Chapter LXXXII: Amusing

As the last remnants of his touch lingered, Yun stood frozen in the aftershock of everything that had just unfolded. Her heart, once turbulent with uncertainty, now thudded in her chest with an unsettling calmness. There was no room left for doubt, no space for rebellion. His words, his presence, had pierced through her defenses in a way she never thought possible. And she… she had let it happen.

A shiver ran through her, but it wasn't the cold. It was the weight of her own acceptance.

She could still hear the echo of his whispered promise, "You are going to be mine, forever, and ever."

Her mind, fogged and overwhelmed, tried to push it away, to resist the tug she felt at her very core. But how could she? How could she deny the truth of his words when she felt them settle deep inside her, like roots taking hold of her soul? There was no escaping it. He had marked her, claimed her—not with violence, but with a certainty so consuming, she couldn't help but surrender.

She wanted to fight it, to scream, to claw back some semblance of control. But the deeper truth was this: she had never truly had control. Not over herself. Not over her own emotions.

She had always been a puppet, hadn't she? A girl who wore the mask of kindness, of strength, but who was nothing more than a fragile shell—tender, hollow, and waiting to be filled by someone else's definition. And now, it was him. It was Yanwei.

Her lips parted, a breathless exhale escaping her as her thoughts swirled in a haze. She could feel the edges of herself begin to blur, to dissolve under the weight of his presence, of the promise he had made. She could already see the path ahead of her—a path she would follow willingly, even if it led her to a place of darkness.

I will repay him, she thought, her mind suddenly crystal clear. I will repay him with everything I have. I will give him my loyalty, my obedience, my life if it means proving my worth.

The words were almost foreign, like they had been carved into her mind by something outside of herself. She didn't know why she felt this way, why she couldn't fight back against the force that was pulling her toward him. The truth was too raw, too painful to admit: she had never been strong enough to stand on her own, not without someone telling her where she belonged, what she was meant to do.

And now, she would have a purpose. A purpose given to her by Yanwei. She would no longer be lost in the void of self-doubt. She would be his, and in that, she would find herself—whether she wanted to or not.

I will be the tool he shapes me to be, she vowed silently. If he needs me to be his weapon, his servant, his shadow—so be it. I will become whatever he wants. I will prove my worth to him.

Her breath caught in her throat as the final realization sank in. She would give herself to him, utterly and completely. There was no turning back. The weight of that promise settled on her shoulders, heavier than anything she had ever known, yet strangely comforting. She would no longer be lost. She would belong.

Her eyes flickered to him, still standing before her, his gaze unyielding, expectant. He hadn't demanded it—no, not directly. But he didn't have to. He had already shown her what she could be, what she could become, under his control.

A dark smile tugged at her lips, not from happiness, but from a deep, abiding resolve.

I will repay him. I will become his, in every way that matters.

Her thoughts were no longer her own. She was becoming something new, something she couldn't fully understand yet. But it didn't matter. She had made her choice. And it would cost her everything.

…

Yanwei looked at Yun, his voice calm but carrying the weight of command. "I need to rest for a while. Continue with the wheel of death. Spin it. Let fate decide who will become another victim."

Yun gave a slow, satisfied nod, a subtle smile forming on her lips. "I'll take care of it, Master."

She watched as he stepped back, disappearing into the shadows to rest. Her fingers brushed over the wheel's cold surface, a sense of duty rising within her. She felt an unsettling satisfaction in fulfilling his wishes—every turn of the wheel, every life claimed, felt like an offering to him. Her heart raced, but there was a sense of peace that came with it. This was her place now, and she was more than willing to carry out his bidding.

….

As Yanwei turned and stepped into the shadows, Yun remained by the wheel, her fingers gently caressing the edge. Then, the first cries began.

"Yun! He's our enemy!" a voice screamed, desperation bleeding through every word. "Don't do this! Both of you will die in hell for this!"

The cries grew louder, more frantic, as the people in the wheel struggled, their voices twisted in terror and defiance. "Please! Spare us! You're making a mistake! Don't let him use you!"

"Yun, don't—" The voice cut off, replaced by sobs and curses. "You'll regret this, both of you will!"

A shrill voice cracked, "You're a fool, Yun! He's only using you! You're nothing but a tool to him!"

The curses echoed in the stillness, each one more venomous than the last. "May the demons take you! May you suffer for this betrayal!"

"Yun, you'll regret this! They'll come for you!" Another voice begged, now sounding completely broken. "He'll discard you like all the others!"

"Is this the kind of woman you've become?" a man spat. "You'll rot alongside him! You'll never be free of him, not even in death!"

The desperate cries and pleas kept coming, each one darker than the last. Some cursed her, some wept for her soul, while others simply begged for mercy. "Yun, please! Turn back! You'll be his puppet, and when he's done with you, he'll toss you aside like everyone else!"

…

The desperate cries continued to echo behind him, but Yanwei remained unmoved, his steps slow and deliberate. He could feel the weight of every scream, every curse, but it didn't reach him. His expression remained cold, almost bored, like a spectator watching something trivial unfold.

Then, just as he reached the threshold, he stopped and turned back slightly, his voice cutting through the silence with chilling indifference.

"I won again."

His tone was bored, as if it was nothing more than an everyday occurrence. But if anyone had seen his face at that moment, they would have witnessed something far more dangerous than mere indifference. His eyes gleamed, wild, a twisted smile creeping onto his lips. The flicker of a light danced in his gaze, like a man who had just claimed victory in a game that others didn't even know they were playing. It was the look of someone who had already secured their prize and reveled in the chaos they'd created.

His lips parted, revealing a faint, almost manic smile. For just a moment, there was something unmistakably insane in the way he held himself, as though the cries and desperate pleas were nothing more than a symphony to his ears—a confirmation that his plans were unfolding exactly as he desired.

"How amusing," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper before he disappeared into the shadows.