<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Looking around, the secret room was filled with rows of jars, containing at least a hundred people. Charles spoke in a low voice. “Yvette, these people are kept in jars?</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">“Surrounded by poisonous insects and venomous snakes, and they’re still alive? How is that even possible?” This was truly an unbelievable situation!</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette took a few steps forward, ncing over the scene. She furrowed her brow slightly. “They can no longer be considered alive. They’re merely bodies now, sustaining poisonous insects with their flesh and using their blood to nourish the parasites. It’s nothing but a shell.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Je</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Aploth.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">spoke without changing his expression. “This method of breeding poisonous insects first appeared in South East</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Charles’s face grew serious. The method was so cruel. These people weren’t dead, yet they lived in this horrific environment, having their blood drained, with poisonous insects crawling into their bodies. It would be better if they were dead.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Charles said, “Yvette, for Holden to secretly imprison over a hundred people in the basement without anyone noticing, this is no simple matter.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Over a hundred people had gone missing, and yet the authorities hadn’t noticed. Holden must have some sort of protection. Otherwise, there’s no way he could have gotten away with it.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah clearly realized this as well. His brows furrowed, and his gaze turned cold. “I’ll have people investigate this.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette, hands in her pockets, a fierce expression on her face, kept her eyes calm and steady. She ignored the poisonous insects around her and moved forward.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah immediately grabbed her hand, shaking his head with a serious expression. He spoke in a low voice. “No.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette looked up at him, pulling her cold, slender hand away. “They can’t harm me.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah frowned and tightened his grip. “What do you mean they can’t harm you? Listen to me. Stay close. If you want to do something, I’ll do it for you.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette looked into Jeremiah’s eyes, raised an eyebrow, and said, word by word, “My blood is the poison to these poisonous insects. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Charles was stunned. ‘Yvette’s blood is poison to the poisonous insects? What’s going on here?‘ he wondered.</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah pursed his lips, remaining silent, and his expression dark. After a long pause, he finally released her hand. “They can’t get close to you, right?”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette paused, nodding obediently. She spoke slowly. “They can’t.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Jeremiah nodded. “Good.” The next second, he picked Yvette up, tightening his hold on her. In a low voice, he murmured by her ear, “I’ll carry you out. Just let me.”</font></font>
<font style="vertical-align: inherit;"><font style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yvette nestled into Jeremiah’s arms, looked up, and smiled slightly, rubbing against him. She appeared innocent and obedient. “Let’s go.”</font></font>
Jeremiah lowered his gaze, looking at Yvette with a soft expression. He couldn’t help but feel his heart soften. “Okay.” Charles, following behind them, couldn’t even put into words how he felt at that moment.
‘Can’t they be a little more mindful of the situation?‘ Charles thought. “They’re calmly showing affection in such a disgusting ce? Oh my god. Only big shots can make this look so effortless. Look at all the poisonous insects around them. Amazing…
‘Can’t you notice me while you’re showing off your affection? Yvette isn’t afraid of the poisonous insects, but I am!‘ Charles wondered as he roared inwardly.
Jeremiah, carrying Yvette, kept his eyes on her. Without changing his expression, he took the first step.
Charles felt a sudden jolt in his heart. If these poisonous insects weren’t afraid of Yvette, Jeremiah’s life was in danger here.
‘How much courage does it take to make that first step? These two really trust each other unconditionally,‘ Charles thought.
The next second, Jeremiah’s right footnded firmly among the poisonous insects. To Charles’s disbelief, all the poisonous insects instantly scattered in every direction.
They fled as if they had encountered their natural enemy. The people inside the jars suddenly opened their eyes, as though they had been startled, and began wriggling uncontrobly.
Charles said, “Yvette, they’re moving.”
Jeremiah paused and calmly responded. “It’s just an involuntary body tremor.”
Yvette patted Jeremiah’s shoulder and jumped out of his arms. She nced around at the jars, where eerie sounds wereing from, and said in a calm, unhurried tone, “Let’s go. The real treasures are inside.”
Charles nodded. He felt that the treasures Yvette referred to were certainly not the same as what he had in mind.
The three of them passed through the jars and reached the farthest end. There, a small door appeared before them. Compared to therge doors outside, this one seemed rather ordinary, evencking a lock.
Yvette stepped forward. The scent of poisonous insects growing stronger seeped through the crack in the door.
Her voice was cool and detached as she spoke. “The people outside are just the hosts for the poisonous insects. What’s inside is where the real poisonous insects are.”
Jeremiah’s eyes were cold and deep as he stared at the door, his gaze darkening. He stepped forward and pushed it open.
When the door creaked open, the foul, decaying stench from outside was reced by a refreshing fragrance that filled the air. Beyond the doory apletely different world.
Inside a small room were dozens of exquisite wooden boxes. Just the craftsmanship of the boxes suggested their high value, so one could imagine the worth of what was inside.
Charles looked at Yvette and asked, “Yvette, is this where the poisonous insects you mentioned are?”N?velDrama.Org content rights.
Yvette nodded. A cold glint shed in her eyes, and her voice grew colder. “Yes,” she said nothing further.
The poisonous insects here were likely bred by sacrificing at least a thousand lives.
Yvette approached, crouched down, and slowly opened one of the boxes. Inside, a plump, golden–colored insect with vivid, sharp eyes was clumsily wriggling around.
It looked rather cute at first nce. However, this was a poisonous insect that fed on blood and could only survive after countless battles.
Charles stared at the insect in the box, stunned. “This is a poisonous insect? This chubby little thing is the poisonous insect everyone fears? This is ridiculous,‘ he wondered.
Charles picked up another box and was about to open it when Jeremiah stopped him. “Don’t.”
Startled, Charles lost his grip, and the box fell, dropping the poisonous insect onto the ground.
To his shock, the golden insect suddenly took flight, its tiny wings fluttering as it darted straight toward him. This poisonous insect was even more golden than the previous one, with its wings glowing faintly as it sped toward him.
Charles took two quick steps back, his face full of shock. The insect was faster. In the blink of an eye, it was almost on him, about to burrow into his skin.
In a split second, Yvette stepped in front of Charles.
Jeremiah’s face darkened as he immediately reached for his gun
The poisonous insect froze midair, its golden eyes locking on Yvette, and it stopped in its tracks.
Jeremiah saw this, his eyes narrowing as he held back from shooting, staying ready for it.
Yvette raised her eyes to meet the flying poisonous insect. Her beautiful, cold eyes narrowed slightly.
This poisonous insect had developed intelligence. It was a rare one indeed. Generally, these types didn’t mix with ordinary poisonous insects. Either no one had realized it was intelligent yet, or it was too rare to be noticed.
The insect suddenly moved again. It circled Yvette twice, pping its wings as if excited.
Charles was stunned. ‘So this poisonous insect distinguishes between people? Does it only like good–looking ones?‘ he wondered.
It turned out that Charles’s assumption was correct. The poisonous insect seemed to be attracted to beautiful people. After circling Yvette for two or three rounds, the insect flew directly to her hand.
Yvette’s clear, bright eyes fixed on the insect, and then she did something unexpected. Slowly, she extended her hand and opened her palm.
In the next moment, the poisonous insect flew into her hand,nding on it as if it had decided to rest. It nced at Jeremiah and Charles before lying downfortably in her palm.
It rolled over and squinted its eyes, enjoying the moment.