Genshin Impact: Villain Life Sim

[Age 22: All this time, you've been looking for an opportunity to escape. Your disheveled, despondent demeanor is nothing more than a ruse to lower Yelan's guard.]

[To escape this hellish place, you face three major obstacles. First, the iron chain binding you. Second, the two wolfhounds guarding you. Third, finding a way out of the estate.]

[You've already devised solutions for the last two challenges. Though the wolfhounds are ferocious, you've spent years feeding them the meat Yelan occasionally gave you. Over time, they've grown to trust you completely.]

[As for escaping the estate, this was once your home. As a child, you secretly dug a hidden passage under a wall to sneak out and play. If you can make it there, you'll have a chance at freedom.]

[The real challenge lies in the iron chain. You've spent years searching for a way to break it, but ordinary rocks haven't even scratched it. Yelan, from the very beginning, never intended for the chain to be removed; it doesn't even have a keyhole. If it did, you might have been able to pick the lock with a needle given your dexterous hands.]

[Perhaps by divine intervention, one day, while Chuyi was cleaning your straw hut, she accidentally left behind a file meant for smoothing wood splinters. As she left, you thought she glanced at you for a moment longer than usual. You couldn't tell if it was a coincidence or if she had recognized you.]

[But you didn't have time to dwell on it. You didn't want Chuyi to know your identity—not just because of your shattered pride but because the more she knew, the more danger she'd face.]

[Yelan, despite her cruelty, wasn't a wanton killer. As long as Chuyi stayed uninvolved, she might remain unharmed.]

[Every night, when the world fell silent, you used the file to saw at the chain. It was a slow, painstaking process, but you persevered.]

[Age 23: After a year of this nightly ritual, you could feel the chain weakening. Your submissive, lifeless demeanor had completely disarmed Yelan's suspicion. In her eyes, you were no different from the wolfhounds—loyal, docile, and utterly incapable of rebellion.]

[One night, as you worked on the chain, you had a premonition that it might soon break. Just then, the door to the hut creaked open, startling you. You quickly hid the file in the nearby straw.]

[Entering Immersive Mode]

[Mission Objective: Escape the Prison]

The person who entered wasn't Chuyi—it was Yelan.

This surprised Lucas, as Yelan almost never visited him at this hour.

Had she discovered his secret?

As Lucas's heart raced with anxiety, Yelan sat down in a nearby chair. As usual, she propped one bare foot up and beckoned him with a finger, smiling. "Come here. Help me relax."

Over the years, Lucas and Yelan had developed a strange unspoken understanding. Though he loathed admitting it, he was undeniably Yelan's "favorite pet."

Lucas crawled to her feet. Her pale, pristine foot bore faint bite marks—reminders of their earlier encounters.

This woman had an odd fetish for pain, particularly when it came to having her toes bitten. Lucas sometimes wondered if it was his initial bite that awakened this peculiar preference in her.

"Sweet, isn't it?" Yelan smiled at Lucas's startled expression. "I added a bit of sugar syrup—think of it as your reward."

You twisted woman, Lucas cursed silently, seething inside.

His teeth sank harder into her skin, drawing blood.

Yelan, seemingly lost in the sensation, let her guard down completely. Perhaps it was the sheer enjoyment of the moment, but she dozed off, leaving the file in the straw just a short distance away.

The file wasn't sharp, but it could easily cut through Yelan's delicate, nearly translucent neck if Lucas dared to try.

Lucas's mind was in turmoil. His tormentor, the woman who had tortured him for years, was right in front of him. How could he not crave vengeance?

But Lucas hesitated. Killing her wouldn't be easy, and even if he succeeded, escaping unscathed would be nearly impossible. Moreover, a swift death felt too merciful for her.

Most importantly, Yelan wasn't his only enemy. Ningguang, who had colluded with her, and the Fatui, who had murdered his father, were also on his list of targets. It was his burning desire for revenge that had kept him alive through years of humiliation.

Just then, Yelan opened her eyes and sneered. "Hmph, I thought pretending to sleep might reveal your true colors. I was waiting to see if you'd try to kill me."

Lucas's heart skipped a beat. He quickly shook his head in exaggerated fear, pretending to cower.

Yelan gently patted his head and smiled. "Don't be scared. I was only teasing. It seems you've truly become a loyal little dog."

Suppressing his hatred, Lucas rubbed his head against her palm, playing the obedient pet.

"But the pain of toe-biting isn't enough for me anymore," Yelan said, loosening her collar. "Let's try something new this time."

Lucas was momentarily stunned by the sight before him, his eyes widening.

"Smack!" Yelan slapped him hard across the face, her tone icy. "Who gave you permission to look, you filthy mutt? Close your eyes, open your mouth, and do what you're told."

Lucas felt the sting on his cheek but, gritting his teeth, leaned forward and bit down once again.

The frequent screams coming from the straw hut where Yelan visited had long become a common occurrence for the servants in the household.

After all, most wealthy individuals tended to have peculiar hobbies. Naturally, to keep their jobs—and their lives—the servants never dared to speak a word about it.

However, today's screams sounded sharper than usual.

Perhaps she had discovered a new "game."

Half an hour later.

Yelan stood up, thoroughly satisfied. Her front was soaked with bright red blood, yet her face showed no sign of pain.

"The first time is always a bit uncomfortable," Yelan muttered, frowning slightly before smiling. "Good thing I bought some premium ointment from Bubu Pharmacy. It'd be terrible if scars were left behind."

Looking at the man in the iron mask before her, Yelan felt a complicated mix of emotions.

At first, she had merely viewed Lucas as a tool for her revenge, taking pleasure in torturing him.

But over time, she was surprised to realize that she had grown somewhat dependent on this obedient slave. Her work was intense and dangerous, often involving high-stakes missions that pushed her to the edge. The mounting stress from her blood-soaked tasks seemed to find relief only through him.

Still, it wasn't an unsolvable issue. She could always keep him confined in her estate as her personal property, her forbidden indulgence.

With the wealth she'd amassed, a few more years of work would allow her to retire comfortably.

Thinking of this, Yelan felt a renewed sense of anticipation. She retrieved two pieces of cooked beef from an oiled paper bag and tossed them at Lucas's feet. "You did well today. Here's your supper."

The aroma of the beef immediately caught the attention of the two wolfhounds nearby. They sniffed eagerly, drool dripping from their mouths as they stared hungrily at the meal before Lucas.

"What are you looking at?"

Yelan flicked a whip-like water thread at the hounds, striking them sharply. "This isn't for you!"

The wolfhounds yelped in pain and scurried to the corner, trembling.

Lucas, meanwhile, carefully cradled the beef in his arms, putting on an eager yet restrained expression.

"Saving it for later, huh?" Yelan sneered. "Do whatever you want. It's funny, isn't it? The once-proud heir of the Yan Shang Teahouse, now reduced to a groveling lapdog. Truly ironic."

With that, Yelan left the hut, and Lucas's submissive gaze turned fierce and venomous.

That vile woman…

Lucas clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

He quickly retrieved the file and poured all his pent-up anger and hatred into sawing at the chain. After what felt like an eternity, he finally heard a sharp "snap." The iron chain, as thick as a finger, had broken.

After an entire year of effort, the chain was finally severed.

Though it was a mere moment in text mode, Lucas, who could feel everything in the simulator, was overwhelmed with emotion.

The chain's breaking marked the beginning of his escape.

Wasting no time, Lucas threw the two pieces of beef to the wolfhounds.

The hounds, having grown accustomed to Lucas's offerings over the years, accepted the "tribute" without hesitation. As they tore into the meat, Lucas silently rose to his feet.

Years of confinement had left him unused to standing, but now, he stood once again—as a human.

He gently patted the hounds' backs. Over the years, his consistent offerings had completely erased their guard against him.

Taking advantage of their distraction, Lucas grabbed the file and drove it forcefully into the skull of one hound.

The hound twitched violently before collapsing in a heap, its skull shattered. The other hound froze in shock at the sight, and as it tried to howl, Lucas lunged and grabbed its neck.

Malnourished and weakened, Lucas had to exert every ounce of his strength to subdue the beast. After several grueling minutes, the second hound finally went limp.

Looking at the two lifeless hounds before him, Lucas felt a pang of sorrow. But now was no time for sentimentality. He pushed open the door and stepped outside.

The familiar yet alien sight of what was once his home greeted him.

Following his childhood memories, Lucas navigated toward the hidden passage he had prepared long ago. He prayed that the passage remained undiscovered.

If it had been found, all his efforts would be for nothing. Worse, if Yelan discovered his escape plan, he'd be as good as dead.

Fortunately, the passage was still intact. With his remaining strength, Lucas removed the loose brick in the wall, revealing a narrow tunnel.

This passage, once his secret escape route as a child, was incredibly tight. Only his now-emaciated frame allowed him to squeeze through.

Just as Lucas was about to enter the tunnel, a sudden burst of rapid footsteps came from behind. Turning around, he saw the supposedly "dead" wolfhound had revived and was now charging at him, clamping its jaws onto his pant leg.

It turned out Lucas hadn't killed the hound, merely knocked it unconscious. Upon waking, it immediately gave chase.

Exhausted, Lucas couldn't break free from the hound's grip. Just as despair set in, a knife suddenly struck the hound's skull with a sickening crunch, killing it instantly.

"Master… I'm here to save you!"

To his astonishment, his savior was none other than Chuyi!

"You… you recognized me?" Lucas murmured.

He had thought that, with the iron mask and the years of torment that had deformed him, Chuyi wouldn't possibly recognize him. Yet, she had known all along.

---