56: Chapter 56 Peeping into the Murder Room on a Snowy Night

On the snowy ground, the three of them moved like ghosts.

Their soles barely touched the ground; every step was as light as a falling feather.

They held their breath, concentrating, and approached the hall without a sound.

Finally reaching the window, the three exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with vigilance.

Each of them extended a finger, moistened it with saliva, and carefully poked through the oil paper on the window.

As the thin paper was punctured, three small holes appeared. They leaned close to the holes, and the scene inside the hall immediately came into view.

There were no torches in the hall; in their place, fire basins were hung everywhere.

The charcoal fires were burning vigorously, and the crimson glow illuminated the hall, flickering on and off.

The shadows swaying on the walls were twisted and distorted, resembling monsters baring their fangs and brandishing their claws.

The floor was in a mess, with fifteen people tightly bound by ropes, lying scattered across the ground.

Some were unconscious, while others twisted their bodies weakly, emitting indistinct groans.

The surrounding chairs were overturned, and broken chair legs were scattered to the side; clearly, a fierce fight had just taken place here.

Eight blade-wielding men paced around vigilantly, their eyes sharp as eagles, constantly monitoring the surroundings.

The blades glinted with a chilling cold light under the firelight; if there was the slightest disturbance, they would strike without hesitation.

Through the small hole, Ye Hua saw his parents bound tightly by ropes, and his heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

In an instant, his eyes widened, filled with shock, anger, and disbelief.

He clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white, his body trembling slightly.

The disheveled appearance of his parents was like a steel blade piercing straight into his heart, with hatred and self-reproach surging like a tide.

But he suppressed the fury within, knowing he could not be impulsive at this moment. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and think of a strategy.

The moment Ye Rong saw her parents, her lips trembled violently, her eyes instantly turned red, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She hurriedly covered her mouth, afraid of crying out.

Her heart ached as if twisted, and tears uncontrollably welled up and spilled over, sliding down her cheeks.

Usually gentle, at this moment, her heart was filled only with worry for her parents and hatred for the villains, her body twitching slightly from anger and anxiety.

She suppressed her emotions and looked up at Ye Hua, her eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation.

The atmosphere in the hall was suffocatingly oppressive, and the flickering firelight cast shadowy figures on the walls, as if countless ghosts were hiding there.

A burly man with a fleshy face was carelessly toying with a short blade, the cold light of the blade reflecting against his sinister eyes.

He stared fixedly at Chief Escort Ye on the ground and spoke slowly: "Chief Escort Ye, I will give you one more stick of incense worth of time to consider."

"My patience is limited."

"If after one stick of incense, you still don't obediently hand over what you obtained in the cave, then these people will die one by one right in front of you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man's mouth curled into a cruel smile, and he suddenly stabbed his short blade fiercely into the thigh of the bound person beside him.

"Ah!"

With a dull thud, when the blade was pulled out, blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground red.

That person let out a shrill scream, the sound exploding in the silent hall, making everyone's heart contract violently.

Chief Escort Ye's body trembled, his eyes burning with fury that was being suppressed; he gritted his teeth, his hatred nearly erupting.

The other bound people, some closed their eyes in terror, others showed despair; the hall was like falling into Hell.

The man wore a mocking smile on his face, deliberately dragging his feet, his soles scraping against the floor to create a heart-wrenching sound as he walked slowly toward Lady Ye.

Every step felt like it was treading on everyone's heart.

Watching the man approach his wife, Chief Escort Ye's eyes were bloodshot, and he let out a roar filled with anger and fear: "No!"

However, the man turned a deaf ear and pressed the cold blade against Lady Ye's cheek.

The blade trembled, and the reflected light made Lady Ye close her eyes tightly, tears streaming down continuously.

The man laughed triumphantly: "Hmph, consider yourself sensible."

"Fine, I'll agree to your terms for now. If you still can't hand it over after one stick of incense, then I will make her my first victim."

After saying this, he put away his knife and looked at Chief Escort Ye provocatively.

Ye Hua's eyes widened, his fury nearly bursting from his eye sockets, his fists clenched so tightly they hurt, wishing he could rush in immediately.

Ye Rong covered her mouth, tears flowing ceaselessly, her body trembling violently from anger and worry.

Although Yun Song was burning with anxiety, he understood that being impulsive would only spoil things.

He frowned and signaled to the Ye siblings, saying in a low voice: "Retreat first. This place is not suitable for a long stay. Let's find a place to discuss this further."

Yun Song took the lead and retreated on tiptoe; although Ye Hua and Ye Rong were full of reluctance, they knew there was no other way.

Ye Hua glared fiercely at the man, suppressed his anger, and pulled Ye Rong to retreat with Yun Song.

The three of them crouched down and quickly hid in a concealed corner.

Ye Rong impatiently leaned close to Yun Song and asked urgently in a low voice: "Young Master Yun, the situation is extremely critical now. Do you have any way to save my father and mother?"

She stared fixedly at Yun Song, her eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation, her hands unconsciously clutching the corner of her clothes.