Eugene and George instinctively directed their gazes toward the surveillance monitors. Once inside, Kyle approached Shannon and exchanged a few words with her before Shannon stepped forward. Without hesitation, she forcefully stripped Blood Rose of her clothing and sprinkled the Tickle Powder all over her trembling body.
Blood Rose was instantly engulfed in terror despite already teetering on the edge of death. Even though she was unclear of the specifics, she knew all too well that Phantom had once concocted many peculiar powders. Consequently, she naturally understood that this particular substance was far from benign. Why else would they be so liberal in dousing her with it?
With great difficulty, she squeezed out a sentence from her throat. “Y-You… Kill me already.”
Shannon sneered. “Kill you? That would be too merciful.”
Blood Rose shut her eyes. She was subjected to such torment for the first time in her life. More importantly, she was keenly aware that they intended to torment her relentlessly, subjecting her to an unbearable state of neither survival nor death.
Within less than a minute of the powder being sprinkled on her, Blood Rose felt the itch. An unbearable and piercing itch compelled her to scratch, but her hands and feet were immobilized.
As a result, her entire body twisted in a contorted manner. If one didn’t know better, one would easily mistake her actions as deliberate seduction. Yet, only she knew that the torment inflicted upon her by this Tickle Powder was pushing her to the brink of madness.
It felt like her entire being was simultaneously set ablaze by chili pepper and gnawed at by an army of ants. At the same time, certain areas were reminiscent of feathers tantalizingly brushing against her skin and clawing her heart.
Words failed to capture even a fraction of the torment she endured. The intolerable itch had surpassed the stabbing pain and enveloped her in an inescapable agony.
Gradually, her anguished expression twisted into a sinister visage. Her features contorted, and her eyes blazed a fiery red. She resembled an evil spirit ascending from the depths of hell as her entire being was consumed by an overwhelming frenzy.
This was no ordinary itch, an inconvenience that could be overcome with mere resilience. Not only did it exceed what she was capable of enduring, but it also grew more intense by the second. Alongside the itching, her body swelled visibly, accompanied by a searing pain akin to the slow erosion caused by sulfuric acid.
Within ten minutes, she began to plead, “Give me the antidote… I’m begging you.”
Shannon and Kyle exchanged a glance. They thought the Tickle Powder was potent, as she didn’t even bat an eye when the whip struck her earlier.
Now, she resembled a person tormented by withdrawal or an unhinged woman who had escaped the confines of a mental institution. Her messy hair, plus her skin marred by scars of crimson welts and visible swelling in injured areas, had presented a pitiful and unkempt sight.
Shannon couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for Blood Rose, but as soon as she thought about the wicked deeds that Blood Rose had committed, her heart turned cold again. “Think about what you’ve done. Why should we give you the antidote?”
Blood Rose knew well enough that they would never grant her that reprieve, but she couldn’t bear it any longer. She sought only a swift and painless death. “Kill me, please… End my suffering.” She repeated the plea, her words falling from her lips like a desperate refrain.
Shannon drew closer to Kyle and whispered, “Where did Mr. Nolan acquire this substance?”
A smile played across Kyle’s face as he answered, “Mrs. Nolan provided it.”
Shannon was surprised. “Mrs. Nolan developed it?”
Kyle confirmed, “Indeed.”
Shannon exclaimed excitedly, “Oh, wow, I must shower Mrs. Nolan with praise when we return. The Tickle Powder is extraordinary compared to physically beating Blood Rose as it requires no effort.”
Kyle heard Eugene’s voice crackle in his earpiece as those words hung in the air. “Make her confess. You may untie one of her hands.”
Kyle responded, “Alright.”
After that, he looked at Blood Rose and said, “There is no antidote. However, if you fully confess to what you’ve done, I can untie one of your hands.”
