As Sparkle reeled, thinking of how to escape, a warm, strong hand suddenly landed on her shoulder from behind.
Her whole body froze, blood turning to ice.
She could sense the terrifying presence behind her.
Lu Jingming had appeared behind her like a ghost.
He didn't use force. Instead, with an irresistible yet oddly intimate gesture, he pulled the petite Sparkle into his arms, holding her tight.
The warmth and softness of the girl in his arms, her fresh scent—yet Lu Jingming's heart was as calm as an ancient well.
He lowered his head, lips almost touching her sensitive ear, and whispered in his cold, magnetic voice:
'Hello, Sparkle. You think you can just run after your little prank? Aren't you underestimating me?'
His tone was calm, yet colder than Jingliu's sword, more suffocating than Castorice's death domain.
Sparkle knew—this time, the butterfly who thrived on chaos had truly fallen into a carefully woven web.
Trapped in Lu Jingming's arms, feeling Gu Yuena's draconic might, Jingliu's freezing sword intent, and the silent encirclement of Firefly and Castorice, Sparkle' ever-reckless mind finally began to run at full speed.
Fight back?
A joke—any one of Gu Yuena or Jingliu could flatten her, never mind the others and the inscrutable Lu Jingming.
Run?
She'd tried—but in the face of overwhelming power and a prepared ambush, her illusions and space tricks weren't enough.
The wise submit to fate. The Masked Fool loved mischief, but she wasn't stupid.
Almost instantly, the shock at being exposed faded from her face, replaced by a pitiful, tearful look. She squirmed in Lu Jingming's grip, her voice soft and pleading:
"Uuu… Brother Lu, I know I was wrong~ really, I do, please let me go? I surrender, I promise I'll be good and never cause trouble again."
Her big, expressive eyes tried to squeeze out tears, her tone seemingly sincere.
But Lu Jingming just looked at her blankly.
He knew this imp well—her promises were flimsier than bubbles; her surrender was a stopgap.
Without a truly memorable lesson, she'd forget the pain and cause even bigger disasters next time.
"Wrong?"
His voice was flat, emotionless.
"Just saying sorry isn't enough."
Before she could react, he spun her around, pressing her face-down over his knee, her red-dressed rear exposed to all.
"What are you—?!"
Panic finally entered her voice as she struggled.
His answer was a raised hand, coming down hard.
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed in the alley.
Sparkle went blank, her mind wiped clean.
Only when the burning pain exploded did she realize—
She, the Masked Fool Sparkle, was… being spanked?!
Utter humiliation!
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Lu Jingming didn't stop. The slaps were steady, not too hard, but enough to hurt and shame.
He wanted to break all her pretenses, to make her remember the lesson.
Firefly and Castorice, even the cool Gu Yuena and Jingliu, all showed odd expressions.
Firefly subconsciously turned away, shoulders shaking as she suppressed laughter.
This scene was, for the Masked Fool, almost too dramatic.
At first, Sparkle was mortified, struggling and sobbing, but Lu Jingming held her easily.
The pain brought tears to her eyes.
But gradually, a strange feeling began to grow inside her.
She was the Masked Fool, a traveler of joy and chaos.
All things, noble or base, order or chaos, could become fuel for her joy.
And now—such humiliation, pain, helplessness, and the subtle thrill of powerful onlookers—
Wasn't this a new, twisted, and ultimate kind of joy?
"Ah…!"
But her cry was different now, a tremble and an odd undertone.
Lu Jingming paused, seeing Sparkle' face, now twisted in a morbid, yet strangely enchanting, smile.
Her eyes were glazed, but deep within burned a twisted excitement. Her lips curved maniacally.
Lu Jingming: "???"
He froze, hand in midair.
He'd seen much, but even he was stunned.
He knew Masked Fools were crazy, but not to this extent.
This wasn't just shameless—it was terminal.
Especially with Sparkle' blushing face—even Lu Jingming felt his scalp tingle, loosening his grip.
This punishment… was going somewhere he'd never expected.
Firefly, Castorice, and the others' smiles vanished, replaced by shock, speechlessness, and deep wariness.
They realized the Masked Fool was even more troublesome and incomprehensible than they'd thought.
Sparkle used the chance to slip away, staggering to her feet.
She rubbed her still-burning rear, but her smile only grew more warped, her gaze glued to Lu Jingming like she'd found a fascinating new toy.
"Brother Lu… today's lesson—I'll be sure to remember it~"
Her voice was sweet yet husky, dangerously so.
For the first time, Lu Jingming felt uncertainty—was capturing this imp really the right choice?
She was like an uncontrollable flame—the more you tried to douse her, the more wildly she burned.
He'd planned that if she fought too hard, he'd simply eliminate her.
He was never hesitant—if someone threatened his plans, he'd destroy them without mercy.
But now, things had gone completely off-script.
Not only did Sparkle surrender, after her initial shock, she even seemed tamed, waving a white flag.
Even during that humiliating punishment, she simply whimpered, body trembling—but behind her eyes, there was no humiliation or anger, only a strange, kindled light.
This utterly illogical reaction shattered his intent to kill.
Lu Jingming sighed inwardly.
It's just… different.
If it were anyone else, they'd be ashes by now.
But this was one of his 2D waifu, someone he'd gazed at through a screen on countless nights.
This one-sided bond left him with unnecessary patience.
Honestly, Sparkle' actions were outrageous, her explosion tearing open the walls between worlds—a disaster by any measure.
But in the end, it didn't cross his bottom line—no one he cared about was harmed, his core plans weren't ruined.
This kind of mischief, while troublesome, was within his tolerance.
In fact, opening a stable passage between worlds had long been part of his plan—Sparkle just forced it ahead in the most dramatic way.
Like Vita, another headache, Masked Fools could be troublesome, but if guided right, might become useful.
As Lu Jingming weighed pros and cons—
Sparkle, recovering from her ordeal, wasn't discouraged. Her eyes shone as if she'd discovered treasure.
Failed? Captured? Humiliated?
None of that mattered.
What mattered was this man—Lu Jingming.
He not only saw through her flawless plans, but gathered such powerful, unique followers.
He himself was shrouded in mystery—strong, enigmatic, dangerously attractive.
To follow him, to cling to him—there would be more, greater, and more unimaginable excitement.
That was far better than playing little pranks alone.
So, under Lu Jingming's surprised gaze, Sparkle lifted her still-flushed face and grinned, her tone full of unconcealed interest:
"Oh my Looks like I've finally met a really tough opponent!"
She sang the words, eyes sparkling.
"So… my esteemed, powerful captor, what will you do with me now?"
She winked, lashes fluttering, a hint of challenge and anticipation in her look.
"Will you lock me up in some dark, damp cell? Or… keep me by your side, under your strict watch?"
Her tone was playful, her attitude not one of fear, but eager anticipation for whatever might come.