Ling Shu laughed off the warning from Lu Zude.

Afraid?

He had been afraid before, in the underground warehouse of Yuan Manor, when investigating He You'an's case. There was also Mr. Cheng, whom he had feared, as well as in the northeast-

Fear is a normal human emotion.

But does that mean he won't do anything because he's scared?

That's impossible.

His steps didn't even falter for a moment because of Lu Zude's words.

"Little friend Zude, if you meet your people later, do you know what to do? If you expose my identity on the spot, I will kill you on the spot. An eye for an eye, I won't lose out either."

Lu Zude pursed his lips.

He had actually thought about shouting to attract people and have Ling Shu shot to death.

But he couldn't bear to be buried with the other party.

Just like fear, the instinct for survival is also present in every person.

Today's success was not easy for Lu Zude. Being born with a disability, he was considered inferior and had very few opportunities for success.

It was only through a chance encounter with Mr. Lu that he was able to enjoy wealth and prosperity, even in the face of danger, like the irresistible allure of opium.

Having come so far, he was determined not to give up now.

As he walked past the restaurant, he thought carefully about his next move.

When they arrived at the small door, which he had directed Ling Shu to, someone inside asked about their identity.

Without hesitation, Lu Zude spoke up, "I've brought a friend to see the world."

He then handed the guard a small iron plaque with the number "2" on it.

The guard immediately recognized the number and respectfully allowed them to enter.

Another person with a lantern led the way.

Ling Shu held onto Lu Zude, the gun hidden under his clothes, looking harmless. The other side had no idea that the two of them were hostage and kidnapper.

They left through a small door and arrived at the back courtyard of the restaurant.

This place seemed to have been renovated, even more spacious than an ordinary courtyard. Lanterns hung everywhere, and every ten steps or so, there was a person standing in the corridor.

Compared to the pitch-black darkness before, there was a lot more vitality here.

Lu Zude often came here, and these people knew him. With his unique figure being held like this, no one thought it was strange. They even respectfully called out, "Master Lu."

It was here that Lu Zude felt he could regain his dignity as a normal person, and even surpass the power of a normal person. In private, even the most high and mighty individuals reveal their darkest desires to Lu Zude, giving him a sense of control.

"Why is your badge number two?"

Ling Shu's voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to reality and the disgust of being controlled by ants.

This person wasn't even worried about his own situation, yet had the leisure to ask such a question out of curiosity.

Lu Zude secretly sneered, remaining silent.

But if he didn't speak, Ling Shu would just talk to himself.

"Judging by their attitudes towards you, this badge number must symbolize your status here. You're number two, so number one must be Lu Tongcang, right? You don't have to answer me, your expression has already given me the answer."

"Shut up!" Lu Zude couldn't take it anymore.

"I advise you not to always think about how to escape from me and have someone take me down with you. As I said earlier, if I die, I will definitely drag you down with me. I don't care if I die, but you have worked hard to climb to your current position. Isn't it a pity to die with me? Why not settle down and accompany me to explore this place? Let me broaden my horizons. Maybe if I get excited, I'll let you go. If Mr. Lu appreciates me, we can still be fellow subordinates in the future!"

With a curse in his heart, Lu Zude's mouth twitched involuntarily.

But Ling Shu's words reminded him.

"Go to hell with your nonsense! You're just dreaming!" This was his territory, surrounded by his people.

He had no need to be nervous. He could just satisfy this dying man's wish.

But he feared that the man might not be able to keep his mouth shut, and this was a vulnerable moment where he could be taken advantage of.

With this in mind, Lu Zude's resentment eased slightly, and a strange, cold smile appeared on his face.

"After we go in, don't speak. When I tell you where to sit, just go and sit there. The guests here all have numbered cards and fixed positions. You can't sit anywhere you want."

"Also, if someone tries to talk to you, don't respond and don't worry about it. Each table is separated by a screen, so you can't see each other and won't ask about each other's identities."

These wealthy and powerful guests who come to consume naturally know that their hobbies cannot be displayed publicly. They come quietly, find someone they like, have their attendants ask for them, and quietly take them back to play with.

If their hobbies are a bit special, this place can also provide rooms and all kinds of props. The people being auctioned off are mostly those with no background or status, reduced to playthings like being trapped in a spider's web with nowhere to escape, only to be at the mercy of others.

It's not an exaggeration to say that the Chunshan Club is a den of demons.

Ling Shu and Lu Zude were led into their seats through the middle passage.

On both sides of the passage were screens arranged in a pyramid shape from front to back, layer by layer, which not only isolated the seats behind, but also prevented each guest from seeing others.

As they entered the private room, Ling Shu could vaguely hear voices, but couldn't make out what was being said. Instead, the whispers from all directions merged into a cacophony of noise, making it seem chaotic and overwhelming.

Inside the room, there were only two chairs and a table in the middle. Ling Shu pulled Lu Zude and squeezed him next to him, their bodies tightly pressed together, almost breaking the chair.

Lu Zude was confused, "???"

Ling Shu grinned, "Let's squeeze together. If we have two chairs, it's inconvenient for me to hold a gun. It's tiring to hold it up."

Lu Zude thought to himself, 'How shameless can one person be? You're not the only one who's tired!'

He had already considered Ling Shu a dead man, but he resisted the urge to roar and instead added a mental tally to his grudge.

Ding!

The sound of a small hammer hitting a jade chime echoed in the room.

Clear and melodious.

But suddenly, the surrounding noise quieted down. The few lanterns that were originally glowing dimly suddenly went out, replaced by a cluster of light emanating from the high platform in the central square.

Ling Shu noticed that there was a woman lying there, but he couldn't tell when she had arrived.

To be precise, it was a naked woman lying on a dark and rough stone.

There was also a muscular man standing in the shadows next to her, but if you didn't look closely, you wouldn't have noticed him.

The man lifted the whip in his hand and struck the woman's fair back with just the right amount of force.

The woman moaned and trembled, and her damp hair covered half of her face, revealing only her beautiful chin.

Ling Shu had been around the block and seen his fair share of dirty deeds, and it was clear to him that this woman was reacting to being drugged. Many virtuous young women were lured or kidnapped here, and from then on, they lived in darkness without ever seeing the light of day again.

Even if they managed to survive, they either became half-dead creatures or couldn't bear the torture and committed suicide, or they simply threw themselves into the abyss and danced with the devil, becoming corrupted.

Although Ling Shu still had a smile on his face, he never stopped being wary and vigilant of Lu Zude in his heart.

And he was furious at everything in front of him.

If he didn't know, it would be one thing, but now that he did, if he didn't make a scene, he wouldn't be surnamed Ling.

"This girl is named Wan Rong, she's seventeen years old, a virgin, with fair skin and a beautiful complexion, delicate and soft, top quality, starting bid, fifty taels. Gentlemen, let's begin!"

The man on the stage shouted loudly, and immediately someone in the audience made a bid.

"Eighty!"

"One hundred!"

"One hundred and two!"

"One hundred and five!"

The ones calling out the bids were mostly servants and attendants, separated by a wooden screen so that no one could see each other, only hear their voices.

But just the sound of their bidding was enough to make one's blood boil.

With the crack of the big man's whip, the woman on the stage contorted herself into various seductive poses, all of which were simply her trying to avoid the whip and the natural reactions to being drugged.

But to some, she was a bewitching fairy, and in the heat of the moment, the prices kept rising.

Until someone shouted out,

"One thousand dollars!"

The whole room fell silent.

Lu Zude looked at Ling Shu with eyes that seemed to be looking at a madman.