Chapter One: The Green Leather Book

Bai Xian opened her eyes to the sight of pitch-black rock walls, the sensation of damp, stifling air, the barely audible sounds of breathing, and a hard wooden bed that made her back ache.

So, it wasn’t a dream after all.

She had crossed into this world three days ago. Unlike the stable life she once knew, this place was mired in chaos and unrest, infested by demons and evil spirits. The imperial court could only maintain order within certain cities; beyond their walls, it was the realm of monsters.

Unfortunately, the cave she’d appeared in after crossing over was deep in a remote wilderness, and its owner was a dog demon. She and the others here were nothing but livestock, raised for the demon’s consumption.

What did it mean to be livestock? It meant being penned up like pigs, ready to be devoured by evil spirits at any moment.

She sat up on the wooden board, strands of jet-black hair falling across her eyes. With a trace of irritation, she tied her long hair behind her head with a piece of string, ensuring it was secure before sighing with relief.

The rough wooden beds, nailed together with iron tacks, held not only her but many others. The vast cave was cramped with people, some as young as six or seven, others in the bloom of youth, all of them female.

The dog demon had a taste for tender, unspoiled flesh—virgins, one per day, no more, no less.

Three days ago, the thought of sharing a bed with so many young women might have thrilled Bai Xian. But her journey to this world had not only stripped her of her tranquil life, it had also taken away her manhood, leaving her with two soft mounds on her chest.

Small as they were, the soft flesh was undeniably part of her now; with every movement, she was acutely aware of their presence.

She longed to fight her way out, but had no weapon at hand.

While the others were still asleep, Bai Xian, a little embarrassed, relieved herself in a wooden bucket in the corner. Just as she was pulling up her trousers, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.

Several of the women in the cave, now awake, tensed instantly, rousing those still asleep so that all eyes turned anxiously to the decrepit wooden door.

Bai Xian moved to the edge of her bed, quietly watching the entrance.

Moments later, the door swung open and a burly, thickset woman with a face full of coarse features entered.

Her name was Yang Ma; she was the warden in charge of their captivity—a traitor to her kind, the dog demon’s lackey. She ruled over them with cruelty and held the power of life and death in her hands.

At her entrance, the women shrank into the corners, their faces blank, save for a glimmer of terror in their eyes, like a room full of broken dolls.

It was not surprising. These were once ordinary girls, kidnapped by monsters and forced to watch their companions reduced to nothing but bones. Who wouldn’t be driven mad or scared witless by such horrors?

Those driven mad were sent off early to become part of the demon’s gruesome feast; the ones left were the docile “fools,” easier to manage.

Bai Xian blended into the crowd, but unlike the others, her gaze was neither fearful nor numb—it was restless, almost eager.

For as soon as Yang Ma entered, a green-bound book appeared in Bai Xian’s mind.

Its pages fluttered noiselessly, coming to rest on one in particular.

The book opened, revealing its contents: a portrait of the domineering woman before her.

The “Green Book”:

Main target: Dog Demon
Side target: Yang Ma
Destroying a target will yield rewards; complete the main quest to return to the original world for respite...

This was not the first time the Green Book had appeared. Bai Xian showed little surprise, glancing at the sparse information before turning her attention back to the woman.

With the crack of a whip, a scream broke out—the lash left a bloody welt on the nearest girl.

Yang Ma snorted, “Get moving! If you make the Dog Master wait for his meal, none of you will escape punishment. And empty the chamber pots! The Dog Master likes cleanliness—make sure you dump them far away!”

Driven by the short whip, the girls shuffled out of the cave like a flock of frightened ducks.

Bai Xian followed with the rest, stepping into the open.

Outside the cave was a terrace, beyond which stretched a dense, endless forest.

In the center stood a massive iron cauldron, filled with discarded limbs and chunks of flesh. Dark blood and unidentified fluids stained the ground.

Nearby, a hot spring bubbled, its sulfurous waters seeping from the rocks.

On stakes beside the spring were dozens of human heads—some weathered to bone, others crawling with maggots. One had skin still intact, fresh blood clinging to the sharpened stake; the face, frozen in despair, showed remnants of beauty—it was clear she hadn’t died long ago.

She was the only one among them Bai Xian recognized.

Though “recognized” was not quite right—they’d only met once.

This was the woman Yang Ma had dragged away yesterday afternoon. In just one night, she’d been reduced to nothing but a head.

The dog demon did not simply eat its victims; it violated them first, then twisted off their heads to boil the flesh.

Before each act, the demon would have the chosen woman bathe in the hot spring, cleansing her body before savoring her at his leisure.

That gigantic cauldron was used every day to cook human meat.

“You have one hour to scrub the cauldron clean, and tidy up the area,” Yang Ma barked, her lips curled into a sneer. “And we’re running low on firewood—some of you, go fetch more.”

Of the three tasks, cleaning the cauldron was the most dreaded. After all, it still contained the remains of their fellow captives.

The boiled flesh gave off a strange sourness and a sickly meat aroma. Even the numbest of the girls recoiled from the thought of climbing inside to scrub away the charred bits.

As Yang Ma selected her victim with a wicked smile, whip in hand, a girl in oddly modern clothes and with a delicate face stepped forward to volunteer for the task.

Though puzzled, Yang Ma did not object. Out here, surrounded by forest teeming with venomous creatures, where could a group of dainty girls possibly escape? And even if they did, the dog demon would hunt them down by nightfall—skinning and gutting them on the spot.

Yang Ma slung the whip on her hip and, her two-hundred-pound frame slumping into a lounge chair, closed her eyes as two “trusted aides” began to massage her.

The dog demon rarely appeared during the day, spending most of his time hunting for prey, only returning at dusk for his grisly feast.

Bai Xian took up a pig-bristle brush and rolled up her work pants.

She was still dressed in the clothes she’d worn before crossing over—a black T-shirt and work pants. Once a perfect fit, now they hung loosely on her smaller frame.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Xian ducked into the overturned cauldron.

The stench of cooked human flesh hit her at once, and though she had braced herself, her stomach churned violently. Had she not gone two days without food, she might have vomited then and there.

Covering her mouth and nose with a sleeve, Bai Xian worked quickly, clearing out bones and scraps, then scrambled out of the cauldron as fast as she could.

Yang Ma gave the cauldron a thorough inspection before nodding for it to be set upright.

Someone was already waiting with rice and vegetables, tossing everything into the cauldron and filling it with water from a large bucket. They would cook their daily meal in the very same pot used to boil human flesh.

Bai Xian gazed long at the bubbling water and floating grains, then slipped quietly back among the others.

But now, as she approached, the rest of the numb, broken girls shrank away, putting distance between themselves and Bai Xian.

She pressed her lips into a thin line, crouched on her own, and pulled several chunks of blackened charcoal from her pocket, grinding them carefully on a stone.