As the sun set and dusk arrived, the workers began to head home. However, the tradition of drinking culture was still ongoing, with seniors leading their juniors out for drinks. If a junior refused, they would be labeled as unsociable, a reputation that was a nightmare for young people just starting their careers.
Shen Feng, however, was safely ensconced in his villa, thus avoiding such a situation. No one dared to force Shen Feng to drink, nor would Shen Feng force anyone else. He ate his meal as usual, with Lan Zi attending to him. Whenever Shen Feng finished his rice, she would promptly refill his bowl.
As Shen Feng was enjoying his meal, Yue Hengyi returned with Saya Xiang after a doctor's visit. Saya Xiang's eyes were red, and Yue Hengyi looked embarrassed, creating a subtle shift in the atmosphere.
"You're back just in time, join us for dinner!" Shen Feng casually invited Yue Hengyi and Saya Xiang.
Unexpectedly, Saya Xiang stumbled towards the stairs and rushed back to her room, immediately closing the door. Tears were still visible on Saya Xiang's face.
Yue Hengyi sat down awkwardly and said to Shen Feng, "Brother, well, things are getting more and more complicated, I can't handle it anymore!"
Shen Feng pondered for a moment and then said to Lan Zi, "Lan Zi, go and talk to Saya Xiang. If she's feeling down, let her vent. I'll handle things here!"
Lan Zi obediently put down her chopsticks and went to find Saya Xiang. She was confident that she could successfully persuade Saya Xiang.
"Little Yue, eat! We'll talk slowly after you've eaten!" Shen Feng first urged Yue Hengyi to eat. Yue Hengyi followed his advice, but as he ate, a look of helplessness appeared on his face, indicating his genuine distress.
"I realize I'm a scoundrel. I've done this and hurt someone, I really don't know what to do!" Yue Hengyi said dejectedly.
"Come on, if this makes me a scoundrel, then there are very few good people in this world. It's the apocalypse now, and the strong have the right to dominate the weak. In many places, the strong have dozens of wives. Who can say they are wrong? Aren't they all envious of their power? In the apocalypse, weakness is the crime!" Shen Feng advised Yue Hengyi.
In Shen Feng's opinion, Yue Hengyi should also keep up with the times. Not to mention anything else, even in China, there are not a few men and women who sell their bodies to survive. Their bodies no longer belong to them, but to other strong individuals. Yue Hengyi, a fifth-tier ability user, undoubtedly possessed considerable strength. It was truly regrettable that he was so dejected over such a trivial matter.
"It's not like that. The heavens and earth may change, but morality does not! A true person should uphold their moral bottom line and not engage in exploitative acts, using their strength to gain benefits. Such people will eventually face retribution," Yue Hengyi argued.
"Fine! You're noble, you're amazing! You're a model of morality, but you can't change the world. You can only go with the flow. Living in chaotic times with outdated ideas, hmph, you'll only torment yourself sooner or later!" Shen Feng was too lazy to persuade Yue Hengyi. After all, being mocked by Yue Hengyi had also provoked his temper, so he decided to stop caring.
Shen Feng knew that Yue Hengyi probably wasn't specifically referring to him when he said that, but the statement had a broad scope of damage. Since ancient times, the strong have dominated the weak, and Shen Feng was among those strong individuals who, according to Yue Hengyi, would face retribution. After all, he occupied Yuzhou and taxed people, which was essentially gaining benefits through strength.
Shen Feng could only consider Yue Hengyi to be a legendary bookworm, whose ideas were still based on the teachings from school, brainwashed by virtue, intelligence, integrity, kindness, and beauty, while forgetting the harsh realities of the world.
Yue Hengyi couldn't help but say, "I want to give Saya Xiang an ability potion. This can be considered compensation. What do you think?"
"It's your property, handle it yourself. I don't want to get involved. As long as you think it will resolve your inner unease, then do it!" Shen Feng said indifferently and continued eating.
When Lan Zi arrived outside Saya Xiang's room, she pushed the door open and walked in, saying calmly, "You shouldn't show expressions of sadness and distress. You should continue to pretend to be a gentle and virtuous woman. Since you've already completed the first step last night, you should continue with it."
Saya Xiang sat on her bed, curled up in a ball with her knees hugged to her chest, silently shedding tears. She said, "I don't want to lie anymore. Yue Hengyi is a very kind young man, and I deceived him, putting him in a difficult position. Therefore, I won't help you anymore. Find someone else, I won't follow your instructions anymore!"
Upon receiving this answer, Lan Zi became furious. Now that she could obtain the ability potion, if Saya Xiang could also lure Yue Hengyi according to her plan, she would receive another ability potion. But now, Saya Xiang had gone back on her word, causing her plan to fail directly. How could she not be angry?
"Don't forget, your and your husband's lives are in my hands. With just one command from me, you will lose your jobs, and the more severe consequence is death. Do you really want to die?" Lan Zi threatened coldly.
As Lan Zi imagined, if she threatened her, Saya Xiang would immediately cry and beg her not to do so. In her mind, Saya Xiang would likely say, "Please don't harm me and my husband. As long as you agree to this, I won't refuse anything you ask me to do. Please!"
However, Saya Xiang's reaction was beyond Lan Zi's expectations. Saya Xiang, without even looking up, said, "Then kill me. Kill my husband too, please, you must do this! I will be very grateful to you!"
Lan Zi was bewildered. How could a timid and weak woman change so drastically in one day? Looking at Saya Xiang's current expression, a look of having no will to live, this reaction completely shocked Lan Zi. Had Saya Xiang's mental state collapsed under her pressure?
The consequences of a mental breakdown were dire, and in severe cases, a person could go completely insane. This was an action that ordinary people, when subjected to such stimulation, could not accept, often manifesting as self-abandonment and a desire for suicide!
Lan Zi thought for a moment and changed her approach, "Saya Xiang, listen to me. As long as you complete the task, you and your husband will have a bright future. As for what has happened these past few days, no one will speak of it. What are you still worried about?"
However, even with this assurance, Saya Xiang couldn't feel happy and continued to remain silent, tears still flowing down her cheeks.
Lan Zi tried threats and enticements but found them to be of little effect. Changing people now was clearly impossible and would also arouse suspicion from others. Lan Zi had lost all her means of threat. As the saying goes, if the people do not fear death, how can you use death to intimidate them?
Originally, the methods Lan Zi used to threaten Saya Xiang were nothing more than humiliation and direct threats to her life. Now that Saya Xiang was on the verge of collapse, and she no longer cared about death, Lan Zi's threats became even more insignificant in her eyes.
"Then what do you want? Name your price. Don't be like this. I will try my best to satisfy what you want!" Lan Zi said helplessly. Facing a woman who had given up on herself, ordinary threats and temptations were no longer effective. Lan Zi was very conflicted at this moment.
Saya Xiang continued, "I don't want anything now. I only wish for death. There is nothing in this world worth my lingering attachment!"
If Saya Xiang had only been threatened into doing something she didn't want to do, she would not have behaved like this. The reason for her despair was the betrayal by her husband. Her husband, whom she had relied on throughout their journey, was her pillar of support. Suddenly, she discovered that her husband had long since changed his heart and had even gotten another woman pregnant, all of which was done behind her back. This was something she could not accept.
Seeing Saya Xiang in this state, Lan Zi could only shake her head helplessly. She then prepared to leave, leaving behind a parting remark: "Regarding what I threatened you with earlier, you'd better not go around spouting nonsense, or your fate will be very grim. There's a knife under the bed; if you want to die, use that knife!"
With that, Lan Zi immediately left the room.
Saya Xiang seemed to have heard Lan Zi's suggestion. She immediately got off the bed and found a box under it. She had never paid attention to whether there was anything under the bed before. Opening the box, she saw a short knife, about thirty centimeters long, gleaming with a cold light, appearing very sharp.
"Finally, I can be free. Finally, I can leave this corrupt world!" Saya Xiang thought to herself.
Then, Saya Xiang placed the knife on her wrist, gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and cut down forcefully. Blood splattered instantly, and the room fell into silence.
Lan Zi came downstairs and sat on a chair with a sigh. "Miss Saya Xiang seems to have been greatly stimulated, so she's not listening to anyone now. I can't communicate with her at all. I think it's best to let Miss Saya Xiang calm down for a while and hope she can emerge from her sorrow on her own."
Upon hearing Lan Zi's explanation, Yue Hengyi immediately buried his head in his hands in remorse, saying, "It's all my fault that this situation has occurred. I am truly an unforgivable scoundrel!"
With that thought, Yue Hengyi stood up abruptly and muttered to himself, "I am a man. I must take responsibility for my mistakes. I will go and take responsibility now!"
After speaking, Yue Hengyi walked upstairs. Shen Feng leaned back on the sofa and said to Lan Zi, "My shoulders are sore, Lan Zi, come and give me a massage!"
Lan Zi did not object to Shen Feng's request and readily agreed, saying, "Yes, Lord Shen Fuyao, I'll be right there!"
Lan Zi then walked behind Shen Feng and began to massage his shoulders. The young girl's hands were soft and boneless, and with her diligent massage, Shen Feng's shoulder muscles gradually relaxed. Shen Feng thought to himself at this moment, "This is life! Always having someone to serve, with material comforts and no spiritual emptiness."
However, as Shen Feng was enjoying the massage from the beautiful girl, a sudden exclamation came from upstairs: "Brother, come quickly! Something terrible has happened!"
Upon hearing Yue Hengyi's cry for help, Shen Feng's muscles instantly tensed. He used "As the Wind Follows" and instantly rushed upstairs. Arriving on the third floor, he saw Yue Hengyi holding a green vial, cradling the unconscious Saya Xiang in his arms. The room was filled with blood. Saya Xiang's left arm was exposed, covered in countless wounds. The crisscrossing gashes had opened on her fair arm, and Saya Xiang was unconscious.
On the floor lay a short knife, stained with blood. It was evident that Saya Xiang had committed suicide. No one could have entered here and committed the act under Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi's noses. Saya Xiang was now suffering from severe blood loss, and if it wasn't stopped promptly, she would surely die.
"Feng Ge, hurry and save her!" Yue Hengyi said anxiously.