One by one, the guards finished administering the medicine to the captives, then stepped aside with empty bottles in hand, bowing their heads.
Tong Yun reached out again, picking up a new porcelain vial from the tray held by the maid. She turned, her sharp phoenix eyes narrowing as she gazed coldly at the bound figures before her. “What you just drank,” she sneered, “is a special concoction brewed by our Flowerwood Clan’s alchemists. It’s colorless, odorless, but once ingested, it slowly freezes your blood—starting from your feet, creeping upward inch by inch, until… you become nothing more than a solid block of ice.”
She paused, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “But that’s not the worst part. The true torment lies in the pain—a needle-like agony that seeps from your very bones. It’s excruciating, relentless, as if thousands of needles are piercing your marrow, or countless ants gnawing at your flesh and blood from within.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And the best part? The poison works slowly. From the first sign of suffering to your final breath, it takes at least two full days. So, you have plenty of time to… reconsider whether you’d like to confess who sent you.”
She tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with malice. “I have all the time in the world.”
With a flick of her wrist, she raised the new vial in her hand. “Of course,” she added, “if you cooperate, I might just grant you a less… unpleasant death.”
“Did you hear that?!” Gu Mu barked, kicking the nearest “assassin.” “If you don’t talk, the Grand Elder will make sure your deaths are as miserable as possible!”
The captive remained unmoved.
Time passed, and Tong Yun frowned. The poison should have taken effect by now, yet the prisoners showed no signs of distress.
A flicker of doubt crossed her face. This wasn’t right. In the past, even the most stubborn souls had crumbled within half an hour under this drug’s torment. Few lasted beyond two.
Could they still be enduring it?
“Hmph!” Tong Yun scoffed, her irritation growing. The harder they resisted, the more satisfying their eventual breakdown would be. She had the patience to wait.
Minutes turned to hours.
One hour…
Two hours…
Two and a half hours later, the captives remained eerily composed, their expressions barely twitching in pain. Tong Yun’s composure cracked. What kind of monstrous training could produce subordinates with such endurance?
Whoever stood behind these men was undoubtedly a terrifying force.
But then…
Her brow furrowed. How had that fool Yun Qingxue managed to provoke such a formidable enemy?
“Fine!” Tong Yun clapped her hands sharply, her voice icy. “Since you’re all so resilient, let’s put your endurance to the test. The Flowerwood Clan has no shortage of poisons. Consider it an honor to sample them for us.”
She smirked. If she couldn’t even break a few lowly assassins, how could she ever hope to challenge Lan Xuechen for the throne?
With a glance, the maid stepped forward, tray in hand. The guard who had administered the first dose moved to assist, selecting another vial at random and forcing it down the prisoners’ throats.
“Ugh—!”
“Mm—!”
Moans of pain soon escaped the captives—Fen Yao and the others—their voices strained, as if fighting to suppress the agony.
“Still silent?” Tong Yun arched a brow, watching them like a cat toying with mice. A silent signal, and the guard reached for a third vial, prying their jaws open once more.
The prisoners writhed, their cries growing louder, yet not a word of confession passed their lips.
“Again!” Tong Yun snapped. How far would they push their limits?
The fourth dose brought no change—only louder, wordless screams.
The fifth…
The sixth…
Black blood trickled from their mouths, yet still, they refused to speak, their defiance unwavering.
By now, even Tong Yun felt a flicker of frustration. These specially crafted interrogation poisons were meant to break the strongest wills, yet these men remained unyielding. It was infuriating!
“Grand Elder,” a maid interrupted softly, bowing. “Elder Lan Xin requests an audience.”
“Denied!” Tong Yun snapped.
The maid barely dared to breathe, retreating swiftly.
But before she could leave, a cool, feminine voice drifted into the hall.
“Grand Elder Tong Yun, what an imposing presence you have.”
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