Chapter 137: A Truly Unforeseen Surprise

Batai’s expression darkened. He was not one of the Pan family, and if he named them, he would offend them.

Turning against the Pan family might affect his plans. What on earth was he supposed to do now?

Where had these two even come from?

Bawan Qing and Pan Pingping both breathed a huge sigh of relief. Their father certainly would not let them die.

Bawan Qing trusted even more firmly that her father could handle the matter properly and that they would make it safely through the night.

“I’m not a member of the Pan family. It wouldn’t be reasonable for me to do this, would it?” Unless absolutely necessary, Batai was still unwilling to offend the Pan family.

Dong Ci cast him a cold look. “I hate people who pretend not to understand. Now that I’ve explained it, one more person can be saved. Prefect, you are the father and mother of Ankang Prefecture. Can you really bear to watch a life vanish just like that?”

“Choosing someone is also taking a life. I believe no one present would be willing to name another!” Batai shouted sternly, displaying a rare trace of backbone.

Dong Ci clicked his tongue and turned to the crowd. “Who among you is willing to name someone? There are five lives now!”

Everyone froze for a moment.

Then something utterly insane happened.

As soon as one person shouted that they were willing, cries rang out one after another. Faced with the threat of death, everyone began struggling to save themselves.

The only person in the line who said nothing was Bawan Qing. At that moment, she stared blankly at Pan Pingping as he shouted, “I’m willing!” The longing in his eyes was so intense that he seemed prepared to abandon everything.

The gentle and considerate image Pan Pingping had cultivated shattered instantly in Bawan Qing’s heart.

“Prefect, is this for real?”

Batai looked at the Pan family, who were acting like rabid dogs, and felt a dull ache spread across his face.

Pan Ming gazed at his family. They had once appeared so noble, yet now they were practically desperate to kneel and lick someone’s heels.

When had his Pan family become like this? Was there not a single person among them with any backbone?

Bawan Qing silently watched every member of the Pan family. What an arrogant group they had once been. Now they had changed completely, becoming even more devoid of dignity than the people of Pingkang Ward.

Dong Ci and Da Ci exchanged a glance. Would their teacher like this result? Would it satisfy him?

Clearly, however, it was still far from enough.

“There are five lives. You will choose them.” Dong Ci pointed toward a woman.

The man who had been turned into blood had inspired the deepest grief in her alone. She must have been his wife.

Dong Ci was a man who kept accounts clearly. He had killed her husband, so he would give her a chance. If there was anyone she disliked, he would help her deal with them.

Pan Wei’s wife was named Wang Yu. She was an ordinary woman with neither power nor influence. Her greatest wish had been to stay by her husband’s side and watch their son spread his wings and soar.

Only moments ago, she and her husband had been discussing whether to send their child to an academy in the Grand Capital. Her husband had not yet made up his mind when they were brought here together.

Yet in the blink of an eye, he had vanished before her eyes.

Wang Yu could not accept what had happened. But when she heard that she was being allowed to choose, she slowly raised her tear-streaked face and looked at Dong Ci and Da Ci.

“Fine!”

She had agreed!

Wang Yu had agreed!

Everyone grew terrified and stared at her in horror.

“Wang Yu! Have you gone mad?” Pan Ming thundered. Surely she did not dare kill everyone!

The Commandery Office of Ankang Prefecture had been drenched in blood. The two of them would not escape unscathed either!

Wang Yu turned a cold gaze upon Pan Ming and said softly, “My husband just sacrificed himself to save you. As his elder brother, did you show even a trace of grief or concern? Only my foolish husband kept following you, asking for nothing in return!”

Dong Ci and Da Ci remained silent. It seemed there was quite a story behind the Pan family.

“I choose Pan Ming!”

With Wang Yu’s first choice, everyone felt a chill run down the backs of their heads.

Pan Ming was the head of the Pan family, as well as the Commandant of Ankang Prefecture! When the matter was settled later, Wang Yu would not escape either!

“You!” Pan Ming was stunned. He pointed at Wang Yu, unable to form a word.

“Aunt! Have you lost your mind?” Pan Pingping immediately shouted furiously. If his father died, he would be finished too!

Pan Pingping’s mother, Liu Ru, also cried out angrily, “Wang Yu! What do you mean by this? Is this how you behave just because your husband is dead?”

Wang Yu ignored Liu Ru’s abuse and said calmly, “The second one: Liu Ru!”

Everyone was dumbfounded. What kind of deep hatred lay between them?

Pan Pingping could no longer remain calm. She was trying to have both his parents killed!

“Wang Yu! Why are you doing this? What have my parents ever done to wrong you?”

“How is my husband, Pan Wei, inferior to your father in any way? He was always the one who rushed to the front whenever anything happened! Yet your mother wanted your father to take credit for my husband’s achievements and exploit him! Don’t think I didn’t know!”

“Wang Yu, you were eavesdropping?” Liu Ru’s shrill, grating voice made even Dong Ci and Da Ci frown. A woman like this was practically the embodiment of malice.

“Head of the family, do you have anything to say?” Wang Yu asked, looking at Pan Ming.

Pan Ming remained silent. It seemed the matter truly had happened.

“The third one: Pan Pingping!”

“What? You’re going to wipe out my entire family?” Pan Pingping was once again utterly stunned.

Bawan Qing, standing nearby, went rigid.

Wang Yu gave a cold snort. “Pan Pingping, do you really not know why my son, Pan Gaozhi, failed to enter Anjing Academy? Didn’t you deliberately try to force your younger brother and his entire family to move to the Grand Capital?”

Standing behind Wang Yu, Pan Gaozhi clenched both fists tightly. He hated himself for being powerless. He hated it!

Pan Pingping’s face was filled with astonishment. The matter was indeed true.

“Pan Pingping! Is this true?” Pan Ming demanded in a low voice.

Pan Pingping was frightened. His stammering expression said everything.

Dong Ci and Da Ci were both left speechless. They had not watched such a spectacle in a long time. Suddenly, they realized that following their teacher made life far less dull.

“Enough. Who is the fourth?” Dong Ci asked.

“The fourth: Pan Sheng!”

The crowd was astonished. No one could understand why she had chosen that child.

Pan Sheng was stunned as well. “Impossible! Impossible! Why did you choose me? Why? What have I done wrong?” he roared.

“You are the hidden threat within the Pan family. If I do not eliminate you, I fear my son will be hurt,” Wang Yu said calmly.

In truth, she was not foolish. Pan Sheng hated everyone. He hated the entire Pan family.

“You! How long are you going to bully me?” Pan Sheng cried out in anguish. He collapsed helplessly onto the ground, calling for his mother as both hands dug deep into the soil. Tears of helplessness fell upon the earth.

Dong Ci and Da Ci glanced at Pan Sheng. They had previously guessed that he was the sort of person nobody liked, which was why they had given him the right to choose. They had not expected him to refuse.

The reason was certainly not love for his family. He simply wanted more people to die.

There was a reason everyone hated him.

If he had not been so greedy, he might still have lived.

At the beginning, he had been drinking, dazed and muddled. He had even been frightened into wetting his trousers. Apart from a few petty schemes and a miserable past, he had truly been left with nothing.

“The fifth life is my own!”

After saying this, Wang Yu seemed to release a long-held breath. She clasped her son’s hand tightly.