Chapter 29: With Me Here, All Will Go Smoothly

“Not, not at all!”

“We only heard about the Evil Tiger Gang in the past few days!”

The two of them, afraid of being beaten, nodded furiously like pounding garlic.

Huang Doudou fetched a rattan chair from the yard.

Yu Yi sat down leisurely, her long, beautiful legs crossed lightly.

Snow-white skin peeked out from the slit in her skirt.

She spoke calmly, “Tell us everything you know.”

One of them began to explain, “We’re just wandering thieves who arrived in Jintang County a few days ago. There were originally two other companions besides us…”

“That day, the four of us were drinking at a tavern, thinking we might find out which families in the county were wealthy. After we finished drinking, someone handed us a package.”

“There were a lot of silver notes in the package, enough for the four of us to squander for a whole year! There was also a letter, asking us to do some tasks. But our other two companions didn’t want to do it. They decided to take the money and run. Then…”

At this point, Huang Doudou slapped her thigh.

“Oh~ So the two corpses in the forest outside the city were your companions?”

“You… saw them?”

“Sigh… The night those two decided to take the silver notes, they were attacked. By the time we found them, they had already suffered irreversible injuries. They kept saying their organs were turning to stone, and not even a Soul Transformation could save them!”

“We had no choice but to carry them into the forest outside the city at night. They were still alive and conscious then. It was terrifying…”

If what these two said was true, then the two men were abandoned in the forest overnight and only died when Huang Doudou found them.

It was hard to imagine what kind of torment and pain they endured before death.

Organs slowly turning to stone, even Soul Transformations unable to save them.

Such a method could only be done by Su Cheng.

“You really don’t know where the mastermind is?”

Yu Yi asked.

“We really don’t! Sister, please, spare us!”

“After we collect information, we report to someone. You can ask that person. Maybe he knows who the mastermind is and where they are!”

The two showed a powerful will to live.

Yu Yi was now certain—these two thieves were the lowest pieces in the whole scheme.

There was nothing more they could reveal.

“You don’t need me to remind you what to do next, right?”

Yu Yi narrowed her eyes at them.

“Willing to lead the way for you, my lady!”

They replied in unison.

Yu Yi signaled to Huang Doudou.

Huang Doudou stepped forward to untie them.

Then, the two thieves led the way, followed by Yu Yi and her companions as they left the Wei estate.

***

They moved through the city.

Along the way, they encountered some locals.

Some recognized Wei Ying, but only glanced at her before quickly looking away, turning their heads aside.

As if afraid of getting into trouble.

This left Wei Ying feeling down.

“It seems quite a few people know your family was taken.”

Yu Yi, seeing Wei Ying’s drooping head, spoke quietly.

“Mm… They don’t want to get involved with the Wei family. I can understand. It’s also reasonable for the County Magistrate to hide at a time like this.”

Wei Ying answered softly, her voice filled with helplessness and frustration.

The Wei family in Jintang County always maintained a reputation for kindness and warmth.

Her father was respected and loved by neighbors.

Wei Ying once thought that even if few would stand up to help, someone would at least provide information, to offer what little they could.

But now, all she received was cold indifference.

She understood.

She wanted to be angry but couldn’t, leaving only helplessness.

“Wei Ying, don’t take it to heart.”

Yu Yi smiled faintly, her slender jade hand gently patting Wei Ying’s shoulder.

“With me here, all will be well.”

“Senior…”

Wei Ying looked up at Yu Yi.

That flawless profile, calm and in control, made Wei Ying’s heart beat faster.

Yu Yi gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

Wei Ying never imagined that one day, she would look up to the infamous demoness.

“We’ve arrived. It’s just ahead.”

The two thieves stopped, pointing at a building.

“Looks like a Martial Arts Hall.”

Yu Yi said, glancing over.

“Why here?”

Wei Ying was startled, as if she hadn’t expected it.

“Is something wrong with this place?”

Huang Doudou asked.

“The Martial Arts Hall’s owner… has a good relationship with my family. There’s no way he’d work for the Evil Tiger Gang. Were they threatened, too?”

Wei Ying was both worried and confused.

“We’ll know soon enough.”

Yu Yi called to the two thieves, who were about to sneak away.

“You two go in first.”

“Ah, wait… Didn’t you say leading the way was enough?”

“You two, go in first.”

Yu Yi’s tone became firmer.

“Y-yes!”

The two thieves obeyed immediately, pushing open the hall’s doors and entering.

They passed through a practice courtyard filled with wooden stakes and reached the front hall.

At the counter sat a middle-aged man, broad and strong, exuding an invisible pressure even while seated.

He looked up when he noticed people enter.

“Oh, it’s you two.”

He recognized the thieves.

“Any gains today?”

“Uh… this, um…”

Seeing how nervous the thieves were, the middle-aged man didn’t think much of it.

He reassured them,

“Don’t be nervous. Even if there’s nothing today, it’s fine. Didn’t that lord say the target would come sooner or later? Just keep watch on the Wei estate. As long as you do your job, that lord won’t blame you.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the two thieves were shoved aside.

A young girl appeared before him.

“Uncle Pang… Is what you said true? Are you really working for the Evil Tiger Gang?”

Wei Ying stared at the man in disbelief.

The owner of the Martial Arts Hall, Pang Youde, had been friends with the Wei family for decades.

Wei Ying had known him since she was little, always calling him Uncle Pang.

She never imagined the kindly Uncle Pang would work for the kidnappers.

“…A Ying? Tsk, you’ve grown up since I last saw you.”

Pang Youde recognized Wei Ying, his eyes roving over her body with a meaningful look.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“Uncle Pang, you… you must have been threatened, right? It’s okay, don’t worry. Their plot won’t succeed!”

Wei Ying clung to her last hope.

“Threatened?”

Pang Youde snorted.

“A Ying, it seems you really don’t understand anything.”

“Un… understand what?”

“If you want to understand, there are good things in uncle’s room.”

Pang Youde stood up slowly, like a black bear.

“Since you came to me today, don’t blame uncle for being impolite.”

The two thieves, sensing danger, instinctively tried to block Pang Youde and frantically shook their heads and signaled for him not to go forward.

As if stepping outside the Martial Arts Hall was stepping into an abyss.

But Pang Youde didn’t get their signals at all.

He swung his huge hand, knocking one of them to the ground.

“Can’t even handle a little girl, and you brought her to me. Useless fools!”

Then he walked out of the Martial Arts Hall.