Xiang Qian's line of questioning was a naked humiliation to Temugin, and it earned him a venomous glare. The once-imposing Temugin was now like a fish on a chopping block, awaiting its fate. All he could do was express his anger and resentment with his eyes.
Xiang Qian understood the meaning behind that look, so he put away the jeweled ring and took out his pistol, pressing the muzzle against Temugin's left knee.
"Not going to talk?" Xiang Qian asked calmly. He made no menacing gestures or threatening expressions; he was as composed as if greeting a neighbor. Temugin rolled his eyes contemptuously.
"Bang!"
Xiang Qian pulled the trigger without changing his tranquil expression. The bullet pierced Temugin's left knee from the inside to the outside, leaving two conspicuous, blood-spurting holes. The excruciating pain made Temugin let out a low growl. His eyes bulged, and for the moment, he couldn't roll them anymore.
Xiang Qian sighed, as if he felt sorry for Temugin's misfortune, then casually pressed the muzzle against his right knee.
"I forgot to tell you beforehand—this is my first time doing this kind of thing, so a few oversights are inevitable. I've studied human anatomy in some depth. That shot just now hit the cartilage in your knee," Xiang Qian explained in the tone of a doctor delivering a diagnosis. "I can say for certain that the bullet's angle shattered the cartilage across the entire joint surface. That damage is irreversible. Every time you put weight on your left leg from now on, your kneecap will feel like it's being jabbed with needles. You'll still be able to walk, but you'll need a cane for the rest of your life."
"But the good news is, you still have a chance to save your other leg." Xiang Qian coaxed him patiently, the Type 06 Pistol in his hand serving as the perfect illustration. "Using one cane is much better than using two, right?"
"Still not talking?" Xiang Qian met Temugin's gaze and clearly understood the message he was sending.
"Bang!" Another gunshot rang out. This time, Temugin showed some grit. At least he didn't let out another agonized cry.
Xiang Qian nodded unconcernedly, a mocking smile on his lips. "You're putting on quite a show as a tough guy. Then let's run another test. I want to see how much you're ultimately willing to sacrifice for your father. Sound good?" As he spoke, Xiang Qian raised the gun and pressed its muzzle against Temugin's neck.
"Allow me to tell you what happens next, Mr. Tough Guy." The muzzle, still hot from the shot, seared a ring of blisters into Temugin's neck. "The bullet will pass through at this angle, missing all the major blood vessels in your neck. Then it'll graze your cervical vertebrae and pierce right through your neck."
Xiang Qian sounded just like a surgeon giving a patient a preoperative briefing. "The injury won't be fatal, but it'll knock a small vertebra out of place. In the best-case scenario, your neck will be stuck tilted to one side for the rest of your life, and every so often, you'll drool all over the floor because your muscles go numb. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, the bullet might stray from its intended path. If it damages too much of your cervical spine, you'll be paralyzed from the neck down. But here's the good news: no matter how severe the injury, your thinking and memory won't be affected. In other words, we can keep interrogating you."
"Now it's your turn to consider how far you're willing to go for your father." Xiang Qian's smile grew wider. "Imagine spending the next thirty, forty, even fifty years unable to walk normally. All those combat skills you worked so hard to learn will be useless. Whether you're eating, drinking, or sleeping, your head will always be tilted to one side. You'll have to wear a little handkerchief on your chest like some snot-nosed toddler in kindergarten, ready to wipe your drool at any moment. You'll spend the rest of your life looking like a cripple. Or you can choose a different ending. Tell me what I want to know, and I can quietly raise the muzzle a little. The bullet will pass straight through your brain, giving you a quick death."
Xiang Qian's words were like a curse, scorching Temugin's reason bit by bit. His eyes were bloodshot, and the muscles in his face trembled uncontrollably. The rational part of his mind was on the verge of collapse. But Xiang Qian remained unmoved. Though he wore a smile, his eyes held a coldness that seemed to come from deep within him. Half of what he was doing was to interrogate Temugin; the other half was deliberate torment.
No one dared to stop Xiang Qian. The communications channel stayed silent for a long time. Vector, who was watching the entire process in person, was practically petrified. She had experienced Xiang Qian's sharp tongue firsthand, and with a woman's keen sensitivity, she had even sensed the distance and indifference he kept hidden inside himself. But the cruelty and cold-bloodedness he displayed now still frightened her badly. She instinctively moved two steps away from him, even more afraid to meet his eyes.
Just as everyone waited for Xiang Qian to fire the final shot, Saber strode over.
"That's enough!" Saber raised his combat knife and struck Temugin hard on the side of the head with its back, knocking him unconscious.
"Saber!" Xiang Qian sprang upright, making no effort to conceal his anger as he glared at him.
Saber met Xiang Qian's gaze without backing down. "We've already captured him. Professionals will interrogate him later, but not now... and it shouldn't be you!"
After speaking, Saber simply watched Xiang Qian, refusing to yield an inch. Xiang Qian said nothing, but his anger seemed to ebb away bit by bit.
Xiang Qian knew that, to an outsider, his interrogation of Temugin had already crossed the line. To others, he seemed almost entirely driven by anger. Before he could break Temugin's mind, his own reason had been on the verge of slipping out of control as well. Saber's words were like a bucket of cold water, meant to bring him back to his senses. Whether or not Saber had misunderstood the situation, his intentions were genuinely to help Xiang Qian.
Xiang Qian silently turned away from Temugin. He didn't try to defend himself. Though he had made Saber furious with his sharp tongue countless times before, he would never use it to answer someone's sincerity and kindness.
Seeing Xiang Qian back down of his own accord, Vector nearly began to worship Saber. This was the first time she had seen anyone defeat this prickly man with words.
Perhaps Vector's astonished expression was too obvious. Xiang Qian glanced up at her, made it clear he didn't want to talk to her, then tossed her a Type 06 Pistol.
Vector was startled and fumbled to catch it. Guns that had just been fired were hot, damn it! And a loaded gun could go off by accident, you bastard! She instinctively tried to unload it, but when she opened the chamber, it was empty. The two shots at Temugin's knees had emptied the magazine.
Vector stared blankly at Xiang Qian's back. Had that been a coincidence, or had he done it on purpose?