Chapter 134: Premonition

Tanya stared blankly at the pale red ceiling, her body limp and lifeless on the sofa. Honestly, she really wanted to be a carefree slacker; she felt she simply was no match for the "older" Chu Ning.

"I can't believe he had this trick up his sleeve. I’ve been outmaneuvered!" Tanya bit her lip, debating whether she should continue following the clues she had found. She offered a self-deprecating smile at the thought; it seemed reality never gave her the luxury of a choice.

She weakly held up her findings from the villa, sighing at the irony that for such good friends, they lived in a luxurious house devoid of even the most vulgar necessity—money. What a frugal life they led!

"A deed of servitude, ha!" Tanya secretly regretted the contract she had once signed. Now that she held the black-and-white proof in her hands, she realized it was filled with inequitable terms, not the simple property transfer agreement they had discussed.

To hell with your word!

Tanya felt she was far too naive and ill-suited for survival in this world. She had actually believed Chu Ning would keep his promise and accept only the compensation they had agreed upon.

Who could have guessed the trap was so deep? The document Chu Ning had produced was, in fact, a legendary master-servant contract. The actual text written on it hardly mattered; the crucial part was the signature.

Because the final right of interpretation lay entirely with Chu Ning, it meant Tanya had entrusted her freedom to someone else's conscience. And Tanya knew for a fact that Chu Ning possessed no such thing. She clutched the deed, feeling a wave of frustration that brought her to the verge of tears.

As for tearing up the contract, Tanya didn't have the courage to try. She couldn't guarantee what kind of disastrous chain reaction such an act might trigger. When forced to make a decision that stakes one's own life, a person naturally recoils.

The contract vaguely recorded that destroying it would lead to severe consequences, though it failed to explain the specific price to be paid. This ambiguity was exactly why Tanya dared not gamble with her life.

Furthermore, the material of the contract was top-tier. As Tanya explored the texture of the yellowed paper, she knew that conventional methods would be insufficient to destroy its structure.

"If the master of the contract dies unexpectedly, the second clause shall automatically take effect!" Tanya’s pupils contracted sharply as she read the line. She knew things wouldn't be that simple.

The unknown often breeds endless fear. Tanya didn't know what the lethal "second clause" entailed, but she noted that it hadn't been triggered yet, which meant it was highly probable that Chu Ning was still alive.

Tanya picked up the files on the table—the only clues she had managed to gather after searching for so long. The villa was impeccably clean, devoid of even the slightest speck of dust; it was so tidy it didn't even look like anyone had ever lived there.

"This is a normal phenomenon, don't be nervous, really, don't be nervous!" Tanya whispered to herself with her eyes closed, terrified of encountering anything supernatural.

She tried to recall the traces of her own life in the house—the little habits she had, the order in which she placed her belongings—but now, every trace had vanished.

"What a truly haunted house, in every sense of the word!" Tanya didn't panic or lose her composure. She merely grumbled a few times; she was becoming disturbingly accustomed to the recent string of events.

"Clues, where are the clues?"

In her hands, she held Chu Ning's medical records and a scattering of pill bottles from the table. Ignoring the professional jargon, the records generally indicated that the patient suffered from a mental illness requiring long-term observation and treatment.

She felt a strange relief that she had been magnanimous enough not to bicker with Chu Ning; otherwise, he would have infuriated her to death long ago. Her suspicions were finally confirmed, and the eerie feeling she had experienced while staying with him now made perfect sense.

To figure out the true purpose of these convoluted contracts, Tanya decided to set off for the hospital named in the medical records. She just wanted to find a quiet, undisturbed corner and live in peace.

Alas, her humble wish was always destined to remain unfulfilled.

After experiencing these tumultuous events, Tanya understood that pinning her hopes on others was not a wise move. Moreover, the contract she had signed in her confusion was clearly designed to entrap her.

Chu Ning was not dead!

Repeating this thought silently, Tanya knew that if she sat idly by waiting for Chu Ning to appear, she would never be able to break free from the shackles imposed upon her.

The best way to defeat an enemy is to understand his every move. Tanya reasoned that the weakness of a monster is often something they refuse to face, and knowing his past would likely prove to be the key.

In the end, she resolved to head to Sacred Heart Hospital—a name as cliché as they come. She would take the initiative to uncover Chu Ning's hidden past, using this window of time to find a way to defeat him and sever their connection once and for all.

Tanya had a gut feeling that Chu Ning would return sooner or later.