Ding stared in his direction for a few more seconds before leaning back on the seat with his eyes closed.
"Where to boss?" the driver asked throwing them glance from the rear view mirror.
"Home," he murmured and the driver nodded and accelerated down the road.
Tsun watched on silently from the window as the car drove out of sight and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
"You called?"
Without shifting his attention from the window he nodded his head," I need you to look into someone for me."
"Sir?"
"Let me go you old fox!" Lian shouted trying to break free from Ding's tight grip on his forearm," hey! Are you listening to what am saying? Hey!"
Ding ignored him and advanced further down the hall. Lian stopped fighting and looked around the dark surrounding and gulped nervously. He did not know why the aura radiating around him made him uncomfortable.
"Why am I so nervous?" he murmured to himself.
He looked from Ding's grip on his hand to his face trying to read him to no avail.
"What was I thinking? I can't read him. He is just an expressionless bastard," he mumbled to himself," if only he could give me just a little hint. Then I could know what he is thinking."
His thoughts were cut short when Ding kicked the door in front of them open. He pushed him into the room causing him to tumble onto the ground with a thud. He winced as Ding pulled his hair forcing him to raise his head.
"T- that hurts…"
"Now that we are alone, it's time I show you the consequences of a pet disobeying his master."
Lian clenched his teeth together trying to distract himself from the surging pain rising from his scalp. Dragging him by his hair, Ding pulled him across the floor and threw him to the wall. He groaned in pain at the sudden impact with the cold hard wall. His back ached in pain as he tried to lift his gaze from the ground to Ding.
"Hah~ was that all … you've got? I barely… felt a pinch," he replied his eyes focusing on Ding's cold eyes.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Ding kicked him and Lian fell on his side. He slowly lifted his weight up and spat the blood in his mouth. Ding walked out of the room and Lian sat up back against the wall. Seconds later, the door flung open and Ding's figure appeared in sight. He knelt before Lian and brought the chain in sight. Lian looked from the chain to Ding and back.
"What… that's…"
He shrugged and twirled it around like some sort of prize," It's a version meant for disobedient pets like yourself."
Lian studied the chain carefully and let out a gasp in shock," That's not like the one you tied me with before."
"Of course it's not," he answered with little interest.
Lian gulped and asked," What's that attached to the back?"
His question came out more curious than he intended and Ding raised his brow.
"This?" he asked bringing the collar into full focus," just something that goes off when you go against me."
"Goes off? What do you mean by goes off?"
"Gee, I don't know… maybe blow up?"
"What! Are you out of your mind? Why would you put something so risky on me? No forget that… why do you even own something like that?"
"Any pet of mine deserves the utmost best."
"Again with this pet nonsense? Listen, I was okay with you doing all those things to me but now you are clearly going over the top and I don't like it."
"Do you think a master listens to the pet or is it the other way around?"
Lian clenched his fists tightly fingers digging into the flesh of his palm.
"You… I'll show you…"
He lunged forward throwing a punch in his direction only for it to be easily dodged.
"What was that supposed to be? An attack? A defence?"
"How did you evade it so fast?"
Ding lunged forward and pinned Lian to the ground," If you ever want to take down a mafia leader, you need to be faster and stronger than the opponent."
"Let me go!" Lian said struggling under him.
"It seems I haven't domesticated you enough."
Before Lian could form the words in his mind into questions, the click sound echoed around them as Ding slipped the collar at the end of the chain around his neck and the cuff around his left hand.
"H- hey!"
"This collar looks better on you," he said his eyes wandering down Lian's neck admiring his handiwork.
Lian slightly flinched under the intensity of his cold stare on him. Mustering up some courage, he raised his eyes to Ding's trying to read if there was any emotion in his eyes with no luck. Without warning, Ding stood up and yanked the chain causing Lian to stumble forward.
"Grovel at your master's feet," he commanded.
Lian bit his tongue and lowered his head in a slight bow. He could do anything but grovel at the feet of this man. He needed to maintain his dignity.
"No," he replied in a low whisper.
"What did you say?"
"I said No!" he replied his voice coming out louder than intended," I mean…"
An amusing smirk played on Ding's lips at this and the sight made Lian tremble. The way he looked at him was like a predator would its prey and this made him very uncomfortable. Ding sat on the chair and crossed his left leg over the right and tugged on the chain lightly.
"You seem to not understand the current position you're in," he replied twirling the chain around his palm.
With each twirl he made, the tighter the collar on Lian's neck got. Lian had to stand his ground, there was no way he would let any of this lower his esteem. He slowly crawled towards Ding and sat by his heels. The pain surging from his lungs intensified and he opened his mouth trying to get air into his system.
"W- why…? W- why don't you just… kill me?" Lian asked struggling to catch his breathe.
"Kill you? Then I won't…"
His words faded off as Lian lost consciousness and collapsed onto the ground by Ding's feet.
"Tch… he's already passed out. I didn't even get to use the whip on him."
Ding let out a frustrated sigh, unwound the chain from his palm and dropped it to the ground. He kicked Lian's unconscious body from the way and walked out closing the door behind him. He headed to his office and sat watching Lian through the cameras.
After a few minutes, Lian stirred and sat up grabbing his head.
"Ugh… what…"
His words trailed off once he grabbed something by his neck and it took him a second to remember everything that had happened.