to actually dare to make a move here.
"Don't like it? Hold it in!"
Elder Luo bellowed, his voice thunderous.
He wanted Ren Jianghai to experience the feeling of being slandered and unable to retort!
Ren Jianghai, seeing Luo Yunxian actually get angry, shuddered in his heart and reflexively held back the words he was about to say.
He dared not speak anymore!
Ren Jianghai could usually taunt Luo Yunxian and boast about how outstanding his students were, but that never touched Luo Yunxian's bottom line, and Luo Yunxian couldn't be bothered to act on it.
However, Ren Jianghai was very angry because his SSR students were in trouble, and as the host, he was under great pressure too; he hadn't realized he'd crossed the line.
But once he touched Elder Luo's bottom line, there wouldn't be an easy end to it.