Chapter 16: The Prison of Darkness

In the conference room of the Yun Corporation building, He Lingfeng sat upright with a solemn expression, his fingers lightly tapping the table as if contemplating a momentous decision.

Suddenly, his phone screen lit up, revealing a message that instantly drained the color from his face.

“The meeting is adjourned for today!”

He sprang to his feet, slamming the phone onto the table, then strode out of the room with long, purposeful strides, leaving his stunned colleagues behind.

Down in the parking garage, a black sedan waited silently.

Xiao Li, He Lingfeng’s trusted driver, knew his every glance and gesture like the back of his hand.

He Lingfeng opened the door and settled into the back seat, his voice cold as he ordered, “Take me to the usual place.”

The driver, wearing a baseball cap, nodded without question and started the engine immediately.

Inside the car, He Lingfeng clenched his fists tightly, a ruthless gleam in his eyes.

Beside him on the seat lay a baseball bat, silent and ominous.

He muttered to himself, “How dare they betray me and spread this matter—today will be their death sentence.”

The words reached the driver’s ears, causing a shiver to run down his spine, but he paid no heed to the muttering, focusing solely on driving.

Soon, the car left behind the city’s bustling lights and entered a dense forest.

Along Yubo Road, the trees stood lush and green, but to He Lingfeng and his driver, the scenery had lost all color.

In a secluded factory on the outskirts, darkness enveloped the room, illuminated only by a faint sliver of light seeping through the door crack, barely lighting a corner.

On the floor lay two burlap sacks, surrounded by a pungent mix of gasoline and decay.

Drip, drip.

Water droplets fell relentlessly from the ceiling, striking the sacks with sharp, clear sounds.

Suddenly, a faint rustling came from one of the sacks, followed by a terrified voice belonging to Qing’er: “Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?” Her voice trembled with boundless fear.

Apart from an echo, only oppressive silence replied.

The other sack seemed to stir as well, emitting low buzzing noises as if something had muffled its mouth, then fell silent again.

The factory plunged back into stillness.

Qing’er writhed desperately inside the sack, but to no avail.

Helpless, she lay there, listening to the rapid beat of her own breath and heart.

She refused to give up, whispering again, her voice quivering, “Who are those men? Why are we locked up here? What do they want?”

Yet all that answered her was a hollow echo and oppressive silence.

Outside the door, three men squatted on the ground, smoke curling around them as their eyes occasionally flicked toward the winding road ahead.

The road was deserted, not a single car in sight; only the distant sound of the wind added an eerie note.

One man sported a bushy beard and wore a large, gleaming gold ring on his finger. His belt was cinched so tightly around his waist it seemed about to burst the flesh beneath.

He took a sharp drag from his cigarette, then stubbed it out violently on the ground, rubbing the embers until they vanished completely.

Rising, he brushed dust from his clothes and glanced at his two companions.

“I’ll go check if those two have woken up,” he grunted, his rough voice echoing.

The others nodded silently.

With the creak of metal, the iron door slowly swung open, a faint beam of light piercing the shadowy room.

Qing’er seized the moment, peering anxiously through the sack’s opening.

She strained to see clearly, but before she could, the heavy door slammed shut again with a grating screech.

Heavy footsteps followed, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably.

The footsteps stopped beside her; she could feel the man’s heavy breath.

Her voice quivered with tears, “Who... who are you? Why have you tied me up here?”

A low, sinister laugh echoed through the dark room, deepening her terror.

The man spoke, “Our target isn’t you, but the man beside you. Unfortunately for you, you happened to be with him at the time. If we’re taking one, we might as well take two.”

Her heart sank as she asked again, “What did he do? Why would people like you come after him?”

His voice turned harsh and cold, “He offended the worst people he could, and dared to consider betraying us. That sealed his fate—there’s only one way out.”

Hearing this, Qing’er pleaded, “I haven’t offended you. Just let me go, and I won’t tell anyone about this. I’ll keep it a secret deep inside.”

The man laughed wildly once more.

Squatting down, he ran his rough hand over the sack, sending a wave of nausea and fear through her.

“You’re so beautiful, such a delicate little beauty. How could I ever let you go?”

Goosebumps broke out over her skin as she struggled against the ropes binding her hands behind her back, grinding the coarse fibers in a desperate attempt to escape.

When the man’s hand touched the sack, Qing’er felt his cruel and lustful eyes staring through the burlap at her.

His laughter echoed around the room as she writhed violently, twisting her body, but the ropes only tightened, making it harder to breathe.

“Don’t waste your strength,” the man said coldly. “You can’t escape.”

“What... what do you want from me?” Qing’er whispered, nearly broken.