29 Shadow of Torture (1/2)
Above the second floor, the sound like dripping water spread from Ben's hands, going in all directions, evenly cascading down on the floor below.
The music was as smooth as flowing water, but suddenly become violent like fire and lava, and illuminated everything that the students had repressed along its way.
”Write it down!” Ben coldly stared at the candidates below, as if he was looking at dirt. On the floor as clear as crystal, his shadow loomed down like a terrible creature. Defying the laws of nature, his shadow quickly expanded and invaded the candidates' shadow.
Instantly, everyone seemed to have been hit by lightning. Their bodies stiffened and they seized their pens.
A demon seemed to roar within them, ”Write down your most painful secret!” The harsh voice surged violently, like a chainsaw battling a sword!
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”Dad, brother, I've failed you!”
In the examination room, a boy about seventeen-years-old suddenly burst into tears. He grabbed his pen and started writing frantically on the blank exam paper,
”I'm sorry, I am worthless. I did not study the music theory well. I have disgraced the family. Please forgive me!”
From his writing, the image of a poor family emerged. They were hard working, and borrowed a lot of money, but they had provided him, their youngest child, the chance to an education. There was an older brother, who had been close to the younger brother once, but alienated him as they grew older because of money. And himself, who could never get good grades no matter how hard he tried.
”Haha! You all deserve to die! To die!” in the corner, a red-haired man laughed hysterically. He held the pen in his hand as if he was holding a knife, frantically stabbing the air in front of him, and writing names on the paper.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Severus...a dozen names crossed out like a hit list. He kept stabbing with a grim smile, ”Die everyone! Anyone who stands in the way of the Draco's family has to die!”
”Give me the money first, I want a deposit!” A thin and hunched candidate with fiery eyes wrote down his plan on the paper, ”I promise you, as long as I get into the academy, I will help you steal that thing...”
Above the second floor, the examiners stared at the scandals down in the examination room, expressionlessly recording their students' actions in their own notes.
”Didn't think he's a spy.” Someone saw the hunched candidate, and shook his head coolly. ”At the end of the examination, transfer him to the discipline department.”
The examiner responsible for the northeast corner raised her hands, ”I found two here as well. They were spies from the other schools.”
”This man desires his own sister? Bad character, flush him out.”
”Ruthless character, get him out.”
”A murderer? Take him to the police station.”
”This man forged his medical report, he has to go.”
This was the most difficult part of the exam. Led unconsciously by the music, everyone would reveal their deepest secret.
Moreover, this was ”Shadow of the Interrogation” played by a real musician. Even a spy with official training could not hide, let alone a group of immature minors.
Ben smiled coldly. When his eyes reached the young man in the middle of the examination room, he was shocked.
In his seat, Ye Qingxuan was struggling to hold up his head, twisting painfully like he was struggling in a nightmare. His hands were twitching, but refused to grasp the pen.
His mind was resisting against the influence of the music.
”As expected.” Ben smiled and increased the intensity of the music. ”Let me see into your little heart. What secrets are you hiding?”
On the chair, the boy's body was shaking frantically, like a dying snake. His hands were tightly clutching the pen, but not a word was written down.
He was still fighting! Fighting hard!
”Say it.” Ben growled. The music increased by two octaves, becoming more and more sharp.
The white-haired was in pain, his body was trembling violently. He almost could not bear it any longer.
”Tell me!” Ben demanded as if the devil was roaring next in his ears. He raised the pitch even higher.
As if a strong current had gone through his body, Ye Qingxuan suddenly jumped from his seat, his eyes turned white.
He was still biting his teeth, refusing to talk.
Finally, the music shattered like broken glass. Iron residue fell from above resulting in a horrifying screeching noise that made all of the proctors cringe. They did not know, but it had exceeded the safety threshold by more than three times!
This was not a mild test, but a vicious torture breaching the souls! Even adults could not bear such terrible pressure!
”Say it all!” Ben's eyes turned bloody red with a hellish madness and malice. His voice boomed like thunder inside the young man's heart, ”Tell all your dirty secrets, say it all!”
Something cracked.
As if the last string had broken, the young man's body suddenly seized up. While holding his pen, he struggled and opened his mouth. He looked up, staring at the invisible sky, his eyes rolling back.
Under the viscous force, his finally gave in.
”Yes, say it.” Ben cheerfully laughed, ”Say it! Say it! The biggest secret in your heart. What's on your dirty mind! Reveal it all!”
With Ben's mad laugh, Ye Qingxuan opened his mouth slowly. With a painful voice he began to pray.
Ben was stunned, ”...Huh?!”
”I will fill this river, let it run endless, for you, my Lord, for you.” The young man prayed intently. He opened his hands and drew an emblem in the air. ”Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, the young man clasped his hands together over his chest. He was moved to tears by the God's teaching, and praised the glory of the Lord with devotion. In the sunlight, his body was like a saint...not! Ben was seething with rage.
”What is this? What is this f*cking sh*t!? What is he doing!?” Ben screamed inside his head.
Ben's face had turned from green to bright red. He felt as if he were about to collapse.
In the afternoon sunlight, the examination room was like an asylum.