But in this early morning where light and darkness intertwined, he seemed to understand.
——
When the clock on the wall slowly pointed to six-thirty, Zhou Wang, with a forehead full of sweat, had completed a new day’s workout ahead of schedule.
He let out a long breath, shook his slightly sour hands, and then stood up from the bed.
He pushed open the classical-style balcony door, and a cold wind blew in from outside, causing Zhou Wang, who was drenched in sweat, to sigh comfortably. Wang Xiaoxiao, who was still lying on the bed, shivered from the chill.
Lighting a cigarette, Zhou Wang gazed at the distant mountains, now just dark silhouettes in the morning mist, and his eyes gradually deepened.
After finishing a cigarette, Zhou Wang walked back, pressed the cigarette butt into the carved glass ashtray at the bedside, and then lit another one, leaning against the headboard, waiting for Wang Xiaoxiao to recover.
It was unknown how long it took, but Wang Xiaoxiao, whose body was aching all over, gradually came to her senses. Her first act was to crawl over silently, intending to please Zhou Wang.
"Enough."
Zhou Wang stopped her flattering movements, glanced briefly at the bruises covering her body, shook his head, and gently asked, "Does it hurt?"
"A little, but it’s okay, I can handle it."
Wang Xiaoxiao nodded first, then hurriedly flashed a smile at Zhou Wang.
"If you can walk, then leave first."
Zhou Wang nodded as he spoke.
Wang Xiaoxiao’s face turned pale but she obediently nodded, knowing Zhou Wang did not want anyone to see she had spent the night here, especially since dawn was approaching.
"Wait a moment."
Seeing Wang Xiaoxiao silently start to dress, Zhou Wang motioned for her to wait, taking out his phone to make a call to Xiao An.
Xiao An had not yet rested but was personally overseeing the property’s cleaning outside, as this would be her long-term workplace, and she took it very seriously.
After receiving Zhou Wang’s call and understanding his needs, Xiao An asked no further questions and quickly agreed.
About five minutes later, Xiao An arrived at the master bedroom, not glancing around, she simply placed a set of new lingerie on the bed, nodded at Zhou Wang, and quietly left.
However, before leaving, her expressionless face couldn’t hide the shock as her gaze swept over the messingly broken bed.
Did Mr. Zhou have such an un-gentlemanly side?
Would he use it on her in the future?
Never having witnessed such a scene, Xiao An found herself feeling oddly expectant amidst the strangeness...
"I must be crazy!"
Her heart pounding heavily, Xiao An left the room, lost in wild thoughts.
Meanwhile, Wang Xiaoxiao, who had been wrapping herself in the blanket, feeling embarrassed as Xiao An entered, now spoke gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. Zhou..."
Once Wang Xiaoxiao had dressed and was stumbling towards the door to leave, Zhou Wang suddenly asked, "Who is your current agent?"
"Sister Yan, her full name is Zhao Yan."
Wang Xiaoxiao was taken aback, then answered with some excitement.
"I see."
Zhou Wang waved his hand, indicating she could leave.
Though Zhou Wang said nothing more, asking for Zhao Yan’s name was an implicit gesture.
Feeling reassured by the promise, Wang Xiaoxiao finally relaxed fully. She thought for a moment and then softly added, "Mr. Zhou, rest assured, without your permission, I won’t have any contact with other men.
"Call me anytime you need."
Wang Xiaoxiao, blushing red, wrapped her coat tightly and left quickly.
At the door, Xiao An was still waiting to escort her to the guest room on the second floor of the annex.
Zhou Wang did not respond to Wang Xiaoxiao’s words. After she left, he went to the bathroom for a long-overdue shower.
As the water flowed down with a "whoosh," Zhou Wang’s gaze became vacant while he checked the earlier system notification.
Ding!
[The host has faced his inner darkness for the first time and immersed himself, earning the appreciation of a random demon.]
[The host received the blessing of "Dark Queen Evelyn."]
[The host obtained a permanent item: Evelyn’s Desire Manual.]
[Note: Under the blessing of the "Mythical·Wolong Realm" board, Wang Xiaoman has been corrected to a "higher-quality female," and the reward has been reset.]
[I might be evil, but I feel great.]
A "giggle" of laughter flashed through Zhou Wang’s mind.
Desire Manual?
What kind of nonsense is this!
Judging by the dubious name, Zhou Wang couldn’t help but grimace, then directed his consciousness to the warehouse interface, finding not only the "treasure" he hadn’t had time to view from last night but also a new manual emanating a sinister glow.
The manual’s cover portrayed a blurred beautiful figure, with graceful curves, yet her shadow was a monstrous form, resembling an enormous spider ready to devour its prey.
Opening the manual, the pages were blank except for a virtual 3D projection of Wang Xiaoxiao on the first page.
Only, she was unclothed, every detail visible with precision.
In this moment of saintly clarity, Zhou Wang felt no disturbance; he simply clicked on Wang Xiaoxiao’s projection, and the corresponding information appeared.
Besides a basic character description, the manual even showed Wang Xiaoxiao’s real-time location, indicating she was now in "guest room 9 of the Misty Rain Village’s annex," directly visible on the manual.
What kind of collection play is this!
Reflecting on the system’s note about this item, Zhou Wang finally understood the manual’s function.
It was akin to a character collection book, where the basic condition for inclusion was:
[No emotion, only desire.]
But this alone wasn’t enough; the other party must belong solely to him during the effective period to be automatically included.
As for the utility of collecting people, it was straightforward—
[Manual characters: 1]
[Demon Roulette draw chances: 1]
In simple terms, each person recorded could provide him with a unique draw chance.
And this prize pool differs vastly from the reputation store; it’s a pool offered by demons, containing prizes unavailable in the reputation store...
A completely new track.
Moreover, each character could offer more than one draw chance.
Besides simple character information, the manual had another crucial metric called "Loyalty."
A percentage system, for instance, Wang Xiaoxiao’s current "Loyalty" was 50%. When it reached 80%, described as "eagerly anticipating and lingering," another draw could be triggered.
When "Loyalty" reached 100%, described as "insatiable, solely yours," the demon would present an extra ultimate gift.
Emmm...
This item is somewhat hard to evaluate!
But regardless, since the draw was there, Zhou Wang used his sole draw chance with some curiosity.
Ding!
[The host activated the Demon Roulette, receiving a random reward.]
Ding!
[The host received a one-time item: Greyfores’s Beret.]
[When wearing the beret from the "outlaw," the host will gain a divine perspective, allowing their next action to perfectly evade legal risks.]
[Trap the turtle in the jar, spare no one, up down left right, BABA, seeking excitement, relax buddy, darkness descends, keep your head down.]
Wow, this item seemed quite significant!
Zhou Wang examined the notes several times before barely understanding how this item worked.
The meaning of "action" was broad, but one thing was certain: if Zhou Wang wanted to use this item to arrange something or target anyone, virtually no one in the mundane world could escape.
Of course, with his own moral compass, Zhou Wang surely wouldn’t commit a crime, yet the power of this item was undoubtedly impressive.