Darkness Unleashed (Part 2)

He smiled weakly. "Don't worry about me. Just focus on surviving. If you don't, the Marquis will—" He stopped himself, his face pale. "Never mind. I'll go get you something to eat."

I watched him go, his shoulders hunched with defeat. Alone again, I looked down at the vials in my hand. If I was to survive whatever lay ahead, I would need strength. But at what cost?

Shufen returned with a tray of food, his expression calm yet tinged with underlying concern. I managed a weak smile in gratitude, still holding onto some semblance of composure despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.

"Here's your meal," he said softly, placing the tray on the small table beside me. "Eat while it's still warm."

Before I could reply, the door slammed open, and the tray clattered to the floor. Shufen stumbled back as the Marquis Kong Mingli stormed in, his steps deliberate and heavy with authority. His eyes gleamed with malice, and the air in the room grew suffocating.

"Out," the Marquis barked, glaring at Shufen as if he were nothing more than dirt beneath his boots. Shufen hesitated, his eyes flickering to me in concern, but a sharp shove from the Marquis sent him stumbling toward the door.

"Go," I whispered to Shufen, not wanting him to suffer further.

The door closed, and I was left alone with the Marquis. He took slow, deliberate steps toward me, his gaze sweeping over my body like a predator assessing its prey. His lips curled into a smile so vile it made my skin crawl.

"You're even more exquisite up close," he said, his voice dripping with lust. "A rare treasure, indeed."

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding in my chest. The air in the room felt charged, as if my dark core were already stirring in response to the threat before me.

The Marquis stopped in front of me, tilting his head as he continued to leer. "Do you know how much I paid for you? Enough to buy a fleet of ships. And yet, here you are, worth every coin."

His fingers reached out, brushing against my cheek. I flinched, my entire body recoiling at his touch.

"Don't worry," he said, his tone mocking. "You'll get used to it. You'll learn to derive pleasure from pain."

My anger boiled beneath the surface, but I forced my voice to remain steady. "His Majesty said he lost a bet with you."

The Marquis chuckled darkly, his smirk widening. "That's true. But don't let that fool you. His Majesty wanted you for himself first. I had to offer him my most prized possession just to win the pleasure of being the first to taint you."

My teeth clenched as his words hit me like a blow. The depravity of this man was beyond comprehension.

He smirked again, his eyes glittering with satisfaction. "Seeing you now, I feel no regret."

Before I could summon a reply, he began untying the belt of his robe, his intent chillingly clear. The fabric slipped from his shoulders, revealing his bare torso.

My breath hitched as revulsion overtook me. Even Ruan Yanjun, with all his teasing and provocations, had never dared to go this far.

The Marquis grinned, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Don't look so appalled. You'll learn to enjoy this." He turned away briefly and picked up something from a nearby table. My heart sank as I saw what it was—my bamboo stick, wrapped in the silk scarf Jinjing had given me.

"This is yours, isn't it?" he said, holding it up mockingly. "Ruan Yanjun said it was precious to you. Don't worry, I'll find a way to make it… memorable for you. Soon, you'll see just how much pleasure something as simple as a stick can bring."

A surge of rage erupted within me, far greater than anything I had ever felt before. The dark core inside me roared to life, feeding off my fury and disgust. My vision blurred, and my body trembled as the dark energy coursed through me, threatening to consume everything.

Before I knew it, the ropes binding my wrists disintegrated into ash. The Marquis turned back to me, his smug expression quickly replaced with one of shock.

"What—"

His words were cut off as I lunged at him, my movements faster than I'd ever thought possible. My hand clamped around his throat, slamming him to the ground with a force that left him gasping for air. The dark energy within me swirled, wild and uncontrollable, and for a moment, I feared I had completely lost myself.

The marquis's eyes widened in terror. "Mercy… please…" he croaked.

His pleas only fueled the storm inside me. I reached for the bamboo stick he had dropped, intending to beat him senseless, but as my fingers closed around it, a memory of Jinjing's gentle smile flashed through my mind. I hesitated.

No. I would not stain this gift with his blood.

I reached for my bag. Grabbing the marquis by the collar, I dragged him toward the door. His cries for mercy fell on deaf ears as I yanked the door open, startling Shufen, who was standing just outside.

"Shufen," I barked. "We're leaving."

Shufen's eyes widened in shock, taking in the scene before him—the trembling Marquis, naked and pleading, and my expression, likely darker and more menacing than he had ever seen. He hesitated, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

"Take me to the carriage," I ordered.