The black curtain was like a chasm separating two worlds. The pollutants outside couldn't see what was behind it, so they could only wait eagerly.

The bald host spoke, "The final auction item today will be something we've never done before. We'll be selling a bundled pair, with a starting price of 50,000 holy coins!"

As soon as he finished, the black curtain covering the cage was lifted, revealing the figures inside.

The shorter one wore a pure white strappy dress that barely reached her thighs. Under the spotlight, her silhouette was faintly visible. Her arms were slender but not fragile, and her twin ponytails framed a delicate, flower-like face that looked pitifully sweet.

That alone was enough to make the pollutants lose their composure and cry out in excitement. But when the curtain of the second cage was pulled open, the whole room gasped.

Her face looked like the heavens' finest creation while her eyes were filled with indifference and cold pride. She wasn't wearing luxurious clothing, yet her presence stood out more than moonlight, locking every gaze in place.

It was the kind of beauty that stirred the urge to destroy.

The sound of swallowing filled the hall.

The lizard-faced man was burning with desire. A catch like this was once-in-a-generation, even outside the Holy City. With that kind of face and expression, she would be rare even in the outside world!

He was just about to raise his hand to bid when a voice came from one of the VIP boxes on the second floor.

"100,000!"

The lizard man froze, his raised hand slowly lowering. Even if he sold himself, he would never gather that much money.

The second-floor booths were reserved for major players, specifically, those ranked Stage 3 and above in the Arena. The lizard man, still a novice stuck at Stage 1, didn't dare to compete.

As beautiful as these two females were, some things were simply out of reach for his kind.

But what the pollutants didn't expect was what the bald host said next, which completely set the auction on fire.

"These two female humans have been in our trading center for three days, yet their pollution index has only risen by a negligible 2%!"

What did that mean? It meant near-endless labor potential and longer lifespans!

Foreign women were precious because they could give birth to more humans. And not the cheap white-haired type, but black-haired and genetically superior offspring. A pet like that could change a challenger's fortune: prizes, power, influence. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

Like splashing water into hot oil, the whole room erupted, and bidding soared!

The residents on the ground floor witnessed the fiercest bidding war in trading center history, until the original VIP box declared, "One million!"

"SOLD!"

The bald man slammed the hammer five times. A new record had been set!

Ruan Xing looked up toward the second floor. It was hazy, so he couldn't see who was inside.

The curtain closed again, and after being fitted with collars, Ruan Xing and Ming Rui were taken to a vehicle.

Ming Rui sat beside him, still wearing the thin, short dress. He kept tugging the hem down uncomfortably.

The driver was a silent white-haired man with a collar. In the passenger seat was a resident with red eyes and horns protruding from his forehead.

Outside, the sky was blue with white clouds drifting gently. The high-rises lined up, reflecting the sunlight.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians. Each one had a thin leash, with a human tethered on the other end. There were no arguments or fights. Humans and pollutants lived in apparent harmony.

As if, other than the loss of freedom, nothing was wrong.

But the truth was far from that.

Pollutants were the masters. They ruled the Holy City.

Humans were slaves, pets, the bottom class, whether black-haired or white-haired. The leash around their necks was the undeniable proof.

One resident could own several pets, but a pet could only have one master. Masters had full rights to punish their pets, and no one could defy a master's orders.

Except for killing, a master could do almost anything to their pet.

On the street, a three-headed pollutant was beating his black-haired pet. The human was covered in injuries, but was still being savagely kicked.

Humans from the outside were unstable due to pollution levels and needed constant medication. This young man clearly wasn't so lucky. A large, tumor-like lump was growing from his back, wriggling with something alive inside.

The whip cracked open his skin, and something like fish eggs spilled out.

"You dare disobey me? So what if you are from Base 13 like me? I'm the master now, so you do as I say!"

The black-haired youth could no longer fight back, and he could only lie on the ground in silence.

A passing resident stopped the three-headed mutant and pointed at a slogan hanging between two buildings: "Killing humans is illegal. Are you insane?!"

A giant red banner hung in the air, bold black characters declaring: "Humans are our most precious resource."

Hard to believe that such words came from the mouth of a pollutant, and even more shocking that it exists in a city like this.

The three-headed monster glared at the black-haired youth and spat from all three heads. "The Arena's opening soon. I'll give you the chance to become someone significant."

The lifeless youth's face changed. He broke into sobs and clung to the monster's leg. "Please, Master, I was wrong! Please don't send me to the Arena!"

Holy City residents could change their status. If a master sent a pet to compete and it became a Stage One contender, it could shed their slave status and become an ordinary citizen. They could even have their pets and their previous Masters also receive generous rewards.

Many residents exploited this, sending their pets to the Arena endlessly in search of benefits.

But the Arena was brutal. Most humans were ordinary people, and entering that hellish place meant near-certain death. That monster clearly intended to send his pet to die.

After all, dying in the Arena was not illegal.

It was one of the only two legal ways for a human to die. The other was death from excessive pollution.

The three-headed creature ignored the begging and sneered. "If you want to beg, then act like it. Now lie down and strip."

The youth's face went stiff. "But this is a public street…"

The monster smacked him. "So what? It's not like it's your first time."

In the end, the youth gritted his teeth and began to undress.

Ruan Xing looked away as a wave of absurdity washed over him.

Such things happened on these clean, orderly streets, and the residents acted as if it were nothing. Some even cheered from the sidelines.

The red-eyed passenger saw Ruan Xing staring out and explained, "You'll need to learn to serve your master. He doesn't like hitting women, but if you don't meet his expectations, you'll wish you were dead."

Ming Rui quickly nodded. "Yes."

Ruan Xing said nothing.

The passenger gave a crooked grin. "Having backbone is fine, but know when to use it. Disobey and you'll end up in the Arena too."

In this city, outsiders were rare and precious. Female ones were even more so because they needed more humans.

Ruan Xing leaned back and closed his eyes, clearly expressing disinterest.

The passenger grumbled under his breath, "Damn it."

If this guy weren't his master's property, he would have already done something.

Residents could choose to be independent or continue serving their old masters. This man clearly chose the latter, clinging to a powerful backer to avoid thinking about how to survive.

Ming Rui watched the youth beside him and quietly sighed.

He had been terrified that Ruan Xing would snap and attract the guards. But thankfully, he had no intention of blowing their cover... yet.

The car soon reached a castle. When Ming Rui saw where they were going, he cursed silently.

He leaned over and whispered, "The owner of this castle must be at least Stage Four."

The Arena had five ranks. To own a castle like this, the master had to be at that level.

Ruan Xing looked up. The grand European-style gates were open. Inside, winding paths led to a white-walled, blue-roofed castle nestled in a manicured lawn.

A prominent display of wealth.

The auction buyer didn't return with them. The red-eyed pollutant dropped them off in a small room and left, reminding them to respond when summoned. He indicated that the bell in the room would ring when their master called.

Inside, there were clothes prepared for women. Ruan Xing ignored them and kept wearing his long sleeves and pants. He just rolled up the cuffs, revealing his pale forearms.

The castle stood on high ground. From there, they could see the city in the distance. Skyscrapers and modern buildings stretch to the horizon, clashing sharply with the medieval architecture around them.

Ruan Xing frowned. No familiar buildings. Was the Mage Tower not in this city? Or was it hidden?

A gray collar hung around his neck, fastened at the auction. It helped in suppressing the effects of pollution but didn't grant immunity.

It was also bound with sealing magic. Usually hard to break, but not for Ruan Xing.

From the teleportation circle earlier to this collar now, everything hinted at a deep connection between this city and himself. That damned rabbit didn't lie.

Ming Rui stood with his back to Ruan Xing as he changed into pants. It was still women's clothing, but much better than the revealing skirt.

Maybe he had gotten used to it. He no longer seemed to hate the clothes anymore.

"My mother is also in a castle like this," he said as he pulled his long hair from his collar.

His mother served under a Stage Four resident.

"I used to work with her. I was supposed to enter the Arena two years ago, but she kept delaying it for me."

Mentioning her made his face sour with eyes turning red. Ruan Xing did not know what to say, so he gently patted his head.

Knock knock. Someone knocked.

The white-haired man who drove them walked in. Seeing Ruan Xing still dressed as before, he asked politely, "You have not changed yet?"

White-haired humans were the lowest caste in the Holy City. They weren't even allowed into the Lord's Trading Center and were usually sold in street stalls.

They were frail, sickly, and short-lived. Only the poorest Stage One residents would buy them. Most were used for chores, such as driving and cleaning.

The white-haired man looked at Ruan Xing with undisguised envy. If only he had black hair.

Ruan Xing was a foreigner and was recently purchased at that. The white-haired man didn't dare to speak casually.

Ruan Xing said, "I don't want to change."

The man replied, "But the master is returning soon. If he sees you like this, he will be angry."

Ruan Xing asked, "Are you ordering me?"

People from the base were raised to believe in equality. Yet now, Ruan Xing sounded like someone born to give orders. His tone hit the sweet spot, neither too harsh nor too polite.

The white-haired man panicked. "No! It's not like that! Please forgive me!"

Just arrived home and already acting without fear or nervousness like a master to a servant. The servant couldn't help but wonder where confidence came from.

Just then, the black-haired man stepped through the door.

Seeing him, the white-haired servant dropped to his knees. "Master, you are back! Please forgive me. I could not convince her to change."

The man wore a dark red suit, with black hair, red eyes, and an elegant demeanor. He was similar to a bat, pale and thin like a half-dead vampire.

"Never mind. You may go," he said lightly.

Then he turned to Ruan Xing. "Nice to meet you, beautiful lady. My name is Lloyd,"

He bent down and took Ruan Xing's hand to kiss it, completely ignoring Ming Rui in the process.

Ruan Xing lowered his eyes and pulled his hand away.

Lloyd didn't even touch him, but it still made Ruan Xing uncomfortable.

Lloyd wasn't angry. He only smiled, which exposed his sharp fangs. His eyes lingered on the collar at Ruan Xing's neck. "How could they treat a lady like this? So rude."

He reached out, as if to remove the collar, but Ruan Xing dodged his hand.

He hated being touched.

Lloyd's face darkened. "What? I cannot touch you?"

Ming Rui stammered as his palms started sweating, "M-my sister is just shy. Please don't be angry."

Lloyd finally looked at Ming Rui. "Ah, the little sister is more sensible. But I do not mind. A beauty like this should be like a flower on a cliff, cold and unreachable. My favorite kind."

He chuckled, and his crescent-shaped eyes held no darkness. "Too bad… If only those eyes were green, you would be even more beautiful."

"I know you are scared. Those brutish pigs only see women as tools to bear strong offspring for their battles. But I am different. I will unwrap you like a precious gift, and savor you in the holiest way."

His eyes sparkled. "I will call for you tonight."

Fu Gui: [I think he wants to sleep with you.]

Ming Rui thought the same and looked worried.

Ruan Xing just smiled. "Sure."

The obedient beauty put Lloyd in a great mood, making him eager for nightfall.

When night arrived, he changed into silky pajamas. He opened the door expectantly, only to find a long-haired man standing inside.

For a moment, he thought he had entered the wrong room.

Ruan Xing, now free of his disguise, smiled. "Where are you running to? I was waiting to spend a romantic night with you."

 

 

 

Fu Zhi: My wife has never been this proactive with me. I'm drowning in vinegar!