novelraw Chapter 795: Cruelty
Chapter 795: Cruelty
After Xu Ke completed the task assigned by Claude, he returned to Claude’s manor, took a hot shower, and rested briefly before being summoned to the study by Claude.
"You’ve worked hard these last couple of days. You did a great job, and I’m very pleased. How are you feeling?" Claude smiled as soon as he saw Xu Ke’s face.
"I’ve rested well," Xu Ke nodded and said. These tasks were not challenging for Xu Ke, so he wasn’t overly exhausted. A simple rest was enough for him to recover.
"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Xu Ke asked.
"There is indeed one more thing. The people you sent over are all locked in the dungeon. Come with me to the dungeon," Claude invited.
Xu Ke nodded and did not refuse.
So the two walked one after the other, chatting idly as if they were going on a picnic, not to the blood-stained dungeon. Only when the dungeon door opened, allowing a putrid and bloody smell to waft out, did they realize they were at the entrance.
Claude entered first and said to Xu Ke before going in, "Remember to close the door."
Returning once again to the dungeon he had visited before, Xu Ke felt both unfamiliar and familiar. The two large iron cages that were once in the center were gone, replaced by several thick hemp ropes. Five ropes bound one person, and three women were hanging in the air. The ropes intertwined, resembling a Silk Cave. They weren’t hung very high, only a slight distance from the ground, not even the height of a palm.
When the three women first arrived, they had the energy to scream and curse, but no one paid them any mind, nor did anyone bring them food or water. They soon quieted down, but upon seeing who might be responsible for their capture, they couldn’t remain silent.
Claude turned on the light, and the dim chamber suddenly brightened. The sudden illumination was too much for the three, who immediately closed their eyes, tears flowing uncontrollably but soon stopping. Cautiously, they opened their eyes again and turned their gaze toward the approaching footsteps.
Seeing Claude standing not far from them, the three women’s eyes first showed astonishment, then deep hatred.
"I knew it, I knew, I knew it was you. I’ve been thinking for so long in here, and the only person I could think of who would do this to us was you. It really is you, you bastard, you son of a bitch, ptooey!" Hannah rasped, glaring at Claude with bloodshot eyes and cursing. The ’ptooey’ sound was empty as she hadn’t drunk water for too long.
"Even though they were your brothers and sisters, you used such cruel methods to kill them. Aren’t you afraid of going to Hell? If you’re not afraid for yourself, are you not afraid that your evil deeds will bring retribution upon your mother, sending her to Hell?" Carmen, whose child was burned to a crisp, asked loudly.
"I think my mother would be very happy about what I’ve done, even if the price was her going to Hell. Her dying wish was to make the three of you suffer, to send you to Hell. But I wasn’t a dutiful son, letting you go free for so many years, only taking action now. My mom might even be mad at me for waiting so long," Claude said, frowning slightly, his expression somewhat troubled.
"Was it necessary? That was all so long ago, and you’ve already killed my daughter. You dissolved her until there was nothing left and washed her down the drain. Isn’t that enough for you? What more do you want from us? I was also very sad about your mother’s death, deeply saddened. No one wanted that outcome. I mourned for a long time when I heard about her death." Nell said with a regretful tone, her expression filled with sorrow.
"Sad? Hahaha!" Claude laughed as if he had heard the greatest joke, unable to stop himself, holding his stomach and laughing so hard he lost his composure.
For a moment, the only sound in the dungeon was his laughter, and only after who knows how long did it finally subside.
"That’s the funniest joke I’ve ever heard. You’re sad? If I remember correctly, weren’t you the one who spoke the harshest words to my mom back then? Weren’t you the one who wished my mom to die? When you heard about her death, weren’t you the happiest one?" Claude unhesitatingly tore off her facade.
With Claude’s words, a flash of panic crossed Nell’s face but quickly faded, her expression returning to normal. She even looked at Claude with a gaze as if he had been deceived.
"Don’t be used by those with ulterior motives. I never did that. I don’t know who told you such things. But as a woman, I know the kind of pressure and physical discomfort a woman endures after pregnancy and childbirth. So I would never do such a thing." Nell flatly denied Claude’s accusation.
"Enough. Your act is disgusting. You all thought I was too young back then to remember anything, but I have a very early memory, earlier than even I dared imagine," Claude said, grinning with a malicious smile.
"I remember the mocking words you said to my mom. I remember someone pinching me when my mom wasn’t around. I remember your vile faces, the pride in your eyes when cozying up to my dad in front of my mom, and your smiling faces at my mom’s funeral." Claude said word by word.
Indeed, Claude’s memory was so early that even they began to forget some things.
"Did you forget? Understandable, my mom has been dead for over a decade, forgotten by so many. But it’s okay, I remember. Her son remembers everything about her, and that’s enough," Claude said, reigning in his smile.
"What do you want to do?"
The atmosphere in the air grew tense as Claude’s smile faded. They sensed the danger in Claude’s eyes as he looked at them, a gaze that made them instinctively want to flee. But their suspended bodies made any escape futile.