Two bloody wounds appeared on Tang Chuchu's fair face, blood dripping down her cheeks and staining her neck red.
Her eyes misted over, sparkling tears streaming down her cheeks.
The tears rolled down, mixing with the blood on her face.
At that moment, she was despairing.
Facing Xiao Zhan, the Xiao family's general, she felt hopeless and helpless.
She hated him!
She hated herself for rushing into the flames when she heard the cries for help!
She saved someone, but she was burned. She endured ten years of suffering and injustice!
After the burns, she became a laughingstock among her classmates!
Those who used to be close to her no longer paid any attention to her!
The classmates in her class avoided her as if she were the plague!
She was shunned by her family; even her closest relatives, her parents, looked down on her!
After recovering from her injuries, she felt that the suffering she had endured over the previous ten years had been worth it.
But now, she was once again plunged into despair.
"General Xiao, please, this has nothing to do with us. It's all Tang Chuchu's fault."
"It's all Tang Chuchu's fault. Go find trouble with her. Please, let us go."
In her despair, Tang Chuchu saw Xiao Zhan's cold, heartless face and heard the pleading cries of the Tang family. These people, desperate to survive, were blaming her for everything.
"You won't tell me?"
Xiao Zhan's expression was cold, and he waved slightly.
Then two men walked in: "Deputy Commander."
"Take Tang Chuchu to the auction house outside. I want to let the entire Jiangzhong community know what happens if you offend my Xiao family. We'll deal with the Tang family first, and then we'll deal with Ye Xiong."
"Yes."
The two men came over and untied Tang Chuchu's ropes.
Grabbing her hair, like a dog, they dragged her out of the room.
Tang Chuchu was wearing a thin dress, which ripped from the contact with the ground, scraping her skin and burning with pain. She screamed for help and begged for mercy, but no matter how she cried or begged, it was useless.
On the top floor of the Jiangzhong Hotel, an auction was underway.
The items offered by the Xiao family at this auction were all worthless, but the auction prices were extremely high, dozens of times or even more than these items.
Those present were all prominent figures in Jiangzhong, businessmen, and they immediately understood what was going on.
The Xiao family had been bankrupted by Ye Xiong, and Xiao Zhan had returned to raise funds for a comeback.
The prominent figures in Jiangzhong were helpless. Xiao Zhan was the general of the Western Territory, possessing immense power; they dared not offend him.
Even though they knew the items were fake and worthless, they still had to bite the bullet and buy one or two.
Because they all knew that if they didn't pay a little today, Xiao Zhan would definitely be on their radar, and they would surely face trouble in the future.
After one item was auctioned off, another was brought out: a painting, a complete Dwelling in the Mountains with Flowers and Moons.
The sexy and beautiful auctioneer announced, "Next up is Dwelling in the Mountains with Flowers and Moons. The reserve price is eight million, and each bid must not be less than five hundred thousand."
After seeing another Dwelling in the Mountains with Flowers and Moons brought out, many present understood that the painting Tang Chuchu had damaged was also fake, and that the Xiao family was deliberately making things difficult for them.
Rumors were circulating that the Xiao family went bankrupt because Tang Chuchu had used the speakerphone when she called Ye Xiong.
Ye Xiong, having overheard Xiao Chen's words, bankrupted the Xiao family.
The real Dwelling in the Mountains with Flowers and Moons is priceless; 1.8 billion is no exaggeration. But now the Xiao family has brought out a fake and openly offered eight million for it—a clear scam.
"My Wang family offers 10 million. I'll buy this painting."
"The Zhao family offers 11 million. I want it."
"The Zhou family offers 12 million."
Knowing it was a fake, some wealthy families, eager to curry favor with Xiao Zhan, the Deputy Commander of the Western Territory, made bids. A worthless fake painting quickly reached 12 million, and the price continued to rise.
Finally, this fake "Flowers and Moons in the Mountain" painting was purchased by a single family for a whopping 12 million.
Just as everyone waited for the next item to be auctioned, two heavily armed men approached, dragging a woman with disheveled hair and a bloody face.
One of her high heels had been ripped off, and her knees were bruised and bleeding.
Everyone in the venue gasped at this sight.
Tang Chuchu was dragged onto the auction stage.
Her face faced the auction hall below, the crowd.
Dozens of people sat in the auction booth.
These were all prominent figures in Jiangzhong, but seeing Tang Chuchu's blood-soaked, hideous face, they paled with fear and sat in their seats, barely daring to breathe.
"Save me, save me..."
Seeing the large crowd, Tang Chuchu seemed to have grasped at a lifeline, reaching out her hands and repeatedly calling for help.
However, none of the dozens of people in the venue dared to speak out, as two heavily armed men stood on either side of Tang Chuchu.
Xiao Zhan emerged with a dagger in hand. He approached the auction table, yanking Tang Chuchu's hair to reveal her face clearly. With a cold expression, he said, "My Xiao family is the most powerful family in Jiangzhong. Anyone who opposes the Xiao family must die."
With that, he slashed Tang Chuchu's face with the dagger again.
"Ah."
Tang Chuchu's face twisted in pain, and she let out a heartbreaking cry.
"Kill me, I beg you, kill me, stop torturing me."
Tang Chuchu was exhausted from the torture. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to die, to be freed quickly! She begged and pleaded, begging Xiao Zhan to kill her.
Outside the hotel!
Jiang Chen and Xiao Hei had been waiting here. Seeing that their time was almost up, they put on their pre-prepared masks and headed towards the hotel.
However, the entrance was guarded by heavily armed soldiers, so they avoided the main entrance and took the back door instead.
Jiang Chen and Xiao Hei, wearing their masks, reached the top floor of the hotel where the auction banquet was being held. But before they even entered the auction hall, he heard Tang Chuchu's painful cries and pleas.
Hearing these sounds, his heart skipped a beat, his face darkening, a surge of rage rising from the soles of his feet to his brain!
Xiao Hei, following behind Jiang Chen, suddenly sensed a terrifying, furious aura emanating from him.
This aura was so terrifying, so terrifying that he shuddered and took a few steps back.
He had followed Jiang Chen for years, but he had only witnessed this kind of aura once.
That was a year ago, during the Southern Wilderness Rebellion, when tens of thousands of Black Dragon soldiers were framed and tragically killed by the enemy. At that moment, Jiang Chen, enraged, charged single-handedly into the enemy camp.
In that battle, blood flowed like a river.
In that battle, corpses piled like a mountain.
In that battle, Jiang Chen carried back the enemy commander's skull.
At that moment, in the venue, Xiao Zhan held a dagger to Tang Chuchu's neck. With a cold expression, he said, "I'll give you one more chance. Who was that person you saved ten years ago?"
"Bang!"
The door to the auction venue was suddenly kicked open.
"It was me."
A roar filled with rage and murderous intent resounded.