The "Puppet Madam" appeared to be around thirty years old, with sleepy phoenix eyes and prominent facial bones. She was estimated to be only 1.7 meters tall, her build slighter than an average man.
He smiled, intending to lift Leng Ruoli's chin with his fingertips to admire her unparalleled beauty. However, Leng Ruoli turned her head in disgust, batting away the man's hand.
The "Puppet Madam" did not seem angered by Leng Ruoli's temper. Instead, she chuckled softly, covering her painted red lips with a handkerchief, a sight that almost made Leng Ruoli vomit.
Then, he attempted to lift Jun Mohan's chin. Unexpectedly, Jun Mohan savagely kicked him, sending him flying and crashing heavily onto the ground.
Jun Mohan cast a glance at this effeminate person. He found them even more disgusting than the man in red. Now, Jun Mohan thought that the man in red, who liked Li'er, was far more pleasing to the eye compared to this "Puppet Madam."
However, this kick thoroughly enraged the "Puppet Madam." After getting up from the ground, she fixed Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan with venomous eyes.
"Ungrateful people, you should be fortunate that I fancy your appearances. Otherwise, the moment I saw you, I would have ordered you dragged away to feed my insects."
"Hahaha—"
After speaking, the Puppet Madam burst into loud laughter.
Once her laughter subsided, she immediately commanded the guards in the hall, "Take them down to tour my underground palace."
"Yes!" Four guards responded respectfully.
The guards then escorted the two to a pit above the underground palace. They were forced to look down, causing both of them to feel their scalps tingle and goosebumps erupt all over.
Beneath their feet, the pit was filled with a dense mass of insects, tens of times more numerous than the ones seen on Grandma previously. Many bones were scattered within.
"Damn it!"
"That man is truly a pervert, a madman! Could he be feeding these insects with people?" Leng Ruoli muttered softly.
Jun Mohan nodded in agreement.
"I once dispatched people to investigate the Ten Great Killers of the Dark Night Pavilion. For one of them, it was impossible to ascertain their gender. All that was found was that they resided in an underground palace and had a penchant for skinning people. No other information could be found. Based on my observations along the way, I suspect this 'Puppet Madam' is likely that killer from the Dark Night Pavilion," Jun Mohan analyzed in a low voice.
"Damn it, this 'Puppet Madam' is too twisted!" Leng Ruoli exclaimed angrily.
As they were whispering, the guards behind them whipped them fiercely. The pain made both of them grimace. If it weren't for the winter season and the padded clothes they were wearing, they would have lost a layer of skin from the guards' blows. They had to suppress their urge to throw these guards into the insect pit.
At that moment, a desperate female voice echoed, "Help! Help! Please don't throw me into the pit. Please! Please!"
A young woman, her face pale with terror, was being dragged by two guards, pulled and yanked towards the pit. By the time she was dragged before Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan, her face was ashen.
Just as the woman was lifted by the two men to be thrown into the pit, Leng Ruoli quickly used her scalpel to cut the ropes binding her wrists. Jun Mohan also used his internal energy to break free from his restraints. They swiftly subdued the guards around them and rescued the woman on the spot.
The woman, who had believed she was doomed, was saved by two people facing a similar plight.
After escaping danger, the woman immediately knelt before them and said gratefully, "Thank you, young master and young lady, for your great kindness."
"Miss, you're welcome. Please get up quickly," Leng Ruoli hurriedly helped the young girl up.
"Young master, young lady, my name is Lu Li Lu," Lu Li Luo greeted Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan politely. Then, she frowned and said, "We just killed these guards. Someone will likely discover it soon."
"Don't be afraid. Just hide behind us later," Leng Ruoli reassured her.
This girl named Lu Li Luo, about twelve years old, was dressed in rough pink linen clothes. However, it did little to conceal her innate spiritual aura. Her round face had cute dimples, a rosy cherry-like mouth, a delicate and small nose, and a pair of clear, bright eyes that made her instantly likable.
"Li Luo, how did you end up in this place?" Leng Ruoli asked curiously.
"Alas, a few days ago, my grandfather and I passed through Qingyun County too late. We wanted to find an inn to stay, but we were drugged in the middle of the night. When I woke up, I found myself imprisoned in this underground palace," Lu Li Luo recounted carefully.
"Was it the Yue Lai Inn at the foot of the mountain?" Leng Ruoli inquired.
"Yes, that's right. I had the incident at that Yue Lai Inn. I don't know how my grandfather is now," Lu Li Luo nodded, her expression worried.
"Don't worry. Once we get out safely, we'll search for your grandfather," Leng Ruoli said, gently patting Lu Li Luo's shoulder.
"Mhm!" Lu Li Luo nodded obediently.
Then, she suddenly remembered something and said, "Young lady, young master, there are three men and three women still alive in the room where I was previously locked up. Can we save them too? Otherwise, they'll all be skinned by that fiend and die. Just now, just now, I was trying to stop that fiend from skinning a girl, which is why he ordered me to be thrown into this pit."
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan wore expressions of helplessness.
This child was too daring!
She herself was terrified, yet she went to save others.
Fortunately, she met them. Otherwise, she herself would have become food for the insects by now.
Subsequently, to avoid revealing too many flaws, Leng Ruoli and Jun Mohan threw the bodies of the guards on the ground into the pit, more than twenty meters deep. Afterward, they quietly followed Lu Li Luo to a corner outside the room where she had been confined.
"Young lady~" Lu Li Luo called softly.
Leng Ruoli gave her a slight nod.
"Li Luo, my real name is Leng Ruoli, but in front of outsiders, you must call me Miss Mo, okay?" Leng Ruoli said with a smile in a low voice.
"Alright, but I think you're a few years older than me. How about I call you Sister Li?" Lu Li Luo said with a sweet smile.
"Yes, as you wish!" Leng Ruoli said helplessly.
Then, the three of them looked around, planning to quietly take down the two guards stationed outside the room's entrance. However, just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing towards them.