WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 39 Torment

Wei Ying tapped his foot impatiently. His idea to strike fear into their guest had worked too well. The man was currently passed out in the chair, and they were just standing around, waiting.

"Let's get a bucket of cold water and get this over with." Jin Ling spoke to the guards.

"Are you sure?" Wei Ying asked him. "Do you want me to do the honours?"

"No, Uncle Wei. What face would I be left with, when Uncle Cheng finds out?" He straightened his back. "I'll do it."

"Okay." Wei Ying murmured.

The cold water worked wonders with the man spluttering awake. "Don't hurt me!" He yelled.

"Then cooperate." Jin Ling was taking the tough approach.

Wei Ying felt proud of him, enough that he could feel a lump in his throat. Shijie's son was growing up well.

"What do you want to know?" The man asked cautiously, eyeing the table still in front of him.

"Who do you work for?" Jin Ling pushed forward.

"Suanni. He is the light in our lives." The man's gaze took on a dreamy look, his voice full of reverence.

"Okay, let me phrase it this way, who gives you your orders?" Jin Ling had rolled his eyes after the first confession.

Wei Ying thought of Jiang Cheng immediately. His brother had rubbed off on the their nephew in more than one way.

"I don't want to tell you. They will kill me if I talk." He looked down, dejectedly.

"I'll do worse than that, if you don't talk." he threatened. Jin Ling picked up a cruel screw shaped tool. "I wonder where I could stick this for maximum effect."

The man started shaking, enough that the chair legs were rattling on the stone floor.

"What if we promise to protect you?" Wei Ying offered. If the man thought there was no way out of his stalemate, they could at least offer him this, in exchange for valuable information.

"You won't be able to." There was something pitiable about his expression, a giving up and letting go, because he saw no way that he could survive.

"We can keep you here. Our security is second to none." Jin Ling said, to reassure him.

He barked out a laugh. "JinLinTai is probably the easiest target there is."

"What are you hoping to find here?" Wei Ying asked, interested.

"It belongs to us. We're not stealing it, just taking back what's ours." He shrewdly watched Wei Ying.

"Why don't you tell us what it is? If you're right, you can just ask him for it." Wei Ying looked at Jin Ling for confirmation.

"That's right. If it belongs to you, I can give it back, that's if we have it in the first place." Jin Ling stroked his chin.

"It is a beacon, a vessel to summon our master. Once he appears, all shall bow to his greatness, cower to his majesty." The man forgot himself, his thoughts drifting.

"What does it look like, this beacon?" Wei Ying brought him back to the point.

"I'm not sure. I know it's made from silver. It is in the form of our lord and master, the saviour of us all." The man once again, drowned in bliss.

"What are you doing to the children in the orphanage?" Wei Ying asked, tired of the disjointed talking.

His eyes took on a wild look. "They are the fertile land that we shall plough, they will pave the way to our lord, we will harvest their fruit until we can call upon the great one."

"You aren't actually telling me anything useful." Jin Ling said, also losing patience.

Fear returned to his face. "W-What are you going to do?" He stuttered.

"Start making sense!" Jin Ling shouted. "Who do you work for?"

"I can't tell you!" He shouted back.

"We offered you protection." Wei Ying said. "That's your only option now. Otherwise, these four walls," he looked around, "will be your life from now on."

"I will die whatever I do." He stated, his eyes unseeing.

"Not true. At least with us, you have a chance to stay alive." Jin Ling reminded him.

"Why do you all kill yourselves when you're caught?" Wei Ying asked. He really wanted to know.

"It is the best way. It is the only way. Then, Suanni will know of our sacrifice and welcome us in the afterlife." He recited.

Wei Ying felt sorry for him, the obvious victim to some strange cult that demanded absolute devotion to their mysterious cause. Was there a way to unbrainwash him? To teach him that perhaps, his way was wrong?

The man suddenly forced all his strength into his legs and charged at the table, with the sole intention of hurting himself. His head collided with the edge, a sharp gash formed and blood sprayed everywhere.

Jin Ling cursed and pulled him back. He had knocked himself out, so Jin Ling called for a healer.

"Clean this up." He shouted at the waiting guard, who trembled and rushed to comply.

"Do you want to continue this in the morning?" Wei Ying looked at the injured man.

"I suppose we'll have to." Jin Ling replied. "I haven't the heart to carry on doing this tonight."

"Come then." Wei Ying gave orders to the guards. "Have four people watching him at all times. If his guess is correct, then assassin might be sent to finish him off. We have given our promise to protect, so it is necessary." Wei Ying was walking away and then he remembered the table. "And move that thing out of there. We don't want anything else to happen to him tonight."

"Will he be alright, Uncle Wei?" Jin Ling couldn't help but ask.

"If course he will. No man is a real man without a bit of torture." Wei Ying winked at his nephew and walked out of that dark place.