Chapter 1

I was a purveyor of erotic goods, walking the tightrope of legality, supplying adult toys to overseas scam operations.

One day when the delivery guy called in sick, I personally made the drop-off. I woke up in a basement, trapped in a metal cage meant for poultry.

Thankfully, I had shared my real-time location with my boyfriend of many years before setting out.

My boyfriend came to save me, but I watched in horror as Granger tortured him and his team to death right before my eyes.

With his dying breath, my boyfriend whispered: "Run."

I swallowed my pride and became Granger's obedient lapdog in a remote bamboo village deep in the rainforest.

After my carefully plotted revenge failed a year later, I decided to end my life on December 28th. But on that very day, I met her.

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1

In the grand hall on the first floor of Bamboo Lodge, I stood obediently beside Granger, my hands lowered submissively.

I gazed coldly at the woman in traditional dress sprawled on the ground, her hands brutally pinned under the boot of a short, muscular man.

She must have been a tourist who came to the area specifically for a photoshoot.

"Weren't you shouting your head off just now?! I'll give you something to really scream about!"

As he spoke, Frost applied his full weight onto the girl's delicate hands, grabbing a pair of pliers to rip out her fingernails one by one.

"Ahhh!" A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the entire compound.

Beneath the man's filthy, stinking boots, her fair hands convulsed uncontrollably, all five fingertips a bloody mess.

The grin on Frost's face gradually twisted into something maniacal. "!!!"

The dozen or so lackeys standing around laughed in agreement, their lewd chuckles rising and falling.

Everyone's gaze upon the girl was as if they were looking at a piece of livestock.

I turned my head slightly, my heart unmoved.

Such occurrences happened daily in the compound.

These abducted women, after enduring some suffering, would invariably submit by tomorrow, becoming slaves to money and desire.

Here, as long as you're obedient, you'll have endless money and boundless luxury at your disposal.

The girl, overcome with pain, passed out and was tossed like garbage into an iron cage in the lowest basement.

Her frail body slammed against the iron bars before falling to the floor with a thunderous sound.The hunched, frail man muttered as he left:

"She passed out after just having a few fingernails pulled. If it were... she'd be begging for death."

His companion was amused, his cloudy eyes rolling as he chuckled uncontrollably.

Seeing me, he reined it in a bit: "Sis, what are you doing in a dirty place like this?"

Dirty place? Wasn't I once crawling out of this same cage?

I laughed coldly inside, but just nodded and left without changing my expression.

Back in my room on the third floor, I closed the door and collapsed powerlessly on the floor, almost unable to catch my breath.

December 28th, today is the death anniversary of my boyfriend of eight years.

I'm reminded of the day Blackwood came to save me.

With his limbs broken, a split second before his skull was crushed, his lips still quivered, his hollow eyes staring straight at me, telling me to run.

Thinking of this, tears unconsciously streamed down my face.

But it's okay, my year-long plan has failed, I'll be joining you soon.

My gaze fell on the fruit knife lying quietly on the table beside me.