Chapter no.31 A Broken Woman

[ Dreamland ]

It was a dark, moonless night in the forest of the Dreamland array. The only light came from the stars and the faint glow of bioluminescent fungi on the trees. The air was still and the only sound was the occasional rustle of leaves from a light breeze. The forest was alive, but everything was at rest with the only movement coming from the occasional firefly or the swaying of the trees.

Lin Lai in her manifestation form limped through the forest, her body flickering with flames that cast an orange glow on the trees around her. She was struggling to keep going, her movements labored and pained. As she walked, her flames began to flicker and fade, eventually disappearing altogether. Without the warmth and light of her flames, Lin Lai seemed to sag, her energy depleted as she threw Zhongli's unconscious body to the side.

She stumbled and fell to the ground, panting and exhausted. The forest is silent, the only sound the Lin Lai's ragged breathing.

Lin Lai couldn't help but glare at Zhongli's unconscious body.

' If you weren't so special in how you increased your power so quickly. I would have long abandoned you.'

Lin Lai thought as she gazed upon Zhongli.

She had come to regret her decision of playing the helpless maiden to get Zhongli's interest since it had led to her being in such an exhausted state.

Lin Lai suddenly heard a strange noise and pauses, listening intently. She heard the twang of a bowstring and the whiz of an arrow flying through the air. She ducked behind a tree, peering out cautiously to see what was going on. She saw a baldheaded man standing a few yards away, shooting arrows into the trees with precise, practiced movements. Lin Lai watched as the man hits his target, again and again, the arrows burying themselves deep into the wood.

Talking out a dagger from her spatial bag, Lin Lai watched as the bald man continued to shoot arrows into the trees, her heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement as she was powerless at this point but this man was a threat to her if he found her out. She needed to neutralize the threat before it became a headache.

Lin Lai could see his back now, the muscles in his arms and shoulders tensing with each shot. Lin Lai took a deep breath, readying herself to pounce. She crouched down low, like a predator stalking its prey, and started to edge closer. She can almost feel the thrill of the hunt coursing through her veins.

Lin Lai springs into action, launching herself at the bald man with all the ferocity of a predator. He seems taken aback by the sudden attack, and she managed to catch him off guard. But before she can land a blow, she felt a sudden, sharp pain in her side and is sent flying through the air. She crashed to the ground, dazed and disoriented. She looked up to see a red-haired man holding a spiked ball attached to a chain, a calm expression on his face. She realized belatedly that he must have been expecting an attack like this, and that she's underestimated him. She struggled to get to her feet, her head spinning and her side throbbing with pain. She knew she needed to get away, but her body seemingly gaze out.

" Good Job, Junior Brother." The Bald man exclaimed as he stridden towards Lin Lai, his spiked ball still in hand. She was still disoriented and struggling to get to her feet, and he easily grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up. She yelped in pain and tried to pull away, but he was too strong while her body still suffered from Qi's exhaustion. He started to attack her, raining blows down upon her with his fist. She tried to defend herself, but she was too slow and unsteady.

Despite the pain she was in, Lin Lai put on a mask of desperation as she cried out while begging him to stop, her voice shaking with fear and pain. "Please, please stop," she pleads. "I don't want to fight anymore."

The bald man put on a menacing expression on his face as he grabbed onto Lin Lai's face.

" Brother, look what this whore is screaming ?"

Lin Lai's eyes seemingly lost color as she heard those words she asked with a smile on her face.

" Please let me go and I'll do anything."

The bald man's smile increased as he turned towards his junior and asked," Look, Junior, I found a whore who can pop your cherry."

The red-haired man blushed in embarrassment at the words of the bald man.

" But a senior is always first."

The red-haired man frowned as he saw the bald man rip Lin Lai's clothes off, exposing her naked body to the cold night air.

The red-haired man could see the fear and shock within Lin Lai's eyes as the bald man tried to force himself on her, and she can feel his hot breath on her skin yet Lin Lai had a calm look on her face.

" Haha, how many times has your body been defiled for you to not even flinch ?" The Bald man laughed as he gazed upon Lin Lai before forcefully turning her to face him as he tried to kiss her but Lin Lai reached into her bra strap to pull out a sharp, jagged spike, and with a surge of strength, Lin Lai thrust it upwards into the bald man's throat. The man gurgled and went limp as the red-haired man screamed out.

" Senior Brother."

Lin Lai took a deep breath and summoned all her strength, then kicked the bald man's corpse with all her might. The corpse went flying through the air, hitting the red-haired man square in the chest and knocking him down.

Lin Lai stood up as she looks down at her naked body in disgust, as a memory she would rather never remember flashed throughout her mind. She felt exposed and vulnerable, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched by eyes of disgusted from everyone.

Lin Lai's breaths began coming in short, ragged gasps. She felt like she can't get enough air, and her heart is pounding in her chest.

The red-haired man stood up and looked at the broken Lin Lai with murderous intent as he began swinging his chained ball around but before he could attack Lin Lai, a flash of light swiftly moved through the forest as it hit the red-haired man's face causing it to explode out in an explosion of blood and bones as the owner of the attacked revealed itself to be an awake Zhongli who looked around before settling his gaze on Lin Lai.

Lin Lai was a mess mentally as she was standing in the forest, her arms wrapped around herself, feeling exposed and vulnerable. She was just about to lose it as her mind flashed to that horrifying memory from her past when she felt arms wrap around her from behind. She startled and tried to pull away, but the arms hold her firmly in place. She hears a soothing voice in her ear, and she realizes it's Zhongli.

Lin Lai broke down in sobs, collapsing against Zhongli's chest. She can feel his warmth, and let out a cry that was filled with the desperate cries of a broken woman. Zhongli held her gently, murmuring soothing words and rubbing her back. He doesn't try to fix things or make them better, he just lets her cry. And that's exactly what Lin Lai needs. She cries until she's all cried out, then sags against Zhongli, feeling drained but a little bit better.