Mo Dao Zu Shi: Astray

Inferno, Part Four

Chapter warnings: cynophobia, interrogation torture through beating

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Wen Xu pulled Pan Wukun aside one day after a big battle. He shoved a branding iron into her hands.

"It's your lucky day, Rice Bucket! A new batch of prisoners just arrived. Now's your chance to prove your loyalty to the QishanWen sect."

Every Wen servant carried a branding iron except Pan Wukun. She felt uneasy about why Wen Xu chose to trust her with one now.

Wen Xu shoved Pan Wukun forward. She looked back to see him grinning. "Go on."

The line of prisoners had been stripped of their sect uniforms and forced into rags. They knelt on the ground with their hands bound behind their backs. Black sacks covered their heads so they wouldn't know the routes to Nightless City and reveal them should they escape.

Their swords had been confiscated and taken to one of the armories.

Pan Wukun was extremely uneasy. She looked back at Wen Xu again, hesitant.

Wen Xu scowled. "Hurry up! We haven't got all day!" His hand reached for his sword so Pan Wukun had no choice but to obey.

Pan Wukun approached the first person and pulled the sack off.

Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Her entire body went cold.

No! No! No! He shouldn't be here!

Wei Wuxian blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light. As he slowly made out who was standing in front of him, he looked up in shock. "Chun-ge..."

Wen Xu relished in Pan Wukun's horror. He had Wei Wuxian placed in line first for the pleasant surprise.

There was no way for Pan Wukun to say anything to Wei Wuxian without arousing the Wens' suspicions and getting them both killed.

Pan Wukun's expression hardened and she pressed the branding iron into Wei Wuxian's chest.

Wei Wuxian screamed.

Pan Wukun's heart clenched but her face didn't change.

Wei Wuxian's breathing turned ragged.

Wen Xu chuckled. "That must really hurt with his golden core gone."

Pan Wukun looked at Wen Xu in shock.

Wen Xu smiled. "Didn't you know? At the last battle, when Wei Wuxian was captured, Wen Zhuliu melted his golden core."

Wen Xu gestured to the other prisoners. "Now continue with the rest of the trash."

Pan Wukun had no choice but to do what she was ordered.

The prisoners screamed and cursed as she branded them.

"Pan Wukun! You traitor scum! You dirty piece of shit!"

"It's your fault Lan Qiren's dead!"

"This is how you repay Wei Wuxian after he saved you from the Waterborne Abyss and the Eight-legged Spider Demon? You have no honor!"

Pan Wukun wanted so badly to reveal the truth. But she couldn't without getting herself killed.

When Pan Wukun finished, Wen Xu grinned. "Well done, Rice Bucket!" He snatched the branding iron back from Pan Wukun. "Now get the hell back to work!"

Pan Wukun simply nodded and walked away, all while the prisoners continued to scream and curse at her.

She didn't notice Wei Wuxian raising his head to look at her mournfully as she left.