Chapter 12: Torture to Find Treasure

After a long while, he stood up. "I'll go find a house for you first. Stay here with Grandma, and I'll come back in the evening."

Perhaps it was because of the awkwardness, or perhaps because he felt guilty for taking advantage of a young girl, he felt he couldn't stay any longer.

"Alright, thank you for your trouble." Having said that, she pulled out the money she had prepared from her clothes. "Do you think this is enough? If it's not, I'll give you more when you return."

His help was enough; she couldn't let him spend money as well.

Su Junyu looked at the money in her hands, momentarily stunned. "Where did you get this money?"

Mu Yu revealed her first smile of the day. "I hid it in my clothes last night. Not just me, but Grandpa, Grandma, and Xiao Jie all have some too." They had simply sewn it into their clothing.

Hearing this, Su Junyu smiled. "Quite clever. Alright, I have money here, so don't worry about it. Just look after Grandma." With that, he strode out of the hospital room.

Very few people were currently staying in the hospital. This was a three-room suite, but the old lady was the only one in the ward.

Watching his retreating figure, Mu Yu smiled faintly. This man—if possible, she wouldn't mind developing a relationship with him.

On the other side.

After Mu Yu and Grandma Mu were taken away, those people became even more unrestrained. They searched the Mu family estate as if digging three feet deep into the earth, but unfortunately, they couldn't find even a shadow of the thing they were looking for.

"Old man, where did you hide your family's treasure? Speak up, or don't blame me for being impolite." The leader grabbed Grandpa Mu by the collar and demanded.

Perhaps fearing being overheard, his voice was not loud.

"There is nothing. My family's belongings were handed over to the state long ago." Grandpa Mu never imagined they would know about the family's hidden treasures.

Fortunately, those things were buried deep. With people like them, without him leading the way, they truly wouldn't find them.

As long as he insisted there was nothing, there was nothing they could do to him.

Seeing his stubbornness, the man didn't think twice; he threw the old man to the ground, completely disregarding his age.

He then grabbed Mu Jie in his other hand. "Old geezer, if you don't confess, don't blame me for being ruthless." Having said that, he picked up a stick and struck Mu Jie's leg.

With a loud *crack*, Mu Jie let out a scream; his leg was deformed.

"Ah...!"

The old man never expected this group of people to be so heartless. "Stop hitting him, stop hitting him! He's just a child, he's just a child!" The old man's face was covered in tears.

Mu Jie was a strong child, but no matter how strong he was, he was still just a child. Previously, although the family doted on the granddaughter more, they had showered him with plenty of affection as well; he had never suffered such hardship.

"I beg you, please stop hitting him." The old man was pinned to the ground, pleading with difficulty.

But this was not the result the leader wanted. "If you still don't speak, I can't guarantee his other leg will stay intact. Old man, think carefully about what you're going to say."

Seeing the old man's weeping state after he laid hands on the young boy, he knew that success or failure rested on this child.

"What are you looking for? What is it you want?" Grandpa Mu was a shrewd man; how could he not see through his intentions?

But he didn't tell him immediately. Naturally, even if he were to speak, he wouldn't reveal the contents of that specific room.

The man walked up to the old man with the stick. "You know what I'm talking about. It's not too late to tell me now, otherwise..." Before he could finish, he struck Mu Jie's back with another blow.

With a *thud*, Mu Jie screamed in pain once again.

The gates to the Mu courtyard had long since been closed by someone.

Most of the things in the house had been smashed, and some money and grain had been found, but they hadn't seen a shadow of the item they wanted.

As time passed, anyone would grow anxious.

Grandpa Mu pointed with difficulty toward an osmanthus tree in the backyard. "It's... it's under the tree."

Upon hearing this, the leader smiled. "If you had just said so earlier, why go through such suffering?"

With that, he led his men toward the backyard and ordered them to start digging.

It wasn't until they had dug up the entire tree that they saw a large chest hidden beneath.

"Haha! There really is treasure! Quick, brothers, carry it up!"

Looking at such a large chest, the leader thought of his future life of luxury.

What he didn't see was Feng Yuanshan watching them from the side, his eyes filled with malice. He had also dug in that spot last night, but he hadn't expected the Mu family to hide things so deep.

In truth, what was buried under that tree wasn't considered a great treasure, but rather some personal items he had hidden when he was a child.

Back then, the family's life was good, and he had many servants; he loved playing treasure hunt games.

It wasn't just here; there were other places where things were hidden, though the items weren't precious—mostly small things like silver ingots or gold nuggets given to him by his elders.

There were also some books, ink, and other trendy items from that time that he had tucked away.

Sure enough, once the large chest was opened, the contents failed to satisfy the man. "Old geezer, just this? You dare try to fool me?" Having said that, he unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks on the old man.

However, fearing he might actually kill the man, he held back his strength somewhat, merely venting his anger.

"Is there more? If you don't come clean, don't blame me for killing your grandson." This time, the man was truly being ruthless.

Grandpa Mu didn't dare hide anything else. He pointed out several locations, including a few in the front yard, totaling five spots.

Including the one already dug up, there were six in total.

There were no more beyond that.

The remaining five spots weren't very deep, and they were all dug up in a short time.

After interrogating them once more, the leader beat the grandfather and grandson until they were half-dead, finally believing their words that there was nothing left.

However, he was satisfied with the haul this time.

Setting aside everything else, there was half a chest full of gold and silver.

Feng Yuanshan also hadn't expected the Mu family to have so many things. If he had known—if he had known they were hidden so deep, he would have come to look for them himself.

Now, it was all gone to outsiders; the Mu family truly didn't deserve to be human.

"Take it away."

All the valuable items of the Mu family were carried off, leaving behind only scrap metal and junk; even the pots in the kitchen were smashed and taken.

Once the people had left and the house was empty, the neighbors finally dared to come out and check the situation.

When they saw the state of the Mu house, they were all broken out in cold sweats, especially seeing the pool of blood on the ground, which was truly terrifying.

"Sigh, the Mu family is finished."

"I don't know what they did, but a perfectly good family just vanished like that."

"Don't look for too long, be careful not to be targeted."

"Right, let's go, let's go home."

The neighbors turned and left one by one.

Because they knew there was a "mad dog" in this courtyard; if they were targeted by him, it would be disastrous.

Grandpa Mu and Mu Jie were locked up together. Mu Jie had a broken leg, but no one was looking after him.

"It's all Grandpa's fault for causing this to happen to you, Xiao Jie. Does it still hurt?" Looking at his grandson's sweat-drenched face, Grandpa Mu felt immense heartache.