Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

Chapter 114 Return to the Beast Field

The night was deep, and the rain continued to patter down.

Xiao Hengzhi walked along the mountain path, his steps light and swift.

The air around the desolate mountain was bitterly cold. He looked up at the familiar mountain scenery, and his throat tightened slightly.

He didn't know where Guiye would be imprisoned.

But since the intention is to lure him there, it must be the place he would think of first.

The most likely candidate is the animal arena.

The beast arena used to be underground in Zhushan, but considering the years, it should be hidden in the wilderness now.

That place was secluded enough and convenient for committing dirty crimes like murder.

The animal arena is busiest at midnight.

Every now and then a tiger's roar could be heard, and even if the surrounding villages heard it, they would only think that there was a ferocious beast lurking in the mountains.

No one would have imagined that someone would spend a fortune to watch a bloody battle.

Xiao Hengzhi walked to the edge of the dense forest and saw the boatman poling the mast to solicit passengers.

The barren mountain is in the lake; you need to take a boat to get there.

But Xiao Hengzhi dared not cross the river by boat.

He knew that once he boarded that ship, his whereabouts would be impossible to conceal. Therefore, he chose to take a longer route, climbing along the ridge and scaling steep cliffs, avoiding every possible point of exposure.

He had never been this cautious before.

In the past, people would have risked their lives to rush in, trying to save those they could, and accepting their fate if they couldn't.

Anyway, he's just a worthless life, not worth much money.

But now he is worried about Jiang Wan, fearing that he might perish here.

He even suddenly felt a pang of regret, regretting planting the Spring Bitter Powder in her.

But since it has already happened, all he can do is make sure he doesn't die here this time.

As we crossed the last ridge, the deep roars of the beasts grew louder and clearer.

He lay prone on the cliff, his gaze passing through the dense forest and landing on the gate of the animal arena.

The place was brightly lit, and people were coming and going in an endless stream.

Most of these people were powerful and wealthy individuals who came to watch the bloody spectacle, holding stakes of life and death in their hands.

Xiao Hengzhi's eyes were cold as he scanned the surroundings of the beast arena.

It was more relaxed here than he had imagined.

It may seem like there are no guards, but in reality, every corner could be a trap, a trap tailor-made for him.

He crept into the outer perimeter of the arena, stepping into blind spots and disappearing into the darkness. The fine sound of rain could mask many movements.

He was extremely careful with every step he took, and he tried his best to keep his breathing low.

As we ventured deeper into the landscape, familiar scenes gradually came into view—

The dilapidated cage, the blood-stained sand, and the pervasive stench instantly pulled him back to that dark past.

He clenched his fists, suppressing his emotions. Now he had to concentrate.

The place where the Red Slaves were imprisoned was the same as the prison, the only difference being that the gates of the prison were made of wood, while the gates of the animal enclosure were made of iron bars.

He followed the sound and heard a faint noise—the sound of returning to the wilderness.

"What exactly do you want? If you're going to kill, then kill! Why beat around the bush!"

His voice carried suppressed anger, mixed with a hint of weakness.

Through the crack, Xiao Hengzhi saw that he was locked in a low iron cage, his hands were bound by heavy iron chains, and his body was covered in blood, clearly having suffered considerable torture.

Xiao Hengzhi, gripping the dagger, was about to approach further when he suddenly heard very light footsteps behind him.

His pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly turned and disappeared into the shadows.

"Now that you're here, why hide?"

A deep voice came from the darkness, tinged with mockery and smugness.

Immediately afterwards, the torches around him were lit, exposing him to bright light.

Xiao Hengzhi's gaze was icy as he looked around. He saw countless crossbows aimed at him from the shadows, their arrowheads gleaming coldly.

The guards on all sides were already on high alert, blocking all escape routes.

The man in the lead was the owner of the animal farm.

He held up his umbrella and walked slowly forward, his eyes filled with mockery: "Number Seventeen, you've really risen from humble beginnings to become a phoenix."

Xiao Hengzhi clenched his fists and remained silent.

Number seventeen is his code.

"Oh no, I should call you Xiao Hengzhi now."

The beast farm owner sneered, "How rare! A mere slave actually remembers his own name."

He clapped his hands, and Guiye was dragged out, his hands and feet bound with iron chains, unable to move.

"If you dare to let this brat steal the Golden Jade Talisman and impersonate the Empress Dowager's grandson, then I will kill you today, which will also serve as a way to purge the royal bloodline."

The owner of the animal farm raised his hand, and the surrounding guards rushed forward and subdued him.

Xiao Hengzhi coldly curled his fingers slightly, then suddenly exerted force, his shoulder sinking, causing the two people pressing down on him to stumble.

He threw a backhand punch, striking one of the men hard in the jaw. The man groaned and fell to the ground, splashing water everywhere.

"You'll have to see if you have the ability to kill me!"

Before the others could react, he kicked the guard who was attacking from behind to the ground with a side kick, then threw his short knife and struck him squarely in a vital spot.

He swiftly approached Guiye and cut the chains binding him.

At the same time, arrows were fired simultaneously. He barely managed to block them, but was still hit in the back by an arrow.

The arrow's fletching pierced deep into his flesh, causing excruciating pain. He gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead, but he didn't slow his movements in the slightest.

Guiye gasped for breath and whispered, "I didn't say anything. You shouldn't have come."

Xiao Hengzhi snorted coldly, pulled him up from the ground, and said in a low voice, "Enough nonsense, let's get out of here alive first."

The two had barely taken a step when a chorus of cold laughter erupted around them.

More crossbows emerged from the shadows, their blinding firelight illuminating a dense mass of dark figures.

A murderous intent swept over them; they were just waiting for the beast farm owner's order to unleash a barrage of arrows.

“Xiao Hengzhi, I know your abilities. Back then, I killed a hundred beasts. In all my years here, I've only ever encountered one like you. I was planning to hand over the beast farm owner's chair to you in the future, but you just had to be ungrateful and try to escape.”

Xiao Hengzhi remained expressionless and said coldly, "Beast Farm Owner? Aren't you still someone's dog? Wu Ke, don't think I don't know who your master is. Let me tell you, before I came here today, I sent a letter to the Empress Dowager. If I don't return tomorrow, not only will this desolate mountain be overthrown, but you will also be reduced to ashes."

Wu Ke clenched his fists, clearly intimidated. But he still maintained a composed demeanor: "You think I'll be afraid of you just because you brought up the Empress Dowager?"

"Not afraid? Then why are you so far away from me? Are you worried that if you get too close, I'll slit your throat?"

As Xiao Hengzhi spoke, he moved closer to him, walking faster and faster, and grabbed him by the neck.

"Between you and me, who do you think will die first?"

As he spoke, he pulled out a dagger, making a move to stab him.

Wu Ke was startled and dropped the umbrella in his hand, shouting repeatedly, "What are you all standing there for! Stop him!"

Three guards swiftly swung thick iron chains, wrapping them around Xiao Hengzhi's neck and binding him behind his back.

In a panic, Wu Ke ordered, "Take him and that kid away!"

Soon, the two were bound by iron chains and dragged deeper into the beast arena.

Xiao Hengzhi had his head covered by a black cloth bag, and he could hear the clanging of chains and the deep roar of beasts.

When the hood was removed, he opened his eyes and saw the dimly lit prison cell.

The familiar smell of rust filled his nostrils, and he frowned slightly, his gaze as cold as a knife.

Guiye leaned against a corner of the cage, breathing weakly, his body covered in blood.

He looked at Xiao Hengzhi and gave a wry smile: "You're back again."

"You can still laugh?"

"I'm happy."

He twitched the corner of his mouth, after all, he was prepared to die here.

He was thinking that Xiao Hengzhi had saved him before, and this was a way of repaying that debt.

He never expected that he would come to save him.

Even he could tell that this whole thing was designed to force him to show himself, but he still came anyway.

He turned his head to look at her and asked, "Did you really leave a letter for the Empress Dowager?"

"How could that be... There's no need to make a big deal out of this."

He rubbed his temples, shook his head, and pulled out something: "But I have this."

"This is...?" Guiye leaned closer for a look. "A beast cage key?"