Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Victim: The Missing College Girl 23

Chen Xinyue, who was also beautiful, was initially named Consort Chen by Zheng Lili.

Chen Xinyue had been here for a week, but due to her fierce resistance, Zheng Lili killed her. Actually, she wasn’t the first one Zheng Lili killed.

As for the Empress whom she had just addressed, that was naturally Hong Jiajia as the Empress, appointed by Zheng Lili. Her background was similar to the others, forcibly abducted, but she was someone who completely submitted to Zheng Lili and could already accompany him out, having no thoughts of escape.

She even greatly enjoyed the status of “Empress.” When Zheng Lili went out, Hong Jiajia became the most powerful person there, exercising her “Empress” power, having these “concubines” pay respects, and teaching them various “Palace Rules.”

Those who didn’t perform well would be punished by Hong Jiajia, the “Empress.”

If she hadn’t experienced all of this personally, Sun Qing herself would have thought it was absurd.

Originally, they were holding on together, hoping that one day they could get out and bring Zheng Lili to justice.

But after Zheng Lili, in a fit of rage, killed Chen Xinyue, he suddenly informed Hong Jiajia that this building was going to be demolished. To avoid any leaks, he had to kill them all before moving, for safety reasons.

She didn’t want to die, despite all these absurd and disgusting experiences; she still wanted to live.

Only by surviving could she have a chance; if she died, she would have nothing.

The reason she pleaded with Hong Jiajia was that when Zheng Lili revealed his intent to kill them all, only taking Hong Jiajia with him, Hong Jiajia hesitated. Despite typically enjoying being the “Empress” and setting “rules,” when it came to killing someone, she had never done it before.

As for that previous death, it also had nothing to do with Hong Jiajia; it was once again Zheng Lili personally.

“Emperor, why not let them come along? They seem pretty obedient,” Hong Jiajia said to Zheng Lili. Upon closer look, her legs were trembling a bit.

Zheng Lili sat there, glancing at the two women continually kowtowing on the ground, and smiled triumphantly.

Thinking of himself as Zheng Lili, an ordinary person with a bit of luck, in a city that developed around him, residing in a village-in-the-city. His parents helped build a four-story building back then. As the city developed, he lived off renting out the apartments. Yet, because of his appearance, even prostitutes despised him.

Let alone those pretty, young, fair-skinned college students.

But now, these college students were kneeling on the ground begging him, calling him Emperor. He could do whatever he wanted with them, even control their life and death. This feeling was satisfying, dissipating much of the resentment from being disliked in the past.

His luck had returned once again.

The place was going to be demolished, and with it being a village-in-the-city, the compensation was substantial.

Furthermore, this was a four-story building, with each floor quite spacious; he’d have nothing to worry about for the rest of his life with that compensation.

Even though he used to be consistently rejected by those prostitutes, they were happy to take his money.

Now, with more money, he naturally wouldn’t concern himself with those prostitutes anymore. As long as he was wealthy enough, there were plenty of women to follow him, and as for those in the basement, other than the obedient Hong Jiajia, there was no need to keep the rest.

Of course, if Hong Jiajia became disobedient, there was no need to keep her either.

Killing wasn’t his first time. Killing one was killing, and killing a few more was just the same.

Why had he locked up Sun Qing and Lin Xueran? Just because these two women outwardly complied with him but inwardly didn’t. If given the chance, they would undoubtedly resist, and then he’d be finished.

Regardless of his self-proclaimed title of Emperor, he knew his own limitations.

Upon hearing Hong Jiajia’s words, Zheng Lili scrutinized them with a sinister gaze and asked, “Do you want to stay here too? Empress, I’ve given you face, so don’t let it go to your head. I’ve taken you out to live a good life, and yet you defy me?”

“Emperor, this concubine was wrong,” Hong Jiajia was shocked, dared not plead further, and immediately knelt, continuously kowtowing, her entire body trembling.

Her memory seemed to drift back to many years ago, to that night, when she saw Zheng Lili strangling the disobedient Tan Wan to death with his own hands.

That Tan Wan was still buried in the basement, not far from where they stood.

Through countless days and nights, she wasn’t sure how she had endured, feeling hazy and bewildered, only becoming clear in moments of life and death.

“It’s good to know your mistake.”

Zheng Lili was very satisfied with Hong Jiajia’s discernment. He threw the rope he held at Hong Jiajia’s feet: “Let me see your resolve; go strangle one.”

Facing the rope, Hong Jiajia felt a chill all over her body.

“If you can’t strangle them, then you will die with them too,” Zheng Lili said with a smile.

In fact, before deciding to take Hong Jiajia with him, he already had this plan. Whatever torment Hong Jiajia inflicted on Sun Qing and the others was just child’s play. Only when she had a life on her hands as well would she follow him wholeheartedly, with no chance of betrayal.

He was quite pleased with Hong Jiajia.

Not the most beautiful, and the oldest among these women.

But she was perceptive, the quickest to submit to him, a good assistant.

In the future, he would have more women, all needing Hong Jiajia to help manage them so he wouldn’t have to worry. Only by dragging her completely into the dark would she willingly follow him.

Today, Hong Jiajia had to strangle one.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t take her with him.

Hong Jiajia seemed to realize this, glancing at Zheng Lili, who was already playing with his phone, not even looking at her.

She then looked at Sun Qing and Lin Xueran beside her, and the two seemed just as shocked, momentarily speechless.

Hong Jiajia reached out to pick up the rope in front of her. Sun Qing and Lin Xueran gasped.

Sun Qing shouted, “Hong Jiajia, don’t!”

Hong Jiajia hesitated. Yes, she was called Hong Jiajia, not some Empress. But, if she wanted to survive, she had to listen to Zheng Lili. Here, Zheng Lili was like the heavens, and she couldn’t overturn it; she didn’t have that capability.

“I’m sorry,” Hong Jiajia said softly, holding the rope, looking at the two, “I want to live too.”

“You were going to die anyway; you wouldn’t have survived no matter what.”

“But if I don’t kill, I’ll die too. If I kill, I can get out.”

She held the rope, stood up, taking steps toward Sun Qing and Lin Xueran, like a person transforming into a demon.

Sun Qing and Lin Xueran instinctively backed away; they were locked in, unable to reach each other. This was Zheng Lili’s way of preventing them from uniting, keeping them separated.

Hong Jiajia chose the more petite Sun Qing, with a blank expression approaching her.

Since coming here, Sun Qing had never been full, having little strength left. She absolutely couldn’t overpower Hong Jiajia. Even if she could, wasn’t there still Zheng Lili?

Was she really going to die here today?

Towards Hong Jiajia, she did not hold the imagined hatred.

She hated Zheng Lili the most, the one who turned them into neither humans nor ghosts, turning Hong Jiajia completely into a demon.

Hong Jiajia suddenly pounced on Sun Qing, placing the rope around her neck, ready to pull hard.

At that moment, a pale hand gripped her wrist, the touch icy cold.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep