Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Chapter 70

Ingrid had to be careful. She was already hiding the existence of her spatial storage, and the last thing she needed was for someone to dig through her memories and discover that she possessed abilities that weren’t normal.

There was also the matter of the Star Glow Herbs she had handed over. Those five precious stalks had been the price she was willing to pay for Lysander’s treatment, and the Guild had already taken them and Hunter G made a deal with her. Why were these people still trying to force her into a memory search?

However, the moment she thought about the Star Glow Herbs, the pieces began to fit together.

Ingrid looked at the old man again, then briefly glanced at the others. "Let me guess. This isn’t really about the information I have on the zombies or you all being worried that I have some ulterior motives, is it?" she asked, watching their expressions carefully.

The old man said nothing, but the slight narrowing of his eyes told her that she had touched on something he didn’t want to discuss.

"You want to know where I got the Star Glow Herbs from, don’t you?" Ingrid continued, her voice steady as she put the accusation into words. "I handed over five stalks, and now you want to search my memories to find out where I found them. Is that why you’re so determined to do this instead of asking me questions like normal people?"

A flicker of genuine displeasure crossed the old man’s face. It was brief, but Ingrid caught it, and her suspicion hardened.

"Watch your mouth," he warned, taking a step closer. "You seem to have mistaken the Guild’s patience for permission to behave however you please."

Ingrid met his gaze without backing away, although her fingers curled against the edge of the bed. "And you seem to have mistaken your position for permission to do whatever you want to me. I gave you valuable information and herbs that could save lives, yet instead of thanking me or asking where I found them, you want to force your way into my memories. If you have a legitimate reason to suspect me, then explain it. Otherwise, don’t expect me to cooperate just because you barked an order."

The room fell silent. Ingrid knew she was taking a risk by speaking to him this way, especially when she was still injured and surrounded by people who could probably overpower her without much effort. However, there was a difference between being cautious and allowing someone to walk all over her. She couldn’t fight all three men at once, and she certainly couldn’t afford to reveal her hidden abilities in front of the entire Guild, so she needed to understand their intentions before deciding what to do next.

The old man studied her with open dislike, his eyes moving over her plain gown and the fresh bandage around her neck as though he were searching for a reason to remind her of her place. "You were brought here from a place where unusual Evolved Ones appeared, and you claim to possess information that could affect the Guild’s operations," he said at last. "You also produced a rare medicinal herb that you supposedly found by chance. Do you expect us to accept your story without verification?"

"No," Ingrid answered. "I expect you to investigate it properly. There’s a difference between investigating someone and forcing them to submit to a procedure without explaining what it involves."

"You are in no position to dictate how we conduct our investigation." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"And you still haven’t explained why you need to search my memories."

His face grew darker, and Ingrid could tell that her refusal was wearing down what little patience he had left. He must have been accustomed to people obeying him, and she suspected that the thought of a wounded woman from a small settlement challenging him in front of his colleagues was more offensive to him than anything she had actually said. Unfortunately for him, she had no intention of making his day easier just to protect his pride.

"Enough," he said sharply, turning toward the others. "Prepare her for the memory search. We don’t have time to lose."

"And I said I don’t consent to the memory search. If you think I’ll come over with you quietly, then you’re extremely wrong!"

Ingrid looked past him at Hunter G, hoping the man who had shown her some fairness earlier would finally say something. Hunter G’s expression remained serious, and she couldn’t tell whether he intended to intervene or whether his hands were tied by the authority these men held. Freya had gone unusually quiet beside him. Ingrid’s stomach tightened as she realized that arguing with the old man might not be enough to stop them.

’Lorna,’ She called silently, keeping her eyes on the men as they began to move. ’Please tell me there’s a way to get out of this without exposing any of my secrets.’

Lorna didn’t say anything in response to Ingrid’s question and she almost cursed. When she needs Lorna the most, Lorna actually disappeared on her! Fuck!

If these people actually found out about her system, she’s done for!

Jowe’s grandfather stared at Ingrid for several seconds, his face growing darker with every passing moment. Judging by the way he held himself, he was the sort of man who had spent so many years giving orders that he had forgotten what it felt like to be told no.

Unfortunately for him, Ingrid had never been particularly good at pretending to respect people who hadn’t earned it.

"My grandson told me that you were disrespectful and uncouth, but I thought he might have exaggerated a little," he said, looking down at Ingrid with undisguised disdain. "Now that I’ve seen you for myself, I realize he was telling the truth. You have no manners, no respect for your superiors, and absolutely no understanding of your place."

Ingrid raised her eyebrows. ’Oh, so we’re doing this now?’

"Now that I know you’re Jowe’s grandfather, everything makes sense," Ingrid replied, giving him a thoughtful look. "You’re both arrogant, unreasonable, and convinced that being in a position of authority means everyone else has to bow their heads whenever you speak. You also seem to have the same habit of making accusations before getting all the facts, and neither of you can accept it when someone questions your judgment."

Ingrid paused, pretending to consider whether she had missed anything important.

"Oh, and you both have terrible tempers when things don’t go your way. I suppose that runs in the family."