Chapter 169 Leader

Chapter 169: The Sect Leader

He looked at the face before him, as beautiful as a hibiscus in full bloom, at those lips stained with his own blood.

That thread of reason in his mind, dangerously thin, let out an agonized, desperate groan.

The last remnants of his sanity screamed wildly, forcing himself to calm down.

【—Skipped—】

Cheng Ge's eyes snapped open, and without a second thought, his hand shot up.

"Smack—!" A crisp, resounding slap echoed through the hall.

Cheng Ge was a seasoned sect leader; that slap packed a punch.

Zhou Zhan, caught off guard, the sudden blow whipped his head to one side, his ears filled with an instant, piercing whine.

A searing, fiery pain exploded across his cheek, as if sparks were burning beneath his skin.

The confusion ignited by the drug was shattered by this merciless strike, shattering it completely.

He turned his head in disbelief, his eyes a mix of shock, anger, hurt, and dazed confusion.

"Your Highness! Look at me! Who am I?! I'm a man!!

You're the Crown Prince of this nation! The future Son of Heaven! Pull yourself together!" The words "Crown Prince" were like ice picks, like chains.

"Crown Prince..." Those two words—cold and heavy—crashed into Zhou Zhan's chaotic mind.

He tasted the salt and metal of blood, its scent mingling with Cheng Ge's clear yet scorching aura, carrying an uncanny allure.

"Mu... Yu..." There was no blame in that voice, only a drowning helplessness.

Cheng Ge looked at the stark smear of blood at the corner of his mouth, at the clear handprint on his face.

He watched the rage in his eyes fade, leaving only fragility and confusion. Perhaps he was just a child, knowing nothing of such things...

He slowly extended both hands, cupping Zhou Zhan's cheeks, his eyes fixed firmly on Zhou Zhan.

"Your Highness! Look at me! Listen to me...

We've been set up! We have to stay calm! Or we'll both end up dead!"

"Set up... die without a burial place..." Zhou Zhan repeated numbly.

【—Skipped—】

Taking advantage of that moment of distraction, Cheng Ge's hands, still cupping his cheeks, slid down abruptly.

One hand clamped down on Zhou Zhan's wrist, while the other went straight for his belt and yanked hard.

Zhou Zhan felt the grip on his waist loosen, his body instantly losing balance. Before he could fully react, an irresistible force slammed him hard to the floor!

【—Skipped—】

Zhou Zhan's eyes widened in shock, staring at Cheng Ge in disbelief.

"Cheng Muyu—"

Cheng Ge ignored him, dragging the struggling, writhing Zhou Zhan all the way to the corner, dumping him next to Wuya.

Having done that, he staggered back a few steps, leaned against the cold wall, and slid down as if all the strength had drained from him.

"Mmph..." The cursed fire inside him hadn't subsided; instead, it surged even more violently from the exertion.

Cheng Ge curled up in pain, pressing his forehead hard against the cold floor, trying to use that chill to suppress the heat that threatened to consume his reason.

He gritted his teeth, banging his head against the floor, thud-thud-thud. Soon, the side of his forehead was bloodied.

In the opposite corner, the sight of the two tied up the same way was pretty absurd.

Though equally disheveled, watching Cheng Ge's agonized struggle and glancing at the prince's swollen cheek, Wuya licked her dry, cracked lips, panted heavily, and spoke in a deliberately husky, seductive tone.

"Heh... heh heh... Young master, why put yourself through this?

Look at you, suffering so much! I have a fine figure and good looks too... heh...

Aren't I a hundred times better than this beardless brat who only knows how to throw a fit?"

Her eyes lingered on Cheng Ge's hunched back, "Stick with me, and I'll show you the ultimate pleasures of the mortal world...

Better than knocking your head against the wall here, don't you think? Big sister will take care of you, won't let you suffer..."

"Shut up! You shameless witch!" Zhou Zhan, next to her, erupted like a cat with its tail stomped.

"Dressed so indecently, you have no shame at all!"

He struggled to sit up, but bound too tightly, he could only writhe on the ground like an angry caterpillar.

"Oh, my~" Wuya sneered, not backing down.

"The Crown Prince sure talks big! But when you were sucking on this young gentleman's neck just now, where was your shame?"

"How does it feel, tied up like this, huh? A mere child, what do you know about passion?"

"Don't get near me, you witch—you're disgusting—"

The skipped portions are available in the audiobook for the complete story.