Late at night.
The warmth from the medicinal bath still lingered on her skin as Mu Xi fell into a deep sleep.
Not long after, a sudden burst of barking tore through the silence of the night, jolting her awake.
At first, she thought it was just one or two dogs barking, but she quickly realized something was wrong.
The sound grew louder and more frequent, as if waves of noise surged from all directions, converging into a deafening roar.
This was no ordinary barking; it was the wild howls of a pack, filled with chilling savagery and aggression.
Listening closely, she could even hear human screams mixed in—intermittent, piercing cries of agony.
Mu Xi’s heart jolted, and sleep instantly fled.
She swung her legs off the bed and walked over to the Gothic pointed window, peering down.
The room was too high up; looking down, she could only make out the vague outline of the Garden, unable to see exactly what was happening.
The thick darkness hung like a massive curtain, hiding the Manor’s deepest secrets.
Driven by curiosity and a faint unease, Mu Xi decided to go downstairs and investigate.
She stepped into the vintage elevator with gilded edges and pressed the button for the first floor.
The elevator descended slowly, and as it lowered, the barking grew clearer, filling the air with an almost suffocating pressure.
When the elevator doors slid open, Mu Xi stepped into the first-floor hall and was immediately stunned by the scene before her.
The Manor’s main gate was brightly lit, with several black-clad female Guards standing solemnly, motionless like statues.
Along both sides of the hall, more Guards than usual had gathered, creating an atmosphere thick with tension.
Mu Xi tried to approach the gate but was stopped by a sharp-eyed Guard.
“Miss Mu Xi, please stop here.” The Guard’s voice was cold and emotionless.
“What’s happening outside? I heard dogs barking… and screaming.” Mu Xi lowered her voice, her delicate face filled with curiosity and unease.
The Guard’s expression remained blank, eyes behind dark sunglasses as cold as ice.
“This is not something you should see. Please don’t ask further. The scene is too cruel. Master Ye Lan ordered that these filthy things must not stain your eyes, so as not to harm your tender heart.”
‘Tender heart?’ Mu Xi sneered inwardly.
Her body might be young, but her soul had weathered countless storms; there was no scene she hadn’t seen.
Still, she understood that here, Ye Lan’s word was absolute.
Defiance would only invite unnecessary trouble.
She changed her approach, slowing her tone, testing the waters: “What exactly is going on? Can you tell me?”
The Guard was silent for a moment but finally spat out two chilling words: “Execution.”
Execution?
Mu Xi’s heart sank deeply.
Those two words struck her eardrums like a hammer, and she immediately understood what was happening outside.
Lady Karin!
The screams she faintly heard upstairs were indeed Karin’s.
Now, closer to the Garden, even through the distance, the sounds were clearer.
Karin’s agonized cries came and went—painful and desperate—but were soon drowned out by even more frenzied barking, replaced only by chilling sounds of tearing and beastly growls.
‘Execution by Dogs!’
The phrase flashed instantly in Mu Xi’s mind.
She had once read ancient records describing Execution by Dogs, a cruel torture where victims were torn alive by beasts.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine.
Ye Lan had actually resorted to such a brutal punishment on Karin!
A wave of deep fear washed over Mu Xi, chilling her spine as if she stood in an ice cellar.
She couldn’t imagine the pain and despair Karin was enduring right now, nor could she fathom how ruthless Ye Lan’s heart truly was.
Even if it was all because of her.
Realizing the horrific tragedy unfolding outside, Mu Xi’s initial curiosity was instantly replaced by terror.
She no longer had the courage to look, much less to ask for more.
Too cruel a scene?
Perhaps.
But what was even crueler was the cold ruthlessness of the executioner and the suffocating darkness lurking in the depths of this Manor.
Mu Xi turned pale and silently walked back to the elevator.
The elevator rose slowly, carrying her back to her room.
The room remained lavish and peaceful, a stark contrast to the tension in downstairs and the brutal scene in the Garden.
But at this moment, the quiet only made Mu Xi feel more oppressed and uneasy.
She sat alone on the chaise lounge, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, as if trying to fend off the pervasive chill.
Though Karin’s screams had faded, the terrifying barking still echoed in her mind, refusing to dissipate.
That night, nightmares came as expected, and in her dreams, Mu Xi relived that bone-deep fear.
She ran desperately but could never escape the grasp of the night, finally being caught as a pack of vicious dogs bared their teeth before her, saliva dripping, as if ready to tear her to shreds at any moment.
“Ah!” Mu Xi awoke with a start, cold sweat soaking her nightgown.
The room was pitch dark, with only faint moonlight filtering through the window.
She panted sharply, her heart pounding like a drum.
It had been only a dream.
She exhaled slowly, exhausted, and closed her eyes again.
The chill brought on by the nightmare had yet to fade, but she knew it was better to do something than to drown in fear.
The Next Morning.
Mu Xi rose from bed and walked into the bathroom.
She took a quick shower, finished her washing, and changed into the clothes the maid had prepared.
Breakfast was already laid out on the dining table—delicate porcelain plates filled with steaming food, fragrant and appetizing.
She ate mechanically, tasting nothing.
Having finished breakfast without appetite, Mu Xi decided to go to the Dungeon.
After Lady Karin’s execution, Little An had been reassigned to work in the Dungeon.
“Work,” in reality, meant doing menial chores—cleaning, dealing with corpses, wiping away blood stains—a thought that made her skin crawl.
The path to the Dungeon was dark and damp, the air heavy with an inescapable stench of mold and blood.
Mu Xi frowned and quickened her pace.
At the Dungeon entrance, two Guards stood like statues, expressionless.
Mu Xi ignored them and walked straight inside.
The Dungeon was dimly lit, with only a few oil lamps on the walls emitting faint light.
The cells lining the corridors were tightly shut, from which came occasional suppressed coughs and moans.
Mu Xi tread lightly, trying not to make a sound.
Rounding a corner, she saw Little An struggling, carrying a huge wooden barrel.
The barrel was filled with something dark and foul-smelling, radiating a thick bloodstain scent that made her nauseous.
Little An wore a tattered black cloth outfit, looking even more fragile.
“Little An,” Mu Xi called out.
Startled, Little An whipped around, surprised and slightly flustered upon seeing Mu Xi.