Li Dao Xuan whistled as he returned home.
His mood was excellent.
A standalone villa in Zhaomu Mountain, more than three hundred square meters, complete with a spacious garden, and it only cost a little over six million. With his current financial strength, buying it would not even make him blink.
He had already started planning what to do with it. After buying the villa, he would knock down the entire second floor and turn it into one massive open space. No walls, no clutter, just a wide, empty hall. He would place the box there, add a bed, a computer desk, and absolutely nothing else.
That way, there would be plenty of room for the box. Even if it expanded a few more times in the future, it should still fit just fine.
Of course, the box could not expand forever. At some point, it had to stop. At least, that was what he told himself.
While thinking about the grand development blueprint of his tiny kingdom, he took out his keys, opened the door, and stepped inside. He switched on the lights in the living room.
The massive box sat quietly in its usual spot.
Before leaving earlier, he had casually used the humidifier to simulate rainfall over a patch of land. After an entire day, that area of soil should now be thoroughly soaked.
He put away the medical nebulizer, then tapped lightly on Gao Village Family with his finger. His perspective instantly shifted.
Night had already fallen, but Gao Village Family was lively and bustling. Workers who had finished their shifts were gathered in the commercial district, watching performances, listening to music, drinking tea, or sitting around as storytellers spun tales.
Everything looked peaceful.
Li Dao Xuan casually tapped Bai Family Fort. That side was quiet and calm as well.
Then he tapped the county city and moved his focus to the Gao Family Bookstore.
The moment his view settled there, something felt wrong.
Gao Yiye, Bai Yuan, and Mister Wang were all still awake. They were standing around a bed.
Flat Rabbit lay on it.
His eyes were tightly shut. His body was wrapped in strips of torn cloth, many of which were soaked through with blood. The sight alone made it obvious that his injuries were severe.
Li Dao Xuan's heart skipped a beat.
This was his little person.
His little person was badly injured.
The feeling hit him the same way it would if he saw his own pet cat wounded. A surge of urgency shot through him.
"Yiye, what happened?"
Hearing his voice, Gao Yiye was overjoyed. She immediately looked up.
"Tianzun, you have come."
Bai Yuan also perked up at once. Even though they were indoors and could not see the low clouds, he still turned toward the ceiling and performed a respectful salute.
Gao Yiye quickly reported.
"Just after nightfall, five fierce men sneaked into the Gao Family Bookstore. They killed two guards from Bai Family Fort and two militia sentries. They also tried to kill Mister Wang. Fortunately, Flat Rabbit risked his life to block the door and held them off."
Li Dao Xuan felt his anger ignite instantly.
Four of his little people were dead. Flat Rabbit was gravely injured.
Four.
Since he had arrived in this world, Gao Village Family had never suffered such heavy losses. Not even during the clash with the Guyuan rebels had the casualties been this severe.
His anger flared.
"Have the killers been caught?"
Gao Yiye immediately recounted everything in detail. There had been five attackers. One escaped. Three were killed. One had been captured alive.
Li Dao Xuan let out a cold laugh.
"Bring out the one who was captured. Interrogate him properly. I want to see who has the nerve to touch people from Gao Village Family."
Bai Yuan cupped his fists toward the sky and hurried off to make arrangements.
Before long, Zheng Gouzi and two militia members dragged out the captured outlaw and forced him to kneel in the courtyard of the bookstore.
Bai Yuan's usual refined demeanor was gone. His face was dark and cold.
"Beat him. Beat him first."
At the same time, Li Dao Xuan spoke as well.
"Hit him. Beat him first."
The execution of that order was immediate and enthusiastic. Zheng Gouzi and the militia rushed in, fists and kicks flying, treating the man like a sack of grain.
After the beating, Bai Yuan spoke again, his voice low and heavy.
"Who sent you to kill me?"
The outlaw was surprisingly tough. He spat on the ground.
"I will not tell you. You dogs of the authorities."
Bai Yuan sneered.
"A petty thief dares to act like a hero. Beat him again."
The blows rained down once more.
When it ended, the man still refused to speak.
He was determined to play the role of an unyielding tough guy to the very end.
Bai Yuan frowned. This was troublesome. The man knew they would not kill him, because killing him would cut off all leads. That was why he dared to remain silent.
At that moment, Li Dao Xuan spoke again.
"Yiye, have Zheng Gouzi bring a large wooden bath barrel."
Gao Yiye quickly relayed the order.
Zheng Gouzi and his men left and soon returned carrying a large bathing barrel.
Li Dao Xuan opened a cabinet, took out a bottle of medicinal oil, flipped it upside down, and let a few drops fall in.
In an instant, the entire barrel appeared filled with the liquid.
The barrel of oil released a sharp, overpowering smell. The militia standing nearby could barely keep their eyes open.
They had no idea what it was, but the green color and the strange scent told them everything they needed to know.
This had to be poison.
And not just poison. A whole barrel of it.
Li Dao Xuan spoke calmly.
"Throw him in. Keep his head above the surface. Everything else goes in."
The outlaw's composure cracked the moment he saw the barrel.
"You would not dare. You cannot kill me. If I die, you will learn nothing."
Li Dao Xuan did not even bother arguing.
"Do not waste time. Throw him in. Be careful not to splash it on yourselves."
Zheng Gouzi grabbed the man and tossed him straight into the barrel, then jumped back immediately, afraid even a single drop might touch him.
The moment the outlaw hit the liquid, the sensation exploded across his body.
It was impossible to describe.
Every inch of his skin, every sensitive part, burned with a scorching, penetrating pain. Even the most private areas were not spared.
His scream tore through the air.
"What is this cursed poison. Get me out. Get me out. I cannot take it. I am going to melt."
Everyone watched coldly as he struggled.
Li Dao Xuan was usually a gentle man, the kind who might even be called softhearted. But not now. The deaths of four of his people had burned away any trace of mercy.
"I am dying. I will talk. I will tell you everything. Please, pull me out."
Only then did Li Dao Xuan reach in and tip the barrel over with a finger. The liquid spilled out, leaving the man writhing on the ground in agony.
"Pour water on him."
Zheng Gouzi and the others brought buckets of water and dumped them over him again and again. The burning sensation on his skin finally eased, though the pain in certain areas remained intense enough to make him tremble uncontrollably.
Bai Yuan stepped forward, his gaze sharp.
"Speak. Who sent you?"
He leaned slightly closer, his voice carrying a quiet threat.
"If you do not want to go back into that barrel, you will tell us everything."
Ming Context:
Mint oil wasn't a Ming product, but painful interrogation involving cold mixtures or medicinal oils was a known technique. This one is a… modern upgrade.
Bookstores in county towns often served as cultural hubs — Gaojia Bookstore's mix of guards and scholars matches that historical role.