Liao Liao and Ji Chen followed obediently behind Jian An as Wen Qi led the way to find the “pretty sisters.”
She stopped at a door and knocked, using the agreed signal.
Inside, Bai Zhi quickly hid what she was holding in a cabinet before opening the door.
When she saw Wen Qi—and the group of young men behind her—her eyes widened in shock.
“You… you didn’t turn into tree-men?!”
They were the first people she had ever seen who hadn’t been transformed.
“Pretty sister, let’s go,” Wen Qi said, grabbing her hand.
Bai Zhi followed in a daze. “What about Mazi? And Chen Dao?”
“Mazi’s dead. The other bad guy… I don’t know where he is,” Wen Qi replied as she led her toward Lan Xin’s room.
Bai Zhi suddenly stopped.
“Dead? Really dead? Did you check his breathing? His heartbeat?”
Jian An’s gaze sharpened instantly. Something about that sounded off.
“What do you mean?”
“They have… an immortality drug,” Bai Zhi dropped the bombshell.
“What?!”
Ji Chen and Liao Liao were stunned.
Something like that… actually existed?
“Go back,” Jian An said immediately. “If he’s not dead, then we make sure he dies again.”
He didn’t believe in such a thing—but it was better to confirm.
Liao Liao looked at Bai Zhi. “How do you know this? Not doubting you—I just… want to understand.”
Bai Zhi nodded and began to explain.
“Ah… Mazi… slow down…”
“Can’t slow down, sweetheart…”
While he was distracted, Bai Zhi quietly reached behind the pillow.
A flash of killing intent crossed her eyes.
At the peak of his pleasure, she yanked out a hidden dagger and stabbed straight into his heart.
He died instantly—eyes wide open, glaring at her.
Her tears fell uncontrollably. Her hands trembled as she leaned forward, checking his breath.
Nothing.
Her fingers clenched the bedsheet tightly.
It was her first time killing someone.
But what she felt… was relief.
This was the man who turned her brother into a tree-man.
He deserved to die.
She hurriedly dressed, grabbed his clothes, found the key to the room where Lan Xin and the others were locked, and clutched it tightly.
Lan Xin is still waiting for me.
She rushed toward the door—
“Where do you think you’re going, bitch?”
Mazi’s cold voice came from behind.
Bai Zhi froze, her eyes widening in horror.
He’s… alive?
She couldn’t let him see the key.
Couldn’t let him discover her plan.
Otherwise, Lan Xin would be doomed.
She slipped the key into her sleeve and turned around slowly.
“Mazi… you’re okay? I was just going to find Brother Chen Dao for you.”
“You think I’d believe you?” he sneered.
He pulled out the dagger from his chest—
And the wound healed instantly.
Bai Zhi stared at the rapidly closing wound, her heart churning.
Why… why doesn’t he get the punishment he deserves?
Back in the present, Bai Zhi rubbed her arm unconsciously—the scar from a burn still faintly visible.
“That’s why,” she finished.
Jian An’s expression darkened. “We go back and check.”
“You stay here,” Liao Liao told Bai Zhi. “Wait for us.”
If Mazi saw her outside, he would connect the dots about Wen Qi escaping.
“Alright. I’ll wait. Remember the signal, little sister,” Bai Zhi said, letting go of Wen Qi’s hand.
Wen Qi didn’t want to let go—it was so soft—but she knew it was safer this way.
If one hit doesn’t kill him… then I’ll hit him again. And again.
When they returned—
The door was open.
Mazi’s body was gone.
Even the tree-men had disappeared.
“Damn it, that bastard tricked us!” Liao Liao cursed, holding the rope that once bound him.
“Boss, what now?”
“He’s probably gone to find Chen Dao,” Jian An said. “But first, we need to find out what lets them come back to life.”
He still didn’t believe in true immortality—but he had heard rumors before. In a southern base, something called an “immortality drug” had once surfaced, sold to the highest bidder.
Could it be the same thing?
Ji Chen crouched down, touching the bloodstains.
“Right. If we don’t figure it out, they’ll just keep coming back.”
“Probably another kind of herb,” Jian An guessed.
Wen Qi blinked, amazed.
Humans are incredible… even immortality pills—something even immortals study—exist here?
She popped a lollipop into her mouth and mumbled, “So what do we do now?”
Mmm… human candy is so good.
“We find them,” Jian An said. “Let’s see what they’re really hiding.”
Outside Bai Zhi’s room, a vine quietly slipped through the crack in the door.
Instead of fear, Bai Zhi reached out and grasped it.
The vine gently brushed against her wrist, almost affectionately.
“Brother… we’ll get out of here,” she whispered. “I’ll turn you back to normal.”
She and her brother, Bai Mu, had been on their way to a base when their car crashed.
Bai Zhi was stunningly beautiful—fair skin, soft features, long wavy brown hair cascading over her shoulders, slender fingers, dressed in a clean black outfit. Beneath her delicate brows were clear, star-like eyes.
The moment Chen Dao and Mazi saw her, they were captivated.
Bai Mu stepped forward, shielding her with a single cold glance.
“We’ll leave tomorrow. Just let us stay one night.”
Chen Dao smiled politely. “Of course. We should apologize for the poor conditions here.”
“In times like this, it doesn’t matter,” Bai Mu replied calmly.
Once inside, Bai Zhi immediately spoke.
“Brother… those men feel disgusting.”
Bai Mu held her hand. “We’ll just stay one night. I’ll protect you.”
She leaned into his arms, feeling safe—for now.
But something about those men’s eyes unsettled her… like they wanted to tear her apart.
“Boss… maybe we don’t use her for the ‘land project’?” Mazi suggested.
Chen Dao smirked. “No. We keep her… for ourselves.”
That night—
A thick smoke filled the room.
Bai Mu woke instantly—but found himself powerless, slipping into unconsciousness.
“What are you doing?! Let me go!” Bai Zhi struggled.
“Behave,” they warned coldly.
The men who seemed normal during the day had turned into monsters.
“Cooperate, and your brother might live.”
“Brother… what did you do to him?!”
“Over there.”
She looked—and saw Bai Mu lying in the corner, unconscious.
“Brother!” She tried to rush over.
Chen Dao grabbed her.
“He’s alive. But if you don’t cooperate… that might change.”
He gestured.
Mazi stepped forward, dragging a knife along Bai Mu’s neck.
“Don’t!”
Please… he’s all I have left…
Without him, what meaning did the world have?
“What do you want?” she begged. “I’ll do anything—just don’t hurt him.”
“Simple,” Chen Dao said with a grin.
“Become our woman.”
Bai Zhi’s face went pale.
But—
She looked at her brother lying in the corner.
As long as he lives… I’ll endure it.