Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 518: Crying ike a goat before slaughter

The fact that Luo Muchen didn’t struggle displeased Master Zi. The young man was staring at him with a stubborn look in his eyes showing that he wasn’t going to back down. This infuriated him further. He wanted to see him beg for mercy and regret his decision. He wanted to see that cold face show some emotion. In other words, he wanted to break him and make him realise that he was nothing. Not even the Lee family could protect him.

Luo Muchen’s once neat clothes were now dishevelled and he was forced to his knees on the rocky ground in the middle of the courtyard. The heavy hands of Master Zi’s men pressed him down with unyielding force, a full demonstration of the old man’s influence and cruelty.

"Call his father... I want him to witness this," he commanded as he sat down on the jade stairs his posture unlike that of a master whose father betrayed the King. He sat down with his elbows resting on the upper stairs while watching him like a prey ready to pounce and tear him apart.

***

Master Lee’s carriage clattered over the cobblestones, the rhythmic sound of the horses’ hooves a stark counterpoint to his racing heart. When he heard that Luo Muchen had been invited to meet with Master Zi he immediately rushed to his carriage afraid that this person would open his mouth and ruin everything. Suddenly, the carriage jerked to a halt, the silence of the stop as jarring as the ruckus of the ride.

Before he could voice his indignation, the door to his carriage burst open. Rough hands, belonging to faces hidden behind face masks, seized him. They belonged to the Zi family’s men, he realised, his confusion swiftly turning to alarm. Words of protest died on his lips as he was hauled out into the brightly lit street and dragged away.

"You!... Do you not know who I am?" His voice was firm, yet it wavered slightly under the din of his own disbelief.

His arrogant declaration was met with sneers and impolite. He was dragged toward the Zi mansion’s grand courtyard their grip bone-crushing.

His heart sank as he stumbled beside a figure he’d recognize anywhere. Luo Muchen was being suppressed on the ground, his clothes stained with the dirt and his knees pressed hard against the gravel.

Master Lee’s eyes met his son’s, a silent fury burning in the elder’s gaze. "Luo Muchen!" he hissed under his breath, his voice a mix of fear and admonishment. Luo Muchen’s eyes, rimmed with the shadows of indifference, looked away. It was clear then that it was too late. Luo Muchen had already smashed the clay pot and it was already too late.

"What did you do?!" he said through gritted teeth.

"What did he do indeed," said Master Zi. The air hung heavy with tension as he followed that with a soft chuckle, relishing the sight of his captives pressed down before him.

With a nonchalant posture, he lounged on the stairs, his gaze shifting from his nails to the two as he spoke, "Now that everybody’s here, we can start the party."

The chilling tone sent shivers down Master Lee’s spine, as a dark aura enveloped Master Zi when he rose to his feet. The air seemed to grow colder, the very air thick with his menacing presence. Master Lee looked at his son but the brat didn’t even look at him. He treated him like air. He wanted to tell him to take his words back now and appease this demon but Luo Muchen ignored him like he didn’t exist.

Draped in his luxurious silken robe Master Zi got up and walked towards Luo Muchen his steps slow and deliberate. He crouched before him, a sinister grin etched across his face.

"A simple marriage could have elevated you," he taunted, his voice a low growl. "Yet you choose defiance."

Luo Muchen met Master Zi’s gaze, his own eyes blazing with defiance. "And for what?" he uttered, "a pathetic ger who can’t even help you? And here I was praising you for being smart."

While he was taunting him, Zi Mixen staggered into the courtyard, her breaths laboured and her pink dress billowing in the breeze. Her eyes widened in horror as she witnessed Luo Muchen being suppressed by her father’s henchmen. Despite feeling sick and weak she mustered all her strength and called out, "Father!" her voice strained and breathless.

Gasping for air, she coughed violently, and when she did, blood stained her lips, her face turning ashen. Desperate and trembling, she wrapped her arms around her father’s leg, her voice quivering as she pleaded with him to stop hurting Luo Muchen. Master Zi was taken aback. He glared at the maidservants that let her run around even though she was gravely ill. The maidservants bowed their heads even lower while quivering in fear. "Take her back to her courtyard and confine her in her room," he commanded but she wailed even louder attracting the entire mansion. She sounded like a goat that was about to get slaughtered. He gently helped her up, but she refused to budge, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Witnessing his daughter’s distress only fueled Master Zi’s anger further. He glared at Luo Muchen, his fists clenched, consumed by a wrath that seemed to engulf him. The courtyard fell silent, the only sound being Zi Mixen’s muffled sobs as she clung to her father’s leg.

"Seeing that you still have a special place in my daughter’s heart. I will give you a chance to repent. Apologise to her and take back your words... I will let everything that happened today go," he continued to say. Master Lee was elated but when he turned to his son he saw that stubborn look in his eyes. It was a look he had seen in that woman’s eyes the last time he saw her.

"He takes it back, all of it. He lost his mind momentarily. I will talk some sense into him... Young Miss... Young Miss, please forgive my son for his transgressions. He didn’t mean it," said Master Lee but Master Zi shook his head before saying,

"He has to say it." Master Zi’s eyes blazed with fury unable to contain his anger. "Apologize to my daughter, you spineless wretch!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the silent courtyard.

Luo Muchen’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with defiance. He refused to utter a single word just staring at him sternly. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The wind whistled through the courtyard, carrying with it the tension that crackled between the two men. Master Zi’s face contorted with rage. "I said take your word back and honour the engagement," he demanded, his voice low and menacing. Zi Mixen glanced at Luo Muchen her eyes pleading. Was it so bad to be married to her? Fine, he could keep Qie Xieling as his concubine and she would never interfere again.

"Chen-ge...," she called out softly but Luo Muchen didn’t even look at her.

Master Zi saw that Luo Muchen was not moved by his threats. He sneered and waved his hand. A small wooden box was handed to him. He opened it, revealing a wriggling worm inside. The worm was black and red, with sharp teeth and a venomous sting.

Master Zi had used a special technique to make the worm inside Master Lee dormant until he activated it with a command. Now, he was ready to use it to force Luo Muchen to obey him.

"Look at your father," he said, his voice cold and cruel. He uttered a command in a strange language, and the worm in his hand twitched.

At the same time, Master Lee, who was kneeling next to Luo Muchen, let out a scream of agony. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, his face contorted in pain. His veins throbbed on his neck and temples as if they were about to burst. He struggled to breathe, his chest heaving and his heart pounding.

Luo Muchen averted his gaze but Master Zi grabbed his clutching it painfully before forcing him to turn to look at his father but he remained stubborn. He would rather die than do as he was told.

"Sa ugh agh say it you bast bastard," said Master Lee blood coming out of his eyes.

"Very well." Master Zi said, his lips curling into a twisted smile. He uttered another command, and the worm in the box writhed.

Master Lee’s scream became louder and more desperate. He felt a sharp pain in his chest as if his heart was being pierced by a thousand needles. He felt a burning sensation in his veins as if his blood was boiling. He felt a numbness in his limbs as if his bones were breaking. He felt darkness in his vision as if his eyes were melting.

He looked at his son, his eyes filled with rage. He wanted to curse him even more but he could not speak, only scream.

He gathered his last strength and yelled at his son, with all his might. "Say it! Say it! Save yourself! Save me!"