Chapter 85: The Right Tyrant... A Woman?!

"You haven't been in the Death Row Paradise for long, so perhaps you don't know—in this place, luck is not permitted to occur..." The young woman’s cherry lips, tinted with a delicate red, parted as she spoke, revealing a glimpse of pearly teeth. Her words made Youba’s heart itch with a strange yearning.

"This means that if the loser’s Regret Show happens to be skipped, there must be a second round of selection. In other words, your previous stroke of luck only delayed your punishment—it didn't save you from it." Dongguan glanced at Youba with calm indifference and pressed the start button again, leaving him no room to protest.

Strangely, Youba felt no terror or anger at her words. Instead, he was struck by an inexplicable joy—because this meant he could remain here with her, watching her grace and charm, basking in her myriad tender emotions.

The slot machine’s cheerful, childish song rang out once more, but Youba paid no heed to the flashing images of human organs; his gaze wandered restlessly around the room, occasionally sneaking glances at Dongguan’s back. He saw her take out a lollipop, carefully folding the wrapper and tucking it into her pocket before enjoying the candy, one foot perched on the slot machine’s frame while the other swung freely in the air, sometimes gently tapping the machine.

"Deliberately stalling isn’t right, you know. The longer you drag it out, the harsher the punishment will be~~" Dongguan sang out, her back still to Youba. The slot machine’s screens began to darken and retreat, while images of vital organs appeared more frequently.

Realizing he could stall no longer, Youba shouted, "Stop!"

Children’s laughter echoed again, but this time it had a sinister undertone. The skipped screen appeared once more before the clown’s nose, and Youba’s heart clenched—surely his luck wouldn’t hold twice? But fortune did not favor him; the option faded, and new organ images flashed to life.

"Hmm..." Dongguan’s voice sounded surprised. Youba tried to look up at the result, only to find Dongguan bending over, her hips raised, scrutinizing the organ on the monitor with a hint of embarrassment.

"The result is..." Dongguan’s posture made Youba’s blood boil; if he didn’t interrupt her musings, his thin prisoner’s uniform would surely fail to hide his excitement.

"This is a bit tricky..." Dongguan sucked on her lollipop, then bit it off in one go and stuffed the stick into her pocket, chewing thoughtfully. Her expression was utterly adorable.

Youba’s mind was in turmoil. Dongguan, noticing his gaze, swallowed her candy awkwardly, her cheeks blooming with a faint cherry pink.

"Why is it tricky?" Youba asked, his face flushed as he looked at the slot machine. The organ displayed was slightly larger than a quail’s egg, resembling a gallbladder but with a different hue. What could it be?

"Er... let’s just get started," Dongguan said, taking a deep breath and approaching Youba, beginning to remove his pants.

This action... It suddenly dawned on Youba what organ it must be!

Mortified, Youba observed as the girl, upon seeing his exposed body, shed her previous shyness—her cheeks turning from cherry pink to a flush of crimson, a sheen of fragrant sweat appearing on her skin. She flashed him a wicked smile, took up a surgical knife, and eyed his body intently, licking her cherry-red lips and opening the surgical scissors to begin.

The cold touch sent a shiver through Youba, yet he felt no fear—only heightened excitement. He was amazed that his body could bring this girl such pleasure; he rejoiced that this girl, who had become his entire world, was so deeply obsessed with him.

"In these last moments before your body is no longer whole, do you have anything to say?" Dongguan paused with the surgical knife, looking at him. She noted that, unlike other condemned prisoners, he did not wail or struggle, and so she asked.

"I do."

"Speak."

"What’s your name?"

Dongguan was momentarily taken aback—even behind her glasses, her pupils flickered with surprise. She gazed at Youba, for the first time giving the question serious thought, then smiled slyly.

"My name is... Dongguan..."

"Dongguan..." Youba repeated softly, imprinting it deeply in his heart.

"Did you remember?"

"Mm, I did."

"Shall we begin?"

"Alright." Youba replied, giving Dongguan a sincere smile.

Dongguan instinctively avoided his gaze, lowering her head to the living tissue she had dissected for years, uncertain how to proceed. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, suppressing any fluttering emotions, then reopened them—passion once again dominating her features. With a single motion, she cut.

"Ah!!!!"

"Ah~~~~~~~"

Two contrasting cries—one agonized, one moaning—intertwined and swept through the air, startling flocks of birds from their roosts.

...

After that, when Youba awoke again, Dongguan was nowhere to be seen. He cared nothing for the changes in his body or the stares of others; all he wanted was to see Dongguan again, the girl with the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms.

He gradually realized that only by being injured or participating in the Regret Show for losers could he see her. No matter how severe his wounds, this mysterious woman would always save him. Even though he lost parts of his body each time, that did not matter—he could see her.

"Ordinary condemned prisoner Youba challenges Building A’s dangerous prisoners and succeeds, advancing to dangerous prisoner status. Call Dongguan for immediate treatment!"

...

"Dangerous prisoner Youba, reverse kill in the Ghost Chase game, rewarding five thousand points. Game cleared, bullet wound to the heart, call Dongguan..."

...

"Dangerous prisoner Youba, successful challenge in the Necromancer Arena, advances to A-rank prisoner, both arms shattered, call Dongguan for treatment..."

...

"Emergency call for Dongguan! A-rank prisoner Youba forcibly breaks through the A-rank peak, triggering a blood storm. Rapid cerebral congestion, partial brain necrosis, transformation failed—please treat or dispose immediately..."

...

After so many years, Youba had grown accustomed to risking his life—not for his own survival, nor for any feeble sense of self-worth, but to steal another glance at Dongguan...

Even if it meant offending those he could not afford to offend, or completing impossible tasks, Youba would do it. Even if his body was left in ruins, even if he became a demon, he would persevere.

Because only then could he breathe in that intoxicating scent of cherry blossoms. Even if he was deeply dizzy, even if his brain died, Youba would rise again for Dongguan!

The truth was, when Youba provoked the Snake Woman, Dongguan had flashed through his mind...

Upon seeing his beloved again, Youba, blood frothing at his lips, managed a slow, bloody grin. He teased Dongguan, saying,

"You’re showing too much..."

"Mm, I did it on purpose... to save you."

This time, Dongguan faced Youba’s battered, exposed body with uncharacteristic seriousness, saying, "You’re showing too much, too..."

"I... how could I... you know what you turned me into last time—besides my clothes, I’m still covered... ah... ow, ow, ow!"

Before he could finish, Dongguan lifted her blood-red high heel and pressed the sole down hard on Youba’s thigh, piercing it, though no blood spilled forth.

In that moment, Youba realized he could once again feel the air flowing around him.

He struggled to lift his head and was shocked to find that his expensive, hyper-realistic masculine body had been utterly destroyed, exposing his tender, pale flesh.

"Except for your brain, last time I swapped your body for a female one to save you. Tell me, are you exposed now?"

As Dongguan spoke, she straddled Youba’s new female form, like a wild beast.

"What are you doing!"

Though no longer a man, Youba still thought like one. He wanted to stop Dongguan, but realized neither of them was properly dressed, and any touch was awkward.

Looking at the blushing female Youba beneath her, Dongguan’s expression, too, grew embarrassed. She shot him a glance and said,

"Didn’t I just say? I’m saving you!"