A pale yellow, fluffy duckling appeared on the table. It didn't appear suddenly; rather, it was created quickly by an invisible hand in the space.

Verena's pupils suddenly contracted as she stared in astonishment at the scene, reaching out and trembling to touch the fluffy little duck.

It is real.

"This is... a little duck that my mom gave me..."

But that's not it either.

"This is the materialization of spiritual power?!"

Verina held the fluffy duckling and felt an unusual power.

She looked up at the handsome young man in disbelief.

"you......"

Mingxi smiled at her, "So? Interested in cooperating with me?"

Verina took a deep breath, hugged the little duck to her chest, and her expression softened considerably.

"I need to know what you want to collaborate with me on, right?"

Mingxi's smile grew even brighter.

...

Two days later.

A jet-black metal letter was personally delivered to Verina's bedroom door by the butler.

The Shadow Raven family crest floated on the surface of the metal letter.

A crow with scarlet eyes.

Verina was sitting in front of her dressing table, slowly combing her long silver hair with a comb inlaid with dark purple crystals.

Mingxi lay languidly on the velvet bed, like a silent decoration.

The butler handed over the letter with both hands: "Miss, it's an urgent message from the family's steward's office."

Verina didn't take it, but looked at An through the mirror: "Open it, read it."

An did not refuse.

Even though her behavior was extremely unreasonable within the family.

He opened the letter and took out a piece of leather paper with a special texture, on which were written characters as red as blood:

"My dearest Verina, my most beautiful daughter."

Three days later, the Margaret family will be holding a quarterly hunting party at the Crimson Corridor. Our Shadow Raven family has been specially invited and has three spots to participate in the Crimson Hunt.

As a reward for your recent good performance, the family has decided to allocate one of the spots to you after discussion.

My daughter, I hope you will live up to the family's expectations.

Returning in glory.

—Your loving father, Darian Shadowsong.

The air in the room suddenly froze.

Verena's fingers tightened around the comb, her knuckles turning slightly white.

In the mirror, her heterochromatic eyes flared with a cold flame, both dark brown and dark gold.

"hehe."

"Father......"

She uttered the title softly, but a beautiful smile appeared on her lips. "As expected of him, he actually thought of finding such a reward for me."

When she said the word 'reward,' her tone was full of sarcasm.

Scarlet Hunting.

That's quite a grand gesture.

An lowered her head: "Miss, it must be because you tore Miss Lily's mouth apart last month that the clan leader..."

Verina is infamous in Zetalem.

Because whether it's her own people (the Shadow Raven family) or outsiders, if anyone displeases her, she treats them all the same, killing, maiming, or injuring them.

The number of humans and supernatural beings who have died, been maimed, or been injured in her hands is countless.

Therefore, violence, cruelty, and willfulness are synonymous with her.

Last month, Lily Shadowsong, who had been living on Cloudsea Star for a long time, came to Zetalem Star with her girlfriends. She deliberately came to pick a fight and mocked Verina for having heterochromia that would be perfect for making gemstone earrings. Unsurprisingly, Verina tore off her mouth without hesitation.

It's the kind of tearing that really happens.

You can cosplay as the Slit-Mouthed Woman.

Lily Shadowsong is the only daughter of Darian Shadowsong and his legal wife, and holds a prominent position in the family.

The fact that this young lady had her mouth ripped open in public by Verena Shadowsong, who was merely an illegitimate child, naturally caused a huge shock within the family.

Although Verena is Darian's most 'favored' daughter, Lily is an important bridge connecting the Shadow Raven family and the Margaret family.

Her injury is a small matter, but losing face is a big deal.

The young lady started making a scene that very day, demanding that the family punish Verina.

This incident did indeed anger many people in the family. In the past, even when Verina went too far, she at least held back against her brothers and sisters.

At the very least, they would avoid outsiders.

But this time, in front of the children of various powerful figures on Yunhai Star, she tore Lily Yingge's mouth apart.

This has blown up.

Even if Darian wanted to suppress this matter, there was nothing he could do.

He also needs to give an explanation to the Margaret family.

Darian did his best to suppress the matter and allow Verina to continue her 'carefree' behavior for another month.

"...Should we submit an appeal to the clan leader and the family council?"

The butler said with a worried expression.

"Appeal?"

Verena laughed out loud and slammed the comb down on the table.

"An, you've been with me for so many years, don't you understand?"

This is what he wanted.

My dear father, the patriarch of the Dark Raven family, thinks I've grown too powerful and wants to play the role of someone who's been crippled.

She stood up, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and walked to the window.

Outside the window, Zetalem's ever-changing light pollution flows between the city's modules, like the blood vessels of some giant creature.

"Isn't he amazing?"

Sending me to Crimson Hunt is awesome!

Verina's voice was soft, but every word was venomous, "I love it so much! An amusement park where you can kill and set fires at will, it's perfect for me!"

She turned around, her gaze falling on Mingxi.

“Keyi,” she called, her voice regaining its languid tone, “have you heard of the Crimson Corridor?”

Mingxi shook her head slightly: "No."

Even if I've heard of it, I have to say I've never heard of it.

"Then let me introduce you to him."

The Crimson Corridor is one of the most fun 'playgrounds' on Zetalem.

Verina walked back to the dressing table, picked up a dark red lipstick, and slowly applied it.

"It was originally a semi-abandoned giant ecological experimental station with an extreme and chaotic internal ecological environment, where various mutated plants grew and wild beasts that had been irradiated and genetically modified lived."

There were also... specially placed experimental subjects.

She pursed her lips, smiled at herself in the mirror, a smile that was breathtakingly beautiful, yet chillingly cold.

“Every few months, the Margaret family and some partners would hold a hunting party there.”

Participants can be members of various families, important guests interested in the hunting game, and some... well, how should I describe them? Let's just call them trash; these trash will participate as guests.

She paused for a moment, then said, "Everyone, or any being, is both hunter and prey."

An added in a low voice, "The survival rate of the Crimson Hunt is less than 32 percent."

"Miss, you really shouldn't have gone. If you just admit your mistake, I don't think the clan leader will force you."

“Shouldn’t I?” Verina sneered. “An, don’t you understand? I’m an illegitimate child, I have no right to be picky.”

After applying her lipstick, she turned to Mingxi, her heterochromatic eyes staring straight at her.

"So, my dear new toy, would you be willing to accompany me on a trip to hell?"

Mingxi asked curiously, "Can I go too?"

"Of course, each participant can bring a partner, and this partner has a particularly interesting name: a substitute doll."

Verina extended her finger and lifted the handsome man's elegant chin. "So? Would you, my noble Yulanka, be willing to be my substitute doll?"

"Of course, you can refuse. I've always been tolerant of my love slaves, if..."

"I'll go."

Mingxi interrupted her.

The voice was calm, yet resolute.

Verina raised an eyebrow: "Oh? You love me that much? Or is it..."

She approached, her fingers tracing the front of Mingxi's clothes. "You're also interested in those bloody games?"

Mingxi grasped her wrist gently, but not easily, leaving no room for escape.

Her star-blue pupils swirled gently in the dim light.

"How could someone like me be interested in fighting and killing games? It's all for you, my beautiful little princess."

Guangguang: "Eek~~"

Give it back to its fresh and elegant owner.

"Personal persona, it's all just a persona."

“Turan Yulanka is not that greasy. He is such a noble and elegant person.”

"How do you know that people don't talk dirty in private?"

"Impossible, he's just an old virgin."

Mingxi: "..."

Verina stared at her for several seconds.

He suddenly laughed: "Very good!"

An, go and make preparations.

Three days later, I still need to let my dear father see me dance beautifully on the stage he has carefully prepared.

...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Crimson Corridor is located in a remote, abandoned module area in Zetalem.

From the outside, it appears as a huge, rusty metal hemisphere, with a diameter of over five kilometers.

Dozens of hovercars of various styles were parked at the entrance, and many people were coming and going.

Most of them were members of various factions, families and their affiliated forces, and there were also a few masked guests whose identities were unknown.

Verina was wearing a dark purple, form-fitting combat suit today, and her silver hair was tied in a high ponytail.

A slender energy dagger hung from his waist.

She looked relaxed, even a little excited, as she took Mingxi's arm and stepped off the family's exclusive black hovercar.

Mingxi also changed her outfit, wearing the same combat suit as Verina in the same color, but it accentuated her 'masculine charm'.

Handsome, sharp, and imposing.

The collar around her neck was still there, but with Verina's "special permission," many restrictions had been lifted, leaving only its monitoring function.

She carried an alloy longbow provided by Verina and a quiver of special arrows.

Although the Turan people were just ordinary people, they were extremely skilled in horseback archery.

This is probably related to their mysterious and extraordinary bloodline, if the rumors are true.

As soon as I got off the bus, a sarcastic voice came over.

"Hey, look who's here?"

Isn't this our precious little princess Verina?

You actually dared to come to the hunting party? You don't think it's like the little games you used to play, do you?

The speaker was a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressed in a magnificent silver-gray hunting outfit. Beside him was a guard with cold and sinister eyes, and three pet beasts of varying strengths.

He bore a slight resemblance to Verina, but his eyes and brows were full of arrogance and frivolity.

This is Verina's half-brother.

Derek Shadowsong, also a bastard son of Darian, is, like Verina, a notorious spoiled brat on the planet Zetalem.

He became the second person to be thrown into the hunting party this time because of some messy things.

Verina didn't even bother to lift her eyelids: "Derek, did you run out of your mouth ulcer ointment? You sound so sarcastic."

Derek's face darkened: "Verina! Watch your attitude! This hunting party is being personally supervised by Mother and Sister Lily. If you die in there, no one can save you!"

"rest assured."

Verina finally looked at him, her heterochromatic eyes filled with mockery, "Even if you die, I won't die."

After all, you and I both know very well that the Shadow Raven family still needs me, and you...

She looked him up and down. "What use are you besides wasting food and causing trouble?"

"you--!"

Derek flew into a rage and put his hand on the energy gun at his waist.

"Young Master Derek."

An silently stepped forward, blocking Verina's side, and said in a steady voice, "The hunt is about to begin, and the lady is watching from the control room."

Please be mindful /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of your words and actions.

Derek was clearly wary of An, and he angrily withdrew his hand, glaring fiercely at Verina.

"We'll see! I heard they've put a lot of good stuff in the corridor this time. Hopefully, you and this pretty toy next to you can hold out a little longer!"

He left with his cold-looking guard and his pet beast.

Verina's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a cold gaze.

“Miss, Mr. Derek may be engaging in more than just verbal provocation.”

An said in a low voice, "I noticed that the companion he brought is Lin Tong, an SS-level Beast Tamer. He is a regular at the Crimson Hunting Club and is often hired as a substitute doll. He has participated in more than 7 hunting clubs, and no fewer than 100 people have died at his hands."

"How did Derek manage to hire such a talented person?"

Although Verina was reckless and lived a flamboyant and unrestrained life, she had never attended the Crimson Hunt.

If everyone here is a bad person, she wouldn't recommend playing this game.

But there are too many innocent people here, and she can't change their fate; she can only run away.

Therefore, she knew nothing about the regulars of the Scarlet Hunting Club.

"It must have been arranged by the madam."

And it was intentional.

The lady knew very well that Verina and Derek had a terrible relationship, because Verina had broken Derek's head, broken his legs, and smeared his face more than once...

Derek has also ruined Verina's plans more than once.

The two were more like enemies than enemies themselves.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they're locked in a life-or-death struggle.

For Mrs. Margaret, the idea of ​​siblings killing each other, especially since they were all illegitimate children created by her husband, was the best form of revenge.

The lady was well aware of Verina's significance to the Dark Raven family, so she couldn't do it herself, but she could have someone else do it.

Then her husband, who has always doted on his illegitimate daughter, would have nothing to say.

"So it was my noble mother's doing. No wonder Derek dared to be so arrogant."

Verina sneered, "How interesting."

She turned to look at Mingxi: "Are you ready, my substitute doll? There are quite a few people who want to kill us."

"Don't worry, my little princess, no one can get past me to hurt you."

Mingxi nodded, her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd at the entrance.

She sensed several strong energy reactions, some of which carried an unsettling sense of distortion, remarkably similar to the mutated supernatural beings she had encountered before.

This place is indeed related to the Advent Organization.