A few days had crawled by since Selene had left Damon's bed, marked, collared, and glowing. The Wet Deck rolled on without pause—one night blending into the next, waves of customers, drunken nobles, beastfolk, hustlers, and whores. For Damon, it was all starting to taste the same: parties, flesh, pleasure, the low hum of sin that usually made him feel invincible. But this morning, as he leaned against the scratched bar, half-watching Fizz scold the night crew for missing a stain on the carpet, Damon couldn't shake a sense of… staleness.
He flicked his wrist, summoning the Dickcord system overlay. The Queen Maker quest icon glowed, mocking him—zero progress, no new prompts, nothing but that taunting description: "Corrupt her, make her Queen, own the city's heart and throne." No new conquests, no milestones.
Damon scowled at the empty lounge, tossing back a bitter shot of whatever Fizz had left for the cleanup crew. The place stank of spilled liquor, last night's sweat, and too much perfume. He was bored. Hungry. Restless.
A door slid open, and all at once the air changed. Xinyi strode in, skin still dewy from her shower, a loose, sky-blue kimono clinging to her curves and nothing else. It barely reached her thighs, parting in front with every step. She moved like she owned every floorboard, every shadow. Her orange-red hair was twisted up with a single stick, the same shade as the trim of her fox tail.
She sprawled onto the couch opposite Damon, legs splayed, kimono parting wide. Her neat, auburn pubic hair flashed between her thighs, a promise and a dare. She caught Damon staring and smirked, shifting just enough to show him the glossy pink of her slit.
"See something you like?" she purred, voice husky with mischief.
He raised a brow, letting his eyes rake over her body. "You always this shameless before noon?"
She laughed, tossing her hair. "You're boring when you sulk. Come on, the city's alive. Get your ass out of this cave and walk with me."
"Walk where?"
"Lower deck," she said, drawing the words out like a lure. "Market's busy. You can show off for my fans."
Damon rolled his eyes but found himself grinning. The thought of fresh air, new faces, maybe some trouble—it stirred something in him. "If you insist."
"I do." Xinyi stood, shrugging off the kimono with a flourish. She padded to her chest, pulled out her favorite outfit—a cropped jacket, short skirt with side slits, tight halter top. No panties. She dressed with no shame, making sure Damon watched her slide the skirt up her hips, her tail flicking playfully as she bent over.
They headed down the stairs, Xinyi catching his arm, looping it through hers. As they stepped out into the Wet Deck's side door, she pressed his hand to her breast, making sure anyone watching got a show. Damon could feel her nipple pebbling under his palm, and she giggled, biting her lip. The dock was already pulsing with noise—cries from fishmongers, clatter from hawkers, the sizzle of street food in fat iron pans.
The market was its own kingdom, ruled by an unspoken truce: no violence, no thievery, unless you were bold or stupid enough to start it in the ring by the main fountain. Damon took in the riot of color—bright awnings, banners, flags fluttering with gang marks and old family crests. Humans, beastfolk, fae, and demons rubbed shoulders, traded curses and coin.
Xinyi was in her element, sashaying beside Damon, drawing eyes with every step. Her breasts bounced against his arm, and her skirt barely hid the curve of her ass. A cluster of young men lounging by a fruit cart—Xinyi's self-declared fanboys—spotted them, whistling and jeering.
"Oi, Xinyi! You bringin' your pet demon out for a walk?"
"Careful, Damon, you might get lost down there. Better stick close to her tail!"
Xinyi stuck out her tongue, pressing her chest even closer to Damon's arm. He could feel the eyes on him—envy, desire, resentment.
"Let 'em look," she whispered in his ear, low and dirty. "I like it when they know you're mine."
Before Damon could answer, a shadow fell across the market path. The wolf kin twins were impossible to miss—even among the chaos of the lower decks. Both women were tall, built like brawlers, their thick black hair cropped short. They wore tight vests and leather pants, scars and tattoos displayed like trophies. The short-haired twin, Jinhye, scowled at Xinyi, baring her teeth in a smirk. Her sister, Hyeran, folded her arms, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Well, well," Jinhye growled, "fox slut brought her boyfriend out for a playdate."
"Be careful, Xinyi. Wouldn't want him to get chewed up by real wolves."
Xinyi bristled, tail flicking high. "Jealous? Maybe if you were half as good in bed as you are at barking, your pack wouldn't have to beg for scraps."
The twins barked with laughter. Hyeran leaned in. "I doubt your pretty boy here could handle a real woman, let alone a wolf."
Xinyi grinned, locking her fingers tighter around Damon's hand. "He's better than any mutt in your pack—on the streets or in the sheets."
Jinhye snarled, looking for a fight. She jerked her chin at a broad-shouldered wolf kin lounging by the stage—a thick-necked brute named Dojin, covered in bite marks and piercings.
"Oi, Dojin! You feel like shutting this fox up? Show the crowd what a real fighter looks like."
Dojin rolled his shoulders, grinning wide. "You sure? Wouldn't want to break your new toy, Xinyi."
Xinyi answered before Damon could speak. "I'll put him up. If Damon wins, you two admit he's better than any wolf kin. If he loses… maybe I'll let you watch me fuck him myself."
The market crowd whooped and whistled. Damon shot Xinyi a glare. "Would've been nice to ask, you know."
She winked, dropping her hand to squeeze his ass. "Win for me and I'll make it worth your while."
As the crowd surged toward the fountain stage, Damon's mind pulsed with a system alert. The Dickcord overlay burst into view, garish and cruel:
[Dickcord Quest: "King of the Pit"]
Win the fight: +1 Fighting Skill Upgrade, Xinyi's Reward, Reputation Increase.
Lose: Dick limp for one week. No sex, no healing, no exceptions.
Good luck, stud. Don't embarrass us.
Damon clenched his fists. "Fuck me," he muttered, shooting a glare at Xinyi.
"After you win," she purred, tail curling around his wrist.
The makeshift ring at the fountain was a chaos of shouting, coins flying, and bodies pressed close. The rabbit kin judge—small, wiry, and sporting a battered helmet—hopped onto the stage, waving a whistle and holding up a pair of thin gloves.
"Rules: No claws, no killing, first down or tap-out. Anyone tries funny stuff, I bite."
Damon and Dojin faced off, bumping fists. Dojin smirked, showing a line of sharp canines. "You ready, pretty boy? You sure you're not gonna cry when you lose?"
Damon grinned, bouncing on his toes. "You can talk after you pick your teeth off the floor."
Rabbit kin blew the whistle, and the fight began.
Dojin lunged, fast and brutal, swinging wide. Damon ducked under the first punch, snapped a jab into Dojin's ribs, then spun out of reach. Dojin's claws flexed, but he kept them sheathed—mostly for the judge's benefit. The crowd roared, the market trembling with every stomp.
They traded blows, Damon relying on speed and precision, Dojin on brute force. Damon caught a fist to the jaw, the world ringing for a heartbeat, but he shook it off, dancing back, slipping a hook to Dojin's side. Xinyi shouted from the edge, egging him on.
"Come on, Damon! Show them what you're made of!"
Jinhye and Hyeran jeered, cursing and howling every time Dojin landed a hit.
It was messy, savage, the kind of fight that left knuckles bloodied and skin split. Damon's breath burned in his lungs, sweat stinging his eyes. But he found his rhythm—dodge, jab, weave, a low kick to Dojin's knee, another to the thigh. Dojin growled, grabbing at Damon's shoulders, trying to muscle him down.
Damon twisted, broke the grip, landed a quick elbow to Dojin's cheek, sending him stumbling. For a moment, the wolf looked dazed. Damon pressed, throwing a flurry of punches, one-two, then feinted low. Dojin's guard dropped.
Damon's fist snapped up, a perfect uppercut, cracking into Dojin's chin. The wolf kin's head snapped back, and he crumpled, hitting the boards with a heavy thud.
Silence. Then the crowd exploded, gamblers screaming, coins tossed in the air. The rabbit kin judge bounded over, checking Dojin's eyes, then raised Damon's arm high.
"Winner—Damon! The fox's champion!"
Xinyi whooped, leaping onto the stage, breasts bouncing, tail waving like a flag. She flung her arms around Damon, planting a filthy kiss on his lips in front of the whole market.
"You did it! Fuck, I'm so wet right now…"
Damon grinned, arms aching, blood dripping from his knuckles. "You owe me."
Xinyi pressed her body to his, grinding her hips against his thigh. "You'll get your reward, champion. Tonight. Maybe in public, if you're lucky."
The wolf kin twins pushed through the crowd, grudging respect in their eyes. Jinhye spat blood onto the boards and offered Damon her hand.
"Not bad, demon. You fight like a beast. Next time, maybe try your luck against both of us."
Damon took her hand, squeezing hard. "Anytime."
Hyeran snorted, flicking her eyes over Xinyi. "He might be good in the ring, but can he keep up in bed?"
Xinyi's tail flicked smugly. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
The crowd was already moving on, bets being settled, new challenges shouted. Damon and Xinyi slipped off the stage, weaving through a swarm of gamblers, shopkeepers, and hungry onlookers.
As they left the square, Damon felt a familiar pulse—system notification, this time bright and celebratory.
[Dickcord Quest Complete: "King of the Pit"]
+1 Fighting Skill Upgrade!
Xinyi's Reward unlocked.
Queen Maker Progress: 10%
Keep making a scene, stud.
Xinyi clung to his arm, dragging him toward a quieter alley. "Come on. Let's find a place to celebrate. Or would you rather I reward you right here, in front of everyone?"
Damon laughed, catching her lips in another rough kiss. "Surprise me."
She grinned, all teeth and heat. "Oh, I plan to."
As the sun climbed higher, the market came alive with new rumors—about the fox's champion, the wild demon, the fights and the lovers and the next big spectacle. And in the shadows, the system hummed with promise, every filthy victory pushing Damon closer to the throne.