"Can't you think of a way to wake him up directly? This is a matter of life and death! Nannan's parents have already taken people up the mountain to search, but the results aren't ideal. Can't you just call Huang San out and have his disciples and grandchildren search?" I roared at Bai Ling'er in a low voice, feeling helpless.
If I had known Huang San was asleep earlier, I would have gone up the mountain to search with them. Even if I couldn't find her, I would have at least contributed. Now, half a day had been wasted, and I didn't know what results they had found in their search.
"You have the nerve to say that! You gave Huang San a rat demon to eat, but you didn't give me any. Didn't you see he could speak?"
What? A rat demon?
My mind instantly flashed to the rat demon that had possessed Gou Dazi. I had originally planned to question it about why it harmed people, but now it had already entered Huang San's belly. No wonder the usually silent Huang San suddenly started talking; so that's what happened.
"I don't care. Bai Ling'er, you have to help me with this. If you hadn't told me Nannan wasn't dead, I might have just assumed she was gone and let it go. But now that I know she's alive, I can't just stand by and watch her leave like this. Whatever you do, hurry up and find Huang San. I need his disciples and grandchildren to search the mountain."
"I want to wake him up, but I don't even know where he's hiding now. Where do you expect me to find him?" Bai Ling'er rolled her eyes at me, looking helpless.
"Then can't you just command his descendants?" I asked urgently.
"Do you think I'm a weasel? Why don't you use your brain?"
"..."
Just as Bai Ling'er and I were arguing, we heard hurried footsteps approaching from the courtyard. Judging by the sound, there were quite a few people.
Bai Ling'er, disliking meeting strangers, immediately coiled herself up on the lounge chair. With a flick of her tail, she fanned herself with a large palm-leaf fan, covering herself. As long as the fan wasn't moved, no one would discover that a snake was coiled underneath.
Looking towards the main gate, the leader was Murong Yun's sister, the "Flatboard Girl." Following behind her were several bodyguards who had arrived earlier. However, these people all had injuries on their faces, and their clothes were torn and tattered, making them look like refugees fleeing a disaster.
"Song, I want an explanation from you." Before the Flatboard Girl even arrived, her fiery words reached me.
I frowned and said, "I don't understand what you're talking about. What explanation do you want from me? Besides, your sister already believes the child is on the mountain. Why are you asking me for an explanation? Do I need to explain anything to you?"
Actually, there was one more thing I wanted to say: the child isn't yours, and her mother isn't worried, so why are you so anxious? You're just meddling in other people's business. However, seeing the fire in her eyes, I could only swallow my words.
"Someone grab this swindler for me." With the Flatboard Girl's command, the bodyguards behind her rushed towards me like hungry wolves.
"Have you thought this through? The consequences of attacking me?"
The bodyguards glanced at the Flatboard Girl.
"Arrest him."
As soon as the Flatboard Girl finished speaking, the bodyguards lunged at me like hungry wolves.
I wasn't a pushover either. Seeing their fierce approach, I immediately activated the Tian Qiao Seal on myself as a precaution. But who knew that although they looked strong, they were all as weak as soft shrimps.
It was then that I remembered they had been searching the mountain for most of the day. Even the strongest man would have tired legs. Now, they could only attack me with a burst of adrenaline.
With a few effortless moves, I dealt with the two fastest bodyguards. As I was about to finish off the next one, a crisp click echoed in my ears.
This made my body freeze because I recognized the sound. It was the sound of a firearm being cocked.
"Try moving again?"
I quickly raised my hands above my head and slowly turned around. Without me realizing it, she was holding a finely crafted, cocked pistol.
"Flatboard Girl, don't be impulsive. Be careful of accidental discharge. Besides, killing is against the law. If you kill me, you won't get away with it."
The Flatboard Girl ignored my sophistry, gritted her teeth, and cursed, "You're the flat one, and your whole family is flat! Do you think I'm still developing, you idiot?"
"You useless bunch, what are you still standing around for? You can't even beat a country bumpkin, and I have to step in. Tie him up for me."
"Yes."
I could only allow them to bind me because a gun was not something the physical body could resist. Unless it was a powerful Feng Shui master who had ways to neutralize firearms, it was a fatal weapon to me for now.
After tying me up like a zongzi, the Flatboard Girl finally put away her gun and looked at me triumphantly, saying, "Kid, I'll ask you, where did you hide Nannan? If you tell me honestly, I can go easy on you and not deal with you. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."
I gave her a big eye roll and spat, "Bah! No good deed goes unpunished. I kindly gave you clues about Nannan, and instead of being grateful, you dare to point a gun at me? Have your consciences been eaten by dogs?"
The Flatboard Girl kicked me in the chest, nearly making me vomit the noodles I had eaten for lunch.
"How can people in your line of work have any conscience? It seems that if you're not taught a lesson, you won't willingly hand over Nannan. Someone, beat him!"
"What the hell, are you serious?"
"Otherwise?" The Flatboard Girl smiled and stopped the bodyguards who were about to attack me, then continued, "It's okay if you don't fight. Tell me where you hid Nannan. As long as you tell me, I won't hit you, and I'll even give you some money and return your freedom. What do you say?"
Seeing her smile like a fox, I was so angry my teeth itched. Not only was Nannan not kidnapped by me, but even if she were, I couldn't admit it! It was obvious this girl was the type to cross the bridge and burn it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have searched for so long and then turned back to attack me.
"Flatboard Girl, I'll say it again, Nannan's disappearance has nothing to do with me. Let me go quickly. Otherwise, when your sister comes back and sees how you treated me, be careful she spanks you." I tried to break free from the ropes, but I didn't know how these guys tied me. The more I struggled, the tighter the ropes on my hands became. After struggling a couple of times, I gave up.
"Tch, don't use my sister to pressure me. I've asked my brother-in-law, and he said you're a swindler. Kid, prepare to die at my hands."
"You two go into that room. My brother-in-law said there are candles in there. Get them out for me."
The two bodyguards didn't even look up, lowering their heads as they entered the冥堂 (ming tang - ancestral hall/mourning hall), their faces showing a look that said, "You're in trouble."
"Flatboard Girl, what exactly do you want? I'm telling you, you're framing an innocent person!"
"Framed or not, we'll know after asking, won't we? We've been terribly deceived by you these past few days. You either told us to search here or search there. This time, now that we've finally caught you, I'll see where you can run."
"Second Miss, we found some red candles."
"Hmm, turn him over for me, and hold his head down so he can't move."
"Second Miss, isn't this a bit excessive? Eldest Miss said he..." one of the bodyguards said worriedly. This almost made me shed tears of gratitude, but then the Flatboard Girl's words plunged me into an ice cave.
"When dealing with people like this, do we need to talk about humanitarianism? If we don't use some form of torture, they won't talk. Hold him down for me, and I'll let him experience my newly invented torture."
The two bodyguards looked at me with expressions that said, "Kid, you're finished," but their hands didn't stop. Instead, they held my head in place so the Flatboard Girl could drip wax.
Seeing the Flatboard Girl light the candle, I instantly understood what she intended to do.
Damn it, dripping wax! You malicious little flat girl, what's in your head? How could you come up with such a wicked method? Although wax oil can't burn someone to death, anyone who has experienced the sensation never wants to try it a second time.
"You hold him down and don't move. I don't believe I can't force out Nannan's whereabouts."
The Flatboard Girl's eyes gleamed with excitement, like a demon, as if the words "I am a demon" were carved on her face.