Chapter 553 Who exactly is your master?!

Upon hearing the words "foresight," the people outside fell silent, seemingly deeply moved by them and filled with a sense of awe.

After a long pause, Jin Daji said with a half-smile, "Isn't that right?"

"..."

"It's because my master is so shrewd that he knew you would pull this stunt, so he specially sent me to catch you."

At this moment, Pei Xingyuan's breathing also became heavy.

This room had clearly been filled with a lot of spices. Even though everything had been moved out, the fragrance that had seeped into the walls, the ceiling, and even the ground was still incredibly strong. He felt as if he had sunk into a deep pool, drowning and barely able to breathe.

He could only reach out and barely brace himself against the door.

After a long pause, Pei Xingyuan sorted out his thoughts and slowly said, "So—you deliberately delayed for so many days just to make me think that you were hesitating."

"..."

"They raised the price on the spot, doubling the amount, just to make me believe that you just want money."

"..."

"And tonight, the reason I came alone is because—"

Before he could finish speaking, a sound came from outside through the door. Someone had put something outside. Pei Xingyuan was so overwhelmed by the aroma that he could hardly breathe, and even his thoughts became sluggish. Before he could figure out what was going on, several figures flashed past the small window next to him.

They also piled their things under the window.

Although his mind was blank, Pei Xingyuan still went over by instinct. He counted several iron bars on the window, and leaned against the bars to barely peek out—

The few remaining men in black who had come with them somehow produced large bundles of firewood and piled them under the window.

Outside the door, the pile was already half a person high.

Pei Xingyuan's eyes widened suddenly: "What, what are you going to do?!"

He looked up at Jin Daji, who was standing not far from the door with his hands behind his back, looking relaxed and smug. Jin Daji said coldly, "Young Master Pei, don't blame us. Blame yourself."

Pei Xingyuan's face darkened: "Blame myself? Blame me for choosing the wrong side?"

Jin Daji raised an eyebrow slightly. If someone else had made such an expression, it might have been contemptuous or arrogant. But his appearance was so ugly that making such an expression only gave people a ridiculous feeling of a monkey wearing a crown. However, he himself did not notice this at all. He just slowly walked forward and looked at Pei Xingyuan and said, "I guess so."

"Does it count?"

Pei Xingyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Could it be that I've done something wrong?"

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Jin Daji's beady black eyes. However, a strange expression appeared on his face. Although he had said the words himself, it seemed as if he himself could hardly believe it.

Pei Xingyuan immediately seized on something and said in a subtle tone, "Could it be that you didn't do something wrong?"

"..."

"But what will I—do?"

"...!?"

At that moment, although Jin Daji's face was expressionless, his pupils suddenly contracted as the torch he held high flickered.

Pei Xingyuan's breath caught in his throat.

Could it be—

However, there was no time for him to think things through. In just a few words, the men in black had already piled up the firewood they had prepared beforehand outside the door and under the window. One of them walked back to Jin Daji and said in a deep voice, "Brother, it's ready."

Upon hearing this, Jin Daji regained his usual expression, looked up at Pei Xingyuan, and then revealed a cunning and ferocious sneer once again.

"Young Master Pei, I'm sorry."

After saying that, he walked over with a torch, lit the firewood at the door, and then threw the torch out the window!

With a muffled "whoosh," the dry wood caught fire and immediately burst into flames, rising to a height of half a person. Pei Xingyuan felt a heat on his face as the flames suddenly leaped up, climbing along the windowsill and rushing towards his face. Pei Xingyuan quickly took a step back.

At that moment, his mind went blank.

Although Shen Wuzheng had told him before that sending him alone was likely a trap set by the other party and that there would definitely be danger tonight, he made ample preparations despite his worries and fears.

Even so, he never expected it to turn out this way.

The other party gave him no chance to negotiate or escape. In fact, unlike the matter of the medicinal materials for this plague, it was more like the previous situation where they wanted to kill Yuwen Ye.

The other party wanted him dead!

The reason—is very likely the hint that Jin Daji just let slip.

What will he do!

Thinking about it this way, his mind became chaotic again. After all, he had not yet truly experienced the "foresight" and the other party's ruthless methods. At this moment, the flames had already started burning, licking at the dark windowsill and constantly rushing in. Thick smoke filled the entire room in an instant, mixed with the rich aroma, making it impossible for Pei Xingyuan to breathe.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Pei Xingyuan coughed violently, and his eyes turned red from the fumes.

As he coughed, Jin Daji's cold laughter rang out, but slowly faded away. Pei Xingyuan raised his head, his bloodshot eyes staring outside, and saw Jin Daji slowly turn around to leave.

As they walked, he said, "Young Master Pei, please enjoy yourself here."

"Wait a moment!"

Just as they were about to leave, Pei Xingyuan gritted his teeth and shouted, "I have one last question to ask you."

"..."

"Who exactly is your master?!"

"..."

Jin Daji stopped, turned his head to the side, and looked at him with an impatient, amused, and cold smile, saying, "Even at this point, Young Master Pei, you still won't give up?"

Through the flames, Pei Xingyuan's eyes were bloodshot, and at this moment, his gaze seemed to emanate from the flames of hell, causing Jin Daji's heart to tremble.

He said, "Yes, at this point, what more can I ask for?"

"..."

"However, I just want to die knowing why."

As he said this, he coughed again from the thick smoke, his voice hoarse. When he spoke, it sounded like a mournful roar from hell. Jin Daji seemed to be taken aback and frowned as he looked at him.

But he still didn't say anything.

Unbeknownst to him, when he turned back to look at him, Pei Xingyuan suddenly thought of the cunning, yet even more greedy, expression he had often seen on his face these past few days.

In an instant, my mind suddenly became clear.

As Pei Xingyuan coughed, he slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the two silver notes.

Then it held it high and waved it twice on the window where the flames hadn't yet reached.

"...!"

Jin Daji's eyes lit up immediately.

The greedy light, which was already all too familiar, was now illuminated by the firelight, becoming even clearer and more intense.

Pei Xingyuan said, "If this thousand taels were placed here, it would only turn to ashes."

"..."

"Brother Jin, I am certain to die here today."

"..."

"So, in the end, I used this thousand taels to buy clarity."

"..."

"Just tell me here, and this thousand taels is yours. As for me—I'll turn to ashes anyway, whether you know it or not, it won't matter to you anymore, will it?"

The more he spoke, the more Jin Daji's eyes flickered.

The raging flames seemed to mirror the surging greed within him. The flames were about to leap over the window and engulf the entire room, and the greed in his heart seemed to be about to consume his reason as well.

Although Jin Daji hadn't moved yet, he was clenching his teeth and his face showed a struggling expression.

After a long pause, he said in a deep voice, "You—"

He seemed unsure how to ask the question, or even what to ask, while Pei Xingyuan coughed and said urgently, "I have no other choice."

"..."

"The only choice I have now is you!"

"...!"

Upon hearing this, Jin Daji's eyes brightened even more.

The only option we have now is him!

That's right, Pei Xingyuan is already a dead man. He has no way out and no choice. But he can still choose. As long as he takes a step forward and utters a few words, he can get a thousand taels of silver. But for a dead man, even if he knows the truth, it will be of no use at all!

This is even more irresistible than making a fortune with a small investment!

With that thought in mind, Jin Daji couldn't help but take a step forward.

Seemingly influenced by his movements, a gust of wind suddenly blew past him from behind, blowing towards the house. The flames in the door and window had merged into one, and it looked as if the entire window was about to be engulfed by the flames. The flames had even licked Pei Xingyuan's sleeves.

One more mistake and we'd be burning through our banknotes!

At that moment, the intense heat of the flames also burned through Jin Daji's heart. He gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and reached out to grab the silver note in Pei Xingyuan's hand.

But just as he reached out, Pei Xingyuan suddenly let go!

The silver note swayed and fell, only to be engulfed by flames in the blink of an eye.

"ah--!"

Jin Daji let out a scream, but before the sound could spread, he felt a weight on his wrist!

It was Pei Xingyuan who grabbed his wrist.

"ah!"

The scream turned into a gasp. Jin Daji instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but felt his wrist being pulled hard again. Pei Xingyuan had grabbed his wrist with both hands and pulled him back sharply, dragging his entire arm into the window. Jin Daji fell directly to the window and tried to struggle, but Pei Xingyuan gritted his teeth and refused to let go.

The flames instantly engulfed half of Jin Daji's body, causing him to scream in agony.

"Ah! Let go! Let go now!"