C8 Murder

In the surveillance room, Feng Muhan rhythmically tapped his fingers on the back of the chair, watching Su Ranxi on the screen, who was barely able to stand.

“How long?”

“Since the moment she was locked in, it’s been exactly three days, sir,” the butler replied, his head bowed, unable to hide his astonishment.

Everyone else who had been in there lost their minds by the second day.

Feng Muhan paused his tapping and glanced sideways.

The butler lowered his head even further.

Feng Muhan’s gaze returned to the screen, focusing on Su Ranxi’s face. Her expression had shifted from determined to numb, but undeniably, she had never given up. There were no signs of breaking down or begging for mercy, far exceeding his expectations and making him acutely aware of the passage of time in a different way.

This feeling of losing control was infuriating.

“Clean her up and bring her to my room.”

With that, Feng Muhan left, and the butler immediately relayed the order through the intercom.

...

“Bang…”

The loud crash invaded Su Ranxi’s ears, jolting her. Instinctively, she turned her head.

The bright light made her squint as she saw two shadowy figures approaching her. The prolonged confinement had left her mind in a daze, and she forgot to react, allowing them to drag her out without resistance.

"It looks like she's lost her mind."

"Serves her right. We've been here for years and never seen anyone get close to the boss like that, except her. What makes her so special? Just that pretty face?"

"The boss only told us to bring her over. Didn't say she had to be in perfect condition. Why don't we mess up her face a bit?"

"Is that a good idea? The other day, the boss watched us get pushed around and didn't say a word. What if he actually cares about her?"

"Cares? If he cared, would he have left her in there for three days? Even if he did care, she's out of it now. Do you think he still cares? We can just say she did it to herself."

...

As the two argued, Su Ranxi gradually regained her senses. She recognized them as the maids who had brought her to the Punishment Palace.

They dragged her back to the same room, not even bothering to remove her clothes, and roughly pulled her into the bathtub, turning on the water before leaving to grab something.

Su Ranxi looked at the bright sky outside, matching her guess that three days had passed. Though her mind was clear, she was too weak to move, even a finger. If the maids decided to harm her, she wouldn't be able to fight back.

Suddenly, she noticed the spot where the camera had been smashed was now fixed. She couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. Last time, she didn't want to be watched; this time, she was glad someone might be watching.

Footsteps approached, and a maid stood beside her, handing her a pair of gleaming scissors with gloved hands.

“Hurry up,” another maid urged.

“I know,” the first maid replied impatiently, grabbing her hand and moving it toward her face.

Su Ranxi mustered all her strength to seize the maid's hand. Though weak, her action startled the maid into pausing and looking at her.

Su Ranxi signaled with her eyes toward the security camera.

The maid gasped, drawing the attention of the other maid, who also noticed the camera.

Seeing their fear, Su Ranxi's understanding of Muhan deepened. She spoke in a calming, slow tone, “Tell me the orders you received. I’ll tell him it was my idea.”

The two maids exchanged anxious glances and revealed the orders they had been given.

Su Ranxi learned she was to be taken to see Muhan soon, which didn’t surprise her, but she had reservations about being cleaned up.

Although she disliked her current grimy state, she believed Muhan would dislike it even more.

With the maids' help, she stepped out of the bathtub and moved to the sink. She drank from the faucet, regaining some strength.

Su Ranxi released the maids. “Lead the way.”

The maids willingly walked ahead, despite their fear of severe consequences for not following orders to clean properly. They were more afraid of the person in front of them revealing their malicious intentions, which could lead to dire consequences.

As she entered the room, the two maids stepped back and closed the door behind them. The room was simply furnished with a wardrobe, a bed, and an adjoining bathroom with the door closed, likely just as minimalistic.

Despite owning a grand estate with countless maids and bodyguards, the room was surprisingly simple, something she hadn't expected. The more she learned about this man, the less she understood him.

Wait... where was Muhan? Could he be in...

The bathroom door clicked open, and Muhan emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist. He paused when he saw her.