The car, like a beast lying in wait in the dead of night, sped into an old alley.
It was late, and snow was falling. The north wind howled, and faint, agonizing screams seed to ride on its gusts.
Before the car had even co to a complete stop, Dylan Collins approached respectfully.
"Third Lord Master, everything is ready. We were just waiting for you!"
Caleb Rhodes, holding Nina Wynn in his arms, nodded at Dylan Collins. His voice was cold and heavy. "I appreciate your trouble."
Dylan Collins didn’t dare to spare a glance at the person in his arms. He said with the utmost respect, "It is my honor to serve you, Third Lord Master. Allow to lead the way."
With that, he turned and walked inside.
It was a traditional courtyard house. While not as large as Caleb Rhodes’s, its antique-style decor gave it an air of authenticity.
Soon, Dylan Collins led Caleb Rhodes into a rather dim room.
High-quality agarwood incense was burning inside. A grand, traditional master’s chair was placed squarely in the middle of the room.
The front wall of the room was covered by dark curtains. After they entered, the curtains slowly drew open, revealing an entire wall of glass.
Behind the glass was a square-shaped room filled with strange instrunts of torture, as well as nurous slithering, cold-blooded creatures.
Nina Wynn looked at the room, and as if she understood sothing, her body went rigid.
Caleb Rhodes stroked her hair, lifted her onto his lap, and whispered, "Are you scared? Do you want to hear the sounds?"
Nina stared motionlessly at the room, her hand gripping Caleb Rhodes’s clothes tightly. "I want to hear."
Caleb Rhodes waved to the man at the door, his face expressionless. "Let so of the sound through. Not too loud."
The man said respectfully, "Yes, Third Lord Master!"
A mont later, the door to the small room opened, and three young n were thrown inside.
Nina Wynn’s eyes shot wide open, her face turning deathly pale.
It was a one-sided slaughter.
It was animals turning on humans.
Humans had deprived the animals of their freedom, and the animals were retaliating with their venomous fangs.
These were not a native species of snake, nor were they lethally venomous. But with just a few bites, if left untreated for an hour or two, the venom would slowly seep into the vital organs, destroying them from the inside.
Over the course of eight to ten years, it would cause a person to die slowly in despair and terror.
More importantly, the snakes had a terrifying appearance. Their bodies were entirely black, but their mouths and forked tongues were a vivid red. The re sight of them was enough to scare the soul out of one’s body.
Piercing screams rose and fell, one after another. Even the man guarding the door couldn’t take it and began to dry-heave.
But Nina Wynn just watched, motionless, her grip on Caleb Rhodes’s clothes so tight it nearly tore the fabric.
After what felt like an eternity, she looked away and said softly, "I don’t want to watch anymore. Let’s go back."
Caleb Rhodes picked her up and walked out.
As they reached the doorway, Nina Wynn, resting on his shoulder, said softly, "Hand them over to the police."
Caleb Rhodes paused. He said to Dylan Collins, who was following behind them, "Find a reason to have them put away for life. And rember, find so people on the inside to ’pay special attention’ to them."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. His voice was exceptionally cold. "Rember, they can’t die, but they can’t live well either."
Dylan Collins, still reeling from the horrifying screams, could only nod vigorously in agreent upon hearing Caleb Rhodes’s command.
Caleb Rhodes carried Nina Wynn into the car, which quickly vanished into the night.
Dylan Collins stared in the direction the car had disappeared and finally ca back to his senses.
He recalled the look the young woman in Caleb Rhodes’s arms had given him as she glanced back before leaving.
It was icy, rciless, and devoid of any human warmth—a stark contrast to her frail appearance.
He couldn’t help but shudder. Suddenly, he felt as if all his years of experience in judging people had been for nothing.
After they returned ho, Nina Wynn’s high fever unexpectedly began to subside.
She didn’t sleep. Instead, she went to the sunroom and began to paint.
First, she ticulously finished the paintings she hadn’t completed that afternoon. Then, she started a new piece, this one involving animals.
On a vast savanna, three lions were hunting a little girl. The scene looked rather brutal.
But on closer inspection, one could see that the three lions had skulls for heads, and the little girl wore an expression of cold indifference.
Seeing that she was painting instead of sleeping, Caleb Rhodes kept her company, moving his work into the sunroom.
Just like during the day, the two of them worked without disturbing each other.
Deep into the night, Nina Wynn stood up and brought a small painting to Caleb Rhodes.
She kept her head down, looking timid, as if afraid of interrupting him. "Caleb, are you done with work?"
Caleb Rhodes glanced at the hand holding the painting. It was smudged with red paint, which, against her soft, pale fingers, was inexplicably alluring.
When he didn’t answer, she pulled her hand back and said softly, "It’s almost morning. You should get so rest."
Her voice was still gentle, but it seed to have regained its vitality. She was no longer listless like she had been during the day.
And that, too, was inexplicably alluring.
A dark glint flashed in his eyes. He closed his laptop, then scooped her up and settled her onto his lap. His voice was husky. "Is this painting for ?"
Nina Wynn nodded and held the painting out to him again. "Look!"
It was a small, refreshingly elegant painting. In it, a tall man and a young girl sat hand-in-hand on a hillside surrounded by blooming white roses.
It was warm, graceful, and filled with a sweet feeling.
Caleb Rhodes looked at the people in the painting, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Is this you and ?"
Nina Wynn rested her head on his shoulder and murmured, "I heard that people in love like to go to hillsides covered in flowers like this."
Caleb Rhodes set the painting on his laptop and leaned down to kiss Nina’s hair. "So, Nina wants to be in a relationship with ?"
Nina Wynn clutched his shirt tightly and asked in a small voice, "Then... what are we now?"
A hint of a smile colored Caleb Rhodes’s eyes, though his voice remained light. "It’s been freezing and snowy lately, far too cold outside. After spring arrives and the scenery gets better everywhere, we can go to a place like this too, alright?"
’Spring?’
Nina Wynn fell silent, resting her head on Caleb Rhodes’s shoulder, looking very obedient and well-behaved.
Caleb Rhodes held her and said in a low voice, "But, if we’re in a relationship, is Nina prepared? It will involve very intimate acts."
Nina Wynn’s body froze.
After a long mont, she sat up, looked at Caleb Rhodes for a while, and then slowly cupped his face in her hands.
Her soft lips pressed against his, and her hands slowly settled on his lean waist.
However, her hands were still trembling slightly, as if she were desperately trying to suppress her inner fear and terror.
Caleb Rhodes remained still, letting her take the lead.
But in the end, he couldn’t hold back.
Her inexperienced actions set a fire in him, and soon, he had Nina Wynn pinned against the worktable.
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