chapter2 He's a monster

The car wound along the mountain road, carrying three men through the twists and turns.

"Henry, what's the rate today?" The driver glanced back, addressing the man in the rear seat.

"Forty grand," Henry, who had disembarked from the boat earlier, replied casually. "We're all headed for the same end anyway. No point overspending. Money's hard-earned!"

The driver turned to the passenger seat, grinning. "Jack, up for another wager?"

Jack, with an arched brow and smirk, looked ahead. "Absolutely. But Bill, if I win this time, I want your boat."

"Put your new car and lady friend on the line."

"Done!" Jack chuckled. He paused, then added, "But if we're tossed out right away, it'll be dull. Might as well give her a heads-up to keep quiet!"

"Even if she's silent, I give it a max of twelve hours."

"I bet at least ten."

"Deal!" Bill flashed a grin.

"Huh!" The man in the back snorted. "Seems risky, letting him know you're betting on him. What if he takes offense?"

"Heh heh," Bill chuckled nervously. "Henry, you're living the high life out here, unlike us. Without a bit of fun, we might as well take a dive. Besides, how would he find out?"

"Be cautious. One slip-up could cost us dearly," Henry's voice cut through, icy.

Jack glanced at Bill, who drove. "Hope this time we don't get busted. Could use some excitement, bro."

"Yeah! Ending up on the black market for organs isn't ideal. At least they're pretty women," Bill spat.

The white villa's corner peeked into view. The gate slid open, the car slowed, halting in front of a massive metal door.

The men stepped out, Jack pulling the woman from the trunk, gripping her arm. He whispered, "If you want to last, keep quiet later!"

Scarlett trembled, nodding vigorously.

She was dragged forward, her arm throbbing.

The metal door groaned open, Jack holding Scarlett's arm, standing tall behind Henry, moving neither fast nor slow.

Scarlett found herself disoriented, wandering in circles until they finally came to a halt. She released her grip on the person who had been dragging her.

Moments later, a respectful voice broke the silence ahead, "Mr. Asher, did the boss inform you? The arrangements for this month are the 12th and the 27th. And here is the new item the boss acquired for you."

There was no reply.

The speaker, accustomed to the lack of response, carried on, "In that case, we won't disturb you further. I'll be back to collect you next Wednesday."

Still, there was no acknowledgment.

Then, her handcuffs were unlocked, and the footsteps of two individuals faded away, followed by the heavy metallic thud of the closing door, its echo lingering like the foreboding toll of a bell.

She remained rooted, feeling like a lamb led to slaughter, realizing she was merely a pawn in their game.

Blindfolded, time stretched before her as a dark abyss. The metaphorical executioner's blade loomed, and she braced herself for its impending strike.

But there were no approaching footsteps, only the distant chirping of insects.

She stood motionless, paralyzed by uncertainty, her limbs numb, fingers clutching her dress. A pulse throbbed in her temple, teeth clenched, lips parched and cracked. The next stage awaited her, a journey into hell's depths, poised to consume her.

The ordeal seemed interminable.

Her stomach churned with hunger and thirst, the sunlight casting a gentle glow upon her, exacerbating her dizziness. She yearned for even just a sliver of sunlight, a luxury she hadn't experienced in what felt like an eternity. Perhaps in the future, being confined to a dungeon would make life under the sun seem like a rare indulgence.

Minutes ticked by in silence, her legs growing numb from inactivity, though she dared not move despite lacking shackles.

Time became an elusive concept as she struggled to discern whether it had been hours or mere moments since she had last stood upright, her mind veiled in a haze.

The absence of any visitors only intensified her torment, each passing moment feeling like an eternity.

Eventually, her strength waned, and she collapsed onto the smooth, tiled floor, utterly depleted.

Though surrounded by stillness, she couldn't shake the feeling of being ensnared in a sinister game, perhaps with a malevolent entity lurking nearby, relishing in her anguish, toying with her until the final act of this macabre charade.

As the hours dragged on, the unbearable uncertainty of her fate consumed her. The fear of impending death fractured her psyche and drained her body of its last vestiges of resolve.

With trembling hands, she tentatively removed the black cloth obscuring her vision, allowing the warmth of the sunlight to caress her face.

Slowly, she peeled away the blindfold, squinting against the sudden brightness as her eyes adjusted.

But when clarity finally dawned, her pupils dilated in shock, and she instinctively stifled a gasp with her trembling hand.

What lay before her?

In that moment, she fervently wished she could shield her eyes once more, to retreat from the terrifying truth that now confronted her.

About ten meters away sat a figure, not quite human but more of a monstrous hybrid. This being possessed the upper body of a young man, his muscular chest and waist bared, while below the waist extended a white, serpentine body, stretching out for about ten meters, occasionally twitching.

Fortunately, the creature's tail wasn't directed toward her; otherwise, she might have succumbed to fainting at the sight of its soft, barrel-sized form.

She wished she could faint now, having grasped the man's earlier warning.

Scarlett remained seated, her blood running cold. Initially dozing with eyes closed, the human-snake hybrid, upon sensing her presence, opened his eyes briefly, casting a cold and indifferent glance her way before closing them again, as if she were of no consequence.

As the initial shock waned, she shifted her hand from her mouth to her heart. Human or snake, what difference did it make? Even humans could be monstrous; encountering a creature was hardly surprising. Perhaps she was merely a plaything, destined to be consumed after serving her purpose. Death by the jaws of a monster wasn't necessarily worse than being driven to death by humans!

Observing the creature's disinterest, she turned her gaze around. Before her lay a sprawling swimming pool, glistening in the sunlight.

The pool was surrounded by verdant gardens, adorned with sturdy coconut trees resembling pines. Their feather-like leaves shimmered with emerald hues, while dark red coconuts dangled from their branches like colorful lanterns. Lush flower beds, dotted with yellow, red, and light purple blooms, carpeted the ground amidst the green foliage. To her right stood a white villa, its arched doorway beckoning toward the pool. Marble steps, flanked by decorative plants, led up to it. Beyond the garden, tall trees cast deep shadows against white walls, their outlines barely visible in the distance.

At the opposite end of the pool, the human-snake lounged on a chair, luxuriating in the moment. His tail occasionally flicked, its white scales catching the sunlight and emitting a faint golden hue.

The gentle rustling of leaves accompanied the warm breeze. Scarlett sat on the ground, observing the rippling water, her parched lips begging for moisture. Though thirst gripped her fiercely, she dared not make a move. In just a few days, her world had been upended, leaving her feeling as fragile as a wounded bird, teetering on the brink of collapse at the slightest provocation.