Chapter 22: Night Demon – The End

Jiang Shulan knew Philip was rich.

What he didn’t know was that Philip was this rich.

When Philip brought him home, Jiang Shulan stared up at the enormous castle before him, a place that could practically be classified as a tourist attraction, and found himself deeply confused about why his character was supposed to be a gangster’s underling.

Was it because a life with nothing but money was too boring?

Philip led him inside.

Along the way, male and female servants dressed in identical uniforms lined the halls.

Had he somehow traveled back to the Middle Ages?

Jiang Shulan felt a little dazed.

His room had an entire south wall made of floor-to-ceiling glass. Beyond it stretched an endless sea of flowers.

The floor was covered in thick, plush carpeting that swallowed every footstep.

There was no central light fixture overhead. Instead, two soft beams of light shone down from either side of the ceiling, bathing the room in a warm glow.

The entire space felt quiet and refined.

Nothing ostentatious.

Yet every detail radiated careful thought and consideration.

This was ridiculous.

With a room this nice, he almost felt bad about destroying things.

Almost.

Jiang Shulan smashed everything in sight.

It didn’t matter that most of the items were priceless collectibles.

His mission right now was simple:

Cause trouble.

If he could provoke the BOSS into killing him, great.

If not, he had a backup plan.

The room was huge. After running around destroying things for a while, sweat gathered on his forehead and the tip of his nose.

[System.]

[You’re sure that as long as I die from a weapon used by the BOSS, the mission counts as complete?]

For the first time, the system experienced what it felt like not to be trusted by Jiang Shulan.

It desperately wanted to redeem itself.

[I’m sure.]

[Good.]

[Then can you forgive me?]

Jiang Shulan refused to budge.

[We’ll see how you perform.]

The system wasn’t used to this treatment.

To beings like them, humans were little more than ants.

Sometimes they crouched down and played with them when they were bored.

The scraps of food and technology they occasionally bestowed were already seen as divine blessings.

Systems had always viewed players from above.

Even when they displayed personalities, or allowed players to “dominate” them, it was all an act.

A game.

Entertainment.

Nothing more.

Zhilin had never been a data stream.

She had been a failed player.

The system opened its “eyes.”

A ruby-red artificial crystal rotated within.

Countless streams of data reflected across its surface, producing a cold, inhuman crimson glow.

It typed with practiced ease:

[I was really wrong.]

Jiang Shulan had become far too bold under the system’s indulgence.

[And I’m really watching your performance!]

[I’ll do better!]

Night Demon looked at the shattered debris scattered across the floor without so much as raising an eyebrow.

He lifted a hand, signaling the servants who had rushed over to leave.

“Tired of smashing things? There’s more in my room.”

After Jiang Shulan finished venting his anger…

It would be Night Demon’s turn.

“Not enough!”

Jiang Shulan’s little brain never thought that far ahead.

Like a triumphant little warrior, he marched into Philip’s bedroom.

He completely failed to notice Philip locking the door behind him.

The room was dark.

Only the bedside lamp cast a warm amber glow.

Jiang Shulan, who had briefly sympathized with the destructive instincts of a husky dog, felt the smile gradually disappear from his face.

‘Oh no.’

His butt was in danger again.

He spun around and bolted for the door.

Philip caught him effortlessly around the waist.

With ease, he lifted him off the ground and set him onto the bed.

The mattress was absurdly soft.

Layers upon layers of blankets swallowed him whole.

Gripping the sheets with pale fingers, Jiang Shulan struggled to sit upright.

“I refuse! I won’t allow it! If you dare-”

Philip didn’t hear a single word.

Actions had consequences.

And unlike his boyfriend, Philip wasn’t the type to be appeased with a few kisses.

Night Demon understood traps better than anyone.

He knew exactly where to place a mechanism.

How to lure prey into it.

Which weapon would create the greatest impact.

How to strip away resistance.

How to consume prey completely.

Not even bones left behind.

Now he focused that same terrifying level of attention entirely on Jiang Shulan.

Which made it far more frightening.

Jiang Shulan ended up dizzy and weak.

His limbs felt like jelly.

The bed was so soft that he couldn’t find anything solid to brace himself against.

His face pressed into a pillow.

The tears soaking into the fabric could practically be wrung out.

Whenever it seemed like he couldn’t breathe anymore, Philip would turn him over.

Then continue until he cried again.

Night Demon showed no mercy toward his prey.

At one point, he even ordered Jiang Shulan to…

No.

Absolutely not.

He was grown up now.

His legs didn’t cramp anymore.

And besides, it was exhausting.

Jiang Shulan tried to protest.

Then one look at Philip’s terrifying expression convinced him to obey.

A few minutes later, he failed anyway.

At some point, Jiang Shulan sat up and touched Philip’s abdominal muscles.

Thinking about everything those muscles had put him through, he immediately made a life decision.

He would never exercise again.

The next morning, the first thing he did after waking up was touch his stomach.

[Men can’t get pregnant.]

The system spoke flatly.

Jiang Shulan’s face instantly turned red.

[I-I know that!]

‘Damn Philip.’

‘Damn Night Demon.’

Taking advantage of the fact that the pervert wasn’t around, Jiang Shulan quickly slipped out of the bedroom.

[System~]

[Second floor.]

Following the directions, Jiang Shulan arrived at a secret room on the second floor.

The room was enormous.

The mechanism workshop sat at the very back.

The first chamber contained countless photographs.

Victims from previous cases.

Apparently they were too graphic, because the system had censored them with an absurd amount of mosaic blur.

The second chamber held rows upon rows of red suitcases stretching endlessly into the distance.

A faint odor of decay seeped from some of the front rows before being sucked away by the ventilation system.

Jiang Shulan stopped walking.

[System. Can I take these photos…?]

[Of course.]

After finishing everything he needed to do, Jiang Shulan entered the innermost room and selected a knife from Night Demon’s collection.

Then he returned to the suitcase chamber.

Choosing the largest red suitcase he could find, he climbed inside and curled up.

He didn’t dare do it himself.

That job belonged to the all-powerful system.

Closing his eyes obediently, he said,

[I’m ready, System.]

[Why are you doing this?]

Jiang Shulan puffed out his cheeks.

‘Didn’t he say he likes me? Then he can experience exactly what it feels like when the person you love disappears.’

Meanwhile, less than a mile from the castle, Philip was driving back after obtaining their marriage certificate.

There was a softness in his eyes.

A happiness he hadn’t even realized was there.

The little red booklet contained a photograph of him and Jiang Shulan pressed cheek to cheek.

He had taken it after Jiang Shulan passed out the previous night.

From now on, his boyfriend truly belonged to him.

No.

His husband.

Philip would never allow him to leave his sight again.

He would protect him.

Keep him safe.

Keep him happy.

No pain would ever reach him.

No suffering would ever touch him.

His wife would never be hurt again.

Philip was in such a good mood that when police officers stopped him for identification, he lowered his guard completely.

Until…

He saw his own wanted poster in their hands.

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