The Ruan family was consumed by both hatred and fear toward Hortez.
After enduring endless threats and torture, they were convinced that he was capable of killing them at any moment.
Except for Ruan Jiaojiao, Hortez treated everyone as less than human.
As for Ruan Jiaojiao…
Hortez’s feelings had twisted far beyond simple love; his affection had become a volatile blend of love and hate, a far cry from the indulgent care he’d once shown her.
He only wanted her to obey and stay by his side.
But Ruan Jiaojiao would never comply willingly.
Hortez thought he could control her by threatening her family, but every time he tortured them, she’d cry and curse—and then, before long, try to escape again.
This relentless cycle drove her uncles to endure new rounds of punishment, each more severe than the last.
Ruan Jiaojiao had no intention of stopping her attempts to escape.
Ruan Yanxu, once a refined professor, was now a broken man, crippled and missing a hand. Ruan Yanwei, a former renowned director, was unrecognizable—disfigured, disabled, and defeated. Once powerful figures who inflicted suffering on others, the remaining Ruan family members were now the ones suffering unbearably.
Mr. Ruan, spared from direct torture for fear that he’d die too soon, was wasting away, unable to even stand.
With Mr. Ruan visibly nearing death, Hortez worried that two captives wouldn’t be enough to keep Ruan Jiaojiao in check.
So he paid a large sum to bring Ruan Yanshun, their oldest brother, out of prison overseas and had him transported to Hortez’s territory.
Attempts to get the third brother, Ruan Yanzheng, out of a Chinese prison failed—the Chinese system was simply too secure.
Ruan Yanshun, finally free, believed someone had spent a fortune to give him a second chance at greatness.
Excitement filled him, mingled with a simmering fury. In his mind, he could almost hear triumphant music, as though he were a film character returning gloriously after suffering.
But Ruan Yanshun had miscalculated.
Before he even reunited with his family, Hortez’s men gave him a harsh “lesson.”
Hortez believed it was essential to break his spirit first.
Like training a dog, Hortez had Ruan Yanshun beaten severely, starved for days, then subjected to the same cycle repeatedly. Soon enough, Ruan Yanshun bent to Hortez’s will, clearly understanding who was in charge.
But Hortez left just enough fight in him, knowing it would serve his purposes well.
And perhaps it would help keep Jiaojiao “in line.”
With a cold smile, Hortez ordered his men to bring Ruan Yanshun to see his broken family.
Exhausted, bruised, and in worse shape than he’d been in prison, Ruan Yanshun looked like a shadow of his former self. He no longer had the defiant stance he once held.
Now he was a pale, aged shell of a man.
Mr. Ruan, Ruan Yanxu, and Ruan Yanwei were shocked to see their elder brother brought in. But instead of feeling relief, a wave of dread washed over them.
They realized then that there was no chance of escape.
They were truly trapped.
Despair settled over them like a shroud. When Ruan Yanshun walked into the villa and saw his relatives—haggard, disabled, and unrecognizable—he was horrified.
Anger, despair, and fear consumed him.
“You…what happened to you?!” he demanded, his voice shaking.
“Brother, can’t you guess?” replied Ruan Yanwei, his scarred face twisted with a bitter smile. His voice was quiet, his expression distorted by suppressed rage.
Mr. Ruan lay pale and gasping on a bed, unable to speak.
They all wore clean clothes, but they looked less like people and more like broken creatures, stripped of dignity.
Ruan Yanxu cast a glance toward the stairs, avoiding eye contact with his eldest brother, then limped up on his crutch without a word.
Alarmed, Ruan Yanshun called, “Where are you going, fourth brother?!”
Ruan Yanwei’s laughter took on a crazed edge.
“Fourth brother is going to keep an eye on Jiaojiao,” he sneered.
Though Hortez treated them like animals, he treated Jiaojiao lavishly. She had fine clothes, food, and servants. But despite all this, she kept trying to escape.
Every time Jiaojiao tried to run, her uncles paid the price. They lost limbs, were disfigured, and suffered in countless ways. And yet, Jiaojiao was never content.
Ruan Yanwei’s feelings toward Jiaojiao had twisted into a mix of resentment and loathing.
While they suffered terribly, she continued to live in comfort. She had food, drink, and nice clothes—even if her life here wasn’t ideal, it was certainly better than theirs.
Yet she didn’t care. She knew full well that her actions had consequences for them. She was aware of the torment her family endured, but still, she planned to escape after escape, leaving them in states of broken despair.
It was absurd.
They had once cherished Jiaojiao deeply, but now they saw through her completely. Her cries and pleas were a performance. She claimed to feel sorry for them, but her actions showed otherwise.
Ruan Yanwei’s heart filled with regret.
If he had never traveled to China, never met her, never conducted that paternity test that revealed she was family—if he had never brought her into their lives…
Perhaps none of this would have happened.
But it was too late.
Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass echoed from upstairs. Jiaojiao’s voice, usually soft, rang out sharply: “Fourth Uncle! How dare you tell me to submit to him for your survival! Where is my happiness?! Where is my future?!”
Her family’s suffering was nothing to her. She felt no remorse over the broken limbs and shattered lives left in her wake. All she cared about was her happiness and future, which she felt had been stolen by being trapped here.
She believed she should be living in luxury, adored by a rich fiancé in a world-class city, not in this impoverished land with her family reduced to this state.
Ruan Yanxu’s face was blank as he carefully picked up the broken shards on the floor, fearing that any cuts on her feet would only bring more punishment upon himself.
Downstairs, Ruan Yanshun stared up in disbelief.
Could this be the same Jiaojiao they had once adored, the kind-hearted girl who claimed she’d rather suffer than let others suffer?
Had they been blinded by their greed, or had Jiaojiao changed?
He couldn’t tell.
But soon, he’d have no choice but to see the truth through yet more suffering.
…
While Ruan Jiaojiao continued her daily theatrics, Marceau was also frantically searching for her.
A month had passed, and he still had no solid information.
He had only discovered that she’d been taken abroad by Hortez, with no idea where she was now.
Until one day, he received an anonymous email. It contained detailed information on Jiaojiao’s location, Hortez’s defenses, and the layout of the security system covering his manor and drug operations.
A small note at the end read:
*“If there are any real-time updates, I’ll keep you informed.”*
The signature?
FL—the hacker who’d once shocked the world.
Marceau didn’t care about FL’s motives. All he knew was that he couldn’t afford to ignore such valuable intel.
He contacted Wright to verify that the information was legitimate. Once they confirmed the accuracy of the data, Marceau immediately began drafting a rescue plan.
He contacted arms dealers for heavy weaponry, knowing he’d need every advantage for what lay ahead.
Jiaojiao had to be saved, and Hortez had to die.
Hortez had become a powerful figure, and any foreign team entering his territory would be discovered quickly. Careful planning was essential for this mission to succeed.
Two months passed as Marceau and Wright prepared, gradually moving their people into Hortez’s region, posing as locals or workers.
On the third day of the New Year, Mr. Ruan finally succumbed to the despair that had eroded him. His body looked skeletal and hollow in death.
He’d never imagined he would end up in such a horrific, degrading state, watching his family collapse before his eyes.
Ruan Jiaojiao cried bitterly, but not for her grandfather. She wept for the loss of her last remaining lifeline to the outside world.
Hortez had kept her confined to the villa for over a month. She couldn’t bear it any longer.
Desperate, she pleaded to accompany her grandfather’s body to the crematorium, promising Hortez that she’d remain by his side, and attempted to please him with sweet words.
At last, Hortez agreed.
On the day of the cremation, Ruan Jiaojiao appeared in mourning attire, veiled and somber. Her tears fell like rain, enhancing her fragile beauty.
Though her face reflected suffering, her skin was smooth and well cared for.
But her uncles—Ruan Yanshun, Ruan Yanxu, and Ruan Yanwei—were a pitiful sight.
After countless failed escape attempts, their arms and legs were fractured nearly beyond repair. They’d been transformed into little more than “human stumps,” bound and helpless.
Hortez kissed Ruan Jiaojiao’s cheek, his voice as soft as his gaze was chilling
.
“Your uncles can’t go. They need rest and care from the doctors. Jiaojiao can say goodbye to Grandpa and then return to see them.”
A flash of dread crossed Ruan Jiaojiao’s face.
Hortez smiled.
He caressed her hand, relishing its smoothness.
“Jiaojiao, there’s no need to be sad. Your uncles aren’t suffering as much as those who once wronged the Ruan family. They’re better off than men who were dragged to underground arenas whipped daily, and left infested with maggots.”
“They’re just like little earthworms, lying there comfortably as I see to it they’re fed.”
