I hope you can still speak after an hour.

The biting chill seeped from her skin into her marrow, pulling Suyu Liangzi's consciousness back from the void. She coughed repeatedly, her whole body aching as if it might collapse at any moment. Attempting to sit up, she found her hands already restrained. It dawned on Suyu Liangzi the situation she was in, and as she opened her eyes, she found herself in a dimly lit room. Bound to a chair, unable to move, she struggled to adapt to the dim surroundings, only to be blinded by a sudden burst of light.

The room's door clicked open at some point, followed by slow, deliberate footsteps approaching. Soon, Suyu Liangzi sensed someone sitting in front of her. Struggling to open her eyes, she finally made out the face of the person before her, and a name surfaced in her mind—Jonas Veiteng.

"How do you feel, Miss Suyu Liangzi?" Jonas' voice was calm, as if he were reminiscing with an old friend. However, his 'friend' was bound, looking as disheveled as a prisoner awaiting interrogation.

"Jonas Veiteng..." Upon hearing his name, Suyu Liangzi raised her head and looked into the man's eyes, a hint of defiance and reluctance in hers. "You... hid it well." She had thought he was merely an ambitious dreamer unaware of his own limitations, but now found herself outplayed by him. Reflecting on Jonas' actions and his last words before her unconsciousness, she couldn't help but suspect he had been plotting against her all along.

Hearing her words, Jonas smiled but didn't respond, instead asking, "Do you know who was here before you?" Suyu Liangzi furrowed her brow, cautiously eyeing Jonas, unsure of the implications behind his question. Jonas, however, showed no intention of explaining himself. He chuckled and continued, "Truth be told, I have no intention of opposing the Nathan Corporation. Businessmen are inherently opportunistic. I would gladly cooperate with Miss Chelsea... provided she refrains from resorting to extreme measures."

Suyu Liangzi struggled against her wrist restraints, albeit in vain. She looked at the man before her, took a deep breath, and spoke, "I don't understand what mindset drove you to make such a foolish decision, but if..."

"If you don't want to be hunted by the Nathan Corporation, it's best to release you and return the chip obediently?" Jonas cut in, finishing her sentence. He smirked and asked, "Miss Suyu Liangzi, are you too naive?" Both knew the situation had reached a point of no return, predetermined when Chelsea sent Suyu Liangzi.

Suyu Liangzi was taken aback, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes. "So, what exactly do you intend to do?"

"Before, I merely sought cooperation... but now, settling scores comes first," Jonas replied. "Perhaps I underestimated myself or overestimated Miss Chelsea, who clearly had many other ways to resolve this conflict but chose the most foolish one."

"I don't mind if Miss Chelsea employs similar methods against me, because I have plenty of time to reel in those fish and expose their secrets." With that, he leaned in, examining the girl's eyes as if admiring her emotions. "And in this game, what fate awaits the others?"

"Dead fish attract no attention," he added, releasing Suyu Liangzi's chin and looking down at her, as if pronouncing her fate. "And you, my dear, are one of those prices."

Suyu Liangzi's heart gradually filled with fear. The fear of Jonas' words and the fear of the unknown intertwined, making the man's figure gradually merge with the darkness in the girl's eyes, engulfing her entire field of vision.

Jonas' hand slowly moved up, his thumb grazing the girl's lips as if caressing a lover's cheek. But in the next moment, his gentle gesture turned aggressive as he forced open her lips and pushed a pill down her throat.

"Cough, cough..." Suyu Liangzi realized something was wrong and attempted to spit out the pill, but it was too late. She looked up, anger in her eyes as she glared at Jonas, saying, "You..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she felt her body growing hot. Everything before her became surreal and blurry, her hands unconsciously rubbing her thighs as if suppressing something.

"You bastard...!" Suyu Liangzi gritted her teeth, trying not to let out a moan, cursing incoherently. Yet, at that moment, Jonas had already risen, and seeing no intention from him to harm her, Suyu Liangzi breathed a sigh of relief. She had expected the worst from him, but now realized her mistake.

The heat in her body blurred her consciousness, desire gradually consuming her entire being. Suyu Liangzi finally understood why he had chosen to leave at that moment. She cursed, her voice now carrying a hint of crying, "You... I will find a chance to kill you."

Hearing this, Jonas, who was about to leave, paused, calmly saying, "I hope, one hour later, you can still speak." With that, the room's door closed slowly. Once again, the room plunged into darkness, leaving the girl with endless despair.