Chapter 220: Demon to Slay
"Rui," she whispered, her voice barely audible, trembling with dread.
In that moment, all of her confidence shattered. The strings she had so carefully manipulated now felt fragile in her hands. The control she prided herself on was slipping away, replaced by the overwhelming fear of disappointing him.
"Yes, I will win," she stammered, trying to regain her composure, her voice shaky but forced. She couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of Rui. He was always watching, always expecting more from her. The pressure to live up to his expectations was suffocating, and failure wasn't an option. Not when he was involved.
But Rui wasn't satisfied. His voice, though still soft, carried a chilling edge. "If you don't," he said slowly, each word sinking into her like a weight dragging her down, "I will tell Father."
Her blood ran cold. The mere mention of Father sent a wave of terror through her body. The threat was subtle, but it was enough to send her into a spiral of panic. She couldn't fail. If she did, it wouldn't just be Rui's disappointment she would face—it would be Father's wrath.
"No... No!" she thought frantically, her fingers tightening around the threads. Her breathing became shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to suppress the growing fear.
"I won't fail," she said, louder this time, as if saying it aloud would make it true. "I can't fail."
But deep down, the doubt was already creeping in. She could feel the slayers getting closer, cutting through her webs with frightening precision. They were strong—stronger than she had anticipated. And now, with Rui's cold gaze fixed on her, her resolve was crumbling.
Her body trembled as she pulled harder on the threads, trying to strengthen her dolls, trying to regain control. "Fight harder," she whispered through gritted teeth. "You must stop them. You must stop them now!"