C29 He Was Relying on His Peers to Support Him

The White Wolf Demon General was leading Chen Ming, and with the Green Lion Demon King ahead, escape seemed next to impossible.

"Ding! Undercover mission phase four: Your cover has been blown. Staying on Pitfall Mountain means certain death. Escape is your only chance of survival. Reward: 1000 Spirit Sense points, 100 prestige points."

Damn, what good is a mission now? He was likely to be torn to shreds by the Green Lion Demon King.

Chen Ming was taken to the dungeon by the White Wolf Demon General and bound to a cross with iron chains. The Demon General began showcasing the torture devices on the table, "See this whip with barbs? One lash and it'll strip away flesh, leaving nothing but bone in the end."

He then picked up a branding iron, "And this iron will sear an unforgettable mark into your skin."

The White Wolf Demon General proudly detailed each instrument as if they were prized possessions, "Here we have termites. They don't eat flesh, but I'll slice open wounds on you, fill them with honey, and let the termites bite. They won't kill you, but the itching will be unbearable. Eventually, you'll tear open your own wounds, becoming a bloody, unrecognizable mess until you pass out from the pain."

"And this one involves flies. I'll make a cut on your leg, and these flies will lay their eggs. They'll consume you little by little, until all that's left is a hollow sack of skin writhing with maggots. And you'll watch it happen."

At that moment, the Green Lion Demon King entered, "How's our guest?"

The White Wolf Demon General replied, "I've just explained the delightful purposes of these tools."

The Demon King nodded, "Good. Let's proceed with a demonstration."

Panic set in, and three drops of cold sweat rolled down Chen Ming's forehead, "Wait, at least ask me something. I'll confess everything!"

The White Wolf Demon General: ...

The Green Lion Demon King: ...

The Flea: ...

The Green Lion Demon King scrutinized Chen Ming, surprised by his premature confession. "Alright, let's start simple. Your name?"

"Ya Wudao."

"And your age?"

"Twenty-three."

The Green Lion Demon King furrowed his brow and snapped, "Do you take me for a fool? You've managed to grasp a Dao Seed in a mere twenty-three years? Who would buy that? Clearly, you're not interested in coming clean. White Wolf Demon General, proceed with the torture!"

Chen Ming was flustered. "What if I say I'm two hundred and forty years old?"

The Demon King gave a nod of approval. "That sounds about right. You certainly seem younger than I am."

"Gender?"

Chen Ming inwardly rolled his eyes. What kind of question is that? "Male," he replied.

The Green Lion Demon King and the White Wolf Demon General exchanged a glance, their hesitation palpable.

Seriously, what's with the doubt? Do I look like I could be a woman?

Fine, I'll concede—I am rather good-looking.

Just as Chen Ming braced himself to be mistaken for a woman, the Green Lion Demon King shook his head and declared, "No, this line of questioning is futile. Every spy harbors a steadfast conviction; without it, they couldn't endure the torment of slaying their own. The moment we caught him, he was ready to dash his head against the wall in suicide..."

For the record, I was trying to make a break for it, okay?

The Demon King went on, "Clearly, he's resigned to death. Torture is pointless against someone who's given up on life. We need to exploit his vulnerabilities."

With a knowing look, the Green Lion Demon King clapped his hands. "Bring that one forward!"

He gestured to the Deer Demon General, shackled in chains, then turned to Chen Ming. "You recognize the Deer Demon General, don't you?"

Before Chen Ming could respond, the Demon King chuckled. "To protect your identity, the Deer Demon General let us believe he was the spy. He endured great hardship and executed brilliant tactics—like the night raid on the owl clan, flooding the old turtle lake, and setting fire to the fire-resistant mulberry nest. Now, faced with your fiercely loyal Deer Demon General, don't you have anything to say?"

Chen Ming mentally applauded the Deer Demon General's efforts before replying, "No, the Deer Demon General is not affiliated with me."

The Green Lion Demon King burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, facing death and you still try to defend the Deer Demon General? Hmph, I won't let you have your way!"

The Deer Demon General cried out in desperation, "My Demon King, my loyalty to you is unwavering! I am not a spy; I truly am not!"

With a dismissive wave of his hand, the Green Lion Demon King commanded, "Gag the Deer Demon General. He has no place speaking while I'm addressing his master."

Turning his gaze to Chen Ming, the Demon King said, "You've resigned yourself to death, I can see. Torturing you is pointless, but the Deer Demon General is devoted to you. If you refuse to come clean, then I'll just have to test these eighteen torture devices on him!"

"I've already confessed!" Chen Ming protested. "But you don't believe me!"

The Green Lion Demon King bellowed, "Enough with your smooth talk, attempting to hoodwink me. White Wolf Demon General, show the Deer Demon General some 'hospitality'!"

He continued to stare down Chen Ming, his anger palpable. "I'll ask you once more, are you going to tell me the truth or not?"

Chen Ming thought to himself, 'Why don't you just ask?'

But the Green Lion Demon King declared, "It seems you won't shed a tear until you're at death's door. White Wolf Demon General, proceed."

The White Wolf Demon General lifted his barbed whip and struck the Deer Demon General, leaving a bloody, mangled gash across his chest with a single lash.

The Green Lion Demon King settled himself leisurely in front of Chen Ming. "Ya Wudao, there's no rush for you or for me. After all, it's not one of my own suffering. I'm curious to see how long you'll keep up this defiance. Are you content to watch your faithful underling endure such disgrace?"

Just then, the Bull Demon General swaggered over, seized a branding iron, and pressed it against the Deer Demon General's flesh. The scent of searing meat filled the air, prompting the Bull Demon General to lick his lips in anticipation.

Through his pain, the Deer Demon General continued to scream, "I am not a spy, not a traitor! I have no connection to Ya Wudao! My Demon King, you must believe me!"

Chen Ming couldn't help but think how tragic the Deer Demon General's situation was. He felt a sense of relief that it wasn't him enduring such torment.

As the hours ticked by, the Green Lion Demon King continued his earnest attempt to convince Chen Ming, "You're aware of the cultivation technique I practice. In just a few short years, I've ascended to the rank of a Great Demon King. And you—time is all you need to become a Demon King. Once I've reached the pinnacle of a Great Demon King, I'll shower you with enough heavenly treasures to effortlessly achieve the status of a Demon King. Isn't that a far better prospect than foolishly opposing me?"

The White Wolf Demon General finally released the Deer Demon General, who had been tortured to the point of being unrecognizable. "My lord, the Demon King, the Deer Demon General has reached his limit; he's passed out."

The Green Lion Demon King shot Chen Ming a look and said coolly, "No rush, let's proceed at our own pace. I'm curious to see just how much you can withstand!"