The Art of Control and an Unexpected Encounter

Mingqian closed his eyes tightly; if he couldn’t see it, it was as if it didn’t exist.

“Nothing you do will work, I will not give in!”

A true man, it is said, expands when he should and contracts when he must.

Mingqian, quite experienced in the realm of forced restraint, recalled a tragic past, the agony of being cursed by Aile.

He squeezed his eyes shut, and under the crushing weight of these compounded torments, the very thing he sought to control actually showed signs of weakening.

Even when the girl tried to prod him with her foot once more, that part of him remained utterly unresponsive.

In that moment, Mingqian believed he had achieved true mastery.

“Hmph… not bad.”

“I truly underestimated your self-control.”

She seemed to have finally abandoned her maid game.

Bai Wanting, a hint of displeasure coloring her expression, adjusted her clothes before speaking slowly:

“A powerful maid subduing her weak, submissive master; though he resists at first, he eventually succumbs to the pleasures of the flesh. Isn’t this exactly the kind of ‘study material’ Xiaoqian loves to watch? I’ve done my research, you know. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”

‘Wasn’t this the very “study material” he kept hidden deep within a folder on his computer?’

“How could you invade my privacy! I—I can’t live like this! Rather than having that seen, you might as well kill me!”

“What do you mean, ‘invade’? I observed it openly. Look, doesn’t this outfit suit your tastes perfectly?”

He had to admit, it did.

Yet, he dared not open his eyes here. If he were to glimpse the girl’s fiery figure, he might truly lose all control.

Seeing Mingqian’s unwavering defiance, a dangerous glint entered the girl’s eyes.

“Then I shall have to employ some… special methods.”

‘Special? Ha, as he was now, even a powerful aphrodisiac would be useless!’

“Useless! I am at my strongest right now!”

Bai Wanting remained silent, and for a moment, the atmosphere hung in an ambiguously tense stillness.

“Xiaoqian, this is all your fault, you know. I hadn’t originally intended to do this.”

“?”

Bai Wanting leaned closer to Mingqian. Though his eyes remained shut, he could feel the girl’s breath on him.

“I only wished to have you. What wrong have I done? It’s just that Xiaoqian is too dense, so I’m forced to take action.”

“Whenever I look at you, my chest feels as though it’s being seared by fire, over and over again. Am I… poisoned? But it doesn’t matter. If it’s a poison named Xiaoqian, I’d gladly embrace it.”

“I even envy the very air that clings to you constantly…”

“Ah…”

Bai Wanting pressed her lips to his, kissing him fiercely.

After a long while, she released Mingqian and whispered softly into his ear:

“Hehe, just wait, I’ll be back soon. By then, Xiaoqian will surely become utterly obedient to me.”

Bai Wanting gently embraced his body. The next moment, the ankle chains clicked shut once more.

“Be good, wait here for me.”

Wait.

“Wait, where are my clothes!”

“I’ll bring them back to you after I’m done using them.”

“Xiaoqian doesn’t need clothes, does he? After all, there’s no one else here… Or is there?”

The girl’s eyes gradually grew distant and empty.

Though it was merely an ordinary conversation, Mingqian couldn’t shake the feeling that something wild was about to burst forth from the girl’s heart.

“I won’t wear them! Won’t wear them, won’t wear them! If you say I don’t need them, then I won’t!”

“Hehe…”

Only after he watched the girl disappear beyond the door did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

‘What did she mean, ‘after I’m done using them’!’

‘The humiliation of his “little brother” being trodden underfoot by her jade-like feet, the humiliation of almost being toyed with again…’

This humiliation, cornered and forced to rely on the Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra (TL Note: A Buddhist scripture, also known as the Heart Sutra, often associated with mental calm and detachment, here humorously used for self-control in a sexual context) to control his “little brother,” he would remember.

“Oh, ‘little brother,’ why are you so uncooperative!”

“How could you stand at attention just from a foot’s touch? I absolutely must get you under control.”

Yet, the little head rarely listens to the big head, a fact that greatly distressed him.

In any case, the most pressing matter now was to escape this place, or to defeat Bai Wanting.

He couldn’t possibly be imprisoned here for the rest of his life!

“Fortunately, there’s always a way out.”

Mingqian secretly observed the room. Though a camera was aimed directly at his position, it wasn’t without its blind spots.

Since there was a camera, the entrance surely had corresponding security measures. From his visual assessment, the main door appeared to be secured by an enormous iron lock.

This was merely his bedroom door; heaven knew what Bai Wanting had transformed the rest of his home into.

“No…”

He was already confined here; was there truly a need to lock him up like this?

The curtains were tightly drawn, robbing him of his freedom, leaving him unaware of whether it was day or night outside.

Moreover, just moments ago, when he had pulled back the curtains, he was horrified to discover that the window had been replaced by a concrete wall.

Even if he managed to deal with the chains on his ankles, three more doors awaited him.

With only his bare hands, it was impossible to break the locks.

For a smooth escape, Bai Wanting would have to forget to lock the doors, but he knew full well that was impossible for her.

Despite knowing Mingqian possessed no awakened abilities, she had still implemented so many safeguards, a testament to her meticulous planning.

This place was more of a prison than any actual prison. Bai Wanting had added an astonishing number of security measures just to keep him confined.

She hadn’t even left Mingqian the slightest possibility of escape.

It was truly chilling.

‘Couldn’t he dig a hole downwards and escape?’

Regrettably, the floor of the room was most likely reinforced with steel bars and concrete.

There was only one way.

A frontal assault!

Yet, in his current state, he couldn’t even manage the first step of escape: breaking free from his ankle shackles.

Wait.

‘A key?’

‘A key…’

Fortunately, he seemed to still possess some means of self-rescue, a method Bai Wanting would never anticipate.

****

Bai Wanting walked along the path to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Her purpose for this journey was to acquire Candle Dragon Powder and Phantom Light Silk Mushrooms.

These two ingredients, seemingly unrelated at first glance, were known only to the most seasoned experts to transform into an aphrodisiac so potent that even an ox couldn’t withstand it, once combined.

It was rumored that experiments had been conducted on magical beasts; even high-tier creatures, after consuming thirty doses of the concoction, would inevitably explode from the sheer intensity.

But this was precisely what she desired: a potent remedy that would compel Xiaoqian to finally make a move on her.

“Hehe, good medicine tastes bitter, after all. If he refuses to drink it, I’ll feed it to him myself.”

Greeting others with practiced ease, she entered the Seven Hills City branch of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.

Before her stood a towering, majestic building that, unlike modern high-rises, resembled an ancient cave dwelling, its interior permeated by an aura of mystery.

Typically, this was where ability users accepted missions and collected their rewards.

The branch’s interior was rather expansive, with vast spaces stretching outwards, and orderly people bustling back and forth, all testifying to its prosperity.

She made her way to a vendor’s stall with practiced familiarity.

Ever since the establishment of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, a ‘points’ system had been implemented.

These points could be exchanged for real money and also served as currency for transactions among ability users.

Bai Wanting had previously quelled several calamities, accumulating a modest fortune, if not vast wealth.

For her, a mere few ingredients would surely be acquired in an instant.

“Boss, thirty Phantom Light Silk Mushrooms and thirty bottles of Candle Dragon Powder.”

Being a regular customer, the boss first offered a playful smile before addressing her:

“You’re buying them again? Using them up so quickly?”

Bai Wanting, uncharacteristically, blushed. She feigned indifference:

“Mhm, my boyfriend is quite formidable.”

“Haha! Youth truly is wonderful! However, it’s a pity, both of those ingredients are currently out of stock.”

“Out of stock?! But the source is only ten kilometers from Seven Hills.”

“Ah, apparently, a new secret realm has appeared in the middle of the road, disrupting traffic. I’m also worried about the lack of supply. Moreover, this secret realm is quite aggressive and seems to still be expanding.”

Bai Wanting bit her lip. She was in a hurry to use them… oh no, to give them to Xiaoqian! Why now, of all times?

Generally, these ‘secret realms’ are not easily resolved. They can take a month at minimum, and some have even remained unresolved to this day.

No, for Xiaoqian’s sake, she absolutely had to get those ingredients quickly… She promptly reported to the upper echelons, taking on the mission herself.

Next, would she be leading a team?

With only herself as a combatant, she still felt a little uneasy.

“Um…”

A voice, imbued with a hint of vitality, interrupted her thoughts.

“Hm?”

Bai Wanting turned around, freezing in place.

A vibrant, golden-haired girl stood sword in hand amidst the bustling world.

Before her was a woman with long black hair.

They appeared as if they had crossed over from another realm; their attire and their very aura seemed utterly out of place in this world.

Most importantly, there was the power hidden beneath their slender forms.

Bai Wanting considered herself a genius, yet in the presence of these two, she felt nothing but a wave of dread.

Unfathomable! If it came to a fight, it would be a three-seven… no, a zero-ten split.

The golden-haired girl spoke:

“Um, my sister and I want to go to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs? Hmm… is that how you pronounce it? To register, yes, register. We’re ability users!”