Chapter 209: Interrogation by Flaying

Chapter 209: Lingchi Interrogation

"Brother, my good brother. I don't know where you heard these rumors, but this is pure slander and fabrication!"

His scalp tightened inch by inch, Xu Kang could even hear the sound of his own hair snapping. He cried out urgently: "If I were truly a Yangren made by Qi Huai, how could I have let you chop off both my hands back then?"

"Brother Xu, don't be modest. If it weren't for the fact that this younger brother's backing isn't soft either, plus Qi Huai was busy making eyes at Hong Hu at the time, this little life of mine would probably have been long gone."

Xu Kang wanted to retort upon hearing this, but suddenly felt the top of his head loosen.

Only to hear Zhou You laugh coldly: "Although I don't know from which dream you walked out of as a 'Huangliang Ghost,' I know you're definitely a man of iron backbone. Betraying your master—that's something you definitely wouldn't do."

"Perfect. This younger brother recently loaded a new skill, and I'd like to ask Brother Xu to give me some pointers."

Zhou You spread his right hand open. A burly man standing behind him immediately stepped forward, placing a short blade thin as a cicada's wing, its hilt adorned with a ghost head, into Zhou You's palm.

"Don't know if Brother Xu understands history? During the former Ming period of the Empire, among the Embroidered Uniform Guards there was a punishment called Lingchi."

"Actually, before our Great Ming, this Lingchi only required one hundred and twenty cuts to be considered complete. But what kind of figure was our Grand Ancestor? One hundred and twenty cuts in his eyes simply didn't measure up to the two characters 'Lingchi.' He simply changed it directly to one thousand cuts!"

"Death by a thousand cuts—this isn't something ordinary people can achieve."

*Clang!*

Zhou You flicked his finger, the blade trembling incessantly, emitting a pleasing, sharp ring.

"The blade in my hand is also a genuine antique. Supposedly it was once used to execute a quite famous scholar. I recall Brother Xu is also of the Confucian Dao sequence? Using this blade to execute you now counts as sharing adversity with a great Confucian."

"Zhou You, don't act recklessly. I'm telling you, I don't have what you want in my hands at all!"

Xu Kang roared with his neck stiffened, his feet stepping in blood sending out ripple after ripple.

"Whether you have it or not—once the cuts go down, the answer will come naturally."

*Pu chi!*

A flash of cold light swept past, directly slicing off a large chunk of cheek flesh from Xu Kang's left face.

"Ah!!"

"Ah, sorry sorry." Zhou You's face showed apology as he raised a hand to pat the back of his own head. "This skill cost me a hundred treasure coins bought from those black market profiteers, so it runs a bit stiff."

"But Brother Xu, rest assured. I've gained proficiency now. The next cut definitely won't take this much flesh."

Zhou You's lips curved in a smile, yet his eyes held a penetrating cold indifference.

Hand rising, blade falling, blood splashing.

A lump of flesh fell into the blood, splashing dots of crimson.

On Xu Kang's face, his nose had already vanished.

Intense pain made him struggle continuously in the chair. The polymer ropes binding his arms cut deep into his flesh with every twist of his body.

"Zhou You, you madman. If you have the guts, kill me!" Xu Kang shrieked maniacally.

Zhou You stomped one foot on the chair about to topple, narrowing his eyes with a smile: "How could I bear to kill you? I still need to wait for this money from you to exchange for a better mechanical heart and advance in sequence."

Not waiting for Xu Kang to continue speaking, Zhou You grabbed his hair, pressing the short blade against his ear.

The cold light seeping from his eyes was like a butcher looking at a lamb awaiting slaughter.

"Fakes are just hard to use. Look at what a ghostly state you've been cut into."

Zhou You revealed a smile at Xu Kang: "Doesn't matter if you don't use it. I have Farming sequence brothers behind me. When you're about to faint, they can stimulate your flesh vitality at any time, enhance your senses."

*Pu chi!*

Xu Kang's left ear was sliced off, falling onto his knee.

"Zhou You, you beast!"

Xu Kang's body trembled uncontrollably from the intense pain, blood mixed with saliva spraying from his mouth.

*Pa.*

The icy blade slapped against Xu Kang's face.

"Does it hurt? Ai, you walk the Confucian sequence—why not learn from me and install a mechanical body? You could even choose to sever your pain nerves, never needing to fear one day being carved like this by someone else."

The moment the words fell, cold light flashed.

A right ear was tossed onto the ground.

Xu Kang's eyes nearly burst from their sockets, his body straightening taut, then suddenly collapsing limp in the chair.

"Still won't speak? Worthy of a specially trained 'Huangliang Ghost'—loyal enough!"

Zhou You raised a blood-stained thumb, his face full of admiration.

"But you finally got to be human once. Do you really want to just become a ghost again like this?"

Zhou You shook his head. "No, you won't even have the chance to be a ghost. I'll lock your consciousness into a miniature Huangliang mainframe, simulate today's scene, make you repeat it endlessly until your consciousness turns into a string of meaningless digits."

"This period won't be too long, I estimate—just a few decades."

"I'll speak! Don't send me back to the Huangliang dream. I'll speak. I'll tell you everything."

Blood kept gushing from Xu Kang's nose and cheek wounds. His two eyes were hollow, their depths already filled with endless terror.

"Ah?"

Zhou You's tone carried deep regret. "Alright then. Let me hear it."

"The deed number is Xin You San Si Ren Hai Er Qi. The transfer key... all in You Zuo E."

After speaking this sentence in fits and starts, Xu Kang seemed to have had his entire spine pulled out, collapsing completely in the chair.

*Chi!*

Zhou You's expression remained unchanged. Another cut descended, slicing off a large piece of scalp from the top of Xu Kang's head.

Xu Kang convulsed as if electrocuted, his mouth only able to emit hoarse, short shrieks.

Zhou You narrowed his eyes with a smile: "If I recall correctly, Hongya Mountain properties all have locking functions. Once the key is wrong, the transfer function automatically freezes. So I'll have to trouble Brother Xu to say it once more, just in case."

"I joined our Card System later. Want to ask—has Zhou Zhou Ge always been this brutal?"

In the darkness, a mixed card stared blankly at Zhou You's back, not particularly imposing.

Not long ago, he still held some hidden contempt for this young boss.

But now, he only felt his hair stand on end, and that bone-piercing chill that wouldn't dissipate.

"No."

His companion beside him lowered his eyes, unwilling to look further at the bloody scene before him. In a voice fine as a mosquito's hum: "He wasn't like this before. It was after Luohan Temple that he—"

Before these words could finish, the tightly shut main door suddenly swung open.

Night wind carried a deep, gentle voice crashing in.

"Put down the butcher's knife, become a Buddha on the spot. If deeply mired in obsession, even with a mechanical body one cannot cross the sea of suffering."

Zhou You's body instantly tensed. He snapped his head up, his face full of terrifying ferocity!

He raised his arm, a loaded Wei Wu Zu gripped in his palm. The cold, stern muzzle aimed at the thick darkness beyond the door.

"Become what? You fucking dare say that again!"