An army of demon soldiers marched in two straight lines along the crimson pathway. Hybrid dragon beasts—half human, half dragon—dressed in red uniforms made their way through the blood-tinted forest. Above them, the red moon hung high in the sky, bathing the land in an eerie scarlet glow and filling the atmosphere with an oppressive, suffocating hue.
A carriage was carried aloft by four guards. It was a luxuriously crafted red carriage, draped in flowing crimson silk, with a dragon emblem engraved on all four sides. The procession moved in a single, orderly file until they finally arrived at their destination—Red Moon Mountain.
"We're here, Your Majesty," a young man standing close to the carriage announced.
He was completely in human form, dressed in a red silk garment secured with a black belt. A red band held back his long, dark hair, keeping it neatly tied. His posture was respectful, his voice calm yet formal.
The young man was the Demon King's valet: Yin.
A hand pushed the silk curtain aside from within the carriage, exposing the Demon King's firm fingers as they emerged into the open air.
"Is that so?" Yan, the Demon King, asked lazily. "I wonder if the Demon God is aware of my warm visit."
"Should we let him know?" Yin asked carefully.
"Don't bother," Yan replied with a faint, indifferent tone. "He'll come out eventually. Let's do him the honour and wait."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Yin nodded, lifting his gaze toward the towering mountain ahead.
They all stood before Red Moon Mountain, waiting in silence.
******
Ren was kneeling in the cave once again, Zuran lying unconscious in his arms.
Ren stared down at Zuran, his gaze lingering longer than it should have. The memory of Zuran's eyes—fixed on him so intently before—flashed through his mind. He realized then that he wasn't frightened of those eyes. Instead, his heart fluttered at the thought of them.
He ran a hand across his chest, exhaling slowly. "What was that…?" He shook his head with a sigh. "Why is he so obsessed with the Demon God…?"
[Congratulations. You only have one stage left, and you will unlock your Beast Babies.]
Ren lifted his gaze, staring blankly at the system interface.
[But unfortunately, you failed the task by not completing it within the given time. As punishment, you already have some visitors waiting for you outside the mansion.]
Ren blinked. The word visitors made his chest tighten. He didn't even want to imagine what kind of people the system meant. Judging from everything so far, they were probably individuals who wanted him dead—or worse.
[Would you like to proceed with the final stage regardless?]
"Sure," Ren said after a brief pause. "Let's get this over with."
He needed the Beast Babies. Whatever this final stage was, he couldn't back out now.
[Understood.]
[Proceeding to the final stage.]
[LUST.]
"….."
Ren panicked.
The realization hit him all at once. This stage actually existed. The Lust stage—the explicitly sexual stage.
His mind spiraled as the implications sank in. Did this mean he would have to witness Zuran's sexually explicit thoughts? His suppressed desires? Or worse—memories? What exactly had the Demon God used to awaken this deadly sin within him?
The thought made Ren both curious and unbearably flushed. He had no idea what awaited him, but he knew one thing for certain—it would definitely be rated eighteen and above.
Still, he steeled himself.
He had read enough smutty BL novels to mentally prepare himself for moments like this. Wasn't this supposed to be the most interesting part anyway?
The cave blurred around him, and in the next moment, Ren found himself somewhere else entirely.
It didn't take long for him to realize where he was.
This was a brothel—one styled after historical Chinese times.
Chairs and tables were scattered around, cups filled with alcohol, half-eaten meals left unattended. Dim lighting cast long shadows across the room, while red drapes and ornaments adorned every corner. An unpleasant, sexually intoxicating scent filled the air—thick, heavy, and suffocating.
It was the unmistakable atmosphere of a brothel.
The entire place reeked of alcohol and lust. Figures occupied the tables around him, but they didn't feel real. They were blurry, like illusions—humans who looked as though they could vanish at any moment.
Men drank and laughed as prostitutes sat close to them, their soft giggles echoing throughout the room.
Ren realized he was still kneeling on the floor.
Zuran lay across his lap, still unconscious.
Ren glanced down at him before lifting his gaze again, his eyes landing on the red curtains nearby.
A breeze swept through the room, causing the curtains to sway.
That was when Ren saw it.
A tail.
A blue mermaid tail rested atop a bed behind the curtain. The body was partially concealed, the face completely hidden. Yet Ren could clearly see the mermaid beast leisurely drinking from a cup, utterly relaxed.
Curiosity stirred within him.
So this was the beast representing the sin of Lust.
Ren wanted to see its face—to witness its full form—but he knew time wasn't on his side. He had to enter Zuran's illusion and complete this stage. Zuran was already right there, in his arms.
A soft laugh drifted out from behind the curtain.
It was so gentle that Ren wasn't even sure if he'd imagined it.
He ignored it.
Lowering his gaze, Ren reached out, his fingers moving toward Zuran's cheeks.
The laughter grew louder, filling the room with faint echoes.
Before Ren's hand could touch him, Zuran suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed Ren's wrist.
Ren gasped.
Zuran's eyes were half-lidded—lazy, tired, and drenched in lust.
"Master…" Zuran's voice was low and husky, unmistakably intimate.
"Huh?" Ren froze. Wasn't Zuran supposed to be unconscious? What was happening?
"Master…" Zuran tightened his grip slightly, his other hand lifting to cup Ren's cheek. "Master… I want to do it with you…"
"!!!"
Ren panicked.
Zuran slowly sat up from his lap, positioning himself beside him. Both of Zuran's hands cradled Ren's face, thumbs brushing gently against his skin.
"Master… let's do it together…" Zuran whispered, his voice dropping even lower. One hand slid down toward Ren's belt. "I can't hold myself anymore… I want to feel your body…"
Ren reacted instinctively, grabbing Zuran's wrist. "What are you doing…?"
Zuran's expression softened. "Master… what's wrong? Don't you want to do it with me?" His voice wavered. "Do you hate me that much…?"
His hand continued caressing Ren's cheek.
"No—it's not that I hate you," Ren said quickly. "It's just—"
"Then why not, Master?" Zuran leaned closer, their breaths mingling. "If you don't hate me, why won't you let me do it with you…?" His lips curved faintly. "We're already married. Shouldn't we consummate it properly…?"
Ren's mind went blank.
He didn't know whether he was under a spell or witnessing Zuran's deepest thoughts, but his body reacted before logic could catch up. Desire pooled in his chest, thick and overwhelming.
He was a gay man who had lived most of his life alone, keeping his distance from relationships. He'd dated a few times during university, but none of them had ended well. He wasn't unfamiliar with desire—he'd simply learned to suppress it.
And right now, that restraint was crumbling.
Zuran embodied everything he'd ever been weak for. The kind of men he'd only ever seen in BL novels and dramas. The flawless male leads—now standing right in front of him, wanting him.
Wanting him.
Zuran's hands slipped beneath his clothes, fingertips brushing against bare skin.
Ren shut his eyes, swallowing hard as a soft moan escaped him. It felt good. Too good.
Zuran watched him closely, a satisfied smile forming as he took in Ren's reactions. "Master… you look so beautiful like this," he murmured. "It makes me impatient…"
He leaned in closer.
Ren's breath hitched.
"Master…" Zuran whispered against his skin, kissing along his neck, gently licking and biting at his ear. "You taste so good… I want all of you tonight…"
His hand tugged at Ren's garment. "Master… should I take this off so we can begin…?"
Ren's mind screamed yes.
But then—
He snapped back to reality.
This was Lust.
This wasn't Zuran—not truly.
"No," Ren said sharply as he opened his eyes.
He placed his hand firmly against Zuran's cheek, pressing his forehead against his, forcing himself to stay grounded.
This was an illusion. A test. An obstacle.
He couldn't fall for it.
Closing his eyes, Ren let himself sink fully into Zuran's illusion, embracing it instead of resisting.
And what he discovered within it shook him to his core.
Because the truth was simple.
Zuran didn't just admire the Demon God.
He wasn't merely loyal. He wasn't obsessed with protection or possession.
Zuran was in love with his master.
And he had been lusting after the demon god countless times.