Heavens' Laughter

"You're right… It's all my fault… It's all my fault…" Shadow kept muttering, repeating it over and over in between throwing up.

The words of the Second Young Master of the Feng family had entered her ears like the devil's voice, consuming her with guilt, leaving her unable to think clearly.

Shadow couldn't fathom how she would face her ancestors again; the shame of failing to protect the First Young Lady was unbearable.

She was a failure.

'This is beyond beautiful! She's so broken!'

Feng Shen stifled a laugh, grinning wildly as he reveled in the moment, taking delight in the pain and self-loathing unfolding before him.

He so badly wanted to drive her deeper into despair, to witness her pain—both physical and mental—and to see her truly broken.

So much so, Feng Shen dug his nails into his palms, fighting to restrain himself. Licking his lips, he gazed at her like a predator eyeing a fresh meal.

Of course, Shadow was oblivious to this, but the First Young Lady was not.

Seeing her Master's expression, Cai Xiu gulped, a chill creeping down her spine.

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as the unsettling truth hit her once more: she was staring at a monster in human skin.

'He's crazy. No… He's insane…' Cai Xiu thought, a wave of anxiety crashing over her as she faced the uncertainty of her future, being a maid and a tool for someone like him.

It was far too unpredictable, yet she had no choice. All she could do was bite the bullet and pray once more to whatever she could to keep herself safe.

Calming himself as best he could, Feng Shen took a deep breath and exhaled before leaning close to the bodyguard's ear:

"Now, now, don't worry. Your failure has truly amused me," he whispered, his tone soothing. "I won't let you suffer any longer."

Before Shadow could process his words, her vision dimmed and her breath caught in her throat; everything fell silent.

With his black fan drawn and the bodyguard's head neatly severed, Feng Shen chuckled softly as he watched the head tumble into the water.

Hearing the small splash and seeing it happen before her eyes, Cai Xiu felt an overwhelming urge to cry out, but she held herself back.

She was aware of her role as a maid and didn't want to show any disrespect to her Master.

All Cai Xiu could do was swallow her emotions, biting her lip to contain her turmoil. She had desperately wanted to tell her bodyguard that it wasn't her fault.

However, it seemed that now she couldn't.

Cai Xiu could only turn her gaze away and hold back her tears.

This woman, who had been with her since birth, was now dead, and Cai Xiu felt powerless to do anything about it. All she could do was grieve in silence, her heart heavy with sorrow.

"Aren't I so merciful, my little maid?" Feng Shen remarked, letting out a crazed laugh. His voice dripped with mockery.

He didn't even glance at his maid, he simply watched the body sink into the lake.

This was truly his version of being nice, as he didn't torment or torture her too much; he was being as kind as possible, which was extremely rare.

The only reason Feng Shen showed this restraint was that her little mental breakdown had been so amusing to him.

So, he rewarded her with a quick death.

"Master truly is merciful," Cai Xiu replied, cupping her hands together as she forced herself to face her Master's side.

She felt a wave of guilt for saying such a thing, but she understood that she had to prioritize her own self above all else.

"Alrighty, now let's get my little maid some new clothes!" Feng Shen clapped his hands together as he then began undressing the lifeless body, piece by piece.

Cai Xiu didn't utter a word, keeping her mouth shut as she accepted each piece of cloth thrown her way, resigned to putting them on.

'Forgive me, Shadow…'

Once the body was fully undressed and his little maid was dressed in new clothes, Feng Shen hoisted the lifeless form and carelessly dumped it overboard.

Licking the blood-stained black fan, he then spoke, pointing toward the water. "Don't forget to watch."

'Watch? Watch what?' Cai Xiu thought to herself. She leaned over the boat and peered into the water. She felt like she couldn't disobey.

It was then that hundreds of piranhas suddenly appeared, voraciously feasting on the lifeless body, tearing through skin and flesh in seconds, leaving nothing behind—not even the bones.

'Oh my lord…' Cai Xiu gasped, covering her mouth as she hurriedly pulled back and sat upright.

That horrific scene etched itself into her mind, burning itself into her memory, and she realized she couldn't unsee it.

"Ah~ such cute little creatures," Feng Shen mused, watching them swim away in numerous directions with a hint of fondness.

He recalled his past life, when he had forced countless people into these lakes to feed these tiny beasts, relaxing on a tree as he listened to their screams and saw the pain etched on their faces.

The piranhas never went for the head, ensuring that the death was always painful and slow. It was something Feng Shen particularly loved about them.

"That brought back splendid memories." He returned to his seat at the rear of the small boat. Grasping the yuloh firmly, he began to move it:

"We're heading back. We've been gone for too long."

With that, the small boat began to make its way back toward the wooden dock.

As a few seconds passed in silence, Cai Xiu, with something weighing on her mind, gathered some courage to speak up. "Um, Master… if I dare, may I ask you a question?"

Feng Shen glanced at his little maid. "Speak."

"Will you cancel the engagement, or should I tell my father to back down?" Cai Xiu asked, though she no longer cared about the engagement.

After all, she had already lost her purity, and with it, her will to even fight back.

Cai Xiu had only asked such a question, so she would know what to do when they returned to the main hall.

"Hmm, good question, my little maid. I will cancel the engagement."