Lloyd hesitated as he stood at the doorway. He clearly bought a long-haired beauty... when did that turn into a man?

But… with that face, even if it was a man, was that really a problem?

Besides, it was just genderbending. He had tried far kinkier things. This was nothing.

Lloyd licked his lips. "Is this your ability? Or are you one of those legendary fae? A woman by day, a man by night?

Either way, darling, you are a delightful surprise. I just know tonight will be unforgettable."

The door closed behind him, cutting off all sound. The room had been custom-designed with excellent soundproofing.

Lloyd stared obsessively at the face in front of him as he walked closer. Without the disguise, the man's features were even more stunning. His jet-black hair flowed like ink, and the moonlight from the massive floor-to-ceiling windows traced the contours of his face.

The man standing before him asked, "Lloyd, do you know Ming Zhi?"

Lloyd's mind was a complete mess. That face spun in his thoughts, the voice echoing from the sky itself, coaxing him to speak without even thinking. "Kemov's private pet. Even the 'Administrator' knows about that woman."

The youth asked again, "Can you lure Kemov to bring her out?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Impossible. Ever since the pet's child went missing two years ago, Kemov hasn't brought her to any public place."

"Then how do we get close to Kemov?"

"He'll be a special guest at the next Tournament."

The youth's voice disappeared, but Lloyd remained lost in the dreamlike trance.

Suddenly, he realized, the man's eyes turned emerald green. This was his true form after removing the disguise. And it was a face that Lloyd recognized.

In the holiest sanctuary, the painting that had haunted his dreams, the one that left his soul burning and trembling in the dead of night, had exactly the same eyes.

The world said black hair and green eyes were the mark of the devil, but only high-ranking residents knew that those colors signaled the rarest of treasures.

It was him. It was really him.

The resemblance was terrifying.

Lloyd's lips trembled. Tears slid from the corner of his eye. "My God…"

Hiding behind the curtains, Ming Rui watched Lloyd as if he had gone mad. The man looked like he was staring at a god, eyes full of reverence, as if looking at his faith.

This surreal moment was all because of that young man. Just standing there, he drew all the attention. Ming Rui looked at Ruan Xing's back, overwhelmed with emotion.

The next morning, Lloyd still seemed dazed, as if something had happened last night, but he couldn't quite remember it.

When he saw the long-haired figure by the window, he froze, then was immediately flooded with countless emotions.

Fu Gui: [This guy's looking at you like you are someone really important.]

Ruan Xing felt a little weird too. [I didn't expect the effect to be this strong.]

Lloyd's eyes were practically glowing with excessive passion.

Fu Gui: [If he listens to your every word, things will be much easier.]

Ruan Xing: [Let's hope so.]

Lloyd's nostrils flared as he tried to contain himself.

He rushed out of bed and tossed the blanket aside. Still in pajamas, Lloyd knelt on one knee and straightened his back. He lifted Ruan Xing's hand with sparkling eyes.

"I am in love. My darling, would you be willing to become the co-owner of this castle?"

Ruan Xing was stunned by the sudden confession this early in the day.

He pulled his hand back in disgust, only for Lloyd to grab it again, as if refusing to give up.

Annoyed, Ruan Xing kicked him, sending him sprawling.

Lloyd moaned, "Ahh, my beloved kicked me~"

Ruan Xing felt a chill run down his arms. Seeing the man's ecstatic expression, he decided not to kick him again.

The scene between the two looked… strange.

Ruan Xing was perfectly dressed, standing beside the bed with that same gentle appearance. Meanwhile, Lloyd was sprawled on the floor, clothes messy, like he had just been thoroughly ravished. Add a whip, and it would look exactly like a BDSM training session.

Crash!

The white-haired servant dropped his teapot, staring in disbelief.

Did the castle just gain a mistress overnight?

Ruan Xing eventually convinced Lloyd to help him get a new ID so he could enter the tournament.

Standing next to Lloyd, Ruan Xing had such a strong presence that Lloyd looked like a meek little wife, nodding to every suggestion.

The servants all wore dazed expressions. Just yesterday, this person arrived, and today he already had Lloyd wrapped around his finger? If nothing happened last night, how could this be explained?

So what they saw this morning must have been real. Turns out… Lloyd was a complete sub?

They never would have guessed. Lloyd was a powerful pollutant, but maybe being with someone like this… was worth it?

At the long dining table, Lloyd sat at the head. Ruan Xing sat beside him, and Ming Rui sat across.

Ming Rui cautiously eyed Lloyd.

He looked confident, like a man who had just won the heart of his beloved. But Ming Rui knew the truth. This guy was rejected and kicked this morning.

"My dear, why are you not eating? Is it not to your taste? Shall I have the kitchen make something else?"

Ruan Xing had already removed his collar. That meant he was no longer a pet, nor a pollutant. He was a free person now.

The white-haired servant beside them looked on with envy.

"I'll need someone I trust to handle the tournament registration. The guy I have in mind just came from the base, so he is quite busy."

Ruan Xing asked, "Someone from the base?"

Someone from the base was working with the Holy City?

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Yes, an old acquaintance. This is the first time in eight years that the tournament has been reopened. Everyone is paying close attention."

Eight years ago, a sudden challenger stormed through the ranks up to Stage Four. He could've gone straight to the Sacred Grounds for rewards, but instead, he turned the whole tournament upside down by slaughtering many high-ranking contenders. The resulting chaos caused mass rebellion among pets and countless casualties.

The city was forced to reorganize itself.

"Low-rank challengers might not feel it, but the Holy City's original location was somewhere else. It had to be relocated. That guy… he was terrifying! I once fought him and passed out after just three rounds. So embarrassing."

Only later did everyone realize that man had infiltrated Mist City. He wasn't a real slave but an outsider in disguise, causing destruction from within.

After that, the Holy City was sealed off. Only human outsiders brought in through the trading center were accepted. It was said that the city lost one-tenth of its population because of that event.

From then on, the tournament has been suspended until now.

"But it is fine. I have leverage on that guy. Getting him to help with paperwork is easy."

Lloyd chewed on steak, cheeks puffed. "He will come personally this afternoon."

What Ruan Xing didn't expect was that he actually knew the man.

The middle-aged man in front of him was Qian Hua.

Fu Zhi's former teacher. Ruan Xing had also been his assistant back in the academy.

Ruan Xing hid his reaction and introduced himself with a new name.

Lloyd, completely smitten, just nodded wildly. "Darling, that name sounds even better!"

Ruan Xing, a mage, rarely used brute force. But now… his fists were ready.

Qian Hua gave him a sidelong look. "I've never seen a master treat a pet like this."

Lloyd: "He is not a pet. He is my beloved."

Qian Hua sneered. "The last man who said that, yeah, I just attended his funeral."

They clearly didn't get along. After sorting out the paperwork, Qian Hua immediately left.

He wore no collar, yet was human. That alone made him an oddity here, so he cloaked himself in a black robe to hide.

He ignored the abused humans on the street. His goal was clear: to go home quickly. The pollution levels here were too high. He needed medicine before his readings went off the charts.

He kept to narrow paths, cautious… until a figure blocked his way, making him dazed.

He stared at the long-haired youth in front of him. "Ruan Xing? You're supposed to be dead!"

Ruan Xing had reverted to his original form.

The youth looked at him. "Never thought you were so chummy with the pollutants."

Qian Hua's expression turned grim. "That was you in the castle? How are you alive? That damn rabbit didn't kill you?"

Ruan Xing squinted, catching the familiarity in his tone. Given how easily Qian Hua moved through the polluted zone, Ruan Xing realized something. "You're the candy merchant?"

Qian Hua's skin hardened into stone, turning light gray as he charged at Ruan Xing without a word.

"I guess I hit a nerve."

Ruan Xing sidestepped the attack. With a flick of his wrist, several black arrows zipped past, slicing through Qian Hua's stone armor. Black blood oozed from the wounds.

Qian Hua gasped in shock and stumbled back, trying to force the poison out of his system.

Ruan Xing kept his tone calm. "What's your connection to the Holy City?"

Qian Hua didn't answer. He lunged like a tank, hoping to crush him.

Ruan Xing's long hair unfurled, and a wave of white mycelium surged forward. Qian Hua was slammed into the mycelium mass and was instantly entangled.

It blocked his mouth and nose. His face turned red as he struggled to breathe, his body frozen.

"Mmph!"

One move, and he was completely restrained.

Who the hell is this guy?

Ruan Xing slowly approached. "Back at the academy… You're the one who planted the bait in my pocket, right?"

He had always suspected it. That day, Qian Hua had been sitting beside him. Ruan Xing didn't have time to investigate back then, but after recalling the details, it all made sense.

"But… why try to kill me?"

They barely knew each other. Even if it was about the candy merchant stuff, that should have come later.

Qian Hua's eyes were bloodshot, nearly passing out. Only then did Ruan Xing command the mycelium to release him.

Qian Hua coughed violently, eyes still red. "What the hell are you? You're not Ruan Xing. With this kind of power, what pollutant are you? Why have I never heard of you?"

Ruan Xing stepped closer, tilting his head. His hair slid down his cheek like cool water. "I'm the one asking questions now."

Qian Hua snapped, "Let me go!"

Ruan Xing waved his hand, and the mycelium withdrew.

Surprisingly obedient, Qian Hua was caught off guard.

"Tell me, what is your relationship with Luo Shi?" Ruan Xing asked. Both had tried to kill him, so it was hard not to connect the dots.

Qian Hua's eyes darkened. He was about to strike again, but the mycelium pressed down on him.

"We're not connected. I don't even know him."

Lies.

Even now, he was still trying to weasel out.

Ruan Xing's expression flattened. "I was trying to be gentle."

He cast a mind-altering spell, and Qian Hua's lips parted.

It turned out that he was also tied to the death of Ruan Zhi.

Ruan Zhi had been investigating human trafficking, something that should have been outside his duties. But he had been too persistent and was about to trace everything back to Qian Hua.

Qian Hua and Luo Shi orchestrated his death, then lured Ruan Xing out of the base to kill him too.

They worked with pollutants. If that came to light, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Meili Entertainment and Candy City were their business partners. They trafficked people from polluted zones and sold them to the Holy City or Meili Entertainment for profit, whether in goods or something else.

But Ruan Xing still felt like something was off. Could Qian Hua have done all this alone?

"Is there someone above you?" he asked.

Qian Hua's mind was foggy, and everything sounded far away.

When he snapped back, he looked around with a confused expression. Why did he stop walking? He must be close to his pollution limit. Time to head home and take medicine.

Without questioning further, he hurried away.

Far behind him, a figure stood silently in the shadows.

—

The tournament was about to begin.

For the first time in eight years, the Holy City's hierarchy was about to be reshuffled.

Eight Arms walked through the street, holding a leash. With a new pet, he no longer looked at others with envy.

Chen Qiang trailed behind him, eyes wide at the absurd scenes around him. It felt like he had entered a monster circus.

He had resisted after waking up, but the collar around his neck drained his strength. It could even electrocute him to the point of almost killing him.

No wonder there were so few rebellious humans. They were probably all beaten half to death.

"Stop staring. Some master will gouge your eyes out for that," Eight Arms warned. He actually liked this new pet and had even bought a ticket so they could watch the tournament together.

The arena was a giant nest-shaped stadium. Lines were long, and only high-ranking contenders could enter directly. The rest had to wait.

Eight Arms rubbed his eight hands together, secretly hoping that someday he would reach Stage Two and own a house and two qualified pets.

Just then, noise erupted outside. Eight Arms looked over and saw a limo pull up.

Several people stepped out. Most noticeable was a tall, long-haired figure with a cold expression. Eight Arms didn't recognize him, but he recognized the man holding the umbrella.

High-rank challenger, Lloyd.

Who was this person that Lloyd was holding an umbrella for?!

Just as Eight Arms was wondering, a voice mocked loudly.

"Lloyd, how shameless can you get. Holding an umbrella for your pet?"

Lloyd, in his crimson suit, exploded. "Kemov! Mind your own business!"

A muscular man with slicked-back hair stepped forward. His upper body was human and muscular, but his lower half was that of a leopard, complete with a tail.

"So this is your new pet? Honestly, it looks more like you bought yourself a master. You haven't even touched her yet, huh? Still no scent on her. If you're too scared, lemme help."

Kemov licked his lips, staring at the figure with obvious interest.

Eight Arms flinched and looked under the umbrella again. He finally recognized the long-haired beauty from the trading center.

Chen Qiang recognized her too. "She" had been trafficked in with them. Now, she wore refined clothing with no collar in sight.

All eyes turned.

The long-haired beauty looked at Kermo.

Then he casually raised a middle finger.