NOVEL WEB Chapter 120: Controlling Li Qiwen
“Do you take me for a fool? There’ll be no money. You’d better release my son, or once I find you, I’ll make sure you wish you were dead. If my son dies, I can always have another. Do you really think I’d care about losing one son?”
Li Zhong’s words were icily indifferent, causing a chill to run through Li Qiwen. Could it be true that he didn’t care about his well-being at all?
A wave of resentment surged within Li Qiwen towards Li Zhong, who always pampered Li Ting, yet wouldn’t spare a dime to save him. It seemed unfair to Li Qiwen. If Li Ting was in danger, Li Zhong would surely pay without hesitation.
Catching the venomous look in Li Qiwen’s eyes, Chen Luo pondered. This guy might indeed have some potential. What if Li Zhong’s death came at his own son’s hands?
“If Chairman Li believes he can simply have another son, then ignore my previous words. But be warned, you’ll never see this son of yours again.” Chen Luo’s gun was pointed directly at Li Qiwen’s forehead.
“Dad, save me, he’s really going to kill me!” Li Qiwen cried out in terror.
At that moment, Li Qiwen’s hatred wasn’t directed at Chen Luo, whom he mostly feared, but at Li Zhong. The Li family was rich enough to afford not just ten billion but even a hundred billion. Why then wouldn’t Li Zhong save him?
Bang!
The bullet from the Desert Eagle in Chen Luo’s hand pierced through Li Qiwen’s shoulder, eliciting a scream akin to a pig being slaughtered.
“Wait, I’ll give you the money. This is the last time, or don’t blame me for a scorched-earth revenge.”
As expected, Li Zhong couldn’t stand the thought of Li Qiwen dying. Everything was within Chen Luo’s expectations.
However, this likely marked the last occasion. Though Chen Luo didn’t claim to fully grasp Li Zhong’s character, he had gleaned some insights. A further threat might indeed compel Li Zhong to abandon Li Qiwen altogether.
“After the money is transferred, you’ll be reunited with your son,” Chen Luo declared before ending the call, turning his attention to Li Qiwen, who was wailing.
“Stop your howling, it’s unbearable. I might lose control and shoot you dead by mistake,” Chen Luo warned.
“Dad, could you please stop the bleeding for your son?” Li Qiwen, stopping his cries, pleaded with Chen Luo.
“Don’t worry, a little blood loss won’t kill you. Handle it yourself.” Chen Luo tossed a bandage to Li Qiwen, who, despite the pain, began to treat his wound.
“It’s all Li Zhong’s fault. If he hadn’t hesitated, I wouldn’t have been shot. That old wretch deserves to die.” While bandaging his wound, Li Qiwen cursed Li Zhong, aiming to curry favor with Chen Luo to avoid being killed.
“Li Qiwen, do you really think I’d let you off easily after all you know?” Chen Luo said, looking down at him with a faint smile.
Li Qiwen, seeing the smile, felt a surge of fear. Could it be that Chen Luo would kill him after getting the money? Despite Chen Luo’s earlier assurance of temporary safety, could his word be trusted?
“Dad, I assure you, I won’t say anything about you and mom’s affair, nor our kidnapping to anyone,” Li Qiwen hastened to promise, as if swearing an oath to the heavens.
Yet, Chen Luo wouldn’t take his word for it. A person who could viciously denounce his own father and contemplate recognizing a thief as his father was hardly trustworthy. Once freed, Li Qiwen would undoubtedly seek revenge. Chen Luo knew only by holding Li Qiwen’s life in his hands could he ensure no retaliation.
“Take this.”
Chen Luo took out a dark, pill-like object. Under a microscope, it would reveal not to be a pill but a sphere formed from countless minuscule worms.
“What… what is this?”
“It’s something that can keep you alive. You need to eat this if you want to leave here alive,” Chen Luo told Li Qiwen, offering a deceptively benign smile. Li Qiwen’s expression shifted, sensing trouble.
“If you’re unwilling to eat it, I can instead offer you a bullet. Which would you prefer?” Chen Luo said, aiming his gun at Li Qiwen.
“I’ll eat it, I’ll eat it right now.”
Even if it were poison, Li Qiwen was willing to take his chances, as long as it didn’t result in immediate death. Only after Li Qiwen had ingested it did Chen Luo reveal what it was.
“You haven’t consumed poison but a Gu worm. This is known as the ‘Intestinal Heart-Piercing Gu,’ designed to inflict the agonizing sensation of having your intestines and heart pierced.”
No sooner had Chen Luo finished his explanation than Li Qiwen felt excruciating pain as if his internal organs were being devoured. The pain dwarfed the earlier beating and gunshot wound, making them seem negligible in comparison.
Li Qiwen, who deeply feared death, thought death might be a relief from such torment.
“Swallow this.” Chen Luo presented another pill-like item. “Consider this your antidote.”
Upon hearing it was an antidote, Li Qiwen instantly ingested it, and the pain stopped immediately.
In truth, it was food for the Gu worm. Without this specific nourishment, the worms would continue to consume Li Qiwen’s organs. Only by consuming the food designed for the Gu worms would they settle.
“Remember, you need this ‘antidote’ every seven days, otherwise, the worms will eat you from the inside out. I imagine you’d prefer not to endure that kind of pain again.”
Li Qiwen nodded frantically, desperate to avoid reliving such unbearable agony for the rest of his life.
“Dad, I’ll regard you as my real father from now on. I know what I must do and I promise not to divulge anything about you. If you want to seize the Li family’s assets, I’m willing to help you. I’ll obey you without question.”
He desired life over death and dreaded enduring such torment again. For the sake of survival, he was prepared to recognize the thief as his father.
“Alright, I’ll accept you as my son from this point forward,” Chen Luo said, his smile radiating warmth.
Li Qiwen looked up at Chen Luo, making sure not to let any trace of discontent show through his obsequious demeanor. Until the Gu worm issue remained unresolved, he had to maintain absolute respect toward Chen Luo.
However, not even the protagonist, Ye Chen, could solve this predicament if he tried.
This Gu worm, procured through a transaction with the system, did not exist in the current world. Maybe future protagonists might introduce such possibilities, but for now, they were absent. There was no known remedy.
Contemporary science stood no chance against these Gu worms. Li Qiwen must resign himself to Chen Luo’s control over his fate.
“You’re free to go now. But remember, if I shake this little bell, you’ll relive that agony.”
Chen Luo took out a copper bell and gave it a shake. Li Qiwen, overwhelmed by pain, pleaded through his tears and sweat for mercy, wishing for death to escape the torment.
“Dad, please, stop.”
Chen Luo ceased the bell’s motion: “Consider that a preview. Always remember, you must behave or face the consequences.”
“I get it, I won’t harbor any other intentions,” Li Qiwen assured, fully aware that Chen Luo’s gesture was a warning. He couldn’t afford to harbor a shred of resentment toward Chen Luo. Fear was the predominant emotion he felt.
With the bell put away, Chen Luo, accompanied by Dong Ju, made their exit. Li Qiwen was left ‘free,’ but his freedom was conditional. His life henceforth was firmly in Chen Luo’s hands.