When Ruan Luo pushed open the iron door to the basement, he saw the pale moonlight at the far end of his line of sight.
The light was thin and faint. Across a distance of thirty meters, it spilled over the very last step at the end of the corridor.
Beyond that step stood a sliding glass door.
That was the final barrier locking him in.
Once through that door, he could break free from this underground cage and touch the normal world above ground.
Ruan Luo clutched his chest, gasping softly for a moment. Clenching his fists, he sprinted with all his might toward the end of the corridor.
He had no time to wipe the mottled bloodstains from the corners of his lips, nor to mind the flesh of his feet tearing apart where sharp objects scraped them.
Yet Ruan Luo felt no pain; he knew only to run forward.
Exerting every ounce of his strength, he drew closer and closer to the finish line.
Ten meters, nine meters, eight meters…
Just as he was a single step away from the moonlight, a crisp clack echoed beneath his feet, the sound of iron chains colliding.
Caught unprepared, Ruan Luo tumbled onto the stairs. His face was scraped by the floor lamp resting at the side of the steps.
Lying on the ground, he propped himself up and looked back. He saw Fu Yu, dressed impeccably in a suit, looking down at him with cold scrutiny while holding half a length of silver chain in his hand.
The other end of that chain was buckled tightly around Ruan Luo’s ankle.
Ruan Luo trembled uncontrollably, cold sweat drenching his skin, his pupils shrinking to fine pinpricks from sheer terror.
Yet he lifted his head high with unyielding pride, locking eyes with Fu Yu from below.
Blue light cast reflections across Fu Yu’s harsh profile, making him look like a Satan statue carved from solid ice. Merely being pinned under his gaze felt as though one had died a thousand times over.
Fu Yu crouched down. His fingers, like iron pliers, gripped Ruan Luo’s chin: This is the seventh time. Ruan Luo, do you want to die?
Ruan Luo’s teeth chattered back and forth. His entire body was covered in wounds, pain causing him to gasp sharply for breath.
Even so, he raised his face and stared directly at Fu Yu: Yes.
Pausing, a pale, bitter sneer curled on his bloodless lips: Kill me then. As long as I’m still breathing, I can’t kneel before you. You… you heinous monster.
That seemed to be the foulest insult Ruan Luo could muster.
Fu Yu nodded: That is precisely what I am thinking right now. Ruan Luo, I gave you a chance.
He lowered his voice: Did you truly think you snapped that chain yourself? I tampered with it just to test you.
Fu Yu’s fingers slid downward, clamping around Ruan Luo’s delicate neck with a single hand: You have disappointed me completely. Ruan Luo, I have lost all patience.
What followed was a long, excruciating asphyxiation.
Tears slipped from the corners of Ruan Luo’s eyes.
Would the end bring true liberation?
Was he free now? But why did it still hurt this much? Why was it so agonizingly hard to breathe?
It hurt so much…
It hurts…
Ruan Luo uttered a faint murmur, his body twitching violently.
Perhaps the movement was too drastic, exhausting what little strength he had left.
Ruan Luo finally opened his eyes amid the agonizing sensation of suffocation, gasping heavily for air. He realized he had just been dreaming.
After a moment of trance-like daze, Ruan Luo let out a weak, self-deprecating laugh.
Yet how was that dream any different from his reality? Wasn’t that exactly how Fu Yu tortured him, time and time again?
For instance, right now, the spot where the iron chain was shackled to his ankle had begun to throb with pain again. This was the irrefutable evidence of Fu Yu’s cruelty.
Ruan Luo let out a soft breath, instinctively preparing to grope around in the dark to sit up. He needed to loosen the binding where the clasp stuck to his raw flesh, or the slightest tug would bring unbearable pain.
However, he immediately realized something was wrong.
The room was not pitch-black. Warm yellow light cascaded down from a bedside wall lamp, bright enough for him to see the entire space clearly, yet soft and unglaring.
Wait… a bedside lamp?
Ruan Luo turned his head woodenly, inspecting the nightstand decorations.
Then he turned his head woodenly once more, scanning the entire room.
This was not the basement. This was Fu Yu’s master bedroom.
Every hair on Ruan Luo’s body stood on end in a visceral panic response. Only after confirming that Fu Yu was not in the room did he briefly exhale a sigh of relief.
But when his eyes locked onto the painful spot on his ankle, he froze again.
The chain that had shackled his ankle for three years, the cause of endless new and old wounds, was gone.
In its place was a thin layer of bandages, cushioned with sterile gauze beneath.
Judging by the brown fluid seeping through the bandage, the wound had clearly been washed, disinfected, and dressed with medicine.
No wonder it stung like this.
Ruan Luo stared suspiciously at his ankle like he was watching an incomprehensible enemy, falling into a perplexed silence.
A moment later, he decided to walk out.
Regardless of what new tricks Fu Yu was playing, he couldn’t escape anyway, could he?
When Ruan Luo swung his legs off the bed, he discovered a pair of slippers placed right at the foot of it.
To his utter shock, they were plush, fuzzy slippers.
This was completely out of character for Fu Yu.
Furthermore, these slippers were far too small for Fu Yu himself.
Ruan Luo was startled and bewildered: Could these have been bought for me? Am I seeing a ghost?
Having made his assessment, Ruan Luo slipped his feet into the shoes.
There was only this one pair of fitting shoes in the whole room; he might as well wear them.
He wasn’t afraid of dying, but that didn’t mean he actively wished to end his life right now.
At least most of the time, he still desperately wanted to live. He wanted to live a little better, too. Unfortunately, he wasn’t blessed with such a fate. He could only try his best to compensate himself in these minor details.
Ruan Luo pushed the door open and saw a maid standing outside.
He recognized her; she had delivered medicine down to the basement for him a few times.
Knowing full well that the maid would not pay him any mind, Ruan Luo still habitually greeted her: Hello.
To his surprise, the maid reacted completely differently than before.
In the past, he used to greet the servants in the manor as well, but not a single one was willing to waste a word on him; they wouldn’t even spare him a second glance.
Today, however, the maid unexpectedly cracked a small grin at him, seemingly smiling: Hello, Little Master. Have you washed up yet?
Ruan Luo stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
The maid then said: Please follow me, then.
around to look through the glass. Although the black glass was semi-transparent, it was enough to see the view in the garden outside. The garden was nothing more than the trees and flowers she was long accustomed to; at most, the weather today was quite nice, bright with sunlight and bustling with bees and butterflies, appearing livelier than usual.
However, filtered through the subtle dark glass, it was like looking at flowers through a mist, far from breathtaking enough to make someone stare in awe.
The maid surmised that such a view was probably a rare sight for Ruan Luo.
The maid voiced a reminder: Little Master, here is your lunch.
Another maid approached, carrying a cup of steaming hot fresh milk and placing it on the dining table in front of Ruan Luo.
Despite her delicate movements, the glass still made a crisp clinking sound against the marble tabletop.
Ruan Luo snapped back to reality and sat down.
He surveyed the dining table, then looked around at his surroundings.
He noticed that every servant within his line of sight was watching him.
The housekeeper was standing on the staircase pretending to inspect the mural, two aunties wiping tables and mopping the floor, and the two maids waiting on his meal.
They were probably monitoring him.
How novel.
In his dream, Fu Yu had lost his patience and wanted to kill him.
Yet in reality, he went through all this trouble, dressing his wounds, serving him meals, and painstakingly coming up with new games to play with him.
Ruan Luo had long ceased to care.
Even though he was now above ground where he had yearned to be last night, he felt no joy. In the end, it was nothing more than a different cage.
Ruan Luo tried to eat properly, but his body was still unwell.
The food felt incredibly difficult to swallow once it entered his mouth.
He managed to force down a single bite before setting his chopsticks aside.
Where is your Master? Ruan Luo asked.
The maid replied: He went to the company. Little Master, why aren’t you eating? Is the food not to your taste?
Ruan Luo shook his head.
He could detect a hint of panic in the maid’s voice.
Presumably, watching him eat was a task assigned by Fu Yu.
Ruan Luo was genuinely baffled in his heart: Usually, he only feeds me once a day, and now he has people watching me eat. Does Fu Yu need me to undergo some stamina-draining game next? Must I eat my fill so I can endure a drawn-out battle with him?
When Ruan Luo spoke to the maid, his voice was soft and clear, sounding almost comforting: It smells very fragrant. It’s my own body’s fault; I really have no appetite to eat anything. I’m sorry.
How about you drink this glass of milk then! The maid’s face crumpled up, her voice carrying a pleading tone.
Ruan Luo said nothing. He picked up the milk and drank it all in one gulp.
Enduring his physical discomfort, he raised the empty glass toward the maid and offered a faint smile.
The maid smiled as well.
Ruan Luo asked: How long was I asleep in his room?
Little Master, you were asleep for three days. A trace of pity flickered in the maid’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it, as if afraid the other servants might notice.
She wanted to say a few heartfelt words to make Ruan Luo feel better, for instance, advising him not to be so stubborn in front of Fu Yu in the future, since that was only asking for trouble. It would be better to learn how to act pleasingly, beg for mercy, be a bit more obedient, and life would surely be easier.
However, after sweeping her gaze across the room out of the corner of her eye, the words that shouldn’t escape her mouth were ultimately swallowed back down.
She could only break into a cold sweat for Ruan Luo in her heart.
Actually, right now was a great opportunity to show goodwill; in the past, he didn’t even have the chance to if he wanted to.
This was because Fu Yu had suddenly reversed his usual attitude and started showing concern for him. The maid speculated that perhaps three days ago, after playing with him until he fainted, his conscience had suddenly kicked in?
If not for that, she couldn’t explain Fu Yu’s sudden shift in attitude toward Ruan Luo. Starting from that night three days ago, he seemed like a completely different person, unexpectedly instructing them to serve Ruan Luo well. She didn’t know if this was a fleeting whim of mercy or merely a little sweet treat before starting a new round of torment…
Regardless, it was still care and concern.
They all knew Fu Yu treated Ruan Luo terribly, while Ruan Luo happened to possess a deeply proud nature.
He never submitted when Fu Yu lost his temper, and Fu Yu sometimes resorted to despicable means just to make him bow his head. Yet he never softened, never begged for mercy, never earned Fu Yu’s favor, and suffered brutal beatings every few days.
This time, Ruan Luo had been unconscious for three days because his heat period had arrived.
After their marriage, Fu Yu and Ruan Luo had no actual marital relations; Fu Yu had never touched Ruan Luo in that way. As a result, Ruan Luo’s heat cycle was extremely chaotic, so chaotic that while others experienced it once every three months, he suffered it three times a month.
Logically speaking, an Omega in heat lacked a clear mind, making it meaningless to bully them. Yet Fu Yu’s favorite pastime was to stand by with a cold eye and watch Ruan Luo collapse at his feet in the throes of passion.
He wanted to watch this little swan, who usually held his head high with pride when sober, lose his mind and dignity during his heat, groveling at his feet, using hazy, pleading eyes to beg for his mercy.
Fu Yu would never touch him. He would only take the opportunity to humiliate Ruan Luo for being wanton, push him to his absolute absolute limit, and then ruthlessly inject him with inhibitors.
He used this method to tell Ruan Luo that he was a failed Omega, a piece of trash.
Then, once Ruan Luo regained consciousness, he would play the recording back for him to see, using it to break his spirit.
Usually, nothing went beyond that. But this time, it coincided with Ruan Luo being physically unwell. Coupled with the overwhelming emotional distress, Ruan Luo had fainted from sheer outrage while watching the footage.
Yet, to the utter astonishment of the maid and the servants, on the very night he drove Ruan Luo to unconsciousness, Fu Yu suddenly seemed like a changed man. He furiously picked Ruan Luo up from the basement with extreme care, cradling him in his arms. He even sternly summoned his personal doctor overnight.
Afterward, as if possessed by a ghost, he disregarded his status and did everything himself, painstakingly washing Ruan Luo and gently applying medicine to his wounds…
That level of attentive care was so intense, it was as if the person who had driven Ruan Luo to the brink of brokenness wasn’t him at all.
The servants couldn’t help but sigh with emotion, all hoping Fu Yu’s tenderness toward Ruan Luo would last a little longer.
They had watched this child for three years and genuinely adored him in their hearts; it was just that, out of fear of Fu Yu’s attitude, they never dared to show it.
Ruan Luo stood up, withdrawing his gaze from the garden outside the French window: Do you know how he plans to deal with me next?
The maid looked away: …I don’t know.
Ruan Luo nodded and smiled at her: Thank you.
After a pause, he added: Tell your Master that I am unwell and won’t be participating in any new games. Please take me back to the basement; I want to rest some more.
The maid cast a pleading look toward the housekeeper.
The Master had only instructed her to serve him food and had given no other orders; she didn’t dare make her own decisions.
The housekeeper frowned slightly, seemingly pondering something. After a moment, he shook his head at her.
The maid breathed a sigh of relief.
God knows how much she didn’t want to send this child back to that damned basement.
She softened her voice: Please follow me, Little Master. If you don’t wish to rest in Mr. Fu’s bedroom, I will take you to choose a guest room.
After watching Ruan Luo and the maid go upstairs, the housekeeper hurriedly placed a call to Fu Yu.
When the phone rang, Fu Yu was frowning while reviewing a thick stack of archival files.
Before he could finish reading, his assistant knocked on the door and brought in another stack: President Fu, Ruan Luo’s files, along with the stack in my hands, are now complete. Everything from his childhood up until now, every detail, everything we could gather…
Fu Yu made a shh gesture at her and waved his hand.
The assistant quickly closed her mouth, stepped back quietly, and shut the door behind her.
Fu Yu answered the phone, and the housekeeper’s voice came through the receiver: Mr. Fu, he is awake, but he isn’t eating. He only took a single bite of food and drank a cup of hot milk.
Fu Yu pinched his brows: How is his mood?
The housekeeper froze for a moment, as if trying to comprehend Fu Yu’s meaning, before hastily replying: It’s hard to tell his mood. He doesn’t seem very energetic and mentioned feeling unwell.
Fu Yu rubbed the space between his eyebrows: What is he doing?
The housekeeper was caught off guard by the question, realizing Fu Yu was asking what Ruan Luo was doing at that moment.
He quickly said: He went to rest. Not in your bedroom; he went to a guest room.
Fu Yu asked again: What is his body temperature?
The housekeeper stammered slightly: We… we didn’t check…
Fu Yu’s voice dripped with icy coldness: He is feeling unwell, and you all just ignore it?
The housekeeper faltered. His train of thought hadn’t yet caught up with Fu Yu’s newly acquired humane rhythm. He paused before answering: We will pay attention next time. It’s mainly because… in the past, we had no experience taking care of him like this. We were afraid doing too much would displease you, so we assumed we should handle it with cold indifference as before…
Fu Yu hung up the phone directly.
His slender fingers rubbed against the two thick stacks of files for a moment.
He then pulled out a cigarette, bit down on it, reached up, and frustratedly ran a hand through his hair.
Fuck.
After a long silence, he finally erupted. Striding forward with his long legs, he threw himself into the massage chair.
Three days ago, he was still a normal capitalist, working and leaving the office at normal hours, comfortably single.
Who would have thought that amid this normal rhythm of life, he would come across an abnormal serialized web novel post?
The novel was a fanfiction written by an insane anti-fan specifically targeting him, featuring himself as the male lead. All of his background, family background, and glory remained unchanged.
The only difference was that this novel forced an Omega onto him.
In the novel, he never gave this Omega a single kind look, beating and torturing him every single day.
How the hell is this any different from a beast? Is this revenge against me or revenge against society?! Secretary Wang, delete this post! Track it down and ban this lunatic’s IP!
In the end, the post was deleted, and the IP was banned.
Yet, when he woke up, he had transmigrated. He transmigrated to three days ago, right at the point in this anti-fan fanfiction where he had just tortured the Omega, Ruan Luo, into unconsciousness.
Fu Yu rubbed his temples with his slender fingers, got up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and smoked two cigarettes in a row.
Finally, he extinguished the cigarette butt directly in the palm of his hand.
He walked over to his office desk, picked up the keys to his Maybach, and without calling his driver, strode straight out the door and headed toward the B1 underground garage.