Chapter 6: Life and Death Crisis

"What on earth are you attempting now?" Vesper queried, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips as he observed Eleanor with a blend of curiosity and mild amusement. His eyes, sharp as a predator's, seemed to pierce through her every facade.

"Cough, cough." Eleanor snapped back to reality, her heart pounding. Mustering as much bravado as she could, she declared, "Watch closely! I'm about to unveil the secrets of Chinese gongfu to you all!" Her voice, though a bit tremulous, carried a determination that belied her fear.

With that, she spread her feet apart, assuming a wide stance. Her hands rose gracefully, as if caressing the air, and then descended slowly, as still as a maiden in a painting. A hush fell over the room, and the werewolves, their feral instincts momentarily subdued, watched her with rapt attention. Their hearts skipped a beat, and their eyes, glowing with a mix of anticipation and confusion, were fixed on her every move.

Suddenly, Eleanor let out a resounding shout that echoed through the hall. Her left hand shot out from her waist in a powerful punch, her muscles rippling with the force. She transitioned fluidly from a horse stance to a bow stance, her movements a strange blend of grace and clumsiness.紧接着, she launched a smooth straight kick, aiming for an invisible opponent's face. She landed lightly, her feet barely making a sound on the cold stone floor.

Then, she abruptly crouched down, her right knee touching the ground. Her left leg extended diagonally, and one hand guarded her chest protectively. The other hand shot forward in a tiger claw shape, and she exclaimed, "Black Tiger's Heart Snatch!"

"Pfft..." A stifled laugh escaped from one of the werewolves, breaking the tense silence. The sound was like a pebble dropped in a still pond, rippling through the room.

Eleanor swallowed hard, her throat dry. She dared not stop. Summoning her last reserves of energy, she sprang up from her crouched position, her body coiled like a spring. She stood upright and launched a serpentine punch, her arm moving in a sinuous motion. Then, she executed a flying kick in mid - air, her body spinning like a top before landing in a pouncing stance.

"Monkey Picks Peaches!"

"Golden Rooster Stands Independent!"

"Two Fingers to the Throat!"

...

Eleanor performed a series of elaborate but ultimately ineffective moves. Beads of cold sweat rolled down her face, glistening in the dim light. The hall was plunged into a deathly silence, and she could feel the temperature drop. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine, and she knew that her performance had not had the desired effect.

Before she could complete her routine, Vesper, the leader, suddenly flashed into human form. His transformation was so swift that it was almost a blur. By the time Eleanor realized what was happening, he had already closed the distance between them. With lightning speed, his hand shot out and grabbed her throat.

Eleanor's body trembled violently. In an instant, she was lifted off the ground, her feet dangling helplessly. Vesper's eyes blazed with fury, like two burning coals. He thundered, "You've got some nerve, daring to play games with me!" His voice was like a clap of thunder, shaking the very walls of the hall.

"Cough, cough... I'm not playing games with you..." Eleanor gasped, her voice barely a whisper. She was being choked, and her lungs burned for air. She desperately tried to pry Vesper's fingers off with her hands, her nails scratching at his skin, but his grip was like iron.

Seeing her resistance, Vesper tightened his hold even more. "What's your connection with the Scarlet Lady? Tell me!" he demanded, his voice dripping with menace.

"..." Eleanor's mind went blank. After all that had happened, it had all come back to this same question. She had no connection with that Scarlet Lady; every word she had spoken was the truth. If there was even a hint of falsehood, may she be struck by lightning! But this heartless man simply refused to believe her. What more could she say? "Scarlet Lady, Scarlet Lady, you've ruined me. If we never cross paths in this life, in the next life, I'll definitely track you down and settle this score!" she thought bitterly.

"I've told you the truth. If you don't believe me, then just kill me!" Eleanor steeled her resolve, resigning herself to her fate. After all the struggling and wrangling, she had still ended up in this dire situation. Making this decision, she suddenly felt a strange sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She closed her eyes, as if she could already envision the beautiful realm of heaven.

Seeing her sudden abandonment of resistance, Vesper's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Want to die? It's not going to be that easy. I'll make you endure the most excruciating torture." His voice was cold, like the winter wind.

With that, he hurled Eleanor to the ground. She landed with a thud, the impact knocking the breath out of her. Vesper turned to Alexa and said, "Give her to the兄弟们. Tell them not to hold back, not until she talks." His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Eleanor's head was buzzing. A surge of rage welled up from within her. She wanted to scream, to lash out at someone, to smash things, and even to grab a kitchen knife and chop off the leader's head. But at this moment, she simply clenched her lips tightly, making no sound and offering no resistance. Soon, a trickle of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth, staining her pale skin.

Her eyes burned red with fury. Alexa, who was about to step forward to seize her, couldn't help but hesitate at the sight. He had never seen a human being look like this before. In his impression, humans were always timid and submissive in the presence of werewolves. After years of oppression and bullying, the human race had been ground down, never daring to show the slightest hint of resistance, not even a defiant glance.

But the woman before him seemed on the verge of being consumed by her anger. Her eyes were filled with hatred and dissatisfaction so intense that it seemed capable of devouring everything in its path.

Vesper also took note of her appearance. His brows furrowed deeply as he asked, "Do you have anything else to say?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying threat in his tone.

"You perverted demon, I'd love to skin you alive! Tear out your tendons! Drink your blood!" Eleanor gritted her teeth, enunciating each word with venomous hatred. Her voice was filled with a raw emotion that made the werewolves around her take a step back.

"Ha, very well!" Vesper seated himself on the armchair, idly playing with the black - gold ring on his finger. A strange glint flickered in his eyes, now bright, now dim. His expression was inscrutable, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

Everyone tensed up, bracing themselves for the tempest that could descend at any moment. But at this moment, Vesper did not lose his temper. A barely perceptible smile curved the corner of his mouth, like a fleeting ripple on the surface of a calm lake. Then, it condensed into two sparks in his eyes, instantly disappearing into the depths of his gaze.

"I've changed my mind. I'll grant your wish. Take her to my room. Today, I'll let you skin me, tear out my tendons, and drink my blood!" he said, his voice calm but with a hint of amusement.

Everyone was stunned for a moment, their minds reeling. But seeing the leader's serious expression, not like he was joking, no one dared to make a sound. The room was filled with a sense of unease, and the werewolves exchanged nervous glances.

After the order was given, Eleanor was quickly taken away. She was dragged out of the hall, her feet dragging on the ground. The werewolves' hands were rough on her skin, and she felt a sense of despair wash over her.

Vesper pressed his temples, feeling a sudden quiet in his ears. He let out a sigh, a weary sound that betrayed his inner turmoil. He waved his hand to dismiss everyone, but at that moment, a werewolf soldier suddenly burst in in a panic. "Leader, something's wrong! That woman... she's dead!" he exclaimed, his voice high - pitched with fear.

"Dead?" Vesper frowned. She was fine just now; how could she be dead after being taken away? Could it be that she was so scared she bit her tongue and committed suicide? His mind raced with possibilities.

"Who's dead?! Speak clearly!" Alexa demanded, his voice sharp. He stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the soldier.

"It's... it's the human woman sent by the Tianhai Wolf King, the one who was supposed to marry the leader, she's dead!" the soldier stammered, his body trembling.

"What?!" Vesper's body shook, and he jumped up from his chair. "How could she be dead?!" His voice was filled with shock and disbelief.

The surroundings erupted in an uproar. The werewolf fell to his knees with a thud, trembling as he spoke, "The food we sent in recently, she didn't touch any of it, all... all of it was thrown away by her. It's been fifteen days since she last ate. Just now, when we went in, she was already dead." His words were like a bombshell, shattering the tense atmosphere.

"Damn it! Didn't I tell you to make sure she ate the food?!" Vesper was furious, his teeth grinding. His voice rolled like thunder, and everyone present felt a chill run through them, involuntarily shivering. The air in the room seemed to thicken with his anger.

"At first, we did watch her, and she was quite cooperative, so later... later we let our guard down." The werewolf trembled uncontrollably, his voice getting softer and softer. He cowered in fear, waiting for the leader's wrath.

Vesper's face turned ashen, the veins on his forehead bulging. He bit his thin lips and said, "Why don't you just die?!" His voice was filled with a murderous intent.

"Leader, spare me! Leader, spare me!" The werewolf was nearly out of his wits, repeating the same phrase over and over. His eyes were wide with terror, and he looked like a cornered animal.

Seeing this, Alexa stepped forward and threatened, "Courting death! If you want to keep your head, get out of here now! And inform all the guards on duty during this period to receive punishment!" His voice was cold and authoritative.

"Yes, yes!" The werewolf quickly got up from the ground and fled like a shot. His footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, and soon, he was out of sight.

"Boss, the wedding ceremony is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. With that woman dead at this juncture, I'm afraid..." Alexa glanced at Vesper's increasingly dark expression and left the sentence hanging. The unspoken words hung in the air, like a dark cloud.