Chapter 171: Poisoning

Avril shook her head, looking at Qin Feng with eyes full of worry. "How are you? You're hurt."

"I'm fine, just a minor scratch." Qin Feng shook his head, signaling that he was all right.

Just as Qin Feng was about to finish off Black Snake, he suddenly felt a rush of fierce wind coming from behind him.

A jolt went through his heart, and he instinctively tried to dodge, but it was already too late.

"Thud!"

Qin Feng coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as though every bone in his body had shattered, bringing an unbearable wave of pain.

"Qin Feng!"

Avril cried out in alarm, hurriedly running to Qin Feng's side, helping him up, and asking anxiously, "How are you? Are you alright?"

"Cough, cough... I'm fine..."

Qin Feng shook his head, struggling to stand up, only to find that he couldn't move at all.

He raised his eyes and saw that Black Snake had stood up at some point, staring at him with a sinister expression, holding a gleaming dagger in his hand.

"Kid, you're strong! To think you could hurt me like this, but of all things you shouldn't have done, you shouldn't have ruined my plans!"

Black Snake said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with bitter resentment and murderous intent.

"You..."

Qin Feng wanted to say something, but a sharp pain suddenly surged through him, and his vision went completely black.

"Qin Feng!"

Seeing Qin Feng's pale face and the continuous stream of blood spilling from the corners of his mouth, Avril was frightened out of her wits. She hurriedly pressed her hands against Qin Feng's wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"It's useless! My blade was coated with poison! He's a dead man. Come back with me; your two good brothers paid a hefty price for this."

Black Snake laughed wildly, looking at Avril with a gaze full of malicious satisfaction.

Avril's heart felt as though it was tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and the feeling of suffocation made her vision swim with darkness.

"I can go back with you, but I have one condition: you must save his life! Otherwise, I'll die right here, and you won't get a single penny!"

Avril's voice trembled, barely retaining its usual cold clarity.

"Heh, I never expected this guy to be quite so charming, actually winning the favor of the young princess of the Rothschild family. But as long as you behave and obey, I guarantee he'll appear before you alive and kicking."

Black Snake smiled sinisterly, a greedy glint flashing in his eyes as if Avril were already fish on his chopping block.

Avril took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She knew that now was not the time to let emotions take over.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

Black Snake smiled with satisfaction and ordered his subordinates to inject Qin Feng with a special antidote.

Immediately afterward, Avril watched as Qin Feng was hoisted into a vehicle.

Without wasting any time, Black Snake grabbed Avril's arm and dragged her into the black sedan parked by the roadside.

...

The car sped all the way and finally stopped in front of a European-style villa.

Avril was roughly shoved into the villa. The luxurious and magnificent decorations around her now felt as cold and oppressive as a cage.

"My good sister, you're finally back!"

Before Avril could steady herself, an unctuous voice reached her ears.

The speaker was a bloated man with a protruding beer belly and an oily, gleaming face plastered with a hypocritical smile.

He was Avril's eldest brother, Douglas Rothschild.

"Avril, do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused us?!"

Another voice rang out, sharp and acrid, carrying an undisguised sense of disgust.

The speaker was Avril's other brother, Francis Rothschild. He was slender with a hooked nose, and his sinister, vulture-like gaze fixed on Avril like a venomous snake.

"What have I done? I only wanted to save someone!"

Avril looked coldly at her two brothers before her, their greedy expressions making her stomach turn.

"Save someone? Was that pretty boy you saved really worth all this? Don't forget, you are the heir to the Rothschild family! Your responsibility is to lead the family business toward glory, not to ruin your future for the sake of some man!"

Douglas lectured with a look of utter disappointment.

"Exactly! Do you have any idea what a heavy price we had to pay just to bring you back?!" Francis chimed in, echoing the sentiment.

"Now, you must take responsibility for your actions!"

Avril sneered. "Responsible? How do you want me to take responsibility?"

"Simple. Transfer your company shares to us. From now on, you can comfortably play the role of the pampered young lady, and you won't need to meddle in family affairs anymore!"

Douglas finally revealed his true colors.

"That's right! As long as you agree, we can let bygones be bygones and provide you with a life of luxury and comfort. What do you say?" Francis tempted her further.

"In your dreams!"

Avril flatly refused. "I will never hand over the family enterprise to you two!"

"You..."

The two brothers hadn't expected Avril to be so unyielding, and they instantly grew furious.

"Toasts are offered, but you prefer to drink a forfeit! Don't think that just because you're our sister, we won't dare to do anything to you!" Douglas said viciously.

"Do you really think we care about your life or death? All we want are the shares in your hands!" Francis tore off his hypocritical mask as well.

Avril's heart sank. She knew that these two brothers would not let her go easily.

Furthermore, if she wanted to save Qin Feng, she had to retain her value.

Avril slammed her hand down on the table, her delicate face frozen in frost.

"Keep dreaming! The company is mine. Even if I burn it all to the ground, I won't let it benefit you two bloodsuckers!"

"You!"

Douglas and Francis were choked by Avril's words.

They hadn't expected their usually gentle sister to show such fierce defiance when provoked.

"Don't think I don't know what you're plotting! Aren't you just coveting my fortune?

Let me tell you, as long as I am alive, you will never get what you want!"

Avril stared coldly at the two men, her eyes filled with utter contempt and disgust.

"Fine, fine, fine! You've got guts!"

Douglas laughed out of sheer anger.

"Since you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeiture, don't blame us for being ungracious! Someone, lock her up!"

As soon as the words fell, two burly men walked in from outside and grabbed Avril by the arms, lifting her up without room for debate.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

Avril struggled, but it was all in vain.

"Sister, just be a good girl and obey. Once we've sorted out the company matters, we'll naturally let you out."

Francis said hypocritically, his eyes filled with the malicious triumph of victory.

Avril was locked inside a dark and damp basement.

No sunlight ever reached this place, and the air was thick with a musty odor, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Qin Feng, you have to be okay..."

Avril curled up in the cold corner, her heart weighed down by heavy worry and helplessness.