Chapter 13

Chapter 13

When Cui Yueyi was awakened by the knocking, she was dazed.

Although she was a night owl, her routine was usually regular—she would sleep around six or seven in the morning and wake up at two or three in the afternoon.

Abruptly woken up like this, her head ached. She turned to grab her phone from the bedside table and saw it was only just after one in the afternoon.

Furious and annoyed at having her sleep disrupted, she pulled a light jacket from the closet, threw it on, and shouted irritably, “Who is it? What’s with all the knocking in the middle of the day?”

Cui Yueyi walked toward the living room and heard a man’s voice reply from outside the door, “Courier. Open up quickly, I still have other deliveries to make.”

Cui Yueyi was suspicious. “I haven’t ordered anything recently. You’ve got the wrong address.”

The man outside sounded even more impatient. “Ms. Cui, last four digits 7293. Is that you? It’s a small box, light. The label says it’s cosmetics.”

Cui Yueyi racked her brain, muttering to herself as she went to open the door, “Could it be a birthday gift from some cosmetics counter? But I didn’t get a call.”

Since the man claiming to be a courier sounded so convincing and it was broad daylight, she didn’t suspect a thing. She casually opened the door and said, “Alright, hand it over. Thanks…”

Before she could finish the last word, she was frozen in shock by what happened.

The man at the door was indeed wearing a courier uniform and holding a small taped-up box in his left hand, but in his right hand he clutched a sharp knife. As Cui Yueyi opened the door, he nervously pressed it to her throat, cutting a thin gash. Small drops of blood immediately appeared.

Cui Yueyi instinctively wanted to scream, but the man pressed the knife closer and threatened in a low voice, “If you make a sound, I’ll kill you right now.”

She did want to scream. She also wanted to slam the door shut. But the man’s fierce expression and the sting on her neck kept her from acting recklessly. Terrified, her mind went blank. Only after a few seconds did she manage to hold back her tears and nod.

Her legs were weak, but she didn’t dare fall. She didn’t dare cry, and she was too scared to speak. She could only hold back her tears, breathe rapidly, and do as the man said.

The man threatened Cui Yueyi as they stepped back into the apartment.

The moment they were inside, the man immediately threw away the courier box and closed the door behind him.

As if the enclosed space gave him a sense of security, or as if he was convinced that Cui Yueyi was completely helpless and couldn’t escape his grasp, the man dropped his disguise. He looked her up and down with a disgusting gaze, then surveyed the room. He said casually, “I’ve seen your performance. It was great. Now dance for me. If you satisfy me, I’ll let you go.”

Cui Yueyi didn’t believe him at all, but with her life in his hands, she could only reply fearfully and obediently, “Then… let me go change clothes.”

Thoughts raced through her mind. If he agreed, she could rush into the bedroom and lock the door. The bedroom door was wooden, but she had an iron rod hidden by the bed. She could fight back. As a last resort, she could jump out the window—she lived on the third floor, and one of the bedroom windows had no screen. A drop of about 30 feet might not kill her, but falling into this man’s hands would mean humiliation and likely death anyway.

Her plan was sound, but the man didn’t give her the chance. He pressed the knife forward again, creating another wound, and watched her terrified expression with pleasure. He said maliciously, “No need. Just dance here, in the living room. I’ll watch.”

Besides fear, Cui Yueyi felt a surge of intense humiliation. She was wearing a silk slip nightgown with no underwear. Though she had a thin jacket thrown over it, the jacket was light and smooth. With any movement, it would slide off her shoulders, exposing her figure completely.

Thinking about what might happen next, she trembled all over with fear. She even wanted to muster the courage to fight him, but she didn’t dare. She really didn’t dare. She didn’t want to die. She wanted to live.

Her face grew paler. Her face was covered in sweat and tears. She desperately didn’t want to do it, but she didn’t dare resist or refuse.

The man watched her expression with satisfaction. Seeing her fearful, unwilling, and humiliated as she agreed, he laughed. Then he slowly moved the knife away, took half a step back, and tilted his chin. “Dance. Now.”

The man had planned well, just like the previous two times: first, fully enjoy the pleasure of dominating them, then brutally take pleasure in their young, beautiful bodies. When everything was over and they thought they would survive, he would stab them in the chest and end their lives.

After all, he didn’t have long to live anyway. Before dying, he would take a few more beautiful women marked with his brand down with him. Maybe they could continue their relationship in the afterlife.

His face twisted, his eyes filled with malicious joy and satisfaction. He looked at Cui Yueyi at eye level but felt himself towering above, arbitrarily deciding another person’s life and death.

But the next second, the smile on the man’s face froze. He never expected that there was a second person in this apartment, which he had determined was occupied by a single woman.

That person appeared silently behind Cui Yueyi. Before he could react or raise his knife, the figure darted toward him, fast as lightning. Then something slammed hard into his face. Intense pain struck, and before he could even resist, he was easily knocked to the ground.

…

The moment the prey moved the knife away from Cui Yueyi’s neck, Tang Qiu darted out instantly. She took one stride toward the prey, leaped high, and drove her knee into his face.

The human body has some extremely hard bones, and the kneecap is one of them. With that single blow, she neutralized the prey in an instant. But she didn’t stop. After knocking him down, she immediately pointed her toe and kicked him hard in the unprotected abdomen.

His soft internal organs took a heavy hit. The prey turned pale from pain, his body crashing against the wall. He tried to scream, but the sharp agony prevented him from screaming. He could only curl up, hissing in pain as he waited for it to pass.

Tang Qiu didn’t stop. As he curled up to protect his abdomen, she stomped her hard heel into his face, again and again, until blood splattered, his eyes were swollen shut, and he was nearly unconscious. Only then did she proceed to the next attack.

Expressionless, without even thinking, she instinctively stomped hard between his legs. The prey's body arched in agony, a miserable scream nearly bursting his throat. But Tang Qiu’s eyes didn’t change. She twisted her foot, grinding it down until the prey convulsed violently, like a fish on a cutting board making its final struggle, then fell completely unconscious.

Everything happened so fast. Cui Yueyi, from being taken hostage to being rescued, hadn’t even processed it before it was over.

With the prey completely subdued, the system interface that Tang Qiu had been waiting for immediately appeared.

[You rescued Cui Yueyi at 1:09 PM on March 26. You significantly influenced Cui Yueyi’s fate. You obtained 1 basic attribute point. You successfully activated the special prize pool.

You drew from the special prize pool and obtained the item (Common): Fate’s Prophetic Eye (Single Use).

You saw Yu Jiekang. The item Fate’s Prophetic Eye (Single Use) was activated. Usage failed.

You slightly influenced Yu Jiekang’s fate. You advanced Yu Jiekang’s imprisonment. You advanced Yu Jiekang’s death. You obtained 0.5 universal attribute points.]

This was different from the last time. Tang Qiu’s eyes lingered on the line “You advanced Yu Jiekang’s death” for a few seconds. She had a vague suspicion, but she didn’t dwell on it. The person was saved, she had collected the prey’s attribute points, and it was time to leave.

She didn’t intend to stay for a second. Just as she was about to walk away, the system interface changed again. A few new lines appeared.

Tang Qiu felt a surge of excitement. It seemed there was another gain.

[You significantly influenced Li Xiaohe’s fate. You obtained 1 basic attribute point. You successfully activated the special prize pool.

You drew from the special prize pool and obtained the item (Premium): Pet Perspective Experience Card (Permanent), and the item (Common): Fate’s Prophetic Eye (Single Use).]

Another permanent item! Tang Qiu was surprised and thrilled. She was desperate to examine it, but this was clearly not the right time. She had to calm down and leave.

However, just as she reached the door, Cui Yueyi, who had been standing dumbfounded, suddenly snapped out of it and called out, “Wait.”

Tang Qiu stopped, feeling annoyed. What was with this person? Why was she like Su Ying, insisting on talking to her before she could leave?

As before, Tang Qiu stopped but didn’t turn around, waiting for Cui Yueyi to speak.

Cui Yueyi hesitated a few seconds before whispering, “Thank you. Thank you.”

Tang Qiu gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and was about to open the door.

But Cui Yueyi spoke again. “Wait.”

Now Tang Qiu was truly impatient. She pretended not to hear and opened the door.

Cui Yueyi said urgently, “Hold on. I have money. Cash. I know it can’t express my gratitude, but you saved my life. I really want to thank you. I have cash at home, tens of thousands of dollars. I’ll give it all to you.”

Hearing this, Tang Qiu moved even faster. She thought this target was truly bizarre. Had she come here to save people for money?