After climbing onto the bed, Chu Tian propped his head up, gazing at Su Nian lying beside him with her eyes tightly shut, wrapped snugly in the quilt.
On that exquisitely beautiful face, faint tear stains still lingered, like petals drenched by rain—delicate and pitiful, stirring a protective tenderness.
Her thick, long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if silently conveying endless grievances and exhaustion, or perhaps wordlessly accusing him of his cruelty.
Within Chu Tian’s heart, a complex emotion surged—indescribable, like being struck hard by something sharp, sending waves of pain through him.
‘Have I… really gone too far?’
That thought flashed through Chu Tian’s mind like lightning, stirring restlessness and unease.
He recalled his past actions, using the banner of “saving the world from the Demon Race invasion” and the excuse of gaining Annoyance Value to recklessly humiliate the girl before him.
Time and again, he pushed her toward the Despair Abyss, watching her struggle in pain and drown in humiliation, all to satisfy his twisted desire for control and conquest, and to gain Annoyance Value to make himself stronger.
Perhaps it was because the deepening of his desires after demonization made it even harder for him to restrain his emotions and behavior when facing Su Nian.
Or perhaps it was simply that the girl before him was too beautiful: beautiful to the point that he could not resist.
Beautiful enough to want to completely possess her, to have her forever submit to him alone, becoming his personal prisoner.
But at the root, it was his inability to resist his inner lust.
He was the one who… had turned the girl into her current state, filling her once clear and bright eyes with fear and despair.
He had used Su Nian’s utilization of Shadowmoon Manor’s funds to hire adventurers to fight “himself” as an excuse, pushing her mercilessly to test her reactions.
At the same time, he had satisfied the dark desires deep within his heart.
The room was silent, only their gentle breathing weaving softly through the air.
Dim yellow light filtered through the thin curtains, spilling onto the soft bed, creating an ambiguous and oppressive atmosphere.
Looking at the girl lying beside him, Chu Tian’s heart churned with a difficult-to-express mixture of feelings, like a dark tide swirling with reluctance and pity.
He slowly reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly as they softly brushed through Su Nian’s silky golden hair.
His movements were cautious, as if handling a fragile treasure, afraid to disturb her delicate dreamscape.
The faint scent of lavender filled the air—the fragrance of the essential oils Su Nian usually used—but now it seemed tinged with bitterness, weighing heavily on Chu Tian’s heart.
He leaned down slowly, his warm breath brushing past Su Nian’s delicate ear, causing a slight flush.
Pretending to be asleep, Su Nian had completely lost the will to resist, only hoping for this night to pass quickly, for these few days of accumulating Humiliation Value…
And for it all to end soon.
Chu Tian lowered his voice, whispering softly, as if confessing to the sleeping girl, or perhaps offering powerless justification to himself.
“Actually… as long as you behave, I will treat you well. I’ll make you feel happiness…”
His voice was low and gentle, carrying a subtle tremble, like flickering stars uncertain in the night sky—fragile and faint.
It was not just a promise, but a powerless confession, attempting to make amends for the mistakes he had made and soothe the heart already scarred.
Su Nian’s body seemed to tremble slightly, that subtle movement rippling through the air like feathers skimming a lake’s surface.
Under the dual influence of the Lover’s Prison Collar and Recognition L2, combined with the binding magic and mental suggestion, a voice appeared in Su Nian’s mind—
It was a path to corruption, a choice bound by the Lover’s Prison Collar.
Besides “defeat the Horned Demon” and “escape the Horned Demon,” there was now an additional option: “submit to the Horned Demon.”
This choice was like Pandora’s Box, filled with unknown temptations, making her want to open it, to sink into it, to give up resistance.
Like a moth to a flame, knowing it was an irreversible fall, yet unable to stop herself.
How could she possibly be defeated and just submit?
That would be utter degradation.
She must never bow to that detestable Horned Demon Bastard!
She absolutely must not… become his plaything!
Su Nian repeatedly warned herself inwardly, forcing herself to stay clear-headed.
She struggled to control her body, refusing to let it act against her will.
She had to protect her last line of defense—she absolutely could not let that Horned Demon Bastard succeed!
After a moment, the room returned to silence.
The anticipated storm and tempest never came.
The Horned Demon Bastard merely lay quietly beside her.
That was fine.
At this moment, only their light breaths mingled softly in the air.
Su Nian had resisted twelve times; her body and mind were exhausted, her spirit long drained.
She soon fell into a deep sleep.
Her long eyelashes lowered peacefully, casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids like two small fans—gentle and delicate.
Chu Tian stared at Su Nian’s serene sleeping face, his emotions tangled and conflicted.
‘No… no!’
In her heart, Su Nian silently shouted, like a wounded beast letting out one final roar of despair.
She clenched her teeth tightly, closed her eyes firmly, desperately trying to dispel the dangerous thoughts invading her mind.
After all, she was a proud man—a transmigrator, a former knight, now a Saint Level mage.
Chu Tian reached out, wanting to touch her cheek again, but froze mid-air.
In the end, he only gently pulled the quilt up a little, covering her snow-white shoulder.
Perhaps feeling some guilt toward the girl, he did nothing else that night—just quietly lay beside Su Nian.
The whole night passed without a word.
The first rays of morning sunlight slipped through the curtain gaps, spreading warmth throughout the room.
A new day had begun.
On the third floor of Shadowmoon Manor, in the master’s bedroom—this was Mo Yuan’s room.
Golden light filtered through the window, bathing the room in a warm, dreamlike glow.
Yet beneath this warm glow, the room was empty.
The maids of Shadowmoon Manor were long accustomed to the morning hustle.
By routine, Mary, the most experienced maid, was responsible for attending to Mo Yuan’s morning dressing.
She lightly knocked on the master’s bedroom door three short, rhythmic taps, breaking the morning silence.
“Mr. Mo Yuan?”
But inside, there was only silence—no response at all.
Outside the window, the faint chirping of birds added to the stillness of the room.
Mary furrowed her brow slightly, a trace of doubt flashing through her mind.
‘Usually, at this time, Mr. Mo Yuan would already be up, handling the manor’s affairs.He was a diligent and disciplined master who rarely lingered in bed.’
“Mr. Mo Yuan?”
She raised her voice and called again.
Still, no response came from within.
A wave of unease welled up inside Mary.
She hesitated briefly, then gently pushed open the door—only to find the bed neat and untouched, as if no one had slept there last night.
At the same time, outside the adjacent room, Emma, the maid responsible for cleaning and delivering clothes to Miss Su Nian’s room, stood waiting by the door for a response.
Emma knocked softly, her tone gentle and respectful.
“Miss Su Nian, are you awake?”