Mortal Dawn and Dusk, My Eternal Life - Chapter 46

In the sinister dungeon, Old Master Du trembled, provoked by the red-robed fox demon’s mockery. Just then, a black-clad subordinate responsible for guarding Gu Mingxuan rushed in from outside, looking flustered.

“Ma… Master! It’s bad! That surnamed Gu… that surnamed Gu fellow, he… he broke the chains!” The black-clad subordinate reported with a trembling voice.

“What?!” Old Master Du was shocked upon hearing this. The iron chains he personally installed, though not magical artifacts, were extremely sturdy; ordinary strong men couldn’t possibly break free from them. That Gu Mingxuan, without any tools, was able to break them with his bare hands? This… this was definitely not something an ordinary person could do!

“Where is he now?!” Old Master Du demanded fiercely, a hint of imperceptible dread flashing in his eyes.

“Re… reporting, Master, he… he’s still in that secret chamber, seeming… seeming to be searching for something everywhere.” The black-clad subordinate quickly replied, “We dared not approach easily, fearing… fearing to stir the snake.”

Old Master Du’s eyes slightly narrowed upon hearing this, a glint of the old fox’s shrewdness and calculation flickering in his gaze. This Gu Mingxuan was indeed not simple! Not only did he possess such vigorous life force, but he also had such brute strength! Furthermore, judging from the subordinate’s previous reports, he was able to win against the well-equipped Japanese soldiers on the battlefield with only a few police officers, and was even dubbed the “Tianjin God of War.” This was enough to show that this person was by no means ordinary; he probably… still hid some unknown abilities.

Old Master Du’s suspicion that Gu Mingxuan was extraordinary grew even stronger. However, the more extraordinary he was, the more Old Master Du could not act rashly. This kind of “treasure” could not be treated roughly like those ordinary “supplements.” If he pushed him too hard, and he chose to perish together, wouldn’t Old Master Du’s efforts be in vain?

“Hmph, interesting.” Old Master Du sneered, a calculating glint in his eyes. “Since he has the strength to break the chains, let him jump around a bit first. Pass on my order: no one is to approach that secret chamber, nor is anyone to give him food or water. I want to see if he still has the strength to cause trouble after a few days of hunger!” He decided to use hunger to first deplete Gu Mingxuan’s physical strength, then slowly deal with him when he became weak. This kind of “prey” required sufficient patience and… skill.

After giving his orders, the dryness and emptiness in Old Master Du’s heart surged like a tide. He knew that the “medicine’s effect” in his body was about to completely wear off. He stared hatefully at the red-robed fox demon in the iron cage, who still wore a mocking smile. If it weren’t for this demoness, how would he have ended up in such a state today! He forcibly suppressed the urge to devour this demoness alive, and turned to leave this suffocating dungeon.

However, halfway there, his eyes, somewhat clouded by pain, suddenly caught sight of a cage nearby, containing a trembling little rabbit demon. That little rabbit demon’s cultivation was not high, just barely having gained rudimentary spiritual intelligence. At this moment, it watched him in terror with wide, red eyes.

Old Master Du’s footsteps abruptly halted. He licked his dry lips, an uncontrollable craving flashing in his eyes. Although the life force of such a low-level demon, to him, was like a drop in the ocean, completely unable to alleviate his pain. But… it was better than nothing. The “high-grade supplements” he had stored (which were the demons he had captured) were becoming scarcer. Ever since he discovered that absorbing human life force was more effective, he rarely laid hands on these low-level demons. But now… he couldn’t afford to be so picky.

He suddenly extended his hand, and through the iron cage, grabbed the trembling little rabbit demon!

“Screech—!”

The little rabbit demon let out a shrill scream, but its mouth was quickly covered by Old Master Du’s withered palm. A faint but pure demonic energy flowed continuously from Old Master Du’s palm into his body. A moment later, the little rabbit demon completely transformed into a shriveled fur hide, utterly lifeless.

Old Master Du casually tossed the “remains” onto the ground and let out a long sigh of relief. Although it was just a drop in the ocean, at least… it made him feel a little better for the moment.

“Go!” Old Master Du wiped his hands and instructed the black-robed man who had been following him. “Send someone to inquire about the whereabouts of that… Divine Doctor Su. Remember, be polite, and ‘invite’ her to the mansion!” He knew that simply consuming the life force of these low-level demons or ordinary humans could not fundamentally cure his problem. That red-robed fox demon would clearly not tell him the true solution either. Therefore, he had to find another way!

And that “Divine Doctor Su,” whose medical skills were remarkably strange, might… truly bring him some unexpected surprises. Even if she couldn’t cure his illness, capturing her and using her as a new “supplement” also seemed like a good choice. After all, a person who could bring the dead back to life surely possessed some extraordinary abilities! She must be exceptional!

Old Master Du’s eyes gleamed with a morbid and greedy light. To make Su Mingyue “willingly” come to the Du Mansion, and to further clear himself of suspicion, Old Master Du’s eyes flickered, and a new plan formed in his mind.

He returned to his study and immediately instructed his butler to hang a conspicuous sign outside the Du Mansion’s main gate. The sign, written in black characters on white paper, read: “The Du Mansion suffers misfortune. The concubine has recently passed. The master is overcome with grief, triggering an old illness. He is bedridden, on the verge of death! Therefore, all divine doctors in Tianjin are sought. Those who can miraculously revive him will be greatly rewarded!”

As soon as this news broke, combined with Old Master Du’s previous “heartbroken” performance at the police station and his reputation as a “great philanthropist,” it instantly caused a stir in Tianjin. It made people completely forget about the previous incidents of demons capturing people! Under the temptation of money, various renowned doctors flocked to the Du Mansion, a continuous stream of visitors. There were old Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors in long robes and mandarin jackets with goatees, and Western doctors in white coats carrying their medical bags. They all entered the Du Mansion full of confidence, hoping to cure this “great philanthropist’s” “old illness” and thus gain both fame and fortune.

However, without exception, they all eventually emerged from the Du Mansion shaking their heads and sighing. Old Master Du’s “illness” was truly too bizarre. His pulse was erratic, sometimes like a resonant bell, sometimes as faint as a silken thread, making it impossible to determine the source of his illness. All sorts of precious medicinal herbs and advanced medical techniques showed no effect whatsoever. It was as if his body was being slowly drained by some invisible force.

Old Master Du’s “critically ill, seeking medical help” act was flawless. He not only successfully portrayed himself as a pitiful man, heartbroken by the loss of his beloved concubine and suffering from an old illness, thereby gaining the sympathy of the Tianjin populace. More importantly, he also successfully cast a large “bait,” throwing it towards the one he truly wanted to hook… “Divine Doctor Su.” He believed that with that female physician’s “compassionate heart,” upon hearing the news of his “critical illness,” she would most likely come to his door voluntarily.

By then… hehe…

Old Master Du lay on his sickbed, a cold smile playing on his lips, his eyes gleaming with calculation. It was as if everything was within his control.