Since being inexplicably taken to Miaojiang and thrown into this perilous underground world, Chu'he had finally managed to get a good night's sleep—a rare luxury.
She didn’t know how long she had slept, only that she felt refreshed. But the moment she opened her eyes, she belatedly realized something was wrong.
A chest covered in scars, cold to the touch, the texture rough and unpleasant.
Chu'he jerked her head up and found herself staring into a pair of eerie crimson eyes.
"Had enough of hugging me?"
Her body trembled, and she scrambled back in a panic. The movement was too abrupt—she fell onto the stone bed, hitting her head. It took her a moment to recover before she could sit up again.
Clutching her head, she forced an ingratiating smile. "Ninth, are you feeling better now?"
Ninth didn’t seem inclined to answer. He flexed his sore arm, got off the bed, picked up his clothes, and dressed himself before heading out without a word.
Chu'he called after him, "Where are you going?"
"To kill," Ninth replied without turning back.
He stepped out of the stone cave, and silence followed.
Only then did Chu'he realize that his daily departures were for this very purpose. The drug-forged warriors thrived on mutual slaughter—if one didn’t kill, they would be killed by others.
Holding her head, she felt like crying but had no tears left.
This place was nothing but a massive slaughterhouse. She had to find a way out!
An immeasurable amount of time later, Ninth returned, drenched in blood once more.
Chu'he had been sitting by the small pool, lost in thought about escaping, when a paper-wrapped bundle suddenly hit her. She snapped out of her daze, looking down at the oil-stained package in her lap before raising her gaze. "Ninth, you're back."
Ninth gave a cold "Mn" in response. He grabbed a medicine jar, pulling out a squirming, fleshy worm. Then, rolling up his sleeve, he revealed the deep, bone-exposing gashes crisscrossing his arm.
He crushed the worm in his hand, letting its juices drip onto the wounds. A suspicious green smoke rose as the injuries visibly began to heal—flesh writhing, as if countless insects were weaving new skin.
No matter how many times she witnessed it, Chu'he’s scalp prickled with horror.
Tentatively, she asked, "Are your opponents getting stronger?"
Ninth glanced at her.
"You didn’t used to get hurt this badly before," she added.
"They’re just worms. Strong or weak, I’ll kill them all sooner or later."
Though his Gu insects and medicines could heal even the most gruesome wounds, scars remained.
After days of relentless slaughter, only the strongest drug-forged warriors survived to this stage.
The opponents Ninth would face from now on would only grow deadlier.
Chu'he looked at the food in her hands. As usual, the paper was smeared with blood. She had long guessed—everything here had to be seized by force. The food she’d eaten these past days must have been taken in the midst of his killings.
Today, the package held only a single steamed bun.
She split it in two, hesitated, then handed him the larger half. "You should eat too."
Ninth didn’t move. "I’m not hungry."
Pursing her lips, Chu'he stood and walked over. After a glance at his bloodstained hands, she reached out and grabbed one.
His instinct was to pull away, but for some reason, she held on stubbornly, wiping his hand clean with a damp cloth—even scrubbing between his fingers.
Ninth seemed baffled, unable to comprehend the point of her actions.
Chu'he placed the half-bun into his now-clean palm. "Eat."
He gave her a sidelong glance, an odd sensation stirring in his chest. This time, he didn’t refuse, taking a bite.
It didn’t taste good.
Her eyes darted around before she tugged his sleeve, leading him to the pool. Kneeling, she pointed at the water. "This pond seems alive. Do you think there’s an underground river beneath it?"
Ninth said flatly, "No."
Chu'he lifted her gaze. "How do you know?"
"I just do."
If there were, so many wouldn’t be trapped in this sunless hell.
Realizing her wishful thinking, Chu'he sighed, hanging her head.
Ninth had no interest in her shifting moods and didn’t bother asking.
When her act failed, she tugged his sleeve again. "Ninth."
"What?"
"Have you ever thought about leaving this place?" she asked. "We could go to the outside world—where the sun shines by day, the moon glows at night, seasons change, and the breeze is gentle."
Ninth remained unmoved. "I’ve never seen those things. Whether I do or not makes no difference."
Her eyelid twitched. "Ninth, we can’t spend our whole lives in this darkness. It’s fine with just the two of us, but what if… what if Little Treasure comes along?"
Ninth frowned. "Who’s Little Treasure?"
"Our child!"
Chu'he stood, pressing his hand against her abdomen with grave seriousness. "You once said if we had a child, we’d name them Little Treasure. Children are delicate—they need doctors when sick, tutors when they start talking and walking. And when they grow up, if it’s a boy, he’ll need to marry and have children of his own. We can’t let Little Treasure be trapped in this hellhole forever!"
Ninth: "..."
"I don’t mind. Anywhere with you is enough for me. But I can’t let Little Treasure live like this."
Her sincerity was palpable, maternal radiance shining despite not yet being a mother.
But Ninth wasn’t so easily fooled. "There’s no Little Treasure in your belly."
In other words, she wasn’t pregnant.
Undeterred, Chu'he pressed on, "Not now, but after last night… after what we did, I might be in a month!"
Ninth’s hand, holding the half-eaten bun, jerked. "What we did?"
"You know… we were intimate again!" Covering her flushed face, she turned away, feigning shyness. "Intimacy can lead to children. Didn’t you know?"
Ninth: "..."
He truly hadn’t.
Chu'he spun around, her voice sickeningly sweet. "And we were so close for… so long. Even if we wanted to prevent it now, it’s too late. Besides, you were so… so passionate…"
Ninth: "..."
She gazed at him, eyes brimming with affection. "What if I’m carrying twins? It’s not impossible."
With a soft thud, the bun fell from Ninth’s hand.
"So, Ninth," Chu'he clasped his hands solemnly, "for our child’s future, we must find a way out. Right?"
Her expression darkened with worry. "If we don’t leave… what if Little Treasure is taken and turned into a drug-forged warrior the moment they’re born?"
Though Ninth was tall, he was utterly inexperienced in matters of love, and Chu'he's smooth talk had successfully convinced him—mostly.
They had been intimate before, so it didn’t matter that she hadn’t conceived Little Treasure then.
But yesterday, they had been close again, holding each other for so long, so this time, there was a real chance she might be carrying Little Treasure.
Just as Chu'he had said, given how potent he was, she might even be expecting twins!
Chu'he gritted her teeth in secret, deciding to reward the naive young man with a little favor.
Rising on her toes, she leaned in slowly. "Ninth, our Little Treasure… must not be born here."
The moment her lips touched his, his entire body stiffened.
In the dimly lit secret chamber, the candlelight flickered.
The floor was littered with carved wooden figurines, shattered and scattered as if torn apart in a silent massacre.
A lone figure sat motionless among them.
The delicate chime of silver ornaments rang softly as strands of hair shifted, the crimson gemstone earrings hidden within gleaming coldly.
A pale hand reached into the pile of broken wood, retrieving the one intact doll. After examining it carefully, narrow crimson eyes narrowed further.
Outside the chamber stood the disciples of the Witchcraft and Gu Sorcery Sect, keeping watch.
"The elder says the young master’s talent is unparalleled—he will surely be the first to sever the seven emotions and six desires, becoming the perfect King of Human Gu."
"Of course. Once the young master becomes the Gu King, our Witchcraft and Gu Sorcery Sect will surpass even the greatest sects of the Central Plains."
"Now, the young master has already cut off six emotions and five desires. Only one of each remains. His ascension as the King of Human Gu is near."
"Just wait. The day our Witchcraft and Gu Sorcery Sect rises to glory is not far off."
