Chapter 34: Edward Zhou

Despite feeling jealous, Douglas knew there were matters that needed attending to. Terry drove, taking Douglas to the northern suburbs, eventually stopping in front of a small factory named Eternal Plastic Factory. Terry honked the horn a few times, and a bald, muscular man in a sloppy gray security uniform came out from a small door within the large, crimson metal gate. The security guard glanced at the license plate and managed to squeeze out a sycophantic smile on his beefy face, "Young Master Liamsole, you've arrived." "Open the gate," Terry ordered. The guard opened the gate, and Terry drove in. After parking the car, Terry quickly got out and ran to the passenger side to open the door for Douglas. Douglas stepped out, surveying the surroundings. The factory wasn't large, spanning just a few hundred square meters, with the main building in front and corners filled with discarded machinery, nearly swallowed by weeds. "This way, Mr. Wellington." Terry led the way into the factory building. Inside, machines were neatly arranged, but none were operational, indicating they were merely for show. Dim bulbs hung from the ceiling, casting a faint glow. Walking deeper inside, they passed a few menacing-looking individuals in ill-fitting work clothes, clearly not regular workers. At the back of the factory, several burly men with meaty faces were playing cards. They quickly stood up, greeting Terry with nods and bows. "Where's the person you're supposed to be watching?" Terry asked. One of the burly men pointed to a small room nearby, likely a tool shed, and respectfully said, "Young Master Liamsole, he's in there." "Mr. Wellington, please, this way." Terry led Douglas to the door of the small room. "Open it," he commanded. A burly man stepped forward to open the door. Douglas entered, finding the room to be quite small, around ten square meters, with a floor stained with grease and two rows of wooden shelves holding machinery parts. A dark-skinned middle-aged man, about forty years old, was cowering in a corner, eyes filled with terror. Terry stepped forward, grabbed the man's hair, and dragged him closer, forcing him to lift his head and spoke respectfully, "Mr. Wellington, is this the person?" Douglas had only seen Edward in photos before. After carefully examining the man for a while, he nodded slightly. Despite it being two or three years, he recognized him at a glance; this man was indeed Edward. "Edward, do you recognize me?" Douglas asked. Edward trembled, looking up at Douglas for a moment before shaking his head, "I don't know you. Why are you detaining me? I'm telling you, this is illegal..." Slap! With a swift motion, Terry slapped him across the face. "Damn it, do you want to die? When Mr. Wellington asks you something, you answer. Don't talk nonsense if he didn't ask, or I'll end you." Edward's face was filled with terror, shaking uncontrollably. Douglas looked at him, speaking indifferently, "Edward, if you answer my questions honestly, I can offer you a way out. If you don't cooperate, I'll bury you alive." "Two years ago, on March 17th, you hit and killed a woman with your car, remember?" Edward desperately shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about. You've got the wrong person. My name is not Edward, it's Landy. You've really got the wrong person." Terry quickly said, "Mr. Wellington, I've verified it. Just like you said, this guy changed his name and started a new life. But I'm sure, he was indeed Edward before." Douglas nodded slightly, "I know he's Edward, you didn't get it wrong." "But this guy won't cooperate. Mr. Wellington, give me five minutes, and I guarantee he'll confess everything about his ancestors." Douglas gave a slight nod. Terry, holding Edward's hair with one hand and squeezing his cheeks with the other, sneered, "Boy, you can't hide the truth here." Then, he turned to the burly men at the door, "Take good care of him. Just don't kill him." "Don't worry, Terry, we'll make him confess even what color his shit was yesterday." Terry glanced at Douglas, then sternly told the men, "Don't curse in front of Mr. Wellington, or I'll cut your tongues out." The burly men shrank back, nodding repeatedly. With a wave of his hand, Terry watched as the men, as if catching a chicken, grabbed Edward and took him behind a machine. Following the outbreak of fists and kicks came Edward's piercing screams of agony. After a while, the screams became weaker and weaker. A muscular man approached, his head bowed, and whispered, "Terry, this guy's tough as nails. He won't talk even under a beating. I'm afraid he won't survive much longer if we continue." Terry's face darkened with anger. He had hoped to impress Douglas, but instead, he felt he had lost face. "Useless!" he spat out in frustration. Douglas gestured with a wave of his hand, indicating a more direct approach, "Bring him over." The muscular man looked to Terry for confirmation. Enraged, Terry kicked the man, "What are you waiting for? Here, Mr. Wellington's word is law." The man scurried back to where Edward was held, dragging him over and dumping him on the ground. Edward was bruised and bleeding, whimpering in pain. Douglas looked at him impassively, "I respect you for your toughness. If you can withstand what's next, I'll let you go, no hard feelings." Douglas slowly raised his hand, his fingertips surging with vital energy. Terry and the muscular men watched in astonishment. With a flick of his fingers, Douglas sent several streams of vital energy into Edward's body. "Ah…" A blood-curdling scream erupted from Edward as he convulsed in agony. His veins bulged, and his body contorted in pain, rolling on the ground in a gruesome display. Edward felt as though every muscle and bone in his body was being torn apart, enduring unbearable pain that twisted him into a grotesque shape. Terry and the men were terrified, chilled to the bone just by witnessing the scene. "Just kill me... End it quickly... Please, kill me..." Edward begged through his hoarse screams. Douglas watched him emotionlessly, his gaze cold and detached. "I'll talk... I'll tell you everything..." Edward screamed in a trembling voice. A cold smile played on Douglas's lips. Even gods would succumb to his technique, let alone Edward. With another flick of his fingers, a surge of energy was directed into Edward's forehead. Gradually, Edward calmed down, his body drenched in sweat as if he had been pulled from water, gasping for air and collapsing on the ground like a lump of mud.