The Goddess of Light Is the Prettiest

Dead silence fell. Everyone held their breath.

The lights in the underground room were dim, but the ventilation fan's shadow was still visible, swaying across the wall. Now, a head's shadow had taken its place, and a soft voice came from above.

"Little Yu, is anyone else in there?"

Su Tianfu stood on something outside and peered in through the ventilation fan. But the angle left him with a blind spot, so he could only ask the man inside the iron bars.

Conflict crossed the man's face. He dropped to his knees and kowtowed toward Su Tianfu.

"Reporting to the Buddha!"

Qian Fu's eyes widened. Even Qing Wanglai grew tense.

"I'm the only one here."

Little Yu kept his head lowered as he answered.

"Is that so? If you lie, you'll have to swallow a thousand needles." Su Tianfu's voice was gentle, but Little Yu shuddered all over.

Creak. Creak.

Li Huowang could even hear the man's teeth chattering.

"I wouldn't dare, not before the Buddha!" Little Yu said again.

"Mm." Su Tianfu sounded pleased with his answer. "I'll find someone to repair the door, then bring you dinner later."

"Ah, we're short-handed. Time to recruit some people."

The ventilation fan's shadow returned. Su Tianfu's muttering faded, followed by his footsteps. For several minutes afterward, no one in the room spoke.

"He's really gone this time." Qing Wanglai was the first to break the silence. He looked at Little Yu. "Yu Sheng, are you all right?"

Yu Sheng raised his head. The skin on his forehead had been scraped away, leaving it red and seeping blood.

"I'm the immortal crane beneath the Buddha's throne. I'm not His mount..."

Yu Sheng smiled, but his eyes looked empty with despair. He reached a hand through the iron bars, pleading with his gaze.