Wen Ning looked at the three people kneeling on the floor, his voice level.
"When you do something wrong, you have to pay the price. Lin Feng wanted revenge even in death. Simply turning yourselves in certainly won't be enough."
Zhao Qi's mother raised her head, tears still wet on her face, her voice trembling.
"Then what should we do?"
Wen Ning looked at her.
"I already told you. A life for a life."
At those words, all three people kneeling on the floor fell silent.
Zhao Qi's father kept his head lowered, both hands braced on his knees, his fingers clenched white.
Zhao Qi huddled in her mother's arms, her shoulders shaking violently. Her mother held her, her lips moving without making a sound.
Of course they understood. Now that he had become a ghost, what he wanted had to be their lives.
After a long silence, Zhao Qi's father raised his head, his voice painfully hoarse.
"Master, do... do you have any way to save us?"
Wen Ning nodded.
"I do."
All three pairs of eyes lit up at once.
"But why should I save you?"
Zhao Qi jerked her head up, the despair on her face turning to desperation.
"I have money. I have lots and lots of money. Whatever amount you want, I'll have my dad give it to you. You can have it all."
Wen Ning shook his head.
"I don't want money."
Zhao Qi froze and opened her mouth. Then her voice suddenly rose to almost a shout.
"Then what do you want?!"
Wen Ning looked at her without answering.
Standing in front of the counter, he swept his gaze from Zhao Qi to her father, then to her mother. Finally, he looked away, his tone flat.
"I don't want anything."
He raised a