Chapter 428: The Girl Who Wants a Powerful Master

She turned around, panic flickering in her sky-blue eyes.

Su Nian’s body stiffened abruptly, and the Holy Light gathering at her fingertips instantly dissipated.

Chu Tian had appeared behind her at some unknown moment, his tall figure nearly enveloping her completely.

His handsome face carried a hint of confusion, his black eyes deep and unfathomable…

Su Nian’s face flushed crimson instantly.

“M-Master!” Su Nian stammered, caught red-handed!

Her mind raced, the plan she’d just formed shattered into pieces.

She had planned to “accidentally” make a mistake, then “actively” request punishment, but she’d been caught before she could even act.

But then… Su Nian had a sudden flash of inspiration.

Her original plan was to be punished after making a mistake anyway.

Now that she’d been discovered, she might as well adapt!

Su Nian lowered her eyelids, her long lashes trembling, concealing the slyness in her eyes.

She took a deep breath, forcing her voice to sound full of “a Saintess’s compassion.”

She pointed at the magic beasts imprisoned in their cages, her voice trembling with just the right amount of concern, “They’re trapped here, with no freedom… they look so miserable… so I… I thought… I wanted to set them free.”

She cautiously glanced up, sneaking a peek at Chu Tian’s expression.

‘Hmph! I’m definitely not actually going to free these magic beasts!’

In her eyes, magic beasts were the great enemy of humanity, and these were especially the “fuel” the Horned Demon Master used to grow stronger.

Releasing them on her own would undoubtedly offend him badly.

‘Get angry now! You damned Horned Demon!’

She screamed internally, practically wishing Chu Tian would explode in rage and punish her severely.

Then she could “beg for mercy” through her grievances and request to be locked in a cage for reflection.

This way, a hefty amount of Humiliation Value would easily be hers.

Chu Tian watched her quietly.

His deep black eyes didn’t hold the fury Su Nian had expected.

He let out a soft sigh, stepped forward, and gently wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her away from the walls inscribed with magical arrays.

“You really are a kind-hearted girl.” His voice was low and gentle, filled with helpless affection.

“These magic beasts were all villains that once attacked human villages and harmed our people.” Chu Tian stroked her hair, his tone calm.

“Besides, they are my source of power and my bargaining chips to fight the Demon Race. If we let them go, it would only cause more innocent humans to suffer.”

He paused, then added, “And before, I didn’t tell you the truth about this underground area. That was my oversight. I worried you, Nian Nian.”

Su Nian froze, a look of stunned disbelief flashing in her sky-blue eyes.

That’s… it?

And then?

Why wasn’t the Master punishing her?

She had clearly almost let slip her intention to free these magic beasts that were so crucial to him!

She had even prepared herself to be scolded, imprisoned, and severely “disciplined” by him.

She had planned to naturally propose becoming a “pet in a cage.”

But…

But this damned Horned Demon hadn’t taken it seriously at all.

He had even comforted her…

Su Nian bit her lower lip, feeling utterly wronged inside.

For the past nine days, she had tried to make small mistakes—knocking over the ink bottle on his desk, losing an unimportant document, even deliberately cleaning up after him.

But every time, he had just smiled helplessly, comforted her gently, or simply said, “It’s fine, just be more careful next time.”

Even when she “accidentally” shattered one of the damned Horned Demon’s important items, he had only smiled helplessly.

‘This is insane! Absolutely insane!’

“Ding! Host Favorability +1. Current Favorability: 78.”

The system notification made Su Nian’s heart tighten.

Her favorability had gone up again!

She was completely despairing.

At this rate, forget about accumulating Humiliation Value—she might actually get spoiled rotten by this man!

And…

Su Nian stole another glance at Chu Tian’s handsome profile.

‘Though I hate to admit it, being treated so gently by him… it does make me feel a little… a little happy inside.’

‘No, no!’

Su Nian shook her head violently, her golden hair tracing an arc through the air.

She couldn’t keep going like this!

She had to obtain Humiliation Value as soon as possible!

She only had a little over one million left to reach her goal of one hundred million, and the Demon Race’s threat was imminent.

She didn’t have time to dawdle!

Since the “make a mistake and beg for punishment” route was a dead end, then…

Su Nian abandoned all pretense of indirect probing.

Her gaze fixed directly on another option provided by the system—

[Option 3: Forbidden Confession.]

[Description: Confess to your master about your…, request that he have no mercy for your body and treat you like a true “enemy,” carrying out the most thorough and cruel conquest.]

[Estimated Humiliation Value gained: 1,000,000–3,000,000.]

‘One million to three million Humiliation Value.’

The payoff was enormous.

The Demon Race’s threat had been shortened from half a year to within a month.

She had no time left.

Su Nian bit her lower lip hard.

Shame, Humiliation and a feeling she couldn’t quite identify—one she didn’t dare admit to herself—a secret anticipation.

The moment this thought surfaced, Su Nian shook her head violently again, her golden strands brushing against her burning cheeks.

‘No. It’s for the Humiliation Value.’

‘It’s to gather that one hundred million points, ascend to godhood, and use absolute power to protect this world.’

‘It’s definitely not because… I long to be treated that way by him. Definitely not!’

But her mind couldn’t help painting those images…

Imprisoned.

Locked in a sturdy iron cage, like those magic beasts, completely at her master’s mercy…

Su Nian’s breathing became completely erratic.

Even the tips of her ears turned a translucent crimson.

Her cheeks were scorching hot, the burning sensation spreading down her neck.

“Ding! Mental Fortitude -1, Current Corruption Status: 20%”

“Corruption value reached 20%, unlocked Charm Mark Lv4.”

The system’s cold notification made her entire body jolt.

Charm Mark Lv4… another state that would only bring extreme shame.

But she couldn’t worry about that now.

This shame was nothing compared to what she was about to do.

Su Nian lifted her head.

She forced herself to meet Chu Tian’s unfathomably deep black eyes.

She took a deep breath, the rise and fall of her chest stirring the air.

Her voice carried an uncontrollable tremor but also a resolute determination as if burning all bridges.

She spoke again, “Master…”

This time, her tone was no longer the feigned “compassion of a Saintess.”

It carried an unprecedented honesty and a strangeness to herself…

Chu Tian raised an eyebrow.

The gentle affection in his black eyes faded, replaced by a hint of playful curiosity.

Su Nian’s cheeks were red enough to bleed.

She knew that every word she was about to speak would brand a mark of shame deep into her soul.

But for that million-level Humiliation Value, she was willing to go all out.

“A gentle master… is also… very satisfying to me…” Her voice had dwindled to nearly inaudible.

Each syllable felt like it was being painfully dragged from the depths of her throat with all her strength.

But she forced herself to finish, “But… I still want… a stronger, more ruthless master.”

She bit her lower lip hard.

The sharp pain gave her a moment of clarity and the courage to continue.

“I want you… to treat me like a true enemy… and carry out the most thorough and brutal conquest.”

Her voice carried an uncontrollable sob, yet mixed with a longing that even she found terrifying.

“I want to be like these magic beasts, locked in a cage, driven by you…”