CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 53: CHOICE! THE WORST DECISION IN ELDER YE HU’S LIFE

[Option one: Give up resisting, surrender, and voluntarily join the Holy Spirit Sect to become a member of our big family.]

[Option two: Resist with all your might, get beaten half to death by us, and be forced to join the Holy Spirit Sect to become a member of our big family.]

[Elder Ye Hu laughed in a rage at your arrogance. It had been many years since she advanced to the late stage of the Seventh-Level Integration Realm, and no one had dared to speak so audaciously in her presence. She gathered her energy, her spirit focused, and locked her gaze firmly on you.]

[Ten seconds later, the atmosphere grew even more tense. Elder Ye Hu raised her arms, cupped her hands in a salute toward you, and shouted, "A wise woman knows when to yield! I hope you can abide by the alliance treaty and treat your captives well. Otherwise, I won’t spare you, even as a ghost!"]

So, all talk and no action. When a real fight starts, she’s the first to surrender.

No wonder she could become the Grand Elder. What a cunning old fox.

Chen Pingchuan was somewhat disappointed that the simulation logs didn’t describe a fight breaking out. Although his divine self was still him, for some reason, he always felt a damnable sense of anticipation, hoping to see his other self get taken down a notch just once.

[You revealed a wicked smile, sneering inwardly. Old woman, you want to play mind games with me? You’re still far too green. This time, I’ll show you what it means to beat someone at their own game.]

[Both you and Elder Ye Hu wore smiles that suggested everything was under control. She asked when she could get the antidote, seeing as she had surrendered. She really couldn’t hold it in much longer.]

[You informed her that the substance in the food wasn’t a poison, so naturally, there was no antidote. She would simply have to endure it for three days, after which she would recover on her own.]

[Elder Ye Hu looked at your calm expression and saw the surrounding Beast Tamers nodding in agreement. She felt her life was over. Her despair didn’t last long, however, because your first order arrived.]

[You led her to an empty interrogation room. Elder Ye Hu looked confused; she had assumed the rebellion was limited to a small faction. But seeing the empty prison cells on the way made her reconsider. Could it be that the Holy Spirit Sect truly possesses some powerful, irresistible allure?]

[Unfortunately for her, Elder Ye Hu’s doubts didn’t last long. You ordered her to voluntarily place her hands and feet into a set of alloy shackles. Her pupils contracted sharply as she recognized the very instruments used to interrogate prisoners.]

[Elder Ye Hu knew that these shackles, used to restrain prisoners, were forged from the strongest alloy. Never mind someone at her level—the late stage of the Seventh-Level Integration Realm—even a Beast Tamer at the Eighth-Level Divine Transformation Realm couldn’t break them with their bare hands.]

[Elder Ye Hu was caught in a dilemma. To obey would mean losing her last chance to resist. But to refuse... seeing Major General Hu and Black Demon One standing so close to you, she suddenly doubted her ability to fight her way out.]

[You didn’t rush her. Like an experienced hunter, you patiently waited for your prey to exhaust its last ounce of strength, rather than making a hasty move that might allow the cornered fox to escape.]

[After weighing the pros and cons, Elder Ye Hu sighed. Clinging to one last shred of hope, she repeated, "Once I join the Holy Spirit Sect, I’ll be one of you." Then, she closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and surrendered, allowing herself to be locked spread-eagled to the metal frame in the alloy shackles.]

Looking at the text in the simulation, several question marks flashed through Chen Pingchuan’s mind. Seriously? Is this bondage scene even proper? And Elder Ye Hu is clearly a master in the late stage of the Seventh-Level Integration Realm, yet she actually believed my divine self’s nonsense. If the simulation version of me said anything remotely reliable, I wouldn’t have to be so tense, staring at these simulation records without daring to relax for a second.

A moment of silence for her.

Chen Pingchuan had already given up trying to comprehend his divine self with human logic. What new stunt is he going to pull this time?

[You dismissed Major General Hu and Black Demon One, leaving only yourself and Elder Ye Hu in the empty interrogation room.]

[Elder Ye Hu watched you warily, already regretting her rash decision. You, in turn, scrutinized her closely. Although you’d called her an "old woman," her appearance was anything but. On the contrary, she was quite captivating.]

[True to her name, Elder Ye Hu possessed a pair of furry beast ears nestled in her soft, brown hair. Her skin was as white as snow, and her almond-shaped eyes were amber. Her willow-leaf brows were tightly knit, and her long, dark eyelashes trembled, betraying the extreme turmoil in her heart.]

[Your gaze was placid as you stood a short distance away, simply watching her. Under your stare, the fine hairs on her body stood on end. Her sixth sense began screaming warnings, telling her to get away from this dangerous man.]

[After a minute, you retracted your invasive gaze and offered a faint smile. The tightly bound Elder Ye Hu let out a long sigh of relief. Then, you began to tell her a little story.]

[At the edge of the continent lies a small island inhabited by a tribe who call themselves the Evil Gods. They are powerful, bloodthirsty, and cruel. Every so often, they go out to hunt, and their prey is humanity.]

[The pupils of the cunning Elder Ye Hu narrowed into vertical slits. She knew you wouldn’t tell such a story for no reason. Moreover, "Evil God" was a term she had actually encountered in ancient records.]

[You continued your tale, explaining how the Evil Gods would kill human men and abduct the women. After returning to their island, they would dig a large pit and toss the women inside like livestock, forcing them into a lightless hole to sate their bestial lusts.]

[At this point, you paused and asked Elder Ye Hu, "Do you know what their ultimate fate is?"]

[From your few words, Elder Ye Hu sensed an intensely dark aura. Her body began to tremble, and her chest heaved violently. The muscles of her anus gave way, and a strange odor began to fill the interrogation room.]

[You weren’t disappointed by the lack of an answer. You furrowed your brow slightly—the smell in the room was indeed overpowering—and quickly delivered the story’s conclusion.]

[They have only two possible fates. The first is to resist and die, their bodies buried underground to become nothing but dry bones. The second is to accept their lot and become slaves to the gods. They lose their freedom, but at least they get to live, don’t they?]

[At this, you fell silent again. Your gaze, as cold as ice, fixed on Elder Ye Hu as you asked in a frigid tone, "So, what is your choice?"]

[Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Elder Ye Hu quickly forced a fawning smile. "But I’ve already surrendered, haven’t I? What’s wrong? I even let you bind me, and you still don’t trust me? You’re breaking my heart."]

[The seductive words dripped from her lips, but their charm was undercut by the faint, unpleasant odor. You remained unmoved and said nothing.]

[Two minutes later, Elder Ye Hu’s false smile vanished. Her expression turned grim as she asked, "What is it you really want?"]