Merlin's figure fell out of an alley with Hastings as a cushion. Hastings had woken up during the battle between D 'Addario and the black shadow, but he was still unable to move. He looked at the building in front of him and was a little surprised. "Isn't this Gudilesi?"
"Those guys from the Magic Association have lost me. They will definitely go to Gudilesi to look for me. Although I'm not afraid of them, I don't have time to deal with these troubles." Merlin got up and patted the dust off his butt.
"So, where are we now?" Hastings asked curiously.
"For me, this is one of my many strongholds in the Dawn Continent, but for you …" Merlin grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "This is hell."
…
In the dim basement, Hastings was tied to an iron bed.
"You are indeed as ruthless as the rumors say. You watched your friend die in D 'Adrion's hands, and you did nothing from the beginning to the end."
Merlin pulled out a package from under the iron bed and opened it. It was a set of cold torture instruments. "First of all, I have to correct you. He and I are not friends. I haven't made friends for hundreds of years. The reason why he is willing to protect me is that he owes me a big favor. Now it's time to repay the debt. As far as I'm concerned, I'm very grateful for what he did tonight. But we are both adults, and we understand the risks before we do anything. I'm not obliged to ensure his safety," Merlin said as he took out the torture instruments one by one from the package.
As Merlin spoke, he took out the instruments of torture one by one from his bag. "Moreover, given the situation at that time, I wouldn't have been able to change anything."
"But you still have a second option, don't you? You can surrender to the Magic Association. They don't want your life. That way, both of you can live." Hastings secretly moved his wrist, only to find that it was almost impossible for him to break free without the help of an outsider.
"Well, I can choose to surrender." After some careful selection, Merlin finally took out a small scalpel and held it in his hand, feeling the sharpness of the blade. "But this way, we won't be able to enjoy our sweet world together, will we?"
Cold sweat finally broke out on Hastings' forehead. "If this is because of what happened before, I apologize to you. I have great respect for you. What happened before was purely because we had different standpoints. There is no personal grudge involved. Besides, you have already taken revenge on me. Your … uh, companion killed my daughter."
"Who said this is a personal grudge?" Merlin said slowly.
Hastings was taken aback, not understanding what the other party meant.
"I'm starting to lose interest in your negotiation games, so I've decided to skip this part and get straight to the point. It's my turn to be the banker for the next game." Merlin used the scalpel to slice open Hastings' shirt. "By the way, don't waste your time trying to escape. The belt I used to tie you up is also a magic device."
A look of horror finally appeared on Hastings' face. "You … What are you trying to do?"
"Haven't you ever been curious about how important you, a devout servant, are to the great beings that you worship and respect? You regard them as your own lives." Merlin wore a blood-stained leather skirt over his jacket, making him look like a butcher.
Hastings could no longer control his emotions. He screamed hysterically, "You devil!!! You will be punished by the gods!!! "
"Well, it depends on how much they like you." Merlin plunged the scalpel into Hastings' calf with precision, and the latter let out a blood-curdling scream. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Due to the current situation, there are no reliable clergymen left, so the injuries you've suffered now can't be healed beyond your body's self-healing ability, such as …"
Merlin pulled out the scalpel from Hastings' calf, drawing a string of blood. He then cut the latter's hamstring. "Congratulations. From now on, you will have to rely on crutches to walk."
"They won't let you go!!! One day, my Lord will pay you back a thousand times for the pain you have inflicted on me! "Hastings screamed, his eyes filled with hatred.
"Oh, is this the most powerful threat you can think of?" Merlin smiled faintly. His eyes glowed with a golden light, making him look as cold as a statue. "When I obtain that item and complete my apotheosis ritual, I'll enter the God Kingdom. As for you, you ugly and lowly creature, you can only look up to me, kneel on the ground, and beg for my mercy."
The scalpel danced between his fingers. This time, he sliced off a piece of flesh from Hastings' thigh.
The latter's screams echoed in the basement. Hastings had completely broken down. He cried, "What do you want? I'll give it to you. The Matthews family's wealth, the forces I've been cultivating in the dark … As long as you kill me, I'll agree to any condition."
Merlin shook his head. "Don't you understand? I'm not interested in 'you', but the master behind you. It's okay. We have time. It will be a long night."
…
There was no sunlight in the basement. Hastings did not know how much time had passed and whether it was day or night.
His voice had become hoarse from all the shouting, but no one could hear his cries for help. Now, all ten of his fingers had been pierced with steel nails, and there was not a single part of his body that was left intact. If he lowered his head, he could even see his stomach and intestines that had been cut open. Merlin had used a high-tier Healing Potion to keep him alive, and he was extremely careful with each cut, striving to give him the greatest pain without killing him.
Hastings did not believe in the existence of purgatory, but he was now in it.
Three magic hours ago, he did not even have the strength to cry. He just lay there like an animal waiting to be slaughtered. The continuous pain made his consciousness blur, and he lost the ability to speak.
However, this time, Merlin showed a rare continuous interest in something. He held the scalpel as if he was carving a piece of art.
"In a way, I have to thank you. You made me realize that I have the potential to be an artist."
"Is this what you want?" Hastings, who had been tortured to the point of death, suddenly raised his head. However, this time, there was no focus in his pupils, and his tone no longer contained any human emotions.
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