Submission and Command
The Charm Monster knelt before Yang Kai, her fear palpable, her submission complete. With the slave seal in place, she no longer posed a threat. Her once-mighty aura had vanished, leaving her obedient and deferential.
Yang Kai stood over her, his gaze cold and calculated. He looked at the unconscious figures of Yun Xuan, Ruan Xin Yu, and the other survivors scattered around the mine floor. Their memories were fractured from the battle, but he couldn't afford for them to recall the truth of what had happened.
Yang Kai (firmly): "Erase their memories of you and this encounter."
The Charm Monster blinked in surprise, then nodded, her voice soft and obedient.
Charm Monster (whispering): "As you command."
---
Erasing the Encounter
The Charm Monster approached the unconscious figures, moving slowly as the glow of her Divine Sense began to pulse from her fingertips. Yun Xuan and the others stirred slightly as the Charm Monster's influence brushed against their minds, delicately rewriting their memories.
With each stroke of her power, she removed the terror of her own presence, replacing it with images of the Metal Devouring Beasts and the carnage they had wrought. In their minds, it was the beasts that had taken the lives of their companions.
Yang Kai watched in silence, his arms crossed as the Charm Monster carried out her task. He had no intention of letting them remember the truth—it was easier, cleaner, to have them believe that the deaths in the mine had been the work of the beasts.
Once she was done, the Charm Monster stepped back, her head bowed in submission.
Charm Monster (softly): "It is finished, Master."
---
The Group Awakens
It wasn't long before Yun Xuan and the others began to stir, their eyes slowly opening as they awoke from their unconscious state. Groggy and disoriented, they struggled to remember the events leading up to their collapse.
Yun Xuan (holding her head, confused): "The beasts... they were too powerful. We barely made it out alive."
Ruan Xin Yu looked around, her face pale as she took in the sight of the fallen bodies around them. Her voice trembled as she spoke.
Ruan Xin Yu (shaken): "We lost so many... I can't believe the beasts were this strong."
The group mourned their fallen comrades, the memories of the Charm Monster completely erased from their minds. To them, the battle had been a desperate struggle against the Metal Devouring Beasts, and nothing more.
---
Yang Kai's Cold Calculation
As they gathered themselves, Yang Kai remained silent, his expression unreadable. He watched as they processed the false memories implanted in their minds. There was no need for him to explain anything—everything had unfolded just as he had intended.
Yang Kai (thinking to himself): "Their memories are set. They'll never know the truth."
His focus had already shifted to the next steps in his journey. He had what he wanted—a new tool in the form of the Charm Monster—and the others need not know about it.
---
Leaving the Mine
With their strength slowly returning, Yun Xuan and her companions gathered what remained of their supplies and began to make their way out of the mine. The tension that had once filled the air had dissipated, leaving only the cold aftermath of battle.
Yun Xuan (quietly to Yang Kai): "Thank you. We wouldn't have survived without you."
Yang Kai nodded, offering no further words. He walked silently behind them as they made their way back toward the city, the Charm Monster following him, her presence now invisible to the others.
---
The Aftermath
As they exited the mine and stepped into the open air, Yun Xuan turned to look back at the cavern, her face solemn. The weight of their losses hung over the group, but the relief of survival was stronger.
For Yang Kai, however, this was just another step on his path.