Tang Ze poured himself a glass of water and leaned casually against the wall, smirking. "I was just out for a stroll when I happened to stumble upon her. When luck comes knocking, there's no stopping it."
Sun Ting and An Bai rose from their seats and approached Ye Qingyi, scrutinizing her with curious eyes. Feeling uneasy under their gaze, Ye Qingyi instinctively shifted backward, sensing something off about these two women.
Despite her discomfort, she offered another thanks. "Thank you for saving me."
Tang Ze sighed in mock exasperation. "You've already said that."
Ye Qingyi hesitated, a blush creeping onto her cheeks before she mustered the courage to ask, "You're so capable... do you have any way to get us out of here?"
"I'm not Superman; I can't exactly fly us out," Tang Ze replied, spreading his hands as if to emphasize the absurdity of the request. This woman certainly had high expectations.
Without further ado, he added, "First things first—let's get her cleaned up."
"We can shower here?" Ye Qingyi asked incredulously, finally understanding why the women carried a faint, pleasant scent.
Sun Ting giggled softly. "Of course we can. If we didn't bathe, we'd smell awful, and Master wouldn't be pleased."
As she spoke, Sun Ting nudged Ye Qingyi toward the bathroom. Ye Qingyi quickly protested, "I can manage on my own."
"We'll help you while explaining the rules around here," Sun Ting insisted firmly.
Before Ye Qingyi could object further, the two women pushed her inside. Tang Ze paid no mind; after all, Sun Ting was the head trainer, known for her unorthodox methods.
Inside the bathroom, An Bai turned on the hot water, and steam gradually filled the room. Through the haze, the outlines of three alluring figures became faintly visible—a sight that might make even the most composed person blush.
"Your figure is stunning, sister," Sun Ting remarked as she lathered body wash onto Ye Qingyi's skin.
An Bai blushed slightly, adding, "Yes, this will make things easier for us."
Ye Qingyi, utterly bewildered, stammered, "I-I can do it myself!"
Sun Ting clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "From now on, we're in this together. We need to look out for each other to survive in this post-apocalyptic world."
"That's right, we're a team," An Bai chimed in, though a hint of nervous laughter betrayed her words.
Ye Qingyi grew increasingly confused. "What do you mean by 'a team'?"
"We're all Master's little pets," Sun Ting explained, tapping Ye Qingyi lightly on the forehead. "You're so beautiful, but your reactions are slower than An Bai's."
At those words, Ye Qingyi took a step back, her expression hardening. "I'm nobody's pet, and I won't become one!"
An Bai and Sun Ting froze, as if seeing echoes of their former selves in her defiance.
"Calm down, sister. It's just a formality. Our main task is to keep Master happy," Sun Ting tried to explain gently.
But Ye Qingyi's tone sharpened. "I'm not anyone's slave, and I don't owe anyone my happiness. I won't join you. Move aside—I'm leaving!" She reached for her tattered dress.
An Bai and Sun Ting exchanged worried glances. This was heading toward disaster.
Outside, Tang Ze noticed the bathroom door opening and thought they were done so quickly. But instead, he saw Ye Qingyi storming out, her gaze filled with disdain as she locked eyes with him.
What's going on?
Tang Ze stepped forward, blocking her path.
"Move! I'm leaving! You're just like them. I misjudged you!"
Tang Ze raised an eyebrow, amused. "Misjudged me? Did you think I was some kind of hero?" He chuckled darkly, finding her imagination both amusing and frustrating.
Ye Qingyi had indeed thought so, but now she realized how wrong she was. Without another word, she tried to sidestep him.
Tang Ze let out an exasperated sigh. If supplies weren't so scarce, he might have ended her then and there. Instead, he grabbed her wet hair.
"Ah! Let go of me, you despicable man!"
Tang Ze yanked her head down, his voice cold and menacing. "I spent ten crates of bottled water to win you, and now you think you can just walk away?"
"I'm not your property, and I won't submit to you!" Ye Qingyi spat through gritted teeth, enduring the pain.
Tang Ze's expression turned icy. He pulled out a gun and pressed it against her forehead. Did she really think he'd hesitate to kill her, rare catch or not?
Seeing the coldness in his eyes, Ye Qingyi realized she had angered a devil. Perhaps death would be better than being defiled. At least Zihui would only know she had vanished…
"Don't!" At the last moment, An Bai, who had just stepped out of the bathroom, cried out instinctively.
Tang Ze's gaze shifted to An Bai, as if daring her to take Ye Qingyi's place.
An Bai collapsed in fear, trembling. Sun Ting, maintaining composure, quickly interjected, "An Bai didn't mean it that way. She thinks this sister still has potential. Weren't we resistant at first too?"
Tang Ze narrowed his eyes slightly.
Sun Ting continued, "Killing her now would be too merciful. She hasn't even learned gratitude yet."
Tang Ze considered this. Shooting her outright did seem too lenient.
But even if he spared her life, he needed to ensure she understood that Tang Ze was no saint.
His fist slammed into Ye Qingyi's stomach. Though he used only a fraction of his strength, it was enough to leave her gasping. Her knees buckled, and she crumpled to the floor, curling up in agony as cold sweat drenched her body.
"Fine. I'll give you a few days. If there's still trouble, not only will she die, but you'll both face punishment as well."
Sun Ting cursed herself inwardly. How had she managed to drag herself into this mess?
This woman was going to get them all killed. What was she playing at?
"Take her back in and clean her up," Tang Ze ordered, lighting a cigarette. People often talked about repaying life-saving favors with devotion, but here he was, being called a scoundrel.
Sun Ting and the terrified An Bai dragged Ye Qingyi back into the bathroom.
Furious, Sun Ting turned on the showerhead and sprayed Ye Qingyi, who lay on the floor, her face pale as paper, too weak to speak.
"We were trying to be kind to you, and now you've put us all in danger."
The thought of the punishment they might face made Sun Ting and An Bai pale. They never wanted to endure that kind of horror again.
Sun Ting's fear morphed into anger, and she raised her foot, stepping forcefully on Ye Qingyi's frail body. Ye Qingyi could only let out muffled groans, curling up tighter in pain.
"An Bai, what are you waiting for? She's going to get us both punished!"
An Bai hesitated, her lips trembling. "I can't…"
"An Bai, do you know why your ex-boyfriend controlled you? Because you're weak!"
"I'm not weak, I just—" An Bai shook her head, her voice faltering.
Sun Ting grabbed An Bai's chin, hissing, "An Bai, we're in this together."
"I know."
"Then step on her!"
An Bai looked down at the suffering Ye Qingyi, her face conflicted. Slowly, she raised her leg and, closing her eyes, brought it down.
"Ah!" Ye Qingyi let out a sharp cry of agony. A blind stomp from a woman carried no restraint—and An Bai's blow landed far heavier than Sun Ting's.