84: Chapter 84 I Have a Bold Idea

The rain gradually stopped, and the onlookers on the street dispersed in small groups, leaving behind only messy puddles and Tang San and Dai Mubai, who stared at each other, no longer in the mood to fight.

The three from Gui Mengguan leaned against a porch pillar by the street, wondering where to find a place to stay. Suddenly, his gaze swept over three suspicious figures at the street corner, his footsteps paused, and a playful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

He reached out to pull Qiangu Jue and Oupai beside him, tilted his chin toward the street corner, and whispered, "Hey, look at those three. Aren't they the Lecherous Trio from the original work? Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya?"

Qiangu Jue and Oupai looked in the direction he pointed and recognized them instantly. The tall, thin man in the lead, with a scar on his face and eyes filled with an inescapable wretchedness, was indeed Bu Le, whose Spirit was a Bra.

Beside him were a short, fat man and a lean man, who were E Kao and Tian Ya.

These three fellows were scourges of Soto City in the original work, specifically targeting lone female Spirit Masters. Eventually, they were brutally beaten by Xiao Wu, losing their "capital" for committing evil.

"It really is those three." Qiangu Jue raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "What? Do you want to beat them up and rid the people of a scourge like Xiao Wu did in the original work?"

"Just beating them up is boring." Gui Mengguan smiled, leaned into their ears, and whispered the fun idea that had popped into his head.

After hearing it, Qiangu Jue's eyes instantly lit up. He slapped his thigh and almost laughed out loud. "Holy crap! That's brilliant! It's also too wicked! I love it! Let's do it!"

Oupai also couldn't help but curl his lips and nod. "It's feasible. These three weren't good people to begin with, so it's perfect to use them. Even if something goes wrong, it won't be traced back to us."

The three exchanged glances and instantly reached a consensus. They silently vanished into the shadows of the street corner, following Bu Le and his companions as they sneakily ducked into a small alley.

On the other side, Bu Le, E Kao, and Tian Ya had just ducked into the deserted back alley of Red Romance. They all let out a sigh of relief, their faces still carrying lingering obsession and excitement.

Bu Le leaned against the wall, clutching his chest, and sighed with a distracted expression. "Ah... it's over. I'm afraid I'm done for, fallen for Miss Xiao Wu. Did you see? When Miss Xiao Wu was dancing on stage just now, that smile... I felt like my soul was being snatched away! I feel like I've found the meaning of life!"

"Who says otherwise!" E Kao nodded repeatedly, his fat face filled with a piety that didn't match his image. "What kind of things were we doing before? Petty theft, bullying young girls... we were simply living in vain! Miss Xiao Wu's singing has healed us! From today on, we will turn over a new leaf and start anew!"

Tian Ya also nodded heavily, his fist clenched with determination. "Exactly! From now on, the three of us are Miss Xiao Wu's exclusive Guardian Knights! If anyone dares to target Miss Xiao Wu, we'll be the first to fight them to the death! We will never do those wretched things again!"

The three of them went back and forth, getting more excited as they spoke, as if they had transformed from the lechers everyone in Soto City hated into righteous knights protecting a goddess. Even their backs straightened quite a bit.

But just as they finished imagining their future and were about to turn and leave the alley, three black shadows suddenly lunged out from both ends of the alley!

"Who?!"

Bu Le had barely uttered a word when his vision went dark. A coarse sack was pulled over his head, instantly enveloping him completely.

E Kao and Tian Ya beside him were not spared either. Almost at the same time, their heads were covered by sacks, and they didn't even have time to release their Spirits.

"Mmph! Let me go! Who are you?!"

"You dare touch us brothers? Do you know who we are?!"

"Do you know who our brother E Kao is?!"

The three struggled frantically inside the sacks, but in the next second, heavy clubs slammed down hard onto their bodies!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Muffled sounds rang out continuously, accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking bones. The trio's curses instantly turned into heart-wrenching screams.

They felt pain everywhere. The clubs seemed to have eyes, specifically striking the gaps between their bones—arms, legs, ribs—not a single spot was spared.

In the darkness, only the cold, repetitive words of the man in black could be heard:

"Will you talk?!"

"Will you talk?!"

"Let's see how long you can stay stubborn! Are you going to talk or not?!"

Bu Le and the others were beaten until they wailed for mercy. Tears and snot mixed with blood smeared across their faces. They felt as if every bone in their bodies had been shattered—legs broken, arms snapped, even their mouths were beaten into a pulp, making it impossible to speak even if they wanted to.

Not to mention, they didn't even know what the other party wanted them to say.

It was unknown how long they were beaten, but it wasn't until the three were completely limp in the sacks, with only half a breath left, that the beating finally stopped.

They were dragged like dead dogs all the way to a deserted grove outside Soto City and tossed onto the cold mud.

In their daze, they heard new footsteps approaching, and a deliberately lowered voice rang out. It was Gui Mengguan, who had changed into black clothes and disguised his voice: "Well? Did they confess?"

The man in black who had done the beating bowed and replied respectfully, "Reporting to my Lord, they are very stubborn and haven't said anything."

Gui Mengguan chuckled, his tone casual, yet it made the three in the sacks instantly feel a chill down their spines. "Didn't say anything? Fine, then set their bones. Once they're healed, continue beating them. Beat them until they talk."

"Mmph! Mmph-mmph!!"

Hearing this, Bu Le and the others were nearly scared to death. They twisted frantically inside the sacks, letting out urgent, muffled groans.

They were already terrified from the beating. Every part of them hurt. To have their bones set just to be beaten again—wouldn't that be the death of them?!

"Oh? It seems they have something to say." Gui Mengguan raised his hand, signaling his subordinates. "Untie the sacks. I want to hear what they have to say."

The subordinates immediately stepped forward, tore open the sacks, and pulled out the rags stuffed in the trio's mouths.

As soon as the rag was pulled out, Bu Le wailed with a sob, his voice hoarse, and tears mixed with blood flowed down his face.

"Gurgle mumble wah gurgle wash-wash bala..."

It was incoherent babbling; it was impossible to tell what he was saying.

"Give them some treatment first."

Assuming the Healing-type ring was released on the spot, they were healed in no time.

As soon as he was healed, Bu Le shouted out.

"Don't hit us! Don't hit us! Brave heroes! We'll confess! We'll confess everything!!"

E Kao and Tian Ya also followed with heart-wrenching wails, "We'll say everything! Please, don't hit us anymore! Our bones were almost shattered by you!"

...