「Junyue Residence.」

After capturing the couple, Xu Ke brought them back to Junyue Residence alone. As for the commotion at the medical clinic, he left it to Duan Jia to manage the aftermath. The onlookers, whether they were the bribed passersby or the construction workers, could all be handled with money.

BANG!

The door slammed shut.

Xu Ke looked at the pair and said flatly, "Now, you can tell me who sent you, can't you?"

"How did you do it?" The old man gritted his teeth, looking incredulously at his wife, who lay limp and powerless, needing his support.

His own wife was an expert at the Innate Mid Stage. How was her dagger snatched away in a single exchange before Xu Ke crippled her?! And how did he take a punch from me and act as if nothing happened?! Wasn't Xu Ke supposed to be at the Postnatal Late Stage? Could a Postnatal Late Stage expert really be this outrageous?!

The old woman's eyes were filled with dread as she looked at Xu Ke. I can't believe I was only hit by that one Silver Needle. How did I lose all my combat ability in less than a breath's time?

"First, answer my question," Xu Ke said coldly.

"Don't get smug, boy. Do you really think you've won?" The old man's tone was icy. His previously honest facade from the clinic doorway had vanished completely, replaced by an aura as menacing as a venomous snake.

Xu Ke said nonchalantly, "Haven't I won? Both of you have been poisoned by me. How is that not winning?"

On the way over, Xu Ke had poisoned the old man as well, just to be safe. To save his wife, the old man truly had no other choice.

"You think this little bit of poison can stump me?" the old woman shrieked. "I'm a poison master myself! What gives a wet-behind-the-ears punk like you the right to be so arrogant?"

Xu Ke revealed a mocking smirk. "Then go on, cure yourself. Do you even know what poison I used?"

At his words, the old woman fell silent.

How was she supposed to know what poison Xu Ke had used!

"Speak up. Who sent you?" Xu Ke said.

The old man replied coldly, "Impossible. We won't betray our employer."

Xu Ke, however, stroked his chin. "Employer... so someone hired you."

"Two assassins at the Innate Mid Stage... let me think," he mused. "With such strength, you could only be the Ghost and Poison Elders, ranked tenth on the assassin leaderboard, right? You once teamed up to kill an expert at the Innate Great Perfection... That was you, wasn't it?"

"You are Ghost Elder, and you are Poison Elder, correct?" Xu Ke asked, pointing at them.

Ghost Elder sneered, "Heh, you're better informed than you look, kid, having heard of our fearsome reputation! Be smart and release us immediately. Otherwise, you'll face consequences you can't afford!"

He was still trying to intimidate Xu Ke.

But Xu Ke just laughed. "Go on. I'm not letting you go. Show me what consequences I can't afford. Are you afraid I can't afford your food bill if I keep you two captive?"

This jab made Ghost Elder's face burn with shame.

"Come, let's make a trade." Seeing that they were unwilling to talk, Xu Ke changed his approach. "You answer one of my questions, and I'll answer one of yours."

The Ghost and Poison Elders' eyes flickered, but they neither agreed nor refused.

Xu Ke threw out the first question. "How much did they pay you to come after me?"

"Fifty million," Ghost Elder said after exchanging a look with his wife.

"Fifty million? They really broke the bank! For that much money, they could have just paid me to do the deed myself," Xu Ke laughed.

Poison Elder posed her question. "What poison did you use, exactly? I've never heard of any poison that can instantly render an Innate Mid Stage expert powerless. Furthermore, I'm a master of poisons myself. While my resistance to toxins might not be number one, it's still top-tier. How could I have absolutely no resistance to your poison?"

Even now, she could still feel a dull ache inside her body.

Xu Ke's poison is too potent! If I could get my hands on it, assassinations would become child's play. But I'm a bit puzzled... If Xu Ke had this kind of poison, wouldn't he have swept through Tianhai long ago? How many people in Tianhai are stronger than the Innate Mid Stage? And how many could possibly withstand a poison like his?

After Poison Elder asked her question, Xu Ke simply smiled. "Why should I answer you?"

"What did you say?" Ghost Elder's face changed. "Didn't I just answer your question?"

Xu Ke spread his hands. "It's your business if you want to answer. I never forced you to."

Ghost Elder's face flushed red. "You were the one who proposed the condition..."

"But you never actually agreed, did you?" Xu Ke replied shamelessly.

The Ghost and Poison Elders were so furious they felt like they were bleeding internally. They finally understood: Xu Ke was using the fact that they hadn't explicitly agreed to humiliate them.

"So, have you decided? Are you ready to agree to the question exchange now?" Xu Ke asked with a grin.

Ghost Elder gritted his teeth. "Fine, we'll exchange!"

He'd already wasted one question; how could he not exchange now?

"Good. Now I'll ask you: who sent you?"

Ghost Elder didn't answer. He stared intently at Xu Ke. "You answer me first. How do we get the antidote?"

"I can answer that. Do one thing for me, and I'll give you the antidote," Xu Ke replied nonchalantly.

Poison Elder narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

"Why would I lie? If I wasn't planning on having you do something for me, I would have killed you long ago," Xu Ke said flatly.

Hearing this, Poison and Ghost Elder were filled with a mix of hope and suspicion.

"My turn. Who sent you?"

Ghost Elder was dissatisfied. "Can't you ask a different question?"

He already said he didn't want to answer that one!

"Then how about I let Poison Elder die right in front of you?" Xu Ke said blandly.

At this, an icy chill shot down Ghost Elder's spine. His face paled. "Don't you dare!"

"Being an assassin so driven by emotion isn't a good thing." Xu Ke glanced at Poison Elder. "If you answer, I can let you go."

"Don't try to drive a wedge between us," Poison Elder gritted her teeth. "We have never failed before. We admit defeat today! My old man and I will die together!"

Ghost Elder was even more resolute. "That's right! We've relied on each other for many years and long ago decided to share life and death. Don't even think about separating us."

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

Xu Ke applauded. "Excellent! Since the two of you are so devoted, preferring death to submission, then you can die together!"

Tired of wasting words, Xu Ke got up, intending to give them a quick end.

"Wait!" Ghost Elder's face went white as he hastily stopped him.

"What now?" Xu Ke raised an eyebrow.

Ghost Elder and Poison Elder exchanged a look before he finally mumbled, "It... it was Kang Chenghua who sent us..."

"See? Wouldn't it have been easier to just say so from the start?" Xu Ke put down his knife. "You two were just asking for a lesson!"

The two of them said nothing, exchanging a helpless glance.

Why isn't this kid moved at all? We've swayed countless people with this act. Who could see an old couple in such a state and not feel some sympathy? But this Xu Ke has a heart of stone! He was really going to kill us without a second thought! How outrageous!