Chapter 354: Chapter 354: Felix Thorne Volunteers His Belt
Jethro Golding conferred with a few elders from the Golding family. It was decided that he would be the one to carry out the clan’s punishment, but there was an awkward problem: the whip used for such occasions was missing.
In the past, Millstone Peak had two ancestral halls—one for the Golding Clan and one for the Thornes. Each hall enshrined a bone-chilling cowhide whip used to discipline clan members who had done wrong. But the halls had been torn down some years ago, and the whips had vanished along with them. For a moment, they couldn’t find a suitable replacement.
"You can use a belt!" someone suddenly shouted.
Adrian Hawthorne glanced around nonchalantly, then exchanged a smile with Tang Xiaonan.
Jethro Golding breathed a sigh of relief. A belt was indeed a good idea. However, not many people in the village could afford a leather belt; most used cloth sashes. Even he himself wore one.
"Use mine!"
Felix Thorne voluntarily unbuckled his belt. It was genuine cowhide, and since he had a thick waist, the belt was about three meters long—roughly the same length as the old ancestral hall whips. Phoenix Golding, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, felt her vision go black when she heard Felix’s words. She nearly fainted from rage.
’Men are so heartless and cruel,’ she thought. ’When times were good, it was like he wanted to rip his own heart out for me. But now he’s helping these people destroy me. That damn Felix Thorne, I hope he dies a horrible death! Once I get through this, I will make sure the Thorne family pays!’
Tang Xiaonan was ecstatic and smacked Adrian Hawthorne on the head. Adrian had copied Felix Thorne, hoisting her up to ride on his shoulders. After the unexpected slap, Adrian looked up to see the chubby girl with her mouth agape, pure joy written all over her face, almost drooling in excitement.
"That happy?"
Tang Xiaonan nodded vigorously. Felix Thorne had finally drawn a clear line between himself and Phoenix Golding. How could she not be happy?
Adrian Hawthorne smiled. ’Chubby Tang’s happiness and anger were always so simple, right there on the surface. She couldn’t hide a thing. A girl like that was actually quite cute... just a little foolish.’
’But fortune favors the foolish. It’s better for Chubby Tang to stay a little silly.’
Jethro Golding walked onto the stage. He glanced at Phoenix Golding, whose face was filled with terror. Though he felt a pang of pity, he brought the belt down decisively. The strap made a sharp CRACK as it hit her body, followed by Phoenix’s piercing scream. The villagers fell silent, making the sounds all the more jarring.
He struck her several more times in quick succession. Phoenix Golding thrashed on the ground as blood soaked through her clothes. In the May weather of Vessaria, one only needed a thin jacket, which offered no protection from the leather strap. Soon, her skin was split open and bleeding. Vernon Spann, who had started to walk toward the front, saw this and shrank back.
’He had no intention of taking a lashing for Phoenix Golding.’
Jacqueline Spann grew even more frantic. Her mother would never be able to withstand this. She had to get up there, but Jim Thorne and his posse of ruffians were still surrounding her. Furious and desperate, Jacqueline grabbed a handful of sand and threw it at the person closest to her.
"AARGH! My eyes! I can’t see!"
Jacqueline Spann seized the opportunity and shoved with all her might, creating an opening. She scrambled forward desperately. Before Jim Thorne could even react, Jacqueline had already squeezed into the crowd.
"Fifteen lashes to go!"
Jethro Golding announced the count in a grim voice. There were thirty lashes in total, and fifteen had already been delivered. In truth, he was holding back. The blows looked vicious, but he was pulling his strength with each strike so as not to break any bones, inflicting only flesh wounds.
What he didn’t know, however, was that Phoenix Golding hadn’t done a lick of work in years. Her hands had never known a day of hard labor, and she’d been pampered until she was more delicate than any city woman. How could she possibly endure such pain? Upon hearing there were still fifteen lashes to go, Phoenix was scared out of her wits, terrified she would be beaten to death.
’Deputy District Chief Jacobs promised me,’ she thought. ’Next year, he’s going to transfer me to the elementary school in town. The salary and benefits are so much better than in this village. Then I’ll have Old Jacobs arrange housing for me at the school. I’ll be a city person then, just like Lana Steiner.’
’Lana Steiner’s good days are numbered, too. In a year at most, that bitch is going to meet with disaster. After she gives birth to some kind of monster, we’ll see if Frederick Thorne still likes her. He’ll definitely regret rejecting me back then. I’m the one who has a son! My Yuhai is so handsome. Could Lana Steiner ever bear a child like that?’
