My Years in the Jianghu with the Prince: A Time of Unethical Conduct

Chapter 136, Recollection Part 3 – Poisoning

The body hit the ground with a dull thud.

At the same time, a strong smell of blood instantly filled the air.

Those present immediately turned pale and covered their mouths and noses.

The crowd erupted in uproar. Several timid people vomited on the spot, while many others suddenly tried to get up and run away.

However, they hadn't run more than a few steps when they were whipped back.

"Trying to run? You'd better stay right here, or I'll kill you all right now!"

As Yan Bao spoke, he lashed out with his whip again without any mercy.

Immediately, screams of agony rang out from the crowd.

The boys who had just been trying to escape were all knocked to the ground in an instant.

"You don't remember what I said yesterday, do you?"

"If you dare to run again, I'll beat you to death."

A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corners of Yan Bao's mouth.

He tilted his head slightly, glanced around at the crowd who had begun to kneel down in fear, his eyes filled with contempt.

He then walked up to the corpses, stepped on them, and disdainfully stomped on them a few times before kicking them away.

"Look at all these people, who are they?"

Yan Bao's voice was chilling.

Upon hearing this, everyone had no choice but to raise their heads and stare in horror at the corpses on the ground.

These were all familiar faces whom I had seen and spoken to just yesterday.

But at this moment, they were all lying lifeless on the ground, mercilessly crushed by Yan Bao's boots.

Their faces still bore the marks of terror, their bodies lay there pale and bluish, each with a deep gash on their neck.

Their eyes were wide with resentment, and under the scorching sun, the blood on their bodies had dried, forming a gruesome trail.

Some people couldn't bear the fear and vomited again instantly.

Xie Yan peered through the crowd and met Wang Xi's wide eyes. His head and body were almost separated, and his mouth was open as if he was about to shout something.

Then a foot stepped on his face.

Xie Yan paused, then looked up along that foot and met Yan Bao's gaze.

His eyes were filled with malice, and he curled his lips as if to say to Xie Yan: You're next.

Xie Yan withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyes, and concealed her emotions.

"See? This is what happens when you try to run away."

Yan Bao casually stepped on Wang Xi's face, grinding it until it was unrecognizable, before slowly turning his gaze to the remaining people.

The sun was blazing overhead, and the earth seemed to be melting under the intense heat, yet everyone shivered, their bodies covered in cold sweat.

Yan Bao's voice was like that of a demon from hell, sending chills down one's spine.

"If anyone dares to run away again, their fate will be even worse than theirs."

The crowd trembled and could only nod repeatedly.

Yan Bao cracked his whip, smiled faintly, and continued, "Actually, we don't need to lift a finger."

"Because you were already poisoned when you entered this place."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces turned deathly pale.

It was as if a heavy hammer had struck everyone's hearts. They looked at each other, their faces filled with fear and disbelief.

"You need to take the antidote once a month. If you don't get the antidote, you will die from intestinal perforation and body ulceration."

Yan Bao's deliberately drawn-out tone sent chills down everyone's spines, and his gaze swept over them like a venomous snake.

The crowd was too shocked to speak, and could only swallow hard to keep their bodies from trembling so obviously.

He slightly curled his lips, seemingly pleased with the reactions of the crowd.

"As long as you behave and don't cause trouble, you'll naturally get a share of the antidote."

"Now, you can go and finish your tasks."

He slightly raised his chin, then turned and left without hesitation.

Some of the people stood there, their faces ashen, while others collapsed to the ground, unable to hold on any longer.

But after a long while, they still had to leave, trembling and unsteady.

Distracted, Xie Yan was pulled by Jiang Mu. "What are you daydreaming about? Let's go."

He staggered slightly, but Du Chanyi caught him.

"You'd better rest for a few days before you leave. Otherwise, given your current condition, you might die on the way."

Jiang Mu also came over and pulled him aside, rolled his eyes, and said irritably, "I really don't understand why you like to go against the instructor so much. Do you have a death wish?"

"It's one thing to slack off all the time, but last time he even dared to rip the coach's pants while washing them, making him look bad in public. He deserves a good beating..."

While Jiang Mu kept listing Xie Yan's "crimes," he and Du Chanyi flanked him from the left and right.

It wasn't until Du Chanyi gave Jiang Mu a look that he awkwardly shut his mouth.

Then Du Chanyi looked at Xie Yan and said, "Yan Bao has always disliked you, and this time he only sent you alone. Who knows, that richest man's place might be much more dangerous than other places."

"Don't make the same mistake again. Be careful on your own."

Jiang Mu nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right, did you hear that, kid?"

Xie Yan's lips twitched slightly: "...Are you my parents?"

The two of them immediately shot each other glares.

"A mentally mature adult"—Xie Yan could only silently shut her mouth and obediently listen to their incessant nagging.

As night fell, Xie Yan lay in bed with her eyes open.

The communal sleeping quarters, usually packed with people, were now empty.

After Yan Bao warned them, everyone packed their things and left to figure out how to complete the mission.

Only Xie Yan stayed behind because Jiang Mu and the others ordered her to recuperate.

He stared intently at the dark ceiling, swinging his legs back and forth as if waiting for someone.

There was finally some movement outside the door when he couldn't help but yawn.

The door was pushed open, and a figure carrying a lantern approached into the pitch-black room.

As the man approached, the dim light of the lantern slowly illuminated his figure in Xie Yan's eyes.

The man was tall and strong, with a pale face. His face was not ordinary, but it wasn't particularly handsome either.

He came to Xie Yan's bedside, seemingly unsurprised that the person lying on the bed was still awake, and tossed a medicine bottle over.

"How come I never realized you were such a troublemaker?"

The person who came was Han Feng, who had found Xie Yan in the snow two years ago and brought him back to Fengyun Tower.

Xie Yan took the medicine bottle, sat up, and said casually, "Then you can throw me out again now."

But Han Feng acted as if he hadn't heard him and sat down on the edge of the bed on his own.

"Put your face here."