The smell of blood in the living room was so thick it refused to disperse.
Liu Ruyan and Li Boxiao lay collapsed on the floor. One clutched the spot at her waist that had already been healed, while the other stared blankly ahead, mumbling to himself.
The black shadows still stood silently around them like messengers of death, ready to harvest lives at any moment.
Genichi sat on the sofa and looked down at the two wretched figures from above.
A faint smile hung on his face. Under the dim light, that smile looked especially unsettling.
"Do you want to die, or do you want to live?"
His voice was soft, yet it reached both of them clearly.
Li Boxiao's body shook violently. He raised his head and looked at Genichi, hope instantly flaring in his eyes.
"I want to live! I want to live!"
He practically roared the words, his voice filled with endless longing.
"Bro, spare me! I swear I'll never appear around Liu Ruyan again! I'll leave this city, leave this country, and never come back! Please, let me go!"
Tears and snot mixed together on his face. He knelt on the floor and kowtowed frantically.
His forehead struck the floor with heavy thuds, and blood soon began to seep out.
Genichi did not look at him. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Liu Ruyan.
"What about you? Do you want to live, or do you want to die?"
Liu Ruyan's body trembled violently.
She raised her head and looked at Genichi.
That face was clearly still the one she knew, but those eyes made her feel a bone-deep chill.
Those were not human eyes.
They were the eyes of a vengeful ghost.
"I want to live…"
Liu Ruyan's voice shook so badly it was almost impossible to hear, but she still forced herself to speak clearly.
"Genichi, I was wrong… I really know I was wrong… I shouldn't have been deceived by Li Boxiao. I shouldn't have treated you like that…"
She struggled to kneel, crawled a few steps toward Genichi, and reached out, trying to grab his pant leg. But a black shadow silently blocked her.
"Can we start over?"
Tears poured from her eyes, and her face was full of pleading. "I swear, this time I'll love you with all my heart! I'll listen to whatever you say. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."
Genichi looked at her and smiled.
That smile was gentle and kind, as though he really were a husband moved by his beloved.
"Don't worry."
He spoke softly. "As long as you behave, I promise you can live."
When Liu Ruyan heard that, a trace of hope flashed in her eyes.
She nodded desperately, choking out, "I'll behave! I promise I'll behave!"
Genichi nodded in satisfaction.
He stood, walked up to Liu Ruyan, bent down, and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Lure the Bai family here."
Liu Ruyan's body stiffened violently.
The Bai family.
That biased family. The biological parents who had treated Genichi with extreme indifference. The adopted son they had doted on.
Genichi wanted them here?
"As long as you can trick them into coming, I'll let you go."
Genichi's voice remained gentle, but his eyes were as cold as ice. "Of course, if you dare let anything slip…"
He paused and gently stroked Liu Ruyan's cheek.
The touch was cold and soft, yet it made every hair on Liu Ruyan's body stand on end.
"I'll peel off that skin of yours."
Liu Ruyan's pupils shrank violently.
Peel off her skin.
That was what he had said.
He had said the most terrifying thing with a smile on his face.
Liu Ruyan's body shook violently. Her teeth chattered, and she could barely speak.
Even so, she nodded desperately, squeezing out a few words with all her strength.
"O-okay… okay… I'll call the Bai family over right now…"
Genichi withdrew his hand in satisfaction and sat back down on the sofa.
"Then call them."
Liu Ruyan trembled as she picked up her phone from the floor.
Her fingers shook so badly that she could barely tap the screen. It took several attempts before she managed to unlock it.
She opened her contacts, found the number marked "Bai Family," took a deep breath, and pressed call.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Every ring felt like a hammer striking her heart.
Finally, the call connected.
"Hello?"
A middle-aged woman's voice came from the other end. It was Mother Bai, Genichi's biological mother.
Liu Ruyan tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible.
"Hello, Auntie. It's me, Ruyan."
"Oh, Ruyan. Why are you calling so late?"
Mother Bai's voice carried a hint of confusion, along with a faint, almost imperceptible arrogance.
Liu Ruyan took a deep breath and began fabricating the lie Genichi had demanded.
"Auntie, it's like this. To thank you for your help before, I'm willing to give you five percent of the Liu Group's shares."
The other end of the phone fell silent for a moment.
"Five percent of the shares?"
Mother Bai's voice was full of disbelief. "You mean… five percent of the Liu Group?"
"Yes."
Liu Ruyan worked hard to make her voice sound sincere. "So could you all come over? I'd like to discuss this in person."
There was a rustling sound from the other end, and she could vaguely hear Mother Bai speaking to someone.
Soon, Mother Bai's voice rang out again.
"All right. We'll come right away. Is the address still your villa?"
"Yes. The same place."
"All right. We'll be there soon."
The call ended.
Liu Ruyan put down the phone and looked at Genichi, her eyes filled with fear and pleading.
"Genichi… I did what you said. I tricked the Bai family into coming… You won't kill me, right?"
Her voice trembled, carrying a trace of desperate hope.
Genichi looked at her and showed a satisfied smile.
That smile was gentle and kind, as if he had truly been moved by her obedience.
"Of course."
He spoke softly. "As long as you behave, I definitely won't kill you."
When Liu Ruyan heard that, a look of relief immediately appeared on her face.
She slumped onto the floor, gasping for breath as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
She was saved.
She was finally saved.
She did not know what Genichi planned to do to the Bai family, nor did she want to know.
As long as she could survive, as long as she could keep her life, she would do anything.
However, she did not see the icy killing intent that flashed behind Genichi's smile.
I lied.
Behave, and I'll still kill you.
Genichi sneered in his heart.
How could he possibly let her go?
This woman had personally sent the female-oriented romance Genichi to the operating table.
The signed documents, the arranged procedures, the bribed doctors. Which of those had she not done?
She said she had been deceived?
She said she had not known?
What a joke.
From beginning to end, she had been the mastermind.
That Ji Boxiao was nothing more than a tool.
The one who had truly wanted him dead was her.
Because only that way could she completely get rid of this "substitute husband" and be with the adopted son of the Bai family openly and properly.
Genichi stood and walked to the window, gazing out into the night.
The Bai family would arrive soon.
Those biased parents. That beloved adopted son.
None of them would escape.
He wanted them to see with their own eyes how the "son" they had abandoned, hurt, and driven to his death had returned to collect his debt.
He wanted them to taste true despair.
Genichi turned and looked at Liu Ruyan and Li Boxiao on the floor.
Ji Boxiao still lay there, his eyes hollow, his mouth mumbling something under his breath.
His mind had clearly collapsed. Having a kidney cut out, being forced to eat it, and then being healed so he could continue living, that chain of experiences had completely crushed him.
Liu Ruyan was curled up in the corner, her body still trembling faintly.
She did not dare look at Genichi. She only kept her head lowered, staring at the floor as if something there had captured her attention.
Genichi walked up to her and crouched down.
Liu Ruyan's body stiffened violently, and she even held her breath.
"You did very well."
Genichi spoke softly. "I'm very satisfied."
When Liu Ruyan heard that, her tense body relaxed slightly.
She raised her head, trying to force out a smile, only to freeze the moment she saw Genichi's eyes.
Those eyes were as cold as ice.
There was not a shred of warmth.
Not a trace of emotion.
Liu Ruyan's heart sank hard.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that no words would come out.
Genichi stood and no longer looked at her.
He walked to the entrance, opened the front door, and looked into the distance.
Through the night wind, several approaching headlights could be seen faintly.
They had arrived.
The corner of Genichi's mouth lifted into a cold smile.
"Welcome to hell."
He spoke softly.
Behind him, Liu Ruyan's body began to tremble violently.
She finally understood.
No matter what she did, no matter how obedient she was, Genichi would never let her go.
He wanted everyone's life.
Including hers.
Liu Ruyan collapsed on the floor, her eyes filled with despair.
But this time, the tears were no longer from fear.
They were tears of hopelessness.
Because she knew she had nowhere left to run.
Outside the window, the headlights drew closer and closer.
In the night, a black sedan slowly approached and stopped in front of the villa.
The car doors opened, and four people stepped out.
Father Bai, Mother Bai, the adopted son they favored, and the Bai family's daughter.
They chatted and laughed as they walked toward the villa, completely unaware of what was waiting for them.
Genichi stood at the entrance, watching them approach, and the smile on his face grew brighter.
"Welcome."
He spoke softly.
Tonight was destined to run red with blood.
(End of Chapter)
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