Chapter 32

Outside the window, night deepened.

A few windows in the building glowed with faint lamplight.

Now and then, a guest's silhouette appeared against them.

Under the watchful eyes of Sun Ping and several other girls, Chen Ju, reeking of alcohol, made his way up to the second floor.

"Qingmei, come out and greet your guest! I've paid a fortune tonight to have you all to myself, so you'd better take good care of me, big brother!"

Mumbling drunkenly, Chen Ju walked down the corridor and entered Qingmei's room.

The room was lit by a dim, yellow glow.

"Was all that really necessary? Paying for the deed?"

"Of course it was. Just keep the lamp lit tonight. I'll slip out through the window in a bit, then come back before dawn."

Sitting by the table, Chen Ju sipped his tea and spoke with unruffled calm.

Judging by his condition, he didn't look drunk at all.

"You're going to take that boy's blood?"

Qingmei sat at her dressing table, painting her nails bright red as she turned to ask him.

"Hmph. In the past, there'd have been no need for all this trouble. The main thing is, that boy's lost too much blood these past few days. I'm afraid taking more tonight might kill him. If they traced it back to me, that'd be a headache."

The rear courtyard lay in utter silence.

Creak...

After an unknown stretch of time, the wooden door of one of the rooms slowly opened.

Wang Long poked his head out and looked left and right for a while before quietly beckoning to the person behind him.

The two brothers slipped out of the room together.

"Did you bring everything?"

"Relax, I've got it all."

Hunched over and limping, the two soon reached the door of Luo Qingchen's room.

"This time, we're going in through the door. Don't lift your feet as you walk. Watch where you're going, and don't fall for that brat's tricks again."

Wang Long reminded him in a hushed voice.

Wang Hu nodded and took out a blade thin as a cicada's wing, slowly slipping it through the crack in the door.

The latch was eased aside.

Wang Hu began to push the door, but found it still wouldn't budge.

"Huh. That brat's sly!"

He checked carefully and discovered that the door was bolted at both the top and bottom with thick wooden bars.

Rather than being discouraged, he was delighted, and continued working the blade.

The more cautious the other side was, the more it suggested someone was inside.

"Faster!"

Standing guard behind him, Wang Long warily scanned the darkness and urged him in a low voice.

Both brothers were still recovering from their old injuries. If someone disregarded the rules and came to rob them now, they'd be in trouble.

Click!

Wang Hu dislodged the last latch. He gave the door a gentle push, and it swung open.

"Brother, it's open!"

He immediately drew his dagger and went in first.

"Careful!"

Afraid Wang Hu would rush in and fall for the boy's tricks again, Wang Long hurried after him and gently closed the door behind them.

"Light the fire first. Don't lift your feet!"

"Got it."

Wang Hu stopped at once, took out a fire starter, and lowered his head to cautiously inspect the ground.

The iron spikes scattered across the floor that night had become the brothers' deepest nightmare.

The dim light soon illuminated the floor.

"The ground's clear."

Wang Hu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Holding the fire starter in one hand and his dagger in the other, he headed for the bed.

Wang Long followed behind him, still not daring to relax. He held his breath and watched the surroundings.

Only when they reached the bed safely did Wang Long let himself relax a little. He took out the blood bowl and whispered, "Knock him out first, then draw the blood. Be quick."

Wang Hu was about to answer when the faint glow in his hand suddenly fell on the bed.

"Huh? Something's wrong!"

The blanket bulged, but no head showed beneath it.

His heart jolted. He immediately grabbed the blanket and flung it back.

Snap!

At that instant, a terrifying crack rang out!

The hand gripping the corner of the blanket was caught completely off guard by a huge Beast Trap hidden underneath. Its jaws clamped down hard!

Like a starving beast, the trap snapped shut and even sprang viciously into the air! Its two rows of sharp iron teeth, like daggers, tore straight through his palm!

"Argh—!"

A shrill scream rang out.

Wang Long, following behind with his nerves stretched tight, leaped straight up in fright and jumped backward.

But as soon as he landed, a familiar, piercing pain shot through the soles of his feet.

"Argh—!"

He let out another shrill scream and jumped up again. The instant he landed, both feet came down on several more iron spikes!

"Ah..."

The brothers' screams rang one after another, making the figure hiding outside tremble with fear.

"Go! Hurry!"

Wang Long endured the pain and hurriedly dropped to the floor, crawling toward the door.

Gritting his teeth against the agony, Wang Hu desperately pried open the Beast Trap. Tears streamed down his face as he cursed, then limped after his brother, blood pouring from his hand.

"If anyone tries to mess with us brothers tonight, we'll fight them to the death!"

Wang Long crawled to the doorway, raised his dagger, and snarled a threat at the darkness outside.

If tonight turned out like that other night, with those bastards taking turns drawing blood from them while they were injured, the two brothers would probably be done for.

Wang Hu roared too, ready to fight to the death.

The figure hidden in the darkness seemed cowed by the brothers' ferocity, or perhaps had some other target in mind, because it never showed itself.

Daring not to linger, the two hurriedly covered each other as they fled back to their room and locked the doors and windows tight.

The rear courtyard fell silent again.

"So he's not in the second room? What a sly one!"

The shadow behind the large tree remained motionless.

Creak...

Just then, the window of the first room suddenly opened.

"Who was making all that noise outside just now?"

Luo Qingchen's weak voice came from inside the window.

Then he poked his head out and looked left and right. Seeing no one, he drew his head back and closed the window again.

"So he's in the first room!"

A cold glint flashed in the eyes of the shadow behind the tree.

But he didn't let down his guard. He stayed hidden behind the tree for a full hour, and only after seeing nothing amiss did he cautiously emerge and approach the door of the first room.

He turned sideways, pressed his ear to the door, and listened carefully for any movement inside.

The room was silent.

Still, he hesitated. After all, Wang Long and Wang Hu had just fallen for a trap.

"That brat's craftier than a fox and more treacherous than a jackal!"

He couldn't afford to be careless!

He waited outside the door for another half hour or so. When he saw the eastern horizon begin to brighten, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.

The chance would be gone in a flash!

The boy was weak now. Aside from setting traps, he could barely fight back.

He had to strike decisively!

Once he'd made up his mind, he took out a blade and slowly slipped it into the crack in the door.

As he worked the latch, he kept his nerves taut, warily watching and listening for the slightest disturbance.

His eyes and ears took in everything around him.

That kind of extreme caution was what had kept him alive until now.

Click...

The latch soon slid open.

He glanced a few times into the darkness behind him, then gently pushed the door open and entered.

"Brother Luo..."

He quietly closed the door behind him and called softly toward the bed.

But no one answered.

He stood by the door without moving, not daring to take a step forward.

The wooden bed stood in the far corner of the room.

It was pitch-dark there, and he couldn't see a thing.

Something felt wrong. His heart raced and his breathing quickened, but now the arrow was on the string and there was no turning back!

"Brother Luo, are you feeling all right? I couldn't sleep, so I came to check on you."

He called softly again.

Still, there was no answer from the bed.

Time was running out!

He didn't hesitate again. He took out a fire starter and lit up the dark floor, gripping his dagger tightly in one hand. Then, step by step, he walked toward the bed.

"Brother Luo, don't be afraid. I really just came to check on you."

He walked carefully, speaking softly as he went, while warily scanning the room. His cunning eyes kept darting around in the darkness.

"Brother Luo, I brought you something tasty..."

At last, he reached the bed safely. He extended the dagger in his hand, a cruel grin appearing at the corner of his mouth.