Chapter 56
The expression on Mr. Yi’s face instantly turned as if he were about to devour someone. He stared fixedly at Jiuque, and after a long moment, the corner of his mouth curved into a faint smile.
“You’re overthinking. There’s no one behind me, so why would anyone silence me? If you’re worried, it should be about your own officials in the Ministry of Punishments using excessive methods that could kill me, right?”
Jiuque had no time to waste on idle talk and directly recounted the horrific incident that had occurred today. Mr. Yi’s face grew increasingly grim. Normally, even if the news were tight now, the master behind Wuyou Cave wouldn’t lay a hand on those goods. After all, the most valuable things were the women themselves. Even if they were rescued, what of it? As long as they were alive, they could always be found, maybe even replaced with better ones.
Since even the “fat sheep” were killed, it seemed the master was truly desperate.
Even ants try to survive; if someone can live, who would willingly die? Mr. Yi pondered for a while. Though somewhat tempted, he still maintained his composure and refused to say more. Pushed too hard, he would only reply in one word.
“The master saved my life. I may just be a nobody hiding in the shadows, but I know how to repay kindness. How could I ever betray? Besides, if you want me to act, you should at least show some sincerity. First, I don’t like this prison—it’s dirty, broken, and damp. My clothes are soaked in blood and stink unbearably. Isn’t it too much to ask for a change of clothes…”
The Left Deputy Minister of Punishments was furious. During the earlier interrogation, Mr. Yi had been just as unyielding, and even after trying every instrument of torture in the cell, the man, despite his cries of pain, refused to reveal any crucial information. Extracting anything from him would truly be difficult.
It remained unclear what methods Lord Ying of Ying County, who had inexplicably gained the Emperor’s favor, could use.
At first, Jiuque said nothing, listening as Mr. Yi rambled, his gaze lingering on the scars exposed on Yi’s battered skin. Some of the old wounds clearly weren’t caused in the past few days in prison…
“You, Yi… to be honest, I still want to kill you. That lightning fire that night—why didn’t it burn you to death?”
“Lord!”
The Left Deputy Minister of Punishments was startled and speechless. He had expected Lord Ying to have some formidable method, but it turned out it was just a provocation. Such methods didn’t work on Yi.
Sure enough, Yi’s eyes grew cold.
“I keep thinking about one thing: how can someone who has suffered themselves still want to drag innocent others down? Seeing you, I roughly understand. You must believe that when you suffered, no one saved you, and your life was miserable, yet others live freely under the sun. So you hate them, wanting to drag them down and make them experience the suffering you endured?”
“Shut up…”
“I’ve always thought such people have something wrong in their hearts. Yes, you are pitiful, but does that make others not pitiful? Life is precious. Being forced to do evil, though legally wrong, is somewhat understandable. But doing evil willingly is different. When you traded those innocent women and children, did you ever think about yourself back then? Did it never occur to you that if someone had helped you at the time, your life might have been different?”
“Shut up… I said shut up!”
The chains rattled violently, but it could not drown out Jiuque’s voice.
“How similar they were to you! In fact, someone did try to help them—they were only half a day away from survival and reuniting with their families. Life was indeed hard back then, but time heals all. Yet before they could rejoice at being saved, the assassins arrived. Can you imagine the pain of hope being right in front of you and then disappearing instantly? You had the chance…”
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”
Yi finally lost control. He screamed madly, his voice tearing, yet he kept shouting. When he finally quieted, he saw that Ying Jiuque had stopped, staring at him with an unsettling gaze.
A cold sneer.
“Do you think that by saying a few words, I’ll obediently listen? Even if you’re right, what of it? That was in the past. I am no longer the pitiful victim of bullying. In Wuyou Cave, under the master’s protection, I have many privileges. I no longer live in a dark, cold, rat-infested trench, nor do I wake up every morning fearing if I’ll survive. I live well, better than the past twenty-three years! I will not be bettered!”
The iron chains clanged together ceaselessly. Yi’s scars tore further, blood soaking out and dripping onto the floor, forming small puddles. Yet he seemed oblivious, shouting as if battling a mortal enemy.
And the enemy being despised—Ying Jiuque—simply watched him quietly.
“Is that so? Then why didn’t you resist? I guess those who abducted you back then met a terrible fate? After all, you’re so clever.”
“That’s right. I chopped them into pieces and fed them to dogs! Not a bone left, hahaha—”
As those nearby gasped in shock, Jiuque’s voice softened.
“You’re so clever. Didn’t you realize all the crimes in Wuyou Cave were because of the largest master behind it? All these years, why haven’t you taken revenge? Could it be that living a safe, high-ranking life for so long can truly erase past pain?”
“What do you know?!”
Yi reacted violently, flailing his arms, though chained, making his movements small and somewhat comical—but none present laughed. Their expressions were heavy. So Yi had also been one of the abducted victims?
From victim to perpetrator—what irony.
“Just because you were born well-off, you think others live well too? Don’t be ridiculous! I can deal with a few low-level lackeys, but the real mastermind is beyond my reach. I am just a small commoner, while he is a lofty, untouchable figure. Do you dare oppose them? What I hate most is people like you, all talk and no action!”
“Even if you say it beautifully, it’s still just talk! Which of you officials truly wanted to save us? So many of us tortured to death, our bodies thrown into some fertile mud, unknown to anyone. When I was terrified, I prayed for the government’s help. Did any of you come? Not a single one! Just a bunch of petty officials chasing glory, wondering if they even had the fate to achieve it! Even if I told you who the mastermind is, would you dare report it? The law has two mouths, yet it’s always you who speak…”
“I dare.”
“W-What?”
Yi looked up in shock and saw Ying Jiuque’s calm expression.
