Chapter 191: Cowards in the Dark: No Balls, No Honor

A dark, mocking chuckle escaped my lips as the

System

’s suggestions echoed in my mind. "More of a pervert than me, huh?" I muttered under my breath, my smirk deepening. The

System

was relentless—a true monster of depravity. But before I could dwell on its twisted ideas, a sudden commotion erupted outside.

"Catch them! Don’t let them run away!"—I knew the plan was in motion. I stepped out of the hut just in time to see the chaos unfolding.

The

World Map

flickered in my vision, red dots scattering like panicked insects—Mitt, Ryan, Tusk, and the others, their desperate flight into the forest a perfect illusion of cowardice.

"Quickly! Chase them!" Ravina’s voice cut through the night, sharp and commanding, her tone laced with a fury so convincing it sent a shiver down my spine.

I emerged from the hut to find the entire tribe gathered, their faces pale in the firelight. Ruth, Ada, and the others stood frozen, their eyes locked on the retreating backs of their men—each one disappearing into the darkness without a single glance back. The weight of betrayal hung heavy in the air, thick enough to choke on.

Ravina stormed forward, her feet kicking up dust as she closed the distance between herself and Sabina. Her face was twisted in a mask of pure, unbridled rage, her fingers clenching around the shaft of her spear so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"How did you manage this?!" she snarled, her voice a venomous hiss. "You useless worms! You let them run away?!" She raised her spear, the tip hovering dangerously close to Sabina’s throat, her entire body vibrating with feigned fury. "Do you have any idea what this means?!"

Sabina didn’t flinch. She played her part perfectly, her voice trembling with false fear as she dropped to one knee, her head bowed. "S-Sister Ravina, we—we tried! They cut their ropes and—"

"And what?!" Ravina’s voice was a thunderous roar, her free hand lashing out to grab Sabina by the collar of her tunic, yanking her forward until their faces were inches apart. "And you let them?!"

She shoved Sabina back, sending her stumbling into the dirt before whirling on Helen and the others. "All of you! Worthless!" Her spear swept in a wide arc, the tip nearly grazing the throats of the women before her. "You couldn’t even hold a few bound men?! Pathetic!"

Helen’s face paled, her voice barely above a whisper. "We didn’t—"

"Silence!" Ravina’s voice cracked like a whip, her eyes burning with manufactured fury. "I don’t want excuses! I want results!" She turned around, her gaze sweeping over the women from Kronos Tribe, her voice dropping to a snarl.

"Look at them!" She stabbed her spear toward the forest, where the last of the men were vanishing into the shadows.

"These are the men you trusted! The warriors you relied on!" Her lip curled in disgust.

"The moment they had a chance, they abandoned you!" She let the words hang in the air, heavy with shame, her voice dripping with venom. "Not a single one of them even looked back!"

The woman flinched as if struck. Kina let out a choked sob, her hands flying to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Kerry’s arms tightened around her, her own eyes glistening with betrayal. The truth of Ravina’s words cut deeper than any blade—because it was true. Their men had run. They had left them behind.

Ravina’s voice softened—just slightly—but the cruelty in it was worse for its calm. "It’s best if you surrender now." She let her gaze linger on each of them, her smirk a razor’s edge. "They won’t be coming to save any of you."

The women exchanged glances, their bodies trembling. Some of them wept openly now, their pride shattered, their hope crushed. One by one, they sank to their knees, their voices breaking.

"We are willing to surrender..."

Ravina’s smirk deepened, her performance flawless. "Good." She let her gaze sweep over them, her tone mockingly gentle. "Don’t worry. I promise to treat you all better than your previous leader." Her voice dropped to a dark purr. "After all... what kind of leader abandons their people?"

Sabina staggered back into the clearing, her chest heaving as if she’d run for miles, her voice breathless. "S-Sister Ravina... they ran away..." She dropped to one knee, her head bowing in false defeat. "We couldn’t find them... and it’s too dark to see anything."

Ravina’s face twisted in a snarl so convincing I almost believed it myself. "Waste!" She spat the word like a curse, her spear slamming into the ground with enough force to make the women flinch. "Call everyone back! We’ll search for them in the morning!"

Sabina nodded, her voice trembling as she relayed the order to the others.

Ravina’s gaze then locked onto Hina, her voice sharp and commanding. "You." She didn’t wait for an answer. "The leader’s wife, aren’t you?" Her smirk was cruel, triumphant. "From now on, you will serve me." She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dark whisper. "Now. Take me to your place. I will live there from now on."

Hina’s face paled, her body trembling as she lowered her head in submission. She had no choice. With a quiet, humiliated nod, she turned and led Ravina toward her cave, her shoulders hunched in defeat.

The remaining women stood in stunned silence, their fate sealed, their spirits broken like brittle twigs beneath the weight of betrayal. The firelight flickered across their faces—some streaked with tears, others hollow with resignation. The air was thick with the scent of defeat, the heavy realization that their men had abandoned them without a second glance.

And me?

I watched it all with a dark, satisfied smirk curling my lips.

The game had only just begun.

And now, they were mine.

Ruth appeared at my side, her voice trembling with concern. "Dexter..." Her eyes darted over my body, searching for wounds, for any sign that Ravina had hurt me. Her fingers hovered near my chest, her touch hesitant, her breath uneven.

I chuckled, my voice a low, dark purr. "Don’t worry." My fingers brushed against her cheek, my touch reassuring despite the darkness in my tone.

"She didn’t hurt me." My gaze flicked toward the hut where Ravina had disappeared with Hina, my smirk deepening. "She just wanted to treat her injured people."

Ruth’s breath hitched, her fingers tightening around my arm. "Come back now with me..." Her voice was firm, her grip insistent as she pulled me toward the hut she shared with Ada.

Sara—the woman I had just healed—followed silently behind us, her eyes downcast but her presence lingering like a shadow.

The other women of the tribe dispersed, each retreating into their own huts, one of Ravina’s warriors trailing behind them like a silent guardian—or a jailer.

The doorflaps fell shut one by one, the camp settling into an uneasy quiet, the weight of what had just transpired hanging heavy in the air.