Chapter 003: A Brutal Beating

As time went by, Jin’er’s wrists became marked with many scars of varying shapes and sizes, each a memento left by snakes, centipedes, scorpions, and other strange insects. The scars crisscrossed one another, grotesque and terrifying. She hated the sight of them, so she tore a strip of cloth to wrap around that spot, only removing it when necessary.

Now, her body retained a fair amount of poison, but she had also developed some resistance. When bitten by the more common venoms, her body scarcely reacted anymore—her only consolation amid it all.

Day after day of torment had made Jin’er braver; she had learned to face pain squarely, to bury her emotions, to endure everything in silence. Outwardly, she maintained a calm and unruffled facade, but deep within her heart, a stubborn strength took root and grew quietly.

The man seemed rather satisfied with Jin’er’s apparent obedience, but he remained displeased by her coldness. She was mute as a stone, often ignoring him completely, forcing him to talk to a living puppet day after day. The feeling left him restless and resentful.

One day, he seemed in a particularly foul mood; he’d been drinking, and his temper was worse than usual.

“Stupid girl! Would it kill you to say something?!” As the words left his mouth, a vicious whip lashed across Jin’er’s body.

Startled as she cleared the dishes, Jin’er’s body trembled, and the bowl in her hand nearly slipped to the ground. Yet she gritted her teeth and steadied herself, not making a single sound.

“Well! Looks like you’re getting bolder! Let’s see which is harder—your bones or my whip!” With that, he swung the whip again and again, striking her with savage force.

Jin’er hunched over, setting the dishes on the table, clenching her teeth to endure it. But his strength was not easily borne; after just a few blows, she could no longer withstand the pain and collapsed, rolling on the ground as before. Still, not a single word of supplication passed her lips.

Her lips were bitten through, and the taste of blood—sharp and metallic—spread between her teeth, a flavor as familiar as her daily dessert.

At last, the man tired himself out. After cursing and giving her a fierce kick, he tossed aside the whip and stormed out alone.

Listening to his footsteps fade into the distance, Jin’er finally breathed a sigh of relief. Drenched in cold sweat, she struggled painfully to her feet. Enduring her injuries, she washed the dishes, then walked over to his stone cabinet and took out a medical text to read.

In the past year, it was only this that allowed her to forget her pain—even if only for a while. Although the man spent his days studying poisons, there were still some basic medical books among his collection. After all, medicine and poison were rooted in the same origins; the two could be understood together.

Perhaps it was the desperation of her situation, but Jin’er learned quickly. She had read nearly every book in the cave, comprehending what she could and memorizing the rest by force of will. When she went out to gather herbs, she learned to identify many of them, and could even pick out several ingredients in the antidotes she took daily. She thought to herself: One day, I will cure myself.

“What are you doing sitting there instead of working?!” The sudden shout startled Jin’er from her reading.

She instinctively shoved the book up her sleeve and sprang to her feet, her face paper-white. The abrupt movement tugged at her wounds, sending a fresh wave of cold sweat down her back.