“Fine… but you have to let my brother go.”
Chen Dao and Mazi exchanged a look and smiled.
Let him go?As if. Both her life and her brother’s were already in their hands.
Still… for the first time, Chen Dao preferred to be “gentle.”
“Alright. Do as we say, and we’ll release your brother.”
Brother… this is as far as I can go with you.Once you’re safe, I’ll go find Mom and Dad…
Bai Zhi’s hands trembled as she slowly unzipped her clothes.
A hand suddenly stopped her.
“I prefer doing this in a bed. This place isn’t suitable.”
Chen Dao grabbed her and dragged her toward the room. At the doorway, he gave Mazi a look.
Mazi nodded.
Later…
Wrapped in a blanket, Bai Zhi trembled as she tried to put her clothes back on. Tears covered her face.
Brother… I’m dirty now.
But if her brother could live—she had no regrets.
“When will you release my brother?” she asked, looking up at Chen Dao as he dressed.
“Don’t rush. My good brother Mazi hasn’t had his turn yet,” he said loudly, calling out.
“Mazi! Mazi!”
Bai Zhi felt like she had fallen into icy water—her limbs weak, her mind dizzy.
There’s… another one…
…
“Alright, I’ll take you to see your brother.”
She let her hair fall to cover the marks on her neck, wiped away her tears, and forced a smile.
“Brother!!!”
Bai Mu stood there, motionless.
Unresponsive.
Eyes empty.
Bai Zhi rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
She wanted to tell him everything—what they had done to her.
She wanted to be held by him again.
“Brother… why won’t you respond to me?”
Then a thought struck her.
“Is it because I’m dirty… is it my fault…?”
She began frantically wiping her skin, as if she could erase what had happened.
“Come on, hug our poor little sister.”
Chen Dao gave the order.
Bai Mu mechanically wrapped his arms around her.
No warmth.
No familiarity.
Nothing like her brother.
Bai Zhi froze, staring at him.
His eyes… no longer held that gentle light.
“What did you do to my brother?!”
She turned and demanded.
“Nothing much. Just made him obedient. He’s still your brother, isn’t he?”
“You monsters!”
“Hey now, don’t say that. We’ve shared quite the relationship, haven’t we?” Chen Dao laughed.
Bai Zhi’s vision darkened. Her entire body trembled with rage.
Animals…
“Don’t be afraid. As long as you behave, you might still get to see him. After all… you don’t have any other choice now.”
She sank deeper into their nightmare.
Back in the present—
Jian An watched as Wen Qi pressed her ear against the wall, listening carefully.
So cute… I want to—
Wen Qi frowned.
Human ears are useless… my rabbit ears were much better…
Beside her, Liao Liao stuck his butt out, also trying to listen—he heard nothing.
Wen Qi got annoyed.
“I’m done sneaking around! Let’s just rush out—we’re strong anyway!”
“Alright. We’ll listen to you, good girl. Let’s fight our way out,” Jian An agreed without hesitation.
“Are you still feeling uncomfortable?” he asked softly.
That strange smell—
Was she still affected?
Uncomfortable?
Wen Qi—the little rabbit spirit tyrant—never felt uncomfortable.
Jian An smiled, cupping her face.
“How are you so cute?”
Hehe… fragrant one likes me being cute…
Can I nibble him tonight?
“I want one too,” Liao Liao leaned on Ji Chen dramatically. “Ji Chen gege~ find me someone too~”
Ji Chen shuddered. “Get lost. That’s disgusting.”
Suddenly, Wen Qi’s ears twitched.
“Someone’s coming.”
Everyone quickly pressed against the wall.
Voices approached.
“Boss, we have to be careful with that group.”
“Mm. I didn’t expect them to keep their abilities… while you lost yours.”
“Yeah, no idea what that girl fed me.”
“They probably have something like our herbs,” Chen Dao said darkly.
He assumed Wen Qi had abilities similar to his—identifying plants.
“No matter. We still have the immortality pills.”
“There’s no way they can escape. Search every inch—find them.”
Wen Qi and the others hid deeper in the corner.
Now wasn’t the time for a direct clash.
But Wen Qi had heard something—
A painful groan.
It came from Chen Dao’s room.
After the two men left—
Wen Qi tugged at Jian An, signaling him to lean down.
He wrapped one arm around her waist and lowered his head. “What is it?”
“There’s someone inside… they’re in pain.”
Her voice softened.
They moved to the door.
Ji Chen pulled out a wire and began picking the lock while the others kept watch.
Click.
The door opened.
Inside—
The room was filled with chemical equipment. Cold. Sinister.
Large jars of formalin lined the walls.
Inside one—
A newborn baby floated.
The stench hit them instantly.
“Oh my god…” Liao Liao gagged.
“This is insane… it’s just a child…”
Wen Qi had already buried herself in Jian An’s arms before entering.
It stinks…
“Grr… rr…”
A zombie-like sound came from a smaller room nearby.
Liao Liao grabbed a chair, muscles tensing. Ji Chen raised his gun.
“It’s chained,” Wen Qi said. She could hear the clinking.
“And the painful sound is coming from there.”
They opened the door.
Inside—
A creature was bound by chains.
In the center, under a glass cover—
Something that looked like… ginseng?
Its body was plump and swollen, but its limbs were thin, like branches. A few leaves sprouted from its “head.”
But its pale body was marred with bloody cuts.
“Help… help me… get me out, little rabbit…”
“You know me?” Wen Qi blinked.
Am I that famous?
“I can tell! Please save me—humans are terrifying!”
“They cut my flesh… drink my blood… it hurts so much!”
Wen Qi relayed everything word for word.
“It says it’s in pain. Humans have been hurting it.”
Jian An’s eyes darkened.
She can… understand plants?
What exactly is she…?
Liao Liao suddenly realized something.
“Wait… could that be the ‘immortality medicine’? Isn’t ginseng supposed to bring people back to life?”
Ji Chen walked over and flipped open a nearby folder.
Inside—
“6/23 – Failed6/24 – Failed…7/27 – Success”
Next to it, written in black ink:
I finally succeeded. I’ll make them regret abandoning me. I’m the one who created the elixir of immortality. They’ll all kneel before me—HAHAHAHA—
“Good lord…” Liao Liao muttered. “That’s one resentful office worker…”
“Little rabbit… please save me…”
The ginseng creature weakly raised its branch-like arms in a pleading gesture, half-kneeling against the glass.
Take me away from this hell… that human is a demon…
I am the great Ginseng King… and yet I’ve suffered such humiliation…