An Ominous Encounter and a Risky Gamble

“You know those two?”

After Mu Yaochen had departed with Luo Yao, Star Yu remained rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on the now-closed side door.

As Star Yu still stood in a daze, Helian Ziyue materialized behind her like a specter.

“Ah… um… she’s my friend.”

Upon hearing a sudden, chilling voice behind her, Star Yu felt a shiver run down her spine.

Slowly turning her head, she realized Helian Ziyue had appeared behind her, without her ever noticing.

“Your friend, I recall, she must be the ‘Empress of Fanhai,’ Mu Yaochen, isn’t she?”

Helian Ziyue inquired, though she possessed only a limited understanding of Fanhai City’s intricacies.

Nevertheless, Mu Yaochen’s name resonated far and wide; even a fleeting glimpse of her seated in a corner could not conceal her undeniable aura.

“Yes…”

Star Yu instinctively recoiled a step, feeling Helian Ziyue drawing ever closer.

The reason Star Yu knew someone like Helian Ziyue was straightforward enough.

After all, half of Star Yu’s family engaged in commerce abroad, while the other half held positions within the government bureaucracy.

This familial structure had persisted for generations, nearing a virtual monopoly within Fanhai City’s power circles.

Star Yu herself had been dispatched by her elders to serve as a local guide for Helian Ziyue, who had traveled from the capital.

To her dismay, the unfortunate Star Yu only learned of this assignment after she had already entered the nightclub.

“Oh… so she is the Empress of Fanhai, Mu Yaochen…”

Hearing Star Yu’s confirmation, Helian Ziyue nodded in satisfaction, just as she was about to turn and depart.

“Sister Helian, how was your night?”

At that moment, a tall, boisterous figure appeared behind them.

“You are…”

Hearing the voice, Helian Ziyue turned with a puzzled expression, only to find Yina’s face now within her sight.

“It’s me, Sister Ziyue! Did you forget I introduced you to that little male escort earlier? How was he? Wasn’t that little duck quite something?”

Yina strode forward boldly, openly appraising Helian Ziyue before her.

“Hmm, quite good.”

Helian Ziyue, typically expressionless, couldn’t help but frown slightly at Yina’s booming voice.

Fortunately, the surrounding din was considerable, ensuring that only those in close proximity could possibly overhear their conversation.

“Very well. Do you need something?”

Helian Ziyue nodded impassively, her gaze turning chilling as she regarded the brazen Yina.

To Helian Ziyue, the thrill of bloodshed far surpassed any physiological desire.

Indeed, it was less about slaughter and more about the profound pleasure she derived from observing the suffering of others… When had this morbid fascination truly begun?

Thinking of that ‘little duck’ from earlier, Helian Ziyue couldn’t help but purse her lips.

His cries had been utterly grating; he was nothing more than a puppet clad in fine skin, his voice hoarse, his soul utterly defiled.

The memory of that male prostitute attempting to clamber onto her filled Helian Ziyue with a surge of revulsion.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

Seeing Yina’s fawning demeanor, Helian Ziyue had no desire to linger in such a murky, suffocating place.

She much preferred the frigid confines of an underground execution chamber.

While S-M services were available here, they struck Helian Ziyue as utterly childish, and the atmosphere was far too ambiguous for her taste.

She felt a stronger urge to simply go out for a walk.

Observing Helian Ziyue’s evident disinterest, Yina wisely chose not to press her luck by following.

Instead, she turned her attention to Star Yu, who stood nearby.

“Mu Yaochen left with her little… *plaything*?”

Noticing Star Yu was alone, the answer to Yina’s question became clear.

[That little boy… I’d have loved to teach him a lesson he’d never forget.] Yina seemed to murmur to herself, paying no mind to Star Yu’s reaction.

“Alright, if there’s nothing, I’ll be off too.”

With Helian Ziyue also gone, Yina saw no reason to continue loitering there.

Tonight’s nightlife was only just beginning, though perhaps not for certain individuals.

****

Meanwhile, Mu Yaochen and Luo Yao had already emerged from the nightclub.

Throughout their journey, Mu Yaochen had remained utterly silent as she led Luo Yao.

This oppressive quiet instilled in Luo Yao a profound sense of unease, for he knew Mu Yaochen’s character — she would typically torment him during such a trip.

Moreover, having exited through a side door, their path necessarily led through a deserted alleyway.

“Luo Yao, tell me about your situation.”

Just as Luo Yao was still lost in his apprehension, Mu Yaochen abruptly halted, her voice laced with a chilling edge.

“Wh-what?”

Luo Yao’s small head reeled as he saw Mu Yaochen stop dead in her tracks.

“Your sixty million…”

As Mu Yaochen spoke, her fair face slowly drew closer to Luo Yao’s.

“I… I’ll pay you back. Um… Mistress, could I borrow your phone? I want to call my family.”

Seeing Mu Yaochen’s serious expression, Luo Yao once again adopted a frightened, innocent demeanor, believing it the only way to ensure his continued safety.

Simultaneously, he yearned to obtain a phone and contact his family.

“Call your family? Do you truly believe your family can produce sixty million?”

Mu Yaochen eyed the almost pleading Luo Yao before her with undisguised disdain.

Deep down, however, Mu Yaochen harbored a profound reluctance for Luo Yao to establish contact with the outside world.

“But… but…”

Luo Yao understood his family’s precise circumstances better than anyone.

Yet, he still desperately wished to comprehend why his parents and sister had so heartlessly abandoned him.

“Alright, forget them.”

Observing Luo Yao’s somewhat dejected expression, Mu Yaochen shook her head.

While she held no particular interest in Luo Yao’s origins, seeing him so crestfallen made her feel a faint pang of discomfort.

Following her impulse, she gently ruffled Luo Yao’s small head.

“It’s okay. If your family doesn’t want you, I want you.”

Though Mu Yaochen’s words were warm and comforting, her hands pressed Luo Yao’s head firmly against her body.

It was as if she wished for Luo Yao to feel her warmth, but due to their height difference, his head was now tightly confined against her chest.

While Mu Yaochen’s bosom wasn’t excessively large, such intense compression could still induce a sense of suffocation in Luo Yao.

“Huu… huu… huu…”

Soon enough, Mu Yaochen released Luo Yao, as if she had tired of her game.

Luo Yao, having just escaped the ‘lethal weapon,’ was now sprawled on the ground, gasping for air.

“Th-then… can I call you big sister from now on?”

Luo Yao quickly recovered from the suffocating sensation, scrambling to his feet and looking earnestly at Mu Yaochen.

The emotional atmosphere felt ripe; if he could genuinely become Mu Yaochen’s ‘younger brother,’ his future days would undoubtedly be far more comfortable.

However, this maneuver was an enormous gamble for Luo Yao.

If he gambled correctly, life would become easy.

If he gambled incorrectly, he would instantly shatter.

Such a misstep would not only diminish Mu Yaochen’s favorability towards him but also sow an additional seed of suspicion in her mind.

“No. Prepare yourself. Starting tomorrow, you’ll begin the slow process of repaying your debt to me.”

Mu Yaochen’s brow furrowed at Luo Yao’s fawning expression.

Upon hearing this, Luo Yao froze as if turned to stone.

“Little Yao Yao, or we could do this instead.”

“What?”

Just as Luo Yao was resigning himself to his fate, Mu Yaochen’s next words unexpectedly startled him.

“I can provide you with some funds, but I’ll only give you one month. If I find you incapable of repaying the debt, then I’ll have no choice but to put you back on the auction block. Don’t forget, I advanced a significant portion of my family’s savings to acquire you. If you don’t wish to repay…”

Watching Mu Yaochen’s secretive and hesitant manner, combined with her ominous pronouncements, Luo Yao suddenly felt a very bad premonition.

Mu Yaochen didn’t rush to elaborate, but instead, slowly leaned closer to Luo Yao once more.