chapter 14 it's me

On Camellia Tang's fair face, there were two bloody wounds, and blood was dripping down her cheeks, staining her neck red.
Her eyes filled with mist, and crystal tears rolled down her cheeks.
As the tears mixed with the blood on her face, she felt utterly hopeless.
In this moment, facing General Olav Xiao from the Xiao family, she felt despair and helplessness.
She hated herself for rushing into the fire to rescue someone years ago.
She had saved a life but suffered for ten long years, enduring hardship.
After the burn incident, she became the butt of her classmates' jokes!
Even the friends she had been close to before wouldn't associate with her anymore!
When her classmates saw her in class, they avoided her as if she were a plague!
Her own family looked down on her, even her closest parents, showing disdain!
After her burns had healed, she thought it was all worth it, but now she was plunged back into despair.
"General Xiao, please, this has nothing to do with us, it's all about Camellia Tang."
"It's all about Camellia Tang, if you have a problem, take it up with her. Please, spare us."
In her despair, Camellia Tang saw the cold and heartless expression on Olav Xiao's face and heard the pleas from her family. These people were willing to throw everything on her to save themselves.
"Not talking?"
Olav Xiao's expression remained cold as he gestured with a slight wave of his hand.
Immediately, two men walked in. "Deputy Commander."
"Take Camellia Tang to the auction outside. I want the whole Jiang Zhong to know the consequences of crossing the Xiao family. After dealing with the Tang family, we'll deal with Luby Ye."
"Yes."
The two men approached and untied the ropes from Camellia Tang. They grabbed her by the hair, pulling her as if she were a dog, and left the room.
Camellia Tang was wearing a thin dress, and as her body touched the ground, her dress was torn, and her skin was scraped, causing searing pain. She cried out loudly, begging for mercy, but no matter how much she screamed or pleaded, it was in vain.
On the top floor of the Jiang Zhong Grand Hotel, an auction was underway.
The items presented by the Xiao family were worthless trinkets, yet the auction prices were incredibly high, dozens of times or more the actual value.
The attendees were all prominent figures in Jiang Zhong, experienced in business. They quickly figured out what was happening.
The Xiao family had been ruined by Luby Ye, and General Olav Xiao had returned to raise funds and make a comeback.
The prominent figures in Jiang Zhong had no choice. General Olav Xiao was a powerful Western Frontier General, and they couldn't afford to offend him.
Even if they knew the items were fake and worthless, they had to reluctantly buy one or two.
They all knew that if they didn't spend money today, General Olav Xiao would likely come after them in the future, and it wouldn't end well for them.
After one item was auctioned, another item was brought out. It was a painting – the unscathed "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue."
A seductive and glamorous auctioneer announced loudly, "Up next is the 'Dwelling in the Mount Huayue' painting. The starting price is eight million, and each bid must be at least five hundred thousand."
When another "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue" painting was revealed, many people in the audience understood what was going on. They realized that the painting Camellia Tang had damaged was also a fake, and the Xiao family was intentionally causing problems for the Tang family.
The rumor outside was that the Xiao family had gone bankrupt because Camellia Tang had put a call on speakerphone while talking to Luby Ye.
Luby Ye had overheard Trivon Xiao's words, which had led to the Xiao family's financial downfall.
The real "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue" painting was incredibly valuable, worth an astronomical amount. However, the Xiao family had presented a fake one and openly started the bidding at eight million, making it clear they were trying to deceive people.
"My Wang family bids ten million; I'll buy this painting."
"The Zhao family bids eleven million; I'll take it."
"The Zhou family bids twelve million."
Despite knowing it was a fake, some wealthy families started bidding to curry favor with General Olav Xiao, the Deputy Commander of the Western Frontier. The valueless fake painting quickly reached a bid of twelve million, and the price was still rising.
In the end, a family bought this fake "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue" painting for a high price of twenty-one million.
As everyone awaited the next auction item, two fully armed men, dragging a woman forward, appeared. Her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in blood.
She had lost one high heel, and her knees were scraped, with blood flowing.
Seeing this scene, the people in the hall were shocked.
Camellia Tang was dragged onto the auction stage.
Her face was visible to the crowd below.
Several dozen people were seated in the auction area, all prominent figures in Jiang Zhong.
However, upon seeing Camellia Tang's bloodied and horrifying appearance, they turned pale and didn't dare to utter a word.
"Save me, please, save me..."
Upon seeing this, Camellia Tang felt like they were her last hope. She reached out her hand and called for help repeatedly.
However, despite there being dozens of people in the hall, no one dared to speak up because two fully armed men stood on either side of Camellia Tang.
Olav Xiao stepped forward holding a dagger and approached the auction stage. He pulled Camellia Tang's long hair, making her face clearly visible to everyone.
He spoke coldly, "My Xiao family is the top aristocracy in Jiang Zhong. Anyone who opposes the Xiao family will die."
As he spoke, he sliced Camellia Tang's face with the dagger.
"Ahh!"
Camellia Tang's face twisted in pain, and she let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"Kill me, please, I beg you, kill me, don't torture me anymore."
Camellia Tang had been tortured to the point of exhaustion. At this moment, she only wanted to die to find relief. She continued to plead, begging Olav Xiao to end her suffering.
Outside the hotel!
Ellison Jiang and Lucas had been waiting here for a while. When they saw the time was right, they put on the masks they had prepared in advance and headed towards the hotel.
However, there were heavily armed soldiers guarding the entrance. They didn't go through the main door but instead took the back entrance.
Ellison Jiang and Lucas, wearing masks, arrived at the top floor of the hotel where the auction banquet was being held. Before they even entered the auction hall, they heard Camellia Tang's painful cries and pleas.
Upon hearing the sound, Ellison Jiang's heart skipped a beat, and his face instantly darkened. A surge of anger shot from the soles of his feet straight to his brain!
Lucas followed behind Ellison Jiang, suddenly sensing a terrible aura emanating from Ellison Jiang's body.
It was so terrifying that it made him shudder, and he involuntarily took a few steps back.
He had been with Ellison Jiang for many years, and he had only felt this kind of aura once before.
It was a year ago during the chaos in the Southern Wilderness, when tens of thousands of Black Dragon Army soldiers were falsely accused and brutally killed by the enemy. At that time, Ellison Jiang had been furious and charged into the enemy's headquarters alone.
In that battle, blood had flowed like a river.
In that battle, mountains of corpses had piled up.
In that battle, Ellison Jiang had returned holding the head of the enemy commander.
Now, in the auction hall, Olav Xiao held a dagger against Camellia Tang's neck, his expression cold, and he said, "I'll give you one more chance. Who was the person you saved ten years ago?"
Boom!
The doors of the auction hall suddenly burst open.
"It was me!"
A voice filled with anger and overwhelming killing intent resounded.
..