Renee pped Chase violently across his face, her patience worn thin to the bone.


    “Spit it out, will you?!” she demanded. “Just tell me your idea and stop sputtering like that! It’s like


    you’re teasing me!”


    Chase smiled awkwardly and replied, “The impostor, Mr. Q is indeed a cautious man, and he would


    only contact me through text messages. There’s also no way to ascertain his address or whereabouts


    through his phone number, so unless he’s willing to voluntarily show up, we have no way of finding him.


    So far, the only person who can make him turn up willingly is you, Ms. Everheart.”


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    “I’m afraid I’m not that powerful…” said Renee dejectedly. “Ever since he stood me up, I couldn’t


    contact him at all. If he really cared about me, he would’ve been a little more to say goodbye before he


    left.”


    “I believe the impostor, Mr. Q, must have a good reason for it…”


    “So? Get to the point. What should I do to get him to show up?”


    “It’s really simple.” Chase curled his finger in a beckoning gesture at Renee. “Follow me, Ms.


    Everheart.”


    In the dead of the night, Chase and Renee weaved through the vast andbyrinthine Carmine


    Pawnshop. After a long journey through twists and turns, they finally stopped at the most remote


    courtyard. The ce looked as if no one had stepped into it for centuries, and the door was covered in


    thick wads of cobwebs, cementing in an air of decay and ruin.


    “Chase Cheever, what… what are you trying to do?”


    Renee pursed her lips and instinctively took a few steps back.


    “Don’t be afraid, Ms. Everheart…”


    Chase dusted off his long coat and calmly exined, “This is the area where water torture, one of the


    ten worst torture techniques employed by Carmine Pawnshop, is conducted. It has been four years


    since thest person was tortured here, so it might look as if it’s in disrepair, but back in the day, people


    filled this ce all the time. It was a much livelier ce back then.”


    “Uh… ten worst torture techniques? A lively ce?”


    Renee was so taken aback that she almost choked on her own saliva.


    “Are you sure you guys weren’t filming a movie here? Torture techniques? I’ve only heard of that in


    movies!”


    “What you’ve seen in movies is probably much tamer than what we actually do here in Carmine


    Pawnshop. Because some of them might be too atrocious for your taste, I won’t borate and go


    straight to the water torture…”


    Chase then continued, “Water torture is the mildest among the ten worst torture techniques. The victim


    is first tied up inside the water prison, where they will then suffer all manner of tribtions. At first, the


    water level reaches just around the victim’s waist, but every half an hour, there will be other things


    added to the water. Firstly, all kinds of venomous snakes, centipedes, and loaches will be released.


    Then, slowly, boiling water will be added. After that, boiling oil will pour in, and finally… sulphuric acid!”


    “Stop! I don’t want to hear it anymore! Whoever thought of such a heinous thing must’ve been a


    complete psychopath!”


    Renee could hardly bear to even imagine such a scene. Forget about the boiling oil and acid; she was


    covered in goosebumps even thinking about the snakes! Even worse was the thought of how the


    snakes would writhe and il around wildly in a panic once the boiling water was added—she could not


    imagine how horrifying such a situation might be!


    “You’re too faint-hearted, Ms. Everheart. I told you that water torture is the lightest among the ten worst


    torture techniques. Besides, Boss was the one who came up with these punishments.”


    “My brother came up with these?” Renee could not help but sigh. “Wasn’t he a little too aggressive?”


    “His original intent for these things was to deter would-be dissidents,” Chase exined, “whether it be


    the employees of Carmine Pawnshop or the customers. Anyone who disobeyed the rules must face the


    punishment. Yet, when faced with the grim possibility of being punished with the ten horrifying torture


    techniques, almost no one dared to cause any trouble, so strictly speaking, the actual number of


    people who were tortured is very low.”


    “I can understand that,” said Renee. “Historically, rulers must have an extremely strict punishment


    system to maintain order. I’m sure my brother must’ve seen a lot of period movies and read lots of


    books about history toe up with such a thing. Otherwise, no normal person could ever think of


    doing something so insane.”


    Renee was highly empathetic by nature. Although she disagreed with Quinton’s method, she could still


    understand why he had to take such extreme measures. After all, Quinton must have had to work


    exceedingly hard to reach his current position, seeing that he came from a humble fishing vige.


    Without taking some extraordinary measures, he would never have made it this far.


    “By the way, why did you take me here? Is someone getting punished?”