There was something wrong with the drinks and alcohol here.
By the time Ren Yunying realized this, she was already feeling drowsy, surrounded by the young ones.
Her complexion changed abruptly, but before she could do anything, her body began to grow limp and immobile.
The last second before her consciousness faded, she heard Hurst's voice, laced with a sigh:
"Of course, an ordinary commoner wouldn't dare provoke a military academy instructor, but it would be different if he was the actual ruler of this Barren Planet."
Hurst's smile was particularly savory.
He tossed the transparent glass bottle onto the floor, and people rushed into the hotel room in a steady stream.
Hurst pointed at the slumped form of Ren Yunying on the sofa:
"Take her to a guest room to rest, and do nothing else."
As for the other youngsters...
Hurst tilted his head slightly, revealing an extremely gentle smile.
...
When Chloe regained consciousness again, a pungent, rancid smell assailed her nostrils.
It was the smell of blood she was all too familiar with, only this time the stench was even more unbearable than before, almost making her wonder if the owner of this blood had started rotting from the flesh and internal organs, causing the blood to reek like putrid, festering pus.
Chloe opened her eyes and instinctively tried to push away her companions beside her, but unfortunately, she was the only one inside the iron cage.
Yes, she was now trapped in an iron cage, like a rare wild beast that everyone had caged for its uniqueness. Even the iron cage itself had been used many times without cleaning, its stench evident.
Chloe's expression changed slightly, and she disdainfully tore off a corner of her clothes, vigorously rubbing the dirt off her skin.
They had been deceived by Hurst, and he had even imprisoned her.
Why was this? What did Hurst intend to do?
Those drugged drinks and alcohol, if Chloe's memory served her right, she hadn't taken a single sip. At most, she had only sniffed the aroma.
Could the drug have taken effect simply by being inhaled?
Chloe's nose wrinkled slightly, feeling that something was amiss.
Even a youngster like Chloe knew not to consume anything given by others indiscriminately, so how could Ren Yunying have let her guard down and drank the alcohol Hurst offered her?
This wasn't something the clear-headed Ren Yunying would do.
As Chloe puzzled over this conundrum, a beam of light suddenly appeared in the dim space.
Chloe raised her head, meeting Hurst's punchable handsome face.
She slowly lowered the piece of cloth she had been using to wipe herself.
Before Hurst could say anything, a tremendous surge of energy suddenly erupted from Chloe's body, and her formidable perceptive power instantly shattered the supposedly indestructible iron cage into fragments.
Hurst stared at the remains of the iron cage, said to be the world's most durable, never to be destroyed: "..."
From amidst the scattered iron debris on the floor, Chloe sprang up, her eyes glowing a crimson red, her slender white fingers tightly gripping Hurst's throat, her voice cold and fierce:
"Where are my friends? And Instructor Ren, where have you hidden them?"
"Tell me!"
Hurst, choked by her grip, coughed violently a few times.
Chloe stared at him, eventually loosening her grip slightly.
But her force was still terrifying, as if she could pierce his throat with her fingers at any moment.
Hurst's smile remained:
"Don't be tense, my dear, I just wanted to play an interesting game with you all."
Chloe, impatient with his evasive answer:
"Can't you understand human language? I'm asking you where my teacher and friends are, not what you brought me here for."
"If you can't hear, I can cut off your ears and soak them in alcohol for Xavier to drink."
Hurst: "..."
"Alright," he sighed with a smile, "Your little companions have been placed in separate rooms next door, one person per room, VIP treatment!"
"..."
Chloe looked at him disdainfully: "I hate your slimy tone, can't you be more serious?"
Hearing this, Hurst appeared particularly aggrieved: "My dear lady, I've always been very serious, this is just a little humor from a well-bred noble with deep cultural roots."
Chloe frowned slightly: "You're discussing well-bred nobles with deep cultural roots with me?"
Could there really be a family with deeper roots than hers, Chloe's?
Hurst clearly realized this too, and fell silent.
"As for the dear Miss Ren, she is now safe, placed in a small place where no one will see her or harm her."
Hurst gripped Chloe's wrist, his smile gentle and elegant:
"Want to rescue her? Well, it depends on your abilities, my dear."
As the words fell, the surrounding curtains suddenly parted.
Dazzling light poured in, as if some seal had been lifted, and the clamor from outside instantly rushed in.
Deafening cheers threatened to blow off the ceiling.
Chloe looked up at the scene before her in disbelief.
Outside this dimly lit room lay a vast, cruel arena.
People fought against each other, against beasts, twisting and beating in a chaotic mass.
Blood sprayed from wounds, spattering the floors and seats of the stands, the scene a filthy mess. Spectators cheered for this ugly bloodshed and competition, reveling in the last vestiges of humanity and conscience, madly worshipping this senseless aesthetic of violence.
The suffocating, rancid atmosphere made Chloe feel as if she were in hell, breathing in the stench of putrefaction, her vision covered in a layer of crimson red.
Blood, everywhere was blood, filthy, foul-smelling, unbearable blood.
Chloe didn't like this.
"Scared?" Hurst asked with interest, "Don't be afraid, my dear. See the bets they're placing? Whether they win or lose, it will bring me great profit. What I see is never this ugly human nature, but money."
"Endless money, that is the capital that has allowed me to maintain a foothold on this Barren Planet."
Hurst's voice trembled slightly, carrying an imperceptible touch of madness.
He stood up and gently led Chloe forward, allowing her to directly face the arena:
"Today, this will be your main stage. If you want me to release Instructor Ren, this is your only chance."
At this moment, inside the arena, the gaping bloodied maws of wild beasts mercilessly gnawed off a man's head, brain matter bursting forth, milky fluids dripping onto the sand as the stench in the air grew thicker and the cheers increasingly deafening.
Hurst watched the scene below with keen interest, turning to [Chloe] and remarking solicitously:
"Perhaps you feel you cannot accomplish this?"
"It's alright," Hurst said, "I've brought your little companion as well. You can fight together, my dear, just like at the Joint Military Academy Competition. I'm looking forward to it."
[Chloe]'s voice was calm as she swore at him unreservedly for the first time.
She spoke coolly, enunciating each word:
"Hurst, I/fuck/your ancestor."
