Chapter 438 Beating the Living Pile

Chapter 438 Sacrificial Piling

It's over, we walked right into a trap.

Gang Zi was kicked several steps back by Zuo Zuying, his body doubled over in pain, groaning as he hunched against the wall.

"You fucking Zuo, you son of a—"

Just as he was about to curse, he looked up and saw Zuo Zuying already bundled up like a mummy in a fishing net.

Two men were piled on top of Zuo Zuying like a wrestling pin, pressing his face so hard against the ground it was deformed.

"Xiao Zuo!" (Little Zuo!) Gang Zi cried out in shock. He was about to rush forward when he saw a man wielding an iron rod charging at him.

"Holy shit!" Without hesitation, Gang Zi turned and ran.

He and Chu Shuyu were all lovey-dovey—clearly, he shouldn’t have followed Zuo Zuying, this jinx. Every time he went out with him, something terrible happened.

Zuo Zuying stared wide-eyed as Gang Zi ran like his ass was on fire. "Zhao Gang, you fucking coward! You abandon your brother at a time like this? You’re just as heartless as that snake Ren Shan!!!"

Lu Jin'an’s gaze turned murderous. "After him!"

The two men didn’t hesitate and immediately chased after Gang Zi.

Only then did Lu Jin'an look down at the pinned Zuo Zuying. "Hmph, not hiding anymore? You gutter-trash rat—finally fell into my hands."

Zuo Zuying exploded into curses. "Lu Jin'an, you bastard son of a cheating whore! You dare scheme against your own grandpa? You lightning-struck, disgraceful bastard! If you’ve got the guts, let me go! I’ll take you all on single-handedly—no, all of you at once! Just untie me first, damn it! I’ll fuck your old man! Your mom screwed up your face and ass at birth, you disgusting freak! I hope you and Zuo Shangdang live happily ever after and squeeze out a litter of bastards! @#@￥#%￥……%&……&￥%#..."

Zuo Zuying spat out a stream of curses without even pausing for breath—most of them were things he’d heard Qi Sanmei shout in the past.

Qi Sanmei’s tantrums were practically unmatched in their town. She could circle someone’s house and curse for an entire morning without repeating a single phrase.

Lu Jin'an’s veins throbbed at his temples, his blood pressure skyrocketing. He shook like a leaf, furious—this was vile, utterly filthy.

Even the two men holding Zuo Zuying down turned green and pale by turns, their expressions a mix of pity and horror as they glanced at Lu Jin'an.

This guy—this man—was worse than the shrews from the backwater villages. And he wasn’t even cursing them, yet their ears were bleeding.

As Zuo Zuying’s insults grew even more creative, one of the men couldn’t take it anymore and *CRACK*—a fist slammed into the back of his skull.

*Thud.*

Zuo Zuying’s neck went limp, and his tirade cut off abruptly.

Lu Jin'an was already clutching his chest with one hand and leaning against the wall with the other, his lips trembling with fury.

Humiliation—this was absolute humiliation. The last time he’d felt this humiliated was at his wedding banquet with Su Jiao, when her wretched relatives forced him to kowtow in front of everyone.

This—this damn rat, Zuo Zuying!

"G-goddamn redneck trash... vulgar... b-bastard..."

"Toss him... toss him in the damn car!"

Lu Jin'an’s rage choked his words, making him stutter.

This was infuriating—absolutely infuriating. Lucky he didn’t have a weak heart, or he’d have dropped dead from anger right then and there.

When Zuo Zuying woke up again, he was at a construction site. His hands and feet were tied, and his mouth was sealed with duct tape.

He wriggled his body to lean against the wall and sit up. Muffled voices could be heard from outside, but they were too far away to make out. The sound of construction tools clinking against bricks was also audible.

Not too heavy, not too light, just like when building a house, tapping the bricks onto the cement a couple of times.

Zuo Zuying analyzed the situation briefly and immediately understood that he must be at a construction site. Where else could Lu Jinan hide him?

There was no need to think about it; it had to be the second phase under construction behind Longxiang Mansion.

The first phase consisted of two large rows, mostly occupied already. The second phase was even larger, with its northern side adjacent to the first phase, while the southern side was all wasteland.

This was still Lu Jinan's territory, making it a perfect place to hide him.

The sky quickly grew dark.

Zuo Zuying used his shoulder to push himself up against the wall, hopping around to find a suitable brick. He kept rubbing the rope tied around his wrists against it.

As the sky gradually darkened, the clinking sounds of construction outside slowly ceased. Zuo Zuying finally managed to wear through the rope on his hands.

The room was filled with his heavy breathing and the thumping of his heart. The skin beside his thumbs was completely rubbed raw, stinging painfully.

Just as he started to move his wrists, footsteps and a beam of orange light seeped through the door crack.

Zuo Zuying instinctively picked up the broken rope, wrapped it around his hands twice, and leaned back against the wall.

The sound of an iron lock clanging against the iron door echoed.

The door was pushed open, and sure enough, it was Lu Jinan who entered.

Zuo Zuying instinctively glanced behind Lu Jinan.

Lu Jin'an raised the flashlight and sneered, "Hmph~, no need to look. There's no one else, just me."

"No one has any idea you're here. After today, you’ll vanish from this world. Except for you and me, no one will ever know where your corpse is buried~"

Lu Jin'an's voice brightened as he took a step closer to Zuo Zuying.

"Do you know what 'sacrificial piling' is?"

"Hahaha, you backwater hick wouldn’t know anything about the construction industry, would you? But don’t worry, I’ll explain it to you slowly."

Lu Jin'an was clearly thrilled, his voice brimming with excitement.

After today, Zuo Zuying would no longer exist in this world. He would be the Zuo family’s sole male heir, and his mother would rightfully become Zuo Shangdang’s legitimate wife. They would finally be able to walk in the open without hiding.

No more skulking in the shadows. His origins would no longer be a stain on his reputation. He could proudly introduce his father and mother, no longer stuck with the label of Zuo Shangdang’s "adopted son."

He could climb higher and go further. Everything in the family would belong to him—including all the things Zuo Zuying had taken from him before.

Lu Jin'an glared down at Zuo Zuying like trash, as if gazing at some lowly insect.

"Since ancient times, old superstitions say that breaking ground on a construction project disturbs local feng shui and angers vengeful spirits, leading to accidents during the process.

"So, for major projects, many follow the records in the *Lu Ban Manual* and perform sacrificial piling—also known as human sacrifice burial—burying a living person at the construction site as an offering to the spirits, ensuring smooth progress."

"But we’re no longer in the era of slavery. Nowadays, most live sacrifices use chickens, monkeys, pigs, or sheep. If conditions allow, they might even slaughter a cow."

At this point, Lu Jin'an’s lips curled into a vicious grin as he enunciated each word to Zuo Zuying.

"Look at Longxiang Mansion. This is one of the largest projects in City A. Soon, you’ll become one with this land. How’s that for an honor?"

Zuo Zuying’s eyes gleamed—timing, place, chance—everything lined up.