Enzo did not dare to provoke Chu Yuan, but when his own interests were at stake, he would not let Chu Yuan have his way easily.
"I only came to wish you joy on your new beauty, Mr. Chu. I very much look forward to seeing your little maid shine at the Beauty Palace in a month. If her performance score is unsatisfactory, I will take her with me. And don't try to pressure me with your status as ruler of The Mortal Realm."
Since she was Chu Yuan's contracted maid, then according to the rules of The Mortal Realm, every maid had to pass a performance assessment at the Beauty Palace.
Not even the God of Gamblers could refuse.
Enzo himself was one of the judges.
When the time came, the tiniest flaw on Chu Yuan's side would give him an excuse to rule the maid untrained and unqualified.
Ye Jiuting would still be his.
And he would be able to cut the God of Gamblers down to size.
Let the whole world see: even gods were not unbeatable.
Chu Yuan only smiled, said nothing, and walked past Enzo.
Ye Jiuting hurried after him. As she passed Enzo, she heard him growl through gritted teeth:
"You will not escape my grasp."
His gaze was like a venomous snake locking onto its prey, refusing to let go until death.
Ye Jiuting's entire body went cold. She quickened her pace to catch up with Chu Yuan, fleeing the terrifying place.
They returned to the God of Gamblers' suite.
Chu Yuan sat on the single sofa where they had parted earlier.
The blackout curtains were fully drawn now, and the spotlight above shone down on Ye Jiuting.
She wore a white shirt and black trousers, standing before him like a young actress taking the stage.
"Mr. Chu, thank you for saving me again."
Chu Yuan crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and said:
"Do you know the rules for protection on The Mortal Realm?"
"Not really."
Before boarding the ship, everything Ye Jiuting knew about The Mortal Realm was only hearsay.
None of those people had actually been here either; stories just spread. No one knew the real details.
Chu Yuan said:
"The Mortal Realm has three classes: guests, staff, and maids. I won't explain the other two. Maid means exactly what it says. You can think of it as a sub. A maid belongs to her master in body, heart, and soul. No one but her master can touch a single hair on her head."
Ye Jiuting had long heard that The Mortal Realm had powerful backers and was not bound by any country.
Even the investigation team from Country H had to obey its rules.
The God of Gamblers' influence spoke for itself.
"Mr. God of Gamblers, you have saved me twice. I am willing to be your maid and repay your kindness for the rest of my life."
Chu Yuan stood up and looked down at her.
"I'm going out for a moment. If you don't want to stay, you can leave."
The door opened and closed.
The woody scent of Chu Yuan's cologne brushed Ye Jiuting's nose.
It was the scent of masculinity, absolutely alluring to the opposite sex.
Ye Jiuting stood alone.
Except for the light above her, everything she saw was black, white, and gray.
Step out that door, and she would be caught by Enzo, taken to Country H, her fate uncertain.
From the moment Mr. Zhou died,
Ye Jiuting had no choice left.
Staying and becoming the God of Gamblers' maid was her only path.
A few minutes later, the door clicked open.
The God of Gamblers returned, holding a silver-white jewelry box.
He placed it on the table, sat down on the sofa, and looked at Ye Jiuting.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Mr. God of Gamblers, my answer has never changed."
Ye Jiuting's attitude was sincere, and she knew well who had helped her.
If not for the man before her, her situation would be unimaginable.
Ye Jiuting had already realized this was a trap set specifically for her.
Someone wanted her dead abroad.
She had saved countless lives in her life, only wanting to build her medical career.
She had made no real enemies.
Who was trying to destroy her?
Chu Yuan said:
"Whether you are qualified to be my maid depends on passing my assessment. If you pass, we will sign a lifelong master-servant agreement."
"I will do my best to meet your standards."
Ye Jiuting remembered Enzo mentioning the Beauty Palace performance in a month. It was probably related to this.
If she couldn't even pass Chu Yuan's initial probation, there would be no talk of the Beauty Palace.
"What is your name?"
"Ye Jiuting."
"Tell me your identity."
"Your maid."
"Come here." Chu Yuan patted his knee.
Ye Jiuting approached, knelt at his feet, and pressed her face against his thigh, obedient as a house cat.
Chu Yuan reached out and stroked her delicate cheek, his thumb brushing over her eyelashes.
The tears clinging to them were like morning dew — clean and cool.
The fragrance of orchids filled his nose.
"Why are you crying?"
"I don't know."
In the next second, Chu Yuan's hand left her face.
His all-seeing eyes turned sharp as blades.
"You feel humiliated." He cut straight to the point.
He was like a god of slaughter, sitting high on his throne, looking down on all living things.
Ye Jiuting realized no concealment or lie could hide from this man.
She lowered her head in shame.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to be like this. I can't control my heart."
Chu Yuan said:
"Miss Ye, remember this: we are on the same side. We share the same goal. I am not your enemy."
"I understand, Master." Ye Jiuting tried to adjust to her new identity.
She told herself: what was shame and dignity compared to survival?
She could meet Chu Yuan's demands. She could be a qualified maid.
Chu Yuan's long, slender fingers lifted an orchid silk ribbon from the jewelry box.
Soft embroidered lace, elegant black, with a fresh orchid attached.
Unique, stylish, refined.
Chu Yuan leaned down and tied the silk ribbon around her neck.
The back hung long, like a decorative pendant down her spine. She could clearly feel its weight.
This was no ordinary accessory. It was a substitute for a collar.
A collar was what a master gave to a pet.
It symbolized conquest and submission, and the slow fading of dignity and freedom.
"Your neck is lovely — slender, graceful, like a swan. It suits silk and ornaments perfectly."
Chu Yuan moved his fingers away from her neck and picked up a black hollowed-out mask.
"Put this on. I'm taking you to the Beauty Palace to watch the performance."
Ye Jiuting stared at the mask held out to her, her heart filled with fear and unease.
But she still held out both hands, palms up, and accepted it respectfully.
She put on the mask.
The cold metal was soft, custom-fitted to her face perfectly.
During the entire process, she did not look down. She kept her eyes on his.
A faint smile touched Chu Yuan's lips, his gaze softening.
"See? It wasn't hard to do."
Ye Jiuting knew this was her first test of obedience.