C7 Waiting for the Right Time!

A dungeon had been constructed in the backyard of a private home, its air quality horrendous. It was not only dark and damp, but also permeated with a pungent, fishy odor.

The chamber below was cramped, filled with an assortment of torture devices including wooden clubs, whips, tiger benches, flaying knives, and steel needles.

Hu Ren brought up the rear, urging the others to escort Lee Fei down first. When a constable ignited a torch, the area was instantly bathed in light.

They stripped Lee Fei bare, and all the confiscated silver notes were handed over to Hu Ren. By now, Lee Fei had regained consciousness, his heart seething with anger and fear.

A dreadful thought crossed his mind. 'They've stripped me of my clothes; surely they wouldn't... No, please no.'

However, he soon realized his fears were unfounded.

Several men bound him to a post and each grabbed a wooden club. Without a word, they commenced a brutal beating.

Beyond the intense pain, Lee Fei felt nothing. Clenching his jaw, he seared the faces of his assailants into his memory with fury.

A constable with beady eyes gingerly held a pair of white casual shoes, turning to Hu Ren to remark, "Mr. Hu, these are just ordinary shoes, aren't they? What's so special about them?"

"Lin Laoliu, you're clueless," scoffed Zhang De, the constable who was holding a round rod. "You can't recognize a treasure if it's right in front of you."

Lin Laoliu glared, retorting, "Well, Zhang De, enlighten me then. How much can these shoes fetch?"

"Enough talk. Wrap it up already. Uncle specifically requested this item," Hu Ren replied icily, gesturing for Zhang De to come closer.

With a knowing grin, Zhang De passed the round rod to Hu Ren.

In that moment, everything clicked for Lee Fei.

An innocent man becomes a target when he possesses something valuable. It must have been the pawnshop owner's doing; he had been eyeing Lee Fei's shoes greedily, likely believing he could extract even more value from him.

Realizing this, Lee Fei feigned collapse, crying out weakly, "Brothers, please, no more beating. Ask me anything, I'll tell you all I know. I can't endure any more."

"You were acting all tough earlier, weren't you? Now you're begging for mercy, hahaha."

"This guy is clearly a weakling. I knew he wouldn't last long."

Hu Ren gestured for the three constables to pause and, brandishing the round rod in front of Lee Fei, demanded, "Tell me, what's the purpose of this treasure?"

"It's an heirloom from my ancestors, with no special purpose. If you constables fancy it, I'd be happy to give it to you," Lee Fei replied quietly.

"Do you have any other treasures on you?" Hu Ren pressed.

"There's nothing left, truly. You've stripped me of my clothes; you can see for yourselves," Lee Fei exclaimed.

Lin Laoliu interjected icily, "Kid, Mr. Hu is asking if you've hidden treasures elsewhere."

Lee Fei recognized him as the man who had struck him on the head in the private room. He knew Lin Laoliu was impulsive and reckless, traits Lee Fei could exploit.

With a defiant turn of his head, Lee Fei addressed Lin Laoliu, "Believe it or not, there's nothing left."

Lin Laoliu responded with a sneer, "Oh, still putting on airs, are you? Do you think you're immortal?"

"I might as well be dead for all I care. What can you do to me? If you're so tough, kill me!"

"Kid, I'm giving you one chance to apologize now, or else..."

"Ptui!"

Lee Fei spat a glob of phlegm directly onto Lin Laoliu's face, an insult that sent him into a rage. He balled his fists and began to pummel Lee Fei's face relentlessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He landed several blows on Lee Fei's face, and was about to strike a critical blow to Lee Fei's temple.

Hu Ren yelled out, "Lin Laoliu, I said stop!"

As he shouted, he delivered a powerful kick to Lin Laoliu's side, knocking him to the ground.

Lin Laoliu, lying on the ground and looking up at Hu Ren, felt his rage ebb away.

He quickly stammered, "Mr. Hu, it wasn't intentional. The kid's words just got under my skin, and I lost control for a second."

Hu Ren snorted, "If he dies, I'll have your life as payment!"

Zhang De stepped forward to assess Lee Fei's condition and remarked, "Mr. Hu, the lad's just passed out. He seems to be alright. Should we try to wake him?"

"There's no need. He won't be talking today," Hu Ren replied. "Fellows, you've all put in a hard day's work. Once the food and drink arrive, help yourselves and take turns resting. We'll deal with this youngster properly tomorrow."

At this, everyone chuckled, casting sinister glances at Lee Fei, already imagining the ways they would torment him the next day.

Hu Ren then shot Lin Laoliu a fierce look and declared, "I'm docking half your pay this month. Take some time to reflect on your actions."

"Understood, Mr. Hu," Lin Laoliu responded, his voice raspy.

Hu Ren didn't pursue the matter further. He grabbed the bag containing the shoes and tucked the round rod into his coat before turning to leave the dungeon. Lee Fei's possessions were specifically requested by his uncle, and Hu Ren was not about to take that lightly.

Once Hu Ren was gone, Lin Laoliu scrambled to his feet and stalked over to Lee Fei, eager for retribution.

A constable in his forties noticed and warned, "Laoliu, if you're looking for trouble, don't involve the rest of us."

Lin Laoliu's face shifted as he held up his hands and said, "Chen, I wasn't going to do anything. Just checking if the kid was faking."

With that, he pinched Lee Fei's flesh hard, but seeing no reaction, he stepped back, frustrated.

About the time it takes to sip a cup of tea passed, and an old man arrived with their meal. They were famished after the long day and gathered to eat and drink.

Lee Fei, however, hadn't actually fainted. Provoking Lin Laoliu had been intentional. When Lin Laoliu pinched him, he nearly cried out but managed to suppress it.

He kept his eyes shut, head bowed. If he was to turn the tide, he would need to rely on Dark Magic. Yet, at that moment, his magical energy was too depleted to cast any spells.

Bound and uncomfortable, Lee Fei tried to relax in the dismal surroundings of the dungeon, attempting to enter a meditative state. Unlike during the day, it took him quite some time to achieve this state of mind.

It seemed that the dungeon's environment, filled with numerous black light spots and devoid of any other color, indicated the presence of only the dark element. This was an advantageous situation for Lee Fei.

Four hours later, the constables, having satisfied their hunger and thirst, decided to play a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would stay and watch over Lee Fei. Lin Laoliu and a young constable drew the short straw.

The two of them didn't bother to keep a constant watch on Lee Fei, confident that the ropes binding him would prevent any escape. They leaned on each other and dozed off.

Meanwhile, Lee Fei had accumulated enough magical energy to cast a spell of Dark Magic, marking his official advancement to a beginner enchanter. He had bypassed the apprentice stage, which involved learning magic and mastering meditation, taking a shortcut in his magical education.

Currently, Lee Fei could cast only three Dark Magic spells: Lock Picking, Dark Element Blade, and Summon Skeleton. His magical energy was insufficient for other spells, which also required specific ingredients to cast.

Lee Fei was well aware that Summon Skeleton was the Dark Magic spell that could extricate him from his predicament. With enough magical energy, he could release it by merely uttering the incantation.

"Great Dark God, in my name, I beseech you to summon your loyal guardian—the Skeleton Warrior."

With those words, a black rune glowed on Lee Fei's forehead. A black mist coalesced before him, and a snow-white skeleton with a green glow in its hollow eye sockets rose unsteadily to its feet, brandishing a bone knife in its left hand.

Struggling to lift his head, Lee Fei looked at the two slumbering constables and thought to himself, "Just wait, my revenge is at hand."