Black Mist Mountain: Asserting Control

Chapter 16:

After two weeks of continuous travel, the Xiao family's caravans finally arrived at the Black Mist Mountain. The mountain stood tall, shrouded in black mist, as its name suggested, making it difficult for anyone to discern directions while entering.

One of the servants approached Lin Fan's luxurious carriage, raising his hand to knock gently on the door. As he stood there awaiting a response, sounds of moaning rose and fell from within, stirring envy within him. "My god, he's truly enjoying himself in there," he thought, simultaneously fearful of becoming a target of Lin Fan's unpredictable temperament and cruelty. He knew the moans belonged to the girls suffering under his influence, and the idea sent chills down his spine.

After about five minutes of waiting, Lin Fan's voice came from inside, asking, "What is it?" The voice was calm but carried a subtle irritation at being interrupted.

"Sir," the servant responded respectfully, hoping not to slip up under the pressure Lin Fan exerted, "we've reached Black Mist Mountain." He sighed internally upon finally mentioning the place, relieved he hadn't made any mistakes.

"Alright," came the reply after a moment of silence, followed by Lin Fan's strict instruction: "Inform Xiao Zan that no one is to move from here until I come out."

"Yes, sir." The servant answered obediently, his heart filling with relief as he stepped away from the door. As soon as he left, the sounds of moaning resumed, revealing Lin Fan's indifference to others waiting on him.

…

Two hours later, the door of the carriage opened slowly, and Lin Fan emerged with confident steps, holding a few chains glinting under the sun. Following the chains, one could see four girls—Ping Xue, Ding Xia, Yi Xian, and Xiao Mi—crawling on all fours behind him like dogs, wearing collars around their necks connected to the chains in his hands.

A smug smile appeared on Lin Fan's lips as he looked at the gathered elders, thinking, "I brought these collars from Xiao Lin City, where my private room contained everything I needed to indulge my desires. I even brought some of these items along." He felt a sick pride as he flaunted his absolute control before everyone.

Then, he advanced slowly towards the assembled elders, saying calmly, "Alright, we can set off now." Meanwhile, both Xiao Zan and Xiao Ming remained frozen in place, staring in shock at the scene behind Lin Fan, especially when they saw Xiao Mi, Xiao Zan's granddaughter and Xiao Ming's daughter, crawling submissively behind her new master.

Noticing their hesitation, Lin Fan raised his voice slightly, calling out to them once more: "Xiao Zan, Xiao Ming!" The two men finally snapped out of their daze, exchanging brief glances before hurriedly apologizing, "We apologize, Master Lin Fan, we were lost in thought."

Lin Fan barely acknowledged them, only giving a mocking smile and saying in a taunting tone, "Tell me, do you admire my way of taming those around me? It's an art form, really." He then turned, gesturing towards Xiao Mi, who quickly crawled to him, placing her hand on his hand submissively, while sticking out her tongue like a compliant pet, sparking Lin Fan's loud laughter—a laugh filled with twisted joy and dominance.

Lin Fan then turned to face the shocked and stunned Xiao Zan and Xiao Ming, his growing enjoyment reflected in his crazed smile, saying, "Who would've thought that the proud young lady of a first-rate family would end up as nothing but a submissive dog? But that's natural, considering I'm the master here… isn't that right, Mimi?" he asked mockingly, looking directly at Xiao Mi.

"Woof!" Xiao Mi barked immediately in response, as if agreeing with his words, causing those around her to feel disturbed, while Lin Fan's laughter echoed once again.

At that moment, Xiao Ming could no longer suppress the sorrow filling him as he watched his only daughter in this humiliating state. "How did it come to this?" he thought to himself, blaming himself, feeling a profound sense of helplessness and despair, forcing himself to hold back the tears of grief gathering in his eyes.

Lin Fan gave no regard to Xiao Ming's feelings, which were clearly reflected on his face, nor to the suffering overwhelming him, instead continuing his steps confidently, heading towards the mountain's peak with steady strides, as everyone followed behind, each fearing to attract Lin Fan's attention.

Then, Lin Fan looked around as he walked, contemplating the dense mist covering the area. "This mist that envelops the mountain is due to a third-level formation, which was originally owned by the Li family, a second-rate family that ruled this mountain before the original person annexed it into the Ning family. After taking over this land, he enhanced the formation to reach the fifth level." A faint smile appeared on Lin Fan's face as he continued walking, considering the path already mapped out for him by the original person in his mind, eager for more.

As Lin Fan moved slowly through the mist, a new idea sparked in his mind. He toyed with a chain in his hand, a malicious grin appearing on his lips. "Soon, I'll add two more girls to my collection. It's time to expand my circle of obedience—the more, the merrier."

Lin Fan's plans weren't solely about enjoyment; they were part of his larger scheme to seize control and organize the family. "But I must not indulge in pleasure alone, or I'll be doomed to fail. I'll use these months not only for dual cultivation but also to organize the family and assign each person an appropriate role." He recalled what the original person had done, following strict rules in family organization and task allocation.

But Lin Fan intended to add his own touch to this plan, not just copy everything the original person had done.