Chapter 21: Cage

Xu Hongzhuang's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of anger appeared on her small face. She clearly could not accept the other party's words.

It was an unprecedented feeling.

Xu Hongzhuang attempted to dodge, but her body was suddenly grabbed by Chen Feng. He held onto her shoulder for what seemed like an eternity, causing Xu Hongzhuang's heart to beat so fast that it sounded like thumping.

"Are you refusing my proposal?" Chen Feng's smile was sinister.

Xu Hongzhuang, beautiful as she was, found no compassion from Chen Feng at this moment. On the contrary, the strength in his arms was increasing bit by bit, causing some slight cracking in the bones of her shoulders. If the pressure increased, no one knew what might happen.

"No..." Faced with this pain, Xu Hongzhuang could no longer bear it. For the first time, her pride gave way.

However, Chen Feng remained unmoved!

Xu Hongzhuang was on the verge of tears. As the pain spread, it felt like her soul was plunging off a cliff. A thought emerged in her mind: if she didn't satisfy the other party, this man before her might actually kill her.

But she had no enmity with him.

How could he...

Xu Hongzhuang was on the verge of tears. Some blame, or rather murmurs, welled up within her. The force on her body seemed to be devouring her, and she cursed her fate for putting her in this predicament.

If it weren't for the dreadful fate, she might still be chatting with friends, carefree. But when the end times arrived, everything changed.

She was exceptionally beautiful and had good grades, making her the apple of her parents' eye since childhood. Even her stern father had never laid a finger on her.

"I was wrong!"

Xu Hongzhuang didn't know how to describe her current situation. She felt like a bird trapped in quicksand, struggling to break free but helpless, only able to watch herself being swallowed up.

In her dire situation, she could only lower her head and admit her mistake, as a plea for redemption from the other party.

"Obey and live, disobey and die. It’s a simple choice. You are smart, you made the right choice."

Chen Feng made no further threats. His previous words had been mere theatrics. All he wanted was for her to recognize the disparity between them.

Chen Feng released his grip, allowing Xu Hongzhuang to fall to the ground. He looked down at the now helpless girl, wearing an eerie smile.

Chen Feng appeared as if he were a conqueror, claiming the land he had just seized in a manner that was domineering, ruthless, and beyond reproach, striking fear into anyone who dared to harbor any resentment.

But at this moment, Xu Hongzhuang had completely lost her former stubbornness. Instead, she appeared pale and absent-minded, as if she hadn't slept all night.

Chen Feng utilized some of his professional skills. As a summoner, he possessed a strong spiritual power and, in some exceptional cases, even had the ability to suggest and hypnotize.

The young girl before him had clearly not experienced enough. Despite having the template of a hero, she was fundamentally no different from an ordinary girl.

The seeds of fear had been planted. Chen Feng's task was to wait for these poppy seeds to germinate and grow.

Chen Feng's actions toward Xu Hongzhuang were not just simple hypnosis but rather a form of control. A subordinate with limitless potential was something coveted, wasn't it?

"Crash..."

Chen Feng threw some food and water at Xu Hongzhuang's feet.

"This is some food. It's very dangerous these days. You'd better lay low for a while. When we meet again, I hope you can surprise me rather than appear as weak as you are now. Of course, if you die, our relationship will naturally come to an end."

Expressionless, Chen Feng took one last look at Xu Hongzhuang, then leaped down and landed on the body of the lesser demon.

He could save her once but not multiple times.

Chen Feng needed a useful assistant, not a caged bird that he had to clear a path for. This was a test. If she stayed alive, her value would rise, but if she died, his investment would be no more than a few bags of food.

As a summoner, Chen Feng had a keen interest in "dark experiments." The head of the earthbound dragon was excellent material for his experiments.

Chen Feng walked away into the distance, leaving Xu Hongzhuang sitting dumbfounded in place, seemingly unaware.

The once proud Xu Hongzhuang now appeared entirely like a guinea pig. She didn't even have the courage to look up at Chen Feng. After a long time, she slowly lifted her head. Chen Feng's figure was gradually becoming more distant. With just one glance, Xu Hongzhuang felt an inexplicable sense of fear. It wasn't due to strength but rather a feeling that her soul was being controlled by the other party.

Moonlight shone down, casting Chen Feng's shadow, which grew longer. As she gazed at his elongating silhouette, Xu Hongzhuang felt befuddled. That shadow seemed like a cage trapping her soul, and inexplicably, she had a strange feeling that perhaps she would never be able to escape from the other party's shadow in this lifetime...