Enzo looked at Chu Yuan in surprise.
"Mr. Chu were you at the crime scene?"
Chu Yuan leaned lazily against the sofa back, his narrow eyes slightly raised.
His gaze swept over Ye Jiuting's face, cold and distant, as if he had never seen her before.
"No."
Enzo laughed aloud and gestured to his bodyguards behind him.
Before Ye Jiuting could speak another word, her mouth was covered and she was dragged away by force.
She was taken into a room used for entertainment.
A pole for pole dancing stood in the middle, with a spare one on the floor.
Afraid she would run, the bodyguards handcuffed her to the pole.
In English, they warned her:
"Try anything funny and we'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish."
Ye Jiuting said, "I'm innocent."
No one paid her any attention. The bodyguards simply closed the door and left.
Ye Jiuting kicked the pole. It did not move an inch, but her leg hurt so badly she could barely stand.
She simply sat down against the pole, thinking about how to save herself.
As she thought, she began to feel sleepy.
She had been drugged earlier, and after last night's brutal ordeal, she was completely drained, both physically and mentally.
The moment she closed her eyes, a bucket of cold water splashed over her.
Ye Jiuting opened her eyes. Through her water-dripping eyelashes, she saw Enzo's face close up.
He was crouching, holding a document in his hand.
"Miss Doctor, sign this and you can go home."
No investigation, no interrogation, no chance for her to defend herself.
She glanced at the document — all in English.
The large words "CONFESSION" were impossible to miss.
This man was trying to trick her into signing a guilty plea.
"I committed no crime. I will not sign."
"Not signing…" Enzo smiled, his narrow eyes narrowing like a cunning fox, evil and vicious.
"Hold her down. Force her to sign."
The two bodyguards behind him moved toward her.
"I'll sign." Ye Jiuting had no choice.
Stay alive first, then worry about everything else.
She lifted her sore hand.
"How am I supposed to sign like this?"
Enzo gestured to the bodyguards.
They unlocked one side of her handcuffs, freeing her hand from the pole.
Enzo handed her a pen and pointed to the signature line.
"Sign here. Both your Chinese and English names."
"Alright." Ye Jiuting reached for the pen.
At the instant her fingers were about to touch it, she changed direction and chopped her hand hard at Enzo's neck.
Enzo froze, his vision went black, and he collapsed toward her.
Ye Jiuting dodged immediately, but was still a little too slow — his body pinned her toes.
She jumped up, grabbed the metal pole from the floor, and swept it at the charging bodyguards.
The guards scrambled back in fear. She dropped the pole, pulled open the door, and sprinted out.
"Catch her! Don't let her get away!"
A group of bodyguards waiting outside rushed at her from all directions.
Ye Jiuting was lost and unfamiliar with the ship, running around like a headless fly, blocked everywhere she went.
The circle closed in. The bodyguards wore vicious expressions, flexing their muscular arms as if they wanted to tear her apart.
Ye Jiuting gasped for breath, panicked and desperate.
Someone pushed her. She stumbled forward.
Someone in front pushed her back. She fell backward…
All around her, the men shouted in excitement.
"Damn, are all Eastern beauties this fragrant? I can't even stand it. Once she signs, let Mr. Enzo let us have some fun with her."
"Hehe! The look of fear in her eyes is so attractive."
"A stunner like her should spend the rest of her life in a man's bed, not in a —"
Their evil tones and predatory stares wrapped around her like poisonous snakes, suffocating her, making her skin crawl.
For the first time in her life, Ye Jiuting felt true despair.
Suddenly, a door opened behind her.
Ye Jiuting turned and saw Chu Yuan and Wang Zhenghang stepping out.
The second the bodyguards hesitated, she shoved past them, sprinted to Chu Yuan's side, and looked up at him pleadingly.
"Mr. God of Gamblers, I really am innocent. Please, for last night's sake… help me."
Chu Yuan did not look at her. He only said quietly,
"I helped you last night too."
"I'm grateful. Please, save me. I'll do anything for you."
"Is that so?" Chu Yuan finally looked down at her.
"Yes." Ye Jiuting stared at him hopefully, begging him to nod.
Chu Yuan said,
"On this ship, only my maid receives my protection. Do you want to become my maid?"
The God of Gamblers was the ruler of this ship. He was its god.
No one could touch anyone under his protection before they disembarked.
The word "maid" sounded old-fashioned and awkward.
But right now, clinging to the God of Gamblers was her only lifeline.
"I will."
"You've thought this through?"
Chu Yuan's voice turned deep, smooth as a cello.
"I have." Ye Jiuting answered firmly.
Enzo and his bodyguards chased out and saw Ye Jiuting standing behind Chu Yuan.
He apologized to Wang Zhenghang and Chu Yuan:
"I'm very sorry. I didn't handle my private business properly. She escaped and disturbed you."
He then ordered his men:
"Take her away at once."
The black-clad bodyguards moved forward.
Ye Jiuting tensed and stepped closer to Chu Yuan.
Chu Yuan's gaze passed over everyone and landed on Enzo.
"Mr. Enzo, this young lady is now my person. You may not touch her."
Enzo narrowed his eyes and studied Ye Jiuting.
This woman had some skill — she'd won the God of Gamblers' protection in just a few seconds.
"From what I know, according to the rules of The Mortal Realm, you only protect someone once they are officially your maid. Have you signed a contract?"
Chu Yuan said, "We just made a verbal agreement."
A flash of killing intent crossed Enzo's eyes, then he hid it away.
"If she is yours now, Mr. God of Gamblers, I will respect the rules. I will not touch her."
Chu Yuan turned to Ye Jiuting.
"Let's go."
Ye Jiuting obediently followed him, but heard Enzo call out:
"Wait."
Chu Yuan stopped and turned back.
"You have something else to say?"
His lips pressed into a cold line, and his lazy smile vanished.
Everyone who knew him understood — his patience was almost gone.
The last person who angered him was sent away politely.
The next day, that man was found dead in his room.
The official result: heart attack.
A month later, his entire family went bankrupt, and several more jumped to their deaths.
Those who survived fled and disappeared.
Everyone called the God of Gamblers a ruthless devil, a living Yama.
No one dared to provoke him again.