https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-75-Conversation-with-the-Guards-Parents-Cause-of-Death/12618865/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-77-Murderous-Intent-Boils-Over-A-Bloody-Escape-/12618869/
Chapter 76: Sinful Haven, A Sudden Urge to Kill!
Chapter 76: Sinful Haven, A Sudden Urge to Kill!
Time passed slowly, and Lu Qing remained hidden in the tree.
On the other side, Magu was growing increasingly anxious.
"Well? Have you found any trace of Young Master Lu yet?"
"No sign of him yet," Xiao Tian replied. "Dashi and I have been searching the area, but we haven't seen any sign of Young Master Lu."
"How can that be? Did we arrive too late? Has Young Master Lu already entered and been captured?" Magu asked, his voice filled with worry.
"I don't think so," Xiao Tian hesitated. "We've been here for a while now, and there doesn't seem to be any disturbance coming from the Sinful Haven. If Young Master Lu had caused a commotion after entering, we should have heard something by now."
"I think Young Master Lu is probably hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to make his move."
Magu nodded in agreement. It made sense that Lu Qing, a Qi and Blood Realm warrior, would not have been easily dealt with by the Sinful Haven without any signs of a struggle.
It was more likely that Lu Qing was lying in wait, just as Xiao Tian had suggested.
"Then let's continue to wait. We must ensure Young Master Lu's safety," Magu said, trying to calm his anxious heart.
Xiao Tian and Dashi exchanged glances. It was unlike their boss, 'Master Ma,' to be so forgetful.
It seemed that Master Ma valued this Young Master Lu greatly, to the point where he had lost his usual calm demeanor.
Lu Qing, unaware of Magu's backup plan, remained hidden in the tree, biding his time until nightfall.
Finally, as dusk fell, the sky gradually darkened.
At that moment, the Sinful Haven began to light up with lanterns, illuminating the entire place.
Lu Qing, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them once again.
"Alright, time to focus. Our guests will be arriving soon," he said to himself.
The two guards below him straightened up, no longer slacking off as they prepared for the incoming customers.
Lu Qing realized that the Sinful Haven was a night-time establishment, which explained why he hadn't seen anyone enter during his long wait.
As the lanterns lit up the place, a while passed before Lu Qing finally spotted some visitors approaching.
There were quite a few of them—from simply dressed villagers to wealthy landlords arriving in ornate palanquins.
He even spotted a shabbily dressed old man with a sleazy look on his face.
Lu Qing wondered where these people got the money to spend in such a place.
Just as Lu Qing was about to take advantage of the guards' distraction with the incoming guests to make his move, a sudden commotion caught his attention.
A man in his forties was struggling with a young girl, their voices carrying over from a distance and growing louder as they approached the entrance of the haven.
Lu Qing saw that the girl, who was crying and pleading, was tugging at the man's hand.
"Father, please! Don't gamble away this money. I earned it by embroidering silk for a long time. It's for Mother's medicine!" she begged.
"Nonsense! Your money is my money! I need it, so I'll use it! Your mother's illness isn't serious. She can endure it for a while, and once I win big, we'll have more than enough money to hire doctors and buy medicine for her!" the man shouted angrily.
"Father, please, we can't wait any longer. Mother coughed up blood yesterday. If we don't get her medicine soon, she won't make it!" the girl pleaded, still refusing to let go of her father's hand.
"What do you mean, 'won't make it'? She seemed fine this morning. A few more days of rest will do her good!" the man said impatiently. "Are you going to let go or not? If you don't, I'll kick you aside!"
"Father, please! Mother really needs the money for medicine, or she'll die! Please, she'll die!" the girl cried, her face streaked with tears as she clung to her father's arm.
"Then let her die!" The man suddenly kicked his daughter away. "That way, I won't have to work so hard to earn money for her medicine!"
Hearing these words, the fallen girl's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't fathom that her own father could say such a thing.
But as she saw him turn to enter the haven, she scrambled to her feet and clung to his leg.
"Father, please don't gamble anymore. Give me back the money..."
"Let go of me!"
The man, frustrated that his daughter was still holding him back, tried to shake her off and raised his hand as if to strike her.
By now, a crowd had gathered at the entrance of the haven, mostly customers who had come to seek pleasure. Far from feeling sympathetic, they watched the scene unfold with great interest.
The two guards at the gate, seeing the man being held back, laughed mockingly.
One of them, named Chen, called out, "Old Zhao, can't you control your own daughter? If you can't handle her, why don't you let us take care of her for you? We'll teach her a lesson she won't forget!"
The man, already irritated, lit up at Chen's words.
"Chen, are you serious? Will your haven really take her in?"
Chen was taken aback. He had only been joking, but it seemed that Old Zhao had taken his words seriously.
He glanced at the girl and noticed that she was indeed quite attractive.
"Are you sure about this? If she enters our haven, it will be difficult to get her back later," Chen said, wanting to make sure the man understood the consequences.
Chapter 77: Sinful Haven, A Dark Trade
A guard reminded him, "It doesn't matter. She's a loss-maker anyway. It's her blessing to enter the haven. Chen, you decide how much she's worth."
The man named Zhao Laosan nonchalantly replied, unconcerned about the transaction. He was more focused on the meager amount of money in his hands, which wasn't enough to recoup his losses.
"I can't make that decision, but I can go in and call someone to appraise her," the first guard said.
"Then I'm troubling you, Chen!" Zhao Laosan bowed and scraped.
"Father!" The girl's face filled with disbelief as she heard the conversation.
Seeing the guard actually go into the haven to call someone, her eyes widened with terror, and she scrambled to her feet, trying to run outside.
"Trying to run?!"
But this time, she couldn't escape.
Zhao Laosan grabbed her and dragged her back.
"I told you to go back earlier, but you didn't listen. Now, don't even think about leaving. You'll earn money for me in the haven!"
"Father, no! I'm your daughter. How can you sell me?!"
The girl sobbed, her heart filled with indescribable terror.
"I'm doing this for your own good. It's better to enjoy yourself in the haven than to embroider at home every day. If you want to buy medicine for your mother, you can earn the money here," Zhao Laosan said, ignoring his daughter's struggles as he dragged her back to the haven's entrance.
Coincidentally, the guard had also brought someone out from the haven.
Amidst the girl's desperate pleas, a deal was struck between the two parties.
Zhao Laosan received a sum of silver, and the girl was pulled inside, still crying and pleading.
Having obtained the silver, Zhao Laosan paid no heed to his daughter's cries. He happily examined the silver in his hand, his gambling funds now substantially boosted. This time, he was determined to recoup his losses!
Someone nearby saw his elated expression and couldn't help but mock him, "Zhao Laosan, you're ruthless, even selling your own daughter. Aren't you afraid your wife will try to kill you when you get home?"
"She dare!" Zhao Laosan glared, "And what right do you have to talk, Lei Zitou? Didn't you also sell your widowed sister-in-law, the very woman who raised you since you were young?!"
Lei Zitou was left speechless by this retort.
"Zhao Laosan, has your daughter already been married?"
At this moment, a well-dressed, pot-bellied fat man interjected.
Zhao Laosan paused, "Yes, she's only sixteen. Why would she be married?"
"I never expected to find a new girl at Happy Haven today. I'll have to taste this fresh meat." The pot-bellied fat man patted Zhao Laosan's shoulder, "Rest assured, Zhao Laosan, I'll take good care of your daughter!"
"Then you'll be Zhao Laosan's father-in-law, Wang Ye?" Someone in the crowd teased.
"Shut up! Who do you think he is to be anyone's father-in-law? I'd rather be his grandson than have him as my son-in-law," the fat man retorted angrily.
Laughter filled the air in front of the haven, while Zhao Laosan's face turned ashen.
Up in the tree, Lu Qing had stood up.
His face, hidden in the shadows, was unreadable.
However, the icy aura emanating from him caused Xiao Li on his shoulder to feel a sense of unease.
Lu Qing stood there, watching the despicable crowd in front of the haven for a while before finally suppressing the urge to act rashly.
Now was not the time.
Taking advantage of the cover of night, he quietly climbed down from the tree and circled around, finding a blind spot in the haven's defenses. With Xiao Li on his shoulder, he effortlessly scaled the wall and entered.
Xiao Li, perched on his shoulder, was as steady as could be.
Once inside the haven, Lu Qing began to survey his surroundings.
The haven was quite expansive, with numerous buildings, the most prominent being a tall wooden structure in the center.
Lu Qing's target was that very building.
Using the shadows cast by the various structures, Lu Qing swiftly moved through the haven, unseen by anyone.
Xiao Li possessed a unique sense that alerted him to the presence of others nearby, ensuring that Lu Qing remained undetected.
As he drew closer to the main building, he heard voices arguing.
Rounding a corner, he saw a middle-aged woman with heavy makeup, accompanied by two men, walking in his direction.
Trailing behind them was a young girl—the same one Lu Qing had seen at the haven's entrance earlier.
The girl's hands were bound, and a rope was tied to her, forcing her to keep up with the group. If she slowed down, she was met with harsh rebukes.
Seeing the despair on the girl's face, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow them discreetly.
Soon enough, he watched as they pushed the girl into a room in a corner of the haven.
Lu Qing stayed close by, observing the situation. When he noticed that no one was guarding the room, he quietly approached.
As he neared the room, he realized it was different from the others—it was made of stone.
"First, lock this girl up. She'll behave after starving for three days." A sharp, cruel voice rang out from within the room, "And you girls, if you don't behave, you'll all be thrown to the wolves in the mountains!"
Lu Qing peered into the room, and his pupils suddenly contracted as he saw what was inside.
At the same time, the suppressed urge to kill that had been building within him finally erupted.
(End of Chapter)
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