Gong Lifeng lazily leaned back on the sofa, squinting at the text message.
The person had reported that the task he assigned was almost done, and the money had already been transferred to his account.
Once Gong Shaotian was dead, the Gong Family would be completely under his control.
The sudden ringing of the phone broke the silence in the office.
Gong Zifeng picked up the phone and saw a familiar name on the screen.
His finger slid across the screen.
“Lifeng, how’s the matter I told you about going?”
Gong Lifeng feigned a sigh.
“I told Shaotian, but he wouldn’t listen. Now I don’t even know where he’s hiding the person. I’m looking for him everywhere.”
The voice on the other end was displeased.
“You can’t even handle such a small matter? Looks like from now on, the Lang Family can’t make the Gong Family move.”
Gong Zifeng forced a smile.
“Young Master Lang, there’s no need to be so harsh. The Gong Family has always obeyed the Lang Family. I’ll go find Shaotian right away.”
The person on the other end snorted coldly and hung up.
Gong Lifeng tossed the phone aside, sneered, and continued smoking.
After a while, he picked up the phone again and dialed Gong Shaotian’s number.
Gong Shaotian was reveling in the thrill of having cornered the person who once insulted him.
His phone vibrated quietly in his pocket, but he ignored it, continuing to watch Mo Qin like he was watching a show.
The persistent vibration continued.
Impatient, Gong Shaotian pulled out the phone.
The screen showed “Uncle” calling.
Despite his annoyance, he answered, “Uncle?”
On the other end, Gong Lifeng chuckled, “Shaotian, is the matter settled?”
Gong Shaotian, in high spirits, laughed, “I’m working on it. Thanks for your help, Uncle.”
Gong Lifeng chuckled softly, “Good. Uncle won’t disturb you from your business then.”
Gong Shaotian stared at the ended call in confusion.
Was that the reason his uncle called? Just to say some meaningless nonsense?
But he didn’t think much of it and quickly turned his attention back.
Mo Qin stood motionless in the middle, staring at Yan Miao.
Yan Miao had just woken up and weakly shook his head at him.
Large tears streamed down, soaking his long white fur.
Mo Qin gave him a comforting glance and said to Gong Shaotian, “You take the person back first.”
Gong Shaotian laughed, “I’m not stupid. What if I hand the person over and you go back on your word?”
With that, he roughly yanked the rabbit’s ears, urging, “Hurry up, I don’t have all day.”
Mo Qin glanced sharply, then gathered his spiritual energy and struck it down into his Dan Tian.
Yan Miao struggled fiercely, letting out a heart-wrenching wail.
His ears were torn open from the violent struggle, fresh blood flowing and staining his white fur.
Mo Qin collapsed weakly to the ground.
Bai Maomao stepped forward to help him up, coldly saying, “Is it time to let him go now?”
Gong Shaotian burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.
“Are you all idiots?!”
He mocked the three of them, his eyes filled with venom as if it were tangible.
“I lied to you.”
“Have you ever felt what it’s like to watch someone you care about die right before your eyes?”
Bai Maomao’s heart skipped a beat.
He rushed forward as quickly as he could, while Lang Junxian simultaneously moved toward the elder hiding behind them.
Gong Shaotian’s expression grew manic, his eyes wild.
He flicked a sharp weapon from his hand, violently stabbing it into Yan Miao’s body.
At the same time, Bai Maomao charged over, snatched Yan Miao, and slapped Gong Shaotian hard enough to send him flying.
Gong Shaotian’s mouth bled, but he continued laughing madly and shouted at the elder, “Kill them! Kill them all!”
Yan Miao lay limp in Bai Maomao’s palm, unable even to shift into his human form.
Bai Maomao dared not withdraw the blade.
Instead, he desperately channeled spiritual energy to sustain Yan Miao’s faint heartbeat.
Mo Qin crawled over, eyes red, wanting to touch him but hesitating, only able to call softly, “…”
Yan Miao’s eyes flickered, slowly opening.
Mo Qin’s face reflected in his pupils.
“Mo Qin…” he tried to speak but had no strength to respond.
“Yan Miao—”
Mo Qin shouted in a heartbreaking cry.
Bai Maomao’s eyes were bloodshot as the two watched helplessly as Yan Miao’s eyes remained wide open while his breath stopped.
“There must be a way, there must be a way,” Bai Maomao choked as he frantically searched through the Qian Kun Dai.
Bottles and vials were scattered everywhere until he finally found a Dan Medicine and fed it to Yan Miao.
Yan Miao’s body grew colder bit by bit.
No matter what, he couldn’t swallow the medicine.
Mo Qin carefully cradled Yan Miao, sobbing loudly.
Bai Maomao stood dazed for a moment, clenching his fists, eyes bloodshot.
“I’m going to kill them!”
Lang Junxian was locked in combat with the elder.
The two were on the same level, but the elder’s experience and accumulated strength were much greater.
Lang Junxian could only barely hold him off.
Bai Maomao, eyes red, joined the fight.
Two against one, the elder struggled much more.
Seeing Gong Shaotian shouting wildly in the back, his expression deranged, the elder bit his teeth and began retreating rapidly, trying to escape.
Bai Maomao wouldn’t let him get away easily.
He shouted, “Little Vine!”
Little Vine responded instantly, shooting out and directly pounced behind the elder.
The elder was caught off guard as Little Vine touched his body.
Little Vine raised its sharp vine tip and plunged it deep into the elder’s body.
The elder’s body froze and quickly collapsed, growing weak.
Soon he was nothing but a shriveled husk, a thin layer of skin clinging to his skeleton.
“You monsters! You’re all monsters!”
Gong Shaotian screamed in terror, retreating.
He tried to get up and run, but Bai Maomao’s previous strike had broken his leg, forcing him to crawl helplessly on the ground.
“Little Vine.”
Bai Maomao looked at him as if looking at a corpse.
“Kill him.”
Little Vine pierced through the thin human skin, poked its head out, dragging its now much larger and well-fed body toward Gong Shaotian.
“You can’t kill me! I’m the young master of the Gong Family! If you kill me, my grandfather won’t let you live!”
Gong Shaotian shouted, fierce but inwardly terrified.
Bai Maomao stared at him silently.
Little Vine nimbly crawled to his side.
Gong Shaotian grabbed some nearby debris, trying to fend it off.
Little Vine shook its body and dodged nimbly.
Seizing the opportunity, it jabbed hard into Gong Shaotian’s leg.
The intense toxin instantly coursed through his entire body.
Gong Shaotian froze into a strange posture, stiffly leaning against the wall.
His right leg rapidly deteriorated, as if all the flesh and blood had melted away and been drained dry—first the calf, then the thigh, and finally the waist…
Gong Shaotian looked on in despair as his body shriveled bit by bit.
Unable to endure it any longer, he broke down, begging, “I was wrong, please kill me, just kill me…”
Mo Qin silently glanced at him, holding Yan Miao quietly in his arms as he walked out.
“Little Vine, slow down. Let him truly experience the feeling of living worse than dying,” Bai Maomao said indifferently.
Sure enough, Little Vine slowed its feeding pace.
Not wanting to stay any longer, Bai Maomao took the lead and headed outside.
Nearly an hour later, the full Little Vine finally emerged, its body swollen several times its original size.
It no longer fit curled around Bai Maomao’s wrist.
Bai Maomao tossed a tissue, grabbed it, and threw it into the space.
Mo Qin waited outside, holding Yan Miao.
Bai Maomao patted his shoulder.
“Find a place to bury him first.”
Mo Qin shook his head.
“My father’s men will arrive soon. I can’t stay long. You all should leave quickly as well. The Gong Family had a hand in founding Xuan Huang University. They won’t let you off—even the school won’t protect you then.”
He pulled out a Jade Talisman and handed it to Bai Maomao.
“I can’t guarantee my own safety, so this is all I can do. If you’re in danger, take this talisman to Tongrentang and find Old Wang. He will help you.”
Bai Maomao took the talisman, the simple Mo Character carved into it.
“And you?”
“Me?”
Mo Qin shook his head.
“I’ll go home and apologize to my father, then inherit the family business.”
There was a profound depth in his eyes.
“Miao Miao can’t die like this. The Gong Family and Lang Family will pay the price.”
Lang Junxian’s eyes flickered.
“You’re from the Shangjing Mo Family.”
Mo Qin sneered, “Yeah. If you can, you’d better head to Shangjing. The Gong Family’s reach isn’t that long there.”
Lang Junxian lowered his eyes.
“Alright.”
Mo Qin held Yan Miao quietly, waiting.
His father’s men should arrive soon.
The weapon had been pulled from Yan Miao’s body.
Blood had dried and clotted on his white fur, but Mo Qin did not mind.
He gently stroked his body repeatedly, his voice soft, “You like me, right? Actually, I like you too.”
“I’m going home soon. Come with me, okay?”
The person in his arms was quiet, never to respond again.