Chapter 458 - Betrayal

Klang!

Clash!

Kacha!

The sounds of various things breaking sounded in the room without any reservation. There wasn't a pause or any hesitation whatsoever between each throw.

Until everything that could be broke in the room had been broken and thrown onto the floor, shattering into pieces, the noises didn't stop for a single moment. It was as if the person inside would not be at ease if they didn't throw the most precious things that they could get their hands on.

The noises stopped just as abruptly as they started, and the guards who were guarding the sect master did not show a change in their expressions at all.

They were all loyal to the sect master without reservation, and they knew her true personality. They had all been cultivated since they were young.

The sounds of heavy breathing spread through the room, filling the silence, and the hunched over figure straightened up, looking at the pile of debris on the ground with no emotions.

What had been broken were all treasures, and it would have made anyone's heart ache had they seen it, but the woman didn't show any signs of heartache at all. Instead, there was a vague sense of satisfaction when she saw everything being ruined.

Her expression morphed into a heavy scowl a moment later.

She took a deep breath, then the scowl that had been on her face melted away like it had never been there in the first place.

'Smile, smile,' she told herself, pressing her index fingers to the edges of her mouth.

She smiled very naturally, then softened her eyes, allowing the fire that burned inside her to die down.

Jess Evans walked out of the room, wearing her signature smile.

The guards didn't change their expression from the start to the end. They were more than used to it.

Jess was still in a bad mood, and she had been ever since that night two weeks ago.

First, she'd been woken up from her beauty sleep, then she was informed that someone had been leaking sect secrets. Not only that, it had been leaked by her trusted companion, who had been with her through thick and thin.

Now, everything had been leaked by her.

She walked down the steps to the dungeon, her high heels clacking against the stone floor.

Downstairs, many prisoners who had been locked up started to shiver.

Jess' footsteps were very distinct, and each time she came down, someone would suffer terribly.

They almost couldn't believe that someone like this who had such sick hobbies was the sect master of the Evans Sect, which had always been seen as honourable and just.

They felt their belief and pride in their sect take blows. Had they been disciples who were framed, or they had otherwise truly done something against the sect, they all held the same belief – Jess Evans was not a good sect leader, and she was corrupting the sect from inside out.

The sadistic pleasure she took when she tortured them let them know that not only was this all real, they would never have a chance of getting out – that was, unless they were lying down horizontally.

The sounds of high heels meeting the floor was like a demon knocking on their door, and it caused them to shudder endlessly, mostly in anticipation and disgust, wondering who would be the 'lucky' bastard today.

But still, most of them were filled with hate and sarcasm, and they wouldn't be scared even if they were visited by her.

In the depths of the dungeon, there was a figure that didn't move at all.

Jess' figure stopped in front of the cell.

The floor was cold and wet, and the place was damp. The air was stale, and there was hardly any proper ventilation in the place.

It made everything just smell like wet dog.

Charuru didn't even look up when she heard the sound of footsteps stopping in front of her cell.

"Well, well, well, look who's been caught, huh?" Jess said, smiling mockingly.

Charuru didn't raise her head, and Jess grew angry.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"Zzz…"

Jess' voice echoed loudly in the dungeon cell, and she frowned when she received no response.

Looking at the shackled form of Charuru, she took her key out and unlocked the cell door.

She stepped in, her heels clacking on the ground deliberately.

There was still anger burning her, but when she took another look at her once confidant, she felt better.

The woman was dressed in worn and tattered clothing, and her four limbs were chained and shackled to the wall. She couldn't even use the magic that she was so proud of, a fitting end for a woman like her.

Her hair was matted and dirty, and she emitted the smell of a wet dog like the rest of the prisoners here in the sect.

She was no longer like the high and mighty woman that she had been previously, and it gave Jess some solace in her heart.

But any satisfaction she might have felt abruptly fell away when she realized that Charuru was sleeping. She hadn't even had the dignity of keeping herself awake when Jess entered.

There was no way that she was still asleep, yet she was, so it could only be seen as a form of her mocking her, spurning her.

The flames of anger started to lick at her heart again, and she breathed heavily.

The thing that made her even angrier was the mocking sounds of laughter from the cells around, and soon enough, the sounds echoed all around her, coming from every cell in the dungeon.

They were all mocking her, and it just made her sadistic desire grow.

She lashed out, her whip landing on the ground, creating a large sound, which made them quieten down.

Charuru was still asleep.

Angry, this time she whipped the woman instead of the floor.

Instantly, white skin was exposed, before the skin suddenly split and blood welled out, pouring down.

The sight of the blood made Jess calm down a little, sating her blood.

"Hmph."

Jess circled Charuru, who was still suspended in the middle of the room. Two weeks in a prison had really done a number on her.

She was visibly skinnier than before, and she was filthy. Yet, she didn't achieve the sense of pleasure that she wanted to.

Charuru blearily blinked her eyes, tired. The moment she woke up, all her wounds healed, and Jess pursed her lips.

Jess took her short whip and lifted Charuru's chin, looking into her bleary eyes.

"Why did you do it?"

Charuru just blinked, uncomprehending.

Jess whipped her across the face, watching as the wound appeared and disappeared.

"Why did you do it?" she demanded again.

Charuru grinned, revealing white teeth.

Jess whipped her more severely this time, but Charuru didn't make a single sound.

"Why did you betray me?!"

All of a sudden, Charuru started laughing. She leaned on her suspended arm and looked at Jess with a pitying look. "Betray you?" she drawled, "I've never been loyal to you in the first place."

Jess heaved from anger, feeling it surge through her like a tidal wave. Its flames were so hot that it threatened to melt her from inside out. But she truly could not understand.

Charuru was someone that she had taken to heart. She would not have been so angry otherwise. To find out that someone she trusted so much, betrayed her?

How could her pride take it?

"Have you forgotten why I'm by your side in the first place?" Charuru said mockingly.

Jess took a step back, suddenly paling. "No…"

"That's right. I was sent to help you out by your cousin – Klyse Evans. The esteemed Klyse Evans. But you, what did you do? You caused his downfall. You knew – you knew that he was my benefactor. You knew that I held him in high esteem. That's why you did it behind my back, going through all the motions to discredit him. Now, I'll return you all the suffering that he must have gone through because of you."

Charuru smiled, her eyes brightening, lips curling beautifully. Even though she was in chains, she appeared more dazzling than anyone else.

"I will never forgive you," she said lightly, then she closed her eyes and didn't respond anymore no matter what Jess did to her.

Jess whipped her a few more times, but she couldn't get another reaction out of her. 

Her eyes darkened, and she left the place. No matter. In captivity, sooner or later, she would break…

She would not forgive the people who deemed it right to betray her.