Facing Luo Hong's non-answer, the three girls were stunned. That counts as an answer?
But the judge of the bet was Luo Hong's system. The verdict: Correct!
They wanted to protest, but they were the ones who set the trap first. If the system were unfair, Luo Hong wouldn't have bothered betting at all. In other words, his answer was valid. After thinking it over, they had to accept reality.
If my neighbor stores grain and I store guns, my neighbor is my granary! Luo Hong was right. Fu Hua's wealth came from her power, and without absolute power, everything was fleeting. In any era, there was always someone stronger—be it Kevin or the Finality. Her paper wealth was meaningless.
"We... lost," Cangxuan muttered, lowering her head.
"Fine... do whatever you want with us."
Danzhu closed her eyes, slumping into a "duck sit" position on the floor, her energy completely spent.
"You won this time, but we definitely won't lose the next!" Bronya added, still acting tough. She tilted her small chin up, refusing to look away as she met Luo Hong's gaze.
The plan had been her idea, and she was the one who had coaxed Cangxuan and Danzhu into going against Luo Hong. Without her intel on how Luo Hong viewed them, the sisters wouldn't have dared to be so bold. But like Bronya said, the worst-case scenario was just being "devoured"—and it wasn't like they hadn't experienced that before.
"You think the only penalty for failing a challenge is being 'devoured' by me?"
A wicked, playful smirk curled on Luo Hong's lips. He saw right through their little calculation. "I'm not that easy-going."
He snapped his fingers, and an alluring, intricate mark appeared on the abdomen of each of the three girls. In the center of the ornate patterns was the number: 100.
"W-What did you do to us?"
The relatively innocent Bronya hadn't realized the severity of the situation. But Danzhu, a true connoisseur of ACG (Anime, Comic, Games) culture, recognized the implication of the mark immediately.
"Lord, you are despicable!" she puffed out her cheeks in indignation.
"We lost the bet; this is the price we must pay." Cangxuan placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, trying to keep her from further provoking Luo Hong. She feared that if Luo Hong got any more excited, her sister would suffer even more later. Besides, they were the ones who challenged him.
However, her expression shifted once Luo Hong explained the true meaning of the mark.
"It's simple," Luo Hong said with a grin. "Once this '100' reaches zero, you will fall hopelessly in love with me."
Naturally, he was lying. Making someone fall in love through such a method was no different from hypnosis. He just wanted to see if anyone would use the "zero" as an excuse to confess their feelings.
I can't wait to see their faces when they find out the truth. Hehehe!
"As for the time limit—" he licked his lips. "Let's say one week. If you can hold out, I'll remove it. If not... well, don't blame me. Of course, I'm more than happy if you choose to succumb; I'd love for us to be a 'loving' family. But I know you still have some resistance in you, so let's call this a little 'foreplay' between us."
He gave them a playful wink.
"Who's having foreplay with you?" Bronya rolled her eyes, being the first to deny it.
"Since you've got so much to say, you can go last." Luo Hong wasn't angry, but he would administer a punishment.
He brought the three back to the massive bed and didn't waste another second, lunging toward the two sisters who had already accepted their fate. After he was finished with them, he turned his attention to the stubborn Bronya.
By now, "stubborn" was the only part of her left that was firm. By the time Luo Hong was done with her, she was completely limp, forced to stand on her tiptoes just to keep balance. No matter how tough her words were, her lips were soft when they kissed.
Yet, the moment Luo Hong kissed her, Bronya's mind suddenly cleared. They had already done things far more intimate, but at that moment, she felt something within her heart shift.
"Is this okay?" Luo Hong sensed her hesitation. He pulled back slightly and whispered tenderly into her ear.
"...Yes." After a brief silence, Bronya stopped being stubborn and followed her body's instinct.
When everything finally concluded:
Bronya: Level 31 → Level 32 (NEW!) | 100 → 87
Cangxuan: Level 8 → Level 10 (NEW!) | 100 → 93
Danzhu: Level 8 → Level 10 (NEW!) | 100 → 85
To be fair, Luo Hong didn't "favor" Danzhu; she just kept talking back, so he had to hit her with a vigorous counterattack. He didn't usually hold grudges—he "devoured" them on the spot!
Danzhu's constitution was also remarkably sensitive, proving Cangxuan's point about her being "good at creating people." But after having his fun, Luo Hong didn't let them go yet. The third wave of attacks was arriving. He wanted to wait for the gacha results before letting them leave. Specifically, he was curious if keeping Bronya here would help him pull Seele.
"Is this... a war between Lords?" Danzhu asked curiously, watching the Kiana dolls below defeat the encroaching Honkai beasts one by one.
"No," Luo Hong replied. After getting his revenge, he was quite kind to her, answering every question. "This is just the 'Novice Trial.' The real War of Lords begins after this final wave."
He looked toward the distant mist, eager to see who his first true enemy would be.