The public performance of the Magic Feather Fantasy had just drawn to a close.
Su Nian hadn’t even had the chance to shed her stage costume, its shimmering fabric still clinging to her form.
But now, in this stifling moment, she was forced to peel away the dazzling attire, trading it for something far more humiliating—scant, revealing garments that made her skin crawl with shame.
How vile!
That wretched Horned Demon deserved to rot.
Gritting her teeth, Su Nian bore the indignity, stripping off the radiant performance dress.
Once again, her delicate, porcelain skin and perfectly sculpted figure were laid bare, vulnerable under the weight of her tormentor’s gaze.
Yet, this was far from the first time she’d been forced to expose herself before the Horned Demon.
The memory of how many times she’d endured this gnawed at her, each instance a fresh wound.
In the past, she would have refused outright, her pride unyielding.
But now?
Refusal was a luxury she could no longer afford.
Under the Horned Demon’s leering stare, Su Nian hurriedly donned the dancer’s outfit—if it could even be called that.
The flimsy fabric, adorned with cheap, gaudy sequins, was so sheer it barely concealed her curves, leaving her body’s graceful lines cruelly exposed.
When Chu Tian saw her, a smug grin spread across his face.
“Not bad,” he said, lounging on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, his eyes glinting with mockery and possession.
“Dance for me. And you’d better make it good. You know what happens if I’m not pleased.”
The phonograph in the room crackled to life, filling the air with pre-recorded music.
As if to twist the knife deeper, the songs were those of the Magic Feather Fantasy—her songs, now weaponized to mock her.
Su Nian swallowed her shame, forcing her body to move to the rhythm.
Her movements were stiff, mechanical, each step a jagged tear in her dignity.
Chu Tian, however, was relentless, his voice cutting through the music.
“Put some effort into it! Don’t move like a wooden puppet!”Â
“More allure in your expression! You’re dancing, not being tortured.”
His constant nitpicking forced Su Nian to adjust her movements and expressions, each correction drowning her in a rising tide of humiliation.
“Ding-dong! The host’s humiliation from dancing with revealing clothing was detected. Humiliation Points +18,358.”
“Ding-dong! Absorbing humiliation emotions. Annoyance Points +18,358.”
The system’s cold prompts rang in both their ears.
Chu Tian’s grin widened, reveling in the surge of power her suffering fed him, his control over the girl tightening with every point gained.
At the same time, he’d noticed something.
Su Nian had been pouring herself into the Magic Feather Fantasy, tirelessly practicing songs and dances—her career, her passion.
It was precisely because of this devotion that her humiliation cut so deeply.
On the other side, as her Humiliation Points climbed, so did the hatred in Su Nian’s heart, a smoldering ember growing into a blaze.
Mid-dance, Chu Tian suddenly rose from the sofa and approached her, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge.
Su Nian instinctively stepped back, but his hand shot out, seizing her arm.
“Remember the dance from that ball?” he said, his voice low and taunting.
One hand gripped hers, the other slid to her waist—too low, brushing places it shouldn’t.
The already scandalous dress made the contact unbearable, heat flooding her face as shame consumed her.
Her body trembled, tears of humiliation welling in her eyes, though she fought to keep them from falling.
That night at the ball, she’d worn a proper gown, elegant and modest.
It was nothing like this.
Back then, his touch had been confined to her hand, her waist, her shoulder—nothing like the violation she felt now.
“Don’t… don’t touch me!” Su Nian struggled, but the Horned Demon’s strength was overwhelming, her efforts futile.
“Little wildcat,” he sneered, ignoring her resistance, his hands roaming as he whispered degrading words in her ear.
“Behave, and maybe I’ll go easier on you.”
Fury blazed in Su Nian’s chest, but she knew this wasn’t the moment to act.
She could only endure, swallowing her rage in silence.
“Ding-dong! Humiliation Points +16,597.”
“Ding-dong! Annoyance Points +16,597.”
Her struggling body gradually stilled, letting the Horned Demon guide her through the dance steps.
When the music finally ended, Su Nian collapsed to the floor, breathless, her hair disheveled, the flimsy dress in disarray, leaving her looking utterly broken.
Chu Tian gazed down at her, nodding with satisfaction.
“Not bad for today. From now on, you’ll dance for me every night—no half-hearted efforts. Make it as good as your public performances. If you do well, I might just treat you better.”
He reached out, brushing her cheek and trailing his fingers through her hair.
Su Nian turned her face away, her heart a tangled mess of emotions.
How had it come to this?
She, who once dreamed of becoming a mighty knight and a magical idol, was now reduced to this—humiliated by a Horned Demon.
Yet she knew giving up meant surrendering hope forever.
She had to endure.
The night was far from over, and the Horned Demon clearly had no intention of letting her rest.
“The collar’s in the box,” he said, a new glint of malice in his eyes.
“Put it on yourself. Then hand me the leash.”
Su Nian froze.
Her humiliation was already unbearable, but this?
To willingly place a collar around her own neck and offer the leash to him—a symbol of complete submission?
It was unthinkable.
How could she do this?
“What’s that? Not willing?” Chu Tian crouched beside her, his voice soft but laced with menace as he toyed with her hair.
“Or does Miss Su Nian still dream of escaping? Of killing her master?”
His words, though quiet, struck like thunder.
Su Nian’s heart raced, panic gripping her.
Did he know?
Had he seen through her, sensed the strength she was quietly gathering, biding her time to strike back?
“If you’re thinking of running or killing me, that’s dangerous,” he mused, as if speaking to himself, though his words were clearly meant for her.
“Perhaps I should just lock you up.”
Her face burned with shame as she weighed her options.
Her Humiliation Points had surpassed 700,000.
In three or four days, if all went well, she’d be ready to turn the tables.
She couldn’t afford to provoke him now.
“No, no!” she said quickly, waving her hands in denial.
“I’d never think of killing my master. I’m just… shy, that’s all.”
The words tasted like ash, her heart screaming with humiliation.
“Ding-dong! Mental Fortitude of the Path: 74%.”
Satisfied with her submission, Chu Tian leaned back on the sofa, legs crossed, waiting.
With trembling hands, Su Nian fastened the collar around her neck, the cold metal a weight on her spirit.
She lifted the leash, its handle cradled in her palms, and offered it to him.
Her heart shattered, but she held on.
Just a little longer.
She would endure.
Honestly, sad