In the darkness, all was silent.
Only the sound of chewing continued without pause.
Dim light illuminated the figure seated in the chair. He seemed to be deep in thought, eyes lowered as he listened to voices from afar.
After a long while, he sighed.
"The Qi Family sold us out."
He murmured softly, "But it doesn't matter... Fence-sitters like the Qi Family were never worth trusting. Their betrayal was expected."
"Compared to an ally not worth caring about, an incompetent subordinate is far more troublesome."
The chewing abruptly stopped.
The darkness slowly opened like a vast mouth, spitting out a naked, emaciated shell of a man. He choked violently on the ground, letting out miserable wails and cries.
After a long while, he finally woke from the nightmare. He crawled across the floor like a dog, throwing himself before the figure and desperately kowtowing.
"Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy..."
He wept and begged, "I became too arrogant. It was me, all me... Give me one more chance."
No one spoke in the silence.
The Lord seemed to be considering it.
After a long while, he slowly shook his head.
"No, Wang Hai."
He said, "If a hunting dog's harvest comes from the hunter's guidance, then a lackey's failure must likewise be attributed to his superior's negligence. This was my mistake."
"I misjudged your carelessness and arrogance. After all, you know nothing of the true world."
Wang Hai froze in place. As though unable to bear the chill within the darkness, he began to tremble violently, a whimper escaping only from his throat.
"Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy... Give me one more chance... I will... I definitely won't fail again..."
"No, you did not fail."
The Lord slowly shook his head and said calmly, "In