Chapter 192: The Brighter the Smile, the More Vicious the Methods

Yue Junxiao and the others shot to their feet and rushed out. Bai Zhi, who had been sitting and eating, had just stood up when they were already gone. Hu Yan, waiting for her, was also a step behind.

As soon as Yue Junxiao rushed out, he saw Sang Mo fighting several unfamiliar Beastmen. One of them lay by the door, evidently the source of the noise from being smashed against it just moments before.

He plunged into the fray without a second thought.

Yan Yichen, who was right behind him, also joined the fight without hesitation.

With their help, Sang Mo gained the upper hand and made short work of the men who had been tailing him.

Bai Zhi’s voice arrived before she did. "What’s going on?"

By the time she and Hu Yan got there, they found several unfamiliar Beastmen tied up and lying on the ground.

Yue Junxiao didn’t know what was going on either. "No idea. I came out, saw these Beastmen attacking Sang Mo, and jumped in."

Just then, Sang Mo crouched down and grabbed one of the Beastmen by the jaw, forcing the man to look up at him. "Who sent you to tail me? Was it Brutus, Eluke, or Hades?"

The Beastman was defiant. "I’m not telling you anything. Kill me or torture me, do what you will!"

However, one of the other Beastmen was clearly hesitant. But a thought of his family made him keep his mouth shut.

Hearing this, Sang Mo released his grip and sneered. "You think I’m out of options just because you won’t talk? It seems I’ve been away from the Black Domain for so long that you’ve all forgotten a few things."

Sang Mo’s last words made the Beastmen tremble. They clearly remembered the terror of his rule.

Sang Mo stood up, took out a tissue to wipe his hands several times, then looked at Hu Yan. "When you fought that giant spider from the Insect Clan, did you collect any of its venom?"

Hu Yan nodded. "Yes, I still have some left."

With that, he retrieved a small vial of venom from his dimensional storage and tossed it to Sang Mo.

Sang Mo caught the vial, which didn’t contain much of the poison. He swirled it in the air and said nonchalantly, "It’s fine if you won’t talk. I’m sure you’ve heard of giant spider venom. A single drop can corrode a person completely in just a minute or two. During that time, you get to slowly watch your own body melt away, bit by bit, completely helpless. As for the pain... well, it’s manageable, I suppose."

Then, he opened the vial and dripped a small amount onto the Beastman who had just spoken so defiantly.

Immediately, everyone watched as the spot the venom touched began to corrode at a visible rate. A moment later, the Beastman let out a tormented, agonized scream. "AHH—"

The Beastman thrashed back and forth on the ground where he lay.

Seeing this, Bai Zhi couldn’t bear to watch and buried her face in Hu Yan’s chest.

The other Beastmen watched his agony, their earlier resolve beginning to waver.

They weren’t afraid of death. But dying like this—watching your own body dissolve bit by bit—was another matter entirely. It might only be a minute or two, but that time would feel like an eternity.

As they all listened to the man’s tortured screams, a sliver of dread crept into their hearts. They didn’t know when it would be their turn.

When they saw the venom eat away the man’s legs and begin to move up his torso, their mental fortitude finally shattered.

’To watch your own body melt away... what a horrifying thought!’

One of them couldn’t take it anymore and screamed, "I’ll talk! I’ll talk!"

Sang Mo merely gave him a cool glance and said dismissively, "Don’t be in such a hurry. It’s not over yet."

Now that the first had broken, and seeing Sang Mo’s indifferent attitude, the others began writhing toward him, shouting desperately, "I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Just don’t use that poison on me!"

The desperation in his voice was palpable, as if he feared that if someone else spoke first, he would be next.

At this, another Beastman couldn’t hold back either and yelled, "Listen to me! I know more than they do!"

Sang Mo’s interest was piqued. "Oh? Then let’s hear it. If what you say is good, and I’m in a good mood, maybe I’ll grant you a quick end."

Yue Junxiao and the others were left speechless.

’So this is the real Sang Mo!’

In contrast, the captured Beastmen looked as if they had received a divine pardon, and they all started talking at once.

The Beastman who had hesitated earlier was the first to speak. "It was Brutus. He ordered us to keep an eye on you, and to kill you if we got the chance. As far as I know, he’s sent more than just our group."

"After your assassination, the Black Domain was supposed to be jointly managed by three people. But Hades and Brutus teamed up to force Eluke out. Now, Hades and Brutus hold power together. The reason we were sent is because Brutus has been clashing with Hades lately. They both want to be the sole leader of the Black Domain, and they’re worried you’ll return. So he sent us to watch you. After all, Boss, your status in the Black Domain is still unshakable, even now. A lot of people are waiting for you to come back."

He said with a sigh, "We had no choice but to come. We just never expected you to spot us right after we found you."

Another Beastman quickly interjected, "I heard it’s because Hades has his eye on a female from the Moore family. Moerde has only one demand: for Hades to control the entire Black Domain. That’s why they’re fighting so fiercely. But last year, someone prophesied your return, so Brutus is afraid you’ll come back and stab him in the back. I don’t know if Hades sent anyone, but since Brutus sent us, Hades probably has people out here too."

They stumbled over each other’s words, completely forgetting their dying companion. The only thing in their eyes was the desperate hope for a quick death.

From the Beastmen’s confession, the others finally understood: Sang Mo was the rumored, unpredictable boss of the Black Domain!

Yue Junxiao felt a complex mix of emotions. He thought they were all just ordinary Beastmen with no special status, but it turned out Hu Yan was the Third Prince, and Sang Mo was a legendary figure from the Black Domain.

But he was always quick to adapt. His perspective shifted immediately. ’Two such incredible badasses are my partners!’

The thought sent a jolt of excitement through him.

Compared to the surprise of Yue Junxiao and Yan Yichen, Hu Yan and Lang Qiu had already had their suspicions ever since Sang Mo mentioned taking Bai Zhi back to the Black Domain.

Sang Mo listened and then let out a derisive laugh. "That position is mine for the taking, or the leaving. They’ve sent three or four waves of assassins after me since Blue Star. Do they really think I’m some ball of dough they can shape however they please?!"

Sang Mo’s expression looked like a smile, but it sent a chill down the spines of the captured Beastmen.

Because that was how the old Sang Mo operated. He would eliminate people with a smile on his face. Sometimes, the more brilliant his smile, the more vicious his methods.