Tens of thousands of miles away from Wulong City, a magnificent villa stood gracefully by the edge of the boundless blue sea.
The crash of waves broke the silence, caressing marble walls and white stone terraces that gleamed beneath the light of the setting sun.
In a natural pool directly connected to the ocean, a man lounged lazily against the edge. Half of his body was submerged in the water, while his lower half had transformed into the tail of a gigantic merfolk, its green-golden scales shimmering like treasures from the deep sea. Each scale reflected the light—beautiful, yet deadly.
His eyes were a clear blue, sharp like the deepest ocean—calm on the surface, yet hiding dangerous currents beneath. His skin was pale as jade, his face nearly perfect: a tall, defined nose, sensual lips curved into a faint, lazy smile. His bluish-purple hair was still wet, seawater dripping slowly down his neck and across his lean, lightly muscled chest. His broad, well-proportioned shoulders made him look like a sculpture carved by an ancient god.
He was Lin Yuan—one of Hu Shui's beast husbands, the ruler of the seas in merfolk form.
"You've heard already, haven't you?" Lin Yuan said lazily, his low, clear voice moving in rhythm with the waves. "That damned snake sent a message. He said that crazy wolf has taken yet another new partner."
Not far from him, beneath the villa's white canopy, a man sat elegantly on an expensive wooden chair. He raised a glass of red wine to his lips, savoring it slowly, as though enjoying fresh blood.
The man was handsome—yet his charm was far darker.
His skin was pale, almost translucent, sharply contrasting with lips that were vividly red, unnaturally alive. His eyes were a deep crimson, cold and unfathomable, like blood long since frozen. His expression was calm—too calm—radiating danger without needing to flaunt it.
He was Lu Xiao, a half-vampire beast man, another of Hu Shui's husbands—a shadow of the night walking between life and death.
"Yes," he replied flatly, without excess emotion. "I've received the message."
He swirled the wine slowly in his glass, watching the red liquid turn, then took another elegant sip.
Lin Yuan narrowed his blue eyes, a thin smile forming on his face. "You don't intend to congratulate him?"
Lu Xiao gave a soft, almost inaudible snort."There's no need. I have nothing to do with that rotten wolf."
His tone was cold and emotionless. To Lu Xiao, ever since Hu Shui's death, all ties with the other beast husbands had been severed. The only exception was the fish-man before him—and even that was due to a stupid mistake: he had bought this seaside villa without knowing that the sea creature would turn it into a frequent resting place.
Lin Yuan chuckled softly, his laughter light but laced with mockery. He propped his chin on one hand, his fish tail swaying lazily in the water."I'm curious," he said casually. "What kind of unlucky woman would be foolish enough to become that wolf's partner?"
"If you're curious, you should go visit him," Lu Xiao said coolly, hoping that would at least grant him a few weeks of peace. He took another slow sip of wine.
"Mm," Lin Yuan replied with a faint smile, his tail gently swaying beneath the water. "Perhaps I should prepare a suitable gift first."
Lu Xiao lifted his gaze, his dark red eyes flicking toward Lin Yuan meaningfully. The corner of his lips curved slightly, cold and sharp."A suitable gift?" he asked quietly. "You mean torture devices?"
Lin Yuan laughed softly, his voice as clear as rippling seawater. "Ah, you always think too darkly," he said lazily—though the sly glint in his eyes only reinforced Lu Xiao's suspicion.
Lu Xiao snorted. He raised his wine glass, swirling the red liquid with refined movements."As long as I'm not dragged into it," he said coldly, "you can bring whatever gift you want. That wolf deserves something… memorable."
As night approached, Xiang Shuai finally awoke from his long slumber. He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, wooden walls permeated with the scent of a wolf. His awareness returned instantly—this was Yun Wu's house, that stinking wolf's den.
He let out a soft breath, trying to piece together his memories. The past few days felt hazy; perhaps he should restrain his appetite if he didn't want to sleep for so long again. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but his body felt stiff.
With calm steps, Xiang Shuai left the room, intending to find a glass of water. But his steps halted in front of the room directly opposite his own—Xue Yunxue's room.
Silence.
Too silent.
The house was dark and still. Was no one here?
Shouldn't that girl be here?
His instincts stirred. His forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air, capturing every lingering trace. The faint peach scent—Xue Yunxue's—was still present, but it was tainted by something unfamiliar.
Xiang Shuai's body tensed.
He pushed open the door to Xue Yunxue's room.
Empty.
The bed was slightly rumpled, the blanket displaced unnaturally, as if someone had risen in a hurry—or been dragged away. There were no signs of packing. No traces of escape.
She hadn't left of her own will.
Xiang Shuai inhaled deeply, his golden pupils narrowing sharply.
Sleeping drugs.
The scent was faint, but unmistakable—a low-grade sedative commonly used by illegal hunters and kidnappers.
And that wasn't all.
There was another disgusting smell lingering in the room.
Deer… and rhinoceros.
Low-class beast men—large-bodied, small-brained, often kept as attack dogs by criminal groups.
Xiang Shuai's face hardened, his jaw clenching so tightly that the muscles at his temples bulged."How daring…" he hissed coldly, his voice slipping between his teeth. "Did she run away with the help of those lowlife criminals…?"
Xue Yunxue was gone—taken—by low-class beast men.
With swift, silent movements, Xiang Shuai rushed downstairs. At that moment, the front door burst open. Yun Wu entered, his tall frame weary, the heavy stench of blood clinging to his clothes—whether animal prey or slain beast men, it was impossible to tell.
The tired wolf's eyes met Xiang Shuai's sharp golden gaze, filled with killing intent.
"What happened?" Yun Wu asked, his voice low and hoarse.
"Someone entered this house while I was asleep," Xiang Shuai replied roughly, his throat dry after days without water. "They kidnapped Yunxue."
Yun Wu's aura changed instantly.
Without a word, he shot upstairs. His wolf nose worked rapidly, scanning every corner of Xue Yunxue's room. Xiang Shuai followed, his expression growing darker.
That soft peach scent was still there—but tainted.
"Sleeping drugs," Yun Wu said coldly. "Residue of a low-grade sedative."
Xiang Shuai's gaze dropped to the floor. A small bracelet lay there—the tracking bracelet.
"Did the girl run away with someone's help?" he muttered, restrained fury in his voice.
"No," Yun Wu said firmly. "If she'd fled, there wouldn't be the scent of sedatives."
He turned and walked to his disk-computer. His fingers moved quickly, his expression calm, yet his green eyes flashed with danger.
"This area is full of criminals, addicts, and low-class beast men," he continued flatly. "A beautiful, unprotected girl is easy prey."
Xiang Shuai snorted softly, the scales on his arm glinting faintly. "So you anticipated this."
"From the beginning," Yun Wu replied.
The computer screen lit up. A red dot blinked softly on a digital map.
"I planted another tracker," he said without emotion, "without Yunxue's knowledge."
The red dot moved, steadily distancing itself.
Seeing the location already hundreds of miles away, it was clear—Yunxue had been taken far beyond Wulong City.
Yun Wu grabbed several daggers, slipping them beneath his coat without hesitation. In one smooth motion, his body shot toward the city wall. The southern wall near his house was the perfect exit—quiet, dark, and without witnesses. His fingers gripped the stone, muscles working efficiently, and in an instant he was atop the wall.
"Why not go through the main gate like a respectable man?" Xiang Shuai's voice came from below, cold and mocking.
Yun Wu didn't turn. "Because I already know who did it," he replied shortly. His wolf eyes gleamed wildly, sharp as if ready to tear the night apart.
In the blink of an eye, Yun Wu stood atop the city wall. Xiang Shuai followed almost simultaneously, his movements smooth and lethal, like a shadow that never lagged behind.
Yun Wu glanced sideways. "I thought you were a gentleman."
"Tch," Xiang Shuai snorted, a crooked smile forming on his lips. "Did you forget my title? The unruly rebel prince."
Without replying, Yun Wu leapt down from the wall. Below, he immediately deployed an anti-gravity vehicle. The engine hummed low, then erupted into a sharp roar as he accelerated forward, slicing through the darkness and tearing past trees at brutal speed.
The air trembled.
Behind him, Xiang Shuai transformed. His human form vanished, replaced by a massive silver serpent gleaming beneath the moonlight. His scales reflected cold flashes as he surged forward, his long body undulating violently, smashing against earth and tree trunks, pursuing at an almost absurd speed.
The anti-gravity engine roared. The silver serpent hissed.
Two predators raced side by side—one driven by steel and technology, the other by flesh and primal instinct—both heading toward the same destination.
Xue Yunxue awoke to Moa's frantic voice echoing in her mind, urgent and panicked.
"Big Sister Xue, wake up! You're being kidnapped!"
Her consciousness jolted. Her vision shook briefly before focusing. She was inside a narrow, shaking armored vehicle, cold metal walls reflecting dim light. Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound. Around her sat several other beast girls—some trembling, some silently crying, others staring blankly as if their souls had been torn away.
Two beast men guarded the inside of the vehicle. Their gazes were cold and greedy, as though watching merchandise rather than living people.
The vehicle slowed.
Metal creaked as the door opened. Damp night air rushed in, followed by rough commands.
"Out! Move!"
The girls were herded outside. Before them stood an old building—a long-abandoned factory. Its outer walls were cracked and peeling, its windows dark like the hollow eyes of a corpse.
This was their destination.
Xue Yunxue held her breath. With Moa's power, she could escape at any moment. One thought, one surge of plant energy—and these restraints would mean nothing.
But her eyes swept back to the girls around her.
Trembling hands. Young faces filled with terror. Some of them weren't even adults.
Her heart clenched.
She couldn't leave alone.
Moa kept urging her to escape, but the stubborn girl remained silent, teeth clenched, holding herself back. If she left now, what would happen to them?
The girls were driven inside the building. From the outside it looked decrepit and near collapse, yet the interior was unexpectedly orderly—dim lights hung from the ceiling, the floor was clean and dust-free, and iron bars lined several sides of the space. A dozen armed beast men stood guard, their gazes cold and alert.
And there they saw it.
More girls.
Dozens of them.
Around forty young girls were imprisoned there.
Xue Yunxue's chest tightened, her breath caught in her throat.
Why were they gathering so many young girls?
The answer came swiftly.
A large, muscular man stepped forward. His brutal aura crushed the space, making several girls tremble. Without hesitation, he seized a girl who looked no more than seventeen. She was beautiful and innocent, her cheeks flushed with fear. She struggled, but her body was too weak.
The man dragged her away.
"Don't! Not her!" cried an older girl as she rushed forward. Her voice shook with desperation. "Please… she's still too young! She's already engaged—she's going to be married!"
She knew exactly what would happen.
The girl would be dragged before their leader—and her purity taken without mercy.
"Tch." The big man clicked his tongue impatiently. "Don't get in my way."
When the older girl continued to cling to his leg, he kicked her hard.
"Get lost, or I'll kill you."
But the older girl didn't retreat.
Though kicked to the ground, she rose again and clutched his leg with trembling hands—as if it were the only way to save the younger sister she was protecting.
The sight stabbed into Xue Yunxue's eyes like a knife.
Her fingers curled into fists.
Within her chest, something she had long suppressed… began to rise.
"Sir, stop hurting that girl."
Xue Yunxue's voice was calm—too calm.
No tremor. No fear.
The beast man turned. His gaze swept over Xue Yunxue's face, then halted. His eyes lit up wildly, as if he had discovered far more interesting prey.
Beautiful. Too beautiful.A rare beauty that made his blood boil.
"Heh." His lips curled upward. "Then you'll take her place."
He tossed the younger girl aside. The older girl immediately caught her, her body shaking.
"Sister…" the younger girl sobbed.
So they're sisters… Xue Yunxue thought.
The man grabbed Xue Yunxue's bound arm and dragged her roughly toward an iron door. It opened, revealing a narrow, dark, damp corridor. Their footsteps echoed as they walked down it.
"Heh, tonight you'll be our boss's plaything," the man chuckled. "If you're lucky, he won't kill you. But once he gets bored… you'll be mine to play with." His face twisted uglier, his eyes filled with lust as he stared at Xue Yunxue.
He opened a door and shoved her inside.
The room was brightly lit, clean, and filled with the pungent scent of tobacco.
"Ah… so it's you."
A friendly voice greeted her.
"At last, we meet in person."
Xue Yunxue narrowed her eyes, staring at the man before her. Her memories spun rapidly—until recognition struck.
Sang Min.
The gatekeeper of Wulong City.
The man who once greeted her with a warm smile—and who now stood before her as a well-dressed monster.