Chapter 117: What The Hell Do You Mean By That?

Lu Feng followed Bai Bao through the grand iron gates of the estate, his pace steady and unhurried despite the guard’s obvious anxiety. Bai Bao led him past the central courtyard, taking a sharp turn into the western corridor toward the secluded training hall. Along the way, Bai Bao kept his eyes peeled, ensuring no servants were within earshot before leaning in slightly, his shoulders tense with suppressed questions.

As they reached the heavy wooden doors of the training hall, Song Heng stepped out from the shadows of the stone pillar, his hand resting firmly on the pommel of his blade. Seeing Lu Feng arrive, Song Heng immediately straightened his posture and bowed his head in respect.

"Young Master," Song Heng greeted in a low, disciplined voice.

Lu Feng nodded calmly, stepping past both guards and pushing the heavy doors open. The dim interior of the hall was just as Bai Bao had left it, the cool air carrying the faint rustle of chains as the two bound captives shifted against the stone pillars.

Lu Feng turned to face his two guards, his dark eyes observing their serious expressions. "I assume this is what caused such concern?"

"Young Master," Bai Bao began, stepping forward with a mix of relief and lingering confusion. "We found these two while conducting our routine sweep of the estate grounds. They are bound with our armory’s restraints and clearly possess the air of trained covert operatives. We refrained from raising an alarm among the staff, but... who are they?"

"They are intruders," Lu Feng replied smoothly, folding his arms behind his back. "They attempted to breach our perimeter some days back before you arrived. They claimed to be looking for something hidden within our estate but we’re yet to find what it is they were looking for."

Before Lu Feng could elaborate further, light footsteps echoed down the stone hallway outside. The heavy wooden doors creaked open wider, and Ye Chenxue stepped into the hall. Her bright eyes scanned the room, instantly locking onto Lu Feng.

"Lu Feng! There you are," Ye Chenxue said, her tone carrying a mix of exasperation and relief. "I’ve been searching all over the western wing for you. Where have you—"

She paused mid-sentence, her gaze sweeping across the room. Her eyes lingered on Song Heng and Bai Bao standing at attention, before finally dropping to the two bruised, chained men tied to the pillars. Her expression instantly shifted from light annoyance to cool indifference.

Lu Feng turned to her with a faint, reassuring smile. "I was merely out in the commercial district handling a few errands, Chenxue. Give me a moment to finish speaking with the guards, and we can catch up properly."

Turning back to Song Heng and Bai Bao, Lu Feng continued his explanation. "As I was saying, these men belong to a shadowy organization operating in Crimson Vale. Originally, there were three of them who crossed our walls last night."

Lu Feng tilted his head slightly toward Ye Chenxue. "Miss Ye is responsible for the absence of the third member. When he proved entirely uncooperative and refused to provide any useful information during our initial interrogation, she dealt with him permanently."

Ye Chenxue didn’t contradict him, merely leaning back against the doorframe with her arms crossed, her eyes cold as she stared at the remaining two captives.

Song Heng and Bai Bao felt a cold shudder run down their spines. The realization that an infiltration had occurred right under their noses—and that a life had already been taken within the estate grounds while they slept—hit them like a physical blow.

"This is precisely why I brought you guys in. To prevent something like this from happening again." Lu Feng said, his tone growing serious and authoritative. "The security of this estate relies heavily on your vigilance. Any suspicious activity, no matter how minor, must be reported directly to me, Ye Chenxue, or Han Lin immediately. The shadows of the city are moving, and we cannot afford to let down our guard."

Both guards immediately dropped to one knee, their heads lowered in deep shame and accountability.

"We have failed in our duties, Young Master!" Song Heng declared, his voice tight with genuine remorse. "Allowing rats through our walls will not be tolerated and we will not hesitate to report further suspicious acts. We beg for your forgiveness!"

"Please forgive our incompetence, Master Lu," Bai Bao added quickly, his face pale. "We swear to double our patrols and ensure not even a fly slips past us again."

"Rise," Lu Feng said calmly, raising a hand to stay their bows. "There is no need for apologies. You handled the situation today with commendable discretion. Rather than causing a panic among the servants or making foolish assumptions, you came directly to me for clarification. That shows good judgment."

Song Heng and Bai Bao stood up, visibly relieved by his words, though their expressions remained hardened with renewed resolve.

Lu Feng walked a few paces closer to the two chained captives, looking down at them with an unreadable gaze. "I am still deciding what final arrangements to make for these two. The night they were subdued and the day after that, they were bold enough to utter threats regarding the safety of old Han Lin and now that you guys are here, they won’t hesitate to deal with you all too."

The moment those words left Lu Feng’s lips, Song Heng’s eyes flared with intense fury. His face darkened instantly, his hand tightening so hard on his sabre hilt that his knuckles turned white. Han Lin was beloved by everyone on the estate, acting as a fatherly figure to the staff and guards alike.

"They dared threaten Lady Han?!" Song Heng growled, his voice thick with unbridled rage. He stepped forward, his eyes burning as he glared at the captives. "Young Master, there is no need to waste another breath or another cup of water on these scum! Intruders who harbor murderous intent toward our people must be beheaded immediately and their heads hung from the outer trees as a warning!"

Hearing Song Heng’s ruthless demand, one of the bound captives snapped his head up. His bruised face twisted into an angry, indignant frown, his teeth clenching tightly as he glared back at Song Heng, straining against his heavy iron chains. "What the hell do you mean by that?!"