The expressions of the leaders were momentarily stunned by Zhong Shenxiu's demeanor; the atmosphere in the room suggested they were the ones being interrogated by these two children, not the other way around!
"It's not too late to hand over the money voluntarily now. If we have to fight, the price won't be this low!" Zhong Shenxiu said, smacking his lips.
These leaders were almost amused by Zhong Shenxiu's words. They had seen the fearlessness of a newborn calf, but never anyone this arrogant! He clearly didn't regard them as living beings, which was unbearable for leaders accustomed to respect.
They felt they had been "more than generous." Since this child refused to be sensible, they couldn't be blamed for what happened next!
"Since neither of you cooperates, don't blame us!" With that, one of them lunged with lightning speed toward Zhong Shenxiu's wrist, targeting the magic ring he wore! , his heart pounding.
However, these people should never have treated Robin as air, much less shown such disrespect to Zhong Shenxiu in front of her. This was a direct challenge to Robin's patience! Just as the man was about to grasp Zhong Shenxiu's wrist, a bizarre event occurred.
A dull thud resonated. The man who had been standing before Zhong Shenxiu was suddenly plastered against the wall, a large, visible dent on his chest. He was now gasping for breath, spraying blood everywhere!
It served him right for being so unlucky. He had underestimated these two children to the point where he hadn't even bothered using his Dou Qi. Furthermore, Robin's blow was fueled by genuine anger; it was a mercy it didn't kill him instantly!
For that moment, the entire room was so silent you could hear your own heartbeat.
The incident was so sudden that no one saw exactly what happened. One moment the man was about to grab the little boy, and the next, how had he ended up on the wall? Bizarre. Utterly bizarre!
These leaders were all powerful figures, especially as members of the "Stasi Family," and their leaders were hardly weaklings. Yet, they hadn't even perceived how Robin had attacked, or rather, they couldn't comprehend what had transpired at all. The shock and impact of this realization were immense!
"Alright, let's continue," Zhong Shenxiu said, completely unfazed, his tone still light and casual.
"What exactly did you do?" one of the leaders demanded abruptly. He had just checked on the injured man; his ribs were shattered, and he would likely be disabled even if healed.
Zhong Shenxiu, however, had no intention of answering. He cut straight to the chase. "The price is no longer the initial fifteen trillion Diamond Coins. It has now escalated to one hundred and fifty trillion Diamond Coins. Don't blame me for this; you should only blame yourselves for not heeding my advice!"
As he said this, he even put on an expression of helplessness.
Upon hearing "one hundred and fifty trillion Diamond Coins," every one of them sucked in a sharp breath. They didn't know how they were going to produce fifteen trillion, let alone ten times that amount! This was utterly rapacious!
This was blatant extortion, blackmail, and coercion!
The leaders were so enraged they burst into bitter laughter. This was the first time they had encountered anyone daring to treat the "Stasi Family" this way; it was as if they held no regard for the "Stasi Family" whatsoever!
"Neither of you will get a single cent today!" one leader snarled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes—murderous intent was brewing!
"No rush. Since you can't afford it all at once, we can arrange installment payments. Besides, you can use physical assets as collateral; I will certainly give you a reasonable valuation." Zhong Shenxiu deliberately twisted the man's meaning.
He knew the "Stasi Family" couldn't produce that much money—even his own "Dark Merchant Guild" hadn't earned that much. But he wasn't entirely wrong either. Since these people forced him to act, the price had to double, and frankly, these guys weren't good people anyway; there was no need for sympathy!
If it had been anyone else besides him and Robin, they would have already been killed, perhaps even saddled with false charges in the process!
In this world where the strong prey on the weak, showing them mercy would not earn gratitude; instead, they would become more aggressive and push their luck! This was evident in the leaders' behavior just moments ago!
Since you chose to abandon proper procedure, then don't blame me for resorting to extortion. If you can't pay in a year, ten years, a hundred years, or even longer is fine. As a Cultivator, Zhong Shenxiu could afford to wait that long!
Moreover, other assets could be used to cover the debt—from vast estates and land to ancient artifacts and clothing, anything of value would suffice!
The leaders exchanged meaningful glances. They no longer wished to waste words with Zhong Shenxiu; they needed to capture the two swiftly, lest their lungs burst from sheer anger!
Because they didn't know how the man Robin had struck earlier ended up on the wall, they were now cautious and preferred to act together to minimize risk!
Zhong Shenxiu was aware of their intentions but didn't expose them, continuing his monologue. Just then, the leaders finally unleashed their Dou Qi simultaneously, surging forward with incredible speed toward Zhong Shenxiu and Robin...
They couldn't believe that with so many experts present, they couldn't subdue two mere children. Once these two were captured, their fate would be entirely up to the leaders' whims!
Yet, reality often defied expectations. They failed to consider that if Zhong Shenxiu and Robin dared to venture into such a dangerous lair alone, they must have their means of defense. And that calm, composed expression was certainly not something a child should possess!
Their mistake stemmed from a preconceived notion: children are just children, and no matter how skilled, they cannot defeat adults—that was common knowledge!
However, common sense meant nothing to Zhong Shenxiu; the list of established norms he had shattered was countless by this point!
And so, at the very moment these people thought they were about to gain the upper hand, something they never dreamed possible occurred!
A blinding flash of light erupted, instantly leaving these men's minds utterly blank.
This was the light-based magic Zhong Shenxiu had previously demonstrated to Cherie and the others, designed to temporarily incapacitate the opponent's five senses!
When these leaders finally regained their senses, they were horrified to find that all their valuables were gone. Even more vexing, they couldn't summon their Dou Qi, and their bodies felt as weak as if they had just survived a severe illness!
How could this happen?
What on earth occurred?
Am I dreaming??
Although their senses returned, these men were completely dumbfounded!
Those who sought to rob were themselves robbed!
Since they intended to steal Zhong Shenxiu's magic ring, well, Zhong Shenxiu had no choice but to take everything they possessed. Furthermore, to ensure they behaved, he had to temporarily seal their powers. Whether he would release them later depended entirely on their cooperation and Zhong Shenxiu’s mood!
Now, these leaders stared at the two children with expressions of utter dread. Only now did they realize what kind of children they had provoked! Eerie, mysterious, invincible, magnificent!
Heavens, how could such children exist in this world??
These leaders certainly had their eyes opened today, but the cost was astronomical! They now presented pitiful figures, a stark contrast to their previous arrogance!
"Little brother, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding, you see..."
"A misunderstanding?" Zhong Shenxiu smiled. "You certainly misunderstood me, but I did not misunderstand you!"
"Little brother, what did you do to us? Let's talk this out properly!" These men trembled as they looked at the short sword in Robin's hand, terrified that Robin might take a disliking to them and deliver a final blow! It was no exaggeration to say these leaders were currently as helpless as newborns. They couldn't even muster the strength to stand up, let alone resist!
Zhong Shenxiu knew these men were placating him, but he didn't care; he had plenty of ways to ensure their compliance! He was an expert in torture and torment!
However, this time Zhong Shenxiu decided not to act personally. He delegated this task to Robin, intending to cultivate her abilities in this specific area! (Sweatdrop!)
Robin, having followed Zhong Shenxiu for so long, hadn't received formal training in torture, but she had learned enough through observation to grasp the key to making them obey: making them wish they were dead but unable to achieve it!
These men were excellent test subjects. With Zhong Shenxiu offering guidance, Robin's aptitude suggested she would quickly master the essentials. With a bit more practice, she would soon become the "Second Generation Grandmaster of Torment!"
Robin didn't hesitate; she immediately employed techniques like "Muscle-Separating Bone-Dislocating Hand," "Ten Thousand Ants Gnawing Heart Finger," and "Blazing Fire Burning Palm!"
Following that, she began feeding them various poisons she had personally concocted—things like "Intestine-Piercing Pills," "Bone-Splitting Elixirs," and "Intense Itch Powder!"
After this ordeal, these leaders truly experienced what it meant to "beg for life but be unable to die!"
However, Robin's methods still lacked refinement. It took her a full half-hour just to barely secure their agreement to cooperate! If Zhong Shenxiu had done it himself, he could guarantee their perfect cooperation, like an appliance responding to a remote control, within five minutes!
The rest of the process was comparatively simple. Zhong Shenxiu first made them write out written confessions detailing their recent actions. Those with insufficient length or insincere wording had to rewrite them, serving as future testimony!
Next, he had them sign I.O.U. notes for future debt collection!
Finally, Zhong Shenxiu collected the "payment." Although these men couldn't produce the full sum immediately, they ultimately handed over seven trillion Diamond Coins, five trillion of which were from Zhong Shenxiu's earlier wager!
[Note to Dear Readers: The current chapter has reached the final page of this book]