CHAPTER 180: CHAPTER 180 ICEBERG OF THE YEAR (5)_1

The lights dimmed gradually until it was completely dark. The car drove on swiftly for some time before coming to a stop. With a snap, the door opened, and she once again found herself enveloped by broad arms.

The taciturn man in black lifted her horizontally. There was a CREAK, likely the sound of a door opening. Soon, she could hear the man’s footsteps. They walked so lightly that, if one didn’t listen carefully, the sound would be missed. It seemed these people were all well-trained professionals.

After turning an unknown number of corners and traversing an unspecified distance, they finally stopped inside a room. Shangguan You was once again tossed onto the bed, her eyebrows furrowing deeply. Damn it, couldn’t this guy be any gentler? My butt hurts!

"Rest here for now," the man in black said coldly, his icy gaze fixating on Shangguan You. The moment he had lifted her, he sensed something was off about her breathing. She must have already been awake.

"Huo, you stay here and watch her. It’s just a girl; she won’t be able to run away," the voice that had been continuously speaking rang out again. Then, with a CREAK, the door closed, leaving only Shangguan You and the man called Huo.

"Ah, that hurts like hell!" Shangguan You leaped straight up from the bed. Twice now! This man has absolutely no sense of how to treat a lady. Since she had been discovered, she dropped the act.

"Not pretending anymore?" Huo swept her a cold glance, sat down on a chair, and closed his eyes.

"Hey, why did you guys kidnap me? If it’s to sleep, I can go home for that. I don’t like being here either," Shangguan You said, looking at the man’s rigid and icy face. This man is cold from head to toe, his expression stiff, his aura brimming with frigidity.

Han Yachu is an iceberg, but this man is an eternal iceberg—and a complete stone-face too. He’s just sitting there silently, not even seeming to breathe. Is this man alive or dead?

"Stone-face," Shangguan You muttered, waving her hand a few times towards the man. She then placed her hand under his nose to check for breath. Suddenly, she locked eyes with a pair that carried a deadly aura. She stumbled several steps back and started patting her chest lightly. That stone-faced guy gave me a scare!

"Where are you guys taking me? Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and I need to have the reunion dinner with my family!"

Huo took a cold glance at Shangguan You before closing his eyes again. It seems he’s treating me not as a person, but as a piece of merchandise.

"He must be mute," Shangguan You murmured softly to herself. But I know he isn’t. What exactly is this place? What do they want to do?

"Be quiet," two cold words came from Huo’s mouth. Shangguan You glared at Huo, feeling stifled by the cramped space. She pushed open the window and gasped, taken aback by the vast sea outside. Her deep eyes began to whirl with thought. Should I leave now, or should I play along to see what’s really going on?

"Unless you can fly, you won’t escape," Huo said coldly, his eyes remaining closed.

"Humph, how do you know I can’t fly?" Shangguan You replied disdainfully. Her hands quickly formed a seal in the air. Obedience Curse... This talisman is a wonderful thing, capable of silently killing people anytime, anywhere—a great tool for committing murder and getting away scot-free.

A cold snort from Huo was stifled, trapped in his nose. Something’s wrong with my body. We were trained from childhood to recognize such things.

"Speak! Why did you capture me? What is your goal? What do they want to do?" Shangguan You’s tone cooled, a stark contrast to the fearful demeanor she had displayed before.

Huo felt as though someone was gripping his mouth. I don’t want to speak, I can’t speak, but I can’t control myself! Sweat started to form on his forehead. I underestimated this girl. But if I speak, I won’t survive... Internally, he wrestled with the dilemma.

"So, some can resist the Obedience Curse," Shangguan You muttered to herself. Then she added a Forgetfulness Spell and a Truth Curse to the mix. He might resist one curse, but I don’t believe he can resist two more. Besides, with the Forgetfulness Spell, he’ll forget everything he says.

Huo’s previously closed eyes suddenly opened, his deadly gaze instantly turning devoid of life.

"Speak! Who sent you? Why did you kidnap me? What’s your goal? Why plant a bomb in the dance hall and endanger so many people?"

"It was the Master who ordered Huoyi and me to capture you. I don’t know why the Master wants to capture you. As for the bombs, Huoyi said that unless we killed a few people, you wouldn’t follow us willingly. The plan was to take you away unnoticed during the chaos, but it didn’t succeed."

"Who is your Master? Where are you taking me now?"

"The Master is the Master. We are taking you to see him now."

"Bullshit! The Master has to have a name, right? Where is your Master?" Shangguan You’s anger rose as she listened. ’The Master is the Master’? He has to have a name! What he’s saying is all nonsense. Are my talismans not powerful enough? Is Huo still resisting?

"The Master’s name? The Master is the Master and has no name," Huo muttered, angering Shangguan You even more.

"Then where are you taking me? Why did you kidnap me?!" Shangguan You was on the verge of freaking out. Why can’t I get any useful information? It feels like the path forward is completely obscured. Maybe I should just escape now.

"We’re taking you to our base. Capturing you is the Master’s directive."

"Hmph! Slap yourself!" Shangguan You, furious at not having learned anything useful, commanded.

SMACK! SMACK! Huo’s rigid face was struck hard by his own hands. As the pain registered, he quickly came to his senses. Why did I hit myself? What just happened? He looked puzzled at his own hands. His eyes, heavy with lethal intent, swept over Shangguan You, who was lying on the bed, then he coldly scrutinized her with a questioning look.