The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness - Chapter 192
117. Medicine and Sugar
“Bruce… sir.”
In the silent bar, the Rat King Sam slowly raised the bloodied head in his hand before Mu En.
The old woman’s face still bore anger and despair, her dry skin stained with blood, resembling the bark of an ancient tree weeping tears of blood.
It was impossible to imagine from her aged face the beauty that could once captivate even the greatest of nobles; all that remained was her unwillingness and hatred before death.
The Rat King bent his waist, his expression solemn and respectful.
“I’ve brought you what you asked for.”
“You did well, Sam, very well.”
Mu En gently patted Sam the Rat King’s shoulder, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
As his fingers flicked, a crystal card was flicked towards Sam with a snap of his fingers.
“An anonymous account at the Imperial Bank, one hundred million exactly. If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to the bank to confirm.”
“No need, Mr. Bruce, I certainly believe you.”
As Sam took the crystal card, a flicker of heat flashed in his eyes.
Without saying much, Sam straightened up and silently stood behind Mu En.
Once again, he concealed his dwarf-like figure in the shadows.
“Alright, everyone, my presentation has concluded. Now it’s your turn to provide an answer.”
Mu En habitually adjusted his top hat, smiling as he looked at the silent gang leaders.
His words were still as calm and rich as ever, but the meaning at this moment was entirely different.
The doors and windows were tightly shut, yet a cold wind blew in from somewhere, chilling enough to make one shiver.
The leaders glanced at Mu En, then at the Rat King hidden in the darkness behind him, their eyes flickering, faces pale as paper.
The balance had been shattered.
If this terrifying figure before them was still alone, they might have had a chance by banding together.
But once the Rat King had clearly sided with him, everything changed.
A terrifying powerhouse whose strength remained unclear, combined with the Rat King, infamous for his treachery in the entire lower district, and his countless crossbowmen…
Once the mask was torn off, none of them would walk out of this room alive.
So, if they wanted to save their lives, the so-called answer could only be one.
— Damn it, if I had known, I would have acted earlier. After all, it would end up like this anyway; I might as well have pocketed a hundred million and not let the Rat King take advantage of it.
Different degrees of regret surfaced on everyone’s faces.
But ultimately, after a brief silence, these leaders of the lower district silently lowered their once-proud heads, heads they hadn’t bowed in a long time.
“Mr. Bruce.” The tone was respectful.
“Very well, it seems you have all made the right choice.”
Mu En’s gaze swept over these people; in the dim light, he couldn’t see their eyes clearly, nor could he discern whether they had truly submitted or were hiding other thoughts.
But that didn’t matter.
Mu En picked up the fine wine he had just been drinking and pulled out a few small, elegant glasses from the bar.
He filled them personally.
“Come on.”
Mu En raised a glass first, “Let us celebrate this momentous occasion.”
No one moved at first.
Though they were merely crystal glasses filled with fragrant wine, these people seemed to see something terrifying, their faces betraying fear.
Because they clearly saw that Mu En had added a white pill to each glass of wine.
Except for the one meant for the Rat King.
“Mr. Bruce… what did you put in the wine?” someone asked with a trembling voice.
“Nothing.”
Mu En said nonchalantly:
“Just a precious potion that will cause you to rot and die the moment you betray me. I spent a fortune on it. So, how about it? Are you moved?”
Moved?
Not a chance!
The leaders stared at their wine glasses in terror, hesitating to reach for them.
Because once they drank this wine, wouldn’t it mean they had completely and utterly become puppets of this man?
They would lose their precious freedom…
But if they didn’t drink, they would lose their equally precious lives.
Freedom or life, it was a choice.
So everyone hesitated…
“Pfft…”
But just then, they heard the man’s laughter.
“Don’t be so tense, I’m just joking to lighten the mood. It’s fake.”
Mu En shook his glass, chuckling:
“What I added was just mint candy. I heard that adding mint candy to this wine makes it much smoother, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
As he spoke, he tossed a white pill into his own glass, and after it dissolved, he drank it down without hesitation.
After finishing, he smacked his lips:
“The taste is indeed much better.”
“…”
A joke, yet no one could laugh.
After a brief silence, Mu En looked at the still hesitant leaders, raised an eyebrow, and his expression turned cold:
“Why aren’t you drinking? Do you look down on me?”
“Drink… we’ll drink…”
The leaders exchanged glances, and in the end, they picked up their glasses.
But at the last moment, they couldn’t help but ask in trembling voices:
“Mr. Bruce, is it really just mint candy in there?”
“Well, this…”
Mu En smiled enigmatically:
“Guess.”
…
In the face of the threat of death, everyone ultimately drank from the cup.
Yes, there was indeed a hint of mint in the wine.
But once the seed of doubt is sown, it will only take root and sprout endlessly.
A potion.
Or sugar.
It all depended on their inner thoughts.
Yet unless pushed to a dead end, no one was willing to gamble on that fifty-fifty chance.
Thus, everyone understood that at this moment, they truly had an additional master named Bruce Wayne.
This time, they did not voluntarily hand over their leashes, but this man, through forceful means, had fastened the leash around each of their necks.
“Mr. Bruce has quite the skill.”
In the darkness, the Rat King, who had downed the wine in his glass without hesitation, marveled.
At this moment, he could already feel the hateful gazes directed at him.
From now on, he automatically assumed the position of Bruce Wayne’s confidant, while also being the only one who had not consumed that “sugar,” thus becoming the target of everyone’s animosity.
Once he “fell out of favor,” it was very likely that these guys would tear him to shreds.
“Flattery.”
Mu En smiled slightly.
“Watching too many dramas has its benefits.”
“Dramas?”
“Please don’t mind it.”
Mu En looked up, gazing into the distance.
Dong—
In the distance, the clock tower’s bell tolled, announcing the arrival of midnight.
The long night was not yet over, or rather, it had just begun.
“So now, what do you intend to do?”
The Rat King asked respectfully.
“Do something?”
Mu En tapped his fingers, deep in thought.
Then, he withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked ahead.
In the dimly lit bar, nine gang leaders stood respectfully in two rows.
Outside the bar, on the seemingly deserted street, thugs from various gangs gathered in the shadows, a crowd of heads bobbing, yet not a sound was heard.
They were all waiting for this man to give the orders.
“First, help me check on some things.”
Mu En adjusted his suit and, under all the gazes, slowly walked into this dark district.
“Secondly…”
Mu En looked in a certain direction, a cold smile curling at the corners of his mouth:
“Let’s first give everyone a little benefit.”