The three ne’er-do-wells shuddered violently as if struck by lightning, their faces draining of color in sheer terror. Their strength seemed to desert them all at once—they dropped to their knees with a thud, begging for mercy.
“I was wrong! I failed to recognize who you are, and fell for Lin Jiaorui’s tricks!” one of them wailed, his face crumpling. “She’s the one who called us here! She told us you were a helpless orphan girl, fair game for us to do whatever we pleased. If you’ve got a score to settle, take it up with her! I beg you—spare my life!”
A second man quickly chimed in, “Yes, exactly! It was Lin Jiaorui! Three months ago, she paid us to ruin a coworker who’d offended her—this isn’t the first time she’s done such a thing! We didn’t think twice, so we came along.”
The third banged his head on the ground, adding, “That’s right! She even promised us ten cents each when we were done! This was all her plan!”
Yu Wanzhi paid their pleas no mind. Her gaze was cold as frost as she walked slowly toward Lin Jiaorui—then, reaching out, she snatched the camera hanging from Lin Jiaorui’s neck.
“Tut-tut. Quite the elaborate little scheme, isn’t it? Seems you know all too well how this works~ Then you shall taste the same treatment today~”
Lin Jiaorui trembled, as though her soul had only just returned to her body. Her lips quivered as she pleaded, “Can you spare me? I swear I’ll never breathe a word of this to anyone—please, I beg you…” Tears spilled down her cheeks, genuine tears of utter terror.
Yu Wanzhi’s lips curled into a sneer, sharp with scorn. “If I were helpless today, and I were the one begging you—would you spare me?”
Never! Lin Jiaorui screamed inwardly. But out loud, she lied through her teeth: “Yes! Of course I would! Please—for Yun Ting’s sake, forgive me just this once!”
Yu Wanzhi arched an eyebrow. “Only you could believe that nonsense.” She then swept her gaze over the three men kneeling on the ground, finally fixing her eyes on the smallest and scrawniest of the bunch. “Hey—you, the scrawny little monkey. Get over here. Now.”
The man singled out looked terrified. He glanced at his companions, then at Yu Wanzhi, hesitated—then scrambled shakily to his feet.
“Y-yes? What do you command?” His voice shook, and he was so frightened he’d wet himself.
Yu Wanzhi handed him the camera, her expression impassive. “You—take the photos. As for you two…” She turned to the other two men. “…you know exactly what to do, don’t you?”
The pair scrambled upright in a panic, grinning obsequiously, bobbing their heads in frantic agreement. “Yes! We understand! We’ll treat her exactly as she told us to treat you! We won’t hold back an inch!”
“Good. At least you’ve got some sense. Go on, then.”
No sooner had she spoken than General Bai trotted out from the bushes, licking his jaws. At the sight of blood staining his muzzle, the three men and Lin Jiaorui screamed in terror, their spirits nearly leaving their bodies.
“Quiet! All of you—shut up!” Yu Wanzhi snapped. “One more scream, and I’ll set General Bai on you!”
The three men and Lin Jiaorui clamped their hands over their mouths instantly, as though paralyzed by a spell. Not a sound escaped them—fearing the beast would tear them apart the very next second.
Yu Wanzhi watched them quaking in fear, thoroughly pleased. She’d never regretted taking General Bai in—this little fellow was proving himself incredibly useful. What a magnificent feeling!
General Bai seemed to sense his mistress’s delight. He bared his gleaming fangs and let out a low, rumbling growl, sending fresh waves of terror through the group.
“D-don’t bite me! I’ll do exactly as you say! Anything you want!” the scrawny man stammered, holding the camera with trembling hands—his face a comical mix of fear and desperation.
Satisfied, Yu Wanzhi nodded at the great white wolf. “General Bai—keep watch over them. Tear anyone apart who steps out of line. This is going to be ugly to watch, so I’ll be stepping away for a bit~”
With that, she vanished into her personal space, leaving Lin Jiaorui and the three men frozen in place, paralyzed with dread.
General Bai let out another menacing growl. Under the wolf’s unblinking, predatory gaze, the three men shakily began to undress…
Half an hour later, Yu Wanzhi stepped out of her space. The sight before her made her chest swell with amusement—she nearly laughed out loud.
General Bai stood perfectly still, eyes locked on the three men, saliva dripping from his jaws. The men were huddled together like terrified rabbits, pressed against the bushes, shaking uncontrollably.
Lin Jiaorui lay motionless on the dirt path in the center, her clothes torn and tattered beyond recognition. She stared blankly up at the sky, eyes hollow and lifeless. Had it not been for the faint rise and fall of her chest, she might have been mistaken for dead.
“Already done? That was quick—did you get the photos?” Yu Wanzhi asked, sounding distinctly unimpressed. She’d expected to return, check on them, then leave again—certainly not to find everything finished so soon.
The scrawny man held up the camera with trembling hands, forcing a smile far more wretched than a frown. “Miss… Fairy Lady… truly, we didn’t mean to finish so fast! It’s just that your… your beloved pet is terrifying! Ten minutes was simply all we could endure!”
“Fairy Lady, we did exactly as you ordered. May we… may we leave now?”
Yu Wanzhi burst out laughing. “Leave? Just like that? You’ve learned my secret—and you expect to walk away unscathed? You’re dreaming!”
Her expression hardened. “But… since you did as you were told, I’ll spare your lives. Your lives are spared—but punishment there shall be. Since you were so eager to throw yourselves into this mess… then to the fields with you! You’ll work the land!”
She waved a hand, and the four people and the wolf were instantly drawn into her space—appearing in the middle of vast, dark, fertile farmland.
“I’d planned to buy seeds today. Didn’t get the seeds—but I’ve acquired a workforce instead. Not a bad haul!” Yu Wanzhi declared, her tone bright with excitement. “Clear the land first. I’ll buy seeds afterward, and then we plant.”
The three men and Lin Jiaorui stared about them, stunned and silent. Their eyes brimmed with unmasked horror and despair.
What kind of monster had they crossed paths with?
Yu Wanzhi wasted no time comforting them. She turned to General Bai. “Keep watch over them. Until we have tools, they’ll dig by hand. Don’t let anyone leave this spot. Anyone who takes one step out of line—tear them apart.”
General Bai barked in acknowledgement. Just then, a voice echoed—belonging to the great golden carp.
“I am the master of this space; there’s no need to have a low-IQ wild beast guard them. I’ve already set a barrier around the farmland. They can neither see nor leave anywhere beyond this soil. Go about your business without worry!”