Chapter 1765: Debts Disappear with Death

 Chapter 952: A Match Made in Heaven, Abducted (1)

The atmosphere inside the room was silent for a moment. Just as Mo Yan thought the man before her might mind what she had done, she suddenly felt a pair of warm, gentle hands embrace her shoulders. The next moment, she found herself resting against a broad chest, and above her head came the man’s sigh, filled with appreciation, "I'm glad you can protect yourself."

Mo Yan raised her head in disbelief, staring at Xiao Ruiyuan’s smiling face, unable to say a word.

Xiao Ruiyuan found her stunned expression particularly endearing, touching the softest part of his heart. Unable to resist, he gently stroked the back of her head and spoke in a low voice, "You used to be too kind—so kind that you wouldn’t even take revenge on those who hurt you. I was always worried that you’d be harmed. But seeing you like this now, I feel relieved."

Mo Yan looked at him, unable to say anything.

She had lived two lifetimes, and this was the first time she had schemed against another woman, even if that woman had plotted against her first. Even so, it was her first time doing something like this, and she couldn't help but feel a storm of emotions in her heart—wondering if she had become cruel, if she had turned into someone just as malicious as those who had wronged her. She even feared that one day, she might become the very kind of person she had once despised.

Yet, his words made her realize the truth—she wasn’t becoming cruel or malicious. She was merely protecting herself. Only by ensuring her own safety could those who truly cared about her be at ease.

As he saw her gradually coming to terms with it, Xiao Ruiyuan continued, "I started fighting on the battlefield at thirteen. There, blades and spears show no mercy—either you die, or I live. Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many enemies have fallen by my sword. If that makes me ruthless, then I’ve been ruthless to the bone for a long time. A ruthless husband and a ruthless wife—aren't we a perfect match?"

When he said the words "perfect match," his face carried absolute certainty. Seeing the smile finally return to the woman's face, he couldn't help but lower his head and press a soft kiss to her forehead.

Meanwhile, the Zhao residence was deep in slumber. The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the night breeze, casting shifting shadows of the trees on the ground, giving the night a somewhat desolate air.

Inside a dimly lit room, Fan Meijiao paced back and forth anxiously. Seeing no movement outside, she glared at the shivering maid beside her and snapped, "Why is there still no news? If this plan fails, I’ll hold you responsible!"

"M-Miss, it won’t fail, it won’t!" The maid trembled, stammering in response. She was half afraid of the punishment if things went wrong and half terrified that if the plan succeeded, they might get caught, and she would end up as the scapegoat.

Perhaps the maid's words reassured her, or perhaps she was simply convinced the plan would work, but Fan Meijiao finally calmed down. She sat on the bed, eyes darting around, clearly plotting something new.

The maid huddled in the corner, not daring to speak, only praying that her mistress wouldn’t come up with more schemes. One terrifying plan was already more than she could handle.

Half an hour passed. As midnight came and went, Fan Meijiao could wait no longer. She turned to the maid and ordered, "Tomorrow morning, I’ll be leaving with my grandmother to the temple to fulfill a vow. We won’t return for three days. You’re staying here this time. If tonight’s plan succeeds, we’ll just wait for that little wretch to suffer. But if anything goes wrong, come to the temple immediately and report to me. Understood?"

The maid’s face paled slightly, her fear barely concealed as she forced a smile and suggested, "Miss, I have served you since childhood, and you’re used to having me by your side. Three days without me, I fear you won’t be comfortable. Why don’t I accompany you, and we can leave someone else here to watch the Mo family’s movements?"

"What? You dare disobey me?" Fan Meijiao shot her maid a vicious glare, snapping, "I told you to stay, so you stay! One more word, and I’ll have your entire family sold off to the mines tomorrow!"

 Chapter 951: Worse Than Death (4)

As the thieves’ faces gradually twisted with the effort of enduring the pain, Mo Yan watched them coldly without a word, offering no explanation about the pill they had swallowed.

Before long, their expressions grew increasingly contorted with agony. They writhed and struggled on the ground, desperately trying to scratch their abdomens as an unbearable itch took hold. But with their hands bound behind their backs, they could do nothing.

Their cries of suffering were even more wretched than when the centipedes had bitten them. It finally dawned on them—the pill they had swallowed was not medicine but poison meant to claim their lives.

They had taken the job for money, not expecting to risk their lives. Some managed to roll onto their knees and, despite their bound hands, kowtowed repeatedly, mumbling broken pleas for mercy.

Others, unable to bear the torment, began rubbing their stomachs against the dirt, hoping to alleviate the itch. However, this only made it worse. The sensation intensified until they wished they had a blade to carve open their bellies and scratch their insides.

Mo Yan felt no pity for these accomplices in evil who had sought to harm her. The fact that she hadn’t broken their limbs or inflicted permanent injuries was already an act of mercy.

When she deemed it enough, she gestured for the red python to step forward and remove the cloth gags from the thieves’ mouths. Yet, they had been tormented so severely that they could barely close their mouths, let alone speak.

Mo Yan took out a packet of powder and poured a dose into each thief’s mouth. By the time she reached the last one, the others had begun to calm, their pain subsiding as a semblance of clarity returned to their eyes—though now, their gazes toward Mo Yan were filled with fear.

Mo Yan smirked coldly. “I know exactly what you intended to do tonight and who sent you. Since you dared to commit such crimes, you should have been prepared to face my retaliation. What you just experienced was only an appetizer. If anyone still thinks they’re tough, we can continue.”

She weighed another bottle in her hand, her expression indifferent as she looked down at the trembling, kneeling thieves.

“Your Grace, please… have mercy! We won’t dare again, never again…”

“Your Grace, if you spare me, I will serve you faithfully. Whatever you ask, I will do. I beg you!”

“Your Grace, me too! If you let me live, I will give my life for you without hesitation!”

“……”

The torment of the previous poison had shattered their resolve. Now that they had finally escaped that unbearable pain, they no longer had the courage to face another round of even worse suffering.

Mo Yan ignored their pleas and shook the bottle in her hand. “The poison you swallowed earlier is called ‘Hundred Claws Tearing Heart.’ The antidote I just gave you only provides temporary relief. Without the true antidote, you will relive this agony every day at the same time. Of course, you do have another option—death. That way, you won’t have to endure it anymore.”

“No! No! Your Grace, I beg you! I don’t want to die! Please, have mercy and grant us the true antidote! We will serve you with all our hearts in gratitude!”

“Your Grace, I have a family! I can’t die! Please, please give me the antidote…”

“……”

They were all still young, far from ready to die. Seeing that Mo Yan held an even deadlier poison in her hands, they were too terrified to do anything but beg for their lives. If not for the red python standing guard, they would have crawled to her feet in desperation.

Once she was certain they were sufficiently frightened, Mo Yan finally revealed her true intention. “I’m not unreasonable. If you want to redeem yourselves, there is one thing you must do for me. Complete it, and I will give you the true antidote.”

The thieves exchanged hesitant glances, afraid to agree too quickly. What if she asked them to commit murder or something equally impossible? Wouldn’t they just be signing up for more suffering?

A few of them, believing themselves clever, had already begun plotting—pretend to comply, escape the Mo estate, and seek help from a doctor to remove the poison.

But Mo Yan saw through them instantly. She sneered, her tone icy. “Don’t bother trying to find a doctor to cure you. Do you really think I would use a poison that could be treated by ordinary physicians?”

At those words, despair finally set in. One of the thieves, more perceptive than the rest, immediately dropped to his knees and swore, “Your Grace, I swear! Whatever you ask of me, I will do, even if it costs me my life!”

“Me too! Me too!” The others, not wanting to fall behind, scrambled to pledge their loyalty.

Satisfied that they were thoroughly cowed, Mo Yan nodded and revealed their task.

Once the thieves had received three days’ worth of temporary antidote and were tossed out of the Mo estate by the red python, Mo Yan turned to Xiao Ruiyuan, who had remained silent throughout.

She hesitated for a moment before asking, “Now that you’ve seen what I’ve done, do you think I’m cruel? That I’m not the person you imagined me to be?”

She had deliberately kept this side of her hidden from him out of fear. Every girl hopes to be seen as kind and gentle by the man she loves, even if that image is a façade. She was no different.

If Fan Meijiao hadn’t pushed her too far, she wouldn’t have resorted to such vicious methods. But Fan Meijiao was ruthless, and if Mo Yan didn’t strike back, she would only suffer further schemes in the future.

Still, she didn’t want the man she loved to see this side of her…

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 1764: This Depends on Tao Shi's Choice

 Chapter 1763: Just a Sword

 Chapter 950: Worse Than Death (3)

These dozen or so people were none other than the scoundrels sent by Fan Meijiao in the dead of night to the Mo family’s residence, intending to ruin Mo Yan’s reputation.

Xiao Ruiyuan stood with a sharp sword in hand, his cold gaze fixed on the thieves who writhed and wailed on the ground. If not for Mo Yan’s plan, he would have sent these men to their graves long ago.

Mo Yan returned to her room and changed into a neat outfit before stepping into the courtyard. Though she had expected these thieves to suffer at Xiao Ruiyuan’s hands, witnessing their actual condition still sent chills down her spine.

Not only were their bodies oozing fresh blood, but several centipedes were crawling across them, biting from time to time. Even without experiencing it herself, she could imagine the unbearable agony.

“You’re awake?” Xiao Ruiyuan’s face showed a trace of surprise upon seeing Mo Yan. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to wake up so soon.

Mo Yan, unaware that he had tapped her sleeping acupoint, was too focused on the miserable thieves to notice anything unusual. She nodded and asked, “What did you do to them? Why are there so many centipedes?”

The Mo family estate was close to the mountains, where snakes, insects, rats, and ants were common. Centipedes were a rare and valuable medicinal ingredient, and Mo Yan had even caught some herself before, so she wasn’t afraid of them. However, she was concerned that these creatures might enter the house and harm someone. That was why she regularly sprinkled insect-repelling powder around the walls. By all accounts, centipedes shouldn’t have appeared here.

Hearing her question, Xiao Ruiyuan pulled out a small medicine bottle from his robes and sprinkled more powder onto each thief’s wounds.

Seeing this, Mo Yan immediately suspected that the powder had some peculiar effect. Sure enough, the centipedes reacted as if provoked, becoming even more excited as they scurried over the thieves’ bodies, biting down harder and more frequently.

The young thieves whimpered pitifully from the relentless centipede bites. If not for their youth and resilience, they might have already fainted from the pain. In fact, passing out would have been a relief at this point.

Mo Yan took the medicine bottle Xiao Ruiyuan handed her and sniffed it, identifying several of its ingredients. However, replicating the formula would require considerable effort—or the assistance of Doctor Du.

Without hesitation, she pocketed the medicine bottle that didn’t belong to her, then took out another vial from her waist pouch and said to Xiao Ruiyuan, “If this goes on, these men won’t be able to deal with Fan Meijiao. Let’s stop here for today.”

Xiao Ruiyuan gave a slight nod and sheathed his sword. If these men weren’t still useful, he would have killed them all without hesitation. As it was, their current state was barely better than death.

There was no rush—he would settle the score with them properly in due time!

Mo Yan approached the thieves and sprinkled a specially prepared Tianqi powder onto their ghastly wounds to stop the bleeding. Then, she forced their mouths open and shoved a brown pill into each of them.

Noticing that their wounds had stopped bleeding and the pain had lessened, the thieves foolishly assumed Mo Yan was some kind of benevolent savior and eagerly swallowed the pills.

Mo Yan had never seen anyone consume poison so willingly. As the effects of the drug began to kick in, a wicked smile curved her lips.

“Do you feel a burning sensation in your stomach now? As if fine threads are weaving through your organs, searing them from the inside out?”

The thieves focused on their bodies and realized that their abdominal cavities were indeed heating up. However, mistaking it for the medicine’s intended effect, they remained unconcerned.

Seeing this, Mo Yan’s smile deepened. It seemed the pills worked on every single one of them. Spending three years in her space developing this poison had not been in vain—it was made just for scum like them.

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 949: Worse Than Death (2)

Immediately, a warmth spread across her lips as something soft pressed against them, rubbing gently yet firmly, stirring an undeniable intimacy.

Mo Yan was kissed into a daze, and just as she was about to instinctively respond, the softness on her lips suddenly disappeared. From above her head came a deep, pleasant chuckle:

"Yan'er, stop pretending."

Mo Yan's eyes snapped open, and she glared fiercely at the man who was laughing even more delightfully. Without a second thought, she lifted her foot and kicked towards his waist.

Xiao Ruiyuan neither dodged nor avoided it, taking the not-so-light kick without resistance. However, just as Mo Yan withdrew her foot, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her ankle.

Mo Yan immediately followed up with another heavy kick and spat out, "From now on, without my permission, you're not allowed to touch me!"

Xiao Ruiyuan raised an eyebrow, his expression meaningful as he replied, "So Yan'er is saying I can only use my mouth?"

Mo Yan covered her face, utterly defeated by this shameless man. It was only now that she realized—so the term "prim and proper" could actually be applied to this man! How had she been so blind before, never noticing the filthy mind hidden beneath that serious facade?

Mo Yan's thoughts were written all over her face, and Xiao Ruiyuan could easily see through her. But he didn’t explain himself. Instead, he grabbed her chin and turned her to face him again before asking, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Mo Yan instinctively nodded, then quickly shook her head. "No."

Seeing that he wouldn't get an answer, Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t press further. He merely held Mo Yan’s face gently in his hands and kissed her delicate, flushed lips once more.

"Still not telling the truth?"

Mo Yan's body involuntarily shivered. Fearing his habit of using kisses as a form of coercion, she finally revealed what was going to happen tonight.

As soon as she finished speaking, the temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly. When she met Xiao Ruiyuan’s fierce gaze, she hurriedly added, "I can handle that woman. You mustn't—"

Xiao Ruiyuan held the woman in his arms tightly, a dark storm brewing in his deep eyes. After a long silence, he raised his hand and lightly tapped a pressure point on her neck, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. Carefully, he laid her down, covered her abdomen with a thin summer blanket, and then turned to leave the room.

It was unclear how much time had passed before Mo Yan slowly woke up. She found herself alone in the room. In a panic, she sat up, not even bothering to put on her shoes, and rushed to the door. As soon as she reached the small hall, she heard agonized groans coming from the courtyard beyond the wall.

In the courtyard, over a dozen people lay scattered in various positions. Their hands and feet were tightly bound, and even their mouths were gagged. Their clothes had been slashed by sharp weapons, reduced to tattered strips hanging loosely from their bodies. Bloodstains were faintly visible on the torn fabric, and through the gashes, glimpses of wounded flesh could be seen—an utterly miserable sight.

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 1762: Do You Know About This Matter?