Chapter 77: The Master of the Garden

Chapter 77: The Master of the Garden

Renji let out a mocking laugh. He pulled a few red powder crystals from his pocket and scattered them on the ground.

The long-haired man's eyes glowed with greed as he dove to the ground, frantically licking the powder and even stuffing the dirt into his mouth.

The other awakened ones watched the long-haired man with envy.

Renji asked in a puzzled tone, "Why aren't you eating? This is all the stock I've got."

At his words, the other men's eyes filled with fear, and they rushed toward Renji's feet, dragging the long-haired man away just to get at the red powder mixed with the dirt. They didn't care about whose saliva was on it.

The long-haired man roared in frustration and started brawling with the others.

Renji laughed heartily, clutching his stomach, his laughter edging on madness. He reveled in the thrill of controlling others' fates, as if he were reliving a time when his own life had been held in someone else's hands.

The woman in leopard print watched the scene in horror, covering her mouth with trembling hands as tears streamed down her face.

"You… would you do that to me too?" she stammered.

Renji glanced at her with a cold look, but his tone softened, "You're already the master's person. You're not like them."

He squatted down, gently helping the woman to her feet.

The master was like a god, and those who served by the master's side were equally exalted.

In Renji's view, even the other hunters were no match for Alexander's close servants.

With a calm voice, Renji said, "Let's go. You're the last one."

He led the leopard-print woman toward the old town.

Suddenly, she let out a terrified scream. Looking down, she saw the pale face of the long-haired man.

"Father! Please, give me more! I'm begging you!" the long-haired man wailed. Unable to win against the others, he was now lying on the ground, covered in blood, clutching at the woman's ankle. He didn't dare touch Renji, so he held onto the woman instead, desperate to keep Renji from leaving.

Renji's pupils contracted sharply, his expression showing a flash of intense rage! He pulled a transparent vial from his pocket, filled with red powder.

Renji sneered, "Alright, you want it all? Fine!"

He twisted the cap off the vial and dumped all the red powder onto the long-haired man.

"Thank you, Father! Thank you!" the man cried out, excitedly licking his fingers.

His hair, face, neck, and hands were now covered in the red powder, exuding a pungent fragrance.

The intense scent attracted the other awakened ones, who stared at him greedily.

There was so much red powder on him that the bit mixed with the dirt earlier seemed insignificant.

Renji said flatly, "Dinner is served."

With that, he turned and walked away, taking the leopard-print woman with him.

The awakened ones, now given the signal, their eyes full of greed, took on a different look as they slowly encircled the long-haired man, like a pack of wolves hunting their prey.

The long-haired man, sensing danger, hugged the red powder-covered parts of his body tightly, shouting, "It's all mine!"

But the awakened ones pounced on him, their yellowed, slimy teeth tearing into the fragrant parts of his body. Screams and the sound of chewing filled the air.

When Alexander's garden was built, it caused a stir throughout the old town. Everyone knew a wealthy man had come to the area.

The leopard-print woman never imagined she would walk into the very place everyone gossiped about over tea.

She followed the lunatic in front of her all the way into the garden, not daring to breathe too heavily. They crossed a stone bridge over an artificial lake, and before them stood a seven-story ancient-style pavilion with a distinctly traditional charm.

Renji's expression became serious as he carefully straightened his clothes. He stood at the entrance, not daring to take another step inside.

Turning to the woman, he said, "Go ahead, the master is waiting for you."

The pavilion, glowing warmly in the night, seemed like a den of evil to her. Any place that could make a madman like him act so deferentially must be full of terrifying people.

After all the shocks she had endured, her heart began to ache again.

The leopard-print woman clutched her chest as she stepped across the threshold into the light.

Inside the pavilion, the decor was not traditional but modern, with a cozy atmosphere. She walked on the fine tiles, taking in her surroundings.

There was a light-colored sofa, an ordinary chandelier, an off-white marble dining table, and even a beanbag chair by the window.

Inside, the atmosphere was far less serious than the exterior suggested.

Eight people—four men and four women—were already seated at the dining table.

Each of their faces was etched with fatigue and fear.

It seemed all of them had been brought here by Renji in that terrifying manner.

The leopard-print woman, filled with unease, took a seat at the table. Her hands gripped her handbag so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

After a long silence, a middle-aged man suddenly spoke up:

"Why don't we talk for a bit?"

A pale-faced young woman with yellow hair trembled as she asked, "H-how did you all get here?"

The middle-aged man, trying to lighten the mood, answered, "A masked man brought me. He killed my wife."

His words drew the attention of the others.

He waved dismissively, still smiling, "Don't look at me like that. To be honest, I'm actually grateful to that masked man."

He looked around and asked, "What about the rest of you? Were you brought here by him too?"

A young man, whose eyes brimmed with fear, stammered, "Yes, he… he brought me here. He… he eats people! He's a monster! And tonight…"

The young man's description heightened everyone's fear of Renji to a whole new level.

Only the leopard-print woman seemed unaffected. In fact, she felt the others were fortunate because they hadn't witnessed the horrific scene earlier.

The sounds of chewing and screaming would haunt her for the rest of her life.

As the group chatted for a while, the leopard-print woman noticed that they shared two things in common.

They all had tragic lives and suffered from serious illnesses.

They were caught between not wanting to live and being unable to die.

The other shared trait was that they all possessed remarkable spiritual potential, but their awakening had failed.

Without successful awakening, that potential was meaningless.

"What is he planning to do with us? I don't want to die!"

The yellow-haired girl slumped over the table, sobbing.

The middle-aged man patted her back, comforting her, "Didn't he say this garden needed laborers? Maybe we'll be lucky and get a decent job out of this!"

The young man's eyes widened as he raised his voice, "Do you really believe that?! With someone like him as a servant, what kind of terrifying person is the master of this garden?! Do you think someone like that needs us?!"

His voice grew louder, trying to hide his own fear.

After his outburst, silence fell over the group once again.

They all understood their own worth.

The women were realistic about their appearance.

The master of this garden was certainly a person of great importance, likely with no shortage of celebrities around him. He wouldn't care for women like them.

The men also understood—they had neither skills nor money.

The master of the garden wouldn't want them as subordinates.

All they had was their lives.

The young man slumped back in his chair.

"What kind of monster must the master be to have servants like that?" he muttered.

The leopard-print woman looked at him in terror.

"Shut up! Do you want to die talking like that?!"

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