Caged bird

"Put on your clothes and go out on your own."

Zheng Chusheng lay naked on the bed, casually waving his hand.

Wang Kexin remained silent.

Her face was streaked with tears as she mechanically put on her clothes and walked out with empty eyes.

This wasn't the first time; this torment occurred about every three days on average.

Creak!

"Hurry! The door is open, Kexin is coming out!"

The seven people waiting outside the door quickly gathered around.

"Kexin, she..."

Seeing the scars covering Wang Kexin's exposed skin, Liu Anran asked with a heart full of pain.

"Yes. Let's go, Anran."

She numbly nodded, seeming unwilling to say much.

The memories of that horrifying experience made her tremble with fear.

On the rooftop, the eight people sat huddled together, knees pulled up.

"Next one is you, Xiaobing."

Liu Anran said worriedly.

The girl named Xiaobing burst into tears immediately.

"No, I don't want to."

"Save me! Kexin, Anran!"

It wasn't the first time it was her turn, but the thought of that experience made her tremble in fear.

Her legs were so weak she couldn't even stand.

"How about we kill him?"

Suddenly, a voice abruptly spoke up.

"How about we kill him?"

Suddenly, a voice abruptly spoke up.

"Ling, don't be impulsive!"

Kexin hurriedly dissuaded her.

"Then do you have any other ideas?"

"I can't take it anymore! I can't bear this torture any longer!"

"Let's kill him! Let's kill him together!"

Ling shouted excitedly, crying while hugging her knees.

Crash!

The door to the rooftop was kicked open.

Zheng Chusheng walked in, smirking as he held a toothpick in his mouth.

"Oh, having a meeting here, are we?"

"No, we... we..."

Liu Anran tightly gripped her skirt, her face filled with fear, her eyes avoiding contact with Zheng Chusheng.

Even the slightest eye contact with him filled her with dread.

"Tsk! I advise you to be obedient and not think about reporting to anyone else. Otherwise, I'll expose everything about you!"

"Let your mom and dad see what their good daughters are up to!"

As soon as those words were spoken, the eight people turned pale.

"We... we won't."

Liu Anran timidly spoke.

"Very well, I see you know your place. I, you know, I really love obedient people."

Zheng Chusheng nodded in satisfaction, and then his gaze swept across the eight people.

"I didn't quite get my fill just now, so how about one more from you all?"

His gaze shifted and he walked directly to Ling.

"It's your turn, come."

Ling froze, her entire being turning pale as ashes.

"I... don't want to... I..."

"Enough with the nonsense."

He forcefully grabbed Ling, disregarding the gazes of the others present, and pinned her down on the ground.

"Help! No, please!"

Ling struggled frantically, but it was in vain.

The sound of terrified screams filled the air, mixed with Zheng Chusheng's maniacal laughter.

The horrifying sounds echoed in their ears as the seven people tightly covered their ears and closed their eyes.

They dared not look, and they dared not listen.

This was hell, and they could only sink day after day into this hellish existence.

Until they welcomed that hopeless, dim future.

...

"He is..."

In the darkness, Ye Xirou looked at the white figure in front of her and asked.

"Zheng Chusheng, the one we have been sealing away."

Wang Kexin smiled bitterly.

"This is a prison that has trapped our bodies and minds, and at the same time, it has trapped our future. Everything we had has been destroyed by him."

Wang Kexin said with hatred in her voice.

The scene shifted once again.

...

"Kexin! Kexin!"

Seven people rushed into the room.

"Anran!"

Wang Kexin held a knife in her hand, her face covered in bloodstains.

"You despicable person!"

Zheng Chusheng clutched his abdomen and walked forward, delivering a slap across Wang Kexin's face. Then, he viciously kicked her to the ground.

"You despicable person! You're asking for death! Asking for death!"

Zheng Chusheng was furious. This girl dared to stab him with a knife while he was sleeping, taking advantage of his fatigue. Fortunately, she didn't stab too deeply, but it still caused him intense pain, making his whole body tremble.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. How dare a mere slave dare to resist his rule! How dare she!

He kept Wang Kexin pinned to the ground, relentlessly stomping on her with all his strength.

"Stop! Stop hitting her! She can't take it anymore!"

"Stop, Professor Zheng."

Zheng Chusheng finally snapped out of his rage, looking at Wang Kexin's weakened state, and he reluctantly halted his assault. It wouldn't be good if someone ended up dead.

"From now on, if I catch any of you associating with her again, I won't spare you!"

"Not only that, you must all relentlessly torment her! Torture her to the brink of death! Understand?"

"If I catch any of you pretending, I won't hesitate to take action!"

Zheng Chusheng forcefully snatched the knife from Wang Kexin's hand.

Clang!

The tip of the knife plunged directly into the wooden table, its gleaming blade causing them to tremble in fear.

"We... We understand..."

The group nodded incessantly, their faces filled with terror.

The seven of them carried Wang Kexin out of the room together.

"I'm sorry, Ling. I couldn't kill him."

Wang Kexin smiled apologetically at Ling.

"It's not your fault, it's not your fault, Kexin."

"It's all my fault! I'm sorry! I caused all of this."

Ling covered her face, sobbing bitterly, consumed by guilt.

"Kexin, don't do such foolish things in the future. We should discuss any issues together."

Liu Anran's face was stern.

"You're right, Anran. From now on, just do as he says."

"Otherwise, you will all suffer."

Wang Kexin nodded.

"But, Kexin, you..."

The others hesitated greatly. Kexin was their good friend. It was impossible for them to team up and bully her.

"It's okay, I don't mind."

"This... this is fine."

The seven of them agreed reluctantly. From that point on, Wang Kexin became the target of their torment. Because Zheng Chusheng was always watching in the shadows, they didn't dare to hold back.

This kind of life continued for a long time. She was bullied during the day and tortured at night. In the end, she couldn't bear it any longer. Pushed to the brink of mental collapse, she made a cruel decision in a moment of impulse.

"In the next life, I don't want to be human anymore."

"It's too exhausting."

"Goodbye, father. Goodbye, mother."

"Goodbye, my good friends."

Wang Kexin looked down below, her face devoid of life.

"Kexin! Kexin!"

The door burst open, and the seven of them rushed in.

"Kexin, listen to us, come back, don't do something foolish!"

Liu Anran shouted at her loudly.

Wang Kexin turned her head and waved at them.

A faint smile appeared on her pale face.

"Goodbye."

Then, she fell straight down.

"Ah! Kexin!"

"Ah! Why? Why!"

The seven of them rushed forward, leaning over the edge, desperately looking down.

They could vaguely see a mangled figure.

Wang Kexin was dead. She had taken her own life.

However, this disaster that spanned eighteen years had only just begun.