Chapter 1
“This way.”
A man darted down a narrow corridor, a woman at his side. They moved quickly and silently through the winding passageways, weaving through turn after turn.
“Here,” the woman whispered urgently, guiding him toward another doorway.
Just moments ago, they'd almost been spotted by a guard patrolling outside.
Their footsteps were swift, but both fought to steady their breath, trying to calm the pounding in their chests.
Door after door, hallway after hallway, they pushed forward. Finally, they stopped in front of one.
They exchanged a glance. This was it.
The door was slightly ajar, etched with crimson patterns, and lined with rows of golden bells.
They examined it closely.
There was no way to open it quietly. One sound, just one, and the people outside would know.
If that happened, it would be over for both of them.
They checked their surroundings again, confirming there was no other way through. Not wanting their efforts to go to waste, they decided to try pushing the door open slowly. Just a little more, just enough space to slip through sideways.
Both took a deep breath. As they exhaled gently, they began to ease the door open.
The golden bells stayed silent.
They pushed it a little farther.
The woman slipped through first, turning sideways to fit through the narrow gap. The man followed right after.
Ding! A sharp sound suddenly echoed, slicing through the silence like a warning.
There was no time to figure out whether it had been touched, caught by a breeze, or if it was a trap from the start.
Without a word, they turned and ran.
They didn’t get far.
Within moments, the pair was overwhelmed, their weakened limbs unable to fight back.
They were thrown to the ground, tightly bound hand and foot.
"Anyone who dares trespass into forbidden territory doesn’t need a trial. According to the rules, as long as they survive the punishment, it’s over," said a man with a commanding presence. He was the chief of the tribe.
Others nodded seriously, though some couldn’t hide the gleam of excitement… and desire in their eyes.
The man and woman, bound tightly, were pulled apart. The man was pressed to the ground, enduring punches and kicks.
The woman was pressed to the ground. A man from the crowd reached out, trying to touch her clothes and attempting to tear them off.
At that moment, a muscular man stepped through the door. His face was marked by a long scar from his right eye down to his chin, making his expression even more menacing. Despite his youth, his white hair and strong physique gave off an intimidating aura that made the room feel heavy. His powerful build blocked the sunlight, and his presence filled the doorway.
"Hold on," he said in a deep voice, "This woman, I’ve bought her."
"What?" The chief frowned. "You’re not of our tribe, but you've contributed much to us. You’re a warrior we respect. You could be able to take turns mating with her as we do, no need for buying her."
"But it’s according to the rules, isn’t it? I can buy her," the white-haired man replied, pulling out a blue crystal.
"Yes, you’re right," the chief agreed.
A young man stepped forward. "I’ll offer two," he said, his tone lightly provocative as he glanced down at the female lying on the floor. "The highest bidder wins."
The chief nodded. "Yes, as per the rules, through bidding, the highest bid wins."
The white-haired man held up two more crystals. "Three," he said coldly.
The young man looked at the female on the ground. Although she was lying there, her expression remained stubborn, a few strands of hair falling across her cheek, adding an undeniable allure. The young man stared at her, his eyes filled with conflict and hesitation. "Four," he said.
"Five."
"Six."
"Seven."
"Do you really have that many crystals? Is one female worth draining your entire fortune?"
"Seven crystals. If no one bids higher, she’s mine."
The young warrior glanced at the chief. The chief gave a barely noticeable nod. The young warrior gritted his teeth. "Eight."
"Nine," the white-haired man said with a raised eyebrow, "and one more green crystal."
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. "It’s a green crystal!" "He actually has a green crystal!" "He’s a warrior; it's not surprising he owns one, but for him to bring it out…"
The chief’s face darkened, but he didn’t speak. The young man’s face paled. He glanced at the woman on the ground one last time, filled with regret. Then, he changed his tactic. "Ten crystals, and three red crystals."
"Eleven," the white-haired man said, unaffected, "and one more green crystal. You know the rules. If you lie and can’t produce the crystals you promised, you know the consequences," the white-haired man said coldly.
"Of course," the young man said, his voice tight, "let’s see who’s worthy to claim her."
After countless rounds of bidding, the white-haired man won, paying with a bag full of crystals.
"According to the rules, you may take her now," the chief said, accepting the bag of crystals.
Without saying a word, the white-haired man stepped forward, picked up the woman with one arm, and draped her over his shoulder. He turned and strode out.
“Where is the guy?” The crowd then realized that the man who had been beaten on the ground had vanished. It turned out that while everyone was focused on the bidding, no one had paid attention to him or beaten him.
He had managed to escape during the confusion.
