Chapter 16

"Ah, damn it! I was just a bystander in the last world! Did they really have to throw me into another one in less than three days?"

Miss Li Qingyu from the Li Mansion wailed in frustration. If it weren't for the maids and guards who had been instructed to keep their distance, her words would have surely reached other ears.

"What do I do now? I'm just a high school student! How am I supposed to understand managing a business or developing commerce? If I had known, I would have read more books. Now I see, being a top student is truly the way to go. Ah! Ah! Ah!"

Li Qingyu screamed in anger, lamenting her poor academic performance. Alex, secretly observing, found her rather endearing.

After a bout of despair, Li Qingyu collapsed onto her desk. She lay there for a long while before lifting her head and encouraging herself, "Chu Xin, you can do this. Believe in yourself, you definitely can…"

In no time, a spirited girl emerged again, diving back into a cycle of late-night study sessions.

"She seems a bit... dense."

Alex, having watched for a while, slightly shook his head. He realized that this naive and earnest girl, who took everything upon herself and had a strong sense of responsibility, might just work herself to death.

Confirming that this first 'companion' was no significant threat, Alex lost interest in her. He had a task to complete tonight.

"Over there?"

Closing his eyes to sense the surroundings, Alex squinted at a pavilion several courtyards away. After observing the patrolling guards, he slowly melded into the shadows, swiftly heading towards his target.

"Qin Da! Qin Da! Qin Da!"

In a corridor on the east side of the Li Mansion's secluded courtyard, Qin San walked and fumed, "Who do you think you are to scold me in front of so many brothers, not giving me any face? Do you think I'm a nobody?

Hmph! Master my foot! Always looking down on me. When I master the sixth level of the 'Fei Xing Sword' and become a top-notch expert, let's see if I still need to listen to you, you bastard…

Cursing under his breath, Qin San reached his door, kicked it open in a fit of rage.

Boom!

The doors slammed against the walls and swung back before finally stopping.

Damn bastard!

Face flushed and reeking of alcohol, Qin San, slightly sobered by his outburst, walked into his room, closing the door behind him. He headed to the inner room behind a screen.

Hmm…

After a few steps, Qin San suddenly stopped, lowering his raised right foot slowly. Observing his surroundings, he broke into a cold sweat. The room was lit, and the warming stove radiated heat, though he hadn't lit it.

Incense smoke curled up from the censer in the center of the room, making him feel more alert, as if the alcohol was wearing off.

Glancing around, his pupils contracted. There was a man in a tiger mask sitting at his desk.

Who are you…

Just as Qin San opened his mouth to shout, a black shadow flew from the palm of the masked man, striking his throat and stifling his voice.

Haha!

In a flash, the tiger-masked man leaped across the room, standing in front of Qin San.

Reacting quickly, Qin San clawed at the man with both hands.

Despite his extensive combat experience, attacking with precision, Alex parried and restrained him effortlessly. Twisting Qin San's fingers, he forced a strangled cry from him, then dislocated his arms and tied him to a chair.

Removing his mask, Alex smirked, "We meet again, my lord!"

You, you bastard!

Seeing Alex, Qin San struggled fiercely, but the bindings held firm. "What did you do to me? Why is my inner strength so weak?"

Waving his Bihan Knife menacingly, Alex explained, "It's not what I did to you, it's your own greed! That tea had an essence-strengthening effect, but I added a little something extra to speed it up and extend its duration. Tonight, your inner strength is reduced to this level."

Damn it!

Cursing inwardly, Qin San tried to negotiate, "Yes, I was wrong earlier today. But you've already taken the money, nine thousand taels extra. What more do you want?"

Feigning innocence, he hoped to downplay the situation.

Still pretending? My knife, you recognize it, don't you?

Alex patted Qin San's face with the flat of his blade. "Confess! That group of bandits you hired cost us dearly."

He pressed the blade's edge against Qin San's cheek, drawing a thin line of blood, eliciting fear in the usually arrogant guard captain.

Qin San, realizing his predicament, laughed bitterly, "Yes, I called them. You peasants deserved it. Who do you think you are, daring to haggle with me…"

Before he could finish, Alex's swift kick silenced him, leaving him gasping in pain.

Initially, I planned to flay you alive, starting with that useless tool of yours.

But after reconsidering, Alex decided that was too easy. He demanded Qin San's martial arts manual, intelligence on the Li Mansion, and his own blackmail material, leaving Qin San powerless.

No way!

Realizing the consequences, Qin San refused, hoping to negotiate terms.

No deal then!

Alex tied him tighter, letting him bleed out slowly, explaining how it would take fifteen minutes to die from such a wound. He feigned sleep, driving Qin San to the brink of despair.

Just as Qin San thought he couldn't hold on, Alex revealed he had been watching all along, ensuring his compliance through sheer terror.

Thump!

Qin San felt strange, wondering why this bastard placed a brass basin behind him.

Sss…

Suddenly, Qin San felt a searing pain in his bound wrists. His hands were warm and wet, with the unmistakable scent of blood in the air. His hands were indeed cut, and the warm liquid was his own blood.

Hehe…

Alex's laughter echoed in his ears, followed by chilling words, "Whether human or beast, once an artery is severed, a significant amount of blood will be lost in a short time, leading to dizziness and eventually death.

This process usually takes quite a while, but I have plenty of time tonight for you to think about it. Don't worry, I've killed many animals with this slow method and know how to control it. With your constitution, you should last about fifteen minutes."

Ah…

Yawning, Alex continued, "I haven't rested today, so I'll take a nap. Wake me up in fifteen minutes."

Bastard! Let me go! Get up, you bastard!

Qin San cursed hoarsely, but his injured throat prevented his voice from carrying outside.

His face covered, vision blank, and breathing difficult, he began to panic. He had killed too many and was too familiar with the smell of blood. As a former assassin, he knew Alex wasn't lying about dying from a severed artery.

The darkness and lack of response from Alex heightened his fear. The sound of Alex's snoring intensified his terror.

Bastard! Get up! Let me go…

Faced with life and death, many choose life. Few can face death calmly, especially someone like Qin San, whose hands were stained with blood and feared the end.

Thud! Thud! Thud…

Fear consumed Qin San, causing him to struggle violently, stomping his feet in a desperate attempt to break free.

But Alex's bindings were secure, even fastening the chair tightly. Qin San's frenzy only sped up the dripping sound behind him, without any other effect.

Qin San felt his arms go numb from the elbows down, a familiar sensation of weakness sweeping over him.

Years ago, he had been cut by a bandit while escorting goods with his senior brother, and the memory of recuperating from that wound remained vivid. It was the same feeling of blood and energy depletion.

His condition deteriorated, his face pale under the cover, lips turning blue, and cold sweat soaking his hair. He called out weakly but received no response.

The dripping sound pounded in his head, a harbinger of death.

It's been fifteen minutes, it's been fifteen minutes, wake up!

Qin San unconsciously counted the time, seizing on it as a lifeline, struggling fiercely. But Alex remained unmoved, his snoring continuing.

Repeated struggles left him exhausted and increasingly desperate.

Almost there!

Unseen by Qin San, Alex, making occasional low noises like snoring, observed Qin San's reactions. As Qin San reached the brink of despair, Alex stopped 'snoring,' walked over, and removed the cover from Qin San's head.