Chapter 411: Scared to Death

“Too late,” Qian Laoliu said coldly, his finger closing on the trigger.

BANG! The sound of a gunshot echoed through the office.

Ma Dabin’s eyes widened as he braced for death. But after the gunshot, he realized he was still alive. Qian Laoliu had only fired a warning shot into the air.

“B-Boss…” Ma Dabin stammered. “Why… why didn’t you kill me?”

Chen Qingdi glanced at him impassively. “Because you’re still useful to me.” He stood up. “Take him to the basement for now.”

“Yes, Boss,” Qian Laoliu replied, then motioned for his men to drag Ma Dabin away.

Ma Dabin was thrown into a dark basement, the air thick with the stench of damp and mildew. He huddled in a corner, filled with despair. He had never imagined he would end up in a place like this. He was a young man with a bright future, the chief of the Jiangcheng Newspaper Office, an object of envy for many. But now, he was a fish on the chopping block, his fate uncertain.

Days passed. Ma Dabin was on the brink of starvation. There was no food or water in the basement; he had to drink his own urine to survive. His mind was nearing the breaking point.

“Let me out… I’m begging you, let me out…” Ma Dabin rasped weakly, his voice hoarse and desolate.

Just then, the door opened, and a sliver of light pierced the darkness. Qian Laoliu walked in, followed by several of his men.

“The Boss wants to see you,” Qian Laoliu said, walking over to Ma Dabin and looking down at him.

Ma Dabin was too weak to stand. He could only lie on the floor and use his last ounce of strength to plead, “Spare me… I’m begging you…”

Qian Laoliu crouched down and laughed contemptuously. “You think you have a choice?” he said, reaching out and gripping Ma Dabin’s chin tightly. “You messed with the wrong person. This is what you get.”

Ma Dabin was powerless to resist. His eyes were hollow and full of despair. He knew his future was gone. His life was utterly ruined.

At that moment, Chen Qingdi entered. He glanced at Ma Dabin on the floor. “Take him back,” he said tonelessly. “Give him something to eat.”

Qian Laoliu was taken aback. “Boss, this guy is useless now,” he couldn’t help but say. “Why don’t we just…”

“I said, take him back,” Chen Qingdi’s voice suddenly turned stern. “He’s still useful to me.”

「Ma Dabin’s Basement」

Ma Dabin, the chief of the Jiangcheng Newspaper Office, was a man of high standing in Jiang City’s media world. But on this day, fate had played a cruel joke on him. He was trapped here, guarded by two basement security guards, and had been starving for two whole days.

Ma Dabin was a resolute man. Despite his predicament, his eyes still held a look of determination. He scanned the dim basement, took a deep breath, and walked toward the two guards.

“Didn’t your boss say to give me something to eat?” Ma Dabin asked bluntly.

“Our Chairman is a kind man, but we’re not so nice,” one of the guards said with a sneer. “If you want to eat, you can have dog food. If not, you can figure it out yourself.”

Ma Dabin’s mind was in turmoil, his dignity and survival instincts clashing in the dim basement. He glared at the two guards and said in a firm voice, “I am the chief of the Jiangcheng Newspaper Office. I have my dignity. Making me eat dog food is an insult to my character.”

However, the two guards seemed unimpressed by his dignity. They sneered, and one of them said, “Chief of what? You’ve been locked in our basement, starving for days. You barely look human, and you’re still talking about dignity? Eat it or starve.”

The words stabbed Ma Dabin to the core, but his gaze only grew more resolute. He knew that, right now, dignity wouldn’t fill his stomach. ‘Dog food is still food,’ he thought darkly. ‘As long as I eat and stay alive, I can get out of here. And once I’m out, I’ll get my revenge.’

So, pretending to submit, he said to the guards, “I’m willing to eat the dog food. Bring it over. I’ll even thank you when I’m done.”

The two guards exchanged a glance and a smile, apparently satisfied with his submission. They took a bag of dog food from their pockets and tossed it to him. Ma Dabin picked it up. His hands trembled, but his eyes were unusually firm. He sat silently in the corner and began to eat the bag of dog food.

In the dim basement, Ma Dabin’s heart was filled with humiliation and helplessness. But he knew this was the only way to survive. As he ate the dog food, he plotted his revenge. He had to get out alive. He would make the people who did this to him pay.

As time passed, Ma Dabin’s strength slowly returned. His gaze grew sharper, his determination stronger. He began to plan his escape, looking for an opportunity to take revenge.

However, it wasn’t that simple. The guards started to notice something unusual about him. They tightened their watch, making his escape plan even more difficult.

Ma Dabin drank some more water, his spirits recovering slightly as he waited in the dungeon for what would happen next. He knew Chen Qingdi wouldn’t let him off easily. Just then, Qian Laoliu, the manager of Mingyue Group’s security division, appeared before him.

Qian Laoliu stared at Ma Dabin, a cold smile playing on his lips. “You damn bastard. Has it taken you this long to finally wake up to your situation?”

Ma Dabin’s heart trembled. He knew he had no way out. He looked up at Qian Laoliu and asked weakly, “What do you want?”

The cold smile returned to Qian Laoliu’s face. “Stop pretending. You’ve already eaten dog food, so drop the act. From now on, you’ll do whatever I tell you to do.”

Rage burned in Ma Dabin’s heart. He sprang up, trying to launch a surprise attack on Qian Laoliu. But Qian Laoliu was a battle-hardened security captain and saw through Ma Dabin’s attempt instantly. He quickly sidestepped, and the attack missed. Then, he delivered a swift, powerful kick to Ma Dabin’s gut.

Ma Dabin crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach, the pain so intense he could barely breathe. His eyes were filled with hatred and helplessness.

Qian Laoliu looked down at him with a cold laugh. “Don’t think I’ll give you any chances, kid. I’m the one in charge here.” He crouched down and grabbed Ma Dabin by the collar. “You better remember this: if you want to live, you listen to me.”

Qian Laoliu’s aggressive demeanor completely broke Ma Dabin’s spirit. He understood now that he had no choice. He looked up at Qian Laoliu and said weakly, “I’ll listen to you.”