Chapter 220: Dominance

The water carried Luoyuan’s body heat and scent, tasting as sweet as honey, yet it was richer and more intoxicating than any nectar.

Every drop seemed to seep directly into her blood, bringing a strange sense of satisfaction.

“It’s delicious…” Mu Xi’s voice was laced with intoxication, and her eyes grew hazy.

She unconsciously licked her lower lip with the tip of her tongue, as if trying to capture the last trace of sweetness.

“I want more…”

Luoyuan’s fingers gently brushed through Mu Xi’s silver hair, the movement a blend of soothing comfort and possessive dominance.

“Greedy little thing.” Her voice held a note of doting affection mixed with a deeper, unnameable emotion.

She took another sip from the canteen, this time taking a significantly larger mouthful than before.

Mu Xi tilted her head back in eager anticipation, her hands instinctively grabbing Luoyuan’s sleeves, terrified that the woman might suddenly leave.

The second delivery was even slower, as if Luoyuan were intentionally prolonging the process.

The liquid formed a thin silver thread between their lips. 

A few drops slid down Mu Xi’s chin, leaving crystalline trails against her pale skin.

Mu Xi’s consciousness began to blur. 

She felt an unprecedented sense of weightlessness, as if her entire being were melting into this sweet liquid.

Her fingers limply released Luoyuan’s sleeves, and her body leaned back slightly.

“What… is this water…?” her voice was slurred, and her eyelids felt heavy.

Luoyuan’s smile widened, a dangerous light flashing in her sapphire eyes.

“It’s not water, dear.” Her fingers gently tilted Mu Xi’s chin up, forcing her to look directly into her eyes. 

“It is the proof of your loyalty to me.”

Mu Xi wanted to respond, but she found her tongue had grown clumsy. 

Her thoughts felt like they were wrapped in honey — slow and thick.

She could only gaze at Luoyuan helplessly, her eyes filled with confusion and a faint, flickering fear.

“From this day forward, your body and soul belong to me,” Luoyuan’s voice echoed in Mu Xi’s ears like an incantation. 

“You will forget everything from the past. You will only remember that I am your savior and that everything you have was given to you by me.”

Mu Xi felt a sudden, sharp headache, as if someone were churning through the memories in her mind.

She wanted to resist, but she found her will to be like a sandcastle before the tide — utterly fragile.

“Who… who am I…?” Her voice was so weak it was nearly inaudible.

Luoyuan’s fingers gently combed through Mu Xi’s silver hair, her movements as tender as if she were handling a precious treasure.

“You are Mu Xi,” she whispered, leaning down beside the girl’s ear, “And I am your dear sister.”

Mu Xi stood up involuntarily, leaning toward Luoyuan like a small beast seeking shelter.

Her fingers lightly tugged at the corner of Luoyuan’s clothes, her voice sounding as syrupy as honey.

“Dear sister, will you pick me up?” she asked, tilting her face up. 

Her eyes shimmered with pure dependence and longing.

The corners of Luoyuan’s lips curled upward, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes.

She leaned down and easily swept Mu Xi into her arms, feeling the warmth and weight of the girl.

Mu Xi was shockingly light, like a feather that might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

“My good little sister is so well-behaved.” Luoyuan’s voice was low and seductive. 

She turned and walked out of the Bedroom, stepping into the dim hallway.

Mu Xi buried her face in the crook of Luoyuan’s neck, greedily inhaling her scent.

The scent was both familiar and strange, making her feel safe yet vaguely unsettled at the same time.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around Luoyuan’s collar, as if she were afraid of being discarded.

The hallway lights flickered intermittently, casting distorted shadows on the walls.

Mu Xi felt a sudden, inexplicable chill, and her body began to tremble.

“What’s wrong?” Luoyuan looked down at her, her eyes filled with feigned concern.

“It’s nothing, I’m just a little cold.” Mu Xi shook her head, burying herself deeper into Luoyuan’s embrace.

Luoyuan pushed open the door to the room next door. 

The layout inside was identical to Mu Xi’s room.

Black walls swallowed what little light there was. 

The empty space contained only one table and one chair.

But unlike Mu Xi’s room, there was a person sitting in the chair.

That person was tightly bound with thick ropes, her head lolling to one side while her messy, long black hair obscured her face.

Her clothes were tattered and ruined, revealing skin covered in scars and bloodstains. 

Some had already scabbed over, while others were still fresh.

As Luoyuan entered while carrying Mu Xi, the person jerked her head up.

“Mu Xi!” Her voice was raspy but full of strength. 

A look of disbelief flashed in her deep, phoenix-like eyes.

Mu Xi was startled by the sudden call. 

She blinked in confusion, trying to search her memory for this face that was both strange and familiar.

The emotion in those eyes was too intense; it felt as if it might burn her.

“Who… who are you?” Mu Xi asked softly. 

Her heart began to race uncontrollably, as if something were desperately struggling to break through the surface of her mind.

Luoyuan’s arm tightened. 

She set Mu Xi down but kept one hand on her shoulder, as if asserting her ownership.

“This is Ye Lan, an insignificant nobody,” Luoyuan said, her voice cold and contemptuous. 

“There’s no need to pay her any mind.”

A flash of pain crossed Ye Lan’s eyes. 

She struggled, trying to get closer to Mu Xi, but she was held fast by the ropes.

“Mu Xi, don’t you remember me? I’m Ye Lan!”

Her voice was thick with despair and indignation. 

“We escaped together! You saved my life!”

Mu Xi’s head suddenly throbbed with a sharp pain. 

Blurred images flashed through her mind and vanished just as quickly.

She saw blood, she saw fire, and she saw a pair of eyes filled with love… but these were like reflections in the water, shattering the moment they were touched.

“I… I don’t know you.” Mu Xi took a step back, leaning against Luoyuan for a sense of security.

Luoyuan smiled with satisfaction. 

She walked gracefully toward Ye Lan and pulled an exquisite Knife from her boot.

The blade glinted coldly in the dim light.

“It seems my technique is quite good, wouldn’t you say?” Luoyuan whispered to Ye Lan, her voice dripping with a victor’s arrogance.

Ye Lan grit her teeth, her eyes burning with the flames of rage.

“What did you do to her?”

“I simply helped her forget some… unnecessary memories,” Luoyuan chuckled. 

The tip of the Knife lightly traced over Ye Lan’s cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood.

Mu Xi watched the scene, a wave of nausea twisting her stomach.

She wanted to stop it, but she found that her body seemed to be out of her own control. 

She could only stand there, paralyzed.

Luoyuan suddenly turned. 

With a flash of the blade, she accurately sliced open Ye Lan’s wrist.

Blood immediately gushed out, dripping down her arm and onto the tabletop, forming a shocking patch of crimson.

Mu Xi gasped. 

She instinctively tried to back away, but Luoyuan’s voice pinned her to the spot.

“Mu Xi, come here.” The Order was absolute.

Mu Xi walked forward trembling, every step feeling as if she were walking on the edge of a blade.

The scent of blood filled her nostrils, making her feel sick.

“Lick it clean.” Luoyuan pointed to the blood on the table, her voice as gentle as a lover’s whisper.

“What?” Mu Xi’s eyes widened in disbelief, her stomach churning again.

Ye Lan shook her head violently, trying to stop the madness.

“Mu Xi, don’t! You don’t have to listen to her!”

Luoyuan ignored Ye Lan’s protests. 

She leaned down close to Mu Xi, and her eyes began to change.

Her pupils dilated, the color shifting from deep blue to pink, and the shape twisted into hearts.

Those eerie eyes began to spin like a vortex, radiating an irresistible attraction.