Chloe desperately rolled her eyes, observing the cellar she was in…
Expensive walnut floorboards, gold-inlaid marble tiles forming seams like a golden cage, glass display cases wiped spotless, holding pieces of… torture instruments that could be called artworks.
The metal surfaces were mirror-polished without a single burr, the sandblasted finishes fine and even, blades intricately carved with hollow patterns and inlaid with garnet stones like blood droplets, whip handles twisted with gold wire and ivory…
No scent of blood lingered—probably meticulously cleaned and disinfected after use, clearly tended by specialized servants.
Too… too upscale!
The reporter loli’s small body shivered violently.
Though her heart was filled with utter terror, the deeply ingrained personality etched into her bones made her eyes instantly curve into crescents, and she blurted out:
“Tch-tch-tch, you don’t think these junk fish torture tools will work on me, do you? I’m not some little girl who cries over a scratch! No way! Breaking a couple bones would just itch a bit!”
When normal people slammed on the brakes at a cliff ahead, she would floor the accelerator without a second thought due to her nature!
Huh?! Why did those words come out of my mouth? Chloe! The most important thing now is to beg for mercy! Beg! Otherwise, you’ll die! You’ll really die!
If her hands weren’t bound behind her back, Chloe would have slapped herself hard.
The albino crow girl named ‘Pearl’ revealed a faint smile, tilting her head as she admired the little one with a noose around her chin, tiptoeing on the ground, on the verge of hanging, yet still mouthing off defiantly.
Seeing the other wasn’t angered, Chloe didn’t relax—instead, a bad premonition surged. Based on years of news reporting experience, this squinting-eyed one was definitely a pervert.
Woo…
We’re done for…
The rope hadn’t even tightened yet, but Chloe was already gasping for air, her pupils dilating, sweat pouring down.
Pearl merely stepped forward, and she shrieked desperately in response.
“W-what are you going to do to me?! That’s illegal, you know?! The Tribunal won’t let you get away with it! Hmph, if you apologize sincerely right now and beg me to let you go, maybe I’ll mercifully put in a good word for you, turn you into a tainted witness and get you a lighter sentence…”
Pearl listened patiently, nodding along, until Chloe vented her piece. Then she smiled charmingly:
“You think the Scripps Family caught you to threaten Ashley?”
Chloe looked puzzled. Wasn’t that it?
“The dignity of the Blood Nobles cannot be defiled. From the moment that one ruined the banquet, it was destined that her associates would die or become playthings. Our Scripps Family has endured for a millennium, accumulating not just knowledge and power, but also methods that turn even the mouthiest braggart one second into a sobbing wreck the next…”
White Pearl lowered her head to fiddle with her nails, the pink-purple nail polish gleaming like a shard of emerald spring hue. Her hand backed elegantly, skin covered in pristine white down.
Not just that—from her ankles up and neck down, it was all cloaked in soft, pure white crow feathers: some fluffy, some silky and glossy, most hidden beneath a plain long skirt and cloak.
Eh?
Chloe’s mouth gaped, cold sweat trickling down her temple.
This… this one sentence blocked off any path to begging for mercy?
Not using me to exchange for the Little Flower? Then I have zero value left?!
At that moment, White Pearl twisted her slender shoulders, the long skirt sliding over her hips to reveal a pristine, dazzling coat of feathers.
The white plumage clustered lightly and softly around her body, like a ritual skirt or a cheongsam, with a sexy yet tasteful V-neckline.
She flipped her arm, grasping it with the other hand, and said:
“Though the Blood Nobles’ technology all stems from ‘Primordial Blood’ differentiation, each house masters different ‘genetic keys.’ The Crow Family’s main tech tree is forming ‘Ritual Garb’ by cloaking the body in crow feathers—not only boosting defense and combat power, but also generating force fields that deflect supernatural attacks. Extensive research inevitably spawns side branches, and in development, a byproduct emerged: the ‘Chick Outfit’ for controlling and tormenting enemies.”
As she spoke leisurely, she unfurled the thin, long wings behind her—foot-long white feathers and half-meter tail plumes neatly arrayed, edges translucent like jade sheets.
Though an enemy, one had to admit the White Crow’s beauty was captivating, striking some wondrous aesthetic nerve.
Whether from jealousy or madness, Chloe couldn’t help shaking her head wildly, cackling strangely:
“Tch-tch-tch, from what I know, freaks like you albino crows must’ve been bullied mercilessly as kids. I’ve interviewed tons of such children—disabled, birthmarked, too tall or short, stutterers, accents—anything different, and they get picked on… Did anyone call you the crow that fell in a white paint bucket? Did anyone say your color was disgusting? White like mourning clothes? Did they splash filth on you? Maybe even your parents got dragged down for birthing a freak, whispered about behind their backs, while you fake-smiled at everyone by day, all obedient and nodding, then huddled in bed crying your eyes out at night…”
“Stop it! Stop it!”
White Pearl suddenly went berserk, hands clamping Chloe’s neck, eyes bulging wide, dilated pupils like two terrifying black holes!
Forget Chloe—even Ashley had been broken by this female imp before. If it was a talent, the reporter loli had reached the pinnacle.
Chloe’s vision went white from the choking, her heart turning to ice.
Lucy…
Gonna die, ugh…
Wah…
I don’t want to die…
In the instant terror and despair shone in her eyes, White Pearl seemed to realize something and slowly released her grip. Seeing the limp Chloe about to be hanged by the noose, she hurriedly supported her with a hand.
“Interesting little one. I wonder how long you’ll last in the ‘Chick Outfit’…”
–
Her clothes were torn open, revealing sweat-slick skin that looked soft and slippery, like cheese baked to the point of melting.
White Pearl drew a pale blue feather from her storage cloth, its quill connected to invisible silver threads that glinted faintly.
Chloe shyly twisted to cover herself, eyeing it curiously, unsure what it was.
A metal ring appeared in the girl’s hand. As it neared, the silver threads unfurled into scalelike barbs and neural tendrils visible only under a microscope.
“Once implanted into the body, yanking it out forcibly would ravage the nervous system—might even turn you into an idiot. So you’ll wear it for life. This ring’s special magnetic field controls the barbs and tendrils’ extension, delivering ‘rewards’ or ‘punishments.’ Perfect for a little female imp like you. Come now, become my little chick…”
Then, White Pearl methodically twisted the fine threads into Chloe’s flesh, dressing her in the [Myna Chick Outfit].
Implantation felt like mere mosquito bites. Once fully covered, it didn’t seem bad at all—actually pretty cute, like a darling myna chick with red beak, white neck, blue feathers, delicate snowy feet peeking from the plumage.
As Chloe’s eyes widened in trepidation, waiting anxiously, the slender hand with the ring stroked her back. She immediately grunted, eyes bulging with burst blood vessels, then her whole body tensed, and she let out a heart-wrenching scream. She writhed on the ground, rolling back and forth, banging her head against the chair leg nonstop, blood streaming down her nose bridge—as if only this could distract from the pain.
When White Pearl altered the magnetic field and gently stroked again, Chloe’s body jolted upright, then collapsed rigidly, twitching in minor spasms.
Like a cat under anesthesia, her tongue lolled out mixed with drool, eyes rolled back white.
