Bengtie, I'm really not a villain!

On the monitoring screen, the heart rate curve, which had been pounding wildly like a runaway horse, no longer fluctuated so violently, but instead settled into a high-frequency tremor. The undulating lines resembled the muffled thunder before a storm, one after another.

"Something's wrong..."

Himeko's gaze shifted back and forth between Jingye's pale face and the monitoring data, her eyes filled with confusion.

Kiana rushed to the observation window, her nose pressed against the cold glass, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared intently at Jing Ye's chest.

"Isn't the contact enough? Let me help!"

As she spoke, she reached out without hesitation and grabbed Raiden Mei's arm. The movement was so fast that Raiden Mei had no time to react.

"Mei, let's do it together!"

Kiana's voice was full of enthusiasm and anticipation, and her face was beaming with a confident smile, as if she firmly believed that her actions could save the boy in front of her.

Raiden Mei was struck as if by lightning, and her whole body instantly stiffened.

She turned her head and looked at Kiana's unguarded, innocent smile, feeling a mix of emotions.

Then, she turned her gaze to Jing Ye, only to see a hint of scheming hidden beneath his seemingly weak face, which set off alarm bells in Raiden Mei's heart.

She instinctively tried to break free from Kiana's grasp, but before she could move, Kiana had already forcefully pulled her hand and pressed it heavily onto Jingye's arm. At the same time, the lights inside the medical pod began to flicker uncontrollably, sometimes shining with blinding brightness, sometimes plunging into deep darkness. Each flicker was accompanied by a piercing buzzing sound from the instruments, as if the instruments were angrily protesting against this abnormal and powerful force.

In an instant, the purple patterns around Jing Ye seemed to have encountered a natural enemy, instantly becoming docile, like a wild beast tamed by a powerful force, and quieting down considerably.

The data on the monitoring screen went wild at that moment, first fluctuating violently, the curves rising and falling like surging waves, and then miraculously beginning to stabilize.

This seemingly improving situation only made Raiden Mei increasingly uneasy.

"See! I told you it would work!"

Kiana cheered excitedly, her voice echoing through the medical bay, filled with joy and pride.

But she was completely unaware that Raiden Mei's body was taut like a bowstring.

She could clearly feel the pulse beneath Jing Ye's skin, the rhythm of which was surprisingly in sync with her heartbeat, as if there was a connection between the two of them.

Raiden Mei looked at Kiana's innocent suggestion, then at Himeko's helpless compromise, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside her.

Isn't all of this just stepping into the script that Jing Ye has carefully prepared?

When Kiana gently placed her hand on Jingye's forehead for the third time, Raiden Mei's eyes widened instantly, staring intently at Jingye's face.

In that instant, she keenly caught a glimpse of a shadow beneath Jing Ye's eyelashes.

The shadow was like a black lightning bolt, fleeting yet sharp as a dagger, piercing straight into her heart.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end instantly, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head.

At the same time, the previously fluctuating curves on the monitoring screen suddenly became unusually regular, as if an invisible hand was secretly and precisely manipulating everything, making the characters like puppets being manipulated at will.

This astonishing discovery caused Raiden Mei's blood to freeze instantly, and an unprecedented fear enveloped her.

She knew all too well that every seemingly well-intentioned "rescue" they offered was very likely injecting energy into Jing Ye's terrifying plan.

Raiden Mei clearly saw a faint, cold smile curl up at the corner of Jing Ye's mouth, a smile that seemed to contain endless conspiracy.

This subtle expression, like a sharp arrow, pierced straight into Raiden Mei's heart, making her even more convinced that it was all a trap meticulously designed by Jingye.

But now Kiana and Himeko are already deeply involved, so how can she break this nightmarish and bizarre situation?

Her eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness, but also with a glimmer of determination. She silently vowed that no matter what, she would protect those around her.

Raiden Mei's mind was a jumbled mess; she couldn't come up with the right words to break the strange and dangerous situation before her.

At the same time, Kiana moved closer to Jingye again, her eyes filled with fervor, wanting to alleviate as much of his pain as possible.

The two figures, busy at work, were illuminated by the eerie blue light emanating from the monitoring screen, like intersecting shadows weaving an invisible net that trapped Raiden Mei in a cage of suspicion, making it increasingly difficult for her to breathe.

"and many more!"

This shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, bursting out of Raiden Mei's mouth without warning, startling even herself.

In an instant, time seemed to freeze inside the once noisy medical pod, and everything became quiet.

Kiana tilted her head in confusion, looking like a bewildered fawn, her sapphire-blue eyes filled with bewilderment.

Himeko also turned to look at Raiden Mei.

Raiden Mei opened her mouth, trying to get all the doubts and warnings out of her, but her throat was too dry to make a sound.

Those words, "This is a trap," "He's using us," swirled on her tongue, turning into a bitter, rusty taste that she found hard to swallow.

How could she expect her comrades-in-arms to stand by and watch this seemingly dying person die?

As Valkyries, the mission to save lives is deeply engraved in their souls and ingrained in every drop of their blood.

"His vital signs have just stabilized, and frequent contact may... potentially trigger a new rejection reaction."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Raiden Mei regretted them. The reason was too weak and flimsy, and even she herself found it extremely ridiculous.

"But from the perspective of energy fluctuations, contact can actually suppress the rampage."

Himeko's calm and resolute voice broke the brief silence.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Kiana placed her hand back on Jingye's wrist, her movements without the slightest hesitation.

The strange purple pattern on Jing Ye's chest quickly calmed down and became docile, like a harmless sheep.

Raiden Mei felt a throbbing sensation in her temples, as if a rapid war drum was beating.

Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the cold smile that Jing Ye used to wear whenever he tormented and humiliated her.

Looking at Jing Ye's seemingly peaceful sleeping face now, alarm bells rang in her heart. Who could have guessed what sharp fangs were hidden beneath this appearance, or what terrible conspiracy was being plotted?

But when her gaze fell upon Kiana, she saw the girl's eyes sparkling with a light as she believed she had found a "cure," and her innocent appearance was heartbreaking.

Looking at Himeko again, her face, already weary from countless battles, now showed a hint of relief, as if she were happy to have saved one more person.

How similar it is to before, except this time Kiana and Himeko are the ones who volunteered, instead of being coerced by Jingye...

But it was precisely this that made Raiden Mei feel even more terrified.

Chapter 143 Mei Declares Sovereignty

Raiden Mei felt a mix of emotions, a mixture of helplessness and anxiety.

She suddenly awoke as if from a dream, realizing that she might still be a pawn caught in Jing Ye's meticulously laid plan.

When doubts remain unspoken due to various concerns, and when the goodwill of her companions is quietly used as a deadly weapon, she falls into deep confusion and despair.

How can she break free from this nightmarish predicament?

Memories clung to her like a venomous snake, and that damp, sticky night suddenly reappeared before her eyes.

The rain poured down, and large raindrops pounded on the bluestone pavement, splashing up layers of water that blurred into hazy spots of light in the rain, cutting the alleyway into a cage of light and shadow.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of rust and decaying leaves, which, mixed with the rain, made it even more nauseating.

Jing Ye held four chains in his hands, a stark contrast to the mud on their bodies.

The clanging of metal buckles mingled with the rain, echoing through the narrow alleyways like a death knell, striking out an eerie rhythm.

Every step he took carried an air of complete composure, as if he were treading not on wet ground, but on the dignity of the people.

Himeko's neck, bruised from being strangled by the iron chains, hung low. The instructor, who had once been spirited and sharp-eyed like an eagle in the military academy, now resembled a lone eagle with broken wings.

She was covered in mud, and her tattered clothes revealed faint traces of injury. Her former pride and dignity were gone, leaving only exhaustion and humiliation.

The mother's kimono was soaked through and dripping with dirty water. Her delicate hairpin was crookedly stuck in her messy hair, and strands of hair clung to her pale face.

Her eyes were filled with despair and humiliation. The once elegant noblewoman was now staggering through the mud, each step seemingly crushing her dignity.

Furibas's knee wound was still bleeding, dark red blood mixed with mud flowing down his trouser leg. His back was hunched, trembling slightly from the pain, but he could only let the chains pull him along, moving like a walking corpse.

Raiden Mei was deeply stuck in the mud, and every step she took to pull herself out required all her strength.

The rough iron chain around her neck was tightly constricted against her skin, and with each step, a burning pain emanated from it, as if it were grinding through her flesh.

The cold rain slid down her forehead and into her eyes, stinging painfully, but she didn't even have the freedom to reach out and wipe it away.

"A dog should act like a dog."

Jing Ye's cold words, laced with malice, pierced everyone's hearts like sharp blades.

He stepped through the puddles, splashing mud mercilessly onto Raiden Mei's face, soiling her eyebrows and eyes.

Then, he casually tugged at the chains, and the four men, caught off guard, were forced to stagger and huddle together in a circle, like livestock being herded together.

Raiden Mei could clearly feel Himeko trembling slightly beside her, and her mother's suppressed sobs, all of which deeply pierced her heart.

Raiden Mei still remembers the curve of Jingye's lips under the dim light, a smile that hid a contemptuous and mocking look at him like an ant.

His eyes were cold and devoid of warmth, as if everyone's suffering was nothing more than a laughable farce in his eyes.

He deliberately made them walk around the neighborhood three times in the pouring rain, each time like rubbing salt into their wounds.

That humiliation was more piercing than the cold rain, deeply imprinted on Raiden Mei's soul.

"tick, tick"

The sound of condensation dripping from the medical pod suddenly became clear, pulling Raiden Mei back to reality.

At this moment, Kiana was humming an off-key tune, her cheerful voice echoing in the cabin, creating a stark contrast with the oppressive feeling in her memory.

As her companions approached Jingye without warning, Raiden Mei felt as if she could feel the stinging pain of the chains rubbing against her skin again. The pain resurfaced from the depths of her memory and spread throughout her body along her nerves.

Himeko's profile, focused on adjusting the equipment, gradually overlapped with her lowered head in the rain years ago.

The once resilient Valkyrie lost her edge under Jing Ye's torment, but now she must face this dangerous man once again.

Kiana's radiant smile only served to highlight the glaring despair in her mother's eyes, a memory that seemed all the more painful.

Raiden Mei felt a pang of pain in her heart; she absolutely could not let her companions repeat the same mistake.

The gentle purple patterns on Jing Ye's chest were clearly, in her eyes, the cold iron chains from back then, silently looping around her companions' necks, ready to drag them into the abyss once again.

"If we continue like this, he will definitely be cured!"

Kiana's excited cheers struck Raiden Mei's heart like a heavy hammer blow.

Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth, but not as bitter as the bitterness in her heart.

She knew all too well that Jing Ye loved watching his prey walk right into his trap, just like when he watched them humiliated and helpless in the rain back then.

He revels in the power of control, treating the suffering of others as a plaything.

Cold sweat soaked through her combat uniform, the sticky fabric clinging to her skin, making her feel icy cold all over.

Raiden Mei almost bit her lower lip until it bled from her sharp teeth; the bright red blood was faintly visible at the corner of her lips.

Her combat boots creaked and groaned on the cold, hard metal floor, a sound that seemed to be a manifestation of her inner struggle.

The monitor's sharp, piercing alarm sounded like sharp steel needles stabbing into her eardrums one after another, making her already tense nerves even more fragile.

Amidst the irritating noise, her gaze remained fixed ahead, where Kiana and Himeko leaned forward slightly, their fingertips almost touching Jingye's restless skin.

More than the purple markings on Jingye's chest, Raiden Mei sensed something else emanating from Jingye's tightly closed eyes: an evil creature seemed to be awakened, greedily and strangely coiling towards Himeko's sleeve.

Every inch of the climb carried an ominous aura, like chains crawling out of hell, ready to drag people into an endless abyss at any moment.

"stop!"

Raiden Mei suddenly burst out with a loud shout, her voice carrying a cold, hard, metallic chill that echoed throughout the medical pod.

She rushed towards Himeko and Kiana in three quick strides.

Himeko and Kiana were startled by the sudden roar and figure, and quickly turned around.

Himeko's furrowed brows were deeply etched with doubt, her eyes seeming to ask a question.

"Mei, what's wrong with you?"

Kiana, her sapphire-blue eyes were now filled with deep confusion, her innocent face etched with bewilderment at Raiden Mei's actions.

"let me."

Raiden Mei took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, trying to calm her inner turmoil and forcing her voice to remain steady, without revealing the slightest flaw.

Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a fleeting, almost imperceptible shadow beneath Jing Ye's eyelashes.

In that instant, her heart clenched, and her nails involuntarily dug deep into her palms, the sharp pain making her even more alert.

In an instant, the image of Jingye cruelly putting the iron chain around her mother's neck flashed into Raiden Mei's mind. That scene was like a sharp dagger piercing straight into her temple, causing her a piercing pain.

Kiana instinctively opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but before she could utter a sound, Raiden Mei swiftly grabbed her shoulder.