165: Chapter 165 The Imposter

"So, what about our esteemed Assassin who has come from afar? Would you like some?"

The old man asked with a beaming smile.

The red eyes of Hassan of the Cursed Arm flickered slightly behind his skull mask, followed by a low, raspy chuckle:

"Since we are celebrating a victory, I shall not refuse such hospitality."

"Oh? Splendid. A drink only truly tastes good when shared with a guest."

The smile on the old man's face grew even wider.

Then, under everyone's astonished gazes, he pulled out three bottles of alcohol of completely different grades, as if by magic!

He lined the three bottles up on the coffee table and began introducing them like a seasoned collector:

"This is the most common cheap canned beer found on the streets of Shinjuku, sold for only a few hundred yen at convenience stores."

"This is some decent-quality Happoshu looted from a mob hideout."

"As for this last bottle..."

The old man gently tapped a bottle with ornate packaging that reflected an amber glow. "This is a premium Scotch whisky, aged for over fifty years, that I found in the Phantom of the Opera's private liquor cabinet. It is an absolute rarity."

Finishing his introduction, the old man made a "please" gesture.

"Come, my friend. Of these three fine drinks, which would you like to taste?"

Facing these three options, Hassan of the Cursed Arm merely glanced at them before reaching out with his intact left hand without hesitation, picking up the most luxuriously packaged and expensive premium whisky.

"Since it's a celebration, one naturally chooses the top-tier vintage."

He skillfully uncorked the bottle, poured himself a full glass, and downed it in one gulp.

He then let out a satisfied sigh. "Truly a fine drink. After staying in such a desolate place for so long, being able to drink something like this is a stroke of great fortune."

The entire sequence of movements was smooth and natural, executed in one go.

However, the moment Hassan of the Cursed Arm drank that glass of whisky...

PD, sitting on the sofa, froze as if struck by lightning, nearly spilling the system-issued 'Iced Barley Tea' in his hand all over his lap!

In the entire livestream room, after a brief three-second deathly silence, the bullet chat exploded like a bursting dam!

"WTF?! He drank it?!"

"Wait a minute! Everyone, recall the plot of the Sixth Singularity, Camelot! Old man Hassan is a devout believer!"

"Exactly! I remember clearly—during the banquet in the village of the People of the Mountains, Arash tried to persuade him to drink, and he explicitly said he never touches a drop due to his creed and faith!"

"This guy not only drank it, but he's also freaking skilled at it?!"

"A flaw! This is a massive flaw! This guy isn't Hassan of the Cursed Arm at all!"

PD looked at the dense bullet chat on the screen, then at the 'Hassan' sitting opposite him still savoring the whisky, feeling a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

Not only that, but PD's brain, which had become incredibly sharp after surviving many brutal first-clears, began racing frantically.

"No... it's not just the drinking."

PD stared intently at the expensive whisky bottle in the other's hand, his mind suddenly flashing back to the top-secret intel the Phantom of the Opera had mentioned before his death at the Opera House!

[The members of the Phantom Demon Alliance are all driven by intense 'desire'.]

[The Headless Knight's desire is revenge, while that elusive Assassin... his desire is the pursuit of luxury!]

"Luxury... extravagance... expensive..."

PD's breathing suddenly became rapid.

In this simple Basement, faced with three different grades of alcohol, the real Hassan—even if forced to drink—would absolutely choose the most inconspicuous, ascetic option.

The person who chose that most expensive and luxurious top-tier whisky without hesitation...

Could only be that Phantasm whose heart was completely dominated by the desire for [Luxury]—Shinjuku's Assassin!

"Holy crap..."

PD roared frantically in his mind, "This guy is an enemy in disguise!!"

At this moment, PD finally understood why the old man had so kindly suggested a celebration.

He had seen through the fake's disguise at a glance, which was why he had deliberately set up this trap-filled drinking session!

The old man's IQ and cunning were simply monstrous to an outrageous degree!

PD turned his head and happened to meet the old man's knowing, half-smile.

The two exchanged a look in mid-air that only those who are equally devious could understand.

Clearly, no one present was a fool.

Although Saber Alter and Jeanne dArc Alter didn't know about religious rules, relying on their instincts as top-tier Servants, they had long since detected the discordant mana fluctuations coming from this 'Hassan'.

"Oh my, since you like this whisky so much, please take the whole bottle and savor it slowly."

Instead of exposing him on the spot, the old man generously pushed the entire bottle in front of the fake Hassan, his smile becoming increasingly kind and amiable.

"Then I shall not be modest."

The fake Hassan had no idea that he had already been completely exposed before a group of veteran actors; he even swirled his glass quite smugly, continuing to play the role of the 'taciturn good brother' in his mind.

This grandson's acting could only be described as a disaster.

However, looking around...

Saber Alter was expressionlessly eating potato chips, as if she saw nothing.

Jeanne dArc Alter yawned, listlessly continuing to flip through a fashion magazine she'd swiped from a nearby clothing store.

And the instigator—Shinjuku Archer—was all smiles, even actively stepping forward to pour another full glass for the fake Hassan!

"It seems these big shots are determined to keep playing along with this grandson."

PD's lips twitched slightly. As Chaldea's only designated 'drama queen' Master, he naturally couldn't fall behind.

"Oh, Brother Hassan! So you're into this too!"

PD slapped his thigh and leaned in with exaggerated excitement, his tone full of over-the-top 'old friend' enthusiasm. "I thought you were a rigid ascetic back in the Sixth Singularity. I didn't expect that after leaving the desert, you'd know how to enjoy life too! Your taste in whisky is superb!"

Hearing PD's shameless flattery, the fake Hassan's body beneath the skull mask visibly stiffened for a moment.

He clearly knew nothing about the 'ascetic of the Sixth Singularity' setting, but to avoid blowing his cover, he had to play along.

"Heh... people change."

The fake Hassan let out a raspy, dry laugh, raising his glass to hide his nervousness. "Having been undercover in this lawless land for so long, occasionally tasting the essence of human civilization is also to better maintain my sanity."

"Well said! To sanity, cheers!" The old man raised his glass with a smile and clinked it against the fake Hassan's.

In the livestream room, the audience watching this room full of 'scheming' Oscar-level performances had long since lost it with laughter:

"Hahahahaha! A massive live-action roleplay scene!"

"Fake Hassan: These Chaldea people are so easy to fool. PD: This poor kid is so easy to fool."

"The old man is so wicked, pushing drinks like crazy. Is he trying to get the Assassin drunk before interrogating him?"

"Everyone's a villain, everyone's an actor!"

Just as this group was flattering each other and the atmosphere was as harmonious as a New Year's celebration...

In the Chaldea Control Room, which had maintained holographic communication throughout, Da Vinci appeared on the screen holding a cup of coffee, moving unhurriedly.