The young boy wiped his tears, his eyes still red-rimmed. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with a sob. "My name is Noah."

His voice trembled slightly in the cold, damp basement, yet it carried a longing for warmth.

"My name is Su Yaoyao," she replied gently, the corners of her lips turning up slightly in an attempt to offer him some comfort.

Her eyes were full of concern. In this cold, oppressive basement, their meeting seemed to bring a flicker of unusual warmth.

However, this warmth was as fragile as a soap bubble, gone in an instant.

A set of heavy, oppressive footsteps approached, each thud feeling like it was stomping on their hearts.

Mingye’s tall, stern figure appeared before the birdcage. A frigid aura radiated from him, seeming to drop the temperature in the already cold basement by several degrees.

His gaze was like a knife, sweeping over the two people in the cage before finally landing on Su Yaoyao. His voice was deep and menacing. "It seems you two are getting along quite well."

His tone was laced with ridicule, as if mocking how laughable it was for them to seek comfort in their predicament.

Su Yaoyao clutched the boy in her arms, fearlessly meeting Mingye’s gaze as she said angrily, "Why are you so cruel? He’s just a child, yet you beat him to this state!"

Mingye sneered and walked slowly toward the birdcage. "In my world, mistakes have consequences. No one is an exception."

The boy hid in Su Yaoyao’s embrace, his body trembling uncontrollably, but he still mustered the courage to say, "You’re a tyrant! You don’t understand the first thing about kindness or mercy!"

The moment his words fell, Mingye’s eyes turned sharp. The killing intent that flashed within them was terrifying.

In an instant, two black-robed subordinates stormed into the cage like wolves pouncing on their prey.

They were agile and swift. Their rough, large hands shot out toward Noah. Grabbing one arm each, they yanked with sudden force, brutally tearing him from Su Yaoyao’s tight embrace.

Su Yaoyao’s arms were suddenly empty. The warmth of Noah’s body lingered on her fingertips, but she could no longer reach him.

Immediately after, the two black-robed men mercilessly kicked Noah hard in the legs.

Noah’s knees slammed onto the cold, hard floor with a dull thud. His body curled up uncontrollably from the searing pain.

Following the motion, they forcefully pressed down on his shoulders, forcing him to kneel in humiliation. Pinned to the ground, Noah couldn’t move, his face a mask of mingled pain and terror.

"What are you doing?!" Su Yaoyao screamed, frantic with worry.

She rushed forward recklessly, wanting to shield Noah, but the cold chain on her ankle was like an uncrossable chasm, binding her tightly and allowing her only to struggle futilely within a small area.

She desperately reached out her hands but could only watch helplessly as Noah was plunged into despair. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

At that moment, Mingye slowly raised his hand. In it was a vial of scarlet reagent that gleamed eerily in the dim light, like a demonic potion from Hell.

"This is a failed prototype from the development of the Frenzy Agent," Mingye began, his voice low, cold, and devoid of any emotion. "After injection, the subject doesn’t become frenzied immediately. Instead, the Rage Value climbs slowly, like a death by a thousand cuts. As time passes, the pain—both physical and mental—will grow exponentially, subjecting the host to endless torture."

A cruel smile played on his lips, as if he were savoring the prelude to a spectacular show.

The moment he finished speaking, he stepped forward without hesitation and swiftly jabbed the syringe into the back of Noah’s neck.

Noah’s body tensed instantly. His eyes flew wide, his face contorting in supreme agony. "AARGH!" he let out a piercing shriek that echoed through the silent basement, filled with endless pain and despair.

"No!" Su Yaoyao cried out in despair, her voice trembling and sorrowful. Tears blurred her vision, and her whole body shook with grief and rage.

Mingye let out a cold laugh, filled with scorn and disdain. "It’s quite fitting for him. You can use him to practice establishing a Spiritual Link. If you fail to grasp it, he’ll just have to die a painful death in a state of frenzy." His words were like sharp blades, stabbing straight into Su Yaoyao’s heart.

"Didn’t you promise me a month? Why are you threatening me with a Beastman’s life now?!" Su Yaoyao demanded furiously, her voice cracking with sobs. Her eyes were red, filled with indignation and despair.

Mingye’s expression was indifferent, his eyes devoid of pity, as if the life and death of others were trivial matters to him. "Pressure is a great motivator. And to make it easier for you to monitor his Rage Value, I’ve specially prepared a Rage Value detection collar."

As he spoke, Mingye reached over, picked up a black collar, and crudely fastened it around Noah’s neck.

The collar was glaringly conspicuous on Noah’s slender neck. The numbers on it ticked callously. Right now, the Rage Value displayed 30%.

"Whether the two of you live or die is up to you, Su Yaoyao." His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather, yet it was laced with a chilling cruelty.

With that, he turned and left, his tall back looking exceptionally cold and heartless in the dim basement.

The birdcage was locked again with a grating clang.

In the silent basement, only Noah’s pained gasps and Su Yaoyao’s sobs could be heard.

"Noah, how are you feeling?" Su Yaoyao’s voice trembled violently, thick with uncontrollable sobs.

She stretched her hands out desperately, trying to touch him.

But no matter how hard she tried, her hands could never reach him. They could only flail uselessly in the air before falling limply to her sides.

"I’m... I’m okay," Noah managed, pulling the corners of his mouth into a smile that looked worse than a grimace.

His forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and his face was as pale as paper. Every word seemed to take all the strength he had.

He lifted his head slightly, looking at Su Yaoyao with dull, lifeless eyes, trying to reassure her. But his forced bravery only made her heart ache more.

"It’s a failed prototype. The rage isn’t immediate. I... I heard someone once lasted ten days."

He tried to make his tone sound calm, but the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his inner fear and unease.

"Mingye actually experiments on Beastmen!" Su Yaoyao said, her eyes instantly turning red as tears streamed down her face. Her voice trembled with rage. "He’s an absolute demon!"