Dave also quieted down. As long as Zhane didn’t chase him away, he would remain silent. He spent the time pondering the incident and all the possibilities. He had already considered all the people who might wish him harm, and he was simply waiting for Zhane’s investigation to conclude, hoping for answers before he took action.


    After some time, a knock echoed from the door, stealing Zhane and Dave’s attention. They both turned their gaze toward the entrance as a man in a smart suit, but with a brawny physique entered. He began his report, "Young Master—"


    But before he could continue, Zhane interrupted him with a stern look that felt like a de slicing through his flesh, causing the man to choke up on the words he was about to say.


    "Lower your voice, Hera is still sleeping," Zhane instructed, his tone authoritative yet considerate of Hera’s need for rest. He felt torn between addressing the matter at hand and remaining by Hera’s side. Though he didn’t voice it, Zhane’s hesitation was palpable, and Dave could sense his internal conflict. Dave opened his mouth to speak but then hesitated, unsure of what to say or how to alleviate Zhane’s dilemma.


    Acknowledging his own role in the situation, Dave realized that he hadn’t acted promptly or effectively to prevent what had urred. However, dwelling on the past wouldn’t change anything, and Zhane understood this. Sensing Dave’s remorse, Zhane chose not to exacerbate the situation by dwelling on what could have been done differently.


    After Zhane instructed the man to lower his voice, he approached the bed and began his report in a gentle tone. "Young Master, after determining the type of drug present in the Young Madam’s and the other gentleman’s blood, we traced its origin to the ck market in Russia. The aphrodisiac was sourced from an illegal drug farm in India. Our team has already taken action to apprehend the dealer responsible for selling the drug, and they are currently undergoing interrogation."


    Zhane chose not to correct his subordinate when Hera was mistakenly referred to as ’Young Madam,’ despite theirck of any official rtionship. His stern and indifferent expression shifted to one of cold indifference, emitting an icy chill. "Ensure that the man starts talking as soon as possible. I want results before Hera wakes up," Zhane stated calmly but with an unmistakable air of anger. Though he didn’t raise his voice, his subordinates understood that Zhane was deeply displeased and indirectly conveyed his expectation for them to intensify the interrogation even if it meant to torture the man to extract information swiftly.


    Dave’s mischievous smile widened as he continued, "Since he’s from Russia, he’s likely trained to withstand interrogation and won’t easily spill secrets, even under torture. These kinds of individuals are notoriously difficult to crack." His words hung in the air, drawing the attention of both Zhane and his subordinate. While Dave himself avoided involvement in illegal activities and murky dealings, he remained well-informed about such matters, including the workings of the ck market. However, when it came to underworld connections and drug trafficking, his knowledge paled inparison to Zhane’s and his family’s extensivework. Dave’s family maintained a pristine reputation, unwilling to tarnish their standing or provide ammunition to enemies who might seek to undermine his career.


    Dave’s sinister smile sent shivers down Zhane’s subordinate’s spine as he suggested, "If conventional methods fail, why not resort to something more... inventive? Ever heard of the rat torture?"


    Of course, they heard of it, it was the most cruel and gruesome torture that was recorded in history where the torturer would use big rats or even small dozen rats and trap them in a metal pail or bucket before cing them in a person’s stomach and then the torturer would heat the metal while the rats are inside, out of survival instinct, the rat will try its best to find an exit and if there’s none, they would make it, and how could they make one? By digging, they would dig into a person’s stomach with their long nails, no matter how tough a person’s skin and muscles are, it would still be a painful process and it was enough to kill them, either from the rat’s urine and feces in their stomach wounds which would cause an infection that would lead to death or from their innards being stirred and dug while they are still alive.


    Zhane’s subordinate took a step back with a loud gulp that formed in his throat, his mind recoiled at the gruesome details—the chilling image of rats trapped in metal containers, driven by desperation to w their way out of a human abdomen. The torturous method, infamous throughout history, stirred a profound sense of dread within him and he was sure that the man would break from the torture.