“Is he the slave ghost?”
Ning Beichen looked at the short, shifty-eyed man standing before him, who was less than 1.6 meters tall, and asked with a frown.
Charles nodded, looking at Ning Beichen nervously, and repeatedly assured him that he was indeed the slave ghost.
He was mainly worried that Ning Beichen wouldn't believe him and would just cut him down without a word.
Charles, who considered himself a minor power broker in Mollo, commanded a few hundred men. Now he was reduced to this pathetic state.
But Charles had no choice. It wasn't that he didn't want to be tough; he simply couldn't. The man before him was a bloodthirsty killer who didn't reason with anyone.
"His name is Andy. He's the contact for the slave ghosts in this district."
Charles replied.
"Charles, why have you brought this guy to me? We don't do business with men."
The slave ghost, named Andy, said to Charles.
"It's not me looking for you; he is."
Charles wished he could throw off the responsibility right now, pointing at Ning Beichen as he spoke.
"Who are you? What do you want with me?"
The scrawny man's attitude towards Ning Beichen was relatively good, as he saw that Ning Beichen was brought by Charles.
"I'm looking for a woman."
Ning Beichen said.
"Heh, if you're looking for a woman, go to the next block. The prices are fair, and you'll find any woman you desire there."
Andy said.
"The woman I'm looking for is named Isabella. She disappeared here about ten days ago."
Ning Beichen took out his phone and showed Andy a picture of Isabella.
So far, Ning Beichen's attitude was still reasonable. As long as this guy behaved and cooperated, Ning Beichen was quite gentle and didn't always resort to violence.
"Never seen her."
Andy replied casually after glancing at the photo on the phone.
"Look closer."
Ning Beichen's expression darkened.
"I said I haven't seen her. Get lost! If you weren't brought by Charles, I'd kill you right now, believe it or not!"
Andy wouldn't give Ning Beichen any face. Moreover, the slave ghosts here feared no one.
When Andy said this, he didn't notice the look of fear on Charles's face behind him, because he knew what terrible things were about to happen.
As Charles had predicted, Ning Beichen reached out, grabbed Andy by the neck, and lifted him into the air.
Ning Beichen was slightly over 1.8 meters tall, while Andy was less than 1.6 meters. In Ning Beichen's hands, Andy was like a chick being grabbed by an eagle.
Andy immediately struggled to breathe, his legs dangling in the air, his eyes rolling back. His hands desperately tried to pry Ning Beichen's arm away.
But Ning Beichen's arm was like a vise; Andy couldn't budge it. His feet kicked wildly in the air. Just as he was about to suffocate, Ning Beichen finally let go.
Andy gasped for air like a fish out of water, then suddenly lunged forward and punched Ning Beichen in the stomach.
With a crack!
Andy screamed. His right arm, the one he used to punch, was broken. A piece of bone protruded from his elbow, and his entire arm was bloody.
This kind of compound fracture was far more painful than simply breaking an arm, as the bone fragments remained embedded in his arm muscles. Even the slightest movement sent waves of agony through Andy.
"Can you talk properly now?"
Ning Beichen's gaze shifted to his other, still intact arm. His expression was devoid of emotion, cold and indifferent.
"You... you're dead. You dare to offend us slave ghosts? No one in the whole of Mollo can protect you!"
Andy, wailing in pain, still tried to threaten Ning Beichen.
Perhaps he was used to acting tough, or perhaps he genuinely believed that no one in Mollo dared to cross the slave ghosts. He failed to notice Charles frantically blinking at him.
Initially, Charles had thought the same way, but he knew better from his own experience.
Seeing Andy about to make the same mistake, Charles tried to communicate with him through their eyes, but Andy didn't even look at him.
With another crisp crack!
Andy's other, previously undamaged hand also broke, suffering the same fate as his left hand.
Andy writhed on the ground, his screams echoing piteously. Charles, standing behind, felt his legs go weak. Although it wasn't his arm that broke, he could deeply empathize with Andy's agony.
This guy wasn't human; he was a devil. Charles saw no trace of human emotion in his eyes.
"Now? Are you ready to talk? If not, you won't get another chance. I don't believe you're the only slave ghost in Mollo."
Ning Beichen's voice was chilling and merciless, like a bone-scraping knife, piercing Andy's ears.
"I'll talk, I'll talk."
Andy could no longer maintain his bravado. Enduring the unbearable pain, he quickly blurted out.
"Good. I appreciate people who know when to yield."
Ning Beichen seemed pleased with his change of attitude.
"Then tell me, have you seen this woman?"
Ning Beichen asked again.
"Yes, yes, I have."
This time, Andy answered readily.
"Where is she?"
A glint flickered in Ning Beichen's cold, emotionless eyes.
"I... I don't know. I only saw her name on a list. I never met her in person."
Andy answered truthfully.
"Then who does?"
Ning Beichen felt a slight disappointment but didn't expect a non-core member of the slave ghosts to know much.
He had merely used Charles to find Andy, and then through Andy, he would eventually find Isabella.
As long as he traced back to the source, he would eventually find Isabella.
Unless Isabella wasn't in the hands of the slave ghosts, in which case Ning Beichen would have to start searching for clues all over again.
But since Andy said he had seen Isabella's name on the list, it was clear that Isabella had indeed fallen into the hands of the slave ghosts.
"Okay, Oke is in charge."
Andy replied hastily.
"Take me to him."
Ning Beichen pulled him up from the ground and patted his elbow. The exposed broken bone receded back into his arm.
Although the arm bone was still broken, it was at least better than being exposed.
However, Ning Beichen had no intention of healing him; he merely prevented him from bleeding to death.
But for Andy, this was a second torment, even more excruciating than the first.
Yet, he still had to force an incredibly strained smile and show Ning Beichen a grateful expression.