Chapter 182: Interrogation

While Cheng Feng was handling some affairs at the Hong Sect, he suddenly saw one of his subordinates running over in a panic. He furrowed his brows, thinking that something urgent must have happened, but he still calmly told the other party not to be anxious and to explain the matter slowly. The subordinate caught his breath and reported to Cheng Feng: "Sect Master, someone from your home has come to send word, saying that a thief has been caught, and they hope you can return home immediately." Cheng Feng felt this was just a trivial matter, because Xu Miao was still at home, and catching a thief was easy for her. So he waved his hand, signaling there was no need to panic. But the subordinate hurriedly added: "They also said that the thief put poison in the food!" Hearing this, Cheng Feng's expression changed drastically, his heart skipped a beat, and he stood up instantly, asking urgently: "What? Poison?" He immediately realized the severity of the problem and hurried outside. As he walked, he looked back and said to the subordinate: "Alright, I know, you may go down first." Having said that, he hurriedly left the Hong Sect.

Cheng Feng hurried back home. As soon as he entered the door, he saw the so-called thief tied tightly to a pillar, his face covered in blood, and his clothes tattered, clearly having gone through a fierce struggle. Cheng Feng couldn't help but furrow his brows, turned his head to look at Xu Miao, and asked: "Is this the person who poisoned the food?"

Xu Miao hurriedly stepped forward and replied respectfully: "Yes, Master, this is the person who poisoned the food."

Cheng Feng then asked: "Has he been interrogated as to who sent him?"

Cai'er, who was on the side, hurriedly interjected: "Master, no, no matter how our servants beat him, he wouldn't say."

After hearing this, Cheng Feng nodded slightly to show he understood the situation, then instructed Xu Miao: "Alright, I understand. You all should carefully check if there are any other abnormalities in the house to avoid any further mishaps. Cai'er, you and Meiniang must properly comfort the women in the inner courtyard; they are likely frightened as well. Miaomiao, you stay at home to hold the fort, just in case."

Finally, Cheng Feng said to Xu Miao and Cai'er with a firm gaze: "This matter absolutely cannot be left at this; I will definitely investigate it to the end!"

After saying this, Cheng Feng carefully arranged some household affairs. Only after ensuring everything was settled did he take the thief and leave the house, heading toward the Hong Sect, preparing to investigate the mastermind behind this incident. In his heart, he secretly made up his mind that such a thing must never be allowed to happen again.

"It seems the Hong Sect's enemies are even more numerous than I imagined," Cheng Feng thought to himself. It seemed he had to be more careful, protect the people around him, and at the same time, find the mastermind to give his family an answer.

In the Hong Sect Dungeon, the thief was tied tightly to a chair. His expression was gloomy, but he was tough and refused to speak.

Cheng Feng, standing before him, was expressionless under the illumination of the torches, but his heart was burning with raging anger.

"It doesn't matter, you can stay silent for now; I have plenty of time to play with you. I have plenty of methods to make you open your mouth."

Cheng Feng's voice was cold and ruthless, yet the words he spoke were hair-raising: "For example, the Thousand Cuts: I will put a fishing net over your body, and after tightening the net, I will slice off the flesh in the grid one by one. I will absolutely not let you die before I finish scraping off your meat."

"Or, 'scraping bone and adding ants' is also not bad. I will dig open your flesh and blood and let ants carry your flesh away bit by bit. Don't worry, there are plenty of ant nests outside."

"That is a bit of a waste of time, so let's choose 'skinning and sprinkling salt'. I will peel off a piece of your skin, and while your blood flows profusely, I will sprinkle salt on your wounds. Don't worry, once you feel it, it will be very refreshing."

"If these still cannot make you open your mouth, I have a few other little hobbies; there is always one that will suit you. Would you like to try?"

His words were like a Sharp Blade, stabbing straight into the thief's heart, making him feel incomparable despair and fear. The person in front of him was a devil, a madman.

Killing someone is just a matter of a moment; how could a normal person think of such cruel punishments?

The thief trembled all over, trying to struggle, but the ropes bound his body tightly, making it impossible for him to escape.

"Speak! Who ordered you to come? If you don't tell the truth, you will bear the consequences!" Cheng Feng warned again, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through a person's soul.

The thief's lips trembled slightly; he wanted to say something, but he was afraid of receiving even harsher punishment.

Watching the still-hesitant thief, Cheng Feng said directly: "Someone, peel off a piece of skin first, just the skin on his arm!"

The disciple behind him stepped up directly and cut the thief's sleeve, letting the blade slide back and forth on the thief's arm, looking for a spot to make the cut in one go. Just as that disciple was about to make the cut—

The thief's crotch became wet, and he cried out in tears: "Don't peel the skin, don't peel the skin, I'll talk, I'll talk!"

Facing Cheng Feng's threats, added to those horrific tortures, he finally chose to submit.

The disciple with the knife stopped and looked at Cheng Feng for instructions; Cheng Feng nodded to let him step back.

"I'll talk... I was just confused for a moment and wanted to steal some money to make a living. No one ordered me; it was all my own idea. Please, let me go; I won't dare to do it again!" The thief was tearful, begging for Cheng Feng's forgiveness.

Cheng Feng sneered, his expression fierce: "Hmph, do you think I will believe your ghost stories? If you were just a thief, why would you poison the food? I tell you, there are no second chances here. Now I give you one last chance; confess honestly, otherwise, wait to receive the big gift package I have for you! Speak, who sent you to poison the food?"

Cheng Feng was truly angry. If it weren't for the fact that Cheng Feng also paid attention to improving the strength of his family members, and if Xu Miao hadn't been present, a Martial Artist of the Skin Refining Realm would have been hard for the servants to catch. If they hadn't caught him and had accidentally eaten the poisoned food, the consequences were something Cheng Feng dared not imagine.

The safety of his family had always been Cheng Feng's bottom line; whoever touched it would die.

The thief's face turned pale; he knew Cheng Feng would not let him off easily. Gritting his teeth, he decided to confess everything, hoping to find a glimmer of survival. Thus, he began to recount the process of his poisoning and the reasons behind it.

As the thief confessed, Cheng Feng's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

"So, you are from the Green Bamboo Gang? Wang Hao, the grandson of the Green Bamboo Gang's Great Elder, sent you to poison my house?"

Since he had already confessed, the thief answered every question: "Yes, this was given to us by Wang Hao. As for why, I don't know either. The Gang Leader had already instructed that your Hong Sect had not crossed the line and there was no need to take action, but Wang Hao tempted us with cultivation techniques and silver, so we committed such a wrong. Cheng Sect Master, I have already confessed everything; kill me or not is up to you, but I beg for a quick death."

Looking at this man who had poisoned his home, Cheng Feng was in no hurry to kill him. However, this was a reason—a very good reason!

A reason to both take revenge and gain profit.