Seo continued rocking lazily in her chair while the five women stood motionless before her.
She lifted a single finger.
A crushing pressure descended instantly, forcing the five women to their knees as though the heavens themselves had fallen upon their shoulders.
"I took care of you for so… many days," Seo said softly, her voice lowering into something darker. "And you wanted to leave just like that? Not a chance."
The five women trembled for only a moment before forcibly steadying themselves.
Then, in perfect unison—
"We are sorry, Miss. We only wished to keep you safe from those chasing us."
Seo's brows twitched slightly at their synchronized reply. It was unsettling… but intriguing. She chose not to comment.
Instead, she asked their names — and why they were being hunted down.
Again, they answered simultaneously.
They had no names. Only numbers.
They were assassins from one of the largest and most secretive guilds in existence. They had been sent to retrieve an ancient cultivation technique. They failed. Instead, they discovered a method to remove the suicidal gu worm implanted into every assassin to prevent betrayal.
Curiosity flickered in Seo's eyes.
"And why," she asked slowly, "do you speak as one?"
"We began training at the age of ten. We cultivated the Quintuplet Spiritual Technique. Our spirits fused."
They explained that whatever one felt, the others felt. Their awareness merged. Their cultivation amplified fivefold. In battle, they moved as a single entity.
Seo was astonished.
Such a bizarre and dangerous technique…
Without warning, she reached out and gently patted one of them on the head.
The woman's cheeks flushed instantly.
And so did the other four.
Seo's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
"Interesting."
She stopped teasing them and finally asked what they intended to do next.
After witnessing the strength of the barrier protecting Seo's domain, they wished to remain and hide from their pursuers.
Seo leaned back.
"The only people allowed to stay in my domain," she said casually, "are myself and my people. If you wish to stay… you must become mine."
Conflict flickered across their identical faces. They had run this far to escape control.
Seo knew that.
She stepped forward and gently cupped one of their faces.
"If you become one of mine," she said in a sweet, reassuring voice, "of course I won't treat you badly."
The five women glanced toward Choi, Ling, Su, and Bai. Elegant robes. Healthy complexions. Clear comfort.
After a silent exchange — one only they understood — they agreed.
Seo explained the pact.
They accepted.
_ _ _
Later, Seo opened her domain map.
Only one green icon had appeared. She understood the complications due to the fusion of their spirits.
She let out a small laugh and adjusted the interface to reflect five distinct spiritual signatures.
She then told them they could choose their own names.
They refused.
They wanted her to name them.
Seo sighed in mock exasperation — but secretly, she was pleased.
Thus, she named them:
Lianhua.Meiyun.Qingyue.Xueying.Ziyan.
The five sisters looked exhilarated upon receiving their new names.
"Enough celebrating," Seo said lightly. "Go clean yourselves. I can barely see your faces beneath all that dirt."
She called Choi and the others to guide them.
Twenty minutes later, the five women reappeared.
Seo blinked.
Now that they were clean, their features were striking. Not only were they beautiful — they were identical down to the smallest detail. Every curve, every line, every proportion.
If not for the modified domain map, she would not have been able to distinguish them.
"Are you sisters?"
"Yes."
They had not originally looked alike. Only after cultivating the Quintuplet Spiritual Technique had their appearances gradually converged.
Seo retrieved five sets of moon-woven flowing robes and handed them over, then instructed her companions to familiarize them with the domain.
Once alone, Seo returned to her chair and resumed her nap.
Evening fell.
She was gently shaken awake.
The five sisters stood before her.
They escorted her to her chambers, where a neatly arranged table brimmed with steaming dishes. They seated her on a soft mat and brought a carved wooden basin to wash her hands.
Seo was over the moon.
In her previous life, this kind of treatment had existed only in her fantasies. Instead, she had met an untimely death.
Now—
She sat like a pampered sovereign.
They fed her carefully. After she finished, they washed her hands and wiped her lips clean. Only then did they gather the utensils and prepare to leave.
Seo was deeply satisfied.
Before they could exit, she retrieved an item from her storage space — the Distortion Mask.
One of them accepted it.
A system notification chimed: Hundredfold Return Activated.
Seo calmly withdrew four more and handed one to each sister.
"A gift," she said. "For good performance."
The Distortion Mask was a divine-level item capable of altering one's appearance at will.
Perfect for her little assassins.
The five women stared at her, stunned, clutching the priceless treasures in their hands.
Seo felt a subtle warmth spread through her chest.
She rose, returned to her bed, and drifted into sleep —
hoping this joyous, indulgent life would continue without end.